Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition Clans
All 16 clans available in Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition
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In Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition, your choice of clan defines your character's bloodline, inherent powers, and cursed nature. Each of the 16 clans offers unique disciplines, banes, and compulsions that shape how you experience the World of Darkness.
Clans at a glance
| Clan | Disciplines | Bane | Compulsion | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brujah The Rabble, rebels, and revolutionaries of the Camarilla | Celerity, Potence, Presence | Subtract Bane Severity dice from rolls to resist fury frenzy | Rebellion: must take a stand against orders, authority, or the status quo | The Rabble, rebels, and revolutionaries of the Camarilla |
| Gangrel The wild loners and survivors of the Camarilla | Animalism, Fortitude, Protean | Gain a persistent animal feature after each frenzy (lasts one night per Bane Severity) | Feral Impulses: 3-dice penalty to Manipulation and Intelligence, speech limited to one-word sentences | The wild loners and survivors of the Camarilla |
| Malkavian The mad seers and prophets of the Camarilla | Auspex, Dominate, Obfuscate | On Bestial Failure or Compulsion, take Bane Severity penalty to one pool category for the scene | Must act on fractured perceptions: obsessive rituals, riddles, or paranoid behavior | The mad seers and prophets of the Camarilla |
| Nosferatu The hideous information brokers and spies of the Camarilla | Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence | Permanently Repulsive; Bane Severity penalty on appearance-related rolls with humans | Must hoard information and uncover secrets (Cryptophilia) | The hideous information brokers and spies of the Camarilla |
| Toreador The beautiful artists and socialites of the Camarilla | Auspex, Celerity, Presence | Must resist mesmerization (Composure + Resolve) when encountering exceptional beauty | Must create, appreciate, or surround yourself with beauty | The beautiful artists and socialites of the Camarilla |
| Tremere The scholarly blood sorcerers and manipulators of the Camarilla | Auspex, Blood Sorcery, Dominate | Vitae cannot create Blood Bonds; others need one extra drink to bond a Tremere | Perfectionism: 2-dice penalty to all pools until a critical win is scored | The scholarly blood sorcerers and manipulators of the Camarilla |
| Ventrue The blue-blooded leaders and manipulators of the Camarilla | Dominate, Fortitude, Presence | Can only feed from a specific type of mortal; other blood is vomited up | Must assert dominance, maintain control, or enforce hierarchy | The blue-blooded leaders and manipulators of the Camarilla |
| Banu Haqim The judges and assassins, once called Assamites, who uphold their own ancient code of justice | Blood Sorcery, Celerity, Obfuscate | Must resist Hunger frenzy (Composure + Resolve at Difficulty 2 + Bane Severity) when tasting Kindred blood | Must punish someone perceived as having committed a wrong | The judges and assassins, once called Assamites, who uphold their own ancient code of justice |
| Hecata The clan of death, a merger of necromantic bloodlines united under the family of Giovanni | Auspex, Fortitude, Oblivion | Bite causes agony instead of bliss; victims resist and recoil | Must study, collect, or interact with death and the dead | The clan of death, a merger of necromantic bloodlines united under the family of Giovanni |
| Lasombra The shadow clan of ambitious predators who wield darkness itself as a weapon | Dominate, Oblivion, Potence | Distorted in reflections and recordings; worsens with Bane Severity | Ruthlessness: after any failed action, 2-dice penalty to all rolls until a later attempt at the same action succeeds | The shadow clan of ambitious predators who wield darkness itself as a weapon |
| The Ministry The serpentine tempters, formerly Followers of Set, who believe liberation comes through transgression | Obfuscate, Presence, Protean | Extra Aggravated damage from sunlight equal to Bane Severity; dazzled by bright light | Must convince someone to break a personal taboo or ethical code | The serpentine tempters, formerly Followers of Set, who believe liberation comes through transgression |
| Ravnos The once-nomadic tricksters, nearly destroyed in the Week of Nightmares, now slowly rebuilding | Animalism, Obfuscate, Presence | Doomed: sleeping in the same place more than once in seven nights deals Aggravated damage equal to Bane Severity on waking | Must take the riskiest plausible option in any decision | The once-nomadic tricksters, nearly destroyed in the Week of Nightmares, now slowly rebuilding |
| Salubri The hunted healers and warriors with the third eye, distrusted and persecuted by other clans | Auspex, Dominate, Fortitude | Third eye opens and weeps blood when using Disciplines; targeted for diablerie | Must aid, heal, or atone for perceived suffering | The hunted healers and warriors with the third eye, distrusted and persecuted by other clans |
| Tzimisce The old-world flesh-shapers and territorial lords who view their domains as extensions of themselves | Animalism, Dominate, Protean | Must sleep with chosen territory material or take Aggravated Willpower damage | Must claim, possess, or reshape something in the environment | The old-world flesh-shapers and territorial lords who view their domains as extensions of themselves |
| Caitiff The clanless, vampires with no identifiable bloodline, free to learn any discipline but shunned by Kindred society | Any; all Disciplines cost 6 XP x level (no in-clan discount) | No inherited curse | None | The clanless, vampires with no identifiable bloodline, free to learn any discipline but shunned by Kindred society |
| Thin-Blood Duskborn of the last generations, barely vampires, who can walk in sunlight but face prejudice from true Kindred | None (Thin-Blood Alchemy instead) | No clan curse; take thin-blood Merits balanced by Flaws | None | Duskborn of the last generations, barely vampires, who can walk in sunlight but face prejudice from true Kindred |
B
T
The Ministry
The serpentine tempters, formerly Followers of Set, who believe liberation comes through transgression
Thin-Blood
Duskborn of the last generations, barely vampires, who can walk in sunlight but face prejudice from true Kindred
Toreador
The beautiful artists and socialites of the Camarilla
Tremere
The scholarly blood sorcerers and manipulators of the Camarilla
Tzimisce
The old-world flesh-shapers and territorial lords who view their domains as extensions of themselves
Overview
All 16 clans in Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition, with what each one gives your character. Open any clan for its full rules, tips, and FAQ.
All Clans
brujah (celerity, potence, presence)
gangrel (animalism, fortitude, protean)
malkavian (auspex, dominate, obfuscate)
nosferatu (animalism, obfuscate, potence)
toreador (auspex, celerity, presence)
tremere (auspex, blood_sorcery, dominate)
ventrue (dominate, fortitude, presence)
banu_haqim (blood_sorcery, celerity, obfuscate)
hecata (auspex, fortitude, oblivion)
lasombra (dominate, oblivion, potence)
ministry (obfuscate, presence, protean)
ravnos (animalism, obfuscate, presence)
salubri (auspex, dominate, fortitude)
tzimisce (animalism, dominate, protean)
caitiff ()
thin_blood ()
How to choose your clan
When choosing your clan, consider:
- Playstyle: Do you prefer combat, social manipulation, or stealth?
- Disciplines: Which powers align with your character concept?
- Bane: Can you work around the clan's curse?
- Compulsion: How will the clan compulsion affect roleplay?
- Chronicle: Does your clan fit the Storyteller's setting?
Your clan choice will significantly impact your character's abilities and story. Take time to read through each clan's details before making your decision.