Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition flaw
Oblivious
Oblivious is a flaw in Vampire V5: supernatural warning signs slide past you until it is too late.
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Overview
Oblivious means the supernatural does not register. A ward burning on a doorframe, the cold that means a wraith is in the room, the glassy obedience of a Dominated servant: other characters get a prickle at the back of the neck and you get nothing. It is common among Kindred embraced recently enough to still think like mortals, and among people whose whole training says look for the mundane explanation. In play it makes you the one who walks into the trap. That is a real contribution to a scene, as long as your table enjoys it and someone else in the coterie is watching for the things you miss.
How it works
Effect: Penalty on Awareness and Occult rolls to notice or identify supernatural phenomena. The Storyteller may also withhold the free hunches other characters receive without rolling. Limits: It does not touch your own Disciplines. Your powers work normally, and it does not affect ordinary perception of mundane threats such as a gun or a tail. Interaction: It is the direct mirror of the Mystic Insight merit, and it makes an Auspex-based character awkward but not unplayable, since activated powers still function. Benefit: Grants creation experience points or story leverage, like every flaw on the RPG Stack sheet.
Tips and playstyle
Character concepts: Fresh fledgling, hard-nosed skeptic, Ventrue who treats everything as a negotiation, ex-detective who trusts evidence and nothing else. When to take: Take it when another coterie member is clearly the mystic, so the group still has coverage. Avoid it in an occult-heavy chronicle where every session hinges on reading a sign correctly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Oblivious and Auspex together?
Yes, but expect friction. Auspex powers work normally once activated; the flaw penalizes the unassisted perception that usually tells you when to activate them.
Can Oblivious wear off?
Yes. Repeated exposure and a few near-death lessons give the Storyteller a reason to let you buy it off, typically after an arc where it nearly killed you.
Does it stop me noticing another vampire?
It can. Spotting the small wrongness in a Kindred passing as human is exactly the kind of check this flaw penalizes, so you may greet a predator as a stranger.