Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition skill
Subterfuge
Subterfuge is a skill in Vampire V5: Lying well: convincing falsehoods, hidden motives, disguise, and the long con.
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Key facts
- Category
- social
Overview
Subterfuge is deception you can maintain: a lie told convincingly, a motive kept hidden, a disguise that survives conversation, a con run over months. It is also the defensive half of every social scene, since it is what keeps someone else's Insight from reading what you are doing. Every vampire uses it constantly whether they invested in it or not. The Masquerade is a permanent lie about what you are, told to everyone you meet, forever. Characters with low Subterfuge do not stop lying, they just do it badly, and a badly told lie about why your hands are cold is how Masquerade problems begin.
How it works
Common Rolls:
- Manipulation + Subterfuge: Lying, deceiving
- Charisma + Subterfuge: Appearing trustworthy while lying
- Wits + Subterfuge: Quick lies, improvised deceptions Opposed By: Wits plus Insight from anyone trying to read you, so the same roll that catches other liars is what catches you. Specialties: Lying, Misdirection, Seduction, Disguise, Long Cons
Tips and playstyle
Character Concepts: Con artist, undercover officer, spy, unfaithful spouse, a thin-blood whose entire social life depends on nobody asking a follow-up question. Synergies: Obfuscate hides the body where Subterfuge hides the motive, Insight tells you whether your lie landed, and the Mask background gives your cover story documents to stand on. Worth Knowing: This is the most universally useful social skill in the game, because every character is already maintaining the Masquerade whether they bought dots or not.
Frequently asked questions
Do I roll Subterfuge for every lie?
Only when it matters and someone might catch it. A trivial lie to a bored bartender needs no roll; a lie to a Harpy who is already suspicious certainly does.
Does Subterfuge cover disguise?
Yes, it is a listed specialty. A physical disguise plus a maintained story is Subterfuge, while a supernaturally altered appearance is Obfuscate or a Discipline power.
How does it interact with Auspex?
Badly, for you. A vampire reading auras or emotions can catch a lie your Subterfuge sold perfectly, which is why liars in this setting fear Auspex more than any other Discipline.