DISCIPLINES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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A Discipline is the term used for one of the supernatural powers of Cainites. The origin of the Disciplines is unknown, but many believe they are gifts from Caine or Lilith, and a few Antediluvians are thought to have invented unique Disciplines that have been passed down through their childer. There are seventeen "main" Disciplines that are well known and relatively common, but there are also a variety of much rarer Disciplines practiced by bloodlines and Thin-Blooded vampires.
Aside from their immortality, ability to heal, and ability to improve their physical capabilities through expenditure of vitae, the Disciplines are what grant Cainites their supernatural power and enable them to participate in the Jyhad. Training in each Discipline provides several related powers such as superhuman senses, shapeshifting abilities or influence over the minds of others. Approved Disciplines are available at Character Creation and through experience spends per your character clan. Below is a list of all approved disciplines for our cannon...
Animalism
Animalism is a Discipline that brings the vampire closer to their animalistic nature. This not only allows them to communicate with and gain dominance over creatures of nature, but gives them influence over the Beast itself. It is particular common among the clans that are most removed from humanity, though many of its powers specifically target the Beasts of mortals and Cainites. For detailed information see the corresponding Animalism page.
Auspex
Auspex is a Discipline that grants vampires supernatural senses. It is one of the most common and favored Discipline among Cainites due to its versatility and overall usefulness in just about every facet of vampiric existence. In addition to the individual powers granted at each level, Auspex allows someone the opportunity to see through illusions, such as from Obfuscate or Chimerstry, so long as the user possess at least an equal mastery in Auspex as the Discipline in question. Furthermore, it has been known to grant some degree of oracular ability, particularly when alerting a Cainite to danger, even if they are in torpor. For detailed information see the corresponding Auspex page.
Celerity
Celerity is a Discipline that grants vampires supernatural speed and finesse by expending vitae. Normally each dot provides an additional action that can be used for movement, attacking, or other physical feats in a single round without penalties for multiple actions. This extraordinary speed violates the laws of physics in that the Cainite doesn't experience any change in momentum, friction, etc. A knife thrown by someone using Celerity isn't any faster, and a vampire moving at incredible speeds will never catch fire no matter how fast they move. For detailed information see the corresponding Celerity page.
Dementation
Dementation is a Discipline widely known as the hallmark of the Malkavians. It draws on the vampire's own insanity and uses it achieve profound insights or inflict madness upon others. Such powers are one of the primary reasons the clan is often considered both insightful and very dangerous. It also seems to grant a more powerful link to the Madness Network (though a non-Malkavian who learns Dementation cannot access it), and many have suspicions about its connection to the Malkavian Antediluvian. For detailed information see the corresponding Dementation page.
Dominate
Dominate is a Discipline that overwhelms another person's mind with the vampire's will, forcing victims to think or act according to the vampire's decree. While undeniably powerful, its use almost always adheres to two important restrictions: the user must meet the eyes of the target and must speak in language that is clearly heard and understood by the target. Furthermore, this Discipline cannot be used upon Cainites of lower generation and cannot force someone to be self-destructive or defy their Nature. Using Dominate is often considered very heavy-handed, hardly appropriate within what passes for polite vampiric society, but it is also favored by those of age and status as a efficient means of asserting their authority. For detailed information see the corresponding Dominate page.
Fortitude
Fortitude is a Discipline that grants Kindred incredible resilience and the ability to resist fire and sunlight, the natural banes of the undead. Normally Fortitude does not need to be activated, and each dot is added to all soak rolls. For detailed information see the corresponding Fortitude page.
Obfuscate
Obfuscate is a Discipline that allows vampires to conceal themselves and create some manner of illusions. It is one of the more popular Disciplines practiced by Cainites, and is the source of legends surrounding the ability of vampires to vanish and appear seemingly from nowhere. Obfuscate is mentally based; its powers achieve their effects by manipulating the minds of others, not in creating any real changes, and thus will not work against creatures immune to such mental effects or technological sensors. Vampires with levels of Auspex may also bypass the effects of Obfuscate, as described by Seeing The Unseen. For detailed information see the corresponding Obfuscate page.
Potence
Potence is a Discipline that grants the vampires supernatural strength. Each dot grants an automatic success on any rolls involving Strength, and does not require activation. For detailed information see the corresponding Potence page.
Presence
Presence is a Discipline of supernatural allure and emotional manipulation. It is a fairly common among vampires, especially within the Camarilla, both because of its versatility and because of its subtlety. Many Presence powers can be used upon large groups of people at once and transcend virtually all boundaries of gender, race, religion, class, and supernatural status. Though Presence can be resisted through force of will and by ignoring the user, most do not realize when it is being used upon them. For detailed information see the corresponding Presence page.
Protean
Protean is a Discipline that gives vampires the ability to change form, from growing feral claws to evaporating into a cloud of mist. Protean is the signature Discipline of the Gangrel and many of its powers are geared towards surviving in the wild or evoking the strengths of natural predators. For detailed information see the corresponding Protean page.
Thaumaturgy
Thaumaturgy is the closely guarded secret blood magic practiced by the vampiric Clan Tremere. Created by exhaustive research and extensive experimentation, Thaumaturgy utilises the principles of Hermetic magic used by House Tremere when it was still a cabal of mages, adapted to be fuelled by the inherent magical power of Vitae rather than the Quintessence known to mortal mages. While it is certainly powerful and versatile, it is organised very differently to the Spheres; Thaumaturgy is largely unknown to mages, and universally distrusted and reviled by those who do know of it.
Thaumaturgy Paths
Thaumaturgy uses a system of paths and rituals to focus the thaumaturge's will. Paths are learned expressions of thaumaturgical principles developed into reliable, repeatable effects. Unlike the "natural" powers of Disciplines, however, thaumaturges must concentrate their will, forcing the power of their blood to unnatural ends. If their concentration is not complete, if they falter, then the magic will fail, and in extreme cases such failure can have a lasting effect on the thaumaturge, draining their mental resources. It was not always so, however; before the Final Nights, paths were less difficult to use and did not carry the possibility of harm to the thaumaturge. For detailed information see the corresponding Thaumaturgy Paths page.
Thaumaturgy Rituals
Rituals, by contrast, are elaborate, sophisticated and codified instructions for producing set magical effects. Rituals vary in complexity, and require varying levels of thaumaturgical knowledge to complete successfully. They often require the trappings of Hermetic magic - circles drawn in chalk, locks of the victim's hair, meditation, chanting ancient words of power and the like. Rituals can take hours, days or even months to perform, but if successfully completed will always produce the same result. They can be incredibly powerful, particularly when senior thaumaturges join forces; it was a thaumaturgical ritual which cursed the entire Assamite clan. For detailed information see the corresponding Thaumaturgy Rituals page.
Aside from their immortality, ability to heal, and ability to improve their physical capabilities through expenditure of vitae, the Disciplines are what grant Cainites their supernatural power and enable them to participate in the Jyhad. Training in each Discipline provides several related powers such as superhuman senses, shapeshifting abilities or influence over the minds of others. Approved Disciplines are available at Character Creation and through experience spends per your character clan. Below is a list of all approved disciplines for our cannon...
Animalism
Animalism is a Discipline that brings the vampire closer to their animalistic nature. This not only allows them to communicate with and gain dominance over creatures of nature, but gives them influence over the Beast itself. It is particular common among the clans that are most removed from humanity, though many of its powers specifically target the Beasts of mortals and Cainites. For detailed information see the corresponding Animalism page.
Auspex
Auspex is a Discipline that grants vampires supernatural senses. It is one of the most common and favored Discipline among Cainites due to its versatility and overall usefulness in just about every facet of vampiric existence. In addition to the individual powers granted at each level, Auspex allows someone the opportunity to see through illusions, such as from Obfuscate or Chimerstry, so long as the user possess at least an equal mastery in Auspex as the Discipline in question. Furthermore, it has been known to grant some degree of oracular ability, particularly when alerting a Cainite to danger, even if they are in torpor. For detailed information see the corresponding Auspex page.
Celerity
Celerity is a Discipline that grants vampires supernatural speed and finesse by expending vitae. Normally each dot provides an additional action that can be used for movement, attacking, or other physical feats in a single round without penalties for multiple actions. This extraordinary speed violates the laws of physics in that the Cainite doesn't experience any change in momentum, friction, etc. A knife thrown by someone using Celerity isn't any faster, and a vampire moving at incredible speeds will never catch fire no matter how fast they move. For detailed information see the corresponding Celerity page.
Dementation
Dementation is a Discipline widely known as the hallmark of the Malkavians. It draws on the vampire's own insanity and uses it achieve profound insights or inflict madness upon others. Such powers are one of the primary reasons the clan is often considered both insightful and very dangerous. It also seems to grant a more powerful link to the Madness Network (though a non-Malkavian who learns Dementation cannot access it), and many have suspicions about its connection to the Malkavian Antediluvian. For detailed information see the corresponding Dementation page.
Dominate
Dominate is a Discipline that overwhelms another person's mind with the vampire's will, forcing victims to think or act according to the vampire's decree. While undeniably powerful, its use almost always adheres to two important restrictions: the user must meet the eyes of the target and must speak in language that is clearly heard and understood by the target. Furthermore, this Discipline cannot be used upon Cainites of lower generation and cannot force someone to be self-destructive or defy their Nature. Using Dominate is often considered very heavy-handed, hardly appropriate within what passes for polite vampiric society, but it is also favored by those of age and status as a efficient means of asserting their authority. For detailed information see the corresponding Dominate page.
Fortitude
Fortitude is a Discipline that grants Kindred incredible resilience and the ability to resist fire and sunlight, the natural banes of the undead. Normally Fortitude does not need to be activated, and each dot is added to all soak rolls. For detailed information see the corresponding Fortitude page.
Obfuscate
Obfuscate is a Discipline that allows vampires to conceal themselves and create some manner of illusions. It is one of the more popular Disciplines practiced by Cainites, and is the source of legends surrounding the ability of vampires to vanish and appear seemingly from nowhere. Obfuscate is mentally based; its powers achieve their effects by manipulating the minds of others, not in creating any real changes, and thus will not work against creatures immune to such mental effects or technological sensors. Vampires with levels of Auspex may also bypass the effects of Obfuscate, as described by Seeing The Unseen. For detailed information see the corresponding Obfuscate page.
Potence
Potence is a Discipline that grants the vampires supernatural strength. Each dot grants an automatic success on any rolls involving Strength, and does not require activation. For detailed information see the corresponding Potence page.
Presence
Presence is a Discipline of supernatural allure and emotional manipulation. It is a fairly common among vampires, especially within the Camarilla, both because of its versatility and because of its subtlety. Many Presence powers can be used upon large groups of people at once and transcend virtually all boundaries of gender, race, religion, class, and supernatural status. Though Presence can be resisted through force of will and by ignoring the user, most do not realize when it is being used upon them. For detailed information see the corresponding Presence page.
Protean
Protean is a Discipline that gives vampires the ability to change form, from growing feral claws to evaporating into a cloud of mist. Protean is the signature Discipline of the Gangrel and many of its powers are geared towards surviving in the wild or evoking the strengths of natural predators. For detailed information see the corresponding Protean page.
Thaumaturgy
Thaumaturgy is the closely guarded secret blood magic practiced by the vampiric Clan Tremere. Created by exhaustive research and extensive experimentation, Thaumaturgy utilises the principles of Hermetic magic used by House Tremere when it was still a cabal of mages, adapted to be fuelled by the inherent magical power of Vitae rather than the Quintessence known to mortal mages. While it is certainly powerful and versatile, it is organised very differently to the Spheres; Thaumaturgy is largely unknown to mages, and universally distrusted and reviled by those who do know of it.
Thaumaturgy Paths
Thaumaturgy uses a system of paths and rituals to focus the thaumaturge's will. Paths are learned expressions of thaumaturgical principles developed into reliable, repeatable effects. Unlike the "natural" powers of Disciplines, however, thaumaturges must concentrate their will, forcing the power of their blood to unnatural ends. If their concentration is not complete, if they falter, then the magic will fail, and in extreme cases such failure can have a lasting effect on the thaumaturge, draining their mental resources. It was not always so, however; before the Final Nights, paths were less difficult to use and did not carry the possibility of harm to the thaumaturge. For detailed information see the corresponding Thaumaturgy Paths page.
Thaumaturgy Rituals
Rituals, by contrast, are elaborate, sophisticated and codified instructions for producing set magical effects. Rituals vary in complexity, and require varying levels of thaumaturgical knowledge to complete successfully. They often require the trappings of Hermetic magic - circles drawn in chalk, locks of the victim's hair, meditation, chanting ancient words of power and the like. Rituals can take hours, days or even months to perform, but if successfully completed will always produce the same result. They can be incredibly powerful, particularly when senior thaumaturges join forces; it was a thaumaturgical ritual which cursed the entire Assamite clan. For detailed information see the corresponding Thaumaturgy Rituals page.