Comparative Examination of the Clans *possible mild spoilers*
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 1:07 pm
Introduction
Several years ago, when I first started playing VTMB, I did the ritual thing and tried playing all of the Clans through once. Back then, playing any Clan wasn't an easy thing, as I was still learning about the game, and having my character's abilities changed radically from the outset between games wasn't helping me to learn. The questionairre originally pegged me as a Tremere, and that became my favored Clan for a very long time. Recently, I played through a game as a Tremere - in about 8 hours. It finally became too easy.
So I thought, "Why not try the other Clans again?" So I did that. With my now-profound knowledge of the game, it was time to start examining how to play other clans within that game world. I was now in a much better position to evaluate one clan against another, since I could play objectively and systematically through the world. I could concentrate not merely on survival, but on how the the different clans worked within that world.
This, then, is an comparative examination of that experience. These are merely my own observations, and should not be taken as a definitive examination of any clan, much less all of them.
I have made some observations below that VTM P&P purists may object to as not being a proper fit with the VTM P&P game world. These are my observations about the VTMB computer game, not the WoD behind the P&P game. Kindly keep such comparisons and/or objections out of the thread. Thank you.
Ventrue
If playing Ventrue taught me one thing, it was not to get too loose with my use of blood points. The fact that Ventrue cannot gain sustenance from animals and may vomit from feeding on lowlife makes it important to keep an eye on your consumption at least until you get the Odious Chalice. That artifact provides a means to sidestep the restriction on feeding on animals.
By and large, Ventrue make for better covert operatives than warriors. Sneaking and Ranged are handy feats for a Ventrue, and helps keep them from getting their hands dirty. The ability to use Dominate in conversation is a very handy intelligence gathering tool. The Ventrue are culled from the ranks of power brokers, so while perhaps pompous and arrogant, Ventrue are, if nothing else, politic, so they have no major problems dealing with other vampires.
Toreador
Toreador, like Ventrue, make for better covert operatives than warriors, and thus Sneaking and Ranged are handy feats for them, as well. Don't dismiss them in combat, though - Celerity can make them effective in unarmed and melee combat, although less so than the Brujah. While Seduction may make life easier among the Kine, it is less useful among the Kindred. Toreador are culled from the un-self-absorbed Beautiful People so, while perhaps not overtly offensive, they can be seen by other Kindred as somewhat prissy, which can complicate their interactions with other vampires on occasion.
Tremere
The Tremere are physically weaker than other Kindred, which limits their utility as warriors. Consequently Ranged is a useful feat for them. Perhaps one of the reasons why the Tremere are so feared by other vampires is Thaumaturgy, which allows them to sidestep the restriction on diablerie by actually feeding off vampires (and zombies) through Blood Magic. This is perhaps a necessary evil, as two of the three Tremere disciplines are blood-expensive, so the ability to feed during combat while simultaneously injuring their foes is, for practical purposes, a survival trait. The down-side of Thaumaturgy, however, is that it is not only supernatural, but magical to boot. Used in public, the Kine definitely know that something extremely weird and nasty is happening, and any Kindred in the vicinity know beyond any doubt that there's an angry Tremere in their midst. The Tremere are culled from the reticent scholarly, so while they may occasionally produce what might be seen as 'affected' speech, this is a product of intellect rather than condescension, and not generally taken as offensive in their interactions with other vampires.
Malkavian
Playing a Malkavian can be an interesting experience. The odd conversation with 'talking signs', or the guy on TV can make for some funny moments, and trying to figure out exactly what the heck you are saying can be, shall we say, tricky.
Malkavians make for better covert operatives than warriors, so Ranged is a handy feat for them. Malkavians are insane, so their interactions with other vampires are about as complicated as they get. Their cursed insight can be very upsetting for other vampires, and their limited mind-altering effects in dialog can be very useful. Having a conversation with a Malkavian can be a little like listening to Cockney rhyming slang which, while perfectly comprehensible to an insider, can quickly have an outsider wondering what a conversation that is apparrently about fish has to do with automotive repair. Malkavians are culled from the condescending scholarly, which is why their infatuation with their intellectual prowess in life renders them all but incomprehensible in undeath.
Brujah
The Brujah are died-in-the-wool street-fighters. The combination of their disciplines effectively allow them to beat an opponent to death or slice them to ribbons with blinding speed and incredible strength, while at the same time making them all but impossible to hit, even with a gun. Their street prowess, however, can backfire on them when using mechanical devices such as guns. A gun can only move as fast as a gun can move, regardless of how fast or powerful the wielder is. The Unarmed and Melee feats are a Brujah's friend. At the same time, with a high Sneaking feet, the Brujah can sneak almost as fast as a speeding bullet, which renders them, for all practical purposes, invisible. The Brujah are culled from unaffected, down-to-earth humans, so they have no difficulty interacting with other vampires, although their prejudices against the so-called 'elite' in life tend to follow them into undeath.
Gangrel
Gangrel are tough, powerful, and can call upon their communion with animals to deal damage at a distance. This makes them formidable foes on the battlefield. Their Protean discipline can get in the way of using ranged weapons, as it's a bit tricky sticking a six-inch claw through a trigger-guard. Unarmed and Melee feats work well for the Gangrel, and they are the only one of the seven clans that can deal lethal damage without a blade, which means that any bashing soak their opponents may have is useless to them in unarmed combat. The insularity of the humans from which the Gangrel are culled can on rare occasions complicate interactions with other vampires, although this is, for the Gangrel, a matter of individual choice.
Nosferatu
Playing a Malkavian is sometimes good for a giggle, but there are few things that are as hilarious as some of the reactions you get from the Kine as a Nosferatu. It's worth it to play a Nossie just to listen to some of those remarks in context.
Nosferatu have an odd combination of disciplines. Animalism allows them to deal damage at a distance, while obfuscate makes them exceptional covert operatives. At the same time, Potence can make them formidable in unarmed or melee combat. Combining disciplines can make them exceptional spies, assassins, or even warriors. This is perhaps the best reason for not angering a Nosferatu - there is noplace you could be that could be construed as entirely safe. The ability to gain x3 from feeding on animals makes acquiring blood almost laughably easy for the Nosferatu. While their appearance can be a hindrance at times, a high Sneaking feat, combined with Obfuscate, can enable them to move about undetected with a substantial degree of freedom. In interactions with the Kine, however, it frequently proves to be a major debilitating influence, as having a Nosferatu pop up and say, "Hi!" to most kine is pretty much the definition of the "Boogy Man". The Nosferatu are culled from the self-absorbed Beatiful People for the most part, and this self-aborption follows them into undeath, although the appearance that caused it does not. This makes them generally feckless, greedy, and selfish.
Several years ago, when I first started playing VTMB, I did the ritual thing and tried playing all of the Clans through once. Back then, playing any Clan wasn't an easy thing, as I was still learning about the game, and having my character's abilities changed radically from the outset between games wasn't helping me to learn. The questionairre originally pegged me as a Tremere, and that became my favored Clan for a very long time. Recently, I played through a game as a Tremere - in about 8 hours. It finally became too easy.
So I thought, "Why not try the other Clans again?" So I did that. With my now-profound knowledge of the game, it was time to start examining how to play other clans within that game world. I was now in a much better position to evaluate one clan against another, since I could play objectively and systematically through the world. I could concentrate not merely on survival, but on how the the different clans worked within that world.
This, then, is an comparative examination of that experience. These are merely my own observations, and should not be taken as a definitive examination of any clan, much less all of them.
I have made some observations below that VTM P&P purists may object to as not being a proper fit with the VTM P&P game world. These are my observations about the VTMB computer game, not the WoD behind the P&P game. Kindly keep such comparisons and/or objections out of the thread. Thank you.
Ventrue
If playing Ventrue taught me one thing, it was not to get too loose with my use of blood points. The fact that Ventrue cannot gain sustenance from animals and may vomit from feeding on lowlife makes it important to keep an eye on your consumption at least until you get the Odious Chalice. That artifact provides a means to sidestep the restriction on feeding on animals.
By and large, Ventrue make for better covert operatives than warriors. Sneaking and Ranged are handy feats for a Ventrue, and helps keep them from getting their hands dirty. The ability to use Dominate in conversation is a very handy intelligence gathering tool. The Ventrue are culled from the ranks of power brokers, so while perhaps pompous and arrogant, Ventrue are, if nothing else, politic, so they have no major problems dealing with other vampires.
Toreador
Toreador, like Ventrue, make for better covert operatives than warriors, and thus Sneaking and Ranged are handy feats for them, as well. Don't dismiss them in combat, though - Celerity can make them effective in unarmed and melee combat, although less so than the Brujah. While Seduction may make life easier among the Kine, it is less useful among the Kindred. Toreador are culled from the un-self-absorbed Beautiful People so, while perhaps not overtly offensive, they can be seen by other Kindred as somewhat prissy, which can complicate their interactions with other vampires on occasion.
Tremere
The Tremere are physically weaker than other Kindred, which limits their utility as warriors. Consequently Ranged is a useful feat for them. Perhaps one of the reasons why the Tremere are so feared by other vampires is Thaumaturgy, which allows them to sidestep the restriction on diablerie by actually feeding off vampires (and zombies) through Blood Magic. This is perhaps a necessary evil, as two of the three Tremere disciplines are blood-expensive, so the ability to feed during combat while simultaneously injuring their foes is, for practical purposes, a survival trait. The down-side of Thaumaturgy, however, is that it is not only supernatural, but magical to boot. Used in public, the Kine definitely know that something extremely weird and nasty is happening, and any Kindred in the vicinity know beyond any doubt that there's an angry Tremere in their midst. The Tremere are culled from the reticent scholarly, so while they may occasionally produce what might be seen as 'affected' speech, this is a product of intellect rather than condescension, and not generally taken as offensive in their interactions with other vampires.
Malkavian
Playing a Malkavian can be an interesting experience. The odd conversation with 'talking signs', or the guy on TV can make for some funny moments, and trying to figure out exactly what the heck you are saying can be, shall we say, tricky.
Malkavians make for better covert operatives than warriors, so Ranged is a handy feat for them. Malkavians are insane, so their interactions with other vampires are about as complicated as they get. Their cursed insight can be very upsetting for other vampires, and their limited mind-altering effects in dialog can be very useful. Having a conversation with a Malkavian can be a little like listening to Cockney rhyming slang which, while perfectly comprehensible to an insider, can quickly have an outsider wondering what a conversation that is apparrently about fish has to do with automotive repair. Malkavians are culled from the condescending scholarly, which is why their infatuation with their intellectual prowess in life renders them all but incomprehensible in undeath.
Brujah
The Brujah are died-in-the-wool street-fighters. The combination of their disciplines effectively allow them to beat an opponent to death or slice them to ribbons with blinding speed and incredible strength, while at the same time making them all but impossible to hit, even with a gun. Their street prowess, however, can backfire on them when using mechanical devices such as guns. A gun can only move as fast as a gun can move, regardless of how fast or powerful the wielder is. The Unarmed and Melee feats are a Brujah's friend. At the same time, with a high Sneaking feet, the Brujah can sneak almost as fast as a speeding bullet, which renders them, for all practical purposes, invisible. The Brujah are culled from unaffected, down-to-earth humans, so they have no difficulty interacting with other vampires, although their prejudices against the so-called 'elite' in life tend to follow them into undeath.
Gangrel
Gangrel are tough, powerful, and can call upon their communion with animals to deal damage at a distance. This makes them formidable foes on the battlefield. Their Protean discipline can get in the way of using ranged weapons, as it's a bit tricky sticking a six-inch claw through a trigger-guard. Unarmed and Melee feats work well for the Gangrel, and they are the only one of the seven clans that can deal lethal damage without a blade, which means that any bashing soak their opponents may have is useless to them in unarmed combat. The insularity of the humans from which the Gangrel are culled can on rare occasions complicate interactions with other vampires, although this is, for the Gangrel, a matter of individual choice.
Nosferatu
Playing a Malkavian is sometimes good for a giggle, but there are few things that are as hilarious as some of the reactions you get from the Kine as a Nosferatu. It's worth it to play a Nossie just to listen to some of those remarks in context.
Nosferatu have an odd combination of disciplines. Animalism allows them to deal damage at a distance, while obfuscate makes them exceptional covert operatives. At the same time, Potence can make them formidable in unarmed or melee combat. Combining disciplines can make them exceptional spies, assassins, or even warriors. This is perhaps the best reason for not angering a Nosferatu - there is noplace you could be that could be construed as entirely safe. The ability to gain x3 from feeding on animals makes acquiring blood almost laughably easy for the Nosferatu. While their appearance can be a hindrance at times, a high Sneaking feat, combined with Obfuscate, can enable them to move about undetected with a substantial degree of freedom. In interactions with the Kine, however, it frequently proves to be a major debilitating influence, as having a Nosferatu pop up and say, "Hi!" to most kine is pretty much the definition of the "Boogy Man". The Nosferatu are culled from the self-absorbed Beatiful People for the most part, and this self-aborption follows them into undeath, although the appearance that caused it does not. This makes them generally feckless, greedy, and selfish.
If anybody wants to add their lengthy experience to this...