Disciplines
All V20 Disciplines with complete dot-by-dot power descriptions, costs, dice pools, and durations.
Disciplines are supernatural powers awakened by the vampiric condition. They develop through blood expenditure, instruction, and practice. Each dot represents a discrete power; higher-level powers require all lower levels as prerequisites.
Using This Reference
Each Discipline page lists powers in dot order (● through ●●●●●), followed by Elder/Combination powers where applicable. The standard format for each power:
Cost | Dice Pool | Duration
Then the mechanical and narrative description.
General rules:
- Most powers cost 1 Blood Point and/or 1 Willpower Point to activate
- Activation is instant unless noted as a sustained action
- Discipline rolls typically use an Attribute + relevant Ability, opposed by the target’s Willpower or a static difficulty
- Botching a Discipline roll against a True Faith target may result in burnout (see Ghouls & True Faith)
Core Disciplines
| Discipline | Clan | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Animalism | Gangrel, Nosferatu, Ravnos, Tzimisce | Beast communication and domination |
| Auspex | Malkavian, Toreador, Tremere, Tzimisce | Heightened senses, ESP, aura reading |
| Celerity | Assamite, Brujah, Toreador | Supernatural speed |
| Chimerstry | Ravnos | Illusions — from sensory tricks to solid constructs |
| Dementation | Malkavian | Madness induction; Malkavian Network access |
| Dominate | Giovanni, Lasombra, Tremere, Ventrue | Mind control and memory manipulation |
| Fortitude | Gangrel, Ravnos, Ventrue | Supernatural resilience; only way to soak aggravated |
| Necromancy | Giovanni | Control over the dead and the Underworld |
| Obfuscate | Assamite, Followers of Set, Malkavian, Nosferatu | Concealment and invisibility |
| Obtenebration | Lasombra | Shadow manipulation; entering the Abyss |
| Potence | Brujah, Giovanni, Lasombra, Nosferatu | Supernatural strength |
| Presence | Brujah, Followers of Set, Toreador, Ventrue | Emotional manipulation and command |
| Protean | Gangrel | Shapeshifting — claws, mist, earth burial, animal form |
| Quietus | Assamite | Blood-based assassination; Assamite caste variants |
| Serpentis | Followers of Set | Serpent transformation and corruption |
| Thaumaturgy | Tremere | Hermetic blood sorcery — paths and rituals |
| Vicissitude | Tzimisce | Flesh and bone reshaping |
Supplemental
| Section | Contents |
|---|---|
| Combination Disciplines | 73 cross-clan combo powers; organized by clan |
| Sorcery Traditions | Akhu, Dur-An-Ki, Sadhana, Wanga — non-Tremere blood sorcery |
| Dark Thaumaturgy | Infernal blood magic — Fires of the Inferno, Path of Phobos, Taking of the Spirit |
Resistance
To resist Presence or Dominate: spend 1 Willpower per scene. Vampires three or more Generations lower may resist for an entire night with 1 WP spend. Spending WP does not guarantee resistance — it grants a resistance roll in most cases.
Clan Disciplines
| Clan | Disciplines |
|---|---|
| Ventrue | Dominate, Fortitude, Presence |
| Toreador | Auspex, Celerity, Presence |
| Brujah | Celerity, Potence, Presence |
| Gangrel | Animalism, Fortitude, Protean |
| Nosferatu | Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence |
| Malkavian | Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate |
| Tremere | Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy |
| Lasombra | Dominate, Obtenebration, Potence |
| Tzimisce | Animalism, Auspex, Vicissitude |
| Assamite | Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus |
| Ravnos | Animalism, Chimerstry, Fortitude |
| Followers of Set | Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis |
| Giovanni | Dominate, Necromancy, Potence |
Combination Disciplines
Combination Disciplines blend two or more Disciplines into a new power unique to a clan or lineage. They require meeting all prerequisite Discipline levels and paying their own XP cost separately.
See Combination Disciplines for the full list organized by clan.
Bloodline Disciplines
The ten V20 bloodlines have unique Disciplines unavailable to the main clans. See Bloodline Disciplines for full coverage.
Sorcery Traditions
Non-Tremere blood magic systems developed independently by other lineages. Each is a separate Discipline with its own paths, rituals, and activation rules.
See Sorcery Traditions for: Akhu (Egyptian divine magic — Followers of Set), Dur-An-Ki (Mesopotamian sorcery), Sadhana (Indian blood magic — Nagaraja/Ravnos), and Wanga (Afro-Caribbean tradition — faith-based, group rituals).
Dark Thaumaturgy
Infernal blood magic granted through demonic pacts rather than developed through study. Practitioners are infernalists who have bargained away portions of their soul. Detection is possible through Auspex and True Faith.
See Dark Thaumaturgy for the three paths: Fires of the Inferno (balefire requiring Fortitude to soak), Path of Phobos (fear induction through five escalating powers), and Taking of the Spirit (Willpower drain with graduated recovery rates).