Generation

Generation measures the dilution of Caine’s original curse. The closer to the source, the more potent the blood — and the more powerful the vampire. Third Generation (Antediluvians) are theoretically 3 steps from Caine; most player characters are 10th–13th Generation.

Generation is rarely chosen — it is inherited from the sire. The only reliable way to lower Generation (gain more potent blood) is through diablerie.

Generation Chart

Max Trait Rating: The highest permanent Trait rating (Attributes, Abilities, Disciplines — but not Willpower or Humanity/Path) a vampire of this Generation may possess.

Blood Pool Max: The maximum blood points the vampire’s body can hold at one time. Lower-Generation vampires hold more concentrated vitae — each pint of their blood is worth more to recipients.

Blood Points/Turn: Maximum blood points that may be spent in a single combat turn. This limits how many Attribute boosts, Disciplines, and healing actions can occur simultaneously.

For blood spending rules — nightly cost, healing, Attribute boosts, vessel yields, and the Self-Control cap — see Blood Economy.

Generation and Social Standing

In the Camarilla: Generation is a closely guarded secret. Knowing someone’s Generation is tactical intelligence. Appearing to be a higher Generation than you are provides social advantage; being a low-Generation elder who hasn’t been seen in decades is terrifying.

Dominate ceiling: A vampire may never use Dominate on another vampire of lower Generation (more potent blood). This ceiling is absolute. A 10th Generation Ventrue cannot Dominate a 7th Generation Gangrel regardless of Dominate rating.

Blood bond ceiling: A vampire of lower Generation cannot be blood-bonded to one of higher Generation. Higher Generation blood can still bond toward lower Generation vampires normally.

Diablerie and Generation

Diablerie is the only method of lowering Generation. See Diablerie for the complete mechanics. Key points:

• The victim must be of lower Generation (more potent blood) than the diablerist
• Each successful diablerie lowers the diablerist’s Generation by 1 (gaining the chart benefits)
• Aura staining from diablerie is visible via Auspex for years
• The Tremere’s Path of Blood detects diablerie centuries after the fact

Thin-Blooded (14th–15th Generation)

Some modern-era vampires of the 14th and 15th Generations have blood so dilute that its vampiric properties barely function. All 15th Generation vampires are thin-blooded; 14th Generation may be at Storyteller discretion.

Characteristics:

• Cannot reliably Embrace (Embrace attempts may simply kill the mortal, or create vessels without vampiric properties)
• Can eat food and walk in moderate sunlight (sunlight inflicts lethal rather than aggravated damage)
• Discipline learning is severely impaired — no Discipline above 2 dots
• Some can sense Gehenna’s approach and receive prophetic dreams (see Seer Merit)
• Cannot create blood bonds or ghouls
• A portion of their blood pool (4 points) is inaccessible for powers — it fuels nightly reanimation only
• Rare cases can conceive mortal children called Dhampirs

In V20’s 1990s setting, 14th–15th Generation vampires are rare and poorly understood. They are a harbinger of something — whether Gehenna or simply the dilution of Caine’s lineage is debated.

For full rules including the 16th Generation Flaw, Seer Merit, Dhampir character creation, and the Blood Rot disease, see Thin-Blooded.