Animalism

One with the Beast — their own and every other. Animalism speaks to the wild and the feral, commands flocks and packs, and cows the Beast in mortal and Kindred alike. Powers activate per the mechanics on the Disciplines page; contested powers below carry their own tables.

Using Animalism

Animal-affecting powers work only on vertebrates by default (Unliving Hive extends them to swarms), and any use on herbivores takes -20 VTMHerbivores add one to the Difficulty of skill rolls involved (VTM p. 245).

Level 1

Bond Famulus

Blood Bonding an animal makes it a famulus: a mentally linked companion that eases the vampire's other Animalism powers. It follows simple verbal commands and defends itself and its master, but cannot be talked into fights it would not pick.

Cost: Feed the animal your Blood on three separate nights — a Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained each. A character starting with this power has already done so.

System: Without Feral Whispers, giving commands is an Animal Handling maneuver at Light (+10), harder for complex orders VTMCharisma + Animal Ken at Difficulty 2 (VTM p. 245). Only one famulus at a time; a new one may be bound if the current one dies. Feral Whispers and Subsume the Spirit are free when used on the famulus.

Duration: Only death releases a bound famulus. Fed vampire Blood regularly, it does not age.

Sense the Beast

The vampire senses the Beast in mortals, Kindred, and other supernaturals — their nature, hunger, and hostility.

Cost: Free.

Pools: Memory + Animalism vs Self Discipline + Influence (Duping) VTMResolve + Animalism vs Composure + Subterfuge (VTM p. 245)

System: A contested read — the target resists with \(Resistance = d100_{OE} + InfluenceDuping + (20 + {2}\times{SD_{bonus}}) + BP\)BPBP is the Blood Potency power bonus: +5 per point of Blood Potency — for example +5 at BP 1 and +30 at BP 6. In a victim’s Resistance formula, use the victim’s own.. At 101+ you sense the target's level of hostility (ready to do harm, or determined to) and whether they harbor a supernatural Beast — vampire or werewolf. At 176+ you also learn the exact type of creature, their Hunger (or equivalent), and their Resonance. Works actively or passively, warning you of aggressive intent nearby.

Duration: Passive.

Level 2

Feral Whispers

Two-way communion with the beasts of the wild and the city — and a call they answer. A cat will not debate Matisse, but happily reports the lack of prey around the brownstone across the street.

Cost: One Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained per type of animal, per scene — one summoning and unlimited communication. Free on the famulus.

System: Simple conversation needs no roll. Persuading a service is an Animalism activation (Empathy-based) against the task: a bird watching the park gate at night is Hard (-10); asking any animal to defend a place with its life is Absurd (-70) VTMManipulation + Animalism at Difficulty 3-6 (VTM p. 246). Summoning a chosen type is an activation (Presence-based) against the animals' scarcity — they must be present to answer. A success brings a handful, plus more per full +10 above 101; an Absolute Success (176+) brings most if not all of that type in the area. Summoned animals obey, but scatter or attack if endangered.

Duration: One scene.

Level 3

Animal Succulence

Animal blood sustains the vampire far beyond its station — and in extremity, the famulus itself becomes a feast.

Cost: Free.

System: Feeding from animals slakes 1 additional HungerVTM need for blood sustenance, and you count your Blood PotencyVTM tracked score for how potent the characters vampire blood isas two lower for the purpose of animal blood's slaking limits. Consuming your famulus slakes 4 Hunger regardless of the animal's size — though never below Hunger 1 — and raises the stat most associated with the animal (Storyteller's call: a cat might grant Agility or Self Discipline) by +10 until your next feeding or reaching Hunger 5 VTMTwo dots to the associated Attribute (VTM p. 246); dots convert at +5 bonus each.

Duration: Passive.

Quell the Beast

Locking eyes, the vampire cows the target's inner Beast into slumber: mortals sink into apathy, and Kindred lose the fire of their Blood.

Cost: One Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained.

Pools: Presence + Animalism vs Constitution + Memory VTMCharisma + Animalism vs Stamina + Resolve (VTM p. 246)

Resistance (the victim rolls first, as the passive side):

\(Resistance = d100_{OE} + 40 + {2}\times{(Co_{bonus} + Me_{bonus})} + BP\)BPBP is the Blood Potency power bonus: +5 per point of Blood Potency — for example +5 at BP 1 and +30 at BP 6. In a victim’s Resistance formula, use the victim’s own.

Duration: One scene against mortals; one turn plus margin against vampires.

Unliving Hive

The vampire's influence extends to the teeming masses — swarms of flies, roaches, and worse. Some adopt a swarm as a famulus and give it a home in the folds of their own flesh.

Amalgam: Requires Obfuscate at Level 2 (ranks 6+).

Cost: No additional cost.

System: All your vertebrate-only Animalism powers now also work on insect swarms, treating a swarm as a single creature — including binding one as a famulus, which may nest inside your body (undetectable short of X-rays, sustained by negligible Blood). A swarm has 75 hit points and defends at +80 (a cloud of insects is hard to meaningfully hit); it takes Superficial damage from unarmed and melee blows, Aggravated from flame and insecticide VTMHealth 5, 8 dice to resist attacks (VTM p. 247). A swarm can spy, distract (-20 to all rolls for one swarmed victim), or intimidate (+10 to +30 on Influence (Intimidation), by insect type and the victim's phobias).

Duration: Passive.

Level 4

Subsume the Spirit

The vampire pours their mind into an animal's body, controlling it and riding its senses — even under the sun, if they can stay awake.

Cost: One Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained; free on the famulus.

System: An Animalism activation (Empathy-based) at Extremely Hard (-30) VTMManipulation + Animalism at Difficulty 4 (VTM p. 247): a success inhabits the animal for a scene; an Absolute Success (176+), indefinitely. Extending into daylight requires the Daytime Awakening stay-awake test (Core Concepts), and seeing the sun through the animal's eyes forces a terror frenzy test — though sunlight does not harm the ridden animal. Your own body lies in a torpor-like trance: harm to it pulls you back and releases the animal, and the animal's death snaps the trance with one box of Aggravated WillpowerVTM tracked value damage.

Duration: One scene, or indefinitely on an Absolute Success.

Level 5

Animal Dominion

Flocks and packs move as extensions of the vampire's body. At a gesture, animals lay down their lives by the dozens.

Cost: Two RouseRouse the blood for supernatural usage checks.

System: Choose a type of animal present — this power compels, it does not summon. Make an Animalism activation (Presence-based) against the nature of the order: sending a flock of crows to find a specific person (given a way to identify them) is Hard (-10); driving a dog pack into a suicidal attack on another vampire is Sheer Folly (-50) VTMCharisma + Animalism at Difficulty 3-5 (VTM p. 247). The animals may be commanded to return after the task, given the means.

Duration: One scene or until the directive is fulfilled, whichever is shorter.

Drawing Out the Beast

At the moment of frenzy, the vampire hurls their Beast into someone else — mortal or Kindred — who rampages or flees in their stead.

Cost: One Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained.

Pools: Intuition + Animalism vs Self Discipline + Memory VTMWits + Animalism vs Composure + Resolve (VTM p. 248)

System: When a terror or fury frenzy takes hold, roll the contest below instead of the Resisting Frenzy maneuver. Hunger frenzies cannot be transferred. As long as you can pay the Rouse Checks and fresh targets remain in reach, you may keep drawing the Beast out — later provocations still threaten you as normal.

Resistance (the victim rolls first, as the passive side):

\(Resistance = d100_{OE} + 40 + {2}\times{(SD_{bonus} + Me_{bonus})} + BP\)BPBP is the Blood Potency power bonus: +5 per point of Blood Potency — for example +5 at BP 1 and +30 at BP 6. In a victim’s Resistance formula, use the victim’s own.

Duration: The transferred frenzy's normal duration.