Protean

The shape of the Beast. Protean turns limbs into weapons, flesh into wolf or bat or mist — the mockery of lupine nature that werewolves despise. Powers activate per the mechanics on the Disciplines page; the Discipline is transformations and utility throughout.

Using Protean

Transformations carry clothing, swallowed items, and small wearables (a few grams at most) along with the body — but not larger carried items like backpacks or bags, which is why Protean users travel light. Nearly every Protean power can breach the Masquerade on its own VTMProtean characteristics (VTM p. 270).

Level 1

Eyes of the Beast

A supernatural red gleam fills the vampire's eyes, granting sight in total darkness.

Cost: Free. No roll.

System: While active, ignore all sight penalties from darkness — supernatural darkness included. The inhuman eyes also grant +20 on Influence (Intimidation) maneuvers against mortals VTMTwo bonus dice to Intimidation pools against mortals (VTM p. 270).

Duration: As long as desired.

Weight of the Feather

The vampire's mass all but vanishes: falls, collisions, and pressure plates lose their grip on them.

Cost: Free.

System: With time to prepare, no roll. As a reaction — a sudden fall, a throw — activating it takes a Survival maneuver (Intuition-based) at Hard (-10) VTMWits + Survival at Difficulty 3 (VTM p. 270). While active you take no damage from falls, collisions, or being thrown, and avoid triggering pressure-based devices at the Storyteller's discretion. Your strength shrinks proportionally — this power does not lengthen leaps.

Duration: As long as desired.

Level 2

Feral Weapons

Fingernails extend into wicked talons, or fangs into a serpent's daggers: the vampire's natural weapons grow to monstrous proportions.

Cost: One Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained. No roll.

System: While active, your unarmed attacks strike as talons: add +20 to the attack-table reading on a hit, and your natural weapons' Superficial damage skips the Small-attack reduction — read it at full value even against Kindred VTMA light piercing Brawl weapon at +2 damage; Superficial damage from natural weapons is not halved (VTM p. 271). Your bite gains no extra damage from these weapons, but the -20 bite penalty — secondary or direct, see the bite rules on Combat — is waived while this power is active.

Duration: One scene.

Level 3

Earth Meld

Becoming one with the soil, the vampire sinks into the earth to wait out the day — or the pursuit.

Cost: One Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained. No roll.

System: Requires a natural surface — rock, raw earth, grass; concrete and asphalt refuse the melding. Sinking takes one turn and leaves carried objects on the surface. While in the earth you sense your surroundings, except during day-sleep — disturbances like digging or loud noises wake you (or not) per the Daytime Awakening rules (Core Concepts). Unless in torpor, you rise the following night.

Duration: One day or more, or until disturbed.

Shapechange

The vampire assumes the shape of one animal of roughly their own mass — usually a wolf, sometimes a large feline or a giant snake, often the clan's creature or their preferred prey. A spectacular specimen, but nothing a mundane eye would call supernatural.

Cost: One Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained. No roll.

System: The transformation takes one full turn with no other actions. In animal form, use the animal's Physical stats, senses, and native skills (the Storyteller's animal entries), along with its limits — most animals carry one thing in their mouth and speak to no one. Other Disciplines work at the Storyteller's discretion: Auspex, Animalism, Celerity, Fortitude, Potence, and Protean generally function; much of Dominate, Obfuscate, and Presence poses problems; Blood Sorcery is off the table VTMShapechange (VTM p. 271).

Duration: One scene, unless ended earlier.

Level 4

Metamorphosis

A second beast joins the repertoire — and this one may change size. Bats, rats, outsized insects, and snakes are the classics.

Prerequisite: Shapechange.

Cost: One Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained. No roll.

System: As Shapechange, for the additional form — the size restriction is lifted.

Duration: One scene, unless ended earlier.

Level 5

Mist Form

The legend itself: the vampire becomes a cloud of mist — visible but untouchable, seeping through pipes, cracks, and keyholes. No natural force can disperse the cloud.

Cost: One to three RouseRouse the blood for supernatural usage checks.

System: The transformation takes three turns, sped up one turn per additional Rouse Check. As mist you move at walking pace, perceive your surroundings by mystical means, and can neither speak nor make eye contact; only Disciplines needing no physical form work, at the Storyteller's discretion. You can be harmed only by sunlight, fire, and immaterial supernatural attacks VTMMist Form (VTM pp. 271-272).

Duration: One scene, unless ended earlier.

The Unfettered Heart

The vampire's insides turn malleable: the heart detaches and drifts within the chest, changing position nightly — a staking nightmare.

Cost: Free.

System: Any non-combat attempt to stake you takes -60 VTM+3 Difficulty on non-combat staking tests (VTM p. 272). In melee, only an attack whose natural roll is open-ended high (96-100) finds the wandering heart. Even staked, you may once per hour make a Rouse CheckVTM concept to make a single d10 check whether hunger is gained and test \(d100_{OE} + 40 + {2}\times{(St_{bonus} + Me_{bonus})} + BP\)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. at Sheer Folly (-50) VTMStrength + Resolve at Difficulty 5, once per hour (VTM p. 272) — success pushes the stake out of your body. No attempt is possible at HungerVTM need for blood sustenance 5.

Duration: Passive.