Animalism (VTM)

Animalism
Pronounce	AN-ə-mə-liz-əm
Nicknames	Doolittling, Taming, Bestiae Sermo
Clans	Gangrel, Nosferatu, Ravnos, Tzimisce
Bloodlines	Ahrimanes, Akunanse, Guruhi, Kinyonyi, Laibon, Lhiannan, Noiad, Old Clan Tzimisce, Naglopers

Animalism is a Discipline that brings the vampire closer to their animalistic nature. This not only allows them to communicate with and gain dominance over creatures of nature, but gives them influence over the Beast itself.

Overview

Animalism is particularly common among the clans that are most removed from humanity, though many of its powers specifically target the Beasts of mortals and Cainites.

As Disciplines are as much reflections of the Curse of Caine as the traditional banes, extensive use of Animalism often leads to a withering of social skills, as users begin to prefer the simplicity and predictability of animals over the mores of society and the treachery of Kindred and kine alike.

Some devoted practitioners (usually elders who have reached advanced powers) forget that animals are not as sophisticated as humans, treating them as he would humans and expecting them to react like them.

Official Abilities

Included below are the official powers described in supplements for Vampire: The Masquerade and Dark Ages: Vampire. Sources are described below in the order they were printed.

Standard Powers

• ^[1]
  • Feral Speech/Feral Whispers: Speak telepathically with an animal whose eyes you meet.
• ^[2]
  • Beckoning: Summon animals of a particular type to you.
• ^[3]
  • Song of Serenity: Soothe a creature, making them docile, and even help pull vampires from Frenzy.
  • Quell the Beast: Cow a mortal into a state of fear or apathy.
• ^[4]
  • Subsume the Spirit: Possess the body of an animal.
• ^[5]
  • Drawing Out the Beast: When about to Frenzy, send your Beast into another person.

Advanced Powers

• ^[6]
  • Adaptability: Adapt to extreme environments
  • Animal Succulence: Gain more vitae from animal blood
  • Beast Walk: Hop from animal body to animal body
  • Deep Song: Influence the emotional state of listeners with a song
  • Eye of the Szlachta: Possess the body of a ghoul
  • Gap of Ages: As Feral Whispers, except give commands to an animal and all of its descendants
  • Pact with Animals: Gain bestial qualities from the blood of an animal
  • Quell the Herd: As Quell the Beast but on groups of mortals or animals
  • Sense the Savage Way: Share the senses of an animal
  • Shared Soul: Meld minds with an animal and probe their memories
  • Shepherd's Innocence: Gain the trust and attention of all animals
  • Song in the Dark: Summon huge worms from the deep earth to shift the earth, creating caverns or earthquakes
  • Species Speech: As Feral Whispers, except speak with all animals of a species present
  • Tainted Oasis: Taint a land so that animals that feed from it become stronger and loyal
  • Tier of Souls: Gain memories or powers from the blood you drink

• ^[7]
  • Beast Shard: Split up your Beast and instill shards in others, making them more prone to Frenzy and making them more susceptible to your Disciplines
  • Conquer the Beast: Enter and leave your Frenzy at will
  • Master's Voice: As Species Speech, except speak to all animals regardless of species
  • Send the Eighth Plague: Summon beasts to devastate the harvests of a land
  • Stampede: Induce animalistic panic in a group of mortals
  • Twist the Feral Will: Force an animal to obey you without speaking or remaining near it

• ^[8]
  • Crimson Fury: Your blood causes Frenzy in any who taste it and diablerists must fight off your Beast
  • Mass Summons: Summon all animals within miles of you
  • Taunt the Caged Beast: Cause other vampires to Frenzy
  • The Beasts Quills: Cause anyone who strikes at you to Frenzy
  • Twin Spirits: Possess an animal's body without losing control of your own
  • Unchain the Ferocious Beast: Cause a target's Beast to tear at them from within

• ^[9]
  • Eyes of the Forest: Meld to the earth and use the animals in the forest as eyes.
  • Flesh Bond: Physically meld with one or more animals
  • Free the Beast Within: Enter a controlled Frenzy and gain several powers from the Beast
  • Unchain the Beast: Cause a target's Beast to tear at them from within

• ^[10]
  • Army of Beasts: Control all animals within a mile
  • Plot Device

Standard Powers (V5)

• ​​
  • Bound Famulus: The vampire can form a bond with an animal facilitating the use of other Animalism powers.
  • Sense the Beast: The vampire can sense the beast within other vampires, mortals and supernatural creatures.​​
• ​​
  • Feral Whispers: The vampire can summon and communicate with an animal.
  • Atavism: The vampire can cause an animal to temporarily revert to their primal instincts, forcing them to attack anyone nearby or to flee the scene.
• ​​
  • Animal Succulence: The vampire can slake additional Hunger by feeding on animals.
  • Quell the Beast: The vampire can cow mortals and can pull vampiric targets out of frenzy.
  • Unliving Hive: Amalgam Obfuscate 2. The vampire can become a permanent home for swarms of flies or cockroaches or similar small creatures.
  • Scent of Prey: This power allows a vampire to become aware of any mortal in an area projecting the distinct note of fear produced by prey animals having come face to face with their predator, allowing them to quickly track and silence those who would threaten their clandestine presence.
• ​​
  • Subsume the Spirit: The vampire can mentally take over an animal target.
• ​​
  • Animal Dominion: The vampire can perfectly direct swarms and flocks of animals. 
  • Drawing Out the Beast: The vampire can cause a target to immediately frenzy.

References

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^  Level 1

Song of the Beast	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Rulebook	Pg. 91
Sweet Whispers	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Second Edition	Pg. 156
Feral Speech	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages Rulebook	Pg. 141
	DAV: Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 172
Feral Whispers	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 146
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 129
Whispers to the Wild	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 191
Nightwisp Ravens	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

^  Level 2

Call of the Wild	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Rulebook	Pg. 91-92
The Beckoning	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Second Edition	Pg. 156-157
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 147
Noah's Call	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages Rulebook	Pg. 158
	DAV: Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 173
Beckoning	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 130
Call the Wild	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 191
Burrowing Beetle	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

^  Level 3

Sweet Whispers	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Rulebook	Pg. 92
Song of Serenity	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Second Edition	Pg. 157
	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 192
Cowing the Beast	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages Rulebook	Pg. 142
	DAV: Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 173
Quell the Beast	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 147
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 130
Spectral Wolf	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

^  Level 4

Sharing of Spirits	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Rulebook	Pg. 92
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Second Edition	Pg. 158
Ride the Wild Mind	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages Rulebook	Pg. 142
	DAV: Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 174
Subsume the Spirit	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 148
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 131
	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 192
Bloodsuckers' Communion	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

^  Level 5

The Roving Beast	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Rulebook	Pg. 92-93
Drawing Out the Beast	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Second Edition	Pg. 158
	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages Rulebook	Pg. 142
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 149
	DAV: Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 175
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 132
Unleash the Beast	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 192
Pestilence	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

^  Level 6

Adaptability	VTM: Clanbook: Gangrel	Pg. 37
Animal Succulence	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 77
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 69
	VTM: Guide to the Camarilla	Pg. 82
	VTM/cMET: Laws of Elysium	Pg. 60
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 132
	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 193
Shepherd's Innocence	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 76
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 69
Species Speech	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 76
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 69
	VTM: Guide to the Camarilla	Pg. 83
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 133
Song in the Dark	VTM: Clanbook: Nosferatu	Pg. 41
	VTM: Clanbook: Nosferatu Revised	Pg. 76
Tier of Souls	VTM: Clanbook: Tzimisce	Pg. 44
Deep Song	VTM: Clanbook: Ravnos	Pg. 42
Quickened Unity	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages Rulebook	Pg. 143
Sense the Savage Way	VTDA: Dark Ages Companion	Pg. 78
Vrykolas	VTDA: Libellus Sanguinis 1: Masters of the State	Pg. 64
Gap of Ages	VTDA: Libellus Sanguinis 4: Thieves in the Night	Pg. 76
Tainted Oasis	VTDA: Veil of Night	Pg. 158
Shared Soul	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 77
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 69
	VTM: Guide to the Camarilla	Pg. 82
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 133
Quell the Herd	VTM: Clanbook: Gangrel Revised	Pg. 61
	DAV: Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 175
Pact with Animals	DAV: Players Guide to Low Clans	Pg. 144
Beast Walk	VTM: Lair of the Hidden	Pg. 135
The Twin Souls	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 193
The Tongue of Beasts	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 193
Eye of the Szlachta	VTM: Clanbook: Tzimisce Revised	Pg. 69
	VTM: Lore of the Clans	Pg. 240

^  Level 7

Conquer the Beast	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 77
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 70
	VTM: Guide to the Camarilla	Pg. 84
	VTM/cMET: Laws of Elysium	Pg. 60
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 133
Master's Voice	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 77
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 69
Twist the Feral Will	VTDA: Dark Ages Companion	Pg. 78
Stampede	VTM: Clanbook: Gangrel Revised	Pg. 62
Send the Eighth Plague	VTM: Players Guide to Low Clans	Pg. 145
Beast Shard	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 193
The Devil's Claws	VTDA: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 194

^  Level 8

Mass Summons	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 77
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 70
Twin Spirits	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 77
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 70
Taunt the Caged Beast	VTDA: Dark Ages Companion	Pg. 78
	VTM: Guide to the Camarilla	Pg. 84
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 133
Crimson Fury	VTM: Clanbook: Gangrel Revised	Pg. 63
Unchain the Ferocious Beast	DAV: Players Guide to Low Clans	Pg. 146
The Beast's Quills	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 194

^  Level 9

Flesh Bond	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 78
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 70
	VTM: Lore of the Clans	Pg. 240
Unchain the Beast	VTM: Guide to the Camarilla	Pg. 84
	VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition	Pg. 133
Eyes of the Forest	VTM: Clanbook: Gangrel Revised	Pg. 64
Free the Beast Within	DAV: Players Guide to Low Clans	Pg. 146
Plague of Beasts	VTDA20: Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition	pg. 194

^  Level 10

Army of Beasts	VTM: The Players Guide	Pg. 78
	VTM: The Players Guide Second Edition	Pg. 70
Plot Device	VTM: Gehenna	Pg. 182