Humanity is a measure of how closely a vampire clings to the morality and values of mortal life, and consequently how well they are able to resist the urges of the Beast.
Overview[]
Since every Kindred was a human before their Embrace, their most natural response in resisting the Beast's feral, predatory nature is to cling to their humanity. This is generally represented by the strength of their Conscience and Self-Control, virtues common to Kindred and mortals alike.
A Kindred's humanity has a direct effect on the strength of the vampiric curse; those who lose ground to the Beast and lose their humanity find it more difficult to interact with mortals, to be active during daylight hours, and to awaken from long periods of torpor.
Humanity is universally adopted by the vampires of the Camarilla, but even among the Sabbat it is the "natural" and most common way of dealing with the Beast. Some vampires however reject the mores of mortal existence and adopt an alien Path of Enlightenment, in which they learn or construct a wholly different standard of morality. These often incorporate different virtues – conviction instead of conscience, and instinct instead of self-control – and establish a very different relationship with the Beast. Replacing the morality of one's human life is a daunting task, not to be taken lightly, and generally impossible without the support of one who already follows the alternate path.
The practice of assuming a Path of Enlightenment was much more common in the Dark Medieval, when every vampire had to choose a "Road", a quasi-religious path to harmony with or control over the Beast. Humanity was one of these Roads, known then as the Via Humanitatis ("Road of Humanity"). Though less common than today, the Road of Humanity was still the most natural Road to follow.
Humanity Ratings[]
A vampire's Humanity rating reflects how much of a character’s mortal nature remains despite the curse of Caine. It influences how well a character may deny her vampiric state, as well as how effectively she may pass for mortal.
Rating | Moral Standards |
---|---|
10 | Saintly |
9 | Compassionate |
8 | Caring |
7 | Normal |
6 | Distant |
5 | Removed |
4 | Unfeeling |
3 | Cold |
2 | Bestial |
1 | Horrific |
0 | Wight |
Hierarchy of Sins[]
Humanity | |
Rating | Moral Guideline |
---|---|
10 | Selfish thoughts. |
9 | Minor selfish acts. |
8 | Injury to another (accidental or otherwise). |
7 | Theft. |
6 | Accidental violation (drinking a vessel dry out of starvation). |
5 | Intentional property damage. |
4 | Impassioned violation (manslaughter, killing a vessel in Frenzy). |
3 | Planned violation (outright murder, savored exsanguination). |
2 | Casual violation (thoughtless killing, feeding past satiation). |
1 | Utter perversion or heinous acts. |
A Humanity of 0 indicates no moral values. Such a creature only knows to sleep, feed, and kill. The vampire becomes a wight.
Humanity and torpor[]
Vampires who enter torpor due to wounds must rest for a period depending on their Humanity or Path rating:
Rating | Length of Torpor |
---|---|
10 | One day |
9 | Three days |
8 | One week |
7 | Two weeks |
6 | One month |
5 | One year |
4 | One decade |
3 | Five decades |
2 | One century |
1 | Five centuries |
0 | Millennium or more |
Following this period of rest, the player may spend a blood point and make an attempt to Awakening. If the vampire has no blood in his body, he may not rise until he is fed; the vampire may try to awaken for as long as he has vitae on his system. If the vampire rises successfully, he is considered Crippled and should either spend blood or hunt immediately to regain his full strength.
5th Edition[]
In the newest edition, Humanity has some different mechanics, some are similar. Barring special circumstances (such as a modifier based on Predator type), a Vampire player character begins with Humanity 7 (for regular Kindred) or 8 (for just-Embraced fledglings), also, the Humanity "Moral Guidelines" depend on the personal Convicctions that the Vampire (or Mortal) have.
Rules For Kindred[]
Humanity 10 







[]
Humans with this score are rare, and the vampires who have achieved it even more so. At this level, mortals and Kindred alike lead a saintly, veritably ascetic life, tightly controlled by ethics and principles supporting this fragile condition. The merest selfish deed or thought is enough to topple this state of grace.
Humanity 10 vampires can appear human in other regards:
- Blush of Life is not necessary, because you appear as a pale mortal in good health.
- You heal Superficial damage as a mortal, in addition to vampiric mending.
- You can taste, eat, and digest food as if human.
- You can stay awake during the day as if human, though you do not lose your normal need for sleep.
- The rate of sunlight damage you take is halved.
Humanity 9 







[]
Kindred with Humanity scores this high act more humane than most humans. They seem natural among them; they can think and act the way mortals do, in the same unconscious way an expert method actor would. Killing feels horrible, almost as gut-wrenchingly so as the Hunger in full cry. Many fledgling vampires sometimes adhere to codes more rigorous than they ever held in life, as a reaction against becoming a predator. Older Kindred scoff at this practice, out of callous disdain or to muffle their own regrets.
Humanity 9 vampires can appear human in other regards:
- Blush of Life is not necessary because you appear ill, but not dead.
- You heal Superficial damage as a mortal, in addition to vampiric mending.
- You can taste, cat, and digest rare or raw meat, and many liquids.
- You can rise from day-sleep up to an hour before sunset if you wish and likewise stay awake an hour after dawn.
Humanity 8 







[]
You still feel pain for the hurts you and your kind inflict. Your human guise remains passable; the memories remain fresh, or new instincts for community spring up like green shoots from your long-dead soul.
Humanity 8 vampires can appear human in other regards:
- You can roll two dice for the Rouse Check to use Blush of Life and take the highest result.
- Blush of Life allows you to have conjugal relations and possibly enjoy it.
- Blush of Life allows you to digest and taste wine.
- You can rise from day-sleep up to an hour before sunset if you wish.
Humanity 7 







[]
Most human beings have Humanity scores of 7 or so; vampires at this level of Humanity can usually manage to pass for mortals. Vampires with Humanity 7 typically subscribe to normal social mores - sure, sin is wrong, but dodging taxes and speed limits are not sins. The vampire feels some connection to other beings, even human beings, though more than a little selfishness shines through - just like everyone else in the world, mortal or not.
Rules for Humanity 7 vampires are much the same as those for other Kindred:
- You must make a Rouse Check to use Blush of Life.
- You cannot have conjugal relations per se, but you can fake it by winning a Dexterity + Charisma test if you wish (Difficulty equals the partner's Composure or Wits).
- Unless using Blush of Life, food and drink makes you vomit; make a Composure + Stamina test (Difficulty 3) to be able to get outside or to a bathroom first.
Humanity 6 







[]
Hey, people die; stuff breaks. You have little difficulty with the fact that you need blood to survive and that you do what needs to be done to get it. You might not go out of your way to wreck things or kill people, but you don't cry bloody tears over it either. Not automatically horrid, Kindred at this stage of Humanity don't win any prizes for congeniality either.
Rules for this level of Humanity work as the previous rating unless otherwise noted, as the human mask becomes more difficult to wear:
- You cannot have conjugal relations per se, but you can fake it by winning a Dexterity + Charisma test if you wish, made at a one-die penalty to your pool (Difficulty equals the partner's Composure or Wits).
- Even when using Blush of Life, you need make a Composure + Stamina test (Difficulty 3) to be able to keep food and drink down for an hour.
Humanity 5 







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At this point, you've been around the block. Most neonates and some ancillae fall into this range. You've internalized pain and anguish, and you begin to accept it as part of existence. You don't particularly care about mortals one way or the other, except for pets and Touchstones and the like. After all, you're never going to be mortal again, so why bother? You're selfish, you lie like its second nature, and you may manifest some minor physical eeriness or malformation, such as an unnatural hue to the eyes.
Rules for this level of Humanity work as the previous rating unless otherwise noted:
- You suffer a one-die penalty on rolls to interact with humans. This penalty applies to most Social dice pools (including tests for interacting with Touchstones), especially Insight and Persuade, but not to terrifying Intimidation, inhuman Subterfuge (Seduction), or to any test to hunt or kill a human. This penalty also applies to creating art or other humanities; for example, Kindred prose markedly worsens and becomes more florid as they degenerate.
- Even with Blush of Life, you cannot have conjugal relations per se, but you can fake it by winning a Dexterity + Charisma test if you wish, made at a two-dice penalty to your pool (Difficulty equals your partner's Composure or Wits).
Humanity 4 







[]
I Hey, some people gotta die. You have finally begun, even accepted, your inevitable slide into moral sloth and self-indulgence. Killing is more than fine; ask the elders, they've been around long enough to see whole genocides ignored. Destruction, theft, injury - these are all tools, not taboos. Physical changes become quite evident as "ashen pallor" shades more firmly into "corpse-like."
Rules for this level of Humanity work as the previous rating unless otherwise noted:
- You suffer a two-dice penalty on rolls to interact with humans.
- You can no longer keep food and drink down, even with Blush of Life.
Humanity 3 







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At this level, cynical and jaded describes you on a good day. You callously step over anyone and anything, stopping only to indulge a new hobby for cruelty. You take the safe route, the pragmatic route: kill witnesses and don't risk trusting anyone you haven't got your talons into somehow. You genuinely look monstrous, even under the most flattering light.
Rules for this level of Humanity work as the previous rating unless otherwise noted:
- You suffer a four-dice penalty on rolls to interact with humans, as above.
- You can no longer perform or even fake conjugal relations, even with Blush of Life.
Humanity 2 







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Nobody counts but you. Idiots try your patience; worms attempt to take your belongings or attention; mortal meat sacks get in your way and delay your feeding. Only servants and feeding stock exist, and everyone needs to decide which one they are before you decide for them. You do have your hobbies, of course - immortals need hobbies. Twisted pleasures, decadent whims, atrocities, perversions, callous murder, mutilation so much to do, so few hours of the night in which to do it. By now, every human and most Kindred recoil from your presence.
Rules for this level of Humanity work as the previous rating unless otherwise noted:
- You suffer a six-dice penalty on rolls to interact with humans, as above. (The penalty becomes four-dice with Blush of Life.)
Humanity 1 







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Only nominally sentient, you teeter on the edge of oblivion. Little matters at all to you, even your own desires outside sustenance and rest. You might do anything at all, or nothing. Only a few tattered shreds of ego stand between you and complete devolution. You need no speech, no art, nothing but gibbers and splatters of dried gore.
Rules for this level of Humanity work as the previous rating unless otherwise noted:
- You suffer an eight-dice penalty on rolls to interact with humans, as above. (The penalty becomes five-dice with Blush of Lifc, but who cares? Not you.)
Humanity 0 







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You "Lost the Last Drop", you have become the Beast. Your last urges express themselves in a final Rötschreck called the wassail. A puppet of the Blood, you are a Wight, under Storyteller control forever. A vampire who loses their last point of Humanity, from 1 to 0 (zero), goes out in a spectacular frenzy. All their Attributes and scores increase to 5 for that scene; if they survive this wassail they become a wight, lost to the will of the Blood, and an SPC.
Both Storytellers and players will likely have ideas for a suitably dramatic and characterful final scene for such a vampire; don't waste the wassail on incidental scenery damage.
Rules for Mortals (and Ghouls)[]
When portraying a mortal character who has fallen to Humanity 3 or less, the player and Storyteller should agree upon a Compulsion that represents the character's slide into selfishness.
This Compulsion can be a pre-existing one or an original expression, but the result is the same: Whenever the player attempts an action that yields a total failure, the Compulsion comes to the fore. (You can take the Vampire Compulsions for examples.) Note, too, that Willpower cannot be used to allay a Compulsion the aberrant behavior very quickly comes to dominate the personality of the mortal whose Humanity has so significantly degraded.
When a mortal has no Humanity, they do not succumb to the Beast and do not enter wassail in the way that vampires do. Instead, their Compulsion comes to the fore and thereafter dictates their every choice. For a mortal with zero Humanity, they do not even derive pleasure from pursuing these acts; any positive feeling other than satisfying the Compulsion has long since left them. Upon reaching zero Humanity, that character is no longer playable and control of that character falls to the Storyteller as it does with any other character of the same Humanity score.
Gallery[]
References[]
- VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Rulebook, p. 39, 50, 108-109, 129-131, 195
- VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Second Edition, p. 55, 80, 92, 178, 184
- VTM/cMET: Liber des Goules: The Book of Ghouls, p. 46-50
- VTM/cMET: Laws of Elysium, p. 49-50
- VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 311-313
- VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition Corebook, p. 236-241
- VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Player's Guide 5th Edition, p. 150-151