List of Merits and Flaws (Storyteller System)

For a list of Merits in the Storytelling System, see List of Merits (Storytelling System).

This is a list of Merits and Flaws in the Storyteller System used by the Classic World of Darkness and other game lines.

Some traits are presented as Merits in some sources and as Backgrounds in others; this list only covers sources that list traits as Merits.

Merits

One

Ability Aptitude You are particularly gifted with one Ability. Perhaps you are a poet of great renown or a master fleshcrafter. Within your specific Aptitude, reduce all difficulties by 2. Characters may purchase this Merit more than once, but Storytellers should feel free to veto any Ability selections that seem too powerful or unbalanced, especially for combat Abilities. (Players Guide to High Clans Pg204])

Accepted Ally You have a useful connection in the mortal world, a connection of value even to Sabbat leaders. You are allowed to keep this contact as long as there are no complications. If the need should arise, you are expected to kill your contact to protect the Sabbat or prove your loyalty. (PGS)

Acute Vision You have exceptionally keen eyesight. The difficulties of all dice rolls that relate to vision (e.g., a Perception roll to spot a clue, or Perception + Alertness to see the shadow of an approaching attacker) are reduced by one. Combined with Heightened Senses, this Merit can provide superhuman visual acuity. Recommended: Ghouls.

Animal Affinity The character has an innate understanding of and rapport with a certain type of animal. All difficulties dealing with that Animal are reduced by 2. (DSBH)

Animal Magnetism You are especially attractive to others. You receive a -2 to your difficulty on Seduction or Subterfuge rolls. However, this will aggravate others of your gender.

Catlike Balance You possess an innately perfect sense of balance. You are able to land on your feet from a fall virtually every time. You receive two extra dice when rolling to retain or achieve balance. (PGS)

Celestial Attunement You have an innate link to the passage of time and the movement of the celestial bodies. You can estimate the time until sunrise or sunset within a matter of a couple moments, and you can follow the phases of the moon in your head. Those with some training in astrology and this Merit can foretell astrological conjunctions without access to charts. You can accomplish any of these feats with a minimum of concentration.

Charmed Samadji (Ravnos; 1 - 4 Merit) Your family or sire has gifted you with an item of power. You are expected to carry this powerful draba until you sire your own progeny, then pass the gift to her. Power levels of samadji vary greatly; a one to two merit samadji might reduce target numbers on certain actions. Samadji may be activated in any of a number of ways. Design your Samadji with the Storyteller, who will assign a final value to it. (CB:R1)

Common Sense You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever the character is about to act in a way contrary to common sense, the Storyteller can make suggestions or warnings about the implications of said action. This is a very useful Merit to give to beginning players unfamiliar with the game.

Controllable Thirst (Toreador) Regular time spent among mortals has dulled the hungers of your palette. You reduce the difficulty of any frenzy roll involving the sight, scent or taste of blood by one. You cannot frenzy from sensing blood if your blood pool is full; conversely, you lose your normal difficulty reduction if your blood pool is less than a quarter full (rounded down). (CB:Tor1)

Crack Driver You have a natural affinity with driving motorized wheeled vehicles, such as cars, 18-wheelers and even tractors. The difficulties of all rolls requiring risky or especially difficult driving maneuvers are two less.  You must have at least 2 dots in Drive to take this merit.

Cupid's Gift You’re unusually seductive. It isn’t so much that you’re fair or quick of wit (though you may be) – you simply possess a certain animal charm that few can resist. In any roll based on Seduction or Subterfuge, subtract two from the difficulty… and get ready to suffer the displeasure of your rivals! Folk who are not swayed by your charms often hate you for possessing them.

Early Riser No one can explain it, but you seem to have the ability to exist on less rest than your fellow packmates, tending to rise at least one hour before everyone else. You always seem to be the first to rise and the last to go to bed even if you’ve been out until dawn. While your packmates may still be groggy, you tend to be awake and aware. (PGS)

Eat Food You have the capacity to eat food and even savor its taste. While you cannot derive any nourishment from eating regular foods, this ability will serve you well in maintaining the Masquerade. Of course, you can’t digest what you eat, and there will be some point during the evening when you must force yourself to heave it back up.

Elysium Domain The character controls some part of the city's Elysium. She is its recognized protector and in many ways it is considered her domain but it does not belong to the character and other Kindred can enjoy it freely. The character gains respect as the Keeper of Elysium which she controls. (DSBH)

Entrepreneur Making money comes easy to the character. All difficulty of rolls that involve acquiring money through business are reduced by 2. (DSBH)

Eye for Beauty You are a natural critic. Reduce all difficulties to critique Art by 4. (CB:Tor1)

Faint Reflection (LaSombra) You have a reflection if faint one. You will show up in mirrors and reflective surfaces albeit very faint and ghost like. (CB:L1)

Family Member A member of your mortal family is also a vampire. You have a good relationship with the family member and he will come to your aid if you call. However, he may also call upon you for aid some day. You family member is far away. (PGS)

Gift of Proteus This merit allows the vampire to "fine-tune" the shapes achieved by the Protean Discipline. The number of points spent determines the scope of the variation, which must be specific, approved by the Storyteller, and defined when the merit is chosen. Example: The character may modify the incidental effects of a form. Red Eyes might glow an eerie green instead of red. (CB:G1)

Healing Touch (Caress) Normally vampires can only seal the wounds they inflict by licking them. With but a touch, you can achieve the same effect.  Dark Ages describe the ability differently, but the cost and effect are the same. Normally, vampires can only seal the wounds they inflict when feeding by licking them closed. Yet, for reasons unknown, a simple touch from you is enough to illict the same effect. A brush of the fingertips, a press of the palm, even the nuzzle of a cheek would be sufficient. All that is required is flesh-to-flesh contact firm enough to be registered as a touch. This does not heal other sorts of wounds whatsoever.

Innocent You are always thought of in the most positive light, unless evidence exists to prove otherwise.  If you do something wrong and the act is not easily attributed to you, it will most likely be blamed on someone else.  This does not mean that you are "an innocent" - it means everyone thinks you are. (INQ)

Light Sleeper You need less sleep than other mortals; you can function quite well on four hours a night.  If the Storyteller imposes penalties on other mortals for sleep deprivation (1 or 2 die penalties are suggested), then you are  exempt.  Needless to say this allows you to accomplish a lot more with your daily activities, regardless of whether you are an Inquisitor or a freelance writer. (INQ)

Lizard Limbs When your limbs are restrained or grappled, you may spend a Blood Point and make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8). If you succeed, you may "shed" a limb, leaving it in your opponent's grap while you escape. The limbs may be regrown normally. If you shed enough limbs, you can escape nearly any bonds, though it is hard to flee the scene of captivity when one has no legs... Nosferatu with this Merit often use it for practical jokes (Let's shake on it...) (CB: NOS1)

Long Fingers Your fingers are unnaturally long and spidery. You gain one extra die to Dice Pools involving digital coordination or grappling. (CB: NOS1)

Lunar Influence The Moon has an unusually strong effect on you. During periods of the new moon, your Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina are cut in half (round down). During periods of the full moon, your Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina are increased by half again. During the waxing and waning phases, the Attributes are normal. (PGS)

Magic Sensitivity You have a supernatural gift that allows you to know if any magic is in use or has been used recently within a 10-footradius of yourself. This includes all supernatural Disciplines as well. How much you know about the magic depends upon the number of successes you roll using your Perception + Occult (difficulty 8).

Marijava Contact (Banu Haqim) You have an ally who is a member of the Marijava ghoul family, and can be called upon for a favor from time to time. Likewise, your Marijava friend may call upon you for help occasionally. The clan is aware of this relationship and will normally grant you leave to help your ally (knowing that you have given your word to do so), provided that the clan's interests are not compromised in the process. The Storyteller creates the ghoul character, but should not reveal Trait scores and other game-sensitive information to you. (CB:AS1)

Natural Leader You are a natural born leader.  While not everyone will simply surrender authority to you, they will usually consent to "follow your lead."  Reduce the difficulty level of any situation directly related to leadership by 3. (INQ, PGS)

Oversized Fangs When you grow your fangs, you really grow 'em. Your fangs are enormous, snaggly things resembling cobra fangs or possibly even tusks. Your bite does one additional die of damage, and you may add one to your Intimidation Dice Pool. (CB: NOS1)

Oversized Mouth Your mouth is huge and you are able to open it to prodigious width. You may drink an additional two Blood Points from your victim each turn. (CB: NOS1)

Pale Aura (Ghoul) Due to some quirk of fate or your reaction to the Blood, your aura is naturally pale.  Vampires reading your aura via Auspex assume you to be Kindred unless they have strong reason to suspect otherwise.  The Merit can be of great use if you wish to impersonate a vampire, but can also cause some very dangerous misunderstandings. (GFA)

Prestigious Mentor Your Mentor had or has great Status among your Tradition, and this has accorded you a peculiar honor. Most treat you respectfully as a result, while some have only contempt for you, believing you to be nothing compared to them. This prestige could greatly aid you when dealing with elders acquainted with your Mentor. Indeed, your Mentor’s contacts may actually approach you at some point offering aid. Although your Mentor might no longer have contact with you, the simple fact of your apprenticeship has marked you forever.

Prestigious Sire Your sire has or had great status in her sect or clan, and this has accorded you with a certain amount of prestige. Though your sire may no longer have any dealings with you, the simple fact of your ancestry has marked you forever. This prestige might aid you greatly in dealings with your elders or other neonates, or it might engender jealousy or contempt. This may not be taken with the flaw Infamous Sire.

Safe Passage The character has the right to pass through the territory of some other vampire or sect that does not normally allow others (or at least members of his particular sect) passage through their territory. Toreador often have this Merit for various hostile cities, allowing them to enjoy the Elysium of those cities without fear. (DSBH)

Silence You have an unusual ability to move quietly that goes far beyond the norm. Reduce the difficulty on any Stealth roll involving moving quietly by two. You are even able to move quietly over dry leaves. Should the wind blow while you are moving, there is no way to hear you. (PGS)

Student The character serves as a mentor to a younger, more inexperienced vampire. The student is most likely a neonate or an Ancillae. This student will assist the character as he commands, but he also considers this Kindred his ward. The character takes responsibility for training this vampire and for protecting her from harm. (DSBH)

Sweet Blood Your vitae tastes like the finest wine, sweet and heady without the slightest trace of salt or metallic tang. As such, you may hide your blood in a chalice or feed ghouls without betraying the true nature of their draught.

Vicissitude Modifications (Ghoul) Although you may not be talented at the Tzimisce forms of fleshcrafting and boneshaping, at some point you have been... modified into a more warlike form.  Generally speaking, you're a szlachta, and most modifications necessitate the purchase of the Flow: Monstrous (The Vampire Players Guide, p.19).  As a rule, the Tzimiscse make sufficient cosmetic alterations to ruin the looks of all their battle-ghouls, even those whose modiciations are not in and of themselves hideous.  These modifications are permanent unless shaped away by further Vicissitude.  Although dangerous, any weaponry causes normal damage only; despite its horrid appearance, your arsenal is still only mortal flesh and bone.  You may purchase as many modifications as you can afford, but your social abilities are probably doomed.

• Circular Vision One of your eyes has been moved to the back of your head, granting you the ability to see at a wider angle.  This is a difficult operation and can be performed only by masters of medicine and Vicissitude.  In addition, your depth perception is poor at any angle, and you suffer a 2-die penalty to any rolls that involve gauging distance, including use of missile weapons.  You must take the Monstrous Flaw.

• Fangs Your teeth have been lengthened and sharpened; your smile may resemble a shark's or cat's, or may be unlike anything found in nature.  You may use the Bite Maneuver, but lose two dice from any Manipulation Dice Pools that do not involve intimidation or causing fear.

Note: Ghouls may never heal Vicissitude modifications , not even with vampire blood.  In this respect they are as helpless as mortals.  The exceptions are ghouls who themselves possess Vicissitude, though a lowly Zantosa may well find herself helpless to repair the mutilation inflicted by a seventh-generation Tzimisce (to repair Vicissitude alterations, a ghoul must have a level of Vicissitude superior to that of the vampire who inflicted the mutilation). (GFA)

Two

Approved Friendship You have a friendship with a non-Sabbat, either mortal or Kindred, that you are allowed to keep for some reason. Your friend must have some influence or ability that make him valuable to the sect or you would have been ordered to destroy him long ago. However, if the need arises, your leader may ask you to kill your friend. (PGS)

Baby Face You look more human than other vampires, enabling you to fit in the human world much more easily. Your skin is pink, you never really stopped breathing (even though you don’t need to), and even sneezing comes naturally. You can make your heart beat as long as you have at least one Blood Point. This Merit cannot be taken by Nosferatu.

Bardic Gift Gifted by the Muses, you sing sweetly, play an instrument divinely and speak with passion and eloquence. In all cases, your skill is not as impressive as your delivery. Somehow, everything you say or perform rings with power and conviction. In game terms, subtract two from the difficulty of any Social-based roll that involves speaking, poetry, music or song. Naturally, you’ll make an impression wherever you go. People are bound to talk about such a distinctive individual, and such talk may not always be in a character’s best interests…

Burning Aura Your aura, no matter what color it takes, is unusually brilliant to those who can see it’ you are practically a beacon among other mortals, burning with a mystical fire. Even those who cannot see auras are immediately drawn to your presence. Some supernaturals will find this a positive aspect; others, particularly vampires, may likely be hostile to you. Many will believe you possess great power (regardless of whether you truly do), and will be appropriately respectful of you.

Charmed Samadji (Ravnos; 1 - 4 Merit) Your family or sire has gifted you with an item of power. You are expected to carry this powerful draba until you sire your own progeny, then pass the gift to her. Power levels of samadji vary greatly; a one to two merit samadji might reduce target numbers on certain actions. Samadji may be activated in any of a number of ways. Design your Samadji with the Storyteller, who will assign a final value to it. (CB:R1)

Disgusting You have the ability to contort your body and face in all sorts of shocking and grotesque ways. You can drool blood, pop your eyes out to double their width, spontaneously grow and burst boils on your flesh, extend you tongue three feet out of your mouth, etc. In addition, you are an accomplished practitioner of the fine art of disgusting others, and take considerable pride in your ability to gross out anyone or anything. By concentrating for a turn and spending a Blood Point, you may will your body to do something vile, making a Wits + Intimidation roll (difficulty of the opponent's Wits + Self Control). Each success on this roll subtracts one from the opponents Dice Pool for any action taken next turn (the opponent is so repulsed and horrified by your antics that concentration is broken). (CB: NOS1)

Drug Resistance You are unusually resistant to drugs. Alcohol, narcotics and similar addictive substances have little or no effect upon you. You can drink from winos with impunity, or pretend to be far drunker than you are in order to take advantage of an opponent. (CB:S)

Dual Nature You have two distinct Natures, both of which have an influence on your personality and behavior. When you pick these Natures, be careful to choose Archetypes that are somewhat compatible. Dual Nature does not mean schizophrenia (that is a Derangement). This Merit allows you to regain Willpower using both Natures. You may still choose a Demeanor, and it can be as different from the character’ Natures as the player desires.  Recommended: Ghouls

Ecstatic This is a Merit of dubious benefit.  You are prone to the features of religious ecstasy - stigmata, glossolalia (speaking in tongues), visions and trances, et al.  While some may distrust you as a religious hysteric, you will be highly regarded among other Inquisitors as "touched by God."  Add 1-die to any rolls involving social interactions in the Society. (INQ)

Enchanting Gaze You’ve got the most fascinating eyes. People find it hard to avoid them. Even if your gaze is sort of… unearthly… it’s most seductive. There isn’t anything actually magickal about your gaze, but others cannot help finding it intriguing, whether you want them to or not. Perhaps your eyes are unusually vivid, or uncannily colored, or incredibly trusting and inviting… they’re distinct, regardless, so you might as well make use of ’em. In game terms, this Merit subtracts two from the difficulty of any Social roll that involves sustained eye contact, or from an influence spell that includes eye contact as a focus. It also makes you stand out in a crowd; long after you’re gone, people will still talk about those marvelous eyes.

Enchanting Voice You have an almost magical voice, beautiful beyond words. You may add two dice to all rolls directly involving the use of your voice, such as Leadership, Seduction, Singing, etc. Depending upon the circumstances, the Storyteller may allow you to use two extra dice when making any type of roll involving Presence. (PGS)

• There is something about your voice that others cannot ignore. When you command, they are cowed. When you seduce, they swoon. Whether thunderous, gentle, persuading or simply talking, your voice commands attention. The difficulties of all die rolls involving the use of the voice to persuade, charm or command are reduced by two. 

Family Allegiance Through your travels, you have gained the favour of a mortal Gypsy family. The family aids you in your exploits whenever possible, providing shelter from enemies or acting as a method of transportation to or from a city. All difficulty numbers involving social interactions with the family in question are reduced by two. So long as you do not abuse your trust (such as using family members as steady sources of blood), the family will not turn away form you. NOTE: You may not take a Family Allegiance with the Tsurara or Ravnos families. (CB:R1)

Family Member A member of your mortal family is also a vampire. You have a good relationship with the family member and he will come to your aid if you call. However, he may also call upon you for aid some day. You family member is close by. (PGS)

Flirt You claim you’re a terrible flirt, but that quite manifestly isn’t true. You’re great at it. You’re an absolute master of all the subtle signals that give off the particular combination of promise and denial that makes teasing so much fun. At your best, you can make members of the opposite sex, or members of the same sex, putty in your hands. Add two dice to all social rolls in such circumstances.

Gift of Proteus This merit allows the vampire to "fine-tune" the shapes achieved by the Protean Discipline. The number of points spent determines the scope of the variation, which must be specific, approved by the Storyteller, and defined when the merit is chosen. Example: the character may achieve a minor variation on a form. For instance, a player may determine the actual breed of wolf which her character may become. (CB:G1)

Haven Affinity Your territoriality rivals that of a Lupine. When acting on "home soil" (your main haven, not auxiliary havens), you gain an additional die to all your Dice Pools. You may also home in on your haven by making an unmodified Perception roll (difficulty variable; 6 if across town, 8 if in another state or country, 9 if across the Globe). (CB:Tz1)

Holy Aura Your aura, no matter what color it takes, is unusually brilliant to those who can see it; you are practically a beacon among other mortals, burning with a religious devotion.  Even those who cannot see auras are immediately drawn to your presence.  Some Supernaturals will find this a positive aspect; others, particularly Kindred, may likely be hostile to you.  Many will believe you to possess great power (regardless of the truth), and will be appropriately respectful of you. (INQ)

Innocent You convey an aura of childlike innocence. Surely you cannot be guilty of any wrongdoing! Even if people catch you in the act, your impression of innocence leads them to suspect someone or something else to be behind your deeds. In story terms, this Merit makes life a lot easier for you. You usually suffer mild punishments (even if someone catches you in the act), and your accusers tend to give you the benefit of doubt. In game terms, this Merit lowers the difficulties of rolls involving Subterfuge or Manipulation by two. Still, be wary of how far you press this advantage. There may come a time when a saintly face is not enough to save you.

Light Sleeper You can awaken instantly at any sign of trouble or danger, and do so without any sleepiness or hesitation. You may ignore rules regarding how Humanity/Path restricts the number of dice available during the day. This may not be taken with the flaw Deep Sleeper.

Mortal Double You have the services of someone alive who looks just like you. This person might be your actual twin. (Other explanations are possible: long-lost brother, master of disguise, Progenitor clone, a victim of Vicissitude.) However, unless he is made into a ghoul, he will continue to age normally. Eventually, he will no longer be your exact double. The double may move about freely during the day, aiding you in hiding your vampiric nature. The double must be fully aware of your personal life, including all your relationships and activities. He must also be a good actor. (CB:Tor1)

Mystic Ability For some reason, you have visions. The visions are not necessarily precognitive, but like precognition, the visions occur outside your control. You may make yourself more sensitive to them through ascetic practice, but you can never consciously induce a vision. Then again, you may have a visions as you are walking down the street minding your own business. Unlike Precognition, the visions are always steeped in symbolism, and they apply only to your own unlife. The particulars of how and when this Merit works are left to the Storyteller. (PGS)

Old Flame Someone you once cared for deeply is now with the enemy. He still attempts to play on your sympathies “for old times’ sake” while working against you. Unless you succeed on a contested Manipulation + Expression roll against your former friend, you do not act against him unless the situation becomes life-threatening.

Pack Distinction You have a certain degree of fame within your pack. The reason relates to some great heroic action that possibly saved many of their unlives. You may consider this two points that can be added to Pack Recognition. You may not be the pack leader, but you may be more respected than the leader. (PGS)

Pain Tolerance Prerequisite: Callous and a Morale Rating of 3 or higher is needed to take this Merit. Either because of personal proclivity or the rigors of Vicissitude, you have become acclimatized to pain. This affinity enables you to ignore one die of wound penalties. Thus, when you are Hurt or Injured, you suffer no penalties to action. You suffer only one-die penalty to actions at the Wounded and Mauled states, and even Crippling injuries subtract four dice rather than five. You are still Incapacitated normally. (CB:Tz!)

Paranoia, Limited You know that there are many vampires, hunters, Garou, and the like who would love to destroy you.  You go out of your way to prepare contingency plans, vary your movement patterns and habits, and otherwise make yourself a difficult target.  As a result, you are less likely to be attacked unawares (-1 difficulty to spotting ambushes and the like). (ELY)

Personal Aura You do not project the aura associated with your road. Instead, your aura reflects some deeper aspect of your Nature or personality. You may choose the aura associated with any road or design your own (subject to Storyteller approval), calculating your aura modifier according to your permanent Willpower.

Poisonous Bite You have developed poison glands in the roof of your mouth. The poison is virulent, although Kindred and other supernatural creatures are unaffected by it. You, of course, are immune. When you bite, your always inject this poison, usually killing your human victims. You must learn to feed in other ways, perhaps drawing the blood you need with a syringe or razor, if you do not wish to kill every time you feed. (SET)

Refined You are a member of the elite. You are at home in high society and you never feel out of place around the 'beautiful people'. The difficulty of all Etiquette rolls involving high society are reduced by three. In addition, you are often invited to Toreador socials reserved for those of higher Toreador prestige (or Camarilla status) than yourself. (CB:Tor1)

Ruse of the Wolf's Clothing In animal form only, the vampire still smells alive, even to the super-sensitive nostrils of the Lupines. This is essentially a "Baby Face" merit for altered forms, and may include other lifelike symptoms at the Storyteller's discretion, as well as a defense against the werewolf gift Sense Wyrm. If this is the case, then the Storyteller may well want to increase the cost of this merit. (CB:G1)

Sanctifying Kiss Your lips have a particular crimson luster like roses or fine wine. Whenever you kiss someone, you leave traces of sweet vitae behind. This secretion is not sufficient to create a ghoul or sire progeny, although you may surreptitiously administer the blood oath if you kiss on the mouth or touch your lips to an open cut. It requires a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 8) to notice the slight taste of your blood.

Sanctity This Merit is sometimes called the halo effect; everyone considers the player pure and innocent, though not necessarily naïve. The player has a saint-like quality that is hard to pinpoint but cannot be denied. The player is trusted, even if they are not trustworthy. At the Storyteller's discretion, the players tend to receive lesser punishments for wrongdoing, and they are liked by most. (PGS)

Sanctuary Another vampire has promised the character protection from all harm should he come to her for sanctuary. This may be a mentor, a sire, or someone who owes him a boon. The vampire has the power to protect the character from most threats. (DSBH)

Sexy You are one sexy mutha. You might not necessarily be that good looking, but there’s something about the way you move and act that exudes sexuality. As a result, you draw attention from members of the opposite sex, or your own sex, with raw animal magnetism. You may lower the difficulty of any Social roll by two when dealing with someone who is attracted to you. If you actively attempt to direct your charms at a person, you may lower the difficulty by three.

Slimy Your skin secretes slime like that of a worm or mollusk. Opponents must score two more successes than normal to grapple you, and your difficulty to soak fire damage is reduced by one. (CB: NOS1)

Special Rapport You have a special bond with another vampire that extends beyond any other type of bond you know of. You may or may not love the other vampire, but you have a special link to her. This link allows you to always know when she is in trouble, when she is in pain, when she is lying, and when she needs you. In return, she knows the same about you. Both characters have to buy this Merit. This Merit should not be abused by allowing a relatively weak character to choose a powerful one, unless this is approved by the Storyteller. (PGS)

Swarm Attractor You must have at least one dot in Animalism to take this Merit. Your skin exudes a grease that attracts flies, gnats, bees, and other flying insects. While these insects normally buzz passively about you in a thick cloud, you may command them in a limited fashion. The bugs may travel up to 20 feet from you to sting and distract your foes. The swarm does no actual damage, but any being caught in the swarm must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7). If the roll fails, the victim loses two dice from her Dice Pool that turn; if it botches, she may take no action whatsoever. (CB: NOS1)

Tough Hide Your skin is thick and leathery, resembling that of a pachyderm. You gain one extra die on your soak Dice Pool (though not to soak fire and sunlight). (CB: NOS1)

Unconquered Ally (Banu Haqim before Schism) You have a friend and ally among the Unconquered. The Storyteller creates this character, but should not reveal any information to you beyond that warranted by the two characters' acquaintance. Your Unconquered ally may be called upon for assistance and may also enlist your support from time to time. Naturally, neither of you may do anything which endangers your side of the clan without incurring the considerable wrath of your superiors. (CB:AS1)

Vicissitude Modifications (Ghoul) Although you may not be talented at the Tzimisce forms of fleshcrafting and boneshaping, at some point you have been... modified into a more warlike form.  Generally speaking, you're a szlachta, and most modifications necessitate the purchase of the Flow: Monstrous (The Vampire Players Guide, p.19).  As a rule, the Tzimiscse make sufficient cosmetic alterations to ruin the looks of all their battle-ghouls, even those whose modifications are not in and of themselves hideous.  These modifications are permanent unless shaped away by further Vicissitude.  Although dangerous, any weaponry causes normal damage only; despite its horrid appearance, your arsenal is still only mortal flesh and bone.  You may purchase as many modifications as you can afford, but your social abilities are probably doomed.

• Digestive Modifications  You are able to digest any organic material that you can break up and swallow.  Your Stamina is treated a two points higher for purposes of resisting ingested poisons.
• Spurs Long bone spurs protrude from your forearms, back, and/or legs.  You may slash with these for Str +2 damage; however, they are hard to conceal, and you must subtract 3 dice from any Social Dice Pools save those involving intimidation.

Note: Ghouls may never heal Vicissitude modifications , not even with vampire blood.  In this respect they are as helpless as mortals.  The exceptions are ghouls who themselves possess Vicissitude, though a lowly Zantosa may well find herself helpless to repair the mutilation inflicted by a seventh-generation Tzimisce (to repair Vicissitude alterations, a ghoul must have a level of Vicissitude superior to that of the vampire who inflicted the mutilation). (GFA)

Well-Traveled The character has traveled all over the globe, seen many different cities, and met a great number of Kindred. There is a chance he will know of a vampire from another city when he hear his name. This is an intelligence roll (difficulty 10 - the Kindred's Status). (DSBH)

Without a Trace The wilderness is your friend, working to hide your passage. You leave no trail to follow as the earth swallows your footprints, and the trees and grasses cover your scent. Even magical means of tracking you are inhibited. You pass through places like the wind, leaving nothing behind but a whisper. Even Lupines have trouble following you. Normal means of tracking you (with Survival, the use of dogs etc) fail automatically. Supernatural methods of tracking you, such as with Auspex, have a chance, but with greater difficulty (+2 diff).

Three

Addictive Blood Your blood is especially delicious to others, Kindred or Kine, containing a substance they find physically addictive. Once they have drunk it, they must drink again, or spend a Willpower point at inconvenient moments to avoid the pangs of craving. Members of the Ministry with this Merit find it much easier to Blood Bond an opponent, as once they have tasted the tainted vitae, they will do almost anything to drink it again. (CB:S)

Benevolent Domitor (Ghoul) You must purchase the Domitor Background to buy this Merit.  For whatever reason, your domitor is actually rather fond of you.  Perhaps your service has been exemplary, or perhaps you simply remind him of someone in his past - given the alien nature of the vampire mind, you may never know for sure.  Your domitor treats you with some measure of compassion and does not casually endanger your life.  Of course, he still expects you to give your life for his if need be, but until that night, the two of you are something akin to friends. (GFA)

Blase You are not easily impressed by others. You automatically resist all Presence powers. However, if the Kindred using Presence is far more powerful than yourself, the Storyteller might require you to spend a point of Willpower to resist. (CB:Tor1)

Blood Flaw Immunity (Ghoul) For some reason, you are resistant to the bloodline flaws of any vampire form whom you drink.  You can guzzle Nosferatu vitae until your stomach bursts, and your complexion won't suffer a bit. (GFA)

Charmed Samadji (Ravnos; 1 - 4 Merit) Your family or sire has gifted you with an item of power. You are expected to carry this powerful draba until you sire your own progeny, then pass the gift to her. Power levels of samadji vary greatly; a three to four merit samadji might provide the user with effects equivalent to low-level Disciplines, such as Unseen Presence. Samadji may be activated in any of a number of ways. Design your Samadji with the Storyteller, who will assign a final value to it. (CB:R1)

Childe, Loyal Your childe's loyalty goes beyond any Blood Bond, being born of true affection and admiration.  She would do almost anything to aid you, and you trust her as you do no other among the Kindred.  You would be grief-stricken should anything happen to her. (ELY)

Disciplined Eye With a point each of blood and Willpower and a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 6), you may force your third eye closed for a full scene. It will not betray you no matter what Valeren/Obeah powers you use. Other Salubri may regard you with distrust or envy if they know of your unusual gift. Only vampires with two or more dots of Valeren/Obeah may purchase this Merit.  This may not be taken with the flaw Visible Eye.

Ecclesial Rank (1 - 3 Merit) In addition to being a member of the Society of Leopold, you are also a member of the Roman Catholic hierarchy.  This Merit determines your standing within the hierarchy.

Note: that anyone possessing a high rank within the Church is usually at least in their mid-30s. (INQ)

Efficient Digestion You are able to draw more than the usual amount of nourishment from blood. When feeding, you gain an additional point to your blood pool for every two points of blood you consume. This does not allow you to exceed your blood pool maximum.

Face the Flames The weakness of your Beast renders you less susceptible to blind panic when faced with fire. You receive two extra dice on Rotschreck rolls.

Family Member A member of your mortal family is also a vampire. You have a good relationship with the family member and he will come to your aid if you call. However, he may also call upon you for aid some day. You family member is in your pack. (PGS)

Foul Blood Your blood tastes truly awful. Opponents who bite you in combat must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) or spend the next turn retching and gagging; the idiot who actually tries to commit diablerie upon you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 9) and score three successes to complete the process. (CB: NOS1)

Gifted The difficulties of all Craft and Expression rolls are reduced by three. (CB:TOR1)

Greater Colors The vampire sees colors more distinctly and with greater definition. The world is far more colorful. Unfortunately, the vampire is more likely to become enraptured by colorful objects. Despite the drawback, when used in conjunction with Aura Perception, the vampire will discover far more information from her target. The difficulty for reading a target's aura is reduced to five. The player may aks the Storyteller one question about the target for every success, and the Storyteller must provide accurate information. This may be used only once per story on a particular target. Finally, all Expression difficulties involving color are reduced by one. (CB:Tor1)

Hidden Diablerie The tell-tale black streaks of diablerie do not manifest in your aura.

Lucky You were born lucky – or else the Devil looks after his own. Either way, you may repeat any three failed rolls per story, including botches, but you may try only once per failed roll.

Mage Companion The character is friends with someone who has Awakened and is a Mage. She can be of any Tradition, Craft, or Convention but most likely is a member of the Euthanatos or Verbena. (DSBH)

Oracular Ability You see signs and omens in everyday life. You are able to understand many magical portents that are revealed to people every day, but are seen by few and interpreted by less. You are able to draw advice from these omens, for they provide hints of the future and warnings for the present.

Seeing an omen or sign requires a simple roll using Perception + Occult (difficulty based on the degree to which the sign is hidden; the most obvious have difficulties of 5). Once the sign has been seen, it must be interpreted. You can interpret it using Intelligence + Occult (difficulty level based on the intricacy of the sign; average 6). The number of successes determines how much meaning can be gleaned from the sign. (PGS)

Patience You have learned the wisdom of patience in all things.  Passions may burn brightly; but as they say, revenge is served best cold.  Often, with enough patience, new avenues of endeavor open, enemies grow careless and favors shift.  Those who wait and watch are in a positoin to take full advantage of the vagaries of time.  Due to your mastery of patience all Frensy rolls are made with a -1 difficulty modifier. (ELY)

Phralmulo (Ravnos) You were Embraced from within the Rom, from one of the families of power. (See: World of Darkness: Gypsies). Because of your heritage, you may be able to regain Blood Affinities by feeding on Rom and may begin with Abilities or Backgrounds available only to Gypsy characters. In addition, Phralmulo characters need not pick a specific crime as their weakness; the phralmulo show a general (but compulsive) contempt and disregard for all the laws of the gaje. NOTE: Without this merit, a Ravnos player character is assumed to be georgio. (CB:R1)

Piercing Gaze Your gaze seems to be paralyzing. Whether it instills people with fear, love, or self-loathing, all Disciplines that require sight contact have their difficulties reduced by 3.

Rising Star You’re one of the up and comers in your city, a rising star in the Camarilla’s firmament. Everyone wants to know you and be your friend, even as those in power groom you for positions of higher responsibility. You are at -1 difficulty on all Social rolls against any Camarilla vampire who aren’t actively opposing your ascent.

Sex Appeal The sway of your hips and the pout of your lips give you a natural sexiness and sensuality that attract lovers to you like flies to honey. Perhaps it’s your pheromones. Whatever the cause, you are sex incarnate. You are irresistible. When you flirt, you find many willing minions. This characteristic makes you the center of attention at any gathering, since they all want to wholeheartedly please you. With a look, a word, or a wave of your hand, you can make or break hearts. Even the most cold-hearted are not immune to your power. Though this does draw unwanted attention sometimes, you always manage to extricate yourself from unwanted situations. (The player makes all rolls related to either Charisma or Appearance at -2 difficulty.)

Soothing Voice Your voice is calm and soothing, almost entrancing.  You may add 2 dice to all rolls that directly include use of your voice: singing, preaching, leadership, etc. (INQ)

Special Gift (1 - 3 Merit) Your sire gave you a valuable gift after the Embrace. The Storyteller should create something suitable or choose one item from the Mystical Items list to give to you (though you can ‘suggest’ something). The Storyteller will decide how much a particular item is worth.

Surreal Beauty You are blessed with unspeakable beauty that supersedes most people’s notions of loveliness and a sense of grace and dignity that makes you undeniable. Because of this, all Appearance-based rolls receive two extra bonus dice, as well as a -1 Difficulty rating to seduction-based Appearance rolls, too. You must have an Appearance rating of 4 or higher to take this Merit.

Symbol Independence The use of True Faith against a supernatural creature typically requires use of a holy symbol.  However, Inquisitors and other hunters with this Merit are free from this restriction; they may use their Faith unfettered by any such psychological or religious crutch. (INQ)

Tough as Nails You come from hardy, thick-skinned stock, or perhaps the gods have favored you. You shrug off damage easier than most. All soak rolls are made at -1 diff.

Valuable Secret (1 - 3 Merit) Others would kill or die to know this secret the character guards. The Valuable Secret should be created and given by the Storyteller. Perhaps the character knows that the prince is an Infernal Diablorist or that the primogen are actually all Sabbat. Whatever the case, only those involved in the secret and the character know about the Valuable Secret. (DSBH)

Vicissitude Modifications (Ghoul) Although you may not be talented at the Tzimisce forms of fleshcrafting and boneshaping, at some point you have been... modified into a more warlike form.  Generally speaking, you're a szlachta, and most modifications necessitate the purchase of the Flow: Monstrous (The Vampire Players Guide, p.19).  As a rule, the Tzimiscse make sufficient cosmetic alterations to ruin the looks of all their battle-ghouls, even those whose modiciations ar enot in and of themselves hidesous.  These modifications are permanent unless shaped away by further Vicissitude.  Although dangerous, any weaponry causes normal damage only; despite its horrid appearance, your arsenal is still only mortal flesh and bone.  You may purchase as many modifications as you can afford, but your social abilities are probably doomed.

• Carapace You are covered with bony or horny plates that protect you from attack.  You may add two soak dice to your pool, but you must take the Monstrous Flaw.

Note: Ghouls may never heal Vicissitude modifications , not even with vampire blood.  In this respect they are as helpless as mortals.  The exceptions are ghouls who themselves possess Vicissitude, though a lowly Zantosa may well find herself helpless to repair the mutilation inflicted by a seventh-generation Tzimisce (to repair Vicissitude alterations, a ghoul must have a level of Vicissitude superior to that of the vampire who inflicted the mutilation). (GFA)

Vindictive Your personal honor is your life, and you will go to the ends of the earth to settle a score or avenge a slight. When directly opposing someone who has insulted, shamed or harmed you, you gain an additional die to all combat Dice Pools. This bonus does not apply towards casual foes, only blood enemies. For example, a Tzimisce would not get this bonus against the bandit who ambushes her on the road but would receive against the Shadow Lord who slew her sire and drove her from her ancestral fief. The down side to this Merit is that you must do everything in your power to avenge such deeds or insults. Should you refrain from action, the Storyteller is within his rights to deduct temporary Willpower from your character until such time as you pursue your vengeance once more. (This was labeled as a Tzimisce merit but is suitable for any character.)

Wraith Companion The character has a mentor that is a wraith. The character will be able to touch and see him if in the Underworld, but in the Skinlands only the wraith will be able to contact the character unless the character has rituals or powers that allows her to see and interact with the Shadowlands from the Skinlands. (DSBH)

Four

Airport The character controls a major airport, and all Kindred who would use it must answer to him, for it is his domain. (DSBH)

Charmed Samadji (Ravnos; 1 - 4 Merit) Your family or sire has gifted you with an item of power. You are expected to carry this powerful draba until you sire your own progeny, then pass the gift to her. Power levels of samadji vary greatly; a three to four merit samadji might provide the user with effects equivalent to low-level Disciplines, such as Unseen Presence. Samadji may be activated in any of a number of ways. Design your Samadji with the Storyteller, who will assign a final value to it. (CB:R1)

Ecumenist Although you are steadfast in your own faith, you recognize the workings of the Holy Spirit, which "bloweth where it listeth," in other religions.  Usually, when using True Faith, you must use a holy symbol from your own religious tradition.  With this Merit, you see the divine spark at the core of religions beyond your own, and you are able to make use of their religious icons and holy ground when confronting the supernatural.  Likewise, a group of individuals from different religious traditions, all with this Merit, may "pool" their Faith for greater effect. (INQ)

Extremist Group The character has both Influence over and Contacts within an extremist group of some sort. This could be a group of near insane survivalists with a cause, some hate group or a terrorist group. This group provides him with assistance, and possibly even agents to handle his dirty work. It might also provide him with ties to similar groups. The more often he use your ties, the weaker they grow. (DSBH)

Gift of Proteus This merit allows the vampire to "fine-tune" the shapes achieved by the Protean Discipline. The number of points spent determines the scope of the variation, which must be specific, approved by the Storyteller, and defined when the merit is chosen. Example: the character may make a significant variation in one of the Protean shapes, (as long as it is still a shape traditionally associated with Vampires), such as becoming a black cat instead of a wolf. Among the forms traditionally ascribed to Vampires were those of cats, crows, black dogs, wolves, toads, and bats. (CB:G1)

Inconnu Associate The character is friends with another Kindred who belongs to the Inconnu. Though he may call upon his friend in times of need, she may call on him as well. Neither of the sects appreciate such relationships, and his leaders would punish him if his friendship were discovered. Arranging methods of communication and meeting places will be difficult. (DSBH)

Iron Will (Mortal) This version of Iron Will is the same as the one for Vampire except that it costs one extra point (for a total of four) for a mortal hunter to be immune to Kindred Domination. (INQ)

Kinfolk (Ghouls/Independent) Whether you know it or not, you are kin to a werewolf tribe.  You carry the blood of the Garou in your veins, and your own children may be Garou. For ghouls, being Kinfolk can be an advantage or a hindrance.  If purchased as a Merit, then you are still on amicable terms with your relatives (Garou and Kinfolk alike).  Although they will never allow you to bring any vampire "friends" into their territory (and may well use lethal means to enforce their privacy), they have an interest in your well-being and give you aid so long as this doesn't compromise their principles. Of course, your kin do not want you to be a ghoul forever, as they would like you to return to their society and raise a family of your own.  Typically, only independent ghouls may purchase Kinfolk as a Merit. Revenants cannot be Kinfolk, either as a Merit or as a Flaw.(GFA)

Patagia You have grown large flaps of skin under your arms, like those of a pterodactyl or flying squirrel. You may use these patagia to glide for short distances, provided there is an updraft or strong wind. (NOS)

Pied Piper (2 - 4 Merit) Animals follow you around, making it fairly easy to track you and/or find your haven. The points of the flaw determine the size of the animals (2pt -rats, bats and mice, 3pt – Cats and dogs, 4pt – Wolves, deer, bears as examples).

Precognition You have the ability to perceive events before they happen. This ability is not under your control. The premonitions come to you when you least expect them. The focus of the premonitions is not under your control either. This ability can greatly impact the story, and the exact nature of the effects is left up to the Storyteller. This merit should not be used ot cause problems in the game, but to intensify the experience through additional drama. (PGS)

Prophetic Ability God speaks to you in signs and portents, visions and images.  Some visions may be precognitive, while others might be warnings or advice.  You cannot request or induce a prophetic vision; they come on their own.  These visions will range from the obvious to the symbolic; the exact nature and effect of the visions is up to the Storyteller.  This merit should provide dramatic moments, and players should not come to rely upon them for plot resolution. (INQ)

Sorcerous Awareness For some reason, you have been gifted with the ability to detect when any of the Devil's arts (i.e. magic) is in use or has been used recently within a 10' radius of yourself.  This also includes all supernatural Disciplines and Gifts.  How much you may know about this magic depends upon the number of successes you roll using Perception + Occult (difficulty 8). (INQ)

Strength of Shadows (LaSombra) The powers created by Obtenebration do not dissipate until four hours after the Sun comes up. (CB:L1)

Supernatural Companion (Ghoul) You are allied with a supernatural being, but not a vampire.  This may be a werewolf comrade, the ghost of a relative, or even a friendly mage.  You may ask for her help in times of need, but she may not always be able to help.  She may also require your help at inconvenient times (such is the cost of friendship).  It is highly improbable that your allegiance is looked on favorably by her kind, and any Kindred who discovered your relationship would almost certainly disapprove.  The Storyteller will create your companion, be it werewolf, wraith, mage, or something else entirely, and won't reveal her full capabilities. This Merit supersedes those of Werewolf Companion and Spirit Mentor in The Vampire Players Guide.) (GFA)

Supernatural Spouse You share a relationship equivalent to marriage with a supernatural creature other than another Kindred. Both of you receive the benefits of the True Love Merit for one another. This creature may be a mage, a werewolf, a changeling, a wraith, or something even more unusual. Unfortunately, both of your kind would consider you threats if they knew of your relationship. You may declare your love for one another openly, although you risk becoming an outcast - or worse. You and your spouse would die or kill for one another. (CB:Tor1)

University The character has control over a university. The trustees and important officials serve his interests. The character has full access to the school, and he can hunt the campus freely. The professors and libraries are useful in providing him with research information. The campus also has lots of computer equipment, along with those who know how to use it. (DSBH)

Vicissitude Modifications (Ghoul) Although you may not be talented at the Tzimisce forms of fleshcrafting and boneshaping, at some point you have been... modified into a more warlike form.  Generally speaking, you're a szlachta, and most modifications necessitate the purchase of the Flow: Monstrous (The Vampire Players Guide, p.19).  As a rule, the Tzimiscse make sufficient cosmetic alterations to ruin the looks of all their battle-ghouls, even those whose modification are not in and of themselves hideous.  These modifications are permanent unless shaped away by further Vicissitude.  Although dangerous, any weaponry causes normal damage only; despite its horrid appearance, your arsenal is still only mortal flesh and bone. You may purchase as many modifications as you can afford, but your social abilities are probably doomed.

• Patagia Your bones have been hollowed, and flaps of skin (from yourself or another hapless soul) have been grafted onto your arms, giving you the appearance of a human pterodactyl.  You may use these flaps to glade, though you may not actually fly.  While gliding, you may not use your arms.  Furthermore, you subtract one from all soak pools to resist strikes from fists and blunt weapons, or any other form for concussive damage (your bones are hollow)  You must take the Monstrous Flaw.

Note: Ghouls may never heal Vicissitude modifications , not even with vampire blood.  In this respect they are as helpless as mortals.  The exceptions are ghouls who themselves possess Vicissitude, though a lowly Zantosa may well find herself helpless to repair the mutilation inflicted by a seventh-generation Tzimisce (to repair Vicissitude alterations, a ghoul must have a level of Vicissitude superior to that of the vampire who inflicted the mutilation). (GFA)

Five

Additional Discipline You can take one additional Discipline (Storyteller discretion) as if it were a clan Discipline. All costs to learn that Discipline are paid out as if it were native to your clan. A character can not take this merit more than once.

Castle The character owns a castle with at least 50 rooms and maybe as many as 500. He also controls a large estate around the castle. The servants, if he has any, are provided for if you choose this Merit. The castle can be in as poor or as good a condition as the character wishes. The more inhabited it appears to be, the more attention it will garner. Characters in the New World cannot have this Merit unless they can justify it - "An insane relative had the castle moved from Scotland, stone by stone." (DSBH)

Charmed Existence Your unlife is somehow protected, and you do not face the perils that others must. It could be that you are simply lucky. Whatever the reason, you may ignore any “one” on every roll you make. This makes it far less likely that you will ever botch, and grants you more successes than others obtain.

Closer than Blood (3 or 5 Merit) You have an affinity with another Cainite (most likely a Toreador, but possibly one of another clan) not brought about Blood Oath other artificed means. You would lay down your unlives for each other, and you feel empty without the other nearby. Such bonds can be same sex or opposite sex, and there is no way to predict who your “twin” will be. A 3-point Merit indicates that you occasionally can sense the other’s strong emotions (fear, joy, pain) if your “twin” is in the vicinity. A 5 point Merit means that you often sense your other’s emotions, even at a distance, and can feel the other’s physical pain or peril.

Discipline Prodigy You are especially skilled in the use of one of your clan Disciplines. The difficulty to use any level of this Discipline is reduced by 1, although this Merit can never reduce the difficulty of any roll below 4. Characters may purchase this Merit only once and gain no benefit when using Discipline techniques. Prodigies of Koldunic Sorcery or other forms of blood sorcery reduce the difficulty of all paths and rituals. Prodigies of Obtenebration also find Abyss rituals easier. (PGHC)

Fountain of Life The healing power of God runs through you.  Non-Aggravated damage (normally an irrelevant distinction for mortals, who have no supernatural means of healing damage) heals as though it is one wound level less.  If you are Wounded, you will heal in one week.  If you are Bruised, you will heal in a matter of hours.  If you are not wounded, then those who are under your medical care will heal at your enhanced rate as well. 

Note: that this might seem "miraculous," but it will not be scientifically verifiable.  You won't get canonized just for this. Unfortunately, vampires find your blood particularly strong and tasty - twice as potent as that of other mortals, in fact.  Even better, you heal more quickly.  Vampires consider you in the same manner you look at an all-you-can eat buffet. (INQ)

Holdings ( 1 - 5 Merit) You own a number of properties that have been in your possession for years.  These have all been modified to provide you with protection, numerous places to rest and emergency escape routes.  Although such holdings are often ancient castles, museums, and the like, they can also be specially prepared apartment complexes, mountain lodges, old churches, etc.  For every point taken in this Merit you have two such holdings, which can be almost anywhere in the world. (ELY)

Innate Magical Ability You have some sort of magical ability that makes you unique. The ability is different from any normal vampiric power or Discipline. The exact nature of the ability should remain somewhat mysterious to you, though you have some say in what the ability is. The ability has an estimated power level similar to a Level Three Discipline. (PGS)

Legendary Attribute Your character has a superhuman Attribute, something in which he has the potential to be greater than human. Although this Attribute isn’t necessarily automatically better, the character could potentially exceed the bounds of human ability. Such a gift is rare and precious, and many people with this capacity never even manage to fulfill their true potential. In your character’s legendary Attribute, your character has the potential for a rating of six dots. Thus, your character might have the Strength of Hercules or the Intelligence of Occam. This Merit doesn’t confer such a rating automatically; it must still be purchased with Attribute points, Freebie Points, or Experience. In addition to the potential for inhuman power, your character has some miraculous capability tied to that Attribute. A character with legendary Stamina might have the ability to roll a soak against any form of damage, for instance, while a character with legendary Wits might be able to shift his initiative category by one place in any given turn automatically. This power is generally automatic, and it’s subject to the Storyteller’s approval. Its potency varies with the character’s actual Attribute rating, so a character with a legendary Stamina of 1 has a weak legendary power that might grow with time and experience. This Merit obviously has the potential for abuse, and it’s not appropriate for all chronicles or characters.

Mummy Companion You have one of the world's few mummies as a companion or close associate.  Your relationship is one of relative equality, with neither of you able to dominate the other, and you find this most refreshing.  Although it would not be condemned by the Kindred, you both take pains to keep the association secret.  Other powerful elders might wish to take advantage of your companion and the benefits he occasionally provides you.  Other Kindred may even attempt to destroy the mummy or turn him against you rather than allow you access to his great stores of information and abilities. (ELY)

Paramour (3 - 5 Merit) You have had a long-term (minimum of 75 years) relationship with a fellow Kindred.  Although you may have had your disagreements over the many years, you are generally loyal to each other.  You know most, if not all, of your paramour's secrets, and your paramour knows as much about you.  You have both come to each other's aid several times over the years, and you would be aggrieved were anything to happen to your love.  The cost of this Merit depends on the relative power and position of your paramour in Kindred society (3 for an ancilla, 4 for another elder of equal power, 5 for a more powerful elder).(ELY)

Powerful Childe (1 - 5 Merit) You have a childe in a position of power within vampiric society.  This childe is loyal, and often serves as both an information font and protection.  Although she sometimes asks favors of you, you are most definitely in control of the relationship, as it is right for a sire to be.  The cost of this Merit depends upon the power and position of the childe.  (1 for leading anarch, 2 for an Archon, 3 for a primogen, etc., determined in conjunction with the Storyteller).  This Merit must be taken separately for each such childe.  Having this Childe Blood Bound to you costs an extra two points. (ELY)

Powerful Ghoul You have a very powerful ghoul Blood Bound to you. The ghoul has six points to put into any Discipline other than Thaumaturgy, although at least one point must be out into Potence. The ghoul is also very competent, possessing 15 points to distribute among Attributes, 27 points to distribute among Abilities, and 5 points to put into Backgrounds. The ghoul has reasonablly good Virtues and Willpower ratings and will do anything you say, since it loves you so much. However, the ghoul might also get jealous of any relationship you have with others. (CB:Tor1)

Pure Blood The Curse of Caine runs strongly in your veins. You may spend one more blood point per turn than your generation should permit. You look especially pale and drawn under Aura Perception and yet oddly flushed with abundant health.

Sanguine Incongruity Giovanni manifesting this peculiar trait are quite rare - there are fewer than a dozen reported instances. Those possessing it do not bear the Curse of Lamia; their Kiss causes no more damage than the blood loss itself. However, these vampire acquire a peculiar pallor upon their Embrace 0 they look like corpses, and no amount of blood ingestion will flush their features (as other vampire are able to do). Giovanni with this Merit are afforded wide berth, as this Trait is reminiscent of the Cappadocian clan weakness and the Giovanni tend to be quite superstitious about it. (CB:Gio1)

Strong Blood The character's blood is especially potent. Any Kindred who tastes his blood will find it extremely rich and potent and will recognize its great strength. Any diabolist who tastes it will lust after it. The character can Blood Bond someone with but two drinks of his blood. (DSBH)

Sympathetic Bond For whatever reason, you unconsciously cause a peculiar supernatural form of feedback through the links of the blood bond. Although you’re not immune to being blood bound (and cannot take the Merit: Unbondable), if you do become bound to someone, your regnant also becomes blood bound to you to an equal extent. Even if she was already blood bound to another, she now has the unenviable position of being regnant to two vampires at once. This can obviously lead to some unplanned and quite twisted codependent relationships.

True Gypsy (Ghoul) The blood of the Rom runs true in your veins.  Perhaps you have a Ravnos domitor who chose you for your potential, or perhaps you simply acquired a taste for Kindred blood in your travels.  You may purchase Blood Affinities, or other Gypsy-only abilities from World Of Darkness: Gypsies.  Your relatives may or may not approve, depending on the whys and wherefores of your ghouling. Revenants may not purchase this Merit under any circumstances. (GFA)

Vampire Spouse You hold regnant over another Kindred, though she holds regnant over you as well. The two of you are in love, and you automatically have the benefit of the Merit: True Love. Your vampire spouse is your equal in terms of power and status. However, as a couple, you are very formidable. You allow nothing to get in the way of your love. You and your spouse would die or kill for one another. (CB:Tor1)

Six

Clear Sighted You can see through all levels of Kindred Obfuscate, Chimerstry, and other related Disciplines or Gifts with a Perception + Alerness roll (difficulty of the opposing power's level + 3). (INQ)

Guardian Angel  Someone or something watches over you and protects you from harm. You have no idea who or what it is, but you have an idea that someone is looking out for you. In times of great need you may be supernaturally protected. However, one can never count upon a guardian angel. The Storyteller must decide why you are being watched over, and by what (not necessarily an angel, despite the name).

Nine Lives Fate has granted you the opportunity to come as close to Final Death as anyone can get and still survive. You basically have nine lives. If a situation arises in which you should be killed, you actually survive, though you may be worse for wear. What happens is that if a roll is made that would kill the character, the roll is made a second time. If that roll fails another can be made, and so on, until the roll succeeds or the Merit is used up. You get nine opportunities to make rerolls, and these opportunities are never replaced after they have been used - once they are gone, they are gone. A list should be kept somewhere on the character shee to record how many rerolls have been made. (PGS)

Prestation Gifts (2 - 6 Merit) One or more Kindred currently owe a boon to you.  You may have gifted them with favors or material items sometime in the distant past, or just last week, but they now owe you a debt.  This grants you an advantage in your dealings with these Kindred (-1 to the difficulty level of any checks to influence them).  Although you would not give up your current position lightly, you may also call in this debt (or debts) should you require aid.  Such aid must be commensurate with the initial value of your gift of Prestation.  The number of points in Prestation Gift must be determined by both the player and Storyteller, based on the number and magnitude of the debts owed you, and the importance of the Kindred who owe them.  The exact nature of this Merit should be worked into the elder character's journal or memoirs. (ELY)

Unbondable (Ghoul) You cannot be Blood Bound to a vampire, no matter how often you drink from his veins.  This Merit is obviously very useful for one who powers depend on vitae, and its cost is accordingly high for ghoul characters. (GFA)

Seven

Capable Assistant The character has another vampire who acts as her right hand in everything. This vampire is loyal, capable, and powerful enough to stand against anyone in her way. She may be Blood Bound to the character but would serve anyway. (DSBH)

Enlightened (1 - 7 Merit) You have taken at least the first few steps on the steep and complex road to Golconda.  Although you have by no means achieved this exalted state of being, you are more aware of the proper approach than the vast majority of your kind will ever be.  Much of your time is spent in the quest for further information on Golconda and on attempting to progress towards this distant goal.  You are already capable of controlling yourself far better than most Kindred and have a number of dice equal to your rating in this Merit that you may add to your rolls to resist Frenzy.  These dice may only be used on yourself.  You must have a Humanity of 8 or higher to have this Merit (ELY) 

Fist of God With this Merit, sometimes called the "Witch-Hammer," you can cause aggravated damage to a Kindred or other supernatural creature by simply striking her.  Work with your Storyteller to create a good reason for this effect, and how it developed.  The damage done is Standard Brawling damage, only it is considered aggravated against supernaturals.  Only mortal with a Humanity of seven or higher may purchase (or keep) this Merit. (INQ)

Virulent Strike (Ghoul) Through strange Thaumaturgical sorcery, unknown rituals or even an odd quirk of your ghoul physiognomy, you have been imbued with the power of the supernatural  You can cause aggravated damage to supernatural creatures by striking them, biting them, raking them with bonecrafted spurs - whatever.  This is considered standard Brawl damage against mortals, and should normally apply to only one attack form (bite, bone claws, etc.).  You should work with the Storyteller to find an explanation for this Merit, and the Storyteller may disallow this Merit entirely if she so chooses. (GFA)

Flaws

One

Anachronism (Mortal) This Flaw reads exactly the same as the Mortal Society flaw for Vampires, however, its point value is diminished because it has limited effect.  (INQ) Disallowed: Ghouls (Modern Ghouls, but possible for over 100 years of age.)

Bard's Tongue You speak the truth, uncannily so. Things you say tend to come true. This not a facility for blessing or cursing, or an ability that can be ruled by any conscious control. However, at least once per story, an uncomfortable truth regarding any current situation will appear in your head and come out your lips. To avoid speaking prophecy, the owner of the ‘gift’ must expend a Willpower point and take a wound level from the strain of resisting (especially if he bites a hole in his tongue)

Blackmailed The character is being blackmailed by another Kindred who is powerful and smart enough to keep the character from destroying her nemesis. The character is used by the Blackmailer to her personal advantage, forcing all sorts of awful things. Money or blood may be taken or she may force the character to aid the blackmailer in her own schemes. (DSBH)

Blunt Teeth Your teeth are huge and square, not shark like those of most other vampires. You must score one extra success to do damage with a bite, and once you have locked your teeth into your prey, you automatically cause the victim one additional Health level of damage for every two Blood Points taken (you have to chew and chew and chew...). (NOS)

Club Foot One of your feet is gnarled and deformed. You move at only half normal speed. (NOS)

Dark Secret You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrassment to you and would make you a pariah in the local Kindred community. This could be anything from having murdered an elder to being a member of the Sabbat.

Emotional Isolation You have seen too many friends and family, Kindred and kine alike, swept away on the river of time and cast into oblivion.  The pain of seeing so many die while you continued to exist was horrible to bear, so horrible that you have now isolated yourself emotionally from all others.  You often come across as cold and utterly without feeling, but what is that to you?  You are now safe from pain.  Due to your total emotional isolation, you receive a +1 difficulty modifier to any Social skill rolls involving emotions and cannot spend experience points on the Empathy Ability.  (ELY)

Enchanted Blood [Kinain] Your blood carries some of the essence of Glamour in it, meaning that vampires who drink from you suffer the same effects as drinking the vitae of a changeling: temporary enchantment and possible madness. This makes you a curiosity for some Kindred and desirable to a Malkavian who is looking for some of the "quick inspiration" that can be taken from your blood. (TE)

Geas [Kinain] (1-5 Flaw) You are under some kind of geas at the beginning of play, most likely a Ban, but possibly a long-term quest. This geas may be a family curse or duty that you have inherited, or it may have been imposed on you by a changeling using the Sovereign Art. The difficulty of the geas determines how great a Flaw it is. Something minor, such as a Ban against harming animals or a requirement to give occasionally to charity, would only be worth one point. More difficult geasa are worth more points. A five-point geas is something that rules your entire life, like a Ban against sleeping in the same place more than one night or a quest that requires you to render aid to anyone in need you encounter. The Storyteller decides the exact value of whatever geas you choose. (TE)

Image Obsession [LaSombra] (1 - 5 Flaw) You find yourself hypnotized by the vagaries of your own appearance. This manifests as a repeated questioning of others as to your looks. (Cb:L1)

Impatient You have no patience for standing around and waiting. You want to do everything now, and the Devil take the hindmost. Every time you are forced to wait around instead off acting, a Self-Control roll is required to see if you go haring off on your own instead.

Inbred (1 - 5 Flaw) A common occurrence among the incestuous Giovanni clan, inbreeding can take many forms, and this Flaw is best discussed with the Storyteller before a player takes it for her character. The Inbred Flaw cover all manner of physical, mental, and emotional defects. 1-pt is something simple and unobtrusive, like eyes too close together or an under-bite. (CB:Gio1)

Irretractable Fangs The character is unable to retract his fangs. He should be very careful, lest the wrong mortals see them. Vicissitude 3 (Bonecraft) can be used to forcibly cause them to shrink, but the process is painful and the fangs will return the next night. (DSBH)

Isolated Upbringing (Inquisition)  You were born to an Inquisitor, or you were adopted by the Society at an early age.  The entirety of your life has been training to be an Inquisitor, a warrior for the Society of Leopold.  Unfortunately, you have only limited understanding of the world outside the Inquisition.  Whenever you are in a non-Society setting, you have a 1-die penalty to all social skills. (INQ)

Lazy You are simply lazy. You do not like to do anything that requires a lot of effort on your part. You prefer to let others do the hard work. You like to lie around and, by vampiric standards, you are certainly a coffin potato. (PGS)

Mark of the Blood [Kinain] (1-5 Flaw) Your fae heritage manifests itself in some obvious physical characteristic based on your heritage. This may be one of the existing physical or supernatural Flaws listed in the Player's Guide, like Huge Size, Short, Changeling's Eyes or the like, or it may be some new physical change or deformity. A one-point Flaw is fairly noticeable, like a slight blue cast to your skin, bright red hair, pointed ears or eyes of a very unusual color. This is a clear sign to anyone who knows something of changelings that you are kinain or a changeling in a mortal seeming. (TE)

Nosferatu Caitiff You were Embraced by a Nosferatu, but failed to meet the standards of even that clan, and were subsequently rejected by your sire. As you did not complete the Becoming process, you were not full transformed, but you still look rather odd. You begin the game with an Appearance rating of 1, and raising your Appearance costs double the usual number of experience points.

In addition, you present a tempting target for just about any bully - other Caitiff may not have much to kick around, but a "Nosferatu reject" certainly offers possibilities for abuse. Not all Caitiff sired by Nosferatu have this flaw; nobody knows why some do and some don't. (NOS)

Offensive to Animals For some reason, animals cringe from your touch and are uneasy in your presence.  Perhaps it is because you have been tainted by your dealings with the Infernal, or perhaps they just dislike your smell.  For whatever reason, animals are jittery around you, including any hounds used to guard your Cenaculum.  You have a 2-Dice penalty in any actions involving animals. (INQ)

Overconfident You have an exaggerated and unshakable opinion of your own worth and capabilities-you never hesitate to trust your abilities, even in situations where you risk defeat. Because your abilities may not be enough, such overconfidence can be very dangerous. When you do fail, you quickly find someone or something else to blame. If you are convincing enough, you can infect others with your overconfidence. This may not be taken with the flaw Low Self-lmage.

Pack Punishment You are bound by some special punishment imposed on you by your pack for doing something in opposition to pack rules. You are limited from doing something you normally could do, such as making solo trips, going with the pack out of town, hanging around the Rack, associating with certain individuals, and so on. The exact nature of the punishment is left to you and the Storyteller. (PGS)

Pack Rival You have an intense rivalry with a member of your pack. You are always competing with this individual, either for fun or out of spite. You have been known to go to extremes to best this individual, and he has been known to do the same to you. Your ribal occasionally gets the best of you, but you do the same to him. (PGS)

Poor Taste You can never have the Art Appreciation, Expression, or Crafts skill. You are forever a Poseur, and you have no ability to judge a masterpiece from trash. In fact, if you had the choice, you would choose the trash. (CB:Tor1)

Poverty You are very poor for an elder vampire.  Either you never bothered to save anything over the years, or you throw away any accumulated wealth for your own, obscure reasons.  You may not take any Resources. (ELY)

Recruitment Target The Sabbat wants you, and they want you bad. Every effort is being made to recruit you, willing or no, and the press gangs usually show up at the worst possible time.

Rival You have an intense rivalry with another Kindred. You are always competing with this individual, either for fun or out of spite. In besting this individual, yougo to the extremes, and he behaves similarly towards you. Your rival occasionally gets the best of you, but you do the same to him. (CB:Tor1)

Scales (1 - 3 Flaw) During your Embrace, a portion of your skin became scales. This is only a small area, one easily hidden, such as a patch of skin on your shoulder. (CB:S)

Secret Friendship You maintain a friendship with a mortal or a vampire outside the Sabbat, despite knowing that if you are discovered there is a good chance that both of you would be destroyed. You are always having to cover up this relationship. You must never reveal this secret or you will be in deep trouble (PGS)

Special Responsibility You have some sort of duty that you are required to perform for the entire pack. You are not really given any special credit for doing it, but if you were to stop you would lose much of its respect. The exact nature of the duty can be anything. Some ideas are: act as pack messenger and coordinator, gather victims for Blood Feasts, cover up other pack members' messes, or issue loans to fellow pack members. (PGS)

Stench Few Nosferatu smell good, but you reach a new nadir of odiferousness. Even other Nosferatu are repulsed by your stink, and your Stealth Dice Pools are reduced by two against any creature that can smell, unless you are upwind. (CB: NOS1)

Tortured Artist You must suffer for your work. Your work is never good enough to suit you. You often suffer ennui for extended periods of time, preventing you from working steadily. In addition, you constantly find yourself in heartbreaking positions, perhaps you subconsciously lead yourself into those situations to acquire the experience you need for your work. (CB:Tor1)

Unconquered Enemy (Banu Haqim before the Schism) You have an enemy among the Unconquered who will try to thwart your plans and may even try to destroy you if this can be done without being found out. Your enemy has been blackening your name, and as a result you find that all dealings with the Unconquered are at +1 difficulty. (CB:AS1)

Vulgar You will never fit into High Society. You are crude, rude, and socially unacceptable, forever a Philistine. You are treated as having one less level of Status when invitations to Toreador socials are prepared. You will never be fully accepted as a Toreador. Many will question your Sire and possibly ridicule him for choosing you. (CB:Tor1)

Two

Artificially Aged (Ghoul / Revenant) You have been fleshcrafted to look like an adult, although true maturity is still some time in your future.  Although you can pass as older than you actually feel, you have difficulty dealing with complex situations.  Your difficulty to resist frenzy is only one less than that of a vampire (or one more than normal, in the vase of Bratovitches); tantrums come easily to you.  You must also subtract 1-die from all Social Dice Pools that involve subtlety or sophistication. (GFA)

Artistically Inept You must work harder than most artists to accomplish great work. You are still capable of creating a masterpiece, but it is tougher for you than for somoene else of equal training. All difficulties on Craft and Expression rolls are increased by two to a maximum of nine. (CB:Tor1)

Bastard Childe You have sired one or more childer without the permission of the local prince or Justicar.  Under Kindred law, both you and your childer may be subject to a Blood Hunt should other vampires discover your secret.  This Flaw is cumulative and must be taken once per bastard sired. (ELY)

Cast No Reflection You actually cast no reflection in mirrors, just like the vampires of legend. This can have a very detrimental effect when trying to pass as human. At least you can stalk prey in a house of mirrors with relative ease. Lasombra cannot take this Flaw. (PGS)

Childe, Vengeful You have sired a childe who has grown to loathe you.  Not only does your childe not aid you in your dealings with other Kindred, he actively works toward your detriment.  At times you feel your childe would commit diablerie upon you if given half a chance, and you could be right. (ELY)

Curiosity You are naturally curious and find mysteries of any sort irresistible. In most circumstances, you find that your curiosity easily overrides your common sense. To resist the temptation, make a Wits roll (Difficulty 5) for simple things like “I wonder what is in that cabinet!” Increase the Difficulty up to 9 for things like “I’ll just peek into the dragons lair – no one will know. What could possibly go wrong?”

Dark Heritage Your bloodline has been tainted in the eyes of the Inquisition.  You might have had a distant ancestor who was burned at the stake for practicing witchcraft, or another relative is believed to have become one of the children of Caine, or lycanthropy is said to run in your blood.    Whatever the case may be, the Inquisition believes that your bloodline is tainted, and you may one day pose a danger as well ("the sins of the father," after all).  Even if your heritage has no other effect on you (in terms of Merits and Flaws, Attributes, or otherwise), you have what you and others believe to be a blotch on your soul. (INQ)

Demon Plagued Either at one time the character practiced Infernal Diablerie and then broke it off or ran a foul of Baali, or another Infernalist and her cultists. Whatever the case, the vampire is now plagued by the evil efforts of a demon. It constantly tries to cause all sorts of problems but seldom has the power to face the character directly. (DSBH)

Diabolist, Secret You have committed diablerie at least once to achieve your current position of power, but no one yet knows your secret.  Should the information ever be revealed, other elders may well refuse you aid, shun you or, even worse, turn against you, perhaps even calling a Blood Hunt.  It is imperative you keep this information hidden.  Should your secret ever be revealed you will receive a +3 difficulty modifier to any Social roll involving elder Kindred. (ELY)

Disgraced (Banu Haqim) You broke the laws of the Khabar at some point during your training, and though you have since prevent yourself from being destroyed on the spot, and to be grudgingly accepted as a rafiq, your name still bears the stain of your misdeed. All dealings with other Assamites (Banu Haqim) are at +1 difficulty, though the Storyteller has the discretion to vary this penalty for individuals who know you well or whom you have served well or badly in the past. Clearing your name will be a strong motivation for performing well in all respects while on an assignment. (CB:AS1)

Disreputable Cenacle Your cenacle has been shamed by an event in the past.  It is considered less prestigious, less trustworthy, or ineffective. (INQ)

Domintor Pariah (Ghoul) You are Bound to a vampire who, for whatever reason, is unwelcome among or even hated by the other Kindred of the chronicle area.  Without Cainite allies, she finds herself relying on her human and ghoul associates to get by.  You will likely find yourself given additional responsibilities, which may present opportunities for you to further ingratiate yourself with the master.  However, if other Kindred discover who you serve, your life might well be in danger.  The Storyteller will determine why your domitor is so despised; you are welcome to offer suggestions, but the Storyteller is under no obligation to tell you the cause of such antipathy.  You might not even know that your beloved liege is hated at all; after all, who could dislike such a wonderful creature as she...? (GFA)

Eerie Presence Other people get a strange feeling when they are around you. You seem to make others very uncomfortable, especially animals and mortals. You have a two-dice penalty to any social action. When and how this penalty applies is left to the Storyteller. Many Tzimisce possess this Flaw. (PGS)

Ennui You are world-weary.  You have seen enough to know that nothing is ever truly new: the same events and so-called passions are merely replayed again and again, with only the faces and names shifting as the many, many years go by.  You rarely pay attention to those around you, assuming you know all there is to know of them once you have determined what part they play on the world stage (+1 difficulty to Perception rolls involving people you know).  Due to your belief in the predictability of others, you also receive +1 to the difficulty level of the first action taken following a surprise (such as an ambush). (ELY)

Faerie Hatred The character is hated by the Fae. They find her totally repulsive either for a past deed or nothing at all. They will thwart any and all plans the character has if they are near by. (DSBH)

Family Enmity By an act of betrayal, or perhaps a simple "misunderstanding," you have gained the scorn of one of the families. They will not offer any assistance to you, and may even alert your enemies to your presence in a city. Until you redeem yourself, be it through unrewarded loyalty or perhaps remarkable cunning, they will interfere with your plans and darken your name wherever they travel. NOTE: You may not take a Family Enmity with the Tsurara or Ravnos families. (CB:R1)

Forked Tongue Your tongue is forked and flickering, like that of a snake. Upholding the Masquerade becomes difficult for you. Note that this tongue does not inflicted aggravated damage, nor draw blood. (CB:S)

Incorrigible Flirt You cannot resist making playful attempts at seducing anyone who fits your criteria for the perfect sexual partner. Although you may not intend to begin a serious relationship (or any relationship) with the object of your desire, you find yourself assuming the role of coquette or seducer, whichever seems more appropriate, whenever you are in the presence of someone who you consider attractive. You may find yourself flirting with more than one person at the same time, a situation that could turn awkward in a heartbeat. You must spend a point of willpower to remain focused on the matter at hand and defer your urges until a more appropriate time. Worse, your willpower is considered to be one point lower whenever potential hook-ups try to seduce you or bend your will with supernatural powers.

Iron's Curse [Kinain] You are sensitive to cold iron as a true changeling. Contact with cold iron causes you pain and discomfort, resulting in a +1 to all of your difficulties while you are touching it. You are unable to use Glamour while in contact with cold iron, and you cannot gain Glamour (through enchantment or a Rapture) while in contact with it. (TE)

Lunacy You are affected by the phases of the moon. On nights of the new moon you are extremely passive, but on nights of the full moon you are extremely emotional and volatile. During the waxing moon you are pleasant and more focused on your tasks. During the entire cycle of the moon, you vary your emotional level to suit the stage of the moon. This Flaw is made truly effective with good and accurate roleplaying, though the Storyteller can enforce it through frenzies. (PGS)

Lustful You can’t resist the erotic advances of the appropriate gender(s). You are easily seduced and often exhibit very poor judgment when dealing with sexually attractive people. The difficulty of any attempts to seduce you is reduced by two.

Pack Disgrace You have done something that has brought shame to your pack and you personally. You lose two dice on all related dice rolls, and your Pack Recognition may be considered two points lower than it should be. (PGS)

Pack Enemy You have made an enemy within your pack. This individual would like to see you out of the pack and possibly destroyed; perhaps just because he doesn't like you or perhaps for a good reason. In any case, this pack member tries to get others to side against you, and he tries to ruin every positive thing you accomplish for yourself or for the pack. The Vinculum scores between you and your enemy are automatically zero, and will never increase no matter how many time you partake of the Vaulderie together. (PGS)

Parasitic Infestation In many ways this Flaw is the negative counterpart of Swarm Attractor. Several species of hemovores - ticks, lice, mosquitoes, gnats, chiggers, leeches and the like - find your blood particularly tasty. These creatures crawl and hide among the creases and folds of your skin despite your best efforts to remove them. Particularly persistent are those vermin that drink from you three times and thus become enormous, bloated, Blood Bound ghouls.

You may not command the vermin in any fashion; they are too intoxicated on your vitae to be of any use (though they do love you, for what it's worth). The parasites also drink from one to four of your Blood Points each night (roll a die and divide by three, rounding up). This forces you to hunt more often. Finally, the constant itching and irritaiton increase by one the difficulties of all your rolls to avoid frenzy. (CB: NOS1)

Ravaged [Kinain] You were Ravaged by a changeling at some point in your past, stripping you of the glamour of your fae heritage, which you have yet to recover. You begin play with a temporary Glamour score of 0, regardless of your starting permanent Glamour. You may gain Glamour normally as any kinain would, but you will not have any initial Glamour to use for cantrips or Fae Gifts, making it unlikely you would have learned much about either (unless you have a gift that does not require Glamour to use). (TE)

Romantic Notions (Ghoul) You believe your entire existence as a ghoul to be head and shoulders above your previous life.  You feel that your domitor needs you, and that every feeding is nothing short of an act of purest love.  Revenants with this Flaw want nothing more than to serve the glorious ideals of the Sabbat, and leap to indulge many Sabbat vampire's whim.  Your Willpower is considered to be two points lower when the object of your romanticism attempts to use Dominate or Presence on you.  For a vassal, the domitor triggers this penalty; for revenants, any vampire known to be Sabbat may easily influence a ghoul with the Flaw.  Independents may not take this Flaw unless the Storyteller approves a common sort of vampire whom the ghoul idolizes, and with whom the ghoul puts herself at a disadvantage in dealings, due to her romanticized ideas. (GFA)

Routine Through the ages you have settled into somewhat of a routine. You tend to go to the same places at the same time of year, and to proceed from have to haven in a regular order.  If others studied your behavior closely, they might be able to take advantage of it to do you harm.  The Storyteller may lower the difficulty level for anyone attempting to surprise the character from 1 - 3 points depending on the specific nature of the situation. (ELY)

Scales (1 - 3 Flaw) During your Embrace, a portion of your skin became scales. You have an entire limb affected, such as an arm, forcing you to wear long gloves at all times. (CB:S)

Secret Friendship You have a secret friendship with a denizen of the World of Darkness: a vampire, mage, werewolf or other supernatural entity.  Knowledge of this would not only destroy your reputation among hunters - it would place you on their hit list.  You must always cover up any activities that deal with this friendship, and you are paranoid that your secret is always on the verge of discovery (which it is). (INQ)

Silsila Enemy (Banu Haqim) A Member of the Silsila has taken against you for some reason - faction enmity, for example - and will exert influence to thwart your chances of promotion, make sure you get difficult or inglorious jobs, and generally make your existence uncomfortable. The Storyteller should decide whether you know who your enemy is at the start of the game, though you may do what you can to find out. (CB:AS1)

Stalker Someone has an unhealthy obsession with your character. Despite repeated calls to the police and several restraining orders, he continuous to follow and occasionally harass her. Your Storyteller should create game stats for the stalker. Any time your character heads out on the town, the Storyteller can make a Perception test on your character’s behalf (difficulty 6). If it fails or botches, the stalker has managed to tail your character throughout the night and might put in an appearance when it’s least helpful.

Superstitious The character has misconceptions about what he is. In the absence of a sire, he becomes what he believes himself to be, 'Hollywood-itis,' the belief that one has the powers and limitations of one of the several movie vampires, is the most common form. A more severe manifestation (possibly worth more points to the Storyteller) is a Gangrel who believes himself a Lupine. (CB:G1)

Vulnerability to Silver (Vampire) You suffer aggravated wounds from silver, just like a werewolf. (PGS)

Wuzho Enemy You have drawn the attention of one of the Wuzho. This enemy is quite dangerous, as he wishes nothing more than to send you to your end. Though he does not confront you directly, he works to thwart your plans whenever possible - destroying family ties or angering other mulo against you - waiting for the night when you are no longer able to defend yourself against him. (CB:R1)

Three

Addiction (Vampire) You are addicted to some substance in addition to the blood. You make sure your victims have ingested the substance before you drink from them so you can enjoy the effects. The substance can be alcohol or any form of drug. You are more likely to frenzy if you do not get your fix for the night; the difficulty of all frenzy rolls increases by two. (PGS)

Aging (Mortal) You are not as spry as you used to be; you must lower any one Physical Attribute score (your choice) by one point.  You may take this Flaw once per decade above 40 years of age. (INQ)

Beholden (1 - 3 Flaw) You owe somebody something, and some day they’ll call the marker in. Exactly who you owe, and why, and how much, depends on the value of the Flaw and the Storyteller’s twisted imagination. The value or this Flaw is based on how great a favor is owed – for example, if the person saved your life, that’s usually a three-point Flaw. Other reasons why you might be Beholden include: someone has dirt on you; you borrowed money from them; they did you a favor; they saved the life of someone important to you; they kept you (or a loved one) from suffering some horrible fate.

Demesure Démesuré refers to sinful pride that results in extraordinary (and sometimes horrendous) costs to the possessor and those around him. The most famous example is that of Childe Roland, who refused to allow his men to retreat as the Moors slaughtered them, his pride goading him to remain so that he would not appear as a coward. A player who takes this Flaw should select one (maybe more) things that his character takes great pride in – his clothes, his horsemanship, his fighting, etc. When that pride is insulted or threatened, the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 9). If he fails, he pursues the salvation of his “honor” to the exclusion of all other business. This obsession can result in lost allies, plans gone completely awry, loss of loved ones or even Final Death. Each time the character achieves goals relating to his obsession, he may make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) to see if he can let the obsession rest for the remainder of the night.

Image Obsession [LaSombra] (1 - 5 Flaw) You find yourself hypnotized by the vagaries of your own appearance. This manifests as a repeated brushing of hair or adjusting your clothing. (Cb:L1)

Inbred (1 - 5 Flaw) A common occurrence among the incestuous Giovanni clan, inbreeding can take many forms, and this Flaw is best discussed with the Storyteller before a player takes it for her character. The Inbred Flaw cover all manner of physical, mental, and emotional defects. 3-pt is more severe: a congenital health condition (for mortals), or a crippling physical deformity. (CB:Gio1)

Infertile Vitae For some reason you are unable to create new vampires. Al those you try to Embrace die. Your vitae is faulty even beyond that of Thin Blood. You may not create any childer no matter what you do. However, unlike the Flaw: Thin Blood, you can use your blood just as all other vampires can. (PGS)

Marhime (Ravnos) You have committed some grievous crime against the Rom, and are now shunned by their families (including the Ravnos). Though they do not work against you, they avoid contact, as you might contaminate them (difficulties of all Social rolls involving other Gypsies increase by two). Cleansing yourself of your crime is an arduous uphill battle; until you are redeemed by a kris, you are unable to travel in the company of your people for anything longer than a few nights before they drive you away. (CB:R1)

Pack Enemy You have made an enemy of your pack leader. This individual would like to see you out of the pack and possibly destroyed; perhaps just because he doesn't like you or perhaps for a good reason. In any case, this pack member tries to get others to side against you, and he tries to ruin every positive thing you accomplish for yourself or for the pack. The Vinculum scores between you and your enemy are automatically zero, and will never increase no matter how many time you partake of the Vaulderie together. (PGS)

Paramour, Jilted ( 1 - 3 Flaw) You had a long-term relationship (minimum 50 years) with a fellow Kindred.  Although the relationship proved useful and pleasant white it lasted, you grew weary of your former paramour and ended the long-term tryst.  Unfortunately, your former paramour did not take the ending of the affair well, and has apparently developed a strong antipathy for you.  You both know many of each other's secrets and this has caused a stalemate thus far, but you are concerned that your ex-paramour may interfere in your affairs at some time in the future.  The cost of this Flaw depends on the relative power and position of your ex-paramour in Kindred society (1 for an ancilla, 2 for another elder, 3 for a more powerful elder). (ELY)

Paranoia, Extreme You are certain that the world is full of creatures and people who wish to see you destroyed.  However, you do not worry overmuch about those individuals who loathe you from a distance.  It is the ones you let get near you, the ones who profess some caring towards you, who are the real danger.  Of course, not all your associates and so-called friends are actually your enemies (at least they probably all aren't).  However, you know that no one ever does anything they don't believe to be for their own benefit.  You are constantly alert for signs that one or more of your acquaintances are actually seeking to commit diablerie upon you, stake you, or worse.  Whenever someone you know performs an act that appears selfless, you must make a successful Self-Control roll to resist branding them a traitorous, implacable enemy bent on your destruction (and taking appropriate actions again such a monster!).  The Storyteller may also decide that your companions' actions are suspiciously altruistic and necessitate such a roll. (ELY)

Potent Blood Your blood, for some reason, is very potent and Kindred will desire to drink it. They will not easily give up the chance to continue using you as a vitae source. They gain two blood points for every one drunk.

Privacy Obsession You carry the Tzimisce respect for privacy to the extreme. You must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) to enter another being's dwelling without being invited (though you will go to fiendishly clever lengths to garner an unwitting invitation). When disturbed in your manse by an uninvited guest, you must make a Self-Control or Instincts roll (difficulty 7) to avoid a frenzy.

Putrescent The mystic process that inhibit the natural decay of the vampiric form were less effective on you. As a result, you constantly rot, though a day's rest checks and to some degree heals the effects. Your soak Dice Pool is reduced by one, and if you are jarred or hit violently (more than three successes after soak) you must make a Stamina roll (difficulty 6). If you fail, one of your facial features or fingers falls off; if you botch, one of the levels of damage is aggravated and one of your limbs falls off. This will regrow when the aggravated wound is healed. (NOS)

Rebel (1 - 3 Flaw)  For some reason, you (and possibly your allies) are considered rebels by other Inquisitors.  Depending upon your reputation, you might simply be scorned (and don't expect anyone to help you), or you may be hated outright, even as much as the supernaturals.  There may be a reason for this reputation, or it might arise simply from a case of maligned reputation, or you might have been set up by one of the Kindred (particularly the anarchs, who love to do this kind of thing to Inquisitors). (INQ)

Recently Arisen You have been lying in a state of torpor until very recently.  The years have left you in their wake and the world has been remade in your absence.  The culture shock is very jarring; and you still find it difficult to make your way in this strange new environment.  Only the general flow of Kindred politics and society remains reasonably familiar; the rest of the world is gibberish.  You receive a +2 to the difficulty level of rolls involving technology and to social interactions with everyone save other elder Kindred. (ELY)

Religious Hysteria Even among the devoutly religious, there are those that take things too far.  Unlike religious ecstatics, who occasionally have visions of Heaven, your visions seem a bit too often, and a bit too untenable.  You see everything as an omen or a sign from God, devils and angels are everywhere, and you just can't read the Good Book too many times.  The difference between this Flaw and the Ecstatic Merit is that people don't take you seriously.  Whenever you are in any social encounters, you have a 1-die penalty. (INQ)

Rivalry (1 - 3 Flaw) You have an ongoing rivalry with someone (perhaps a Cainite, or even a mortal). You may or may not remember how the competition started, but now you and your rival are inseparable. This rival takes advantage of every opportunity to slander you and advance himself at your expense. There may be ways to cool or end this quarrel, but doing so will take a long time. A 1-point rival is at your own power level, and is often annoying but not too dangerous. A 2-point rival occasionally takes harmful action against you, or his words have some measure of influence. A 3-point rival has no qualms about occasionally attempting to have you killed or has some serious clout with someone of higher standing than you (a mortal authority or clan elder). For him, your rivalry has become a matter of death or dishonor.

Scales (1 - 3 Flaw) During your Embrace, a portion of your skin became scales. You have a scaled, lipless face. (CB:S)

Slow Healing You are slow to heal all wounds. This can be dangerous for aggravated wounds. You can heal aggravated wounds only at a rate of one Health Level per five days, as opposed to one Health Level per day. You are slow to heal normal wounds as well, requiring two Blood Points per Health Level recovered. (PGS)

Social Outcast You have severed your ties to the Artistes and Poseurs. You no longer play their silly games. You will never rise in Clan Prestige, and you are the equivalent of an anarch. However, the anarchs will not accept you due to some past transgressions you have committed against them. You have no place in the world of the Damned. (CD:Tor1)

Vainglorious (1 - 3 Flaw) You are boastful and know that you deserve any praise you receive. You are particularly fond of Kindred who realize their lesser standing in the face of your obvious superiority, although you tend to view any who speak well of you as more intelligent and deserving than most. Due to your arrogance and love of sycophants, you receive an increase of one to three points on the difficulty level of resisting any attempts at Manipulation using flattery (the modifier is doubled if the flatterer has a flattery specialty). The modifier is determined by the rating of this flaw. (ELY)

Vitae Sink (Ghoul) For whatever reason, you metabolize vitae more quickly than other ghouls do.  You must be fed every two weeks, rather than every month, or lose all supernatural traits and revert to a human once more.  Few ghouls with this Flaw last beyond their natural life spans; at this rate, missed feedings do happen... (GFA)

Weak Willed (Mortal) This version of Weak Willed is the same as the one in Vampire but is worth one extra point for a mortal Inquisitor.  Inquisitors with this Flaw cannot use Theurgy (or Thaumaturgy), since their will is too weak for it. (INQ) Recommended: Ghouls

Four

Disease Carrier Your blood contains a disease that affects the mortals upon whom you feed. It may not affect all of them all the time, but it does so regularly. Because of this, you are not allowed to participate directly in the Vaulderie. However, even though others will not drink your blood, you still have to drink theirs. You are not allowed to drink directly from cessels because you will contaminate them, so you have to remove the blood and pour it into a cup first. (PGS)

Du'at Enemy (Banu Haqim) During your apprenticeship at Alamut, you somehow incurred the displeasure of one of the du'at, and your existence will be considerably more difficult as a result. Your enemy is unlikely to be your direct commander (the caliph in the case of warriors), and you may not even know his identity - though you may certainly try to find out and make your peace somehow. (CB:AS1)

Enmity of Shadows (LaSombra) The Shadows summoned may turn on the Vampire and attack him. For any Obtenebration use over level 3 a Willpower check needs to be made Success means it works normally. Failure means the Shadows attach the wielder. (CB:L1)

Heartless Having removed your heart via the fifth level of Serpentis, you have lost it. The heart might be in the possession of a foe, or simply missing. If it is possessed by some other Cainite, (perhaps a Setite elder, or your sire) you must obey their every command. If it is lost, the anxiety this causes you interferes with your nightly existence. (CB:S)

Hunted You are pursued by a fanatical witch-hunter who believes (perhaps correctly) that you are a danger to humanity. All those with whom you associate, be they mortal or Kindred, may be hunted as well.

Kinfolk (Ghouls) Whether you know it or not, you are kin to a werewolf tribe.  You carry the blood of the Garou in your veins, nd your own children may be Garou. For ghouls, being Kinfolk can be an advantage or a hindrance.  It's more likely that the Garou consider a ghoul Kinfolk to be a serious threat.  If brought as a Flaw, then your extended family believes you may compromise their security.  They seek either to remove you entirely from your diet and/or domitor's influence, or to kill you as a favor to your corrupted soul.  This Flaw earns you dangerous enemies, one form whom your domitor (if any) is very unlikely to intercede and rescue you.  This Flaw is more appropriate for vassal ghouls, as no werewolf would agree to let one their precious kin be sworn to a vampire. Revenants cannot be Kinfolk, either as a Merit or as a Flaw. (GFA)

Matricide / Patricide You have committed diablerie upon your own sire.  If this information becomes known among other elder vampires you will be shunned, or perhaps even put to the sun.  You are most certainly an easy target for blackmail, and you must always be alert to the signs of other Kindred searching for information about your sire and his untimely demise (or "disappearance"). (ELY)

Probationary Sect Member You are a defector. You turned traitor on the Camarilla, Followers of Set, or some other vampire group. You have just been accepted on probation into the fold. You still have much to prove before you will be an accepted member. You are treated well by most Sabbat, but you know you are not trusted. You are always assigned the most dangerous missions and you are always at the front of the fray. Your pack watches you like a hawk and limits your actions. You are not allowed to speak to Kindred outside the sect, you are not allowed to go anywhere outside pack territory without a fellow pack member, and you are required to prove your loyalty time and time again. (PGS)

Unrepentant Beast The Beast leaves its mark on you long after it has run its course and had its way with you. If you ever botch a Self-Control (or Instinct) roll to resist (or ride the wave of) frenzy, you immediately acquire a compulsion derangement. The Storyteller should determine the nature of the particular compulsion, and you may indeed gain a wide and varied spectrum of compulsions.

Five

Aura of the Wyrm You radiate corruption to such a degree that any Garou in the locale are drawn towards you. This is a serious Flaw, as your unlife is constantly threatened by frenzied attacks directed against you by enraged werewolves. (CG:S)

Cursed (1 - 5 Flaw) You are the recipient of a supernatural curse. The strength and pervasiveness of the curse depend upon how many points you wish to incur. Examples follow: If you pass on a secret you were entrusted with, your betrayal will come back to harm you in some way. (1 pt.) You stutter uncontrollably when you try to describe what you have seen or heard. (2 pts.) Tools break or malfunction when you try to use them. (3 pts.) You are doomed to make enemies of those whom you most love or admire. (4 pts.) Every one of your accomplishments or triumphs will eventually become soiled or fail in some way.

Death Wish (1 - 5 Flaw) You have an unconscious wish to die the True Death.  The search for blood, the politics and pain, the constant knowledge of all eternity looking ahead of you, and perhaps your own cowardice, all have their effect on you.  Although you never deliberately do anything to harm yourself, you do tend to hinder yourself at awkward times.  At any time during a story, the Storyteller may ask you to reroll a successful skill check.  The least successful of the two rolls is the actual result of your action.  The Storyteller may do this a number of times per story equal to the number of points taken in this Flaw. (ELY)

Diabolist, Known You have committed diablerie at least once to achieve your current position of power.  Although not all members of elder Kindred society know of your terrible flaw, at least some elders of import are aware of it.  You are certain word of your proscribed behavior is slowly making its way through society. Other elders could easily discover this at any time and, at the very least, most of society knows that you are to be shunned.  Adding to the danger, there is always the possibility of a Blood Hunt despite your elder status.  If they haven't already, certain elders can be expected to use their information to force you to back their causes.  You receive a +3 difficulty modifier on any Social roll involving elder Kindred who know your secret. (ELY)  

Enemy (1 - 5 Flaw) You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies. Someone wants to harm you. The value of the Flaw determines how powerful these enemies are. The most powerful enemies (Masters or elder vampires) would be five point Flaws, while someone nearer to your own power would be worth only one point. You must decide who your enemy is and how you earned such enmity in the first place.

Geas [Kinain] (1-5 Flaw) You are under some kind of geas at the beginning of play, most likely a Ban, but possibly a long-term quest. This geas may be a family curse or duty that you have inherited, or it may have been imposed on you by a changeling using the Sovereign Art. The difficulty of the geas determines how great a Flaw it is. Something minor, such as a Ban against harming animals or a requirement to give occasionally to charity, would only be worth one point. More difficult geasa are worth more points. A five-point geas is something that rules your entire life, like a Ban against sleeping in the same place more than one night or a quest that requires you to render aid to anyone in need you encounter. The Storyteller decides the exact value of whatever geas you choose. (TE)

Image Obsession [LaSombra] (1 - 5 Flaw) You find yourself hypnotized by the vagaries of your own appearance. This manifests as a the constant need to be attended to by attendants intent on your grooming and you speak little save your appearance. (Cb:L1)

Inbred (1 - 5 Flaw) A common occurrence among the incestuous Giovanni clan, inbreeding can take many forms, and this Flaw is best discussed with the Storyteller before a player takes it for her character. The Inbred Flaw cover all manner of physical, mental, and emotional defects. 5-pt are grossly disabling or emotionally crippling - everything from useless atrophied legs to a permanent Derangement, decided on mutually by the player and the Storyteller. Inbred may or may not be immediately discernable though their point cost should be relative to their magnitude. (CB:Gio1)

Inherited Frailty [Kinain] As part of your fae nature, you have inherited the Frailties of your heritage. This makes a pooka kinain a compulsive liar, or causes a satyr kinain to suffer from Pan's Curse. In the case of sidhe kinain, this Flaw is the same as the Sidhe's Curse from the Player's Guide. The Storyteller is encouraged to enforce the effects of your Frailty, and some Frailties may cause serious problems for kinain in mortal society. (TE)

Mark of the Blood [Kinain] (1-5 Flaw) Your fae heritage manifests itself in some obvious physical characteristic based on your heritage. This may be one of the existing physical or supernatural Flaws listed in the Player's Guide, like Huge Size, Short, Changeling's Eyes or the like, or it may be some new physical change or deformity. A one-point Flaw is fairly noticeable, like a slight blue cast to your skin, bright red hair, pointed ears or eyes of a very unusual color. This is a clear sign to anyone who knows something of changelings that you are kinain or a changeling in a mortal seeming. (TE)

Prestation Debt (1 - 5 Flaw) You currently owe a boon to one or more other Kindred.  This debt could have been incurred far in the past, or only last week, but the Kindred to whom you owe the debt is still extant.  As such, she has gained some Status over you, and you are at a slight disadvantage in any dealings you have with her.  It is also conceivable that your debt could be called in; and that you could be asked to perform some service or favor for any such vampire to whom you are indebted.  The number of points in Prestation Debt must be determined by both the player and Storyteller.  The number and magnitude of such debts and to whom they are owed determine the rating of the Flaw.  You also receive a +1 to the difficulty level of any checks made when attempting to influence such Kindred.  The exact nature of this Flaw should be worked into the elder character's memoirs.(ELY)  

Unblooded You never received any ritual of blooding from your sire or other warriors, and so your training is at a standstill. You may not progress beyond the second level of Valeren until you receive a ritual of blooding. Only warrior Salubri can take this flaw.

Seven

Methuselah's Thirst The character is no longer capable of drinking mortal blood to sustain himself regardless of Blood Potency. He must feed upon the vitae of other Kindred. (DSBH)