Disciplines are supernatural powers granted by the Embrace, which vampires cultivate to bring to bear against their foes and prey. These powers separate the Damned from mortals, providing an incomparable mystical edge over those who would stand against them. With Disciplines, a vampire can exert the strength of a dozen men, force an enemy into thrall, ignite a fire with a glance, or take the mantle of a beast. Even the youngest Kindred, with a few token powers at their command, has an advantage over most threats, while the elders, who have often mastered a fearsome breadth of these potent gifts, can seem almost unassailable.
The origin of Disciplines is a Kindred mystery. Are they a form of dark Biblical justice, bestowed upon Caine and his get as a damnation-scourge? Are they the wiles of a twisted natural world, taught by Lilith, the mother of monsters? Are they simply predatory advantages, intrinsic to the state of being Kindred? Whatever the answer, learning and honing these supernatural powers is paramount to being able to face undeath on a vampire’s own terms. After all, the other forces at play in the Jyhad will be cultivating theirs...
Like other Traits, Disciplines are rated in progressive dots. A rating of one dot indicates that the Discipline in question has barely been awakened, while a rating of six dots or higher indicates mastery beyond the capacity of most neonates and even ancillae. As a character increases their rating in a Discipline, they gain access to the powers listed next to the appropriate number of dots, as well as retaining access to lesser powers. As with other Traits, Disciplines levels of higher than 5 dots are available only to those Kindred of Generations seven and lower.
Elder Discipline Powers (6+)
Discipline powers at a rating of 6 and higher sometimes feature multiple powers at various levels; in such cases, the vampire increasing in power simply chooses which one they want. Some Disciplines have more options than others; usually, this means there are more commonly known applications of those Disciplines. If the character wants to purchase the other option or options later, they can spend additional experience as if buying the same dot in the Discipline again to acquire it. Storytellers may also allow players to create their own elder Discipline powers, if they desire.
It should be noted that 6 dot and higher powers can be abused to stomp a well-crafted chronicle into tiny little pieces. These potent abilities are often difficult (but not impossible) to acquire, so Storytellers should consider the impact that high-level Disciplines might have on their chronicles before allowing them at all (even if the characters are of an appropriate generation to learn them), and they should always remember that use of such powers mark the wielder as being ancient, powerful — and possibly worth diablerizing.
Anarchs and Elder Disciplines
Anarchs have comparatively few elders. Those who do belong to the Movement may be exemplars of the Anarch ideal — in either its theory or its practice — or cowards seeking asylum from sects that have them under the Lextalionis. Some are strangely resistant to change, like Jeremy MacNeil while others are seemingly made from the stuff of change themselves, like Smiling Jack.
One of the great differences between Anarch elders and the ancillae and neonates is their attitude on sharing Disciplines. Where younger Kindred readily teach each other the potent gifts of the Blood in exchange for like instruction or liquid boons, the elders are not so profligate with their knowledge. Like many of their age, they may have never moved past the medieval perspective of a time when the Inquisition hunted them. Furthermore, the Anarch Movement makes much of reputation, and elders who have showy or distinct Discipline powers like to wield them as champions, to inspire the other Anarchs with their greatness. Whether that greatness translates into victory on the battlefield or can scuttle a rival domain from deep cover varies by the situation. Of course, some Anarch elders are just selfish fucking assholes.
It’s also worth noting that some of the Anarchs’ elder-level powers feel remarkably out of date. While the combination powers favored by young Anarchs have a distinctly technological edge to them, elder Anarch signature Disciplines recall nights long past, when the vampire’s greatest weapon was themself.
All Discipline powers are marked with the book they came from, and in the case of books with information scattered across various chapters, the relevant chapter as well.
The Disciplines are:
Advancing Disciplines
Players begin the game with 3 dots to spend on their characters’ clan Disciplines, which are listed with each clan’s description in Clans and Bloodlines. Caitiff may place their 3 dots in any Disciplines they like, subject to the Storyteller’s discretion. Characters may also acquire Disciplines other than those commonly taught by their clan, provided they spend the proper freebie or experience points and have access to a vampiric teacher (again, subject to the Storyteller’s discretion). Learning a new out-of-clan Discipline requires that the teacher feeds the student a point of their blood before instruction begins, to start the mystical tie to the Discipline being taught. Improving knowledge of a Discipline already known does not require such a transfer (although some unscrupulous teachers may claim that it’s still necessary).
Storytellers may decide that certain Disciplines are more or less difficult to acquire, depending on their chronicle. For example, it’s generally easier for a Kindred to learn a common power like Potence (which many clans share) rather than Thaumaturgy (which is generally the domain of the Tremere and a few other bloodlines), but a chronicle set entirely around the storming and acquisition of a rogue Tremere chantry may find that Thaumaturgy is much easier to learn and acquire.
Botches on Discipline Rolls
When a character botches a Discipline roll, the Beast goes wild. The Storyteller should come up with some chaotic, overwhelming scenario that shows the Beast’s sociopathic, destructive side. Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean the vampire doesn’t get what ze wants. But it comes at a high cost. This isn’t inherently violent, per se, but destructive. Always consider the dramatic weight of the moment. Consider tragedy. For example, when botching a Dominate attempt to tell a loved one to leave the scene before a particularly gruesome fight, the Storyteller might decide that the Dominate works to an extreme. Instead of just leaving, the Beast shatters the mortal’s mind, forcing xem to flee town, and live the rest of xyr life perpetually on the run from the vampire.