Protean

PROTEAN

Shapeshifting | Serpentis | Vicissitude | Mutatio | Visceratika

Werewolves despise vampires for their possession of this ability. They consider it a mockery of their own nature, as undead beings become wolves or bats, bearing claws and gnashing fangs like one of their own. Yet, Protean has flowed through the Blood for almost as long as the Kindred have existed. The power to mutate, shift form, and become ever-deadlier predators is as natural to the vampire as it is to the lupine.

Practitioners of Protean employ the Discipline for its utility. The power enables a vampire to become a beast, turn their limbs into weapons, or change their shape into clouds of mist to evade capture, glide through keyholes, or slip through cracks in a window.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Type: Physical

• Masquerade Threat: High.
  One of the most overt Disciplines available to vampires, more or less all Protean powers can breach the Masquerade on their own.

• Blood Resonance: Animal blood, especially animals matching shapeshifted forms; the blood of werewolves, changelings, and other supernatural chimeras of man and beast.

Protean powers that change the shape or in other ways transform the body of the vampire also affect clothing, swallowed items, and other small (under a few grams) wearables. Protean does not affect larger carried items, including backpacks, duffel and sports bags. For this reason users of Protean often travel light.

LEVEL 1

EYES OF THE BEAST

Protean •

The vampire can will a supernatural red gleam into their eyes, giving them sight even in the total absence of light.

Cost: Free

System: No roll is required to activate Eyes of the Beast. While active the user ignores any sight penalties imposed by darkness, including supernatural. While active, the inhuman appearance of the eyes confers two bonus dice to Intimidation pools against mortals.

Duration: As long as desired

_{Core Book, pg. 269}

TROPHY HUNTER

Protean •

Amalgam: Dominate •

You steal the identity of your victims and can disguise yourself to get close to their loved ones. Even after the taste of their blood fades, you can recall their face or voice with a memento.

Cost: Free or One Rouse Check

System: Once per Session, after killing someone by feeding on them you can take on their appearance or voice. Your flesh shifts to mimic them once the last of their blood ebbs away. This transformation lasts until your next feeding or until your Hunger reaches 5. If you ever wish to impersonate them again, you must make a Rouse Check while holding a memento taken from them soon after their death. This power does not mimic clothing, only flesh, and your victim's voice and body cannot be adopted at the same time. While this disguise is convincing it is also fragile. Taking damage, strenuous activity, or even a long dialogue could see it melt or tear away at the storyteller's discretion.

Duration: Passive

_{The Black Hand, pg. 86}

WEIGHT OF THE FEATHER

Protean •

The vampire can reduce their effective mass and density, making themselves almost weightless. This allows them to avoid triggering pressure sensors as well as avoiding major damage from falls, collisions, or being thrown. The power cannot be used for longer leaps, as the vampire’s strength is proportionally reduced.

Cost: Free

Dice Pools: Wits + Survival

System: If the vampire has time to prepare, no roll is required. As a reaction, such as during a sudden fall, activating the power requires a Wits + Survival roll at Difficulty 3. As long as the power is in effect, the vampire is immune to damage from falls, collisions, and being thrown. The user also avoids triggering devices that rely on pressure, at the Storyteller’s discretion.

Duration: As long as desired

_{Core Book, pg. 270}

LEVEL 2

FERAL WEAPONS

Protean ••

The vampire can modify its body to produce natural weapons of monstrous proportions. This usually takes the form of fingernails extending into wicked talons but can also come in other forms such as fangs elongating into veritable daggers, as from a gigantic serpent. For the Tzimisce this usually takes the form of bone spurs and similar unnatural weapons.

Cost: One Rouse Check

System: No skill roll is needed to activate this power. When activated, the vampire’s natural weapon of choice becomes a light piercing Brawl weapon with a +2 modifier to damage. Vampiric Bite Attacks still only deal two points of Aggravated damage despite the number of successes, but do not suffer the called shot penalty. Superficial damage inflicted by the user’s natural weapons is not halved while Feral Weapons is active.

Duration: One scene

_{Core Book, pg. 270}

FLIGHT

Protean ••

Amalgam: Potence •

Prerequisite: Weight of the Feather

This power allows the vampire to temporarily gain the ability to fly using great monstrous wings. It is most prevalent amongst the Gargoyle bloodline, but others are said to have mastered it in various forms, especially amongst the Tzimisce and their bloodlines.

Cost: One Rouse Check

System: The character spends a turn transforming. Wings may sprout from their back or membranes may form between their limbs and body.

Regardless of the form taken, the wings allow the Kindred to fly at the equivalent of a flat-out sprint. (For further guidance see the ‘How Fast is Fast sidebar, Corebook pg. 253). Flying in adverse conditions (against heavy winds, during a battle) may require Wits + Protean checks at Storyteller’s discretion. Rules for carrying others and contested flight checks can be found under Essence of Air, Corebook pg. 278.

Duration: Until the following night.

_{Homebrew Content, pg. XX}

VICISSITUDE

Protean ••

Amalgam: Dominate ••

Rare outside clan Tzimisce, this power allows the vampire to demand obedience of their own flesh. Skin, muscles, and even bone can be sculpted or warped out of shape, the end result sometimes unnervingly beautiful but just as often monstrous. Skilled users can craft bizarre characteristics or reshape their entire bodies, though larger transformations exact a heavy toll on their physique. Kindred who use Vicissitude create everything from useful body-tools to... expressive ornamentation.

Cost: One Rouse Check

Dice Pools: Resolve + Protean

System: Roll Resolve + Protean. Every success on the roll allows a single Vicissitude change to be made to the user, though the total number of changes cannot exceed the user’s Protean rating, no matter the number of applications or successes. Each change causes the loss of a single Physical Attribute dot of the user, as the body mass must come from somewhere. (No Attribute can be taken below 1.) Each use of the power takes one full turn to perform.

Potential Vicissitude changes are listed below:

• Redistribution: Add a single dot to any of the user’s Physical Attributes. This cannot cause any Attribute to exceed 5 dots. These changes are visible, but not Masquerade-threatening. Note that player characters need to keep track of their original values as these are still used to calculate experience cost for Attributes.

• Weapons (Once per subject only): The user gains the equivalent of a light piercing or heavy impact weapon (+2 Damage) in the form of bone spurs or bludgeons of dense cartilage. (In contrast to Feral Weapons, the damage caused by these weapons is mundane, but Feral Weapons employed by a vampire proficient in Vicissitude often take the shape of similar osseous spikes and blades.)

• Armor: One Attribute point can be turned into two points of armor value (Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 304), with an upper limit of six points of armor. This often takes the form of reinforced sub-dermal reinforced bone or layers of fat and cartilage, and appears increasingly inhuman as the points so allocated increase. While vampires gain little benefit from this, apart from a disturbing appearance, it serves a purpose on mortal and ghoul retainers. (See Fleshcrafting, below.)

• Appearance: The user can change their appearance, either for the sake of hiding their identity, enhancing their Looks Merit, or to mimic someone else. This is a time-consuming affair, taking an entire scene to perform, and requires a Dexterity + Craft test in order to succeed. Difficulty is 3 to hide one’s identity, 4 to increase Looks (each level of the Merit counts as one change) and 5 to mimic a specific person. A failure on the test yields no result (but the Attribute dot is still lost) while a total failure causes the Looks Merit to drop one level, potentially turning into a Flaw if at baseline. Nosferatu are unable to use this aspect of the power for anything but hiding their identity.

• Other changes: More creative uses of this power, such as creating a secret pouch somewhere on the body or moving eyes around, are beyond the scope of these mechanics, and the Storyteller needs to decide on the number of changes (and Attribute points lost) required, and the Difficulty and time required for the operation. Dexterity + Craft or Intelligence + Medicine rolls may be required in these cases.

Changes can be mended as Aggravated damage, with each change equivalent to a single level of damage (restoring lost Attribute points accordingly).

Duration: Permanent

_{Players Guide, pg. 81}

LEVEL 3

EARTH MELD

Protean •••

Becoming one with the soil, the vampire sinks into the earth. Unless in torpor, the vampire rises again the following night. This is a particularly popular power with country Gangrel, as well as domicile-bound Tzimisce.

Cost: One Rouse Check

System: No test is required, but the vampire must be on a natural surface: rocks, raw earth, grass, etc. This power does not work on concrete, asphalt, or other artificial surfaces. It takes a turn for the vampire to sink into the earth, leaving carried objects behind atop the soil. While in the earth the vampire is aware of their surroundings, except during day-sleep. At those times, disturbances (e.g., digging or loud noises) awaken them or not as with all vampires (p. 219).

Duration: One day or more, or until disturbed

_{Core Book, pg. 270}

FLESHCRAFTING

Protean •••

Amalgam: Dominate ••

Prerequisite: Vicissitude

Extending their mastery over flesh, the vampire can inflict their ministrations on the bodies of others. The power is rightly feared, as many of its users have a reputation for inhuman torture, though some employ it to great effect to enhance and adapt their servants and allies.

Cost: One Rouse Check

Dice Pools: Resolve + Protean vs Stamina + Resolve

System: In order to use this power, the user must be able to work undisturbed on the subject, who thus either needs to be willing or restrained. For a willing subject, follow the same system as Vicissitude (above). An unwilling subject can resist with their Stamina + Resolve, with the user’s margin counting as Vicissitude successes. Each use of this power takes a full scene to perform. Again, the total number of changes cannot exceed the user’s Protean rating, no matter the number of applications or successes. In case of multiple users working on a single subject, only count the highest Protean rating.

Changes can be mended as Aggravated damage, with each change equivalent to a single level of damage. (Mortals thus require extensive surgery.)

Duration: Permanent

_{Players Guide, pg. 82}

SHAPECHANGE

Protean •••

The vampire can assume the shape of an animal roughly the same size as their original mass. The vampire can only change into one type of animal (usually a wolf, sometimes a large feline or a giant snake), usually one associated with their clan or the type of prey they most commonly feed on. The animal, while usually a spectacular example of their species, shows no signs to a mundane observer of being supernatural.

Cost: One Rouse Check

System: No test is required. The transformation takes one turn, during which the user may take no other actions. Upon transformation, the vampire gains the Physical Attributes, senses, and native Skills associated with that animal (see p. 373) and also gains that animal’s natural limits of communication, manipulation (most animals can carry one thing in their mouth), and so forth. The vampire can use other Disciplines, at the Storyteller’s discretion. (By and large, they can use Auspex, Animalism, Celerity, Fortitude, Potence, and Protean; many powers of Dominate, Obfuscate, and Presence pose problems; Blood Sorcery is completely off the table.)

Duration: One scene unless ended voluntarily before that

_{Core Book, pg. 270}

VISCERAL ABSORPTION

Protean •••

Amalgam: Blood Sorcery ••

A seldom-seen but unmistakably effective way to clean up a mess, this power turns the body of the vampire semi-permeable while drawing inert blood and viscera in the vicinity inside them, feeding their Beast and sating their Hunger. Other bodily remains, bereft of blood, crumble to ash or vanish in greasy smoke. While the vampire using the power draws blood and gore to themselves, the surrounding area is left remarkably clean, and the Sabbat able to employ this ability use it as a way to cover their tracks with great effect.

Cost: One Rouse Check

Dice Pools: Strength + Protean

System: Use of this power requires at least one dead body in the area of effect, roughly an area extending 5 meters in all directions from the user. The vampire rolls Strength + Protean, and is able to absorb the blood and eradicate the remains of one body per success rolled. The state of the body is of no significance so long as it is fresh, and even “somebody” whose remains are little more than a red smear will be consumed.

The user sates one Hunger per body affected, but cannot sate more Hunger per use than their Blood Sorcery rating, nor can they reduce it below one through this power. Using this power takes one turn per body absorbed. It should also be noted that, while efficient in getting rid of evidence, the power is extremely overt while in use, as the user becomes a literal vortex of blood and viscera. Vampire remains aren’t affected by this power.

Duration: One turn per body

_{Sabbat Sect Book, pg. 49}

LEVEL 4

FLOW WITHIN THE MOUNTAIN

Protean ••••

Amalgam: Fortitude •

Prerequisite: Earth Meld

The vampire sinks into stone, concrete, brick, asphalt or other rocky surfaces, and may slowly move through the material

Cost: No additional cost

System: This power functions almost identically to Earth Meld but only on natural or artificial rock surfaces. The user gains the ability to move through either earth or rock, though only at a rate equivalent to a jog.

The user may remain partially merged with the stone during day sleep, appearing akin to a statue. While in this state they do not take damage from sunlight, but must still roll to resist terror frenzy (Difficulty 3). They also may not heal Aggravated Health damage during this time.

Duration: One day or more, or until disturbed

_{Homebrew Content, pg. XX}

HORRID FORM

Protean ••••

Amalgam: Dominate ••

Prerequisite: Vicissitude

With a mastery of the body so complete that it surpasses natural limitations, the vampire can take on a truly monstrous form, complete with vicious claws, protruding fangs, ridged features, and corded muscles. Although its exact traits can vary between occasions, the form often has an individual, specific appearance that manifests every time this power is used, a vision of the user’s Beast made flesh. Some look like hellishly malformed animals, some look demonic or atavistic, and some defy any sense of worldly familiarity. Many incorporate the traits of other vampires in nature, such as leeches, bats, ticks, and mosquitoes, magnified to grotesque proportions.

Cost: One Rouse Check

System: Horrid Form takes a full turn to activate, during which time the vampire can only defend, using their pre-Horrid Form dice pools. It then grants the vampire a number of free Vicissitude changes (no Attribute dots are lost) equal to their Protean rating. These can be spent on Redistribution, Weapons, and Armor. Generous Storytellers can also consider other changes such as wing like membranes allowing the vampire to glide, extended limbs for reach, or other creative (but fair) uses. However, with the Beast so close to the surface, any criticals rolled while using Horrid Form for any reason are considered messy criticals, and any frenzy test taken is at +2 Difficulty. The vampire also assumes an unmistakably inhuman appearance and is unable to communicate in anything but grunts, hisses, and roars.

Duration: One scene, unless voluntarily ended sooner.

_{V5 Companion, pg. 28}

METAMORPHOSIS

Protean ••••

Prerequisite: Shapechange

This power grants an additional animal form to the user, this time also enabling them to change their size. Vampires most commonly metamorphose into bats, rats, unusually large insects, or snakes. (see p. 373)

Cost: One Rouse Check

System: Same as Shapechange

Duration: One scene unless ended voluntarily before that

_{Core Book, pg. 271}

LEVEL 5

The HEART OF DARKNESS

Protean •••••

Amalgam: Fortitude ••

Practiced almost exclusively by vampires within the higher echelons of the Church of Set, this power enables a vampire to remove their own heart and store it outside their body. The vampire’s flesh and bone warp as they reach their hand into their bare chest without the need for incision, after which point, they remove the heart. This power is not without risk to the practitioner, and can only be used by a vampire on themselves. The vampire typically places the heart in a ceremonial canopic jar or urn, though there is no restriction as to where the heart can go. Many cult-minded Kindred take advantage of the fact the organ can retain vitae, and even slake their Hunger from afar, by receiving ritualistic blood donations. For as long as it is removed, the vampire is immune to staking attempts, unless a stake is driven through the removed heart. The vampire’s emotions are detached — metaphysically and biologically, if the heart can be said to be the font of emotion — providing them a resilience against their Beast’s urges but a remove from compassion and warmth.

System: This power requires no roll, but inflicts two Aggravated Health damage to the vampire when removing their heart. No powers can be used to mitigate this damage, and reattaching the heart requires two Rouse Checks. Once removed the vampire gains a two-dice bonus to resist frenzy, but suffers a two-die penalty on Remorse rolls.

If the heart is dealt Aggravated Health damage equal to or greater than the vampire’s Health, they fall into torpor. If an extracted heart is destroyed — only possible with fire or sunlight — the vampire experiences final death. While the heart is removed, the vampire’s body cannot be staked unless the heart is located and separately impaled, in which case the vampire falls paralyzed. If blood is fed to the heart, it will slake the vampire’s Hunger as normal (even Blood Bonding them if fed Kindred vitae from the vein), and the heart can be fed from in the same way — possibly leading to diablerie. The vampire is still susceptible to death via fire or sunlight even without a heart.

Duration: Permanent (or until the heart is destroyed/returned)

_{Cults of the Blood Gods, pg. 85}

MIST FORM

Protean •••••

The vampire gains the legendary power to turn into a cloud of mist, perceivable to the eye but untouchable by anything save fire, sunlight, and supernatural aggression. They can fit through pipes, crevices, and cracks. While strong winds might buffet them, no natural force can disperse the cloud.

Cost: One to Three Rouse Checks

System: No roll is required. The transformation takes three turns, though it can be sped up with additional Rouse Checks on a one-for-one basis. While in mist form, the vampire moves at walking pace and perceives their surroundings through mystical means as if there as normal. A vampire in mist form cannot make eye contact or speak. They can use only those Disciplines requiring no physical form or presence, at the Storyteller’s discretion. While in mist form the vampire can only be damaged by sunlight, fire, and immaterial supernatural attacks (such as some Rituals).

Duration: One scene unless ended voluntarily before that

One More Thing...

For the Tzimisce, this ability tends to instead manifest as "Bloodform". The vampire dissolves into a dark puddle of thick, sentient vitae. The shape is ever-changing, allowing the vampire to contort themselves in unnatural ways, fitting into the smallest spaces and even under doors. They become immune to grapples and restraints. The Storyteller might also allow the use of Brawl + Dexterity for certain attacks done in this form. If splitting the swarm, the bigger group will always be directly controlled by the player, while the smaller ones will function controlled via Animalism powers.

_{Core Book, pg. 271}

ONE WITH THE LAND

Protean •••••

Amalgam: Animalism ••

Prerequisite: Earth Meld

The Kindred possesses such mastery over their own form that they may extend it even into their domain itself. Not only may the vampire sink into the very earth, they maintain a preternatural awareness of events transpiring within the domain.

Cost: Two Rouse Checks

System: As with Earth Meld (Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 270), except the vampire is not limited by the makeup of the surface where they take their rest. Some vampires have been known to suffuse themselves into the walls of their manors while others secrete themselves beneath the warped floorboards of a squat, or even hide beneath a shallow pool of "dead water."

Additionally, in a distance of roughly one kilometer in any direction from where the vampire’s body has become One with the Land, the vampire may elect to experience any sensory stimuli within that area, such as listening to a conversation therein, physically enjoying a lovers’ tryst, or catching the scent of a fire that an unruly mob may be stoking. The vampire experiences these senses through the presence of animals, however minute, in the vicinity of the events. If the events are discreet or intentionally hidden, a Wits + Animalism test vs. the relevant opposing dice pool used is required.

Rising from this state before nightfall the day after it has been entered requires a Resolve + Protean test at Difficulty 4, and even then it can take up to an hour for the vampire to fully reemerge. A critical win allows them to rise instantly, however.

Duration: One day or more, or until physically disturbed

_{Players Guide, pg. 83}

ONE THOUSAND EYES

Protean •••••

Amalgam: Animalism •

Prerequisite: Metamorphosis

With mastery of Protean, an individual vampire becomes many hungry creatures of the night at once. This power grants an additional animal form to the user, or rather, many forms of a single kind. The vampire bursts or melts into a large swarm of small animals acting with one will (such as bats, rats, birds, insects, or snakes). This swarm is not only intimidating and hard to kill, but can distract and harry opponents with their sheer numbers.

Cost: Two Rouse Checks

System: Same as Shapechange (Vampire: the Masquerade, p.270), except the vampire adds three to their Health tracker, and swarming a target with the weight of numbers results in a two-dice penalty on all their rolls. In physical combat, swarming more than one person is a minor action (Vampire: the Masquerade, p.298) worth two dice each. Remove unmarked Health first when the power ends, which may result in the vampire falling to torpor.

Duration: One scene unless ended voluntarily before that.

_{Homebrew Content, pg. XX}

THE UNFETTERED HEART

Protean •••••

Having mastered the power of Protean, the very insides of the user become malleable, almost viscous. The heart, seat of the vitae and unlife of the vampire, detaches and moves freely, if sluggishly, within the chest. This makes the vampire exceedingly hard to stake as the position of their heart changes nightly, and can even allow the user to free themselves from paralysis.

Cost: Free

System: Increases the Difficulty on any non-combat test to stake the vampire by three. In Melee combat, only if the stake-wielder rolls a critical win does the stake penetrate the user’s heart. Even if staked, the user can make a Rouse Check and roll their Strength + Resolve (Difficulty 5) once per hour. A win means they manage to free themselves from paralysis as the stake is pushed out of their body. They cannot attempt such stake expulsion at Hunger 5.

Duration: Passive

_{Core Book, pg. 271}