World of Darkness Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 from Hardsuit Labs

[Zer0wing]

Obviously it clashes with the idea of a video game, but most Tremere are chantry-bound doing their chores and research if they advance enough.

Only the old and experienced Tremere. The young kindred fuck around just like they were humans.

 

[Reinhardt]

it's Tremere

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Obviously it clashes with the idea of a video game, but most Tremere are chantry-bound doing their chores and research if they advance enough.

Were. They changed this in recent events of V5. Short version: The big thing that Kwan intelligence services, after cracking ShreckNET, did when they formed the core of the secret Second Inquisition (short version is that they're going pseudo-rogue with other intelligence agencies around the world, keeping the breakthrough in "blankbodies" to themselves and Vatican contacts, since from what they know vampires are embedded in political structures around the world so everything is "nobody outside of this room will be told anything" stuff) was that they managed to track down the Vienna Chantry... And then orchestrate a drone and elite black ops strike (involving USSOCOM and Society of Leopold) to wipe out the place and frame it as a terrorist attack. So basically, the Tremere Pyramid's top echelons suddenly learned that magic missiles don't beat Hellfire missiles, and now the entire bloodline's thrown into chaos on, well, blood level. Tremere can no longer make vampire Blood Bonds (though they can be subject to Blood Bonds of other Clans and Bloodlines), and the Pyramid's authority has collapsed practically overnight when the top was wiped out because Chantries were a TERRIBLE idea in hindsight.

That's the other thing to note in regards to Bloodlines 2 that they haven't really gotten to yet in the hype building exercises: The fuck-ups in the age of cellphone cameras finally happened, and now CIA and NSA spooks that had first noticed "blankbodies" decades ago are coordinating with spooks all around the world to spook the hell out of vampires by siccing US special forces and SWAT backed vampire hunters after them if they find them. (That's incidentally one big reason why Lasombra are bailing Sabbat in such big numbers, because right now Camarilla's lay-low approach to mortals is looking mighty attractive)




Also as for the sexy goth mage thing being the staple, that's because sexy goth mages are popular because they're sexy goth mages. Or something like that.

 

[Vincente]

I'm guessing Karl Schrekt is the biggest Tremere authority figure left after the attack on Vienna?

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Yep. After this it's going to be Toreador, Ventrue, and whatever the heck this is:

hall clan vampire

 

[Tacgnol]

Yep. After this it's going to be Toreador, Ventrue, and whatever the heck this is:

Nossies maybe?

Though if it is Nosferatu, the thin blood stuff is gonna get really weird.

 

[hajro]

Imagine diablerizing on a nossie and looking like a mong for the rest of your unlife

 

[Infinitron]

The weekly stream:

 

[Delterius]

Oh my God. I just preordered another copy.

 

[Orma]

https://www.bloodlines2.com/en/tremere

TREMERE

Tremere were not allowed in significant numbers throughout Seattle's history, though that has changed recently. After the fall of the Pyramid, Tremere have sought allies wherever they can find them, offering services and secrets that were once only kept to themselves. At least a few Tremere have managed to settle in the Pacific Northwest. However, not all Kindred in Seattle warmly welcome the warlocks into their city, citing historical precedent and general distrust of their ways. Still, the blood magic of the Tremere cannot be denied as a force to be respected. Whether or not the Tremere are here to stay is another matter entirely…

In nights long before Seattle, the Tremere were something else. Back then, as occultists seeking immortality, they found a way to live forever - but not on their own terms. The heavy price they paid bound their magic to blood, with it becoming both the focus of their powers and the cost for using them. The mostly forgotten origin of their curse still colors their interactions with other Kindred, who mistrust them instinctually. History repeats itself for the Tremere, with war, suspicion and grudges marking both their origin and their modern nights.

Spoiler

THAUMATURGY

Few secrets are guarded more jealously by the Tremere than their signature Discipline: Blood sorcery. Followers of the Path of Blood gain almost unparalleled destructive power.


• Skewer (Blood Cost: 3), the first active Thaumaturgy power, launches a small portion of the vampire’s Vitae at the feet of their enemies, where it erupts in a patch of razor-sharp spikes. Once they dissolve, a stream of blood flows back to the caster. The • • slot upgrades Skewer.


• • • Purge (Blood Cost: 3), the second active power, allows the vampire to make their victims vomit up blood, damaging them heavily. A stream of blood flows back to the caster. The • • • • and • • • • • slots enhance Purge, until it reaches its ultimate potential.



• • • • • Blood Boil (Blood Cost: 2 x 3). A master of Thaumaturgy may cast Purge for a second time on an affected NPC, causing the blood in their veins to sear. The wretch explodes within moments; bystanders in a large area are damaged. Blood from each victim streams back to the caster.



Use of Thaumaturgy in front of witnesses is a Masquerade Violation.

AUSPEX

Nothing stays hidden to those who master the Discipline of Auspex. By expanding their own senses beyond the boundaries of their bodies, these Kindred inch ever closer to their personal idea of perfection.


• Aura Sense (Blood Cost: 2), Auspex’ first active, allows the vampire to spot NPCs even through walls, read crowds at a glance, and mark individuals to keep them in their sights over long distances. It also allows the user to spot the weaknesses in the marked NPC’s attack and defense. The • • and • • • • • slots enhance Aura Sense.


• • • Psychic Projection (Blood Cost: 2), the second active, detaches the vampire’s mind from their body. Untethered, they can explore the area in astral form, remaining free to use Aura Sight to mark any character they spot. Beyond that, the vampire’s mastery of their own senses has grown to such an extent that they can telepathically overwhelm the senses of others for a short while. The • • • • slot enhances Psychic Projection.



Use of Auspex is not a Masquerade Violation.

 

[Jenkem]

I wonder if instead of dressing up when they announce Ventrue if they will just bring out Johan Andersson

 

[Vibalist]

Imagine diablerizing on a nossie and looking like a mong for the rest of your unlife

Here's what I don't get, though. If a vampire goes from 14th to 13th generation, does he become the same clan as the vampire whom he diablerized, or the one who sired him? Because if it's the latter you could easily have a Thin Blood who isn't aware that he's a Nosferatu until he commits diablerie.

I'm also wondering, with the clan reveals being what they are, who the dedicated stealth clan is going to be. We have Brujah brawlers, Tremere spellcasters, (most likely) Ventrue and Toreador talkers, but do we get the Nosferatu? Or some other stealth clan like Assamite? Or none? :mystery:

 

[Jenkem]

no sneaking

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Here's what I don't get, though. If a vampire goes from 14th to 13th generation, does he become the same clan as the vampire whom he diablerized,

yes
it's in the v5 somewhere
iirc the explanation is that thinblood's blood is too thin to carry the curse of their sire

 

[hivemind]

FUCK THE USURPERS

 

[Infinitron]

Archived:

 

[Kyl Von Kull]

no sneaking

I couldn't tell if she was saying, "no stealth," or she was saying, "when I said stealth (referring to thin blood powers) I meant nebulation."

She started speaking Dutch and then the other guys shut her down. Is modern dutch really unintelligible to people who speak modern german?

 

[Vincente]

I wonder if instead of dressing up when they announce Ventrue if they will just bring out Johan Andersson

No.

Spoiler

 

[HansDampf]

 

[Vibalist]

no sneaking

sneaking is dlc

 

[rusty_shackleford]

nosering ruins it
no idea why women get those, they're so god damn ugly

 

[CarbonCarousel]

nosering ruins it
no idea why women get those, they're so god damn ugly

Agreed.

 

[Herumor]

Yep. After this it's going to be Toreador, Ventrue, and whatever the heck this is:

Nossies maybe?

Though if it is Nosferatu, the thin blood stuff is gonna get really weird.

Nosferatu seem the most likely to fulfill the stealth-class archetype sincey they've already filled the brawler and mage slots with Brujah and Tremere, respectively. But that doesn't exactly look underground since there's a window at the end of the hallway. Then again, I haven't read much of V5, so I don't know if Nosferatu have moved away from keeping their havens underground. Still, they did talk in one of the interviews about how there's remnants of old Seattle buried underground, so it wouldn't be that farfetched if that window wasn't looking at anything outside.

 

[Vibalist]

It's the Lasombra. I'm calling it now.

 

[Herumor]

Speaking of the Lasombra, has anyone watched the 6PM stream live as it went on? I'm asking because some people elsewhere are saying that someone involved in the stream accidentally mentioned shadow form as a form of stealth, and that sounds very much like one of the Lasombra abilities which lets you meld with shadows and lurk around.

Edit: I watched the archived version of the stream and there was no mention of shadows when they talked about stealth/sneaking. The people saying this admitted to lying for purpose of baiting.