Ventrue

I smell power in the air. A king has died. Long

live the king. I stand in the thrones shadows, but
most do not know my name. Years slip away like
tides, dynasties fall, and yet I remain a most trusted
advisor. He will not see the string tied to his limbs
until it is too late.
The king is dead. Long live the king.

The Ventrue trace their line back to the Second

Generation. As the eldest of Enoch, their sense of tradition
guides them. Divine right is their birthright: Their
legitimacy is documented in blood-red letters throughout
Cainite history. Let those who are most fit to rule do so.
Leading is their gift and their burden. Ventrue chafe at
Lasombra restrictions, ever hungry and ambitious. All the
power they want is within their grasp. When the time
arrives, those merchant princes and warrior kings will lead
their brethren to cast the yoke off of those whove ruled
far too long.
The Ventrue take their cue from Ancient Rome, from
the Julii and the Brutii, those aristocratic conquerors who
relied on a framework of discipline, fortitude and charisma
to lead. They can be a potent combination of powerful
speakers and brave soldiers, currying favor as capably as
any Caesar. In fact, the word dominate arose from the
Dominus and Domina, titles of the Roman aristocracy.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown; Ventrue often
worry more than other clans about the mortals in their care.
Memories of glory from their mortal days are too poignant
and heady a draft, so they pursue power through their
unlives as well.
With their powerful Disciplines of Dominate and
Presence, they are frequently sent in to keep the peace
amongst Cainites, using their divine right of authority to
maintain the Silence of the Blood.
During the Long Night, the Ventrue withdrew from most
visible positions of power, preferring to steer from out of
sight. But with the War of the Princes, the Ventrue are ready
to rise. All they must do is convince everyone else. Ventrue
are not as flexible as their opponents and subject to
infighting, but when they do band together, they can
accomplish terrifyingly ambitious goals.
Sobriquets: Power Mongers, Ambitiones, Patricians
(derogatory)
Appearance: Ventrue are not seen in ostentatious
clothes. The cloth and cut will be exceptionally fine, tailored
to their figure. Depending on the Ventrues temperament,
you will see costly embroidery or merely exceptional cut.
They always dress appropriate to their station, but they take
care not to outshine the ones they are manipulating.

Haven: Ventrue dislike being in the middle of nowhere,

unless there is a stronghold with vast lands and resources
they can draw upon. Because of their feeding specialties,
they tend to gravitate toward locales that provide ample
flocks to draw upon. They thrive on being amidst the
populace, for what purpose in being a leader if there is no
one to lead?
Backgrounds: The Ventrue sense of self-superiority is
so strong that it can be quite off-putting. It makes sense that
they seek the aristocracy and the cream of society to
Embrace, those whose education, background, and talents
draw the attention of Ventrue elite. Ventrue never reproduce
haphazardly, but select prospects like fine wine. Once they
Embrace a childe, they focus on her training and upbringing
to hone them to Ventrue expectations. Purity of bloodline is
preferred, but they also appreciate the strengthening brought
by mixing in a prodigy of a more mongrel background.
Ventrue with a less rarefied history can rise in the ranks, but

it demands true commitment, the backing of a well-regarded

sire, talent, and luck.

Character Creation
Ventrue characters need a keen balance between
Social and Mental Attributes, between social graces and
knowledge. A Ventrue with low Charisma is like a fish
without water: flailing in desperation till the end. As far as
Backgrounds, Allies and Retainers are extremely useful.
Resources and Domain for holdings should not be neglected.
The Road of Kings calls the Ventrue in their deepest desires,
for each Ventrue believes his birthright is to lead.
Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence
Weakness: Rarefied taste has its cost, as the Ventrue are
restricted to one particular type of mortal (merchants,
French, Catholics, small children). This choice severely
limits their feeding pool. They can consume mortal blood
outside of this selected preference, but it does not forestall
the Beast or provide nourishment.
Organization: The Ventrue believe strongly in the
feudal order. Structure and hierarchy allows them to
understand precisely who is above them and who is below.
An oath, backed by blood, is one of the easiest ways of
enforcing loyalty of those below.

Attributes
Abilities
Disciplines
Backgrounds
Lores
Virtues
Max Merits bought with Flaws
Starting Status (free)
Freebies

Neonate
7/5/3
13/9/5
4
5
4
7
7
1
75

Ancillae
7/5/3
13/9/5
4
5
4
7
7
2
175

Starting out of clan Disciplines

Age
Max number of Disciplines
allowed
Max dots in each Discipline
Max number of Physical
Disciplines allowed
Max dots in Celerity, Fortitude
or Potence

Neonate
2

Ancilla
3

3
2

4
2

Before buying the domain background consult with the

storyteller.

Freebie Point cost

Trait Cost
Attributes
Ability
Discipline
Blood Sorcery Path
Blood Sorcery Ritual
Backgrounds
Lores
Virtue
Area of Expertise
Road
Willpower

(Per Dot)
5
2
7
4
Ritual Level
1
1
2
1
2
1

Stereotypes
Brujah: They hate us, but need us. We temper their
ferocity with understanding of the requirements of rule. If
their ambition can be sculpted, they can be dangerous but
powerful allies.

Only one max dot per category in attributes and abilities

at creation.

Cappadocians: Death-mongering withered husks. Let

them remain amongst their corpses and their crypts and leave
us to our conquests.

Only one discipline or primary path of Blood Sorcery,

Thaumaturgy and Necromancy can have max dots at
creation.

Gangrel: Beasts, pure and simple. Excellent attack dogs,

but best kept on a very short leash.

Only one dot in one advance discipline is allowed at

creation.
Out of Clan Disciplines can be taken at character creation
with Freebie points and only with Storyteller permission.
Celerity, Fortitude and Potence does not need Storyteller
permission, nor does it count toward the max in the
other out of clan disciplines chart.

Lasombra: Though they are ascendant now, their time

comes to an end. We need only seize the opportunity.
Nosferatu: Vile and often smelly. If you employ them,
be sure to keep your handkerchief close. A few are clever
enough to be useful, if they can be endured.
Toreador: Though we may be impatient with their
obsession with beauty, the Toreador are often our equals in

social settings. Flatter them with honeyed words, but do not

forget they are the most unreliable of our kindred.

difficulty on all social rolls with anyone who's heard these

rumors, and harpies will most likely not talk to you at all.

Tzimisce: Ancient rulers unaware their moment is long

past. Even those fair of face are fiends at heart. We will ally
with whomever necessary to wipe them from the world.

Dominate

Tremere: They speak in riddles, hinting at vast

storehouses of ancient knowledge. If you must, use them and
be done with it. Let them rot with their dust and their books.

Ventrue-Specific Merits and

Flaws
Paragon (6 Point Merit)
The Embrace has awakened within you an aspect of
personality that others find particularly compelling. You
may select any one Background from the following group:
Allies, Clan Prestige, Contacts, Fame, Herd, Influence,
Mentor, Resources, Retainers or Status. Your maximum
Trait score in that Background may exceed your normal
generation limit by one. For example, a 10th-generation
Kindred may take this Merit and enjoy the benefits of a
Contacts Background of 6. You may take this Merit for only
one Background, which may drop (and therefore rise again)
at the Storyteller's discretion.
Majesty (2 Point Merit)

Fealty ( )
This power allows the Ventrue to sanctify an oath
or promise freely given (and even one falsely given) so
that the oath-giver is incapable of going back on his word
or refusing to fulfill his promise. This power will not
function if the target was compelled to give the oath, but
it will work if the oath-giver is tricked into making it.
System: The player rolls Charisma + Politics
(difficulty is oath-givers current Willpower). The
number of successes determines the duration during
which the oath-giver is bound. While the effect lasts, the
oath-giver must spend a Willpower point prior to each
action he attempts which violates his promise, and he
suffers one level of bashing damage during each scene in
which he is conscious and yet not actively doing
something to fulfill the oath. If the oath was for a specific
action, the duration ends once it is accomplished.

Successes Duration
One day
One week
One month
One year
Ten years

1
2
3
4
5

Everything about you seems to be particularly noble: the

way you walk, speak, and feel. You are at a -2 difficulty on
all social rolls.
Piercing Gaze (3 Point Merit)
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.

Fortitude

Iron Stomach (7 Point Merit)

The taste of Ventrue is so refined that they can normally feed
from only one type of mortal. With this merit, the Ventruein-question may temporarily ingest the blood of any other
type as well, and even hold it for a brief time. If the character
decides to feed from someone other than his pre-set type of
mortals, he must first expend two Willpower points. As long
as he wishes to keep the blood in his system, he must expend
an additional Willpower point everywhere. Should he run
out of Willpower or no longer wish to stomach the stuff, he
vomits the blood back up immediately, and takes one
unsoakable level of bashing damage in the process. This is
considered a Supernatural merit.
Rumors (2 Point Flaw)
You must have done something wrong, because the harpies
are spitting out rumors about you like crazy. You are at a +1

Curse

the

Laurel ( )

An unusual application of Fortitude, this power

allows a Ventrue who has been successfully staked to
slowly restructure her very heart around the offending
stake so that it ceases to paralyze the Ventrue.
System: The player spends a Willpower point
and rolls Stamina + Survival (difficulty 9). The number of
successes determines how quickly the stake can be
negated, according to the chart below. Each use of this
power affects a single stake. On a failed roll, the player
can spend another Willpower and roll again, but he cannot
combine successes from multiple rolls. Only the roll with
the most successes applies. On a botch, the vampire may
not attempt to neutralize the stake again.

Successes

Time until the stake is

neutralized

1
2
3

One month
One week
Immediate

The power only removes the stake from the heart,

not from the body. It will remain trapped in the Ventrues
dead flesh until removed, a process that causes two health
levels of aggravated damage.

Combination
Disciplines
Denial of Aphrodites Kiss
(dominate , presence )

It is an insult to the Ventrues dignitas that he may

be victimized by a lesser Kindreds use of one of the
signature disciplines of his Clan. This power allows the
Ventrue to apply the immunity to Dominate attempts by
vampires of higher Generation to Presence attempts
instead.
System: Once learned, this power is always
active. Any use of Presence Levels One, Two, or Three
against the Ventrue by another vampire will be ineffective
if that vampires Generation is higher than that of the
Ventrue.
This power costs 18 experience points to learn.

Impeccable Manners
(auspex , presence )

The Ventrue intuitively senses the mood of

another person through an unconscious awareness of her
aura. Then, he instinctively modifies his actions so as to
shy away from offensive conduct while effortlessly doing
things that appeal to the subject.
System: While the Ventrue is interacting socially
with another person, the player must roll Perception +
Etiquette (difficulty 6 for mortals or 8 for supernatural
beings). Each success on this roll reduces the difficulty of
all mundane Etiquette or Persuasion rolls made against
the same target by -1 for the rest of the scene. This benefit
does not modify Discipline rolls.
This power costs 9 experience points to learn.

Rescue Beacon
(Fortitude , presence )

Fortitude will not defend against all attacks. The

wise Ventrue is prepared for the day his luck runs out and
his skill is insufficient. One always needs a backup plan.
This power automatically activates a Summoning to the
nearest individual who has tasted the Ventrues blood in
the event he is either forced into torpor or paralyzed via
staking.
System: If the vampire either falls into torpor or
is successfully staked, this power activates automatically.
The player spends a blood point and rolls Charisma +
Subterfuge (difficulty 4); this power is an explicit
exception to the general rule that a vampire cannot spend
blood while staked. The vampire can only use this power
to Summon someone who has tasted the Ventrues blood
(ghouls, blood-bound vampires, etc.). Otherwise, the
power works as Summon.
This power costs 15 experience points to learn.

Retaliatory Terror
(Fortitude , presence )

Those who dare to attack the Ventrue are soon

taught the error of their ways. When an attacker
successfully inflicts damage on the Ventrue, the terrifying
power associated with her Dread Gaze strikes out at the
offender, seemingly straight out of the wound.
System: Whenever the Ventrue takes damage
from a Brawl or Melee attack, the player spends one blood
point and makes a reflexive Charisma + Intimidation roll
(difficulty equal to the victims Wits + Courage).
However, the difficulty is reduced by the number of
health levels of damage the attacker inflicted on the
Ventrue, to a minimum of 4. If successful, the effects are
as per Dread Gaze. The power cannot be used to retaliate
to a successful attempt to stake the Ventrue, as he will be
unable to spend blood to activate it.
This power costs 9 experience points to learn.

Telepathic Command
(auspex , dominate )

Generally, the Auspex power of Telepathy cannot

be used as a means to silently Dominate another, as both
powers require concentration from the vampire. A
Ventrue with this power overcomes that limitation.
System: The vampire must still make eye contact
with the target. If he does so, he can use Command via
telepathic means so that the order is not audible to others
nearby. The power cannot affect vampires of lower
Generation.

This power costs 15 experience points to learn.