Merits and Flaws

By no means an extensive list,this merits and flaws are simply ones edited or authored for our community. You may find a more extensive lists of Merits and Flaws at this links.

# Merits and Flaws

## Thin Blood (4pt. Flaw)

Your blood is thin, weak, and does not sustain you well. All blood point costs are doubled (e.g., using blood-related Disciplines or healing damage), although you only lose one blood upon rising in the evening. Furthermore, you are unable to create a blood bond, and efforts to sire other vampires succeed only one in five times.

## Fourteenth Generation (2pt. Flaw)

Though you have 10 blood points in your body, only eight of them may be used to heal wounds, power Disciplines, raise Attributes, etc. You can still use the final two blood points for other purposes, though. The blood point costs of nightly rising, creating and sustaining ghouls, and creating blood bonds remains the same as for other vampires.

You cannot raise any Discipline above four dots.

Taking this Flaw precludes you from taking the Generation Background, and you may not start with Status, either. You are likely a Clanless Caitiff, for your blood is probably too thin to pass down the distinguishing characteristics of a Clan. Most Fourteenth-Generation vampires should also take the Thin Blood Flaw.

You may create custom Disciplines and possess the Insight background (See Time Of Thin Blood). The XP costs of 14th generation remain normal for Vampires.

## Fifteenth Generation (4pt. Flaw)

Your vitae is so weak that only six of your 10 blood points can be used for Disciplines, healing or raising Attributes. For these functions, you must expend two blood points to obtain the effect a normal vampire would achieve with one. (The cost for nightly rising remains a single blood point.) What’s more, you cannot create or sustain ghouls, create a blood bond, or sire a vampiric childe. You can use the remaining four blood points to survive through the day and wake up each night, nothing more.

You cannot raise any Discipline above three dots.

The weakening of the Curse of Caine has compensations, though (which distinguish this Flaw from the Thin Blood Flaw itself). Sunlight does lethal damage to you, instead of aggravated damage as it does to other vampires. You can hold down mortal food and drink for an hour or so; other vampires vomit immediately if they try (unless they have the Eat Food Merit). Even without additional blood expenditure, you may benefit from state similar to blush of life merit. Strangest of all, once in a while you might actually have a child the normal, human way... though it will hardly be a normal, human child. By spending 5 points of blood, the thinblood may reactivate her biological functions, allowing for eating (Gain 1 BP per meal), breathing, heartbeat, normal bodily functions, conceiving children etc for one night.

You may create custom Disciplines and possess the Insight background (See Time Of Thin Blood). The XP costs of 15th generation remain normal for Vampires.

## Blood Repulsion 3pt Mental Flaw

A Kindred suffering from this flaw finds blood to be as utterly repulsive as their Beast finds it alluring and appetising. A Blood Repulsed Kindred refuses to feed until they are at half blood. After feeding, they are intensely nervous as if they had consumed some foul oleaginous substance, suffering a +2 Difficulty to all Mental Rolls due to their distraction. Particularly strong-willed vampires can push aside this unease; by spending a TWP they can negate the +2 Difficulty to all Mental Rolls for 1 Scene

## Permanent Fangs 3pt Flaw

Your fangs do not retract, making it impossible for you to hide your true nature. While some mortals may think you've had your teeth filed or are wearing prosthetics, sooner or later you're going to run into someone who knows what you truly are. You are a constant threat to the Masquerade, and other Kindred may take steps to prevent a breach from ever occurring. The difficulty for rolls to identify you as supernatural are lowered by 2.

## Enchanting Gaze 2pt Merit

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 supernatural 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 adds 2 to difficulty of avoiding the kindreds gaze. It also makes you stand out in a crowd; long after you're gone, people will still talk about those marvelous eyes.

## Occult Library 2pt Merit

It can only be purchased as a merit, once. Occult library offers the following:

Lores

9 dots of lores at your choice. The highest may go to 4 dots.

Magic Paths

Only applies to characters who start with a sorcery of some kind. Includes 3 paths at your choice. Primary to 5 dots, another to 4 and third to 3 dots.

## Former Ghoul/Revenant 4, 6, or 8pt Merit

You spent a considerable amount of time as a ghoul to a kindred before your embrace and thus have retained some of the supernatural powers you enjoyed under their employ.

As a 4pt Merit you will gain 1 dot in either Potence or one of your domitor's disciplines (note that this cannot take you above your generation maximum), though you will retain a weak (one step) bond to your domitor/sire.

As a 6pt Merit you will gain 1 dot in Potence as well a 1 dot in a physical discipline or 1 dot in one of your domitor's disciplines (note that this cannot take you above your generation maximum), though you will retain a medium (two step) bond to your domitor/sire.

As an 8pt Merit you will gain 1 dot in Potence, 1 dot in another physical discipline and 1 dot in one of your domitor's disciplines (note that this cannot take you above your generation maximum) and you will retain a full (three step) bond to your domitor/sire.

## Firearms Licence 2pt Merit

You have the necessary written paperwork to own a firearms legally. This is only applicable in a single country so if you want more licences this needs to be got each time for it to be legal. It covers a wide array of commercially available firearms as well as silencers.

## Addiction 3pt Flaw

Whenever you are confronted with the opportunity to indulge your addiction, make a Willpower roll at Difficulty 8 to resist the temptation. A botched Willpower roll consumes a TWP. The substance to which you are addicted must be chosen when taking the flaw.

## Methuselah's Thirst 6 pts. Flaw

Methuselah's Thirst is a characteristic of Methuselahs and other ancient Kindred. After many years of being a Vampire, the blood of mortals will not be sufficient to feed and sustain a vampire's thirst. Thus, the thirst can only be slaked by supernatural blood. Diablerists are the most notorious bearers of this thirst; it can be hard to say whether serial diablerie makes one more likely to incur this curse, or if the thirst for Kindred vitae almost necessarily leads one to diablerie. Players with this flaw must only feed from vampires. Blood of other types simply offers the vampire no blood pool increase, no matter how much he consumes. He simply vomits it back up. This means this player may not hunt in the traditional fashion for if the player make a mistake, they die either tonight, or in a blood hunt or wild hunt. The Storyteller should not abstract something like this to a set of die rolls. These details should be talked about in charecter creation.

## Additional Discipline 5pt. Merit

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 take this Merit more than once, and Caitiff vampires can take this Merit, though it does not change the EXP cost for them.

## Garou-Blooded 2pt Flaw

Whether an abomination, a Garou embraced before their first shift or a kinfolk, something in your blood still tastes reminiscent of the lupines you hail from. While this makes blood bonding other kindred much easier - because anyone who gets a taste once is sure to want more - it also increases your risk of diablerie. Because of the near-addictive qualities of this blood, any who have tasted it suffer from a +2 difficulty to resist hunger frenzy when near the bearer of this flaw.

## Glamourous Blood 2 pt. Flaw

[Requirement: Kiasyd, Maeghar]

Vampires are typically not mentally equipped to deal with chimerical reality and if they ingest the blood of a being with a chimerical nature, such as a changeling, they have to deal with some rather unpleasant effects. Sometimes a Kiasyd or Maeghar is so closely attuned to their changeling nature that they exhibit a chimerical quality in their blood, similar to their Fae kin. When drinking from a character with Glamourous Blood a kindred will begin to see chimerical realities akin to various audio, visual, and tactile hallucinations [at the discretion of the storyteller], and will continue to see them for one scene. This makes stealth blood-bonding impossible. The blood of such a kindred is as tempting as their changeling cousins, and vampires who have tasted it are at a +2 difficulting on all rolls to resist hunger when in the presence of them.

## Fey Blood 2 pt. Merit

[Requirement: Kiasyd, Maeghar]

Vampires are typically not mentally equipped to deal with chimerical reality and if they ingest the blood of a being with a chimerical nature, such as a changeling, they have to deal with some rather unpleasant effects. Sometimes a Kiasyd or Maeghar is so closely attuned to their changeling nature that they exhibit a chimerical quality in their blood, similar to their Fae kin. When drinking from a character with Fey Blood a kindred gains 2 points for every one point drunk. However, any character imbibing fae blood risks certain dangerous side-effects. First, the character risks frenzy. Any vampire who drinks faerie blood must immediately make a Self-Control/Instincts roll (difficulty 4+ the number of Blood Points ingested:

Difficulty 5 for 1 BP Difficulty 6 for 2 BP Difficulty 7 for 3 BP). Failure indicates that the character is overcome by the heavy rush of the powerful blood, and will seek to gorge himself with blood. The character will not stop drinking until the frenzy has subsided. Even if he has drunk to his capacity, he will continue to drink, though no benefit will be gained by this extra blood. Assuming the character makes the frenzy roll (or even if she didn't), she must then make a Stamina roll (difficulty 8) to avoid suffering any side-effects. Side-effects are always determined by the Storyteller - they can be chosen randomly or assigned by rolling a D10, whichever seems most appropriate.

## Deranged 2 pt. Flaw

The character suffers from a derangement of the players choice. Malkavians may take this merit, which will add to the one they have by default.

## Business 2 pt Merit

You own a moderate-sized business, one of the hottest spots in the city. It brings in enough money to support you in moderate luxury ($10000 a month), but more important than the money is the prestige. You may use it as your haven, or you may simply hang out there. The name its style, design, and its regular patrons are all up to you. Variations on this theme could include: a restaurant, theater, comedy club, mortuary, shop, small clinic. The business comes with 2 dots in Domain and 2 dots in Heard, as well as the additional income.

## Color of Madness 4pt. Merit

Similar to Distracting Aura, you are extremely hard to read. When someone tries to read your aura or your mind as with the powers for Auspex level 2 and 4, the difficulty increases by 2, and if the attempt fails, the person attempting to do this will see something peculiar or thematic as determined by the ST. If they botch the attempt, you can show them what you truly are, giving them one of the derangements that you suffer that lasts for the rest of the night.

## Kiss - 3 pt Revenant Merit

This quirk of Revenants is far more widespread than is commonly believed. Owing to the lack of fangs and need to drink blood it often goes unnoticed during the mortal days of the Revenants. Whether you know it or no, your bite brings the same pleasure as that of a Kindred. It allows you to use the Kiss attack and heal the puncture marks left by licking them. Of course, you still need to have fangs to make use of this merit.

## Vicissitude Modification: Retractable Fangs - 2pt. Ghoul Merit

Your fangs have been lengthened and sharpened, as well as given the ability to retract, mimicking those of a kindred. You may attack using Bite Maneuver, which is found on Combat Maneuvers. Some kindred, especially from the Sabbat may not appreciate seeing the sign of a kindred on a creature as lowly as you.

## Curiosity 2pt. Flaw

You find mysteries of any sort irresistible. Whether it’s a closed drawer, a whispered conversation, or a mysterious light just beyond the trees, you have to know what is going on at all times. Anytime you are presented with the unknown, make a Wits roll or else you must go investigate. The difficulty varies with the roll involved: 5 for simple things (“What is in that storage unit?”) and up to 9 for intense circumstances (“I wonder what those fomori are planning. I’d better go listen in. What could possibly go wrong?”)

## Iron Will 3pt Merit

When you are determined and your mind is set, nothing can thwart you from your goals. When you are affected by a Dominate power, you may spend a point of Willpower to shake off the effects. In addition, you receive three extra dice to resist the effects of any mind-altering magic, spell or Thaumaturgy path. This Merit does not affect Presence or other powers dealing with the emotions.

Characters with Willpower scores below 8 cannot take this Merit.

## Totemic Change 5pt Merit

Your Protean forms are flexible; you may choose a different animal form each time you change shape. The form you choose each time must follow all the conventions and rules of standard Protean animal shapes (see p. 91); you simply may choose to appear as a different animal each time you take Beast Form.

## Kiss of Death 2pt. Flaw

Should you drain a mortal vessel of all blood minutes after their heart stops beating, the corpse rises as a zombie (using the statistics for zombies on Necromancy). These zombies are free-willed, hostile toward you, and cannot be directed without some Sorcerous or Necromantic means to command them.

## Blasé 3pt Merit

Requirements: Toreador, Charisma 4

You are not easily impressed by others. When you are affected by a Presence power, you may spend a point of Willpower to shake off the effects.

Characters with Charisma scores below 4 cannot take this Merit.

## **Daywalker** 7 point Merit

Prerequisite - 15th gen

n the legends of vampires, both modern day, and elder. All have spoken in mystical writings about the legends of vampires that were so powerful, or had mutated so, they found that they could walk in the daylight. Their bodies capable of reversing the curse upon their blessed existence and letting them walk the daytime as if they were human again. Suffice to say, these legends are innacurate, and only tell a margin of the truth.

Any of the kindred of the 15th generation may take this merit. Any of the kindred who take this merit, find that during the day, they may awaken upon a successful humanity roll at diff 7. Once awoken, these kindred are treated as if they were active during the night, and take no damage from the sunlight. However this power comes at a dreadful cost. As kindred like this find that their bodies grow even more frail as they stand and exist in the sun. Their health boxes are now halved for any and all damage types. In addition to all of the normal thinblood weaknesses. Those with this merit, still feel groggy, and not well rested during the day.

## Kleptomania/ Pack Rat (2-3 point Flaw)

The beast is a possessive thing, and it wishes to own, and to posess. The greed of the beast is an oft common trait that leads people to take things for their own. Your character has a more extreme extreme version of this trait. If she's got the 2~point Flaw: Kleptomania, she can't resist continually snatching up tempting objects wherver she travels. If she has the 3 point Flaw: Pack Rat, she has an additional compulsion: she must leave behind an object for each object she takes. A compensation of sorts.

Whenever your character is around valuable items, or she has a chance to steal a small item nearby. They must either give in to this compulsion, or they must make a roll. If you disregard this compulsion, the Storyteller will have you roll Willpower (difficulty 9) to avoid snatching up the shiny thing. Often these items will be harmless, but some of them may he hazardous, illegal, or just plain demented.

## Wandering Cassandra (5 pt. Merit)

Prerequisite: Malkavian

You've been blessed with a prophetic ability some say even rival Malav himself. Perhaps you ran from a lineage of seers in life, Perhaps you were embraced on the night of a full moon amplifying your gifts. Whatever the reason your abilities to tell the future have always played a major role in your kindred life. Princes, Primogen, and other leaders seek you out to tell them about the future. Yet... The news is never often good.You wonder why Kindred know about your abilities but don’t know about their cost. Although Kindred and Humans alike speak highly of your skills each and every time you try to warm them of any kind of tragedy it falls upon deaf ears. As if you were Cassandra herself. Although they cheer of the victories and political successes. Nobody ever seems to talk about the fires, the invasions, and the bloodshed.

Although your abilities are potent you have not a granule of control over them. At any moment within the chronicle the storyteller may "bless" you with the vision of the future. It may be in the far distant future or perhaps 5 minutes from now. There's no way to know when or where these visions may occur. When the vision is received the charecter is overcomed by their prophetic abilities and to take any actions other than to stay in place is increased by + 2 difficulty. If the vision is positive anyone whom hears it may react accordingly. However, if the vision is negative they are in complete and utter disbelief no matter how realistic the vision may seem. You are a Cassandra doomed bear the weight of the horrid future alone.

## Lingering Yava (3 pt. Flaw)

Kinfolk of the Bastet may sometimes retain aspects of their Fera's Yava in their lives, whether or not they remain mortal. Kindred with this flaw must take at least two of their Bastet tribe's Yava as additional weaknesses to the one of the Clan they were embraced in and must obey the strictures thereof.

## Vampire Spouse (5 pt. Merit)

You are fully bound to, or have an extremely high Vinculum to,  another kindred as they are bound to you in kind. 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.

Requirements: Full Bond Bond or +8 Viniculum

## Cult (4 pt. Merit)

Through great personal charm, manipulation or the powers of your blood, you have formed a cult of loyal mortals. This merit grants two dots of Herd, one dot of Occult influence, and two dots to distribute between Allies and Contacts. However, because your network is so widespread, increasing any of these backgrounds in play comes at a +2 difficulty.

## Naive (2pt. Flaw)

You always tend to believe the best of people. When making a Perception + Empathy roll to determine someone's motives, you suffer a +2 difficulty.

## Ghoul-Aura (3pt. Flaw)

Something in your aura went a little sideways during your embrace, leaving you with the mottled pale and bright aura of a ghoul instead of the pale aura of a kindred.

## Goblin Magnet (2pt. Flaw)

[Requirement: Kiasyd, Maeghar]

Because of your past dealings with goblins, they've taken a bit of a liking to you and want to be your pal. Like clingy younger siblings, they show up late at night and get into your tools while you're working. They find it uproariously funny to tell other fae about that one time you fell down four flights of stairs (What?! It was hilarious!). Things tend to explode around you. No matter how much you tell the little goblins to fuck off, they just laugh and want to hang out with you all the more!!!

## Arcane Blood (2pt Flaw)

Before the embrace you were something much greater. Whether a hedge mage, or maybe a true Awakened, what magic you had is now as dead as you are. Despite that, your blood still carries the sparkling memory of the power that once flowed through you, making it unusually potent and appealing to kindred. While this makes blood bonding other kindred much easier - because anyone who gets a taste once is sure to want more - it also increases your risk of diablerie. Because of the near-addictive qualities of this blood, any who have tasted it suffer from a +2 difficulty to resist hunger frenzy when near the bearer of this flaw.

## Tremere Initiate (2pt. or 5pt. Merit)

You were Embraced into a Clan other than the Tremere. However, you have accepted the rules of House and Clan, undergone the vetting process and rites, and have been formally inducted into the brotherhood, although the distrust you still bear means that you are fully bound to the Pyramid. For 2 points, you are merely a servant of the clan, confined to the First Circle of Mystery. You are devoid of all freedoms and have neither the hope of escape. With a lot of hard work, maybe you will gain a promotion to a real personhood and with it a permission to learn Thaumaturgy.

For 5 points you have rejected your clan and have been truly recruited and accepted. You start at Third Circle of Mystery and can purchase up to three dots of status, have access to Thaumaturgy and are treated all but as one of the Tremere. After all, being constantly suspected is the normal Tremere experience.

## Honeypot Supernatural Flaw: 3 points

It's said that animals are repulsed by Kindred. That their very presence drives fear in their hearts, and leads them to retreat further into the away at their very approach. That... isn't quite the case for you. In fact, you wish that was true. Since your embrace you have struggled against the forces of one animal in particular that just... Will. Not. Leave. You. Alone. They adore you. No matter where you go. They find you. They seem to be absolutely obsessed with you. When dealing with this animal the difficulty is always -2. So not all bad. But... it's fairly easy for others to tell somethings up when your very presence outside is the proverbial milkshakes that brings all the boys to the yard. There's but so many explains that can justify you existence as the lord of squirrels. Maybe... skip parks for forever.

## All-Consuming Beast Supernatural Flaw: 3 point

Long since the days of Enoch and Eden, Caine has walked the earth. Cursed by God and Angels alike with the curse know by many as being...Kindred. A cainite. A monster. And with all of these monsters, thanks to these curses, they all know, without shadow of doubt. There is no individual who is free... of the beast. A dark thing, thriving deep in the recesses of the minds and souls of cainite's, the beast has long been a problem for kindred. And it's actual permanence has been a topic of intense discussion between the greatest minds of kindred kind. Yours, however, is easy to know is real.
System: Your beasts hunger astounds even the magic of the bloods normal bounds. All costs of anything related to the spending of the blood, takes twice the amount as it normally would, in addition to still be susceptible to your generational maximum. As your beast forces you to spill the very thing that fuels you both into it's near endless maw. The greedy monster.

### Paragon of the Line Ventrue Merit 3 Points

Those with this merit may take optional rules from DA20 Companion

## Fae Aura (3pt Kiasyd/Maeghar Flaw)

Maybe you were a Changeling before your embrace, or maybe the fae blood just runs stronger in you for one reason or another. Whatever the case, your aura isn't quite right. Despite being a kindred, your aura still registers as it did before- brightly colored and threaded with the veins of your Court.
The aura of Kiasyd or Maeghar with this flaw register as brightly colored, as per Deceptive Aura, except that with 4+ successes on an Aura Perception roll, their Court can still be discerned- yellow, red and purple veins for Seelie or purple, black and dark gray for Unseelie. Given that most Changelings who are unfortunate enough to run afoul of vampires tend to go missing, this can cause you problems in your night to night life.

## Curse of Silence [2pt Flaw] *Maeghar/Kiasyd*

Possibly holdover or influence from the fae blood, particularly blood related to a kind of changeling known as Sluagh, Curse of Silence renders the afflicted unable to speak above a whisper and/or soft tones. Because of how this can hamper social interactions, the character makes all social rolls at +2 difficulty.
In order to speak above a whisper, the afflicted can attempt to force themselves to do so, at great difficulty, rolling stamina and spending a point of temporary willpower. Roll at difficulty 6 for speaking at normal tone, and 8 for yelling. Normal tones last for part of a scene, where as a yell only will be forced for a few sentences before requiring a re-roll.

1 success means they can speak at a normal tone for a sentence or two

2 successes means they can speak in a normal tone for a paragraph or yell for two sentences

3 successes means they can speak normally for two paragraphs or yell for one

4 successes means they can speak normally for the remainder of the scene or yell for two paragraphs

5+ successes means they can speak normally for the remainder of the scene, or yell for three paragraphs If they fail, nothing happens but on a botch, they are rendered completely silent for the remainder of the scene.

## Phobia-Mild (1pt Flaw)

You have an overpowering fear of something. You instinctively and illogically retreat from and avoid the object of your fear. Common objects of phobias include certain animals, insects, crowds, open spaces, confined spaces and heights. You must make a Courage roll whenever you encounter the object you fear. The difficulty of this roll is determined by the Storyteller. IF you fail the roll, you must retreat from the object.

## Phobia-Severe (3pt Flaw)

You have an overpowering fear of something. Common objects of fear include certain animals, insects, crows, open spaces, confined spaces, heights, and so on. You must make a Courage roll not to enter Rotschreck when faced with the object of your fear. The difficulty depends on the circumstances. If you fail the roll, you must retreat in terror from the object of fear. IF you score fewer than three successes, you will not approach it. The Storyteller has final say over which phobias are allowed in a chronicle.

## Bad Sight (1 or 3pt Flaw)

Your sight is defective. The difficulties of any dice rolls involving use of your eyesight are increased by two. As a one point Flaw, this condition can be corrected with glasses or contacts; as a three-point Flaw, the condition is too sever to be corrected.

## Computer Aptitude (1pt Merit)

You are familiar with and talents in the uses of computer equipment. Other Kindred may not understand computers, but to you they are intuitive. All rolls involving computers at -2 difficulty for you.

## Craft Aptitude (2pt Merit)

You are especially gifted in all things handworking. For whatever reason, you were simply born with golden hands. All rolls involving crafts at -2 difficulty for you.

## Unorthodox (3pt. Flaw)

Your upbringing is... A bit non traditional to say the least. Perhaps you had sire set to break tradition with your teaching. Or... you set out to prove yourself to be the opposite of everything your clan is known for intentionally or unintentionally. Whatever the reason, your status within the clan is... Scrutinized to say the least. All social dealings with other members of your clan suffer a -3 dice penalty. And you may not start with clan status above 2, which you likely had to claw to.

## Possessive (2 pt. Flaw)

You are extremely possessive, anyone you believe to be yours, whether that to be true or false, you tend reacting... aggressively, putting it lightly, to anyone encroaching upon your person. What's yours could be another vampire, your favorite blood doll, A Childer, or perhaps a friend. If another individual vampire aims to undermine your control over them or take them away from you... you must make a frenzy roll. Minimum difficulty 4. Max diff 10. If you fail, you immediate attack the homewrecker and continue attacking until the intruder has left your whats yours be. You tend to prefer to stay beside what is yours.