Discipline System Overview

Rather than having specific powers or options for powers at each level, in the Tenebrae system discipline powers are driven by the Keywords they choose for each Discipline. Beyond this, the use of a Discipline is only limited by the player's imagination and the level of power they have in that Discipline. 

There are three types of keyword:

Keystone: The underlying theme of a Discipline. When a character first learns the Discipline, they will gain the Keystone word. To provide an example, the Keystone for Dominate is Command.

Keyword: A facet of the Discipline that the character has learned. For example, a common Keyword for Obtenebration is Shroud.

Masterword: A more powerful kind of Keyword that is only available once the character has reached the final rank of a Discipline. As an example, a well-known Masterword for Animalism is Possess.

Discipline Limits

Discipline levels run from one to five. As such, five is the maximum any character can obtain in any Discipline.

The maximum number of Keywords that a character can have for a single Discipline is equal to their level in the Discipline, plus the base Keystone for the Discipline. The maximum number of Masterwords that a character can have across all Disciplines is equal to ten minus their Generation.  Masterwords do not count against Keyword maximums.

It is not possible to ‘forget’ a Keyword or Masterword once learned in order to replace it with another.

Using Disciplines

Each time a character attempts to use a Discipline, they must describe what they wish to do to ST, who will establish what test needs to be made. The ST will compare the described outcome to the character's keywords, and then apply modifiers to reflect the size and difficulty of that which is being attempted as well as any situational modifiers. Having multiple keywords allows the character more scope in what they are able to do, but combining them for a single effect may also make the test more challenging.

Any active use of a Discipline requires a hunger check to be made, to see whether powering this mystic ability through vitae has significantly depleted the character’s reserves. Additionally, any Discipline use must involve the Discipline’s Keystone, combined with whatever other Keywords are appropriate for the effect being attempted. As an example, a character wishing to wrap themselves in darkness would make a test using Obtenebration, combining the Shadows Keystone with the Shroud Keyword.

Discipline effects will always be applied with common sense and generally do not override Flaws. For example a Blind Gangrel who turns into a wolf is still blind, but has an improved sense of smell.