Growing in Power

There are three ways in which to grow a character’s abilities with a Discipline. The first and most obvious is to increase the level of the Discipline, thereby increasing the chances of success when using the Discipline. The second is to learn new Keywords and therefore grow the character’s range of things they can achieve using that Discipline. The third is to learn Masterwords, which is reserved for those who have mastered their Discipline and have begun to unlock more significant means of using their powers.

After character generation, there are two approaches to achieving the above. The more conventional and acceptable is through Torpor, the other is by committing Diablerie. While awake it is possible to experiment and push the boundaries of using what your character knows of a Discipline, but it is only when they enter the deep slumber of Torpor that they are able to attempt to internalise and master the powers of the blood.

While your character is in Torpor, you may spend downtime actions in order to attempt to increase their Discipline level, learn or create a new keyword, or for those with a Discipline at 5 they may attempt to learn Masterwords. Success is not guaranteed and the specific mechanics for increasing your power in Disciplines are not shared with players, but the following things will affect the test for learning.

All Discipline-related learning:

  • Positive: Going into voluntary Torpor

  • Positive: Receiving teaching from somebody who already has what you seek to learn

  • Negative: Being in involuntary or frozen Torpor


Discipline level:

  • Positive: Drinking the blood of someone who has a higher level of the Discipline

  • Positive: Studying an in-clan Discipline

  • Negative: Already having a high level in the Discipline

  • Negative: Studying an out-of-clan Discipline


Keyword:

  • Positive: Drinking the blood of someone who has the keyword

  • Positive: Having a high level in the Discipline

  • Positive: Being an Ancilla

  • Negative: Already knowing many keywords

Masterword:

  • Positive: Drinking the blood of someone who has the keyword

  • Positive: Being a Pretender or Master Elder

  • Negative: Already knowing many Masterwords