Tabletop Role-Playing 🇺🇸United States20th century

Vampire: The Masquerade

Gothic-horror personal-horror tabletop RPG. First published 1991 by Mark Rein·Hagen (White Wolf). Players are recently-embraced VAMPIRES navigating politics of hidden vampire society (Camarilla, Anarchs, Sabbat, Independent clans). 5th Edition (V5) 2018 current. Iconic 1990s counterculture RPG; core of World of Darkness setting.

📐theater of mind + city map⏱~240 min🌤indoor

What is Vampire: The Masquerade?

Vampire: The Masquerade is GOTHIC-HORROR PERSONAL-HORROR TABLETOP RPG. First published 1991 by MARK REIN·HAGEN + WHITE WOLF PUBLISHING; currently published by RENEGADE GAME STUDIOS + PARADOX INTERACTIVE. Players are RECENTLY-EMBRACED VAMPIRES (turned within last decades) navigating politics of HIDDEN VAMPIRE SOCIETY. 13 (or 14) VAMPIRE CLANS with distinct powers + weaknesses: BRUJAH (rebel rockers), TOREADOR (artists), VENTRUE (aristocrats), NOSFERATU (hideous spies), TREMERE (blood magicians), MALKAVIAN (insane oracles), GANGREL (feral loners), TZIMISCE (body-horror sorcerers), LASOMBRA (shadow-manipulating Sabbat), HECATA (necromancers), BANU HAQIM (assassin judges), MINISTRY (temptors), RAVNOS (nomad tricksters), CAITIFF (clanless), THIN-BLOODS (weak new vampires). SECTS: CAMARILLA (traditional hierarchy), ANARCH (rebellion), SABBAT (open predators, less official V5 focus), INDEPENDENT. THEME: PERSONAL HORROR — struggle to retain HUMANITY vs BEAST WITHIN. MASQUERADE = law forbidding vampires from revealing existence to humans. STORYTELLER SYSTEM: d10 dice pool, count 6+ successes. HUMANITY track (10 → 0) — dropping = frenzy + bestial descent. HUNGER dice (V5) add gameplay tension. ADAPTATIONS: VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE - BLOODLINES (2004 CRPG, cult classic), MANY MOVIES + NOVELS. Core World of Darkness setting alongside WEREWOLF: The Apocalypse, MAGE: The Ascension. Considered pinnacle GOTHIC-HORROR RPG.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Cooperative narrative role-play — vampires navigate politics, maintain Masquerade, retain Humanity vs Beast, achieve personal + coterie goals.

Rules

Basic rules

d10 dice pool: attribute + skill
V5: also HUNGER dice replace some regular dice. Count 6+ = success.
13 clans + Thin-Bloods + Caitiff
Each clan has 3 clan disciplines + bane weakness.
Disciplines: supernatural vampire powers
Auspex (sensing), Celerity (speed), Dominate (mind control), Fortitude (toughness), Obfuscate (invisibility), Potence (strength), Presence (charisma), etc.
Humanity (10 → 0) tracks moral character
Bad acts risk degeneration; 0 = wight (npc).
Hunger (V5) drives narrative tension
5 hunger = frenzy risk; feeding restores hunger.
Masquerade = hide vampire existence from mortals
Violations bring political consequences from other vampires.

Scoring

Not scored. Character advancement via XP (Experience). Chronicle-based narrative achievements.

Action	Points
Session XP	1-3 XP typical
Chronicle XP	5-10 XP per chronicle milestone
XP spent on skills, disciplines, attributes	Progressive costs

Win condition · Cooperative narrative — personal + coterie goals + surviving without losing Humanity.

Playing area

Called

theater of mind + city map

Dimensions

primarily narrative

Vampire politics often set in specific cities (Chicago, London, Paris, LA) with detailed maps of domains + havens.

Equipment

Vampire 5E Core Rulebook
€50; rules + setting + clans
Chicago by Night, Cults of the Blood Gods, etc.
City + faction supplements €40 each
d10 dice (large pool 5-15)
Storyteller system pools
Character sheets + coterie tracking
Multiple stats + track sheets
Optional: LARP costumes for live-action variants
Mind's Eye Theatre

Strategies

Character concept + humanity descent arc
Best games follow vampire's struggle with Beast + moral decline.
Coterie (party) dynamics essential
Vampire politics work best with strong PC-PC relationships.
Feed carefully — Masquerade violations breed enemies
Public feeding = Camarilla wrath.

Terminology

Kindred: Vampire (in-universe term).
Embrace: Being turned into vampire.
Ghoul: Mortal servant drinking vampire blood; extended life + loyalty.
Sire / Childe: Vampire who Embraced you / vampire you Embraced.
Blood pool / Hunger: Vitae (blood) resource.
Discipline: Supernatural vampire power.
Masquerade: First tradition — hide vampiric existence from mortals.
Prince: Ruler of vampire city (Camarilla).
Baron: Anarch equivalent to Prince.
Diablerie: Consuming another vampire's soul; taboo.
Torpor: Extended vampiric sleep after severe damage.
Beast: Vampire's inner animal urging violence + feeding.
Humanity: Stat 1-10 tracking moral character; dropping = becoming monster.
Chronicle: Vampire term for RPG campaign.

Major competitions

Not competitive — cooperative
n/a · worldwide
Mind's Eye Theatre LARP
ongoing · worldwide · since 1993
By Night Studios organized play
ongoing · worldwide · since 2013

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Renegade Game Studios (current 5E publisher)
Founded 2014 · USA
Paradox Interactive (World of Darkness IP owner)
Founded 1999 · Sweden
White Wolf (original publisher)
Founded 1991 · USA — absorbed into Paradox 2015

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Mark Rein·Hagen (USA, b. 1963) — Original 1991 designer + White Wolf co-founder
Kenneth Hite (USA) — Recent supplement writer
Justin Achilli (USA) — Storyteller System developer through Revised edition

Learn this sport

beginner

1
V5 Core Rulebook + Starter Set ($30)
5th Edition streamlined + easy entry.
2
Play VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE - BLOODLINES ($20 GOG) CRPG first
2004 cult classic; teaches setting + tone.
3
Watch VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE - SWANSONG ($40 2022 CRPG)
Modern V5-based CRPG.

intermediate

1
Chicago by Night (2018) — best V5 setting book
Full city with npcs + politics.
2
Run first chronicle
V5 Storyteller-friendly.

advanced

1
Long-form chronicle exploring personal horror
Vampire shines in year-long+ campaigns.
2
LARP via Mind's Eye Theatre or By Night Studios
Live-action variant with hundreds of players.

Frequently asked

What is Vampire: The Masquerade?+

GOTHIC-HORROR PERSONAL-HORROR TABLETOP RPG (1991) by MARK REIN·HAGEN + WHITE WOLF PUBLISHING. Players are RECENTLY-EMBRACED VAMPIRES navigating politics of hidden vampire society. 13 CLANS (Brujah, Toreador, Ventrue, Nosferatu, Tremere, Malkavian, Gangrel, Tzimisce, Lasombra, Hecata, Banu Haqim, Ministry, Ravnos) each with unique powers + weaknesses. SECTS: Camarilla (traditional), Anarch (rebel), Sabbat (open). THEME: struggle to retain HUMANITY vs BEAST within. Core World of Darkness setting. 5th Edition (V5) 2018 current. Iconic 1990s counterculture RPG; considered pinnacle GOTHIC-HORROR RPG.

How is Vampire: The Masquerade different from D&D?+

VAMPIRE = PERSONAL HORROR focused on ROLE-PLAY + POLITICS + MORAL DECLINE. D&D = HEROIC FANTASY focused on COMBAT + EXPLORATION + LEVELING. Vampire minimal mechanical combat; heavy narrative + moral choices. D&D balanced combat + narrative. Vampire's HUMANITY MECHANIC (10 → 0 as character does moral evils) core; D&D no similar mechanic. VAMPIRE = mature themes (violence, addiction, moral ambiguity); D&D more family-friendly. Both excellent; different genres. Vampire attracts writers + theater kids; D&D broader appeal.

Which Vampire edition should I play?+

V5 (5TH EDITION, 2018) RECOMMENDED for new players — streamlined + supported + Chicago by Night excellent starter setting. V20 (20TH ANNIVERSARY, 2011) — comprehensive compilation of Revised (3rd) edition; preferred by old-school fans who want ALL clans + sects in one book. REVISED (3E, 1998) — classic setting many consider peak Vampire. NEW WORLD OF DARKNESS Vampire the Requiem (2004) different game entirely — sequel setting, cleaner mechanics but different feel. 5E ACTIVELY SUPPORTED; buy that unless specific old-school preference.

Sources & provenance

Wikipedia — Vampire: The Masquerade— Wikipedia
World of Darkness — Vampire— Paradox Interactive

Last verified 2026-08-25.verified