Rules reference

Character creation in Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition

Creation steps and common decision points. Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition is a modern gothic horror tabletop roleplaying game where you play as a Kindred—a vampire struggling to maintain their humanity while navigating the complex politics of the Camarilla. Set in a dark reflection of our world, VTM5e combines personal horror with political intrigue, as players balance their Beast against their fading Humanity.

Key points

Use this as a checklist, then build your character in RPG Stack.

Copyable facts
  • 7 Camarilla clans: Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue
  • 10 Predator Types: Alleycat, Bagger, Blood Leech, Cleaver, Consensualist, Farmer, Osiris, Sandman, Scene Queen, Siren
  • Discipline system: In-clan Disciplines cost less XP than out-of-clan
  • Hunger dice system: Replaces health, can cause messy criticals or bestial failures
  • Humanity tracking: Starts at 7, decreases with immoral actions
  • Blood Potency: Increases with age, affects feeding and Discipline power
Creation order (from system.json)
  1. Choose concept, clan, predatorType, sire, chronicle, generation (usually 13th).
  2. Distribute Attributes: 7/5/3 across Mental/Social/Physical (any order). Max 4 per Attribute at creation.
  3. Distribute Skills: 11/7/4 across Mental/Social/Physical (any order). Max 4 per Skill at creation.
  4. Pick 1 Specialty per Skill category (Physical, Social, Mental).
  5. Assign 3 Discipline dots among clan Disciplines (max 2 in any at creation).
  6. Apply Predator Type bonuses (usually +1 Discipline dot, a Background/Merit bonus, a Flaw/Feeding constraint).
  7. Assign Backgrounds: 7 dots total (typical cap 3 per Background at creation; ST may allow >3).
  8. Choose 1–3 Convictions and 1–3 Touchstones tied to those Convictions.
  9. Record Clan Bane and Clan Compulsion.
  10. Set starting Humanity 7 (unless chronicle says otherwise).
  11. Complete your character's biography: true age, apparent age, birth/death dates, appearance, distinguishing features, and history.
  12. Compute Health = Stamina + 3; Willpower = Composure + Resolve; Blood Potency = 1 (new neonate) unless older.
Examples
Example: Concept first

Start with a simple concept (role + vibe), then choose attributes/skills that support it. You can fill details later.

Example: One signature move

Make sure your sheet supports a signature action you want to do often (investigate, intimidate, hack, heal, etc.).

Common mistakes (smallest fix)
  • Mistake: Skipping concept and getting lost in options. Fix: Pick a role, pick 2 strengths, pick 1 weakness, then fill details.
  • Mistake: Not aligning your sheet with the campaign. Fix: Ask what kind of scenes you’ll play (combat, investigation, politics) and build for that.
Character creation
Step-by-step checklist.
Cheat sheets
Quick lookup while you play.

Vampire FAQ

What are the Camarilla clans in Vampire: The Masquerade V5?
What are Predator Types in VTM5e?
How does the Hunger system work in V5?
How do Disciplines work in Vampire: The Masquerade V5?
What is Humanity in VTM5e?

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