Rules reference
Combat in Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition
Turn flow, actions, and common combat rules. 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
Combat rules matter most when they keep scenes moving. This page focuses on decision points and the system’s core resolution loop.
- 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
VTM V5 uses d10 dice pools: roll Attribute + Skill, count successes on 6+, and watch for criticals on 10s. Hunger dice add personal-horror volatility (messy criticals and bestial failures).
- Build your pool (Attribute + Skill).
- Roll d10s and count successes (6+).
- Interpret 10s (critical) and Hunger outcomes (messy critical/bestial failure) as story-forward complications.
Instead of “I attack,” state the goal: “I push them back from the door” or “I buy time for the escape.” This makes outcomes clearer.
Once the winner is clear, wrap it. Don’t grind out the last 10% if it doesn’t change the story.
- Mistake: Unclear turns and slow decisions. Fix: State intent, pick one action, resolve fast, and move on.
- Mistake: Grinding after the outcome is obvious. Fix: End scenes early and narrate the final advantage.