Auspex (Discipline)
Auspex is Supernatural Sight! Woah!
This Discipline is In-Clan for:
Camarilla Clans: Clan Malkavian (+Ananke, Dominate Malkavians), Clan Toreador (+Nephilim, Volgirre), Clan Tremere, True Brujah Antitribu, Tzimisce Antitribu.
Sabbat Clans: Vizier Banu Haqim, Clan Nagaraja, Clan Tzimisce.
Independent Clans: Molochim Baali, Scout + Sentinel Gargoyles, Clan Giovanni (+della Passaglia, Rosselini).
Small Independents:Clan Cappadocian, Clan Salubri, Clan Telyav.
Auspex (Base Game)
The most common Variant of Auspex. It pertains to just about every aspect of undead living, and helps Kindred shore up where their physical senses might be lacking. Plus, masters of this Discipline claim that there’s far more out there than just the Ivory Tower, but nobody seems to care much to see whether they’re telling the truth.
(Rank 1) “Heightened Senses”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
(No Cost)
Simply by focusing, Kindred may “tune up” one of their five senses. There are many who dip their toes into Auspex simply to learn this technique.
System: Heighten one of your senses to Supernatural levels, reducing the DC of any Rolls involving it by your Auspex rating. This can also cause the Kindred to be more vulnerable to overstimulation however, and Rolls to resist being overwhelmed are thus increased by your Auspex Rating. The Kindred may turn this Power on and off at will.
(Rank 2) “Aura Perception”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
1 Blood Point
Though Clan Toreador claim they pioneered this technique, Clan Malkavian often counters by pointing out that they only used it to tell whether their prey wanted to fuck or be fed on. Aura Perception is a powerful tool, as being able to tell when your fellow Kindred has committed Diablerie can quite literally hand you their reputation on a silver platter.
System: Roll Perception + Awareness @ DC 7. Upon Success, you may begin detecting the Auras of those around you to read their emotions.
Per Success, you gain a clearer picture of their emotional states, with 1 Success allowing you to detect simple emotions like Sadness or Anger, whereas 3 Successes would be allow you to see more minute details. An Exceptional Success would allow the Kindred to see differences in Aura between Supernaturals— and would allow you to thus see things like streaks of Diablerie in Kindred.
(Rank 3) “The Spirit’s Touch”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
1 Blood Point
At first glance, this Power seems strangely niche. But, for those who are forced to become Camarilla cleaners and investigators, The Spirit’s Touch becomes invaluable for understanding just who you might be dealing with, and why.
System: Roll Perception + Empathy @ DC 6-9, and touch an object that you’re looking to glean information about. Depending on the age of the information, the DC of the activation will increase, with a knife that’s still warm from murdering someone would be DC 6, and a knife that was used a hundred years ago to cut some onions would be DC 9.
Per Success, you also get more detailed information. 1 Success would only detail that the murder was committed using the knife, but 3 Successes would indicate the emotional state of the person who committed the murder.
(Rank 4) “Telepathy”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
1 Blood Point
Elders use this Power to speak threats of dismemberment directly into the skulls of their lessers, and Neonates use this Power to gossip with one another without being heard by their Elders. Really, are you that surprised that a Vampire would be childish and frivolous with their Supernatural Powers?
System: Roll Intelligence + Empathy @ the Target’s current Willpower rating in DC (unless the Target is willing). Upon Success, you either project a thought into their mind, or read the next thoughts that come across the Target’s mind. If the Target is a Supernatural, the Kindred must also spend a point of Willpower to break through any resistances to their mind. This effect lasts for the Scene.
(Rank 5) “Astral Projection”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
2 Blood Points, 1 Willpower
Masters of Auspex are able to shoot their Souls from their body to travel wherever they please. There’s a joke amongst those in the Camarilla that if you see a Malkavian sitting perfectly still in his chair with his eyes glazed over, it’s probably because he’s projected his Soul into fairyland to frolick in the flowers. Wait, that's not much of a joke, now is it?
System: Induce Torpor in yourself, projecting your Soul out into the Umbra. While traveling in the Umbra, you must make a Perception + Awareness Roll @ DC 5-9 depending on the distance you aim to travel— traveling within the same building is DC 5, but traveling cross-country can be either DC 8 or 9. Additionally, the Kindred’s Astral form is vulnerable to assault from the various inhabitants of the Umbra, and since they no longer have the luxury of a physical Body, they must use Disciplines to deal and soak DMG to and from any assailants.
The Kindred’s body will lie dormant until their Soul returns, but it is vulnerable to Attacks, sunlight, stakes, etc, while in Torpor. Making sure you’re in a safe place is paramount before using this Power, as your Soul has no way of knowing your body is being assaulted, nor does it have any way of knowing whether it’s still night or not. Have fun floating around in the Umbra!
Auspex (Koldunic Way: Spirit)
The Kolduns of eastern europe are the ones who developed this Auspex Variant. While they claim that it should be considered its own Discipline entirely, it has been successfully reverse-engineered by most Kindred sects, specifically by masters of Auspex.
Those non-Kolduns who learn this Variant of Auspex will find themselves earning the enmity of the Tzimisce and the Kolduns, though in all fairness, it’s not hard to do that without learning a knock-off of one of their special blood magic techniques.
(Rank 1-5) “The Way of the Spirit”
Source: VtM Rites of the Blood
1 Willpower
Kolduns claimed that some kind of magic mirror or crystal ball was required to perform this particular technique. Those who cracked it found that while they needed something to stare into, it didn’t have to be particularly magical— novels, televisions, bouquets, anything really worked so long as the Kindred was able to stare into it.
System: Per rank in Auspex (Koldunic Way: Spirit), the Kindred may remotely view the happenings of things around them by peering through some kind of object that would require focus to discern the details of. While Perception + Awareness Rolls may be made by a Target to detect that they’re being watched, the information gleaned from glancing through your crystal ball every now and then can be invaluable. Each time you do this, you must spend the requisite Willpower. Zooming in and out does not require Willpower, but reactivating the Power does.
Rank // Effect
- Rank 1 // You may remotely view an individual, so long as they’re within the general vicinity of your body.
- Rank 2 // You may remotely view a room, so long as it’s within relative walking distance.
- Rank 3 // You may remotely view a building, so long as it’s within driving distance.
- Rank 4 // You may remotely view a city block, so long as it’s within the bounds of the city itself.
- Rank 5 // You may remotely view the city itself, so long as it’s within the bounds of the country.
Author's Notes: This one turned out almost entirely different from the source material, but I honestly like the way it turned out. Being able to throw your senses around at a lower level is useful, and I feel like the strength it provides is equal to the discrete utility of the base Discipline.
Auspex (Ash Path)
While its origins are hazy, many suppose that the Ash Path Variant of Auspex was developed by Clan Nagaraja, as they spend a majority of their time interfering in the unlives of Wraiths. Clan Giovanni also claims ownership of it, but then again, everyone knows that they claim ownership of the entire Discipline of Necromancy too.
Those Kindred who develop this Variant of Auspex are probably going to be involving themselves with Wraiths in one way or another, and that can be quite unfortunate for those who don’t really care much for them.
(Rank 1) “Shroudsight”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
(No Cost)
Peering into the Shadowlands is nothing to scoff at, but it can be wildly disorienting for Fledglings still getting used to it. It’s like dunking your head into a cold pool on a cloudy day, even for the undead bodies of the Kindred.
System: The Kindred blinks, suddenly switching their vision from the Skinlands to the Shadowlands. This can be useful in short bursts, as the Kindred’s body is still within the Skinlands (and thus can be manipulated, harmed, or bumped in to) thanks to their projected perception. Additionally, Wraiths are fully able to notice when a Kindred has this Power active.
(Rank 2) “Lifeless Tongues”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
1 Blood Point
When used in tandem with Shroudsight, this Power becomes the Kindred’s first step into meddling in the affairs of those with unfinished business. From here, it’s all downhill.
System:Even if the Kindred is unable to see them, they become able to speak with Wraiths for the Scene. Just like the Power before it, this creates a bit of an awkward situation, as the Kindred is unable to be heard in the Skinlands while affected, and Wraiths are able to hear their voice so long as they’re within the general vicinity.
(Rank 3) “Dead Hand”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
1 Willpower
Do you like Ectoplasm? Well, if you don’t, you had better get used to it, as it’s one of the building blocks of the underworld, and terribly useful in all manner of unholy rituals.
System: Roll Willpower @ DC 7, and reach out to an object within the Shadowlands. Upon Success, you temporarily breach the barrier and pull said object back into the Skinlands permanently. This can also be used to place objects from the Skinlands into the Shadowlands.
(Rank 4) “Ex Nihilo”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
2 Blood Points, 1 Willpower
Part of the reason Clan Nagaraja is so hard to find, even amongst those who also practice Auspex, is due to this Power. Being able to step into the fuckin’ underworld is extremely powerful, though the dangers they face there take some getting used to, lest they fall prey to slave-taking Reapers or Spectres.
System: Roll Manipulation + Occult @ DC 8, and walk through a doorway. Upon Success, the Kindred steps into the Shadowlands! They become able to harm and be harmed by Wraiths, but they retain all of their Disciplines. This effect lasts for as long as the Kindred pleases, but be warned— there are very, very, VERY few sources of Blood within the Shadowlands. Make sure you’ve got enough to get back, folks.
(Rank 5) “Shroud Mastery”
Source: VtM 20th Anniversary
3 Blood Points, 1 Willpower
Clan Nagaraja seems to do nothing but make trouble for those who’d like to keep the Shadowlands and the Skinlands separate, and this Power is the reason. Surprise surprise, Vitae makes a wonderful conduit for Shroud-weakening efforts, and it’s damn hard to reverse even with the proper techniques.
System: Roll Willpower @ DC 9, and spread your Vitae around a portal. Upon Success, you reduce the DC of all attempts to cross into and from the Shadowlands by -3 for ALL SUPERNATURALS. This includes Wraiths who stumble upon the entrance and decide to give it a try, AND those other Supernaturals who might want to mess with Wraiths for some reason.
This effect is permanent, but it causes the affected area to radiate necromantic energies, potentially attracting dangerous Supernaturals to the location. Wherever there’s a new door, you can expect to see unwanted visitors.