All the playable clans in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 and their clan abilities

Before you begin your afterlife in Seattle, one of the first choices you'll make in Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 is which one of the Bloodlines 2 clans your protagonist Phyre comes from. As factions in RPGs often work, each vampire clan has a very different personality and goal and which one you choose will change your combat style and how other vamps treat you in conversations.

There's a whole backlog of lore from the Vampire: The Masquerade tabletop RPG including even more clans, sects, and other vampire hierarchy minutia, but I'll focus on what you need to know to choose which lunch table you're doing to sit at in Bloodlines 2 including combat style, abilities, and clan persona.

The six playable clans in Bloodlines 2 are:

• Banu Haqim: the hunters and lawbringers
• Brujah: the rebellious brawlers
• Lasombra: the shadowy killers
• Toreador: the graceful seducers
• Tremere: the scholarly warlocks
• Ventrue: the aristocratic tyrants

What does your clan choice change in Bloodlines 2?

• Abilities: You can unlock abilities from other clans, but they may cost more Ability Points if the Discipline they're from isn't one that your vamp's specializes in.
• Dialogue: You'll have different dialgoue choices depending on clan background.
• Passive: Your starting passive ability is tied to your clan and you cannot unlock passives from other clans.
• Perk: You can unlock the perk at the top of another clan's ability tree, regardless of your chosen clan.

Like a backstory in other RPG settings, your clan choice will change some of the dialogue options available to you in Bloodlines 2. "When hunting for Blood Resonance, specific disciplines and outfit choices can also affect NPCs on the street," the developer says, which means that the Disciplines your clan specializes in will change how you're perceived in public.

Banu Haqim clan in Bloodlines 2

The Banu Haqim are "cursed with a thirst for the blood of other vampires" and act as the judges and executioners of the night. They're hunters at heart so their combat style focuses on camouflage and quiet kills. This is one for the rogue and ranger mains who want to kill with stealth.

The Banu Haqim disciplines are Celerity, Blood Sorcery, and Obfuscate.

Banu Haqim abilities

• (Passive) Silence of Death: All your actions become completely silent after feeding.
• Mute: Silence an enemy or civilian so that no sounds they make (screams/gunfire) can be heard by others.
• Split Second: Effectively stop time around yourself.
• Bladed Hand: Slash a line in front of yourself, beheading mortal opponents.
• Unseen Aura: Become invisible (but not silent) to enemies and civilians nearby.
• (Perk) Unseen Passage: Remain crouched while sprinting.

Bloodlines 2 Brujah clan

Formerly a bunch of philosophers known as the "Learned Clan," at the time of Bloodlines 2, the Brujah are a gang of anti-establishment radicals known for their tempers. The dress code is tattoos, denim, and muscles. The Brujah fighting style in Bloodlines 2 is melee focused, sort of like a berserker class, with rewards for getting into the center of combat and tanking there.

The Brujah disciplines are Celerity, Potence, and Presence.

Brujah abilities

• (Passive) Brutality: After feeding, become flush with vampiric strength, increasing your melee damage.
• Taunt: Compel an opponent to attack you, dropping their weapon and taking increased damage.
• Lightning Strike: Target multiple opponents with a hail of unstoppable punches, dealing increased damage (and knockback) with a final punch.
• Charge: Surge forward, grabbing an enemy in your path and use them as a battering ram against other opponents you collide with.
• Earthshock: Slam the ground and fling surrounding enemies into the air.
• (Perk) Spark of Rage: Killing enemies without feeding still activates your clan passive.

Bloodlines 2 Lasombra clan

The Lasombra have some religious history but are mostly known for being ruthless assassins. It's trenchcoats and big crosses around here in the clan of silent killers. The Lasombra fighting style is striking from the shadows, similar to the Banu Haqim but with more of a focus on killing with control abilities than pure stealth.

The Lasombra disciplines are Dominate, Potence, and Oblivion.

Lasombra abilities:

• (Passive) Shadow Cloak: Feeding on enemies casts you in shadow, making you harder to see.
• Arms of Ahriman: Throw a shadow onto the ground, snaring enemies who will be trapped in place until damaged.
• Shadow Step: Teleport into the shadow of an enemy.
• Glimpse of Oblivion: Strike fear into an individual so they flee their post.
• Enter Oblivion: Cast a broad shadow, drawing others it touches into a temporary dimension separate from everyone else.
• (Perk) Stygian Shroud: Prevents mortals from attacking you while feeding.

Bloodlines 2 Toreador clan

The Toreador are the pop culture vamps: charming, seductive, and full of mind games. They're a clan of beautiful artists and socialites who kill with a kiss. Their combat style, when they deign to get blood under their nails, is all about speed and enchantment.

The Toreador disciplines are Celerity and Presence.

Toreador abilities:

• (Passive) Cat's Grace: Increased movement speed after feeding.
• Entrancing Kiss: Entrance an individual into becoming an ally that will defend you from opponents, lasting longer the weaker willed the target.
• Blink: Instantly dash to a target location.
• Beckon: Put an individual into a trance, making them walk towards where they last saw you.
• Blurred Momentum: Boost your reflexes to evade damage.
• (Perk) Fleetness: Relocation abilities will recharge over time.

Bloodlines 2 Tremere clan

The Tremere are a clan descended from mortal mages who conned their way into immortality with magic. They're still rather bookish and academic, and are basically blood sucking warlocks. When it comes to combat, they deal damage with ranged ability blood magic.

The Tremere disciplines are Auspex, Dominate, and Blood Sorcery.

Tremere abilities:

• (Passive) Corrosive Touch: Bodies dissolve after you feed on them.
• Cauldron of Blood: Boil an enemy's blood, making them scream, drawing nearby enemies and civilians.
• Recall: Mark your current location then teleport back to it, obliterating enemies standing where you reappear.
• Blood Curse: Curse an enemy to explode next time they take damage, dealing damage to surrounding targets.
• Blood Salvo: Conjure blood daggers you can throw at enemies.
• (Perk) Blood of Potency: Gives a chance when feeding to get twice as much blood from the last used ability.

Bloodlines 2 Ventrue clan

The Ventrue clan is an aristocratic bunch that prides itself on wealth and influence. Their mind games aren't based on sex appeal like the Toreador and instead are more about authoritarian control. Their combat style is all about deadly mind control, so all the damage without the actual melee.

The Ventrue disciplines are Dominate, Fortitude, and Presence.

Ventrue abilities:

• (Passive) Flesh of Marble: Become highly resistant to damage after feeding.
• Cloud Memory: Relax a target into forgetting you were there.
• Possession: See through an enemy's eyes and control their actions.
• Terminal Decree: Command a mortal to kill themselves.
• Mass Manipulation: Subdue enemies within range, preventing them from attacking, and apply all Domination abilities while active.
• (Perk) Resilience: Increases health restored by feeding.