Rumble Street

V20 provides numerous Merits and Flaws for vampires. Despite this comprehensive list, not all of them are appropriate for ghouls or revenants. The Storyteller is free to override this list if she sees fit, but should make exceptions for good reason. The following Merits and Flaws are recommended for ghouls and revenants:

•Physical: Acute Sense, Ambidextrous, Bruiser, Catlike Balance, Friendly Face, Daredevil, Hard of Hearing, Short, Tic/Twitch, Bad Sight, Disfigured, One Eye, Addiction, Deformity, Lame, Lazy, Slow Healing, Disease Carrier, Deaf, Mute, Blind
• Mental: Coldly Logical, Common Sense, Concentration, Introspection, Language, Time Sense, Useful Knowledge, Eidetic Memory, Calm Heart, Iron Will, Precocious, Impatient, Shy, Soft-Hearted, Speech Impediment, Amnesia, Luncay, Phobia, Short Fuse, Weak-Willed
• Social: Expendable, Incomplete Understanding, Mistaken Identity, Sympathizer, Uppity, Narc, Laughingstock
• Supernatural: Magic Resistance, Light-Sensitive, Lucky, Cursed, Oracular Ability
 
These Merits and Flaws are disallowed for use when creating a ghoul or revenant:
• Physical: Blush of Health, Efficient Digestion, Fourteenth Generation, Fifteenth Generation, Dulled Bite, Infectious Bite, Glowing Eyes, Monstrous, Permanent Fangs, Permanent Wound, Thin Blood, Flesh of the Corpse, Infertile Vitae
• Mental: Prey Exclusion
• Social: Former Ghoul, Prestigious Sire, Clan Friendship, Primogen/Bishop Friendship, Former Prince, Escaped Target
• Supernatural: Additional Discipline, Hidden Diablerie, Cold Breeze, Touch of Frost, Eerie Presence, Lord of the Flies, Grip of the Damned

Mental
 
Loyalty (5pt. Merit)
Though revenants are the tools of the Kindred, they aren’t known for their unshakable loyalty to a particular vampire or Clan. When a member of a revenant family does display such loyalty, it’s noteworthy. Word of that revenant’s actions will spread quickly among other members of the Clan or Sect the family serves.Most revenant families might welcome a patron vampire for one of their members. The family would likely be suspicious of placing their trust in a specific vampire or Clan, and would probably take steps to avoid becoming too dependent on a single domitor. The character can expect occasional favors from the vampire Clan that controls the revenant’s family. They may also be given considerable latitude to explore their own special interests, since the vampires “trust” that the character is furthering the Clan’s goals. Loyalty is also a good Merit to choose if the character is being groomed for the Embrace, especially if that revenant knows her future sire.
Used by: Ducheski, Rossellini, Kairouan Brotherhood, and Servants of Anushin-Rawan

Black and White (1pt. Flaw)
The World of Darkness is complex, both morally and spiritually, but your character doesn’t see it that way. To her, every situation can be summed up as black or white. Your ghoul thinks simply, and believes her allies and enemies are either for or against her, hot or cold, good or evil, easy or impossible, stupid or genius. After being subjected to the blood bond, its influence can complicate your ghoul’s natural outlook on life. Under its influence, the blood bond may force your ghoul to view what your domitor says or does through a rosy, positive filter at all times. Alternatively, any character who does not agree or side with your master is, according to you, an enemy worthy of your contempt and deserves to be hurt. This Flaw is particularly prominent among the Giovanni, Assamite, Ravnos, and Ventrue Clans, along with the Followers of Set and many revenant families. A closed mindset can cost your character dearly as your perspective may result in your bad judgment, missed opportunities, and misunderstandings that might escalate. In social situations where your character’s perspective comes to bear, the difficulties of associated rolls increase by one.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Fixation (2, 4, or 6pt. Flaw)
The Blood is exhilarating, but when the feeling wears off, you want another high, another “fix” to add to that heady rush. Your Fixation might involve substances designed to alter your brain’s chemistry and processing ability, or it could be all about your thrill-seeking, heart-thumping compulsion to live on the edge and get high off the adrenaline or dopamine naturally produced in your body. With this Flaw, you are forced to turn to outside activities or substances in your free time to get a fix that doesn’t come from the Blood. While the fulfillment of your Fixation may be temporary, you know that any satisfaction you feel is a pale imitation of the high you get from the Blood. The stronger your Fixation, the more likely you won’t be able to hide it from the other characters around you. Since this is a Flaw that cannot be “healed” by any physical, mental, or social means, your Fixation may cause unforeseen consequences for your character over time.
 
To start, you’ll pick a type of Fixation your character is likely to have: chemical, psychological, or physical. Unlike an addiction to cocaine or drag racing, your overall Fixation is more generic than that. Essentially, you are deciding what category your fix falls in, and you’ll figure out how to satisfy it over the course of your chronicle. At your Storyteller’s discretion, you may make a stamina check during your downtime to avoid succumbing to your desires. The more dots you take in this Flaw, the more likely it is your Storyteller might require more checks or raise the difficulty. If your ghoul fails, you will feel a compulsion to get a fix, and will need to act on that.
 
At two points of addiction, your character is still in control. Your ghoul may show up fog-headed, but she will attempt to carry out her domitor’s wishes to the best of her ability. At four points, your Fixation is so strong that you are more likely to forget a crucial errand, miss an appointment, or doze off spying on a rival. At six points, however, your ghoul is deep in the throes of terminal addiction. You may also decide, at your Storyteller’s discretion, that adding more points to this Flaw will cause greater and more violent consequences to the fulfillment of your desires. For example, a murderous revenant with a six-point Fixation might get a thrill from desecrating churches. As another, an independent ghoul who escaped from a brutal pack might get a rush from “curing” another ghoul of the blood bond.
 
Failing to master your Fixation will likely be viewed unfavorably by most of your peers or your domitor, because your inability to control yourself is viewed as a weakness. Servants that run off and base jump off the top of a skyscraper at every opportunity are not as useful as the meek from a master’s point of view. Over time, a domitor might even make a troubled ghoul’s death look like an accident before replacing him. However, the stronger your Fixation is, the more chaotic and rebellious your ghoul will likely act as you take pleasure wherever you can find it. Thus, it is not uncommon to find independent ghouls or revenants with higher levels of Fixation, especially if they have a loose leash to satisfy their darker needs.
 
You may attempt to deny your Fixation, but to do so requires you to spend a Willpower point to temporarily bypass it for a round. Then, you must roll to make a Frenzy check. Should you fail that roll, your Fixation will continue to build and may overwhelm you at the most inopportune time. In other words, a failure to master your Fixation doesn’t mean you’ll automatically fly off into a rage on your schedule. Your bitterness and resentment may boil beneath a thin veneer of control until you’re forced to wait too long at a store, you’re cut off at a traffic light, or another ghoul gets rewarded instead of you.
 
With any dramatic failure on a Stamina check, your character’s Fixation will increase by two points. If your character has already attained the six-point version of this Flaw and rolls a dramatic failure on his Stamina check, the effects will be severe. You may overdose and die without immediate medical attention. Your car may have crashed and you’re now unconscious because you couldn’t maintain control of the wheel.
 
To remove points in your Fixation Flaw, or to get rid of it entirely, your character must pledge and endure a program to remove that compulsion. Your Storyteller may allow the circumstances and requirements of your chronicle to shape your domitor’s reaction to your admitted weakness. Independent ghouls, Sabbat ghouls, and revenants may not have the ability to reduce the influence of this Flaw, nor may they be able to remove it without help due to the nature of their nightly activities.
 
Please note that while Fixation is similar to the Addiction Flaw for vampires, the results of this Flaw are felt more acutely in a mortal body. A Fixation Flaw is likely to develop more often in ghouls than revenants, simply because revenants produce vitae naturally in their blood.
Used by: All ghouls, some revenants

Duplicitous (3pt. Flaw)
Ghouls and revenants with this Flaw have an underhanded reputation based on their previous actions. In the past, you’ve probably lied, cheated, or played both sides against the middle during a deal that went south. The nature of your underhanded actions, as well as your intended target, has not been the same every time. A ghoul might, for example, go to her domitor and inform him of a transgression, real or imagined, and then suggest an appropriate punishment for her target. That same ghoul might turn around and fabricate stories that show how well-meaning she was to stand up for her fellow ghoul in front of her master.
 
 
While you can be duplicitous as a character, when you take this Flaw, it impacts your relationships and dealings with other characters. You probably don’t seek to take the upper hand in every situation, but other characters expect you to. Your allies and enemies are on edge around you, because they’re not sure when and if you’ll ever treat them fairly. They may even backstab or try to undercut you, too, because they expect you to.
 
The influence of the blood bond does impact most ghouls with this Flaw in subtle ways. While your domitor would know you are Duplicitous, you would not act out in a direct way against your master. Instead, you might backstab or double-cross your allies to curry favor and obtain rewards from him. Your domitor may also point you at a dangerous target, too, to use you as bait or to draw out his enemies, to taking advantage of your reputation.
 
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Social
 
Benevolent Domitor (3pt. Merit)
For reasons unbeknownst to you, your domitor is fond of you. Perhaps your service has been exemplary, or you simply remind your master of a past love. Given the alien nature of a vampire’s mind, you may never know for sure, but you do not begrudge the benefits you’ve gained from your master’s feelings toward you. You feel safe in your master’s care, and do not dread spending night after night fulfilling your duties. Your domitor treats you with a measure of faux compassion, and does not casually endanger your life. Unlike the relationship between other masters and their ghouls, this Merit does not represent a temporary phase. You have already proven yourself to your master. Thus, your relationship is akin to a friendship between a great boss and his employee.
 
Though this Merit shapes how your domitor treats you, it does not guarantee that you will never run afoul of your master. You may, at your Storyteller’s discretion, lose the right to keep this Merit should your actions necessitate such a decision over time.
Prerequisite: Domitor Background
Used by: Camarilla ghouls, some Sabbat ghouls
 
Groomed for Embrace (5pt. Merit)
Your character has been deemed worthy of the Embrace, and is being prepared for the eventuality through careful, directed training by your future sire. While this Merit does not guarantee when you will be Embraced, your character is aware that you will become a vampire, and you know the identity of your future sire.
 
The benefits of being Groomed for Embrace are related to your current role as a ghoul, and your future position as a vampire within a specific Clan or bloodline. As such, your role among the ghouls of your domitor’s house will be elevated to that of a valued apprentice as opposed to a disposable servant. Some Clans, like the Tremere or the Tzimisce, might track your progress through your academic study of lore, Disciplines, or thaumaturgical rituals. You might not be able to use Vicissitude, for example, but you may be permitted to assist your domitor at her laboratory table. Other vampires might be more careful, and may prepare you to be evaluated by the local prince before proceeding further.
 
There may be a few drawbacks that your character might encounter over the course of your chronicle. Because you have achieved the dream of many ghouls, you may be subjected to fits of jealous rage or harm by other ghouls. Your domitor might even be aware of this fact, and may have encouraged these feelings to test you to see if you’re worthy of becoming a vampire.
 
Additionally, should this fact become known, you may garner unwanted attention from your future sire’s enemies. Since it is most likely your future sire will also be your domitor, you may be kidnapped, spied upon, or pumped for information about your domitor’s haven, holdings, and schemes. However, many vampires do not reveal that their ghouls and revenants are being Groomed for Embrace, and keep their intentions secret.
 
Should you decide to purchase the Groomed for Embrace Merit, you may purchase Benevolent Domitor at a cost of one point, provided you have taken the prerequisite Domitor Background. In this circumstance, you are signaling your Storyteller that your domitor has pledged to become your future sire. You may also, at your Storyteller’s discretion, learn one dot in a third Discipline known to your future sire or follow a Path after abandoning your Humanity.
Used by: Camarilla and Sabbat ghouls, as well as some revenants. Independent ghouls may be Embraced, but they would not be Groomed for Embrace due to their status as a pariah among ghouls.
 
Isolated Upbringing (1pt. Flaw)
You are a revenant who was raised by your family away from prying eyes. When you were growing up, your entire world was based on what your family taught you. For many years, your knowledge was limited to your family’s habits, customs, and politics. Consequently, you have a limited understanding of the outside world that impacts how you interact with other people. At your Storyteller’s discretion, whenever you are in an uncomfortable social situation outside of your family’s estates, subtract one die from your Social dice pool. This penalty does not apply evenly across all situations, because your interactions with the world will vary depending upon your particular family and your character concept.
 
Revenants from the Obertus, Bratovich, and Ducheski families are good candidates for this Flaw, as are ghouls from the Giovanni Clan and the Kairouan Brotherhood. Independent ghouls, who have little to no memory of their life before they became a ghoul, may also choose this Flaw to reflect the fact that they were isolated from humanity and have forgotten how to interact with people.
Used by: Revenants

Obsession (1, 2, or 5pt. Flaw)
Even ghouls who lead relatively uneventful lives can become obsessed with a persistent idea, image, set of circumstances, or unshakable feeling. Many obsessions are so minor they would not be noticed by a casual observer, while others may become so powerful they’ll prevent a ghoul from performing the simplest of tasks.
 
At one point, your ghoul’s Obsession is minor. For example, your character may prefer a particular brand of beverage, pair of jeans, etc., and may refuse to eat, wear, or use a replacement. Your minor Obsession will probably cause you to seek a replacement for an “inferior” item with your preferred one at the earliest opportunity.
 
At two points, your Obsession threatens to consume you. If the focus of your insatiable desire is a person, you would likely have an image of that person in your possession at all times, or you will stop what you are doing to obtain one. If your Obsession involves an object or totem, like a lucky rabbit’s foot or a small statuette, you will need to have it within your reach. You might even grow more upset over time if it’s not nearby.
 
At five points, your Obsession consumes you, and may bring others to harm. Your character might kidnap a local celebrity you’re obsessed with, and will likely go to unreasonable lengths to keep him under your direct control. Similarly, any object that you’re consumed with creates tremendous need at this level. If your lucky rabbit’s foot is misplaced or lost outright, you might not be able to function as you normally would, and may be prone to fits of destructive rage. Depending upon the severity of your Obsession, you could enter a near-catatonic state until the object is found or a suitable replacement is obtained. You would probably act in a similar fashion if the person you’re obsessed with is rescued or escapes.
 
There may be times, however, when you cannot find a suitable replacement for an object or a person to satisfy your Obsession. In those instances, your character will need to succeed a Willpower check. The difficulty rating is your Willpower minus the number of dots in your Obsession Flaw to “snap out of it.” Should you fail, you may become so distressed that you will require medical attention.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Squeamish (1 or 3pt. Flaw)
Your ghoul or revenant might talk a good game, but you’ve never been around real violence before. When you’re confronted with the sight of blood, you probably won’t respond well, and may faint, panic, or run away.In situations that involve gunfire, bloody combat, or an aggressive use of Disciplines, roll Willpower (difficulty 7). If this roll fails, your character either freezes in place (if her Courage is higher than her Self-Control) or flees the area (if her Self-Control is higher than her Courage).
 
At your Storyteller’s discretion, you may be forced to make a Willpower check once per relevant scene. Your character does not need to be directly involved in the fight; she may simply be a witness to a stabbing. When you accumulate five successes in a single session, no further rolls need be made for that night of game time. A gory show of violence might necessitate another roll, however, at your Storyteller’s discretion. Should you botch a Willpower check, your ghoul is so unnerved by the gruesomeness you’ve encountered you cannot act for the rest of that scene. Your ghoul is frozen from shock, and may soil herself or puke in response to your fear or revulsion.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants
 
Domitor Pariah (2pt. Flaw)
Your master is a vampire who, for whatever reason, is unwelcome among or even hated by other members of his Clan, bloodline, or Sect. Without allies, your domitor may struggle to retain her status and will likely rely on ghouls, like yourself, to fulfill her basic needs. You may be given additional responsibilities, or you might be manipulated into spying, attacking, defending, or stealing for your domitor.
 
Should you take the Domitor Pariah as a Flaw, keep in mind that should other vampires discover whom you serve, your life might well be in danger. The events that led to your domitor’s downfall may be kept hidden from you, at your Storyteller’s discretion, or you might stumble upon your master’s secrets accidentally.Once a ghoul understands how challenging life may be with a Domitor Pariah, you might sow the seeds of rebellion despite the strength of your blood bond.
Used by: Camarilla ghouls, some Sabbat ghouls
 
Under Surveillance (2, 4, or 6pt. Flaw)
Your ghoul’s activities are being monitored by members of law enforcement or government agencies. You might be Under Surveillance because you are suspect in a crime, or because you’ve been spotted associating with other criminals or suspects. The points you take in this Flaw represent the level of scrutiny your character is under.
 
At two points, only local authorities are watching your ghoul’s activities. At four points, both city officials and state authorities are involved.
 
At six points, local, state, and national law enforcement agents are coordinating efforts to analyze your movements, and they may share their concerns with foreign agencies should you travel outside the country.The effects of this Flaw vary, depending upon your circumstances, and you may not always be aware of them. For example, among Camarilla ghouls, any ghoul Under Surveillance will risk a Masquerade breach. Some vampires might decide that your character is too dangerous to live, and may take an opportunity to end your life at the hands of your associates or domitor. Other Kindred might take a different, more devious approach. They might use you as bait, create a body double, or plant false information.
 
Generally speaking, Under Surveillance is less dangerous than the Fugitive Flaw, because your character is a person of interest as opposed to a wanted criminal. Thus, this Flaw, at your Storyteller’s discretion, may be reduced in points or regulated to a cold file with time and effort. Ghouls and revenants, however, might be given a limited number of opportunities to correct the situation before their domitors or families lose patience and turn on them. Independent ghouls might have a much harder time ditching nosy officers. Though their first instinct might be to run to the cops and confess, keep in mind that no agency is immune from the reach of a Clan, bloodline, or Sect. Thus, some independent ghouls who take this Flaw might suspect that their former domitor has engineered their situation, and they are now Under Surveillance as punishment for abandoning them.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants
 
Loose Lips (3pt. Flaw)
Ghouls are often privy to a great deal of sensitive information in the night-to-night dealings with their domitors, and some cannot resist the urge to divulge (or sell) these secrets. In general, ghouls and revenants who cannot keep secrets tend not to live very long.
 
When you take the Loose Lips Flaw, you might be known as a gossip. In fact, this weakness may be the reason why any ghoul might become independent. It’s possible that the ghoul’s master felt that withholding feedings for the rest of his vassal’s pitiful life would be suitable punishment, and might still be keeping tabs on his former ghoul.Ghouls with this Flaw tend to not be trusted with jobs involving secrets, so their usefulness to higher-ranking vampires is limited. On the other hand, they make perfect tools for spreading false information, which can often be far more useful. Unfortunately, you may not know whether you’re spewing fact or fiction until it’s too late.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants
 
Self-Preservation (3pt. Flaw)
For whatever reason, your character refuses to carry out orders that you feel will threaten your safety and put your life at risk. For ghouls, the Self-Preservation Flaw defeats the purpose of serving a vampire. If you cannot defend your domitor, then your worth decreases considerably. However, a Bound ghoul who can refuse to carry out an order bears close watching. This Flaw is also one of the most common reasons why a ghoul leaves his master’s service to operate as an independent.
 
Revenants who have a sense of Self-Preservation may feel the effects of this Flaw in a different way. Your loyalty to your family may be questioned, for you might sacrifice another family member or ally when the time is right. Should you, too, be subjected to the blood bond, your inability to fully “commit” to a vampire’s orders may result in unforeseen consequences ranging from experimentation to further scrutiny.Mechanically-speaking, any time your domitor or master gives you an order that threatens your life, your character gets a check against Willpower at +2 difficulty. If successful, your ghoul or revenant may refuse to carry out the order. Should you refuse to carry out such a command in front of your master, you may expect to be punished severely.Clever ghouls and revenants will attempt to manipulate this Flaw to their advantage. They might attempt to carry out a life-threatening command while ensuring they do not come to harm, though this isn’t always possible.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants
 
Turncoat (4pt. Flaw)
The Turncoat is more than just a traitor. Revenants that take the Turncoat Flaw have betrayed more than the bonds of friendship, but also those of their familial connection and duty. Typically, a revenant that takes this Flaw has decided he is more interested in serving her family’s enemies, and has taken the requisite steps to do so.Most revenants with the Turncoat Flaw understand the ramifications of their actions. They understand that this Flaw requires them to protect themselves and hide from her former colleagues; they might even expect their families to hunt them down for their treachery. Depending on the nature and depth of the betrayal, allied vampires may decide to render their assistance to the hunt as well.
 
A Turncoat revenant will have likely earned the trust of her new friends by killing a former ally, friend, or relative, or by turning over sensitive information, such as the haven of a (formerly) allied vampire or the passwords to access her family’s finances or accounts.Despite being protected by a powerful vampire, Clan, members of a local Sect, or revenant family, characters who take this Flaw know their problems are far from over. The Turncoat’s new allies will probably be skeptical of this character, and may not divulge anything other than minor details. After all, if the Turncoat betrayed her own family or a master while under the influence of the blood bond, she could do so again.
 
In general, this Flaw is best used by characters who are embroiled in the politics of a larger organization. The ramifications of a revenant’s betrayal, such as a Grimaldi revenant divulging secrets pertaining to his family’s desire to leave the Sabbat, are often far-reaching and significant. Thus, independent ghouls may also select this Flaw when and if it makes sense for them to do so. However, an independent ghoul might struggle to find the allies required to help ensure their survival, since most vampires may seek a blood bond with the traitor.
Used by: Revenants, some independent ghouls
 
Blood Feud (5pt. Flaw)
The hostility between revenant families such as the Grimaldi and Zantosa is well known throughout the Sabbat. Rivalries between the Brujah and the Ventrue occasionally bleed into the behavior of their ghouls throughout Camarilla-held cities. Fights between revenant families are all too common, and these feuds have been going on for so long that some family members may have forgotten how an argument first started. A Blood Feud might be a recent development, but more than likely a deadly rivalry has probably been smoldering for decades, if not centuries.
 
Not all disagreements and rivalries between families or factions, however, are considered to be Blood Feuds. A Blood Feud is what occurs after a slight or injury has been escalated to impossible heights, and the initial cause of the argument can now only be rectified when both debts are settled, often violently. Other family members will even go so far as to swear a revenge-filled oath to harm the rival family at the first opportunity. Like the nature of the feud, the violence both families cause may range from slashing tires to slitting throats.

While Blood Feud is particularly applicable to members of certain revenant families, this Flaw may also apply to rival Clans in a given city. Loyal ghouls might take offense at a misstep or take up vengeance for a slight against their Domitor, and their feelings could escalate into hatred and a desire to kill. A Gangrel ghoul might be involved in a bitter dispute over territory or domain with the servants of a Toreador Primogen. Enough betrayal and insults could be hurled over the course of the conflict that tense discussions erupt into bitter arguments. Usually, however, for a Blood Feud to exist there must be more than a simple rivalry between the two parties. In a Blood Feud, several members of each side should be willing to battle over the insult or slight. The hatred between the two sides has escalated over time, and calls for vengeance carry weight.When confronted with the possibility that your rival is nearby, your character must make a Frenzy check at a -2 difficulty. If successful, your character is able to control the blind fury caused by your thirst for revenge.

If your character fails the check, you will feel compelled to act on your obsession for vengeance. You might seek out and confront your rival. You might attack someone who looks like her, or sabotage her car or attack her girlfriend. You might even rile up the other people around you to join the fight, too. How you act on your hatred is up to you, but a failure will guarantee that the Blood Feud is renewed.You may choose to spend a Willpower point to delay your moment of frenzy for one round. However, the longer you delay acting on your thirst for revenge, the greater the chances are that your rival will act upon hers.
Used by: Revenants who have a clear rivalry with another family, or by ghouls from warring Clans, bloodlines, or Sects.To take this Flaw, you must work with the Storyteller to name which family (or Clan) the Blood Feud is with, and how much the player character knows about its cause. You must also select a specific rival from the opposing side who is heavily involved with the feud or its cause.

Hunted (5pt. Flaw)
You have unwittingly crossed paths with a hunter, who has identified you as a supernatural creature that must be destroyed. You may be a revenant who accidentally attacked a hunter’s ally, or you might be a ghoul who dated a hunter before you fell under the influence of the Blood Bond.Hunted represents a serious threat to all vampires, regardless of Sect, and all revenant families. The consequences of a hunter stumbling into a revenant family’s compound or a vampire’s haven would be so severe, your domitor or family might feel compelled to sacrifice you to prevent a future catastrophe.While you may not have intentionally drawn the ire of a hunter, your grievous error will not go unpunished, nor will it be forgiven easily by your domitor or family. Consequences may range from ordering you to capture the hunter first to seeking allegiances with your enemies. You may take steps to eliminate this Flaw in the way that makes sense for your character.

However, unless your Storyteller tells you that you are in no danger of being hunted for the foreseeable future, you will always run the risk of being targeted by a hunter more easily than other characters who do not have this Flaw.Because Hunted represents a dramatic turn of events that could impact your chronicle in any number of ways, check with your Storyteller before taking this Flaw.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Problem with Authority (5pt. Flaw)
Problem with Authority is unhealthy for ghouls or revenants who are expected to serve without question. It is especially problematic for ghouls who have violent or unpredictable masters, and may spur a ghoul to leave her domitor’s side. Many independent ghouls suffer from this Flaw, and continue to feel the effects of their disobedience.When taken to its extreme, your ghoul will become argumentative and unruly, and may take an issue with the simplest instructions. While you might argue with lesser authority figures in your ghoul’s life, like the police, your combative words are less likely to get you killed, but may result in being arrested or fired.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Fugitive (6pt. Flaw)
You are wanted by the authorities. You may be a suspect in a case, or might have been charged and convicted with a serious crime. Your ghoul or revenant may have even gone so far as to escape a high security prison or mental health facility. You may have, on the other hand, run afoul of a Sect and are now being hunted by its members, whether they be Kindred, Cainite, Anarchs, etc. When you take the Fugitive Flaw, you are admitting that you have either committed (or have been framed for) a transgression that is so severe, agents who uphold the law, be they vampire or mortal, have ordered your capture. Any and all persons found in your company may immediately become suspect as well, and could be charged with additional crimes.

A Fugitive is rarely hunted without good cause, and often those who seek to bring you in will have a personal reason for doing so. An officer might track you down because her negligence allowed you to escape. A rival ghoul, who managed to uncover how you were attempting to thwart your domitor, might want to prove his worth to your former domitor. A Sabbat pack may be hard on your heels, because they feel your escape is an embarrassment to them. These are all examples of characters who would probably pursue you at great personal cost in an attempt to recapture or even murder you.

To the Camarilla, a ghoul or revenant Fugitive represents a serious threat to the Masquerade, regardless of who may be after you. While it is possible you may have been carrying out orders under the influence of the Blood Bond or Disciplines like Dominate, Kindred authorities cannot turn a blind eye to a desperate ghoul or revenant who’s on the run. To the Sabbat, on the other hand, a Fugitive may be hunted for other reasons, ranging from a sense of pride to a fear that you’ll run to the Camarilla and divulge secrets that must be kept buried.

Though you are a Fugitive, you may have Allies, Contacts, or have clearly identified a place to hide for a time. Your domitor or revenant family, for example, might often you a place to stay for a few nights, but doing so puts them at risk. Safe houses may be arranged to ensure your survival, with the understanding that you are expected to curry favors or perform services that will help your benefactors. You may even be asked to follow a strict code of conduct to avoid exposing your accomplices.
Used by: All ghouls and some revenants. This Flaw is particularly appropriate for independent ghouls who are on the run from their domitors

Physical

Albino (1pt. Flaw)
Albinism occurs when a group of normally recessive genes become prominent, leading to a lack of pigmentation of the skin. While generally harmless, the appearance of an albino individual can be startling, particularly to others who are unfamiliar with the condition. The condition is marked by extremely pale skin and red irises.Albinism was viewed with great suspicion in most early cultures, such that even today people with albinism are shunned and ostracized, and considered to be an ill-omen in many parts of the world. While this condition is harmless from a physiological standpoint, it does cause afflicted individuals to stand out. This may reduce a ghoul’s capacity to blend into a crowd, without the help of a disguise. However, those who suffer from the Albino Flaw can also turn other people’s fear into a source of intimidation, particularly if your ghoul or revenant has a reputation that cannot be ignored. When you take the Albino Flaw, keep in mind that your skin is highly susceptible to sunburn, having little or no pigmentation to reflect the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Vicissitude Modifications (1-7pt. Merit)
You are a ghoul or revenant whose body has been hideously modified through the use of the Vicissitude Discipline. You, yourself, might not be gifted in this area, but your flesh and bones have been reshaped into a nightmare designed to be useful in war. Thus, while your Modifications may provide you with a mechanical benefit, you are considered a monster even though, technically, you are still mortal. The alterations made to your body are permanent unless shaped by further uses of Vicissitude. Although your Vicissitude Modifications can be dangerous, your body still sustains damage normally. Despite your horrid appearance, you are still flesh and bone.Vicissitude Modifications requires you to take the Monstrous Flaw. Regardless of how many alterations you choose, you have an Appearance of 0. At your Storyteller’s discretion, you may also be required to take a Mental Flaw, penalty to Social rolls, or a Derangement due to the horrors you’re experiencing.

Generally speaking, this Merit may only be used by characters that are either Bound to, or are sponsored by, a vampire or Clan that has the use of Vicissitude. Revenants that are modified in this way are often subjected to the Blood Bond to ensure their loyalty.
•Circular Vision(1pt.): One of your eyes has been moved to the back of your head, granting you the ability to see at a wider angle. You may gain a bonus to Perception, especially in cases when a character is attempting to sneak up on you. Additionally, your depth perception is poor at any angle, and you suffer a two die penalty to any rolls that involve gauging distance, including the use of projectile weapons.
Fangs (1pt.): Your teeth have been lengthened and sharpened; your smile may resemble a tiger’s or a shark’s, or it may be unlike anything found in nature. You may attack using Bite. Due to your monstrous appearance, you will lose two dice in pools involving your Manipulation Attribute, unless you are trying to intimidate or scare your target.

•Iron Stomach (2pts.): You are able to digest any organic material that you can break up, chew, and swallow. On Stamina rolls, you gain a +2 when you need to resist ingested poisons or other types of stomach-based illnesses. This digestive modification is often paired with Fangs.

•Spurs (2pts.): Sharp, pointed bone spurs protrude from your forearms, spine, or calves. You may slash with your Spurs for Str + 2 damage. However, Spurs are hard to conceal and may limit your mobility in some instances.

•Carapace (3pts.): You are covered with bony or spiky plates that protect you from being attacked. You may add two soak dice to your pool when you are defending yourself from harm.

•Patagia (4pts.): Your bones have been hollowed and flaps of foreign skin have been grafted onto your arms and wrists to form membranes. While you cannot fly, you may use these bat-like wings to glide from one higher position to another, or to the ground. Subtract one die from all soak pools to resist strikes from fists and blunt weapons, or any other forms of concussive damage that might damage your bones.

Ghouls and revenants may never heal a damaged Vicissitude Modification, not even with the Blood. In this respect, both are as helpless as their unmodified counterparts. However, should a ghoul or revenant possess enough levels in Vicissitude, that character may heal themselves or remove the Vicissitude Modification altogether. To do so, the character must have a level of Vicissitude superior to that of the vampire who inflicted the mutilation in the first place.
Used by: Due to the complexity of this Merit, check with your Storyteller before spending points on Vicissitude Modifications.

Light Sensitive (2, 4, or 6pt. Flaw)
Your ghoul has discovered, much to her chagrin, that she is growing more sensitive to bright light thanks to the transformative powers of the vampiric blood she ingests. During daylight hours, she might require strong, prescription sunglasses, and bright flashes such as a camera flash or lightning may require a Frenzy check. Among ghouls of certain Clans and bloodlines, like the Followers of Set, this Flaw can worsen over long periods of time at the Storyteller’s discretion.The point value for the Light Sensitive Flaw reflects an increasing sensitivity to artificial and natural light.

A 2-point Flaw means your ghoul retreats from harsh, bright sunlight harsh and will react more quickly than most mortals.

At 4 points, your ghoul is incapable of functioning normally in bright sunlight, and may develop painful skin rashes and/or sunburn after exposure. At 6 points, the ghoul finds any bright light nearly paralyzing, and will go to whatever lengths required to avoid such bright conditions. Bad sunburn will result from only a minute or two in full sunlight, and will become bashing damage at a rate of one point of damage per fifteen minutes’ worth of exposure. A ghoul with this level of the Flaw will therefore receive four points of bashing damage per hour of contact with full sunlight or its equivalent. Such damage may be healed normally.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Cannibal (3pt. Flaw)
Though the Bratovich family of revenants is known for their depravity, the desire to consume human flesh is not limited to them alone. Historically, mortals have resorted to acts of cannibalism during times of war or starvation, but they have also eaten the flesh of the dead as part of a religious ceremony to honor the fallen, too. The vast majority of cultures, however, consider the practice barbaric and unnatural.To become a Cannibal, is to put your character at risk of ostracization and death. There are several physical disorders that can be transmitted through the consumption of infected flesh or organs. For the most part, such an infection is undetectable through normal, non-medical means. Should you eat human flesh as a ghoul, the vitae you’ve already ingested is likely strong enough to negate the effects in most cases. Should your ghoul be denied future feedings, however, the infection will take hold as your body returns to its natural state and age.

A character with the Cannibal Flaw will generally only feed on the flesh of the living or the dead in privacy. Most cannibals are not rabid animals, and are cunning and highly intelligent. They are aware that modern society frowns on cannibalism, but they feel compelled to do it anyway. Thus, they are often careful to act on their Flaw in places and at times where they and their victims cannot be easily discovered. Missing corpses or well-loved people, for example, are likely to be searched for. If there are witnesses who spotted the cannibal and victim together, it might lead to further complications a Cannibal is not prepared to deal with. A Willpower roll may be called for to determine if the cannibal can exercise sufficient control and discretion to avoid leaving clues behind.

The Cannibal Flaw may be selected by any ghoul, or may be bestowed upon a character by the Storyteller as a result of acquiring a Derangement. Though this Flaw is far more common among revenant families, it is not exclusively available to them. Because of the dramatic impact the Cannibal Flaw has on ghouls in modern society, Camarilla ghouls are discouraged from taking this Flaw.
Used by: Revenants, some Sabbat and independent ghouls

Hemophiliac (3pt. Flaw)
Your character suffers from hemophilia. If your ghoul’s skin is cut, you will not stop bleeding without medical assistance. The Blood does not have any effect on a ghoul or revenant Hemophiliac.If your character suffers lethal or aggravated damage, he suffers an additional level of bashing damage every five minutes until his wound has been dressed to stop the bleeding. Any vampire who bites a Hemophiliac may “dress” such wounds. By licking the injury after biting the ghoul, the vampire will put a stop to any future bashing damage.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Seizures (3pt. Flaw)
Seizures tend to occur during moments of duress, and few mortals have a more stressful or terrifying existence than ghouls. The affliction of the Seizures Flaw can also be more pronounced in revenant families whose members suffer from a limited genetic pool. Many types of seizures can be controlled or mitigated with medication following thorough medical tests or examinations. However, some ghouls and revenants aren’t willing to risk their lives by seeking the advice of a doctor, and these Seizures are often not related to a diagnosed illness. This Flaw is a side effect of the many horrors ghouls and revenants witness over the course of their lives.

Seizures can potentially be disastrous, especially if they occur in the presence of a vampire or at an inopportune moment. Under any stressful circumstances related to combat, physical or verbal threats, or witnessing a terrifying, bloody sight the character with this Flaw will need to make a Frenzy roll. A success means a seizure was not triggered, and you’ve managed to regain control.

Failure indicates your body was not able to cope with the stress and something has happened. If you roll a critical failure, your character suffers a full-blown grand mal seizure. You will have fallen to the ground and will thrash uncontrollably for a number of minutes equal to the number of 1s rolled on the Frenzy check. Your actions may wind up getting yourself, or others, hurt as your finger might accidentally pull the trigger, or you may slip and fall. A less than critical failure may likely result in your character blacking out until the next round. Depending on the needs of your story, your ghoul may pass out and drop to the ground, your vision might turn black for a few seconds, or your arm might tremble and you cannot regain control.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

SupernaturalPale Aura (2pt. Merit)
Due to some quirk of fate or your reaction to the Blood, your aura is naturally pale. Any color your character’s aura takes has a pale cast to it, as if you were a vampire and not a ghoul. Vampires reading your aura with the use of the Auspex Discipline may assume you are a vampire unless they gain five or more successes on an Aura Perception roll, or have strong reason to suspect otherwise. This Merit can be of great use if you wish to impersonate a vampire for a time, but can also cause a dangerous misunderstanding or lead to your capture for further scrutiny.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Clear-Sighted (4pt. Merit)
Your ghoul is not easily fooled by illusions and tricks of the light. Whether you were born lucky, have supernatural assistance, or proper training to brush aside such influences, your character has a knack for overcoming the phantasms, shadows, and mirages others create through the use of thaumaturgical rituals and Disciplines.This Merit is only applicable for visible tricks of deceit caused by the use of Disciplines. When faced with a supernatural illusion caused by the use of Disciplines such as Obfuscate and Chimestry, your ghoul may make a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty equal to your opponent’s power’s level +3). If successful, your character sees right through the effect. If you fail, you might suspect the illusion is a trick, but you cannot prove your suspicious are correct.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Blood Flaw Immunity (5pt. Merit)
You have discovered that you are resistant to the Clan or bloodline flaws present in the blood you drink. Your domitor might be a lower Generation Nosferatu, who lives in the sewers because her appearance is so hideous, and yet your appearance will not change. Should members of the Tremere or Tzimisce Clans learn of your Blood Flaw Immunity, you may be sought after for further study. After all, if a ghoul’s biology is such that you do not suffer as much as your domitor, surely there’s a “cure” for the flaws present in every Clan’s or bloodline’s blood. This Merit no longer applies if your ghoul or revenant is Embraced.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Poisonous Blood (5pt. Merit)
Due to mysterious circumstances, your character’s blood is poisonous to vampires. Should any vampire drink from you, every blood point imbibed causes one health level of bashing damage. Vampires naturally resent mortals known to possess this blessing and may well seek their destruction. Ghouls or revenants with this Merit may expect a similar reaction, since blood does not have any impact on Poisonous Blood. Other times, a scheming vampire might capture the character and use her as bait to physically harm a rival or enemy. This Merit is also recommended for independent ghouls or revenants who wish to remain free from vampiric influence. Storytellers are encouraged to have an explanation for Poisonous Blood in their chronicles, though the player (and likely character) may not be immediately privy to such knowledge. Some examples include: holy protection from a higher power, a rare ritual of protection, or a genetic abnormality.Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Unbondable (6pt. Merit)
You cannot be Bound to a vampire, no matter how often you drink blood from the regnant’s veins. The Unbondable Merit is useful for characters that do not wish to suffer the effects of the blood bond. Thus, its cost is accordingly high for ghouls and revenants. The Unbondable Merit is particularly appropriate for independent ghouls, and would go far to explain how they were able to break free. To the vast majority of vampires, however, any character that is Unbondable can never be trusted.This Merit, while it may seem ideal at first glance, would mean your ghoul’s life would be difficult and probably short-lived. Vampires from the Tremere and Tzimisce Clans might even go so far as to wipe out or experiment on you and your family with this Merit, while other Clans and bloodlines may want to drain you of blood to replicate its properties for their use. Such a powerful Merit is extremely rare. Before selecting this Merit, check with your Storyteller to see if this is viable for your chronicle.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Virulent Strike (7pt. Merit)
Through strange thaumaturgical sorcery, unknown rituals, or even an odd quirk of your physiology, your blood has been imbued with the power of the supernatural. You can cause Aggravated Damage to supernatural creatures by striking them, biting them, or raking them with bonecrafted spurs. This is considered standard Brawl Damage against mortals, and should normally apply to only one attack form (bite, bone claws, etc.). You should work with the Storyteller to find an explanation for this Merit, and the Storyteller may disallow this Merit entirely if she so chooses.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Finicky Palate (1pt. Flaw)
Your ghoul must choose a Clan or bloodline, other than your domitor’s, whose blood causes you an allergic reaction when present in your bloodstream. Any time your ghoul ingests blood from a vampire of that selected Clan, either intentionally or forcibly, you must make a Stamina check to avoid vomiting it up. If you are successful, the blood remains in your system and all rolls involving Disciplines will be at +1 difficulty until either the offensive blood is burned off, or you consume new blood from a different Clan, whichever comes first.For most Camarilla ghouls, this Flaw represents little threat. In the unlikely event that a ghoul consumes the blood of a Kindred other than his domitor, it won’t take long for that ghoul to find the blood he does need. For an independent ghoul or a Clan-sponsored revenant family, on the other hand, this Flaw could represent a dire problem.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Artificially Aged (2pt. Flaw)
You are an underage ghoul or revenant that has been fleshcrafted to look like an older, mature adult. Your true maturity is still far off in your future, but you appear to be a decade or two older than your actual age. As long as you remain a ghoul, your body will not age.Due to the terrors inflicted on your young body and mind, your character may never reconcile what has happened to you. Physically, you might pass for a much older person, but mentally and emotionally you are still a child. Thus, you will likely encounter challenges in most social situations, and your Storyteller may require you to subtract one or more dice from rolls involving your Social dice pools.
Used by: Like the Vicissitude Modification Merit, this Flaw may only be added at your Storyteller’s discretion.

Offensive to Animals (2pt. Flaw)
Ghouls and revenants who take the Offensive to Animals Flaw will have difficulty in their encounters with animals. Dogs, wolves, bats, birds, and other creatures will act hostile toward the character whenever she’s around, and will likely attack the closer the character gets. Much like the vampiric Flaw of the same name, a ghoul or revenant who is Offensive to Animals may find it challenging to walk freely in certain areas.Animals will bark, howl, whine, and make noise when the character approaches them. They may not directly attack the ghoul unless provoked, but they will clearly be aggressive or, alternatively, might flee from the area. This Flaw is not recommended for ghouls or revenants who either plan on using the Animalism Discipline or come into contact with characters that do.
Used by: All ghouls and revenants

Romantic Notions (2pt. Flaw)
You believe your entire existence as a ghoul is a marked improvement over your previous life, and you are convinced you owe it all to your domitor. You feel your domitor needs you, you’d die without her, and that every feeding is an act of pure love. When your domitor attempts to use either Dominate or Presence on your character, your Willpower is at -2. This Flaw is in effect regardless of how you react to the blood bond, and while under its influence you may feel an even stronger sense of artificial love toward your domitor.This Flaw does not affect revenants, who were born with their condition, in the same way as it does ghouls. At the Storyteller’s discretion, only a revenant who feels romantically inclined toward a specific vampire who has the use of Dominate and Presence may take this Flaw. Independent ghouls may not purchase this Flaw, as it does not make sense narratively for them to be romantically inclined toward a specific vampire.
Used by: All ghouls, except for independent ghouls, and revenants in rare cases.

Vitae Sink (3pt. Flaw)
For whatever reason, your ghoul or revenant metabolizes vitae more quickly than others do. You must be fed every two weeks, rather than once every month, or risk losing all supernatural Traits and will revert to your natural state. Few ghouls with this Flaw last beyond their natural life spans, unless their domitors are especially devoted to them. At this increased rate, however, it is likely that missed feedings might happen, which is why this Flaw is deadly to independent ghouls.

Revenants who suffer from Vitae Sink replenish their natural vitae at half the rate they normally might.
Used by: Most ghouls and revenants

Occult Library (2 or 4pt. Merit)
Your character owns a valuable collection of books and ancient tomes about the arcane. Whenever your ghoul accesses your library, you may lower the difficulty of Intelligence, Occult, or research-related rolls by 1 in relevant circumstances. You might be attempting to find out more information about a thaumaturgical ritual, or you might be trying to identify a strange symbol.Having this library doesn’t automatically mean your ghoul is an occult expert, nor does it reflect your ability to decipher, understand, or read the texts you’ve collected. Your library is stocked with recorded knowledge you can conveniently refer to. If you have purchased the 4-point version of this Merit, your character also has access to an Occult Laboratory stocked with rare, mysterious ingredients needed to perform the rituals described in your books.
Ghouls in service to the Tremere, Followers of Set, or Assamite Clans, in addition to revenants from the Obertus or Ducheski families, are good candidates to acquire this Asset.
Used by: All ghouls or revenants