The Beast resides within all creatures, from scuttling
cockroaches to scabrous rats up through untamed
wolves and even powerful Kindred elders. Animalism
allows the vampire to amplify his intensely primordial
nature. He can not only communicate with animals,
but can also force his will upon them, directing such
beasts to do as he commands. As the vampire grows in
power, he can even control the Beast within mortals
and other supernaturals.
Beasts grow distinctly agitated in the presence of a
vampire who lacks this Discipline or the Skill of Animal
Ken, often to the point of attacking or running
from the vampire. In contrast, vampires possessing
Animalism exude a dominant vibe to lower creatures,
which attracts them.
Animalism is commonly found with vampires of the
Gangrel and Nosferatu Clans. Manipulation and Charisma
are important for the use of Animalism powers;
the stronger the vampire’s personality, the more influence
he has over animals.


• Feral Whispers
This power is the basis from which all other Animalism
abilities grow. The vampire creates an empathic
connection with a beast, thereby allowing him to communicate
or issue simple commands. The Kindred locks
eyes with the animal, transmitting his desires through
sheer force of will. Although it isn’t necessary to actually
“speak” in chirps, hisses, or barks, some vampires
find that doing so helps strengthen the connection
with the animal. Eye contact must be maintained the
entire time; if it’s broken, the Kindred must re-establish
contact to continue communication.
The simpler the creature, the more difficult it becomes
to connect with the animal’s Beast. Mammals,
predatory birds, and larger reptiles are relatively easy
to communicate with. Insects, invertebrates, and most
fish are just too simple to connect with.
Feral Whispers provides no guarantees that an animal
will want to deal with the vampire, nor does it ensure
that the animal will pursue any requests the vampire
makes of it. Still, it does at least make the creature better
disposed toward the Kindred. The manner in which
the vampire presents his desires to the animal often depends
on the type of creature. A Kindred can often bully
smaller beasts into heeding commands, but he’s better
off couching orders for large predators as requests.
If the vampire successfully uses the power, the animal
performs the command to the best of its ability and
intellect. Only the very brightest creatures understand
truly complex directives (orders dealing with conditional
situations or requiring abstract logic). Commands
that the animal does understand remain deeply
implanted, however, and guide its behavior for some
time.
System: No roll is necessary to talk with an animal,
but the character must establish eye contact (see
p. 152) first. Issuing commands requires a Manipulation
+ Animal Ken roll. The difficulty depends on the
creature: Predatory mammals (wolves, cats, vampire
bats) are difficulty 6, other mammals and predatory
birds (rats, owls) are difficulty 7, and other birds and
reptiles (pigeons, snakes) are difficulty 8. This difficulty
is reduced by one if the character speaks to the animal
in its “native tongue,” and can be adjusted further by
circumstances and roleplaying skill (we highly recommend
that all communication between characters and
animals be roleplayed).
The number of successes the player achieves dictates
how strongly the character’s command affects the animal.
One success is sufficient to have a cat follow an
individual and lead the character to the same location,
three successes are enough to have a raven spy on a
target for weeks, and five successes ensure that a grizzly
ferociously guards the entrance to the character’s wilderness
haven for some months.
The character’s Nature plays a large part in how he
approaches these conversations. The character might
try intimidating, teasing, cajoling, or rationalizing. The
player should understand that he does not simply play
his character in these situations, but the Beast Within
as well.
Using this power cannot force an animal to do something
against its nature, or to force a creature to risk
its life. While the aforementioned grizzly would stand
guard to the vampire’s haven and even fight for it, it
would not do so against obviously superior numbers or
something overwhelmingly supernatural. A predatory
bird might be convinced to harry a target, but would
definitely not hold ground. A docile dog or skittish cat
would have no problem with reporting something it
had seen, but it wouldn’t enter combat unless given no
other option — though it would likely agree to stand
and fight and then flee at the first opportunity, if a
harsh Kindred demanded it.

•• Beckoning
The vampire’s connection to the Beast grows strong
enough that he may call out in the voice of a specific
type of animal — howling like a wolf, shrilling like a
raven, etc. This call mystically summons creatures of
the chosen type. Since each type of animal has a different
call, Beckoning works for only a single species
at a time.
All such animals within earshot are summoned, and
some percentage of them will heed the Beckoning if it
is successful. While the vampire has no further control
over the beasts who answer, the animals who do are
favorably disposed toward him and are at least willing
to listen to the Kindred’s concerns. (The vampire can
then use Feral Whispers on individual animals to command
them, which may be at a decreased difficulty at
Storyteller discretion.)
System: The player rolls Charisma + Survival (difficulty
6) to determine the response to the character’s
call; consult the table below. Only animals that can
hear the cry will respond. If the Storyteller decides no
animals of that type are within earshot, the summons
goes unanswered.
The call can be as specific as the player desires. A
character could call for all bats in the area, for only the
male bats nearby, or for only the albino bat with the
notched ear he saw the other night.
Successes Result
1 success A single animal responds.
2 successes One-quarter of the animals within
earshot respond.
3 successes Half of the animals respond.
4 successes Most of the animals respond.
5 successes All of the animals respond.

••• Quell the Beast
As the supreme predators of the natural world, Kindred
are highly attuned to the bestial nature that dwells
within every mortal heart. A vampire who develops
this power may assert his will over a mortal (animal or
human) subject, subduing the Beast within her. This
quenches all powerful, strong emotions — hope, fury,
love, fear — within the target. The Kindred must either
touch his subject or stare into her eyes to channel
his will effectively.
Mortals who lack the fire of their inner Beasts are
quite tractable, reacting to even stressful situations
with indifference. Even the most courageous or maddened
mortal becomes apathetic and listless, while an
especially sensitive individual may suffer from a phobic
derangement while under the power’s influence.
Different Clans evoke this power in different ways,
though the effect itself is identical. Tzimisce call it
Cowing the Beast, since they force the mortal’s weaker
spirit to shrivel in fear before the Kindred’s own inner
Beast. Nosferatu refer to it as Song of Serenity, since
they soothe the subject’s Beast into a state of utter
complacency, thus allowing them to feed freely. Gangrel
know the power as Quell the Beast, and force the
mortal spirit into a state of fear or apathy as befits the
individual vampire’s nature.
System: The player rolls Manipulation + Intimidation
if forcing down the Beast through fear, or Manipulation
+ Empathy if soothing it into complacency. The
difficulty of the roll is 7 in either case. This is an extended
action requiring as many total successes as the
target has Willpower. Failure indicates that the player
must start over from the beginning, while a botch indicates
that the vampire may not affect that subject’s
Beast for the remainder of the scene.
When a mortal’s Beast is cowed or soothed, she can
no longer use or regain Willpower. She ceases all struggles,
whether mental or physical. She doesn’t even
defend herself if assaulted, though the Storyteller may
allow a Willpower roll if the mortal believes her life is
truly threatened. To recover from this power, the mortal’s
player rolls Willpower (difficulty 6) once per day
until she accumulates enough successes to equal the
vampire’s Willpower. Kindred cannot be affected by
this power.
Though a vampire’s Beast cannot be cowed with this
ability, the Storyteller may allow characters to use the
“soothing” variation of this power to pull a vampire out
of frenzy. With three or more successes, the frenzying
vampire may roll again to pull herself out of frenzy, using
the same difficulty as the stimulus that caused the
frenzy originally.

•••• Subsume the Spirit
By locking his gaze with that of an animal, the vampire
may mentally possess the creature. Some elders believe
that since animals don’t have souls but spirits, the
vampire can move his own soul into the animal’s body.
Many younger vampires think it a matter of transferring
one’s consciousness into the animal’s mind. In either
case, it’s agreed that the beast’s weaker spirit (or
mind) is pushed aside by the Kindred’s own consciousness.
The vampire’s body falls into a motionless state
akin to torpor while his mind takes control of the animal’s
actions, remaining this way until the Kindred’s
consciousness returns.
Some haughty Tzimisce eschew this power, considering
it debasing to enter the body of a lesser creature.
When they do stoop to using it, they possess only predators.
Conversely, Gangrel revel in connecting to the
natural world in this way. They delight in sampling different
animals’ natures.
System: The player rolls Manipulation + Animal
Ken (difficulty 8) as the character looks into the animal’s
eyes (see sidebar on p. 152). The number of successes
allows the character to employ some mental Disciplines
while possessing the animal, as noted below.
Successes Result
1 success Cannot use Disciplines
2 successes Can use Auspex and other sensory
powers
3 successes Can also use Presence and other
powers of emotional manipulation
4 successes Can also use Dementation,
Dominate, and other powers of
mental manipulation
5 successes Can also use Chimerstry,
Necromancy, Thaumaturgy, and
other mystical powers
This power entwines the character’s consciousness
closely with the animal’s spirit, so much so that the
character may continue to think and feel like that animal
even after breaking the connection. This effect
continues until the character spends a total of seven
nights or three Willpower points to resist and finally
overcome the animal nature. This should be roleplayed,
though the character will be affected to a lesser
degree if the player chooses to spend Willpower.
At the end of any particularly exciting incident during
possession, the player rolls Wits + Empathy (difficulty
8) for the character to retain his own mind. Failure
indicates that the character’s mind returns to his
own body, but still thinks in purely animalistic terms.
A botch returns the character to his body, and also
sends him into frenzy.
The character may travel as far from his own physical
body as he chooses while possessing the animal. The
character retains no conscious connection with his
vampire body during this time, though. The vampire
may also venture out during the day, albeit in the animal’s
body. However, the character’s own body must
be awake to do so, requiring a successful roll to remain
awake (see p. 262). If the character leaves the animal’s
body (by choice, if his body falls asleep, or after sustaining
significant injury), the vampire’s consciousness
returns to his physical form instantaneously.
Although the vampire has no conscious link to his
body while possessing the animal, he does form a sympathetic
bond. Anything the animal feels, the vampire
also experiences, from pleasure to pain. In fact, any
damage the animal’s body sustains is also applied to the
character’s body, though the Kindred body may soak
as normal. If the animal dies before the vampire’s soul
can flee from the body, the character’s body falls into
torpor. Presumably this is in sympathetic response to
the massive trauma of death, but some Kindred believe
that the vampire’s soul is cast adrift during this time
and must find its way back to the body.

••••• Drawing Out the Beast
At this level of Animalism, the Kindred has a keen
understanding of the Beast Within, and is able to release
his feral urges upon another mortal or vampire.
The recipient of the vampire’s Beast is instantly overcome
by frenzy. This is an unnatural frenzy, however,
as the victim is channeling the Kindred’s own fury. As
such, the vampire’s own behavior, expressions, and
even speech patterns are evident in the subject’s savage
actions.
Gangrel and Tzimisce are especially fond of unleashing
their Beasts onto others. Gangrel do so to stir their
ghouls into inspired heights of savagery during combat.
Tzimisce care less about who receives their Beast than
retaining their own composure.
System: The player must announce his preferred target
(since it must be someone within sight, Drawing
Out the Beast cannot be used if the vampire is alone),
then roll Manipulation + Self-Control/Instinct (difficulty
8). Refer to the table below for the results:
Successes Result
1 success The character transfers the Beast, but
unleashes it upon a random
individual.
2 successes The character is stunned by the effort
and may not act next turn, but
transfers the Beast successfully.
Alternatively, the character may act
normally during the turn, but must
spend a Willpower point or suffer a
single level of lethal damage.
3+ successes The character transfers the Beast
successfully.
If the attempt fails, the character himself immediately
enters frenzy. As the character relaxes in expectation
of relieving his savage urges, the Beast takes that
opportunity to dig deeper. In this case, the frenzy lasts
twice as long as normal and is twice as difficult to shrug
off; its severity also increases exponentially. Botching
this roll is even more catastrophic; the heightened
frenzy grows so extreme that not even expending Willpower
curbs its duration or effects. The character is a
hapless victim to the terrible fury of his Beast, and may
well hurl herself into a savage, flesh-rending rampage
that leaves the Masquerade (and unfortunate nearby
onlookers) in tatters.
If the character leaves the target’s presence before
the frenzy expends itself, the vampire loses his Beast,
perhaps permanently. While no longer vulnerable to
frenzy, the character cannot use or regain Willpower
and becomes increasingly lethargic. To recover the
Beast, he must find the person who now possesses it
(who likely isn’t enjoying herself very much) and coax
the Beast into its proper vessel. The most effective way
to do so is to behave in ways that make the Beast want
to return — however, this isn’t a guarantee that it will
wish to do so. Alternatively, the character can simply
kill the host (thus causing the Beast to return to the
vampire immediately).

••••• • Animal Succulence
Most vampires find the blood of animals flat, tasteless,
and lacking in nutritional value. Some Gangrel
and Nosferatu, however, have refined their understanding
of the spirits of such “lesser prey” to the point
that they are able to draw much more sustenance from
beasts than normal Kindred can. This power does not
allow an elder to subsist solely on the blood of animals,
but it does allow him to go for extended periods of time
without taking vitae from humans or other Kindred.
System: No roll is needed; once learned, this power
is always in effect. Animal Succulence allows a character
to count each blood point drawn from an animal as
two in her blood pool. This does not increase the size
of the vampire’s blood pool, just the nutritional value
of animal blood.
Animal Succulence does not allow a character to
completely ignore his craving for the blood of “higher”
prey; in fact, it heightens his desire for “real food.” Every
three times (rounded down) the character drinks
from an animal, a cumulative +1 difficulty is applied
to the next Self-Control/Instinct roll the player makes
when the character is confronted with the possibility
of dining on human or Kindred blood.
Animal Succulence does not increase the blood
point value of the blood of other supernatural creatures
(Gangrel, werecreatures, and so on) who have taken
animal forms, nor does it change the vampire’s feeding
preferences (such as the Ventrue have).

••••• • Shared Soul
This power allows a character to probe the mind of
any one animal she touches. Shared Soul can be very
disconcerting to both parties involved, as each participant
is completely immersed in the thoughts and
emotions of the other. With enough effort or time,
each participant can gain a complete understanding of
the other’s mind. Shared Soul is most often used to
extract an animal’s memories of a specific event, but
some Gangrel use this power as a tool in the search
for enlightenment, feeling they come to a better understanding
of their own Beasts through rapport with
true beasts. Too close of a bond, however, can leave
the two souls entangled after the sharing ends, causing
the vampire to adopt mannerisms, behavior patterns,
or even ethics (or lack thereof) similar to those of the
animal.
System: The character touches the intended subject
creature, and the player rolls Perception + Animal Ken
(difficulty 6). The player spends a Willpower point for
every turn past the first that contact is maintained. Locating
a specific memory takes six turns, minus one turn
for every success on the roll. A complete bond takes 10
turns, minus one turn for every success on the roll. A
botch on this roll may, at the Storyteller’s discretion,
send the vampire into a frenzy or give the character a
derangement related to the behavior patterns of the
animal (extreme cowardice if the vampire contacted
the soul of mouse, bloodlust if the subject was a rabid
dog, and so forth).

••••• • Species Speech
The basic power Feral Whispers (Animalism 1) allows
character to communicate with only one animal
at a time. With Species Speech, a character can enter
into psychic communion with all creatures of a certain
species that are present. Species Speech is most often
used after an application of The Beckoning (Animalism
2), which can draw a crowd of likely subjects.
System: The player rolls Manipulation + Animal
Ken (difficulty 7) to establish contact with the targeted
group of animals. Once the character establishes
contact, the player makes a second roll to issue
commands. There is no practical upper limit on the
number of animals that can be commanded with this
power, although all of the intended subjects must be in
the vampire’s immediate vicinity. Only one species of
animal can be commanded at a time; thus, if a character
is standing in the middle of the reptile house at the
zoo, she could command all of the Komodo dragons,
all of the boa constrictors, or all of the skinks, but she
could not simultaneously give orders to every reptile
or snake present. Species Speech functions much like
Feral Whispers in all other respects.
Note: Players (and Storytellers) shouldn’t get too
wrapped up in species differences like northern diamondback
rattlesnakes and south-eastern diamondback
rattlesnakes. At Storyteller discretion, the expenditure
of an additional Willpower point allows the character’s
commands to extend to members of a similar species to
the one initially commanded.

••••• •• Conquer the Beast
Masters of Animalism have a much greater understanding
of both beasts in general and the Beast in
particular. Those who have developed this power can
master their own Beasts to a degree impossible for lesser
Kindred to attain. Conquer the Beast allows the vampire
both to control her frenzies and to enter them at
will. Some elders say that the development of this power
is one of the first steps on the road to Golconda.
System: The character can enter frenzy at will. The
player rolls Willpower (difficulty 7). Success sends the
character into a controlled frenzy. He can choose his
targets at will, but gains limited Dominate and wound
penalty resistance and Rötschreck immunity as per the
normal frenzy rules (p. 298). A botch on the roll sends
the vampire into an uncontrolled frenzy which Conquer
the Beast may not be used to end.
The player may also roll Willpower (difficulty 9) to
enable the character to control an involuntary frenzy.
In this case, a Willpower point must be spent for every
turn that the vampire remains in frenzy. The player
may make Self-Control/Instinct rolls as normal to end a
frenzy, but if the vampire runs out of Willpower points
before the frenzy ends, he drops into an uncontrolled
frenzy again. A botch on the Willpower roll raises the
difficulty of the vampire’s Self-Control/Instinct rolls by
two and renders Conquer the Beast unusable for the
remainder of the night.

••••• ••• Taunt the Caged Beast
Some Kindred are so attuned to the Beast that they
can unleash it in another individual at will. Vampires
who have developed this power are able to send adversaries
into frenzy with a finger’s touch and the resultant
momentary contact with the victim’s Beast.
The physical contact allows the vampire’s own Beast
to reach out and awaken that of the victim, enraging it
by threatening its territory.
System: The character touches the target. The
player spends a Willpower point and rolls Manipulation
+ Empathy (difficulty 7). The victim makes a
Self-Control/Instinct roll (difficulty 5 + the number
of successes); failure results in an immediate frenzy. A
botch causes the character to unleash his own Beast
and frenzy instead. This power maybe used on those
individuals who are normally incapable of frenzy, sending
ordinary humans into murderous rages worthy of
the most bloodthirsty Brujah berserker.

••••• •••• Unchain the Beast
The self-destructive nature of Cainites can be turned
against them by an elder who possesses this formidable
power. With a glance, the vampire can awaken the
Beasts of her enemies, causing physical injury and excruciating
agony as the victim’s own violent impulses
manifest in physical form to tear him apart from within.
A target of this power erupts into a fountain of blood
and gore as claw and bite wounds from an invisible
source spontaneously tear his flesh asunder.
System: The character makes eye contact (see
p. 152) with the intended victim. The player spends
three blood points and rolls Manipulation + Intimidation
(difficulty of the victim’s Self-Control/Instinct +
4). Each success inflicts one health level of aggravated
damage, which can be soaked normally. A botch inflicts
one health level of lethal damage to the invoking
character for each “1” rolled. This damage can also be
soaked normally.