What are the Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 clans? Darkness has returned to Seattle. There are rumblings of war, the political structure is in shambles, and a powerful Elder has awakened: you. However, before you can begin to slake your thirst in this brave new world, you need to choose your allegiances first.
As the curtain slowly but surely ascends on Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2, it’s never too early to start thinking about your fanged protagonist. One of the most important decisions is your Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 clan. Analogous to RPG classes, clans affect how your character behaves in both combat and conversations, so it’s important to choose the one that’s right for you. Here are all the clans in the vampire game sequel confirmed so far, including their powers, values, and passive effects.
All Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 clans
There are six playable Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 clans available at launch:
- Banu Haqim
- Brujah
- Lasombra
- Toreador
- Tremere
- Ventrue
It’s important to note, however, that both the Lasombra and Toreador are only available via the Shadows and Silk DLC pack, which costs $21.99 at launch. This could, in theory, round out the full roster, as the game was initially supposed to have six clans in total. In its ‘RPG and Narrative stream‘ from 2024, The Chinese Room confirmed that an additional clan would “be made available via DLC,” with a second getting its own “unique, standalone DLC” with “a completely unique Seattle story.”
The implication here was, of course, Nosferatu, given their, erm, charming looks and vibrant personalities, but it looks like we won’t be playing as a Hive after all. Plans change, of course, so perhaps we’ll see the roster expand out a bit post-launch – I, for one, would love a standalone Nosferatu adventure so that I can channel my inner Jasper.
Banu Haqim (Difficulty: Hard)
Shrouded in mystery, the Banu Haqim hail from the Middle East where, for years, they were largely left alone. Portrayed as vicious killers who openly practiced Diablerie (effectively stealing another vampire’s ‘soul,’ powers included), in actuality, they strive for eternal justice, using a vast array of melee and magical skills to achieve their goals.
In Bloodlines 2, the Banu Haqim effectively embodies the ‘assassin’ archetype, with The Chinese Room noting that they are “strategic stalkers, using shadows to their advantage.” Expect a lot of stealth-style gameplay, focused around speedy, silent takedowns, which will allow you to infiltrate your destination shrouded in a cloak of shadows.
Clan affinities: Blood Sorcery (blood-based magic), Celerity (super speed and reflexes), Obfuscate (invisibility and shadow control).
| Ability | Description |
| Passive: Silence of Death | All of your actions become entirely silent for a period after feeding. |
| Bladed hand | Slash swiftly in front of you, instantly beheading weaker opponents. |
| Split Second | Move so fast that time appears to stop around you. |
| Mute | Silence an individual so that neither their screams or weapons can be heard by others. |
| Unseen Aura | Become temporarily invisible to enemies and civilians (you can still be heard). |
| Clan Perk: Unseen Passage | Sprinting while crouched triggers a fast prowl, low to the ground. |
Brujah (Difficulty: Medium)
Punch first, and ask questions later. If you’re a fan of all-out brawling and absolute chaos, the Brujah is for you. Having split from the Camarilla (the vampiric governing body that enforces the Masquerade), the Brujah are the primary Anarch faction, focused on tearing down the Ivory Tower’s rules and forging a whole new, freer vampire universe.
The Brujah play like the classic tank or brawler class – they hit hard, and they can soak up a lot of damage. Offering a “brutal melee playstyle,” you’ll be rewarded for doing (and taking) damage. It looks like you’ll have some pretty good crowd control, too, as The Chinese Room hints that you’ll be able to take on at least two enemies at once.
A Brujah version of Phyre is perfect if you want to be in the thick of the fray, and will likely be able to wield a whole arsenal of melee weapons, too.
Clan Affinities: Celerity, Presence (charm and intimidation), Potence (dealing extra damage).
| Ability | Description |
| Passive: Brutality | After feeding, become flush with vampiric strength, temporarily increasing the power of all your melee attacks. |
| Lightning Strike | Target multiple opponents and unleash an unstoppable hail of punches, with the final strike dealing increased damage. |
| Charge | Charge forward with preternatural speed and rage, grabbing an enemy you collide with to use as a battering ram to knock down others in your path. |
| Taunt | Use your supernatural Presence to enrage an opponent or civilian prey, compelling them to attack you. While enraged, the enemy takes more damage. |
| Earthshock | Slam the ground with explosive force, flinging surrounding enemies into the air. Nearby enemies take significant damage. |
| Perk: Spark of Rage | Killing enemies without feeding still activates your Clan Passive. |
Lasombra (Difficulty: Hard)
Having stalked the shadows for thousands of years, the Lasombra are ruthless in their pursuit of power. Once core members of the villainous Sabbat (a violent Kindred faction that believes vampires should reign supreme), they’ve slowly but surely wormed their way into both the Anarchs and Camarilla, with the latter being the more obvious option. Having slithered into every major religious institution, their mastery of the shadows makes them vicious predators, and honestly, that’s why they’re my second-favorite clan in the World of Darkness universe.
In Bloodlines 2, the Lasombra use their aforementioned affinity for the shadows to conceal themselves while they dart around the battlefield. They petrify their foes from afar, use Shadow Step to close the gap, then tear them asunder without a care in the world. Where the Banu Haqim are more about assassination, the Lasombra’s job is to stop you dead, then finish the job with their fists.
Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Oblivion (shadow manipulation and fear), Potence.
| Ability | Description |
| Passive: Shadow Cloak | Feeding on enemies casts you into shadow, making you harder to see for a period. |
| Arms of Ahriman | Strike a thin shadow across the ground. Opponents caught by it will be temporarily trapped in place unless damaged. |
| Shadow Step | Step into your own shadow and swiftly emerge from the shadow of your target. |
| Glimpse of Oblivion | Cause an individual to become afraid, fleeing their post and running from their allies. |
| Enter Oblivion | Cast a broad shadow ahead of you, then temporarily enter a dimension where only you and others touched by the shadow exist. |
| Perk: Stygian Shroud | Prevent mortals from attacking you while feeding. |
Toreador
Grace. Glamor. Glory. The Toreador are the World of Darkness’ artists and celebrities, fashion designers and nightclub owners. Using their powers of persuasion to manipulate others into doing their will, if their flirting doesn’t work, they’re as fast as lightning and just as deadly, zipping around the battlefield and ripping out hearts faster than you could say ‘please don’t.’ As my all-time favorite clan, I’m very excited that they’ve been added to the Bloodlines 2 roster.
Easily my favorite clan to play in-game (you can check out my full preview here), you’ll be smooching enemies and turning them against each other, while raining down blows at the speed of light. Your job is to schmooze and bamboozle, and look good doing it. Close-quarters combat is the name of the game here, so make sure you’re ready for a fight.
| Ability | Description |
| Passive: Cat’s Grace | Move faster after feeding. |
| Entrancing Kiss | Kiss an individual to Entrance them for a period, making them an ally that will defend you from others. The weaker the will of the target, the longer they’ll be Entranced. |
| Blink | Instantly dash to a targeted location. |
| Beckon | Put an individual in a docile trance where they will walk to where they last saw you. |
| Blurred Momentum | Temporarily boost your reflexes, allowing you to evade damage. |
| Fleetness | Relocate abilities will recharge over tme. |
Tremere (Difficulty: Medium)
Cooky and spooky, the Tremere are the World of Darkness’ primary mage class, concerned with all things blood sorcery, and arcane. With their Vienna Chantry destroyed the clan is scattered, often providing their magical services to the Camarilla, or hunting down artifacts of occult value. Distrusted by many, they remain aloof outcasts, but their raw power commands respect.
In Bloodlines 2, the Tremere primarily deal ranged damage, but can certainly hold their own in hand-to-hand brawls. To quote The Chinese Room, “the playstyle is rewarding when keeping your distance in combat, making enemies scream in agony as you boil their blood, shaping your own vitae into projectiles, or even ripping the blood from their veins.”
Clan affinities: Blood Sorcery, Dominate (mind control).
| Ability | Description |
| Passive: Corrosive Touch | The bodies of enemies slain by feeding will dissolve away. |
| Blood Curse | Place a curse on an opponent. The next time they take damage, their body will swell up and explode. Stronger opponents will take significantly longer to curse. |
| Recall | Mark your current position. Use again to return to that position. |
| Cauldron of Blood | Boil a person’s blood from the inside. Their horrified screams will draw others close. |
| Blood Salvo | Conjure a set of blood daggers that can be thrown with Telekenesis. |
| Perk: Blood of Potence | Feeding will recharge an additional blood pip for a random ability. |
Ventrue (Difficulty: Easy)
High-flying business people, royalty, celebrities – the Ventrue is the Clan of Kings. Think capitalism embodied, the ruthless CEO, the tyrant; that’s what being a Blue Blood embodies. Largely on the side of the Ivory Tower, my VTM fifth edition codex describes them as “the establishment,” and that’s exactly what they are.
The Ventrue are perhaps Bloodlines 2’s most complex clan to describe. Where the Banu Haqim and Brujah use their melee talents, and the Tremere channel blood magic, the Ventrue are masters of manipulation. Using OG Disciplines like Dominate and Presence, they awe their foes and bend them to their will, turning them against one another and using them as pawns. If you love to watch the chaos from afar and then play clean-up crew, the Ventrue are absolutely the clan for you.
Clan affinities: Dominate, Presence.
| Ability | Description |
| Passive: Flesh of Marble | Feeding hardens your skin, making you highly resistant to damage. |
| Terminal Decree | Use the strength of your will to command a mortal to kill themselves. Vampires will be staggered and disarmed. |
| Possession | Possess an opponent to see through their eyes and control their movement for a period. While possessed, the target can be commanded to attack another person. |
| Cloud Memory | Cause a target to forget you were there, putting them into a relaxed state. |
| Mass Manipulation | Subdue enemies within view, preventing them from attacking. Ventrue and Affect abilities will apply to all subdued opponents while mass manipulation is activated. |
| Resilience | Increase the amount of health restored by feeding. |
While you wait for the Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 release date, we have a list of loads of other upcoming PC games for you to sink your fangs into in the meantime.