sisslethecat
Thinbloods. Brujah. The Tremere. These factions of the vampire world lick their lips in the darkest depths of the world of VTM: Bloodlines 2. Not scuttling vermin in the sewers, but not high-class people either. No, they are a rabble in the dirt compared to the beauty and grace of a Toreador.
Obsessed with beauty in all forms, there are those Toreador who would claim that their Clan only chooses the most accomplished artists of each generation – whether they wielded the brush, the pen, their voice, body or mind. It’d only be half a lie. There are true visionaries among the Clan of the Rose, but it also contains its share of one-hit wonders and posers embraced in a moment of fleeting passion. All of them are cursed to spend eternity between the short-lived bliss of true beauty… And the ever-increasing spans of ennui in between. Ever seeking the next surprise, the next experience, the next chance to feel, some Toreador descend into depravity. Others fight grimly to retain the shreds of their humanity, whether by immersing or withdrawing themselves from the mortal world. Among it all, new ideas and trends constantly wash through the Clan, and other Kindred often look to the Toreador to guide them. The Divas know this, and the shrewd among them manage to turn it to their advantage.
PRESENCE
Toreador relish in their ability to turn a crowd into an audience, distraction into rapt attention, and aggression into adoration, by just entering the room. Their signature Discipline of Presence is at the root of this supernatural charm.
• Awe (Blood Cost: 2), the first active Presence power, allows the vampire to strike a pose that freezes all before them into adoring wonder. For a short while after, these new admirers will be oblivious to anything but what they just saw. The • • and • • • • • slots upgrade Awe.
• • • Entrance (Blood Cost: 2), the second active power, forms a group of admirers around the vampire. For an extended period, these hangers-on will follow wherever the object of their adulation may go, distracting nearby enemies along the way. The • • • • and • • • • • slots upgrade Entrance.
Using Presence powers is not a Masquerade Violation.
CELERITY
Some Kindred are faster, dodge more elegantly, and can move with unimaginable grace. They use Celerity, the Discipline of pushing their bodies’ speed beyond mortal imagination.
• Unseen Storm (Blood Cost: 2), the first active, allows the vampire to dash in any direction at such a speed as to confound their audience. They can land attacks, dodge around enemies, or get away in a lazy dust cloud. Characters struck along the way of the dash get knocked down. The • • slot further enhances the Unseen Storm.
• • • Accelerate (Blood Cost: 5), the second active, opens up speeds so fast that everything else in the world appears to slow down to a virtual standstill. The crowds seem frozen in their steps, as the vampire dances between cars and bullet streaks. A more gauche clan might wish for a popular 80’s synth track in the background. The • • • • and • • • • • slots allow the vampire to further improve their acceleration.
Showing off Celerity to innocent mortals is a Masquerade Violation.
I could only assume Toreadors would be one of the clans featured in Bloodlines 2, if for nothing else to hold the aristocratic bureaucracy of the Camarilla together. This clan is more for the player who wishes not to burst in, teeth bared, but rather those who would rather take a step back and… talk someone else into it. Talk your way out of danger (or into place you aren’t meant to be) with seductive influence and flowery language (although that second part comes from being well-read, not a vampire). That isn’t to say they would be useless in a scuffle, but they won’t be blowing people up or throwing a Molotov at them. If you’re more of a lover, a seducer, and prefer style over brutality, then Clan Toreador is for you when Bloodlines 2 releases.
This still leaves two more pack-in clans (fans suspect that more will be available through DLC later down the road), and it’ll be interesting to see which of the remaining five clans get picked. From the sewer demon Nosferatu to the noble Venture, it’s hard to say. Regardless of who makes the cut, I can’t wait to see how Bloodlines 2 handles them, because so far everything has been delightful!
Vampire – The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 releases Q1 2020 across PC (Steam/Epic Games Store/GOG/etc), PS4, and XBO. Look forward to more information as it becomes available!
