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 an old, powerful elder – you – has just awakened, bound by mysterious, bizarre magic. This is Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.
It’s been a long 20 years, so you may be a little rusty on all things World of Darkness. As the curtain slowly but surely ascends on Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 and our shadowy protagonists slither into the light, here are all the clans you’ll be able to choose from in the sequel to one of the best vampire games ever made.
All Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 clans
The four Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 clans you can choose from at launch are:
- Banu Haqim
- Brujah
- Tremere
- Ventrue
There will, however, be six clans in total, with more set to be added as part of DLCs. The first DLC is described as “giving you a new way to experience the main game,” while the second offers “a completely unique Seattle story.” The former gives us more mainline clan vibes, so perhaps Toreador, whereas the latter feels very much like a hint at a Nosferatu DLC – after all, these repulsive yet stealthy predators spend more of their time underground, and that feels like a very different perspective in itself.
Banu Haqim
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 infiltrate your destination shrouded in a cloak of shadows.
Brujah
Punch things, 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.
Tremere
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 are the classic ranged DPS, firing off blood-based projectiles from afar. 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.”
If you want to know more about Tremere, have a read of our first impressions from our Bloodlines playthrough, in which we played as the ranged clan.
Ventrue
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, where they can then feed from them to build Fortitude and, in turn, resistance to attacks.
So sure, the Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 release date may be a way off, but that gives you a whole lot of time to embrace (pun intended) the World of Darkness. While you wait, though, we have a list of loads of other upcoming PC games for you to sink your fangs into in the meantime.