Tim Bradstreet is an American artist and illustrator, best known for his work on comic books, book covers, movie posters, role-playing games, and trading cards. His artwork for White Wolf and Onyx Path publications, particularly for Vampire: The Masquerade, has garnered critical acclaim.

Tim Bradstreet

Jesper Myrfors is a Swedish artist and game designer. He was the original art director for Magic: The Gathering and has contributed to various role-playing games, including Vampire: The Masquerade. His work has significantly influenced the visual style of the game.

Jesper Myrfors

Attila Adorjany is a Hungarian artist whose work has appeared in comics, video games, film, TV, and role-playing games, including Vampire: The Masquerade. His art has contributed to the game's rich visual narrative.

Attila Adorjany

Brom is an American artist known for his dark fantasy and horror illustrations. He has contributed to various role-playing games, including Vampire: The Masquerade, with his distinctive style adding depth to the game's atmosphere.

Brom

Players at a table playing Vampire typically create characters together at the same time. Starting with a character concept, each player chooses a vampire clan, the ancient bloodline they belong to. The rebellious Brujah, seductive Toreador, monstrous Nosferatu, mad Malkavian, noble Ventrue and many more might have sired your vampire. Then you detail your character with attributes, skills, vampiric powers, hunting style, advantages, flaws, and connections to both human and vampire society. All of this produces a complex web of relationships between the player characters and their connected NPCs, which will be the driving force behind your chronicle’s play!

How do you make a character for Vampire: The Masquerade 5e?

Vampire uses ten-sided dice, or d10s, exclusively.

What Dice do you need for Vampire the Masquerade?

Tabletop Roleplaying Games can cover an impressive range of topics and styles, including violence, horror, romance, and many many more! However, if there are specific themes or content that you’re uncomfortable with, let your group and GM know before the game, and have an open conversation about these topics. Any group worth playing with should be respectful and understanding of your concerns and the game can be adjusted so everyone is having fun. Many tables also use “Safety Tools” which help ensure that these conversations are handled easily, and everyone has a voice at the table.

What if I'm not comfortable with certain themes or content in Vampire: The Masquerade?

Knowing every rule of the game may be helpful to some, but many players will learn the game as they play! If you want to read the rules ahead of time you absolutely can, but if you are a hands-on learner you can also just start playing, and if there is something you don’t understand never be afraid to ask questions, because everyone starts somewhere!

Do I need to know all the rules before I can play Vampire: The Masquerade?

Obviously this will vary from table to table, but here are some good places to start! If your game is played in person, most likely you will want to get a set of dice, something to write with, and paper to take notes. If your game is hosted online instead, you will probably need to make accounts on a few sites for things like character sheets, access to the Virtual Tabletop for maps and tokens, and sites like Discord or Zoom for video/voice calls during the session. You won't always need to have the rulebooks to start, but if you want to read through them to make sure you know all the rules, this might also be a good option.

What supplies do I need to play Vampire: The Masquerade?

Vampire: the Masquerade is played with ten-sided dice. When a player character faces a challenge, they gather a “pool” of these dice based on their relevant attribute and skill corresponding to their approach, then roll them against a target number. Each die which meets or exceeds this target number is a success, with greater numbers of successes meaning a greater degree of success. Characters might have specialties or flaws which help or hinder them, and in Vampire, players must also manage their character’s Humanity as they drift farther into their monstrous urges, as well as their Hunger the longer they go without feeding.

How to play Vampire: the Masquerade

My Vampire the Masquerade 5th edition chronicle is ran at the request of a couple of players who previously sat at my online table. Needing a break from DnD, they wanted something steeped with more social conflict and mythology and less focused on combat. VtM has met and surpassed their expectations, giving the players opportunities to explore how their character would feel about situations and how to resolve conflicts within the coterie (party) and outside of it without resulting to violence (at least not with more than a bite of it). From sending Whisker Wire messages through Chicago's network of rats to listening to the late night radio program the Bloodline, my players have gotten to see a modern world with dark shadows and enjoy an entirely different gaming experience.

Andrew M. "Fish" Popowich

I've been Running VtM for years and the system does a great job on bringing about the "feel" you would expect. There are a lot of books that cover various aspects of the lore of Vampires as well as mechanics to bring that lore to life in your games. You can run into the issue of that according to the Lore all vampires are inherently selfish and self-serving, which can make a cooperative TTRPG difficult if the players play into that. However that can easily be addressed in a Session 0, and as long as players and Storytellers on the same page you can have some amazing games in this system

Dylan

This is a very different type of RPG than a traditional dungeon crawler. Set in the real world, this is a game about intrigue, internal politics, and ethical decision-making. There are over 20 years of lore to draw from. With the latest edition of the ruleset, the timeline is pushed forward to accommodate the widespread use of cell phones, smart devices, social media, and government surveillance. I highly recommend playing a different style of game, where the rules complement the roleplaying instead of driving it.

DM Greg

I've been playing and GMing Vampire, both tabletop and LARP, since 2001.  It was my first roleplaying game, and I still love it today.  The V5 system speaks to The Monster Within more than any other version system did previously, baking the vampire's hunger directly into every dice roll, as well as an urge to do The Bad Thing should things go particularly awry.  Lore-wise, the core game has brought itself into the 21st Century in a way I find incredibly satisfying.  As with previous editions, the core rulebook's layout suffers from organizational issues.  Thankfully, Demiplane, the official Vampire: the Masquerade character creator, makes this process a lot easier.  While the character creation process may seem daunting to someone coming in brand-new to roleplaying games, or even from level-based play like you would see in games like Dungeons & Dragons, I love it because the process itself is a journey that informs the character as you go.  It calls upon the player to ask themselves "Who is this person I am creating and portraying?"

For those looking for personal horror, political intrigue, and an escape into a world that is not so very different from our own, I would highly recommend Vampire: the Masquerade.

As someone who played VtM during the old White Wolf days, a lot of people told me that this edition lost out on some important lore and mechanics. Having played it, I think the perspective has changed- this game is about vampires, but ones closer to humanity than older editions. This is a great game for rising from the bottom to the top, exploring how people deal with loss of control and being forced into a new worlds, and tracking a glorious downfall of someone as they grow in power but weaken in ethics. The newest edition is focused on the players and their rise, which is one of my favorite progression paths. If the core rulebook wasn't so poorly arranged, I would give it 5 stars, every time.

Ross

"Hey kid, want some trauma?" is the standard statement to cover the best of World of Darkness.
In Vampire the Masquarade you get to play as a (Blood) thirsty vampire in a world where everything that bumps in the night is either out to get you or employ you for less than market value.
You get to pick your Clan (the kool-aid flavor running trough your veins) and try to navigate a new political landscape, usually between the shadow government Camarilla or the leather jacket, Molotov mocktails and very hot (headed) Anarch movement, unleashing vampire super powers and trauma upon all your enemies while maintaining your grasp on your humanity.
Whether you want to play as a hot aristocratic Alucard with sire issues, a chaos goblin with homicidal intent or a deeply traumatized YA romance novel protagonist this is the system for you!

Theologicalbear

Vampire The Masquerade 5th Edition is a rich game with mechanics tailored towards telling stories about monsters grappling with and fighting for their humanity, or worse abandoning it altogether in the pursuit of their ambitions and desires. It is a game about choice and consequence that empowers both players and storytellers to make meaningful decisions that shape the outcome of the narrative and truly feels like a collaborative effort.

It falls short however in that it only excels at telling one kind of story: largely street level vampires clawing out a place for themselves in the world and reckoning with themselves. For those experienced with previous editions or who come from games of heroic fantasy the hunger system may seem frustrating, and find themselves feeling unfairly punished for messy criticals and beastial failures on otherwise mundane activities. They may also take issue with playing the role of a nearly powerless person who may have to either compromise their ideals or fight tooth and nail any advancement. So while of this offers interesting narrative turns, it still takes a wise storyteller to know how to adjust these elements for the sake of narrative and players willing to fully immerse themselves in the kinds of stories this game aims to tell.

However if everyone involved can accept that everything in this system, from the background selected, the convictions chosen and even the simple choice of deciding to blood surge are all acts of storytelling taken by player and ST alike, then they will find themselves deeply immersed in the world and their games.

X Da Storyteller

The game rules do a good job of establishing a dark world where the characters are weak and have to maneuver through the darkness. The session 0 rules are among the best in the market and the clans create classic character archetypes. However, it requires a lot of hard work to tell a story that is fun within the system and players have to be willing to hand over control of their characters very frequently. The rules very frequently had holes or blank spots that made playing the game less fun. As a player, you don't have very many options to shift the dice in your favor because of the hunger system. The hunger system can be used interestingly or it can be boring depending on the playgroup and while I like the theme of it, the game itself is almost too restrictive in how it controls the PCs. I would recommend the game to a group that has a strong interest in roleplaying and sandboxes but suggest other options if you want mechanical complexity or more straightforward storytelling.

Brandon Paul

Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition is a perfect blend of personal horror and political intrigue. The Hunger system, creates an immersive and tense experience that constantly reminds players of their vampiric nature and moral struggle. Although you might be able to punch a hole into a concrete wall, you also have to maintain the facade of being a mortal otherwise it can attract even more dangerous foes to your doorstep. Playing haunted characters never felt so good!

That_DeAngelo

The 5th edition World of Darkness systems (Werewolf 5th and Hunter 5th included) beautifully prioritize character-driven storytelling, moral dilemmas, and social intrigue over combat mechanics, making it a dream for anyone who thrives on creating rich, narrative experiences.

In Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition, the Hunger mechanic is a standout feature that immerses players in the eternal struggle of their character. Those rolls reflect your character’s fragile humanity and the perilous decisions they must make under the shadow of the Beast, or becoming a monster of the night.
 
If you’re someone who loves heavy RP and storytelling that resonates long after the session ends, this edition is a must-play. Highly recommend!

DuChampion (JJ)

A monster I am lest a monster I become.

I started playing Vampire: The Masquerade 2nd Edition back in the 90s, captivated by its dark atmosphere, focus on storytelling, and the deep exploration of personal horror. Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition (V5) has brought that same experience into a modern light, refining the rules while keeping the heart of the game intact. The emphasis on narrative and atmosphere remains front and center, with mechanics that enhance storytelling rather than distract from it. The Hunger dice system is a standout addition, constantly reminding players of their Beast within and making the act of feeding both tense and narratively rewarding.

One thing V5 does particularly well is balance. The overpowered characters and abilities of earlier editions—while nostalgic—have been reined in, creating a much more grounded and balanced experience. Disciplines are still powerful but feel more deliberate, and the focus on Humanity and Chronicle Tenets ensures characters face meaningful moral choices. This isn’t about who can win in a fight; it’s about navigating the social and political minefield of Kindred society while holding onto what little remains of your humanity. Combat exists, but it wisely takes a backseat to intrigue, roleplay, and personal horror.

As a Game Master, I love how V5 gives me the tools to create rich, immersive stories. Chronicle Tenets and Touchstones anchor characters to their moral struggles, while the streamlined rules make gameplay smooth and atmospheric. Whether it’s navigating vampire politics, unraveling mysteries, or dealing with the consequences of succumbing to the Hunger, every session feels like a slow descent into darkness. V5 refines what made Vampire great while addressing past imbalances, making it my go-to system for deep, story-driven roleplay. It’s a modern take on a classic game that keeps the focus exactly where it should be: on the story, the choices, and the horror of being a monster.

GM Chris

I've been a huge fan of Vampire: The Masquerade for years. I first started by playing in a LARP based on the Revised rules, and have played through each version (including Requiem, the Chronicles of Darkness version) and thoroughly love the personal horror aspect of the game. Unlike other games where you're more often than not playing a hero, Vampire isn't about the world or larger themes, but often about your journey being a monster, with your humanity being the victim of your actions more often than not.

I've run both LARP and tabletop versions of v20 and 5th Edition for quite some time now, and I will say that while 5th Edition was a big step for me to take (personally ... YMMV) I've developed an appreciation for the current edition as it takes a lot of the game and boils it down into a bit easier to digest compared to the info-dump that exists with previous editions.

Adam, dba Legend Weaver

Vampire: The Masquerade presents a more dramatic, contemplative world than most tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs). While the average TTRPG experience is a Dungeons & Dragons inspired one (fighting monsters and getting treasure), Vampire is about simply surviving and keeping a piece of yourself intact. Players in Vampire become the titular mythological figure in a version of our modern world. And while near-immortality and superpowers seems cool, they come at the cost of existing in a secret society where hunters and other clans are out to get you. And there’s also the whole hungering for blood thing. In a typical Vampire game, holding onto humanity is just as tough as fending off foes.