Fans ofVampire: The Masquerade -Bloodlines 2will likely know that the game takes its roots fromVampire: The Masquerade, a TTRPG from folks at Onyx Path Publishing. Players excited to get their hands onBloodlines 2will have to wait for its eventual release, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play the TTRPG that started it all. InVTM, players become a part of The World of Darkness, a universe where supernatural creatures such as vampires influence the way the world works.
RELATED:10 RPGs With The Most Impressive Customization Options
Interestingly, gamers can get a taste of whatBloodlines 2can offer them by playing a bit of the TTRPG. Moreover,Vampire: The Masqueradehas a rich history spanning five editions, going back as far as 1991. For new players ofVTMinterested in comparing it toBloodlines 2, here are some highlights to take note of:
10The Game: No hassle of worldbuilding
Bloodlines 2takes place in Seattle, nights after the Mass Embrace. This Embrace breaches the Masquerade, a tenet that forces vampires to maintain their “humanity” amongst humans. The player character gets turned into a Thinblood due to this Embrace. Unlike other vampires, Thinbloods belong to a generation too far from Caine, the Creator, that their powers are almost insignificant.
This premise already sparks a lot of tension in the Kindred of Seattle, which itself has five warring factions. Not to mention, this game premise already setsBloodlines 2apart from other supernatural games due to its tense introduction. A lot of factors already interplay in the premise, which makes for an exciting in-game experience. Unlike the TTRPG,Bloodlines 2has a set universe for players, saving them the hassle of making one from scratch.
9The TTRPG: Share terror with friends
TTRPGs gains a lot of fans thanks to its power to help friends make stories. Regardless if it’sD&DorVTM, TTRPGs can transform a mundane world into a vehicle of imagination thanks to creative players and dynamic storylines. UnlikeBloodlines 2, players and Storytellers can shape theirVTMcampaign into whatever they like depending on how players bring life to their characters.
Bloodlines 2has the advantage of accessibility, as players can justpop in the gameand play a story. However,VTMrelies on players and Storytellers to transform their setting into an unforgettable story they can call their own. Thanks to the Storyteller System,VTMprioritizes roleplaying than dice rolls. This system lets players craft their stories without being restrained by their dice rolls.
8The Game: Take Part In The Action
InBloodlines 2, players obtain different Disciplines or vampire powers that let them wreak havoc or protect themselves. These powers come in the form of superhuman strength (Potence), speed (Celerity), telekinesis (Mentalism), among others. As anopen-world game, players can use these Disciplines stealthily. Likewise, they always have an option to make their presence known and eliminate anyone who turns against them.
In the game, players showing vampiric powers in public break the Masquerade. Players who often break the Masquerade will likely scare people into hiding, therefore not having enough supply of blood for their abilities. In extreme cases, the authorities and other vampires will hunt the players down. These elements makeBloodlines 2into a potentially-grueling and brutal RPG.
7The TTRPG: Define The Action
Disciplines inBloodlines 2allow players to explore the complete breadth and depth of their vampiric abilities. However, the TTRPG gives more flexible options for players who wish to demonstrate their Discipline to their peers. Thanks to the Storyteller System, Disciplines inVTMsessions have different “ranks,” with each rank enabling them to do various things.
RELATED:10 Best Combat Systems In RPGs, Ranked
For comparison, Celerity inBloodlines 2endows players with the superhuman speed they can use in battle. However, Celerity in the TTRPG also enhances a vampire’s reaction time and capability to do various physical feats.
When used creatively, Celerity can mesmerize unsuspecting crowds or help observe parts of the environment quickly. Other Disciplines offer creative uses of their abilities, encouraging players to maximize them to the fullest.
6The Game: Complete One Of Many Stories
Bloodlines 2has a set story, where players have to explore Seattle in the hopes of unraveling the truth behind the Mass Embrace that made them in the first place. This premise already teases a lot of options for players. For instance, they may join one of five factions that have a stake in Seattle’s Kindred population - from the Pioneers that struggles to maintain its former glory, to the Camarilla that wants to uphold the Masquerade.
Unlike the TTRPG, players simply have to play throughBloodlines 2or eventhe first gamea couple more times to get to know different outcomes of their decisions. In the TTRPG, players only get one shot of playing through the story, as forcing the Storyteller for “many playthroughs” can be exhausting.
5The TTRPG: Finish A Story In Their Own Terms
TTRPGs attract a lot of players due to the creative freedom it offers them in every session. Unlike video games, TTRPGs offer players a lot of options to approach a single situation. WhileVTMcharacters can’t go back to decisions they make in the campaign, this caveat gives players a lot of responsibility while playing. Their characters aren’t obliged to stick to dialogue or proceed to fight opponents. Rather,VTMencourages players to get creative with the way they tackle challenges.
RELATED:10 Of The Best Modern-Day CRPGs, Ranked
For instance, dealing with the Prince of a city can be done in many ways. Whereas players have the option to fight them inBloodlines 2(survival not guaranteed),VTMplayers can approach this Prince more creatively. Some can try to seduce him, give him gifts, or even start forging alliances. They can also bypass him altogether and just join another faction.
4The Game: Horror Visualized
Gamers have to admit, playing a video game can be extremely immersive. Not to mention, Paradox and Hardsuit Labs did a great job giving visual justice to concepts originally found inVTM. As a result, players now have the ability to see for themselves the many Disciplines and blood-curdling scenes they just describe in sessions.
Thanks to the graphical fidelity of video games,Bloodlines 2offers an extremely realistic rendition of how aVTMsession can play in real life. Aside from the game itself, players and fans of the TTRPG find themselves excited as to how the game will portray the many vampire clans and factions in a different story.
3The TTRPG: Personalized Terror
There’s a thrill in not seeing exactly how character actions play out in TTRPGs, as everything will be left to player imagination. In the case of horror TTRPGs such asVTM, players have to rely on their imaginations to visualize the many horrors their Storytellers describe to them. Just how bloody is a feeding frenzy of a vampire that succumbs to The Beast? Exactly what do Tremere sacrifice in their blood magic rituals? How do Tzimisce transform their flesh into an “elevated” state?
All these descriptions can be visceral and gory, but they can be extremely terrifying when players themselves imagine these in their heads. It’s this power of the imagination that no graphics chip can defeat.
2The Game: A World Come To Life
Bloodlines 2brings players to its twisted version of a living and breathing Seattle. While players know they’re interacting with AI and NPCs programmed to say certain things, this does save them the trouble of building characters from scratch. As a result, gamers can just create their characters and play through theBloodlines 2campaign - easy peasy.
UnlikeVTM,Bloodlines 2already transports player characters into a Seattle they can interact with. There’s no need to plan for interactions and sessions as everything is pre-programmed into the game.
1The TTRPG: The World Is Their Oyster
UnlikeBloodlines 2, players define not just their characters, but the game itself. While Storytellers can form the most complex campaign settings, players have the power to transform these same settings into fun or dark worlds. Actions and dialogue they impart to the story can form fun memories and horrifying tales that no video game can match.
Compared to the game,VTMlets players star in their own action films, or be a survivor in a slasher flick. The world is their oyster, and they can be any kind of vampire they want to be.
NEXT:Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 10 Things We Already Know About AC 2020
