Corebook pp. 207-211

A Bestial Failure is a failed roll where at least one die in the Hunger pool shows a 1. The character fails due to the Beast excessively manifesting, or the failure itself causes the Beast to react. When this happens, a Compulsion is gained. In very few cases your character might lose a dot in an Advantage, suffer Aggravated Health Damage such as in resistance rolls, or the Hunger will increase by one. But these are rare outcomes and must be determined with an ST. Keep in mind that Compulsions are not Frenzies: your character retains the ability to think and their urge is sometimes subtle enough that neither the character nor those around them will notice their altered state of mind.

Thinbloods and Caitiff do not suffer from a clan compulsion; the only exception to this is when a TB has the clan curse and may take that clan’s compulsion.

On server: if you roll a Bestial Failure either ask a Storyteller to give you a Compulsion for your scene, or roll a random Compulsion from the table in Corebook page 208.

Standard Compulsions

• Hunger

The character has an insatiable thirst to feed regardless of hunger level; they will do whatever is in their power in order to obtain blood, be it violence, manipulation or outright breaching the Masquerade to beg for blood.

Penalty: 2 dice penalty to pools that do not lead directly to feeding.

Ends: This compulsion ends when the character has slaked at least 1 level of hunger.

• Dominance

The character needs to come out on top, challenging and seeking to win. Their next interaction will turn into a competition, against other people or against their own limits if in a solitary situation.

Penalty: 2 dice penalty to pools that aren’t aimed at establishing dominance and challenging authority.

Ends: The compulsion ends when the vampire has won and gloated over it.

• Harm

The character must harm their target, whether physically, socially, or emotionally. This compulsion is not linked to winning or feeding; rather, it’s harm for harm’s sake.

Penalty: 2 dice penalty to any action not aimed at harming their opponent.

Ends: The compulsion ends when the vampire has incapacitated, destroyed, or driven away their target.

• Paranoia

The Beast feels cornered, vulnerable, hunted, or watched. Suspicion and paranoia creep up on the character, who will attempt to disengage from any perceived threat and reach safety.

Penalty: 2 dice penalty to pools that aren’t about finding immediate shelter.

Ends: The compulsion ends when the vampire has spent about an hour in an environment they deem safe, like their haven or a spot with good visibility.

Clan Compulsions

• Banu Haqim : Judgement (Camarilla book)
• Brujah : Rebellion
• Gangrel : Feral Impulses
• Lasombra : Ruthlessness (Chicago by Night)
• Hecata : Morbidity (Cults of the Blood Gods)
• Malkavian : Delusion
• Ministry : Transgression (Anarch book)
• Nosferatu : Cryptophilia
• Ravnos: Tempting Fate (V5 Companion)
• Salubri: Affective Empathy (V5 Companion)
• Toreador : Obsession
• Tremere : Perfectionism
• Tzimisce: Covetousness (V5 Companion)
• Ventrue : Arrogance