Succumbing to the Beast
Frenzy is described beginning on page 297 of the Vampire: 20th Edition core book. The following information is in addition to that information and clarifying it, plus providing a quick-guide for difficulties.
The beast is a part of you, but it is a creature with a sentience all its own, although it is feral. It is, at its most basic, a version of you without morals or consideration of consequences, flavored ultimately by your nature.
The ultimate desire of your beast within a frenzy does not have to be the murder of the target (although often it is). It can be anything from subjugation to an apology to utter humiliation. When you enter frenzy, ask yourself ‘what do I want out of this?’ and tell your ST in the scene. Keep in mind any action you choose to do in Frenzy may be overridden by the Storyteller, asking for a willpower point in order to perform that action if they deem it inappropriate to your beast.
Contrary to popular belief, frenzying Cainites do not kill the closest person to them. If a frenzy is borne out of anger at another person not in the room, the Cainite is much more likely to ignore social hierarchy to force the person to come to them. Your beast is not a machine without will; it is a reactive animal with instincts. Keep in mind the statement in the book is that the character does “exactly what she wants to do with no worries of later repercussions”.
EXAMPLE SCENE:
Your mortal lover, heretoafter referred to as Lover, who doesn’t know the nature of your vampirism is in a room with you, and someone you really hate, heretoafter referred to as Sniper, calls you up. Sniper says they have a gun pointed at your lover’s head and you have 10 seconds to react. You fail your frenzy test. It is more likely for you to turn into a bear suddenly and kidnap Lover by wrapping yourself around them than it is for you to outright kill them.
On the other hand, if the words were “I had sex with her last night”, you get violently jealous and kill Lover, because your anger is based on the betrayal—and even if you would rather not kill her, your beast would.
Social Persecution
Unlike the Camarilla, the Sabbat glorify in frenzy. A frenzying Cainite is a Cainite at its peak of predatory performance… until, of course, it steps on the wrong toes.
Sabbat members don’t have to worry about frenzying near other Sabbat members, but they do need to worry about being a jerk to the wrong, more powerful member of the faction. Actions you take in frenzy are just as much a responsibility you hold as when you are not.
Instinct vs. Self-Control
In a self-control frenzy, you have already lost the war. No amount of control can be exerted without spending a willpower for it. Your beast is in control and it does not care what you want; it wants that thing subjugated. You won’t leave the frenzy until you succeed at your task or proper stimuli (a begging of forgiveness might even do; ST discretion) is administered, unless you are incapacitated in some manner. (Locked away or held useless can count over the course of some amount of time.)
Instinct is different. If the difficulty of the frenzy is higher than your instinct rating, you frenzy. If it is lower, you may choose not to. Inside this frenzied state, if you want to take action that does not match what the beast desires, you make an instinct roll against the difficulty of the frenzy and implement that action.
The State of Frenzy
When in Frenzy, your beast is not stupid, although your beast tends toward the most easy and straight-forward tactics. Someone in frenzy is unlikely, for example, to try to "Theft of Vitae" another Cainite if they have a justifiably murderous claw attack. The beast will not "Majesty" a room to give itself tactical advantage unless it is in response to dangerous stimuli. It will not leave and disappear so you can sneak around behind that guy and stab him.
But it will adjust tactics and attempt to be the most murderously efficient it can. It may start out using all 5 of its celerity actions, but the next round realize that it doesn't have enough of a pool to hit you if it uses it that way. In the end, it is always up to ST discretion whether an action is "too sophisticated" for your beast, but in general, your beast will use direct attack actions and not control or tactical maneuvers.
In order to take tactical advantage in an instinct frenzy, you must roll your instinct rating for the action. Self-Control frenzies do not have this option. Both Self-Control and Instinct followers may blow a willpower to resist the frenzy for a turn and take whatever action they choose. Sometimes if you declare your action, the ST will request a willpower/instinct check to perform it if it is out of the purview of your beast's methods.
Hunger and Virtues
A Cainite is considered "hungry" at 7 blood minus self control/instinct rating, in general, although some powers leave a Cainite feeling 'hungry', as well. Hunger Frenzy difficulties are variable, depending on the situation, so all 'difficulties' mentioned below are the lowest they go.
If your beast is hungry, they will drink until they diablerize. Without exerting control, your beast naturally is inclined to consume their target completely.
Your virtues are capped by the amount of blood in your body, so if you have less than 5 blood in your system, it will cap the amount of dice you have in Self-Control/Instinct, Conscience/Conviction, and Courage. 2 blood means that you may only roll 2 dice at max, no matter what the score is normally.
Benefits of Frenzy
- Ignore Wound Penalties
- +2 Dif to all effects to mentally/emotionally control a frenzying character.
- -2 Dif to resist all mental/emotional controls
- Never has to spend willpower to accomplish a feat (Example: You need not spend a Willpower to make the courage roll to resist Majesty. You need not spend a Willpower to ignore the effects of a Blood Bond, etc.)
- Immune to Rotschrek
Frenzy Difficulties
Reason / Difficulty
Smell of blood (when hungry) 3 (or higher in extreme cases)
Sight of blood (when hungry) 4 (or higher in extreme cases)
Taste of blood (when hungry) 6 (or higher in extreme cases)
Being harassed 4
Example: Another Cainite calls you weak to your face as an individual.
Life-threatening situation 4
Example: A werewolf is in Elysium to attack the Cainite there.
Malicious taunts 4
Example: An entire pack calls you and yours disloyal to the Sabbat. They goad you and call you a disgrace.
Physical provocation 6
Example: Someone punches you in the face or shoves you from behind
Loved one in danger 7
Example: Someone calls you on the phone and tells you that your packmate is about to be mauled by werewolves
Outright public humiliation 8
Example: The Archbishop strips you of status without warning in front of the city.
