The Toreador are here for Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 as the latest clan that will be stalking the streets when Bloodlines 2 launches
Here we go with the next clan that will be available in Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 as the Toreador are coming front and center. Not the biggest surprise as this would be another of the more common and easier clans for Hardsuit Labs to bring into the game. I have a feeling this is going to be the call almost every time we have a new update for Bloodlines 2. Fans of the tabletop version of the game will understand what I mean by all of this. Even if their clan weakness would be one of the more difficult to implement given that they become overly infatuated with works of art and that would make for a boring game if you did choose to go with this clan.
In an interesting twist, this does bring up a new mechanic for Bloodlines 2 in the way of Willpower. In the tabletop game, it is used to overcome the clan’s weakness and do any number of other extraordinary things in the game. Also to activate certain powers of the vampires. It will be present in the game here too and will be something we can spend and regain. Leading to the Toreador weakness being that they do not regain willpower when away from large populations of humans. This also leads me to think that we will be traveling in Bloodlines 2 or this will be a pointless thing to have in the game. I guess we will see once we have actual gameplay and more than just clans to go on.
That all said, we also have a nice little word on the disciplines the Toreador will have in the game. Obviously, they will have Celerity, like the Brujah, which is the super speed for those just joining us. They will also have Presence in Bloodlines 2 as their other discipline. This would be a supernatural charisma on the verge of mind control. You can see a little bit of a look at it in the following trailer, but it is rather limited and small for now.
Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 — Toreador
From its music, gardens and parks, and iconic architecture, it would almost appear as though Seattle was shaped by artists. And with good reason — two of Seattle’s former Princes were Toreador, and they remain one of the most numerous Kindred in the city. Influencing the political, social, and cultural elite, the Toreador have been well entrenched within Seattle’s power structure since its days as a pioneer settlement. One look at the modern landscape of Downtown could paint a different picture — as if the massive cranes reshaping the city represent hands plucking the petals off of the rose. Another music venue gets demolished, a block of cookie-cutter townhouses replaces a mid-century modern home, an eccentric district becomes a family-friendly shadow of itself. You will still find the Toreador on the arms of the influential and on the dance floor of exclusive clubs, but there is a sense that this clan is partying like it’s their last.
Obsessed with beauty in all forms, there are those Toreador who would claim that their Clan only chooses the most accomplished artists of each generation — whether they wielded the brush, the pen, their voice, body or mind. It’d only be half a lie. There are true visionaries among the Clan of the Rose, but it also contains its share of one-hit wonders and posers embraced in a moment of fleeting passion. All of them are cursed to spend eternity between the short-lived bliss of true beauty… And the ever-increasing spans of ennui in between. Ever seeking the next surprise, the next experience, the next chance to feel, some Toreador descend into depravity. Others fight grimly to retain the shreds of their humanity, whether by immersing or withdrawing themselves from the mortal world. Among it all, new ideas and trends constantly wash through the Clan, and other Kindred often look to the Toreador to guide them. The Divas know this, and the shrewd among them manage to turn it to their advantage.
Presence
Toreador relish in their ability to turn a crowd into an audience, distraction into rapt attention, and aggression into adoration, by just entering the room. Their signature Discipline of Presence is at the root of this supernatural charm.
• Awe (Blood Cost: 2), the first active Presence power, allows the vampire to strike a pose that freezes all before them into adoring wonder. For a short while after, these new admirers will be oblivious to anything but what they just saw. The • • and • • • • • slots upgrade Awe.
• • • Entrance (Blood Cost: 2), the second active power, forms a group of admirers around the vampire. For an extended period, these hangers-on will follow wherever the object of their adulation may go, distracting nearby enemies along the way. The • • • • and • • • • • slots upgrade Entrance.
Using Presence powers is not a Masquerade Violation.
Celerity
Some Kindred are faster, dodge more elegantly, and can move with unimaginable grace. They use Celerity, the Discipline of pushing their bodies’ speed beyond mortal imagination.
• Unseen Storm (Blood Cost: 2), the first active, allows the vampire to dash in any direction at such a speed as to confound their audience. They can land attacks, dodge around enemies, or get away in a lazy dust cloud. Characters struck along the way of the dash get knocked down. The • • slot further enhances the Unseen Storm.
• • • Accelerate (Blood Cost: 5), the second active, opens up speeds so fast that everything else in the world appears to slow down to a virtual standstill. The crowds seem frozen in their steps, as the vampire dances between cars and bullet streaks. A more gauche clan might wish for a popular 80’s synth track in the background. The • • • • and • • • • • slots allow the vampire to further improve their acceleration.
Showing off Celerity to innocent mortals is a Masquerade Violation.
Are you at all surprised that the Toreador will be showing up in Bloodlines 2 or did you think they would sit this one out? Did you think that they were going to get Auspex as their other power or does this just show we are getting a combat ability with a social one for each character? What will be the next clan we can look forward to and will it be one of the more obscure ones instead of the basic ones? Let us all know down in the comments and then feel free to discuss. We will have more for Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 in the coming weeks. You can see and hear it all as soon as we able to get our hands on it.