{"id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","type":"power","system":"discipline","line":"vampire","name":"Animalism","sources":[{"source":"V20","page":136,"folio":128}],"entries":["The Beast resides within all creatures, from scut-tling cockroaches to scabrous rats up through untamed wolves and even powerful Kindred elders. Animalism allows the vampire to amplify his intensely primordial nature. He can not only communicate with animals, but can also force his will upon them, directing such beasts to do as he commands. As the vampire grows in power, he can even control the Beast within mortals and other supernaturals.","Beasts grow distinctly agitated in the presence of a vampire who lacks this Discipline or the Skill of {@ability Animal Ken|V20}, often to the point of attacking or running from the vampire. In contrast, vampires possessing Animalism exude a dominant vibe to lower creatures, which attracts them.","Animalism is commonly found with vampires of the {@clan Gangrel|V20} and {@clan Nosferatu|V20} Clans. {@attribute Manipulation|V20} and {@attribute Charisma|V20} are important for the use of Animalism powers; the stronger the vampire’s personality, the more influence he has over animals.","Storytelling Animals","It can be difficult for the Storyteller to use animals as something more than a plot device whenever a character tries to communicate with them. It’s easy to fall back on monosyl-labic speech and easily led creatures in order to get the story moving along. And indeed, animals are simpler than humans – they focus on the present and are directed by instincts instead of complex goals and elaborate schemes. However, simple doesn’t necessarily mean stupid; animals need cunning and perception to survive, and both can be of great use to a vampire master. Storytellers can make animals dynamic, interesting characters that bring a lot to the chronicle, or they can quickly gloss over the finer points of their characterization to get back to the more pressing conflicts in the chronicle.","Statistics for certain animals are found in Chapter Nine, p. 388."],"powers":["vampire/power/discipline_power/animal-succulence","vampire/power/discipline_power/beckoning","vampire/power/discipline_power/conquer-the-beast","vampire/power/discipline_power/drawing-out-the-beast","vampire/power/discipline_power/feral-whispers","vampire/power/discipline_power/quell-the-beast","vampire/power/discipline_power/shared-soul","vampire/power/discipline_power/species-speech","vampire/power/discipline_power/subsume-the-spirit","vampire/power/discipline_power/taunt-the-caged-beast"],"_qa":{"flags":[],"parser":"section_entries","confidence":0.9,"extracted":"2026-10-15","job":"v20-disciplines"},"level":null,"_links":{"self":"/api/v1/records/vampire/power/discipline/animalism","html":"/records/vampire/power/discipline/animalism","parent":null,"children":"/api/v1/records/vampire/power/discipline/animalism/children","sources":[{"abbr":"V20","page":136,"folio":136,"title":"Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition"}]},"_db":{"title":"Animalism","props":[],"parent_id":null,"level":null,"category":null,"summary":"The Beast resides within all creatures, from scut-tling cockroaches to scabrous rats up through untamed wolves and even powerful Kindred elders. Animalism allows the vampire to amplify his intensely primordial nature.","tags":[],"children":[{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/feral-whispers","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Feral Whispers","title":"Feral Whispers","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":1,"category":null,"summary":"This power is the basis from which all other Animalism abilities grow. The vampire creates an empathic connection with a beast, thereby allowing him to communicate or issue simple commands. The Kindred locks eyes with","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/beckoning","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Beckoning","title":"Beckoning","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":2,"category":null,"summary":"The vampire’s connection to the Beast grows strong enough that he may call out in the voice of a specific type of animal — howling like a wolf, shrilling like a raven, etc. This call mystically summons creatures of the","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/quell-the-beast","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Quell the Beast","title":"Quell the Beast","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":3,"category":null,"summary":"As the supreme predators of the natural world, Kindred are highly attuned to the bestial nature that dwells within every mortal heart. A vampire who develops this power may assert his will over a mortal (animal or","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/subsume-the-spirit","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Subsume the Spirit","title":"Subsume the Spirit","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":4,"category":null,"summary":"By locking his gaze with that of an animal, the vampire may mentally possess the creature. Some elders believe that since animals don’t have souls but spirits, the vampire can move his own soul into the animal’s body.","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/drawing-out-the-beast","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Drawing Out the Beast","title":"Drawing Out the Beast","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":5,"category":null,"summary":"At this level of Animalism, the Kindred has a keen understanding of the Beast Within, and is able to release his feral urges upon another mortal or vampire. The recipient of the vampire’s Beast is instantly overcome by","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/animal-succulence","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Animal Succulence","title":"Animal Succulence","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":6,"category":null,"summary":"Most vampires find the blood of animals flat, tasteless, and lacking in nutritional value. Some Gangrel and Nosferatu, however, have refined their understanding of the spirits of such “lesser prey” to the point that","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/shared-soul","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Shared Soul","title":"Shared Soul","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":6,"category":null,"summary":"This power allows a character to probe the mind of any one animal she touches. Shared Soul can be very disconcerting to both parties involved, as each participant is completely immersed in the thoughts and emotions of","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/species-speech","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Species Speech","title":"Species Speech","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":6,"category":null,"summary":"The basic power Feral Whispers (Animalism 1) allows character to communicate with only one animal at a time. With Species Speech, a character can enter into psychic communion with all creatures of a certain species that","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/conquer-the-beast","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Conquer the Beast","title":"Conquer the Beast","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":7,"category":null,"summary":"Masters of Animalism have a much greater understanding of both beasts in general and the Beast in particular. Those who have developed this power can master their own Beasts to a degree impossible for lesser Kindred to","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/taunt-the-caged-beast","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Taunt the Caged Beast","title":"Taunt the Caged Beast","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/animalism","level":8,"category":null,"summary":"Some Kindred are so attuned to the Beast that they can unleash it in another individual at will. Vampires who have developed this power are able to send adversaries into frenzy with a finger’s touch and the resultant","sources":"V20"}]}}