{"id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","type":"power","system":"discipline","line":"vampire","name":"Protean","sources":[{"source":"V20","page":207,"folio":199}],"entries":["Protean allows the Kindred the mystical ability to manipulate his physical form. Some vampires believe the power stems from a heightened connection to the natural world, while others consider it to be a magni-fication of the mark of Caine. Whatever its basis may be, those that develop this Discipline can grow bestial claws, take on the forms of bats and wolves, turn themselves into mist, and even meld into the very earth itself.","Transformed Kindred can generally use other Disciplines — vampires in wolf form can still read auras and communicate with other animals, for example. However, the Storyteller may rule that certain Disciplines may not be used in specific situations. The Kindred’s clothes and personal possessions also change when he transforms (presumably absorbed within his very substance), although armor and the like do not provide any benefit while transformed.","Vampires cannot change or transform large objects or other beings; Protean is a personal expression of power. A Kindred who has been staked (thereby trapping his soul within his body) cannot transform. Some vampires believe that those who have mastered the highest levels of Protean can deny this limitation, however.","{@clan The Gangrel|LotC} Clan is well known for their mastery of Protean, although other Kindred have learned some of this Discipline’s secrets from these bestial Cainites."],"powers":["vampire/power/discipline_power/earth-control","vampire/power/discipline_power/earth-meld","vampire/power/discipline_power/eyes-of-the-beast","vampire/power/discipline_power/feral-claws","vampire/power/discipline_power/flesh-of-marble","vampire/power/discipline_power/mist-form","vampire/power/discipline_power/restore-the-mortal-visage","vampire/power/discipline_power/shape-of-the-beast","vampire/power/discipline_power/shape-of-the-beasts-wrath","vampire/power/discipline_power/spectral-body"],"_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/protean","html":"/records/vampire/power/discipline/protean","parent":null,"children":"/api/v1/records/vampire/power/discipline/protean/children","sources":[{"abbr":"V20","page":207,"folio":207,"title":"Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition"}]},"_db":{"title":"Protean","props":[],"parent_id":null,"level":null,"category":null,"summary":"Protean allows the Kindred the mystical ability to manipulate his physical form. Some vampires believe the power stems from a heightened connection to the natural world, while others consider it to be a magni-fication","tags":[],"children":[{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/eyes-of-the-beast","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Eyes of the Beast","title":"Eyes of the Beast","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":1,"category":null,"summary":"The vampire sees perfectly well in pitch darkness, not requiring a light source to notice details in even the darkest basement or cave. The vampire’s Beast is evident in his red glowing eyes, a sight sure to disturb","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/feral-claws","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Feral Claws","title":"Feral Claws","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":2,"category":null,"summary":"The vampire’s nails transform into long, bestial claws. These talons are wickedly sharp, able to rend flesh with ease and even carve stone and metal with little trouble. The Beast is prominent in the claws as well,","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/earth-meld","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Earth Meld","title":"Earth Meld","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":3,"category":null,"summary":"One of the most prized powers within Protean, Earth Meld enables the vampire to become one with the earth. The immortal literally sinks into the bare ground, transmuting his substance to bond with the earth. Though a","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/shape-of-the-beast","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Shape of the Beast","title":"Shape of the Beast","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":4,"category":null,"summary":"This endows the vampire with the legendary ability to transform into a wolf or bat. A Kindred changed in this way is a particularly imposing representative of the animal kingdom. Indeed, he is far superior to normal","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/mist-form","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Mist Form","title":"Mist Form","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":5,"category":null,"summary":"This truly unsettling power enables the vampire to turn into mist. His physical shape disperses into a hazy cloud, but one still subject entirely to the immortal’s will. He floats at a brisk pace and may slip under","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/earth-control","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Earth Control","title":"Earth Control","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":6,"category":null,"summary":"An Earth Melded character with this power is no longer confined to the resting place she selected the night before. She can pass through the ground as if it were water, “swimming” through the earth itself. Some elders","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/flesh-of-marble","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Flesh of Marble","title":"Flesh of Marble","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":6,"category":null,"summary":"Tales have long spoken of the combat prowess of Gangrel elders and of their inhuman resilience. Poorly informed individuals believe the stories of swords shattering and bullets flattening against immortal skin to be","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/restore-the-mortal-visage","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Restore the Mortal Visage","title":"Restore the Mortal Visage","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":7,"category":null,"summary":"Cainites are of two opinions regarding this power. Those who are politically active, or who associate ex-tensively with mortals, view it as both necessary and acceptable. Those Kindred who embrace their more feral","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/shape-of-the-beasts-wrath","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Shape of the Beast’s Wrath","title":"Shape of the Beast’s Wrath","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":7,"category":null,"summary":"Users of this power are often mistaken for Tzimisce employing the Vicissitude power Horrid Form. A vampire employing this power shifts into a huge, monstrous form, gaining half her height again and tripling her weight.","sources":"V20"},{"id":"vampire/power/discipline_power/spectral-body","type":"power","system":"discipline_power","line":"vampire","name":"Spectral Body","title":"Spectral Body","parent_id":"vampire/power/discipline/protean","level":7,"category":null,"summary":"This powerful variation on Mist Form allows a vampire to take a shape with most of the advantages of the lesser power but fewer of the disadvantages. A vampire who assumes Spectral Form retains his normal appearance,","sources":"V20"}]}}