RPG Soapbox

Someone please explain to me how Protean 1 benefits the character having it. As I understand it it makes anyone of lesser BP flee from you, but anyone of equal or higher attack you. How is that beneficial?

It makes it so that in all Predator's Taint situations, you are treated as more powerful or equal.

This means you are never forced to run. It means other vampires can never tell how powerful you really are.

It isn't really overtly powerful, and it can be a pain in the ass, but it is useful and thematic.

It's also probably the second most contentious power in the game (following Sunnikse).

A really simple fix, inspired by MCWOD:

It also provides a +1 flat Intimidation bonus, as well as an additional, cumulative, +1 bonus to Intimidation when dealing with creatures that can sense your Beast directly (like other vampires).

I like those bonuses, pity it's not used on the mods. I never really understood the point of Protean 1 either as it had no real benefit. They could have incorporated Aspect of the Predator into the gangrel flaw instead but that's just my personal opinion.

I would have liked Eyes of the Beast to be Protean 1 again. I am glad they made feral claws a three dot though... not that it will stop people from taking it and trading it like currency for other diciplines but at least it will slow people down a little bit.

Eyes of the Beast was cut because it is basically a crappy version of Heightened Senses.

Personally, I ran with it as written in my TT VtR game, with a Gangrel with Protean 2 (and later 3) in the game. It was never a problem, and there was an amount of use to it. Even if it got the character in question beaten up a few times (not because of Frenzy, but because of a dramatically failed roll at court that basically got everyone pissed off at him, and were unsure of his intentions since they couldn't judge his true Potency. He had a higher BP than starting, so he could do more than a just embraced Vampire should have been.).

Never underestimate being overestimated.

You're right, Eyes of the Beast are a crappy version of Heightened Senses... but at least it gave people the feeling they got something in return. But eh... whatcha gonna do? Really like those bonuses you mentioned...

Thank Monte Cook. I admit I've always felt Protean 1 could use a bit of an umph boost, but I didn't want to re-write the power. Then the preview for Protean 1 from MCWOD came out on the WW website and wham, there you go.

I always felt that Protean 1 in the oWoD was thematically appropriate for Gangrel, though it was underpowered in a Modern setting in comparison to other level 1 powers. In one aspect it was entirely superior to the Heightened Senses; it gave perfect sight in complete darkness. Until the Modern era, with the problem of light saturation, that was far, far more of an advantage for the Gangrel than general heightened senses.

From the sounds of it, the new Protean 1 is likewise "underpowered", but is thematically appropriate for the Gangrel. I think it's a bit better to have some slightly underpowered Discipline powers if they are thematically appropriate for the Clan.

Of course in VtR, Heighten Senses works in pitch black conditions.

The present Protean 1 is very thematic, if a bit weak. Adding an intimidation bonus keeps with that theme, while giving it a bit more of an edge.

Of course, keep in mind that the 'Clan signature' Disciplines aren't nearly as exclusive in VtR as they were in VtM. So the thematics of the powers are more important to the Discipline as a whole, rather than the Clan it's linked to.

Not having to act like a scared kid around everyone with higher blood potency is nice for the ego if nothing else. It's one of the powers I've liked having most actually, it comes into play often and it's cool, I don't ask for more.

If you want a pointless protean power have a look at protean 4, that's worthless for you.

Protean 4 is without a doubt one of the most useful powers Gangrel have. I cannot explain to you the wealth of information my coterie in WanWic Nawlins was able to acquire because Ray Bedeau was able to turn into a bat. Plus, its badass.

The Blood helped give a little more insight in to just what Protean 1 does to those vampires who have it, psychologically.

It goes on about how even long after the initial meeting, a vampire still feels a tenseness around a vampire with higher Blood Potency, a feeling of inherent inferiority, and even fear, because they know that they're dealing with a bigger predator. And Protean 1 takes care of that.

And by the way, some people seem to think Protean 1 affects other vampires.

Wrong. It only affects the vampire who has it.

So when a neonate with protean meets an elder they both get the urge to throttle the other.

The Elder feels as if the Protean 1er was equal BP to him though.