By Mike Vides (gailcaitif@aol.com)
It is most common for a male vampire to father a Dhampir, as frankly, his contribution can take a single night (and thus it much easier for him to retain a high humanity to sire a child). As stated in the main rule book, all bodily fluids are stained with blood and thus the moment of ejaculation would, in theory, ghoul the vampire's partner (This is a side effect of the process, but an important one to note).
During the first month of pregnancy, the mother is often edgy, and her newly found strength (Potence 1) will often manifest abruptly and at rather inconvenient moments. However, the blood will have worked itself out of her system by the second month.
Unfortunately, the birth itself is often tragic, seeing the death of the mother. When medicine was not so advanced, the mother rarely survived the difficult labor (Dhampir are never born quietly). If unassisted by medical treatment, the mother must roll Stamina, Difficulty 9 to survive the birth. For each success lower than 3, the mother loses 1 dot of Strength and Stamina, permanently. With the advent of modern science, the mother's chances of survival have risen dramatically. If assisted by a doctor, the mother may add the physician's Medicine dice to her Stamina roll.
A female vampire could theoretically bear a child, but it would be quite difficult. First, she must retain her high humanity (9 or 10) for the entire gestation period of the child. She must also spend an additional blood point every night to awaken. Finally, she must either have the Merit Eat Food, or must spend a third blood point each night in order to awaken. If these conditions are not met, then the vampire miscarries.
Abilities: 12/8/4
Virtues: 7
Backgrounds: 5
Blood Pool: 6* (+1 for every century of existence) /1
Disciplines: 2 (one from her father's clan, and another of her choice)
Bloodright: 1
Blood Points: Roll a normal (six-faced) die
Freebie Points: 18
*This is a personal house rule. If the Storyteller desires, Dhampir may have a higher or lower blood pool, though as you will see, generation plays a part in the character's Blood pool size. It is recommended that Dhampir be inherently more powerful than Ghouls or Revenants.
| Trait | Freebie Costs | Experience Costs |
| Discipline | 10 | 12 (new) and current rating x8 |
| Bloodright | 7 | current rating x6 |
| x | 13th Generation |
| * | 12th Generation |
| ** | 11th Generation |
| *** | 10th Generation |
| **** | 9th Generation |
| ***** | 8th Generation |
| Father's Generation | Maximum Discipline Leve | Blood Pool | Blood Per Turn | Effective Generation |
| 15th | 1 | 3 | 1/2 | Mortal |
| 14th | 1 | 5 | 1/2 | 15th |
| 13th | 2 | 6 | 1 | 14th |
| 12th | 2 | 7 | 1 | 13th |
| 11th | 3 | 8 | 1 | 12th |
| 10th | 3 | 9 | 1 | 11th |
| 9th | 4 | 10 | 2 | 10th |
| 8th | 4 | 11 | 2 | 9th |
| 7th | 5 | 13 | 3 | 8th |
| 6th | 5 | 15 | 4 | 7th |
| 5th | 6 | 20 | 5 | 6th |
* Sense the Kindred Spirit
The Dhampir is able to "sense" the presence of Kindred within the vicinity. The more successes gained, the more information divined, though there is one exception; provided she rolls even a single success, a Dhampir using Sense the Kindred Spirit may always detect her Father (if he is near) as if she had rolled 5 successes.
System: The Dhampir must concentrate for one turn and rolls Perception + Occult (Diff 7) or Vampirology (Vampire Lore, difficulty 6). Only one success is needed. Further successes may indicate more to the character:
| Successes | Effect |
| 1 | The Dhampir is aware that there is a vampire about. |
| 2 | The Dhampir knows if there is more than one vampire in the area. |
| 3 | The Dhampir senses whether or not an individual is a vampire. |
| 4 | The Dhampir senses the rough number of vampires in the immediate area. |
| 5 | The Dhampir knows exactly who is a vampire and who is not within a given crowd. |
** Eye of the Hunter
The Dhampir may cause a vampire to stand hypnotized simply by looking into her eyes. She must roll Charisma + Intimidation against a difficulty of the target's Willpower. If the target is of a lower generation then the Dhampir's effective generation, then the target may resist with a Willpower roll.
*** Clarity of Mind
The Dhampir is able to resist the Mind affecting disciplines such as Auspex, Dominate, Dementation and Presence. By rolling Willpower, difficulty of the vampire's Willpower, the Dhampir may cancel successes from her rolls in any of the above mentioned disciplines. She is also able to see through vampiric illusions and Obfuscate by rolling Perception + Alertness against a difficulty of the power's level + 4.
**** Denial of the Blood
The Dhampir may prevent vampires from successfully utilizing their disciplines. This is done by expending a Willpower point and rolling a contested Willpower roll against the vampire utilizing the discipline which the Dhampir desires to nullify. If the Dhampir scores more successes, then the vampire's power does not function, though blood points are not lost in the process. Note that this power does not function on vampires of a generation lower than the Dhampir's effective Generation unless the Dhampir scores 1 extra success for every Generation by which the target exceeds the Dhampir's effective Generation. This power will always function upon Ghouls and Revenants, no mater the generation of their master.
***** Touch of Fire
The Dhampir may cause aggravated damage to a vampire with any attack by spending a blood point before damage is rolled. This includes Firearms and Melee attacks.
Assamites: One of the few clans to openly embrace the very very very very very few Dhampir to be born among their ranks, the Assamites lend their bloodlust to their children. However, any rolls made to resist the urge to feed from vampire blood have their difficulty reduced by 1.
Baali: Yeah, sure. If you really want it to happen, the chances of the child living to a ripe old age are pretty slim, as the Baali tend to kill anything that could pose a threat to them. Of course, a Dhampir raised from birth to do the bidding of some dark, forgotten deity could be an interesting twist. Either way, she's likely to be a no-show at Sunday mass.
Brujah: Rabble Halfbloods are born closer to the Beast, and thus frenzy as Vampires.
Caitiff: Perhaps the greatest contributors to the Dhampir population, some caitiff do not even realize that they are breaking any laws by fraternizing with the kine. The biggest flaw the caitiff Dhampir can claim is that they will often be hunted down by Camarilla enforcers without even knowing of the sect's existence (or even the existence of vampires in general). This leads many toward the life of the hunter.
Daughter of Cacophony: Who knows? From what I understand, there was a great purge of all the male members of the clan. If so, Male Dhampir would most likely be included in such genocide (to coin a word I guess). Females would probably have an Alertness maximum of 4.
Gangrel: Those born of Gangrel blood often have some physical deformity, such as a tail or cat-slitted eyes. Often, this deformity is only manifest when the Dhampir frenzies (though in the case of a tail, it would probably be a permanent addition). As a side note, the possibility exists that a Gangrel utilizing Shadow of the Beast might sire offspring with a wolf or bat. Why a vampire with Humanity 9 would endorse Bestiality is beyond me, but I'm sure someone out there is thinking about this. I leave the specifics up to intrepid STs who've got nothing better to do.
Gargoyle: Forget whatever I say about the Nosferatu, this one is just too far-fetched.
Giovanni: Though rare, there has been at least one documented case of a Giovanni Dhampir. Elio Campelli was seen as a valuable resource until his humanity became a liability to the family. His Wraith currently enjoys a wonderful view from the bottom of the Hudson river. Elio, like all Giovanni Dhampir, have the flaw Haunted, as the spirits of the Clan's victims seek vengeance on their mortal kin.
Lasombra: Not likely, but anything is possible. Probably the result of a Lasombra antitribu's shadowy love affairs, a Keeper Dhampir would show up on video and photography, but his reflection might occasionally fluctuate, becoming transparent for just a moment (usually when blood points are spent or disciplines utilized). Dhampir of this type also subtract one die from Stamina when calculating how long it will take to sunburn, and lose 1 health level every 45 minutes rather than every hour.
Malkavian: Lunacy breeds chaos, and this describes the mortal offspring of a Kook perfectly. All Malkavian Halfbloods are born with a certain mental disability (Derangement or otherwise) that may be treated or even cured. However, even if counseled and healed, a botched Willpower roll will send the character into relapse.
Nosferatu: Those (thankfully) few unfortunate spawn of the Sewer Rats tend to be rather unattractive, to say the least. A Nosferatu Halfblood may never raise her appearance above 3. (Anyone thinking a Nosferatu could never get laid should peruse Angela Carter's The Tiger's Bride, a story based on the Beauty and the Beast myth, or if cracking open a book is anathema, rent Kindred the Embraced to see what a crafty and lustful Nosferatu can do with Mask of a Thousand Faces).
Ravnos: Believe it or not, the Ravnos had a long tradition of interbreeding with their Rom cousins, producing the Mullo (Gypsy-Dhampir) who exhibited both Discipline powers, Bloodright, and Blood Affinities, making them Vampire Slayers to reckon with. Unfortunately, There aren't many Ravnos left to rekindle this practice. The few remaining Mullo (They would have been susceptible to the Ravnos Antediluvian's dying curse, but all Willpower rolls to resist would have been made at -2 difficulty) suffer from a similar form of kleptomania (or other vice) as their parent clan. However, again, a -2 is applied to any difficulties to resist the urge.
Salubri: Actually more common than one might expect, the only real damper placed on Salubri procreation is the fact that they barely exist anymore. Rather than losing health levels for feeding on those who do not consent, Salubri halfbloods lose temporary Willpower points.
Samedi: Oh please. Ignore what I said about the Nosferatu. A Samedi would need to use Dominate just to get his lover past the stench of the grave, and even then, no amount of humanity or measure of Golconda will allow a samedi to procreate, their bodies are far too decomposed. Of course, if it did happen (as I'm sure someone would try), the child would be gaunt, almost skeletal (appearance maximum of 3) and probably wouldn't be too healthy.
Setite: It could happen, but the result would be a Dhampir who's sunburn times are halved (one health level every half hour) and who suffers a -1 die penalty to all actions while in direct sunlight.
Toreador: Probably one of the most plentiful stocks of Halfbloods, the Toreador lend to their mortal offspring a variant on their inherent weakness. The Dhampir is fascinated by something, be it a task, goal, action, type of person or object, or anything else the storyteller allows. (In playtesting, a Toreador Dhampir and science major at a local college would get caught up in his work to the point that another character would have to be screaming into his ear before he would notice that he wasn't alone).
Tremere: Tremere Dhampir are hunted down and either destroyed, enslaved, or experimented upon, as the Warlocks seek one day to gain the strengths of their mortal offspring.
Tzimisce: As if Gargoyle Dhampir weren't ludicrous enough? Stick to revenants for these sods. As for the old clan, however, they were perhaps the first to discover the possibility of human-vampire matings. Those few that do exist can be counted on one hand, and would be immensely powerful (being the product of elder mating). Their disadvantage would be similar to that of the Tzimisce, requiring rest in the dirt of their homeland. However, rather than losing dice from their die pools, the Tzimisce Dhampir lose temporary Willpower points (they suffer from insomnia).
Ventrue: The most likely side effect of a Ventrue born Dhampir would be a Halfblood who's a picky eater (consider this to be the flaw Prey Exclusion: Even if frenzying, the Dhampir will refuse to feed from a certain type of mortal or vampire).
The Sabbat is a different story. Dhampir are abominations deserving only a swift bite to the jugular. To fraternize with mortals in such a blatant way is enough to bring death to the offending lick, so few dare risk such action. Of course, few have the Humanity it takes, and Golconda is of little concern to the average leather-clad Brujah antitribu.
Independents tend to Embrace their Dhampir as valuable weapons, tools and operatives. The Assamites are a prime example, as they train their mortal childer extensively from birth. An assassin who can strike with all the powers of a vampire while his prey sleeps the day away is indeed a potent sword waiting to be unsheathed.
Ghouls: Ghouls will more often than not resent Dhampir for their greater abilities. Of course, it is also likely that a Dhampir's surviving mortal parent will be a ghoul, sustained by the father (or mother), and thus would come to love, nurture (or at the very least, care for) the child.
Werewolves: Werewolves, in their narrow-sighted religious hysteria often forget that their prey can be more than anti-Gaian abominations. A Dhampir who runs across werewolves is usually mistaken for a Vampire, and is dispensed with accordingly. Unfortunately for the werewolves, a Dhampir left alive will not soon forget the encounter, and is able to strike when the lupine least expects it, during the daylight.
Witches and Warlocks: Mages see Dhampir as an anomaly, and take every opportunity to study them. The Verbena witches and Spirit mages see Dhampir as nature's answer to the vampiric infestation, a natural predator. Ecstatic Cultists see and enjoy the irony in the dead spawning living, breathing offspring trough the power of lust. Euthanatos mages are curious as to the relationship between the dhampir's living and undead physiology, and even the technocracy sees potential in medical and chemical derivatives of Dhampir quasi-Vitæ. Of course, once the Vitæ is synthesized, the Dhampir would be of little use to the technomages, and would be destroyed along with their parent race. As a note, Dhampir make excellent allies to mages, but cannot themselves learn True Magic; their paradigm has been chosen for them by the circumstances of their births.
Ghosts: Other than the Giovanni, the Dhampir have little contact with the underworld. Sometimes a wraith who was slain by a vampire might seek a dhampir to assist her in exacting revenge.
Changelings: Ask a Dhampir if he believes in faeries, the best answer you can expect is that if she can believe in vampires, she's not going to rule the possibility out. Goblins might seem more believable.
Immortals: Immortals and Dhampir find much in common, having to hide their true natures from the rest of humanity, living long enough to see friends and family die, but most of all, both the Quickened and the Halfblooded are born into their condition. These similarities often lead to friendships, although if anything can be said for immortals, its that they are as diverse as the cultures from which they come.
Hunters: A recent player in the games of the supernatural, the Imbued, if encountering a Dhampir, would react according to their Creed. Avengers would most likely slay the abomination, caring little for the human side, only the monstrous blood in the Dhampir's veins. Judges would see a new threat to humanity in a vampire who could walk in the daylight. Only the Visionaries would understand the potential the Dhampir holds as a Hunter in her own right.
The Prince of the city has personally recognized and accepted you, granting you the ability to exist within his borders without fear of execution. You are treated as a Caitiff, or perhaps even as a Neonate in status. You may purchase up to two dots worth of Kindred Status. However, you must abide by the Traditions and respect the kindred authorities. You will also most likely owe the Prince big time.
You have budding fangs which deal Strength in aggravated damage. They are normally retracted, but may be grown when you are hungry, angry or frustrated, or otherwise overcome with emotion.
Staggered Regeneration (4pt flaw)
For some reason, your body replenishes its quasi-Vitæ at a staggered rate. 1 blood point is regenerated every 2 days.
Still Heart (2 pt Flaw)
Some facet of your supernatural physiology has caused your heart to stop beating upon your exit from puberty. Your heart still pumps blood, and it does still drum lightly in your breast, but its pace is so slow that it is almost imperceptible. Any medical examination will instantly pick up this discrepancy, and thus interaction in mortal society makes a Dhampir with this flaw much more dangerous to the Masquerade. However, it does allow you to Masquerade much more easily as a kindred.
Photosensitive (5pt Flaw)
You have inherited even more of your vampiric parent's susceptibility to light than most Dhampir. You receive a 2 die penalty to all actions when in sunlight, and the amount of time it takes you to burn in the sunlight is halved.
You're eyes appear normal in most lighting, but when touched by shadows, they glow with a deep inner fire, reflecting the Beast in your soul. This has the appearance of the Protean 1 power Gleam of the Red Eyes whenever you are in darkness or very dim lighting, but does not enhance your night vision in any way. This may add a -1 to intimidation difficulties, but will certainly put a damper on social interaction.