The World of Darkness introduces us to an array of vampire types, each boasting its own unique abilities in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. Understanding these traits is key to maximizing your gameplay experience.
In Bloodlines 2, players can choose from six distinct clans, each offering their own set of skills. As the story progresses, you’ll gain the flexibility to reshape your character’s abilities, allowing you to incorporate powers from all six clans—but be prepared to pay a cost.
This evolution transforms your ability tree from a straightforward path into a vast array of options, providing both exciting opportunities and potential challenges as you strategize your character’s development.
To assist with your Nomad’s build, this guide will detail the mechanics of the expanded ability tree and highlight the best abilities in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.
Understanding the Ability Tree in VTMB2
The ability tree in Bloodlines 2 consists of six distinct levels for each clan, each serving a specific function:
- Passive: An ability unlocked upon selection of your clan.
- Strike: A primary offensive power.
- Relocate: A positioning skill.
- Affect: A power designed for crowd control.
- Mastery: A signature skill aligned with the clan’s specialization.
- Perk: The ultimate ability acquired after mastering your clan’s skill tree.
Your initial Passive and Perk abilities are locked to your chosen clan and cannot be exchanged or learned by characters from other clans. However, the remaining four abilities—Strike, Relocate, Affect, and Mastery—can be acquired from different clans starting from Quest 6 (“Keep the Peace”).To learn these, players must have progressed adequately within their clan’s skill tree, persuade a member of the desired clan to teach them, and fulfill any associated costs.
Top Abilities in VTMB2
Abilities unique to your clan require only skill points for unlocking, encouraging swift advancement. Conversely, acquiring abilities from other clans demands blood resonance points, which can be gathered by feeding on humans displaying Sanguine (pink), Melancholic (purple), or Choleric (red) auras. Each successful feeding yields approximately 100 blood resonance points. If you share an affinity type with the clan you’re learning from, you can benefit from a discount on ability costs.
Note: The Nomad cannot gain blood points from humans with Phlegmatic (blue) auras. Additionally, Fabien can only effectively feed from them during specific gameplay sections.
Once you have accumulated enough XP and blood points, visit the following locations to engage with clan contacts who can teach you their skills:
- Fletcher (Ventrue) at the piano in Makom Bar; you’ll meet him through story progression before learning abilities.
- Onda (Lasombra) near the penthouse elevator in the Glacier Hotel lobby.
- Mrs. Thorn (Tremere) behind the counter at Wake The Dead Café.
- Niko (Banu Haqim) and Patience (Toreador) at Aurora Pawn Shop, with Niko at the counter and Patience in her studio.
- Silky (Brujah) seated at a table on the second floor of The Dutchman Bar.
These spots will be marked on your map as soon as you unlock the ability to learn skills from other clans. While conversing with your clan contact, they may remark that they cannot teach anything to someone of their own lineage. Nevertheless, you can still complete loyalty quests or choose to engage in romantic pursuits.
Remember, you can only equip one ability from each category at any time. This means you’ll need to forfeit your clan’s innate abilities to dabble in the powers of others. Experimenting with combinations suited to your play style is crucial.Bloodlines 2 doesn’t adhere to traditional RPG systems, as there is no character sheet, thus customizing your build is dependent on this ability restructuring.
Optimal Strike Abilities in VTMB2
Strike abilities emphasize immediate damage that the Nomad can inflict on nearby foes. Whether you enjoy diving into battle or prefer keeping your distance, there are strong options tailored to both styles.
For players favoring aggressive, front-line tactics, the Brujah’s Lightning Strike stands out. This unblockable combo is triggered with ease, unleashing a flurry of attacks on nearby enemies. The final blow inflicts increased damage, making it one of the premier early-game abilities for crowd control.
If you’re comfortable engaging enemies directly, the Bladed Hand ability can eliminate weaker adversaries in one swift strike while also dealing significant damage to tougher opponents.
On the defensive side, consider the Toreador’s Entrancing Kiss, which allows you to charm an enemy into turning against their companions. For Nomads who find themselves isolated amid numerous foes, convincing an enemy to fight alongside you can drastically shift the combat dynamic.
Optimal Relocate Abilities in VTMB2
Effective positioning in combat is vital in VTMB2, with Relocate abilities enhancing both speed and stealth for the Nomad.
If speed is your preference, the Brujah’s Charge is a formidable choice, enabling the Nomad to charge forward at an incredible pace while using an enemy as a shield and a weapon. This brutal tactic allows for rapid advances on the battlefield.
For a stealthier approach, the Shadow Step ability from Clan Lasombra allows players to vanish into their own shadows and emerge from another, setting up the perfect opportunity for a clean kill.
Additionally, the Ventrue’s Possession power offers a unique take on relocation through controlling an enemy’s body temporarily, allowing you to continue combat under the guise of the target.
Optimal Affect Abilities in VTMB2
In many encounters, the Nomad faces multiple opponents, requiring strategic planning to eliminate threats efficiently. Affect abilities provide substantial solutions for managing crowds.
The Mute ability from Banu Haqim excels at silencing enemies, preventing them from alerting allies while allowing you to eliminate targets discreetly. This provides a significant tactical advantage, maintaining stealth during combat.
Conversely, Tremere’s Cauldron of Blood forces a marked enemy to scream in agony as their blood boils, serving both as a distraction and a method of intimidation.
For players seeking a versatile option, the Ventrue’s Cloud Memory resets an aggroed enemy’s awareness, effectively allowing you to escape potential conflicts. This ability is valuable outside of combat, aiding in the management of minor Masquerade infringements.
Optimal Mastery Abilities in VTMB2
Identifying the best Mastery ability is challenging due to the diverse nature of these high-level powers, each reflecting the unique strengths of their clan.
For instance, the Brujah’s Earthshock offers a powerful shockwave that flattens opponents while amplifying damage for those closest to the source.
Meanwhile, for Tremere players, Blood Salvo provides a means to dispatch multiple blood-daggers using telekinesis, offsetting their clan’s lack of melee capabilities early on.
For a strategic advantage, the Ventrue’s Mass Manipulation not only immobilizes enemies but also applies any Ventrue and Affect abilities to those affected, amplifying the potential for mass damage or crowd control.
If you are embarking on your journey in Bloodlines 2, you may also find our guide on optimal dialogue choices when interacting with Lou Graham invaluable as you navigate your adventure.
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