Bonuses for clans

[CajunKhan]

Let's say that they decided to give each clan a racial bonus, and you were in charge of what it was. What would you give each clan.

For example:

Gangrel: an extra health level, or an extra die on waking rouse check.

Brujah: when in frenzy, do not need to make a rouse check to Blood Surge attack dice pool.

Ventrue: once a night can reroll a politics or financial roll.

Malkavian: once a night can reroll an insight or awareness roll.

[Black Fox]

I would want any bonus to be clearly a result of a supernatural origin so I wouldn't put it towards anything a human could do.

I'd likely pick a Discipline or other supernatural power and give its use a bonus die or perhaps -1 lower difficulty to use those powers. Emphasis on the "signature Discipline" of each clan. Ventrue gets bonus to Dominate, Toreador to Presence, Nosferatu to Obfuscate, etc. Of course, the Discipline spread, commonalties of certain powers, and the specific mechanics of them creates some issues. How do you treat Potence? What do you give the Brujah if Toreador already has the Presence bonus? So I'd likely need to look at Self-Control and Courage mechanics especially for things like Frenzy, as well as supernaturally based bonuses like extra Health Levels - examples you mentioned as well.

Also, something that helps counter botches and removing successes - those are things every player has complained about, so reducing those would expedite the game and reduce player frustration.

[No One of Consequence]

Around ten or twelves years ago, we did a chronicle where there were only the original seven Clans, and came up with the idea that each one had a unique Background that only members of that clan could have. These Backgrounds were akin to some of the ones that showed up in the Hunter creed books, being quasi-paranormal abilities. I can't recall what all of them were. Malkavians had Insight, which was based on the ability detailed in Time of Thin Blood. Gangrel had Endurance, which made them even more durable. Nosferatu had Mutations, which allowed for physical changes that gave additional bonuses. I'm blanking on what the Brujah, Ventrue, Toreador, and Tremere had.

I've also had decent results adapting Requiem's system of those who get embraced gaining an additional attribute dot from one of two possibilities. I'm not sure what I did with my list of which clan got which two attributes.

[IllithidActivity]

In the recent V5 Companion that came out with the Ravnos, Tzimisce, and Salubri there was also a list of "Clan Coterie Merits" that are specific to members of a clan and are used to represent how having a member of that clan can be uniquely helpful to a coterie. That feels somewhat like what you're talking about.

[Konradleijon]

Interesting. The Lambrosa gets a darkness to “obstructed”/conceal something

[Lynceus]

So a thousand years ago, the made a free pamphlet of Vampire Quickstart rules, designed to let you try playing before buying any books. These rules were not only stripped down, they didn't really resemble the ones in the books, and had some unusual things, like Brujah with Fortitude instead of Potence (not unlike the Laibon Toreador). But the thing that stuck with me was every Clan had a special trait- I believe the term used was an "Edge". I really liked that idea, and in my personal Chronicle, each Clan and Bloodline has an Edge. Some examples:

Edge: Brujah stubborness is legendary. Any attempt to persuade a Brujah into doing something opposed to their Nature is made at +1 difficulty, including the use of Disciplines that sway the mind or emotions. In addition, Brujah gain a bonus dot of Courage, and their trait maximum for Courage is one higher.

Edge: of all the Clans, the Gangrel have proven they can take anything the World of Darkness can dish out, and keep on going. They begin play with a bonus dot of Stamina, and their trait maximum for Stamina is increased by 1. They also make Survival rolls at -1 difficulty.

Edge: the difficulty of Social rolls a Toreador makes when dealing with mortals are reduced by 1. Each Toreador has a particular art form they espouse; select an appropriate Talent or Skill (such as, but not limited to, Craft or Perform). They gain a free dot in this trait, and their trait maximum for it is increased by 1. Toreador have a standing -1 difficulty on Self-Control rolls made to resist frenzy due to hunger.

Edge: when a Ventrue speaks, people tend to listen. They make Leadership rolls at -1 difficulty. In addition, whenever making an opposed or resisted roll, if both the Ventrue and their opponent have the same number of successes, the Ventrue gains an additional success. Ventrue always win ties.

[MyWifeIsScary]

I'd rather do something more temporal, more based on clan culture than magical.

Brujah
Brawl
Allies, contacts, Mob

Gangrel
Survival
Domain, Retainers, Mob (animals.)

Malkavians
awareness
Contacts,Mentor, Herd

Nosferatu
Larceny.
Contacts, mentor,Domain.

Toreador
subterfuge (namely because others arent so universal. I am not saying Toreador are the best at subterfuge)
Contacts,herd, retainer.

Tremere
Occult
Mentor, Resources (one x2)

Ventrue:
Ettiquet
Mentor, Herd,influence.

[elmerg]

Laws of the Night did this for all the clans; they all got some pick of extra Ability Traits, Influence Traits, or Backgrounds of some sort typically.