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Vampire: The Masquerade Clanbooks
Clanbook: Gangrel Revised
As rogues and wanderers, the Gangrel have always placed themselves apart from other Kindred. The Outlanders have no need for the petty Jyhads and useless sniping of the undead - they are vampires, the highest order of beasts! Now, Clan Gangrel prowls the night unfettered by the traditions of the crumbling Camarilla. They have finally called the night their own.
Or Savages Unbound?
As the first entry in an ambitious series of revised clanbooks, Gangrel expands upon the clan's appearance in the revised edition of Vampire:
All-new information accompanies a re-examination of earlier concepts, allowing you to add as much depth to your character as you like. Additionally, the sheer volume of information contained in the new clanbooks (each with 32 more pages than the first-edition books) permits Storytellers to round out their chronicles.
Or Savages Unbound?
As the first entry in an ambitious series of revised clanbooks, Gangrel expands upon the clan's appearance in the revised edition of Vampire:
All-new information accompanies a re-examination of earlier concepts, allowing you to add as much depth to your character as you like. Additionally, the sheer volume of information contained in the new clanbooks (each with 32 more pages than the first-edition books) permits Storytellers to round out their chronicles.
104 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2000
About the author
Brian Campbell
131 books9 followersLibrarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 27, 2017
My first Vampire: the Masquerade character I played for more than a single session was a Gangrel. And probably the most stereotypical it was possible for a Gangrel to be--by that point of my life I had lived in Ireland and I've always had fiery red hair, so I made a Gangrel named Ciarán O'Connor, a surly loner, of course. It was a LARP and my costuming was pants, a black graphic t-shirt (I wore the same pants and a different shirt every game), and no shoes, and I spoke in a literal growl. As it turned out, being a surly loner in a game based on social interaction, with an impediment that makes it more difficult to talk to people, is not the best way to play the game, and I eventually drifted away from playing.
That's kind of the problem with the Gangrel as a whole, and the metaplot exacerbates the issue. The Gangrel have left the Camarilla, and some doors that were open, even if just a crack, are now closed to them. This actually doesn't matter all that much, which is why I'm not going to talk too much about metaplot, but it does make Clanbook: Gangrel Revised less useful to an ST who isn't following the metaplot. The Gangrel were loners and outsiders already, always on the move, so a few more walking into the wilderness isn't that big a deal. I actually think there's too much emphasis on that, and that like Clanbook: Brujah Revised there isn't enough focus on other possibilities than "feral predator of the night." All Gangrel abandon their childer after the Embrace, Gangrel wander in the wilderness, etc. The same stuff from the corebook.
There's a lot of pushback against earlier portrayals of the Gangrel. I came in during the Revised era, so I don't know from personal experience, but the impression I get from this book is that Gangrel used to be shown as friends of the werewolves who fought an eternal war against the Ravnos over their ancient family connection to the Roma. Clanbook: Gangrel Revised paints most of that as the delusions of the author of the original document. Lupines are just as likely to kill the Gangrel as anyone else, the Gangrel just have more abilities to avoid them thanks to their Disciplines. Gangrel and Ravnos can get along or not, and it has more to do with the individuals than it does with the ancient and sacred blood feud between their lines. The book is also leery of vampire history as a whole, pointing out that Gangrel mostly have an oral tradition but so many ancient Gangrel are feral monsters. There's almost nothing about Caine and the First City--Gangrel history truly begins in the Land of Nod.
I did like the sections on the unique characteristics of Gangrel blood. Not just the animalistic features, though I did like the expansion of that from just physical changes to encompass mental quirks as well, like circling an area before being able to sit down. No, the book mentions the Gangrel tendency to form new bloodlines and their unique transformations with Protean. The Gangrel have more known bloodlines than any other Clan--the Anda, the Ahrimanes, and the City Gangrel, who we learn here are descended from Norse Gangrel who came to Vinland, are definitely Gangrel. This book also suggests the extinct Lhiannan and the African Laibon as Gangrel bloodlines as well, though the author admits that they can't be sure on that, because the Lhiannan are gone and the Laibon aren't exactly very talkative.
The transformations are neat too. Other vampires always turn into wolf or bat using Protean, but Gangrel can transform into animals embodying the concepts of Fight and Flight. Jaguars, Tigers, Wolverines, Hawks, Rats, and so on are all possible. The book also has scientific research conducted by a Gangrel doctor, who raises a child from infancy to be completely ignorant of wolves and bats, has her Embraced by a Toreador, teaches her Protean, and then despairs as she transforms into a wolf.
Unfortunately, those are the parts that stand out to me. A Clan of loners without any real source of conflict with other Clans might make sense but doesn't make for many roleplaying opportunities. Why not expand on some of the premade concepts in the back, like the industry lobbyist? Showing roles that Gangrel play other than monstrous predator? Anything to help them break out of the mold that made me create Ciarán? No?
Reading these books on the Camarilla Clans is making me realize why it is people go for the more interesting Clans and bloodlines.
That's kind of the problem with the Gangrel as a whole, and the metaplot exacerbates the issue. The Gangrel have left the Camarilla, and some doors that were open, even if just a crack, are now closed to them. This actually doesn't matter all that much, which is why I'm not going to talk too much about metaplot, but it does make Clanbook: Gangrel Revised less useful to an ST who isn't following the metaplot. The Gangrel were loners and outsiders already, always on the move, so a few more walking into the wilderness isn't that big a deal. I actually think there's too much emphasis on that, and that like Clanbook: Brujah Revised there isn't enough focus on other possibilities than "feral predator of the night." All Gangrel abandon their childer after the Embrace, Gangrel wander in the wilderness, etc. The same stuff from the corebook.
There's a lot of pushback against earlier portrayals of the Gangrel. I came in during the Revised era, so I don't know from personal experience, but the impression I get from this book is that Gangrel used to be shown as friends of the werewolves who fought an eternal war against the Ravnos over their ancient family connection to the Roma. Clanbook: Gangrel Revised paints most of that as the delusions of the author of the original document. Lupines are just as likely to kill the Gangrel as anyone else, the Gangrel just have more abilities to avoid them thanks to their Disciplines. Gangrel and Ravnos can get along or not, and it has more to do with the individuals than it does with the ancient and sacred blood feud between their lines. The book is also leery of vampire history as a whole, pointing out that Gangrel mostly have an oral tradition but so many ancient Gangrel are feral monsters. There's almost nothing about Caine and the First City--Gangrel history truly begins in the Land of Nod.
I did like the sections on the unique characteristics of Gangrel blood. Not just the animalistic features, though I did like the expansion of that from just physical changes to encompass mental quirks as well, like circling an area before being able to sit down. No, the book mentions the Gangrel tendency to form new bloodlines and their unique transformations with Protean. The Gangrel have more known bloodlines than any other Clan--the Anda, the Ahrimanes, and the City Gangrel, who we learn here are descended from Norse Gangrel who came to Vinland, are definitely Gangrel. This book also suggests the extinct Lhiannan and the African Laibon as Gangrel bloodlines as well, though the author admits that they can't be sure on that, because the Lhiannan are gone and the Laibon aren't exactly very talkative.
The transformations are neat too. Other vampires always turn into wolf or bat using Protean, but Gangrel can transform into animals embodying the concepts of Fight and Flight. Jaguars, Tigers, Wolverines, Hawks, Rats, and so on are all possible. The book also has scientific research conducted by a Gangrel doctor, who raises a child from infancy to be completely ignorant of wolves and bats, has her Embraced by a Toreador, teaches her Protean, and then despairs as she transforms into a wolf.
Unfortunately, those are the parts that stand out to me. A Clan of loners without any real source of conflict with other Clans might make sense but doesn't make for many roleplaying opportunities. Why not expand on some of the premade concepts in the back, like the industry lobbyist? Showing roles that Gangrel play other than monstrous predator? Anything to help them break out of the mold that made me create Ciarán? No?
Reading these books on the Camarilla Clans is making me realize why it is people go for the more interesting Clans and bloodlines.
March 10, 2021
The Gangrel will always be my clan, deep down! That said though, mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved the origin legends of Ennoia, and later the profiles of notable kindred like Beckett and Ramona, as well as descriptions of gangrel bloodlines of Africa and South America and Asia.
On the other, certain things made this book feel a little off; for instance, the section on the history of the clan suffered from some major Americentrism. Despite starting off strong, covering the clan's actions across the Near East, Europe, Africa and part of Asia, by the second half it had descended into a decade-by-decade recounting of American gangrel in the 20th century. WoD has always suffered from Americentrism but it was particularly apparent here (and throughout most of the rest of the book), such that I considered skipping this part (but I pushed through). Secondly, some of the discipline abilities seemed a little too extravagent, and yet at the same time mechanically restrictive. However, this may be a consequence of the role-playing system rather than the book.
They were definitely in need of that V5 update! But still, love me the versatility, variety, natural connection and shapechanging of the Outlanders, so I'm glad I read the book.
On the other, certain things made this book feel a little off; for instance, the section on the history of the clan suffered from some major Americentrism. Despite starting off strong, covering the clan's actions across the Near East, Europe, Africa and part of Asia, by the second half it had descended into a decade-by-decade recounting of American gangrel in the 20th century. WoD has always suffered from Americentrism but it was particularly apparent here (and throughout most of the rest of the book), such that I considered skipping this part (but I pushed through). Secondly, some of the discipline abilities seemed a little too extravagent, and yet at the same time mechanically restrictive. However, this may be a consequence of the role-playing system rather than the book.
They were definitely in need of that V5 update! But still, love me the versatility, variety, natural connection and shapechanging of the Outlanders, so I'm glad I read the book.
October 12, 2019
Though these 1991 Clanbooks may seem too out of date now, especially after V5 was released, reading this one was a really entertaining and informative experience.
It was great for learning about clan history and loaded with insights about what might be future of a gangrel character. I now have a better idea of what type of relationship my character may have with other clans, as well as her own and what could be expected of her in the future.
Not a second is wasted on reading this book and I assume the same is true for the rest of the clanbooks.
It was great for learning about clan history and loaded with insights about what might be future of a gangrel character. I now have a better idea of what type of relationship my character may have with other clans, as well as her own and what could be expected of her in the future.
Not a second is wasted on reading this book and I assume the same is true for the rest of the clanbooks.
June 1, 2007
I played live action of this game and was a Gangrel Primogen(ie leader)I think I glanced through this book...maybe.....didnt really need it. I got the character so down.
August 23, 2013
A good book, shows a very strange view of underworlds. I love Brian Campbell story telling in this set of books.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews