Dry-Gulching

Talked a bit with Gertrude (Again, not her real name) This evening. I was noticing a neat element of Requiem that i think might be needed to be pointed out.

Each of the kindred clans has a clan weakness that enables a savvy player to wax them in some kind of social contest of some sort. To my way of thinking, this is a good thing and rewards sneaky players who know the ropes.

Nosferatu
The Nosferatu problem is typified by their troubles in the social realm. They don't get the 10 again when attempting to use social skills that don't involve intimidation. This can be crippling not only because it means that it's nearly impossible for Nosferatu to socially steer kindred society, but also because use of things like Allies and contacts can be sharply curtailed because many time they involve a social roll of some sort. In fact, an ST should keep an eye on Nosferatu players who try to use their personal social acumen instead of their characters and occasionally make them make a draw. Some folks don't really do that in terms of player to player interactions, but in terms of player to NPC interactions it should ALWAYS be done.

Gangrel
Same boat, different oar. Gangrel have similar problems in situations involving the use of their intellectual capabilities. Now, this is rarely a problem for the Gangrel himself, but it has some interesting ramifications. it can mean the occasional disasterous choice in the midst of combat. Especially in large scale combats where it can be hard to tell who is friend or foe. It also means that others can impugn a Gangrel's intelligence with relative in terms of plans or policies (although, you ought not to do so within earshot.) It's easy to say that the Gangrel "hasn't really thought it through.", or "He's missing the subtleties." of a situation, and be believed.

Ventrue
Ventrue go crazy. Everybody knows it. Some go slow, some go quick. but all of them go crazy. Want to stop a Ventrue in his track politicaly? Start questioning his sanity. Start pointing out things that he does that are odd or inconsistent or bordeline paranoid.(Shouldn't be too hard to find something.) You can deflate a ventrue's impassioned oratory in the midst of vampire court with a well placed twirling of the finger near the head if you've laid the proper groundwork. Heck you could conceivably DRIVE a ventrue into madness if you play him right.

Daeva
Daeva can resist anything except temptation. Find out what it is that really floats the daeva's boat and you can use it to your advantage. I am reminded of the scene in "Interview with a Vampire" where Claudia tempts Lestat with the laudanum laced twins. Keep offering the Daeva opportunities to sin and they will either jump in (and possibly lose humanity in the process) or you'll whittle away at his store of Willpower. Take pictures for proof.

Mekhet
Now mechanically, the Mekhet don't have a built in social weakness (Their Clan weakness is additional damage from fire and sunlight) But, they do have a reputation for a tendency to stick to the shadows and to have a byzantine twisty turny agenda.
In other words, you can crab their actions by calling into question their motives and their actions at nearly any turn. Trust comes hard for anything the Mekhet want to do. In fact, most Mekhet don't even want to admit what clan they are. They just don't mention it. It's your job to make it come harder for them.

Sono Finito