Which MBTI-based clan are you?

[Clever Name]

While personality tests are old hat by now, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is pop-psychology at best, I wanted to pair a vampire personality quiz with the thinnest veneer of academic credibility. Hence the following.

There are 16 MBTI personalities. There are a similar amount of clans. Connecting them should be pretty easy, so let's get to it.

Here's a brief primer: personalities are divided into axes for simplicity. Introvert versus extrovert; self-explanatory. Intuitive versus Observant; Intuitive are imagination-based, Observant are focused on the practical. Thinking versus Feeling; Thinking is basically preferring logic to emotion. Feeling is the opposite. Judging versus Prospecting; Judging is about structure and predictability, Prospecting is about improvisation.

Further details, my quoted descriptions, and personality tests are from this site:

https://www.16personalities.com/personality-types

One caveat: since these profiles aren't made with psychotic monsters in mind, there won't be perfect fits in many cases. Just 'close enough' archetypes.

I'll start alphabetically.

Banu Haqim are: "ISTJ (Logistician) is a personality type with the Introverted, Observant, Thinking, and Judging traits. These people tend to be reserved yet willful, with a rational outlook on life. They compose their actions carefully and carry them out with methodical purpose."

Brujah are: "ESFJ (Consul) is a personality type with the Extraverted, Observant, Feeling, and Judging traits. They are attentive and people-focused, and they enjoy taking part in their social community. Their achievements are guided by decisive values, and they willingly offer guidance to others."

Gangrel are: "ESTP (Entrepreneur) is a personality type with the Extraverted, Observant, Thinking, and Prospecting traits. They tend to be energetic and action-oriented, deftly navigating whatever is in front of them. They love uncovering life’s opportunities, whether socializing with others or in more personal pursuits."

Hecata are: "INTP (Logician) is a personality type with the Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Prospecting traits. These flexible thinkers enjoy taking an unconventional approach to many aspects of life. They often seek out unlikely paths, mixing willingness to experiment with personal creativity."

Lasombra are: "INTJ (Architect) is a personality type with the Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging traits. These thoughtful tacticians love perfecting the details of life, applying creativity and rationality to everything they do. Their inner world is often a private, complex one."

Malkavians are: "INFP (Mediator) is a personality type with the Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Prospecting traits. These rare personality types tend to be quiet, open-minded, and imaginative.

Although they may seem quiet or unassuming, people with the INFP personality type (Mediators) have vibrant, passionate inner lives. Creative and imaginative, they happily lose themselves in daydreams, inventing all sorts of stories and conversations in their mind. INFPs are known for their sensitivity – these personalities can have profound emotional responses to music, art, nature, and the people around them. They are known to be extremely sentimental and nostalgic, often holding onto special keepsakes and memorabilia that brighten their days and fill their heart with joy."

The Ministry are: "ENTP (Debater) is a personality type with the Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Prospecting traits. They tend to be bold and creative, deconstructing and rebuilding ideas with great mental agility. They pursue their goals vigorously despite any resistance they might encounter."

Nosferatu are: "ISFJ (Defender) is a personality type with the Introverted, Observant, Feeling, and Judging traits. These people tend to be warm and unassuming in their own steady way. They’re efficient and responsible, giving careful attention to practical details in their daily lives.

In their unassuming, understated way, people with the ISFJ personality type (Defenders) help make the world go round. Hardworking and devoted, these personalities feel a deep sense of responsibility to those around them. But they rarely demand recognition for all that they do, preferring instead to operate behind the scenes."

Ravnos are: "ISFP (Adventurer) is a personality type with the Introverted, Observant, Feeling, and Prospecting traits. They tend to have open minds, approaching life, new experiences, and people with grounded warmth. Their ability to stay in the moment helps them uncover exciting potentials."

Salubri are: "INFJ (Advocate) is a personality type with the Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging traits. They tend to approach life with deep thoughtfulness and imagination. Their inner vision, personal values, and a quiet, principled version of humanism guide them in all things.

Idealistic and principled, people with the INFJ personality type (Advocates) aren’t content to coast through life – they want to stand up and make a difference. For these compassionate personalities, success doesn’t come from money or status but from seeking fulfillment, helping others, and being a force for good in the world."

Toreador are: "ESFP (Entertainer) is a personality type with the Extraverted, Observant, Feeling, and Prospecting traits. These people love vibrant experiences, engaging in life eagerly and taking pleasure in discovering the unknown. They can be very social, often encouraging others into shared activities.

ESFP personalities are inclined toward putting on a show for others and generally appear to be very comfortable in the spotlight. However, it is not their love for being the center of attention that drives this sense of confidence but their knack for sensing what’s appropriate in certain situations. They have an uncanny ability to mirror the behaviors of those around them."

Tremere are: "ISTP (Virtuoso) is a personality type with the Introverted, Observant, Thinking, and Prospecting traits. They tend to have an individualistic mindset, pursuing goals without needing much external connection. They engage in life with inquisitiveness and personal skill, varying their approach as needed.

(Virtuosos) love to explore with their hands and their eyes, touching and examining the world around them with an impressive diligence, a casual curiosity, and a healthy dose of skepticism. They are natural makers, moving from project to project, building the useful and the superfluous for the fun of it and learning from their environment as they go. They find no greater joy than in getting their hands dirty pulling things apart and putting them back together, leaving them just a little bit better than they were before."

Tzimisce are: "(Commanders) are natural-born leaders. Embodying the gifts of charisma and confidence, ENTJs project authority in a way that draws crowds together behind a common goal. However, these personalities are also characterized by an often ruthless level of rationality, using their drive, determination, and sharp mind to achieve whatever objectives they’ve set for themselves. Their intensity might sometimes rub people the wrong way, but ultimately, ENTJs take pride in both their work ethic and their impressive level of self-discipline."

Ventrue are: "ESTJ (Executive) is a personality type with the Extraverted, Observant, Thinking, and Judging traits. They possess great fortitude, emphatically following their own sensible judgment. They often serve as a stabilizing force among others, able to offer solid direction amid adversity.

(Executives) are representatives of tradition and order, utilizing their understanding of what is right, wrong, and socially acceptable."

[Clever Name]

Originally posted by Polyedra:

U know the Buddhists believe this emptiness is the goal. Idk what I believe though. I think the emptiness is dangerous.. like if you're actually empty, why would u do anything?

I guess there are two kinds of emptiness. One is like a black hole that attempts to pull things into it. In other words, desperate emptiness. You seek purpose, fulfillment, in something outside yourself because there's nothing inside you to sustain you.

The other kind is contented emptiness, which I'm assuming is analogous to nirvana. Another way of looking at it, perhaps, is the satiety you feel after a meal. You're full, but empty of desire. In the spiritual sense, it would entail having enough of existence to no longer need more.

Originally posted by Polyedra:

I like u. Don't think we agree on everything though since you're either a flesh-twister or an aristocrate, but ur alright. I give u 7/10 vampiric forum points.

Thanks, I'd rate you the same.

Originally posted by Polyedra:

But why Tzimisce, why? Is it power? For me it's absolutely power. But not in the sense Tzimisce is. I want the power to save someone else and still be powerful enough to save myself. What do you want? Immortality? I'd take a sip of that too if I could. But at the expense of being a monster...? Not sure. Perhaps. Would u? Tell me a story :)

Material power doesn't interest me at all. Nor does wealth, sex, etc. Not beyond idle curiosity. None of the conventional lures would be enough to predicate my existence on.

I would rather devote my time to study, the question is of what. Tremere magic seems to be more about, ultimately, acquisition of greater power; which is why I lean more towards necromancy. Not the zombie raising kind, but a strong focus on the spirit world.

Hecata and Song of the Shadow are interesting to me in that they approach manipulation of spirits differently. Hecata typically use brute force to command spirits, while the dharmic vampires usually prefer to treat the spirits with decency.

I was thinking of making a Hecata along the lines of the dharmic path; in which you offer the dead a bargain (like possessing your body for a set duration, to achieve some end, unfinished business, etc) in exchange for their assistance or knowledge.

The conventional game rules are all about threatening spirits with destruction, which I'd rather avoid.

[Clever Name]

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Hmm, Idk if I even ever talked to him. I remember killing him though, or someone down in some sewer he was hiding his foul experiments in.

I always talk to most characters as politely as the game allows. This is as much personal standards of etiquette as metagaming. There's very rarely a downside to being polite, and rarely a payoff to being abrupt or rude. Generally you either learn more, or gain something tangible, with excessive politeness.

[Polyedra]

Hecata, I see; I was wrong then. I like that. Makes me think of tombs and silent death. Makes me think of peace, actually. Graveyards do that for me. Not horror but tranquility.
And I like your approach also. I figure the dead deserve to be treated with humility. And I was always about fair trades. If there's something I truly despise it's unfairness from those at superior positions, that always had my blood boil.

[Polyedra]

Originally posted by Clever Name:

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Hmm, Idk if I even ever talked to him. I remember killing him though, or someone down in some sewer he was hiding his foul experiments in.

I always talk to most characters as politely as the game allows. This is as much personal standards of etiquette as metagaming. There's very rarely a downside to being polite, and rarely a payoff to being abrupt or rude. Generally you either learn more, or gain something tangible, with excessive politeness.

Makes sense. I'm alot about yields. Whatever they can yield, I am interested. At some point I lost track of the gaming though. It hollowed and now all I search for is those yields, to try and find whatever I can scrounge. I wish it was different, that my search would be impossible and needless both. That there'd always be something new to find so I never had to search for sequences and hidden things to obsession. That I could just move forward and experience. Take it as it comes.

[Clever Name]

Originally posted by Polyedra:

And I like your approach also. I figure the dead deserve to be treated with humility. And I was always about fair trades. If there's something I truly despise it's unfairness from those at superior positions, that always had my blood boil.

Hecata are okay up to a certain point. Then they get brutal, and there's no way around it. Advancing in the clan means you have to do horrific things; even by vampiric standards.

Higher level ceremonies--the kind that allow access to the spirit world--requires human sacrifice.

This is radically opposed to dharmic paths, which allow the same access without doing anything objectionable. In fact, honoring and assisting spirits actually advances you along your path, which in turn results in gaining power. The dharmas allow you to effectively lower your generation* merely by advancing through them; no need for diablerie.

This is not to say dharmic vampires are 'good' by the standards of humanity; but there are certain things that are taboo, and violently disrupting the spirit world is one of them.

*or dharmic path equivalent, since Kuei-jin aren't descended from Caine.

[Polyedra]

Ah, unfortunate that you have to do terrible things to go forward. But what does one not do in the pursuit of.. knowledge?
Sounds like you circumvent this through this dharmic path but it also sounds like something possibly upsetting other Hecata. Many are like that, get upset when others don't follow traditions or deviating from the planned route.
What is Hecata searching for in the spirit realm? Is there anything to find? There must be, I mean otherwise why go rummaging around in that place? Heard it isn't too jolly really.
Necromantic pursuits are very not me in any case, I would never do that, but perhaps I would talk to a spirit. Thing is that I heard, because little birds whisper all around, that those spirits are usually pretty much broken. That makes me wonder what there would be on the other side to find?
Edit: I suppose it's a bit naive a question. Supposedly the dead would know many useful things? Like the combination to their safe or where they buried their cat? But I also suppose they forgot much and that their priorities changed.

[Harukage]

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Originally posted by Clever Name:

I always talk to most characters as politely as the game allows. This is as much personal standards of etiquette as metagaming. There's very rarely a downside to being polite, and rarely a payoff to being abrupt or rude. Generally you either learn more, or gain something tangible, with excessive politeness.

Makes sense. I'm alot about yields. Whatever they can yield, I am interested. At some point I lost track of the gaming though. It hollowed and now all I search for is those yields, to try and find whatever I can scrounge. I wish it was different, that my search would be impossible and needless both. That there'd always be something new to find so I never had to search for sequences and hidden things to obsession. That I could just move forward and experience. Take it as it comes.

The sad part about BL1. You can talk with Andrei, ask him questions and get an illusion that there might be something bigger in all that. That you there might be more solutions, like: you can talk him out of his plan, or make a deal with him to temporary stop his hunt for nosferatu for you to get info out of them, or maybe even join him. Or idk, broker a deal between Isaac Abrams and Sabbat. But nah, all that leads to nothing. Shows how BL1 got a lot of ideas scraped to release it sooner.

[Polyedra]

I remember him feeling like that. Like something that should've been larger. But I just kill him off good and then it's nothing, terrible emptiness. Like I distinctively remember it when you say it, that I thought it strange that the room of blood and gore didn't lead somewhere. He's not really a boss ending, it more just stops there. Some thread that's been followed ends. But there's other threads so it's just picking up another and go.

[Clever Name]

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Ah, unfortunate that you have to do terrible things to go forward. But what does one not do in the pursuit of.. knowledge?

Well, human sacrifice is one thing, but the books hint (no explicit details) that you do even worse things to advance.

Thematically it doesn't make much sense to get distracted by pointless depravity; unless the writers are going with an interpretation of Oblivion in which it's not just the void of non-existence, but something inimical to life and creation. This is probably why using Oblivion as a discipline incurs stains (moral degradation) for your character. It's not just plain nothingness, but more of like a Cthulhu entity; malevolent in essence.

So at that point it does beg the question of how close do you want to get, to whatever the hell Oblivion is.

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Sounds like you circumvent this through this dharmic path but it also sounds like something possibly upsetting other Hecata. Many are like that, get upset when others don't follow traditions or deviating from the planned route.

The main mechanical problem with dharmas is that they're from V20. There is no analogue in V5, since the Kuei-jin (who use dharmas) were discontinued.

The closest thing is the Salubri, since they are a legacy of Saulot's travels to the east and his explorations of various eastern religions and philosophies. However, there are no mechanics for reflecting those origins in V5.

So the best thing you could do in V5, is simply play a Hecata differently from the norm. But if you were a 'moral' Hecata, you'd be locked out of certain rituals, which effectively limits your character and how much they can interact with the spirit world.

Originally posted by Polyedra:

What is Hecata searching for in the spirit realm? Is there anything to find? There must be, I mean otherwise why go rummaging around in that place?

Augustus Giovanni himself wanted to destroy the barrier between the world of the living and the dead. To what end, I don't know. Subordinates found out about this plan and rebelled, which is in part why the Hecata was formed; clan Giovanni had been purged and the survivors wanted to gather all necromancer bloodlines together under one clan to compensate for their losses, and to consolidate knowledge. Hecata is therefore something of a clan/sect hybrid.

The guiding purpose of the Hecata after Augustus' defeat is still a mystery to me. Supposedly they're interested in the death and rebirth of the universe as a whole.

This is another thematic element that makes the dharmic paths superior; the purpose of the Song of the Shadow dharma is that of a steward and intermediary between the living and the dead. The purpose is clearly understood, as are the means to fulfill the purpose.

Whereas with kindred necromancers, their goals are nebulous and more or less boil down to curiosity.

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Edit: I suppose it's a bit naive a question. Supposedly the dead would know many useful things? Like the combination to their safe or where they buried their cat? But I also suppose they forgot much and that their priorities changed.

The full extent of what the dead know and still care about is left undefined on purpose, I suspect. But like in the case of questioning the ghost of a murder victim, players should get all the pertinent info they need (who did it, why, where it happened, etc), if they succeed in their rolls.

Trying to do off-the-wall crap, like asking the ghost of Einstein to come up with a new math theory to do X or Y; I'm guessing most storytellers would rightly limit such excesses.

[Polyedra]

I always liked Lasombra better than Giovanni because their name rhymes better with my idea of an ancient vampire coterie, more chronically correct; Giovanni being anachronistic.
Isn't that ironic.

But Giovanni is an example of diablerie and Hecata another. But truly, what do they really represent? A writer that thought Giovanni would be a cool to go with as an example of a vampire clan diablerised, a modern style clan. Then Hecata is the rework when they, like me, realised that it doesn't really sound cool. It sounds like a mafia and not a vampire clan.

Vampires cannot use magix was told to me when discussing Tremere. They only use disciplines, which are different. The exact difference eludes me but that's acceptable.
Now wouldn't necromancy constitute magic? Or is occult something other than magic yet again? Is magic more pompous and brilliant, the amazing dazzles seen in those new Marvel movies? And occult then more murmuring with your ritual regalia in some dank basement?

I don't really see the reason to explore Oblivion and its hostility. Seem dangerous and unyielding, perhaps even more unyielding than hellfiend pacts. It seems as I could scrounge some knowledge difficult or impossible to procure from elsewhere but with a devil I'd get tangible power rather than simple education.
I like it though, it does add to the setting in a cool way. I envision marvelous Heaven, viscious Hell; gloomy Oblivion and plain Earth. It's rich.

Gameplay-wise I'm not sure why it would be worth incurring stains upon your character. Those lead to bad things. It's very prohibitive. Sure can work in a table-top but would it ever work in a digital format? Perhaps. I suppose the possibility to catch a stain could be moderated and the ways of removing the stain could be made accessible.
In any case it's interesting. Power for a price.
About that, what about Baal? They have access to hellfire. Not as awesome as the plain fireball but still. Do they also get stained or is there a different mechanic for them?

[Clever Name]

Originally posted by Polyedra:

But Giovanni is an example of diablerie and Hecata another. But truly, what do they really represent? A writer that thought Giovanni would be a cool to go with as an example of a vampire clan diablerised, a modern style clan. Then Hecata is the rework when they, like me, realised that it doesn't really sound cool. It sounds like a mafia and not a vampire clan.

Giovanni are, to me, the gauche necromancers. They care too much for money and power. The original Cappadocians were more scholarly; which I guess explains why they could be usurped by the more 'worldly' Giovanni. The rest of the bloodlines are somewhere in between those extremes.

Hecata as a whole could be considered flexible enough that you, as a player, could fall anywhere on the spectrum. All Hecata aren't expected to be proficient necromancers. Some are bodyguards, bankers, negotiators, etc.

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Vampires cannot use magix was told to me when discussing Tremere. They only use disciplines, which are different. The exact difference eludes me but that's acceptable.
Now wouldn't necromancy constitute magic? Or is occult something other than magic yet again? Is magic more pompous and brilliant, the amazing dazzles seen in those new Marvel movies? And occult then more murmuring with your ritual regalia in some dank basement?

Necromancy is not magic as much as it's about channeling Oblivion. If we define magic as creating something from imagination or willpower, Oblivion isn't doing that. It's drawing energies from an alternate dimension, in essence. Every time you use Oblivion you're temporarily breaking down the barrier between one dimension and another.

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Gameplay-wise I'm not sure why it would be worth incurring stains upon your character. Those lead to bad things. It's very prohibitive.

Just left strictly to dice rolls, yeah, I don't see it working well in the long run. At some point I think a storyteller would need to start giving you passes on failed rolls, otherwise you could easily become a wight just by using basic Oblivion powers--no human sacrifice needed. Which seems excessive.

Originally posted by Polyedra:

About that, what about Baal? They have access to hellfire. Not as awesome as the plain fireball but still. Do they also get stained or is there a different mechanic for them?

Not sure. As far as I know, the bloodline doesn't exist in V5; and if it does, it's not mentioned much. I'd have to check V20's description of them.

[Polyedra]

Thank you for the correction: Cappadocians, right.

Are they developing V5 or is it something that will be as is? I think you mentioned they're writing it currently? That there'll be updates on disciplines and such, lore too. Perhaps Baal will make a re-entry? I'm very much about heaven and hell, I enjoy that part. I remember how there was a dragon watching the gate to Heaven, which I thoroughly enjoyed.. glossing over those magnificent stats, considering how a mighty dragon would be.

[Clever Name]

Originally posted by Polyedra:

Thank you for the correction: Cappadocians, right.

Are they developing V5 or is it something that will be as is? I think you mentioned they're writing it currently?

V5's still being developed, yeah. Hard to say what direction it'll go, though. I'm almost certain the Kuei-jin won't be coming back, but anything else is up in the air.

What would be nice, is if they'd give the Salubri some special exclusive discipline combos and amalgams to reflect their Kuei-jin (via Saulot) heritage. Turn the Salubri into a broad range of different forms of mysticism.

[Polyedra]

Yes, perfect!
'Broad range of mysticism.' sound excellent to me, exactly how I interpret Salubri.