Customer Reviews

Guide to the Sabbat: A Sourcebook for Vampire the Masquerade

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is a common and persistent misconception that Vampire characters and chronicles should be Camarilla by default. Maybe this is because the core rulebook outlines the Camarilla more thoroughly than other possibilities, or perhaps because Camarilla society is closest to human in ideology and behaviour. Either way, other storytelling options tend to be neglected, and none more so than the Sabbat.

More than any other vampire group; the Sabbat is routinely labelled as the "bad guys". Most Storytellers present them as little other than marauding packs of bloodthirsty, monstrous, straightforward adversaries. Are they bloodthirsty? You're damn right. Monstrous? Maybe. Straightforward? Hardly.

If you've always found the Sabbat confounding and two-dimensional, this book will change that. The "Guide to the Sabbat" contains a wealth of information on Sabbat culture, lifestyle, philosophy, motivation, and behaviour. Included are useful guidelines for creating Sabbat characters, incorporating Sabbat into stories in a rich and interesting fashion, and developing and running Sabbat chronicles. This guide serves to show the depth and complexity of this misunderstood sect and reveals the many excellent storytelling opportunities it offers.

In all, the book is handsome, well formatted, thorough, and entertaining. An extremely useful volume, it makes a necessary addition for any Vampire game.

Every now and then, the Sabbat gets mentioned in our game -- only mentioned because I really didn't have the tools to make them more than paper characters. Now I do. In fact, now I have more information on the philosophy, politics, and social lives of what might be considered "one-third" of the vampire population in terms of the major categories the undead can be placed into. I really liked the comparison between elder and younger Sabbat members because it shows some of the tensions in the Independent and Camarilla groups too. A lot of time is spent on how to make a Sabbat character more than a stereotyped killing machine and how to make a Sabbat story more than a murder spree. One huge disappointment was the repetition of information about the various clans in the Sabbat -- I think the two page summary might be better worked into the more general discussion of the clans so one doesn't have to flip back and forth so much. I also think some stories from the view of "allies, antagonists and others" would strengthen the good job done on describing Sabbat packs and Sabbat society in general.

The Sabbat are many things, mysterious and everpresent, violent and oppressive, exotic and different. These are not the Kindred of the hidden Camarilla, they are the Cainites who roam the streets.

The Sabbat clans and bloodlines are given here in detail, save for those already in the primary Vampire sourcebook. Also included (and excellently done) are several bloodlines designed for non-player characters. Among these is the Harbingers of Skulls, an odd group of Cappadocian Elders who escaped the Giovanni purge. Their now-forgotten legacy is only hinted at in this book, following a powerful tradition of answering one question and opening two.

The overall tone of this book is moving. Like its companions, it focuses on horror. But this is a whole different horror, from being buried "alive" to torturing mortals. It's a powerful guide to the darker half of the night, and an absolutely marvelous resource to anyone running a Sabbat chronicle.

If you're even remotely interested in the Sabbat then you should seriously consider getting this guide, as the core rulebook *barely* touches upon anything more other than Sabbat being "perceived as mindless savages and bloodthirsty fiends." This book is vital for players of Sabbat characters (and Sabbat-using Storytellers), even moreso than the Guide to the Camarilla is vital for players of Camarilla characters since much about the Camarilla is already covered in the core rulebook (but the Camarilla guide is still a nice book to have).

Just about everything about the Sabbat is discussed in depth, like initiation, ritae and war tactics. Factions in the Sabbat are covered as well as individual political positions. A specifically-Sabbat method of character creation is presented and Sabbat-appropriate Abilities and derangements are also present. Many Sabbat character templates are listed, which are all extremely helpful (and pretty interesting). There are advanced Discipline entries, usually for ranks 6-9, as well as types of Disciplines not featured in the core rulebook.

New shades of vampirism are presented here (though due to their awkwardness / susceptibility to abuse, not all are recommended as being playable): the twisted Blood Brothers, the ominous Harbingers of Skulls, the bizarre Kiasyd and the vengeful Salubri antitribu, as well as the gruff Panders, the Sabbat's own brand of Caitiff (who seem to have more status in their sect than the Camarilla Caitiff have in their own). Also, there are all the Camarilla clans' antitribu - excluding the Tremere antitribu (who do get a mention, however), for pretty permanent reasons.

A really, really nice section takes up the burden of making Sabbat Chronicles something more than dice roll hack n' slash or rampant abuse of mortals and runs with it. It also talks about giving Sabbat characters greater meaning to their unlives than "the Camarilla hate you, so you must kill them" or any equivalent plot. I don't think it succeeds as much as it had probably hoped to, unfortunately - a lot of it borders on contradiction.

(On a side note, some of the art is very *explicit,* but not much. There's really only one picture that came close to challenging my will power to not disgorge my last meal. I certainly can't say the stuff illustrated therein isn't *appropriate* for a sect like the Sabbat.)

This book goes in-depth about the Sabbat. Only vaguely covered in the main Vampire book, this gives great insight to what is normally perceived to be a group of thugs, but if that was all they were, the Camarilla would have wipedthem out a long time ago instead of always being wart of the Sabbat. You can now play the "bad guy" Vampires, but without all the hindrance of Camarilla rules. Check it out and either play Sabbat or set up some real adversaries.

Before I read this book, I knew very little about the Sabbat. From what little I could gather from various websites, it appeared to be a formalized gathering of anarchists, antitribu, Tzimisce, Lasombra, and other malcontents who chose to set themselves up as an opposition sect to the Camarilla. Masquerade? BAH! Kine are food. Allow your hunger to run rampant through the streets of the mortal world. Who cares? Gehenna is approaching and we must prepare ourselves for the coming battle. Ok. This book is much more than that. It outlines a much more involved code, rituals, and sociology. The Vaulderie and Vinculum bonds that result from it ... illustrate a genuine sense of vampiric camaraderie that may be imposed in the beginning, but that allows for disparate individuals to coalesce into efficient operatives dedicated to a mutual cause and immediate goal. In many ways the Sabbat is portrayed as a coalition of Cainite revolutionaries espousing understandably "human" traits, such as strength, loyalty, cooperation, and in some ways .... equity and order. They just approach things from a different perspective than the Camarilla. I agree with other reviewers who state that this book will provide more depth and dimension to the Sabbat, and if you roleplay and wish to start a Sword of Caine character - this is a resource you absolutely must acquire!

I love the Sabbat now. I've always found an attraction to the Lasombra but never the Sabbat as a whole. This book changed my perception. The Sabbat isn't a group of mindless killers as the Camarilla makes them seem, they are Crusaders against the ancient ones who would destroy them.

The books intro "Smart Moneys on Vegas" is very nice and is probubly my favorite opening fiction. It captures the mood of the Sabbat and keeps you moving through the introducion area that explains the Sabbat structure and internal strife.

The book moves to the numerous Anti-Tribes of the Sabbat and even special bloodlines that previous reviewers mentioned. One that didn't fit in to me though was a group called the Kiasyd, they are like Faeries but Vampires also... I don't see where they fit into the Sabbat or any sect for that matter.

The discipline section was medicore. Nothing to new, or ground breaking. Especially considering the neutral disciplines like Auspex are in Guide to the Camarilla. The path section is rather interesting, especially since it drills in that many sabbat aren't on paths and stick to humanity, most people can't take pathes dangers.

The section detailing Sabbat tactics for taking cities is amazing and a story based around a siege would be amazing. The tactics are varied especially due to Sabbat disciplines and considering that they already are good at fighting makes me wonder how the Sabbat could ever lose.

This book was very good all in all but my one complaint is that it really doesn't say much about what a Sabbat city really does when it isn't crusading? They weed each other out? Well, this book is still worth the price. It's information is invaluable.

As a longtime player of vampire with access only to the Revised corebook, I was of the opinion that the Sabbat was really just a bunch of infernalist antagonists with no real depth or scope. This book firmly changed my perception of the sect, and Sabbat games have now become my group's norm for play rather than just antagonists.

This book walks the line between good background info and crunchy rules with the grace of a trained tightrope walker. It has everything you would need to know about the Sabbat (from power structure to disciplines to clan specifics to Paths of Enlightenment), while leaving just enough out to allow other books to give you more depth. For example, it has descriptions and basic rules on Revenants (powerful ghoul type beings that are in the Sabbat's service), but leaves enough out so that you are intrigued by the mystery but can still incorporate them in your chronicles.

The disciplines in the book are decently well balanced (nothing too game breaking here), but are good at the same time. It also offers information on the other clans that make up the Sabbat (leaving the Revised core book to explain the Tzimisce and Lasombra), and has a chapter on the bloodlines and Antitribu. The bloodlines are mostly Storyteller material and are decently powerful, but rare, and the descriptions of the Antitribu are very insightful in learning their place in the Sabbat.

This book also offers insight into the rituals and practices of the Sabbat, and leaves enough rules and ideas for customization and even encourages players and storytellers to make rites specific to their games and packs. It stresses that the Sabbat are not just ravening monsters (although some are), and equally stresses the diversity within the sect.

My only gripe is that it does not really offer any information on the Tremere as they are...not in the sect for World of Darkness metaplot reasons. It is somewhat explained why they are not, but that explanation is not in depth enough for me and is actually found in a sidebar. Their omission also provides no information on Sabbat Tremere for Storytellers who wish to set their games before the clan is no longer in the sect.

I highly recommend this book for any Vampire player (and consider it along with the Guide to the Camarilla and Revised core book as necessary for any storyteller wishing to run a vampire chronicle).

When I read this book I had no intention of running a Sabbat campaign. But as we speek I amin the middle of running one. I was mightly impressed by the book and have found it very useful as a resource for my game. The new bloodlines (Harbringers of skulls and Salubri) have made me even more excited then ever of the direction of the game line. yes the final nights have indeed begin in ernest and today you can even play with the terrors of the world of darkness like never before. As I have read in other reviews it does indeed talk about Sabbat politics and this side of the game has always been one of the most fun for me. I recomend this book to anyone

The Sabbat get an update out of the cliched manaic with a chainsaw in one hand and torch in the other and finally become a full blown sect. Clan bloodlines are discussed, merits and flaws, etc etc. What's REALLY exciting about this book are the exploration of Sabbat politics, packs, and rites. The 'bad guys' never had it so good.