Presence

To many, vampires seem to exude an air of command, sensuality or intimidation. For a master of Presence, emotions are playthings to be manipulated and stimulated. When many Cainites survive through careful manipulation of mortal society, the ability to sway emotions and control passions is a powerful capability indeed.

More than simply using intrigue or carefully rehearsed acting to influence others, vampires with Presence literally project auras of power or dread. The Presence Discipline is most common among vampires of the Brujah, Follower of Set, Toreador and Ventrue clans. Brujah often use Presence to whip mobs into righteous anger, while Followers of Set influence their “customers” subtly. Toreador cultivate an air of artistic beauty, and Ventrue rely on their control of emotions to influence and rule their “subjects.”

Unlike Dominate, which affects the rational mind directly, Presence affects emotions. Thus, it is a more subtle form of control. However, subjects of Presence are less predictable than Dominate victims. Also, whereas Dominate requires that the victim see the user’s eyes, Presence usually requires only that the user’s face be visible - some Presence powers do not even require that much exposure. Retests with Presence use the Leadership Ability.

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