So, you wanna be a Gangrel. Well, here’s my take on them and a few things that I feel should be raised if you do

Let’s start out with the basics, what makes them tick. In my view, it’s simply two things. Survival and freedom. The first requires no explanation, the second is simply about personal freedom. The right to make their own choices. Of course, like all aspects of freedom there comes a level of responsibility as well.

The other more common, easily mentioned Gangrel traits flow from these twin aspects of their nature. Their wanderlust, their peculiar sense of honour and their honesty are all part of the practical understanding of the needs for survival and a deeper understanding on what is required to hold this freedom they all value.

I mention all these aspects firstly to offer an insight into the mind of a Gangrel as I see it. Now let’s take a look at a few other common conceptions of the Gangrel in the light of reason and also in particular an on-line setting. The Gangrel are tree huggers : No. Not all of them. A vocal percentage but not a majority. Sure it’s nice, sure it’s beautiful, sure it might be great to be all alone in nature. Except they’re not all alone. The damn Lupines are out there and since most of those places you’re trying to conserve you can never see on pain of death, well, the whole cause quickly pales after some thought. Now remove those Lupines from the equation...

Gangrel are consummate wanderers : Not true. Not all Gangrel travel from city to city without stop. Few if any neonates do this. Certainly not across cities and continents. Never mind the fact that it’s impossible to get a proper job that can be done at night to finance the small things like clothing and petrol, the bigger things like finding safe places to stay during daylight and avoiding your average Lupine is not something most neonates are up to. Even Gangrel neonates. Let’s add the fact that a city, any large city will take time to fully explore and learn and you can begin to understand why Gangrel can and will spend months and years in the same locale. Yes, this means that your average Gangrel neonate will be spending time in that on-line city of yours. It’s just too dangerous not to.

Gangrel are combat monsters : Yes and no. Yes, most Gangrel who have lived for 5-10 years are able to hold their own in a tussle. On a purely dot terms, most would have Brawl 1 to 3. Yet don’t forget that any fight holds the danger of Final Death and that to improve you have to fight someone better than you. And between Protean and Fortitude, most Gangrel finish the fights they start within a few combat rounds. Not much time at all to learn anything. So yes, they can fight. No they’re not all gods in fighting and most definitely NO that they pick fights with people. They are not Brujah and in general, getting into serious all out combat is very detrimental to one’s chances of survival.

Gangrel are loners : Okay, this is definitely something to look at. Because yes, most Gangrel do prefer to be alone. Most because there are always exceptions. Yet preference does not mean actual application. Gangrel neonates are abandoned by their Sires in the beginning and even afterwards, whatever they are taught is probably in a rough and ready way. Sometimes the best way to learn is to watch and you can’t watch if you aren’t there. Not to forget the basic tenet of survival and the fact that there is strength in numbers. That and the enemy you know better than the one’s you don’t. (Like Lupines).

Gangrel don’t do politics : Again the majority don’t want to. Exceptions are around of course (like Xavier) but the majority would rather not get involved. Yet in a world of darkness, sometimes the best way to stay alive is to get involved. Or at least to stay informed so as not to find a Blood Hunt called on your name one day when you’re not looking. Add their own code of honour to the Jyhad the elders play and don’t be surprised if more than one Gangrel get drawn into politics.

Gangrel are fluffy, cute furballs with claws : No. No. No. No. And No. And if I’ve not said it enough, No. They are not fluffy. They are not cute. And not all of them have claws. They are creatures of the Beast. That thing that goes “Kill. Eat. Sleep. Kill. Eat. Sleep”. I’m not advocating playing half-civilised barbarians but they are not cute, they are not fluffy and they are certainly not always nice. And just because you asked nicely and have been really nice to them all the time does not mean they’ll teach your Protean. That’s their clan discipline. They don’t trade it away just because they can.

So why bring up all these preconceptions and break them down again? Because they restrict the play of your PC’s in unimaginative and very boring ways. The on-line environment is built around telling stories and an audience of 1 (you) can get boring very fast.

So let’s run over our new understanding of the Gangrel. Your average Gangrel neonate wants to keep his hide intact and yet not be beholden to anyone. He’s figured out that at least among his clan, honour, honesty and a bit of bragging can go a long way to being trusted. He’s also damn scared, pretty damn ignorant of the world around him and has been warned countless times about those Lupines who are tougher than even his own clanmates. So, he stays in a city he was embraced in. When he has to move, he does so with a lot of caution, a lot more preparation and not very often so as not to chance fate.

He also finds he’s got to do something with his time. And while hunting humans seems to be fun, and figuring out what you can do might be even more fun and practical, he’s beginning to realise that there are other things out there. Things that don’t like him and seem to hold a grudge against him. Some of those things are his clanmates (at least that’s the way it seems, and it’s damn tiring eating dust all the time). So forget about being alone all the time, maybe you should actually go to these things called Elysiums and pack meetings and what not. Just to see, to listen, to understand. Maybe even make a few friends who feel the same way you do. Of course there are those Elders who are trying to draw you in all the time so you got to be careful about them too…

In an on-line environment, you can’t afford to play a character who is a complete loner. What I’m hoping I’ve done is offered some reasonable arguments on why your particular Gangrel would be with others. I’m also hoping I’ve discouraged some of the more prevalent stereotypes that seem to hold for the Gangrel, the combat-monster, the complete loner, the tree-hugger, etc.

Before I do end this, let me add one last comment. Do not forget that the Gangrel are known as the Clan of the Beast for a reason. The Beast is known to them, understood and accepted in a way that no other clan has been able to. Some of those very same traits I’ve spoken of in the beginning are linked to the Beast, drawn directly from the understanding and impulses that are part of it. Try to convey this at times, to let people realise that there is something very untamed, very base and very, very dangerous just underneath the surface of civilisation there. This is a very large part of being Gangrel and to forget it is to become just another pointy eared, yellow eyed creature with claws that runs around trying to kill things.