Vampire: The Masquerade is a tabletop role-playing game in the World of Darkness series, in which players take the roles of vampires. It was originally released by White Wolf Publishing in 1991, and with new editions released in 1992 (second edition), 1998 (Revised Edition), 2011 (20th Anniversary Edition), and 2018 (fifth edition), each of which updated the game rules. These have been supported with supplementary game books, expanding the game mechanics and setting.
The books from the game's original run were mostly published by White Wolf Publishing, sometimes under their imprint Black Dog Game Factory for books considered more adult. Supplements for the 20th Anniversary Edition were published by Onyx Path Publishing, a company formed by ex–White Wolf Publishing staff; books for the fifth edition are published by Renegade Game Studios together with series owner Paradox Interactive, and by collaborators including Modiphius Entertainment and Onyx Path Publishing.
The supplements include the By Night series, each covering a city as portrayed in the setting; the Clanbook series, covering the vampire clans; guides to the game; sourcebooks for sects and factions; and various other books. The supplements often introduce gradual change to the game's setting, advancing the overarching narrative. Adventure modules have been released, but only rarely, as White Wolf Publishing has preferred to let storytellers construct their own adventures, an uncommon choice in tabletop role-playing games that they could afford due to the World of Darkness series' success and longevity. In the mid-1990s, new World of Darkness books were often top sellers, and by 2001, Vampire: The Masquerade was the second best selling tabletop role-playing game after TSR, Inc.'s Dungeons & Dragons.
Books
First edition (1991–1992) + Game books for Vampire: The Masquerade first edition Title Original release ISBN Publisher Notes Vampire: The Masquerade White Wolf Publishing Core rulebook for the game's first edition Blood Nativity Atlas Games Adventure set in Cleveland. A short introductory story. Written pseudonymously by White Wolf Publishing staff. Published simultaneously with the core rulebook. Ashes to Ashes Q3 1991 White Wolf Publishing Adventure set in Chicago. Follow-up to story in the first edition's rulebook. Alien Hunger White Wolf Publishing Adventure set in Denver, Colorado, featuring a vampiric Louis Pasteur Blood at Dawn White Wolf Publishing Adventure set in Gary, Indiana. Bundled with storyteller screen. Blood Bond White Wolf Publishing Adventure set in Chicago. A short follow-up to Ashes to Ashes. Chicago by Night White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Chicago The Succubus Club White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for the Succubus Club, a vampire club in Chicago The Player's Guide White Wolf Publishing Guide for players. Introduces the clans Assamite, Setite, Giovanni, and Ravnos, and the bloodline Salubri. Milwaukee by Night White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Milwaukee Awakening: Diablerie Mexico White Wolf Publishing Adventure set in Mexico The Storytellers Handbook May–July 1992 White Wolf Publishing Guide for storytellers on leading games The Hunters Hunted White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for vampire hunters Mummy White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for mummies. Followed by a second edition in 1997 for the World of Darkness series in general, and by the game Mummy: The Resurrection in 2001.
Second edition (1992–1998) + Game books for Vampire: The Masquerade second edition Title Original release ISBN Publisher Notes Vampire: The Masquerade White Wolf Publishing Core rulebook for the game's second edition The Players Guide to the Sabbat Brown, Steve C. The Players Guide to the Sabbat. Stone Mountain, Georgia: White Wolf Publishing (1992). WW2055. . p.1. White Wolf Publishing Guide for players on the Sabbat Clanbook: Brujah White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Brujah Who's Who Among Vampires: Children of the Inquisition White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook containing character biographies Clanbook: Gangrel White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Gangrel The Anarch Cookbook White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for the Anarch Movement Under a Blood Red Moon White Wolf Publishing Adventure about the tension between vampires and werewolves in Chicago. Crossover with Werewolf: The Apocalypse. Chicago by Night White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Chicago. Second edition. Updated to account for events in the setting since the first edition, such as the character Prince Lodin's death in Under a Blood Red Moon. Clanbook: Malkavian White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Malkavian Storytellers Handbook to the Sabbat White Wolf Publishing Guide for storytellers on leading games with Sabbat characters Dark Alliance: Vancouver White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Vancouver, and the relations between vampire and werewolf communities there. Crossover with Werewolf: The Apocalypse. Clanbook: Nosferatu White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Nosferatu Dark Colony White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for New England Contacts and Victims White Wolf Publishing Booklet with characters. Bundled with a storyteller screen. The Vampire Players Guide White Wolf Publishing Guide for players. Introduces the clans Assamite, Followers of Set, Giovanni, and Ravnos, and the bloodlines Salubri, Daughters of Cacophony, and Samedi, to the second edition. Update of The Players Guide. Bloody Hearts: Diablerie Britain White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Great Britain and diablerie – drinking of another vampire's blood. Initially planned to be titled Diablerie England. Clanbook: Toreador February–April 1994 White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Toreador Clanbook: Tremere April–June 1994 White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Tremere New Orleans by Night White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for New Orleans Berlin by Night August–October 1994 White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Berlin Clanbook: Ventrue White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Ventrue The Kindred Most Wanted White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for characters on the Camarilla's most wanted list Los Angeles by Night White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Los Angeles Elysium October–December 1994 White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for vampire elders Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for the Black Hand Necropolis: Atlanta White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for the land of the dead in Atlanta. Crossover with Wraith: The Oblivion. Clanbook: Assamite White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Assamite D.C. by Night April–June 1995 White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Washington, D.C. Giovanni Chronicles: The Last Supper June–August 1995 White Wolf Publishing Adventure about clan Giovanni, set in the Carpathians in 1444. Crossover with Vampire: The Dark Ages. Published under the Black Dog Game Factory imprint. The Inquisition White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for the modern Inquisition Clanbook: Setites August–October 1995 White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Setite Clanbook: Tzimisce White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Tzimisce Prince's Primer March–April 1996 White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for vampiric rule over cities Book of the Kindred White Wolf Publishing Introduction to the setting for new players. Tie-in product for the Vampire: The Masquerade television series Kindred: The Embraced. Giovanni Chronicles II: Blood & Fire White Wolf Publishing Adventure about clan Giovanni, set in 1666 in Italy. An independent sequel to Giovanni Chronicles: The Last Supper. Published under the Black Dog Game Factory imprint. Clanbook: Lasombra White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Lasombra Die Stadt, Das Blut, Der Tod: Frankfurt bei Nacht Feder & Schwert Sourcebook for Frankfurt, by the game's German publisher. Title translates to "The City, the Blood, the Death: Frankfurt by Night". Montreal by Night White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for Montreal. Published under the Black Dog Game Factory imprint. Clanbook: Ravnos White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Ravnos Ghouls: Fatal Addiction June–July 1997 White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for ghouls Clanbook: Giovanni White Wolf Publishing Sourcebook for clan Giovanni Kindred of the East White Wolf Publishing Major rulebook for Asian vampires, requiring another World of Darkness rulebook to be played. Supported with its own line of supplements. Updated for Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition with Kindred of the East Companion. Giovanni Chronicles III: The Sun Has Set White Wolf Publishing Adventure about clan Giovanni, set in London in 1848 and in Egypt in 1882. Published under the Black Dog Game Factory imprint.
Revised Edition (1998–2004 and 2011)