History Characters / VampireTheMasqueradeSabbat

* DefectorFromDecadence: It says something about the Followers of Set that the Serpents of Light consider the Sabbat the more ethical choice.

* {{Foil}}: They serve as this to many of their mainstream clan members. Ventrue Antis, for example, are noble warriors versus Camarilla Ventrue who are primarily focused on finance and politics.

* EasySexChange: A potential function of Vicissitude, judging by the presence of Doktor Totentanz, previously Dr Heinrich Lundt. Not to mention Vykos, who is referred to as "it" instead of a gender pronoun. Previously male, Vykos removed his genitals and forswore any gender to demonstrate his detachment from humanity.

* FiveManBand:
** BigBad: Lasombra
** TheDragon: Tzimisce, Ventrue ''antitribu''
** TheEvilGenius: Nosferatu ''antitribu'', Serpents of the Light
** TheBrute: Brujah ''antitribu'', Gangrel ''antitribu'', Malkavian ''antitribu'', Salubri ''antitribu''
** TheDarkChick: Toreador ''antitribu'', Ravnos ''antitribu'', Panders
** TheSixthRanger: Harbingers of Skulls, Kiasyd

* EqualOpportunityEvil: For such a bloodthirsty, unapologetically monstrous sect, they're remarkably all inclusive. The Sabbat is made up of antitribu from pretty much every clan, as well as a pretty much ''extinct'' one [[spoiler: or two.]] Though this doesn't stop the Tzimisce and ''especially'' the Lasombra from looking down upon just about all of their comrades.

** TheDragon: Tzimisce, Ventrue antitribu
** TheEvilGenius: Nosferatu Antitribu, Serpents of the Light
** TheBrute: Brujah antitribu, Gangrel antitribu, Malkavian antitribu, Salubri antitribu
** TheDarkChick: Toreador antitribu, Ravnos antitribu, Panders

Members of other clans not formally part of the Sabbat who have defected and joined the Sabbat instead. Antitribu basically means against the clan, and as such, most of these offshoots tend to occupy the Sabbat unless they are antitribu of a clan that is already part of the Sabbat.

* AxCrazy: Malkavian, Brujah and Gangrel antitribu tend to be a lot more unhinged than their origin clan- not a good thing in the case of the Malkavians.

** Inverted by the Salubri Antitribu and, really, all the other clans.

* EqualOpportunityEvil: Played with as while twelve of the thirteen clans were represented as well as an equal status "Clan" for Caitiff called the Panders, none of the Antitribu are as respected as the Lasombra or Tzimisce.

** The Malkavians and Toreador Antitribu are particularly notable for the fact the former have TWO permanent derangements while the latter find beauty in horror.

* NotSoDifferent: Literally, in the case of Nosferatu antitribu due to Clan loyalty preceding sect loyalty. In fact, Camarilla Nosferatu often trade information with their antitribu counterparts, and see if anything would upset the status quo. No one has been able to find any definite proof of these dealings thanks to their skills at remaining undetected.

* CharmPerson: Much like the Ventrue, the Lasombra possess Dominate. Unlike the Ventrue, they possess no qualms about using it in place of regular negotiations.

* SocialDarwinist: Believe strongly in this, hence their lengthy tests of their future recruits.

* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: In the V5 timeline. Turns out that the Sabbat's blatant disregard for the Masquerade was really bad idea in the face of the Second Inquisition. The FIRSTLIGHT organisation came down upon them ''hard'', raiding several of their central strongholds and murdering and capturing their members en mass. The Sabbat was forced underground in a bid to survive, and is now shadow of its former self, having (seemingly) given up given up on controlling the cities of America, and have instead flocked to the war zones of the world, where it is easier for them to hide their activities.

* SuperStrength: Wielders of the Potence discipline; appropriate, given their belief in strength.

* AHouseDivided: Due to the crisis sparked by the Second Inquistion in the ''V5'' plotline, the Lasombra has descended into serious in-fighting, with some factions of the clan even seriously considering the possibility splitting off from the orthodoxy and joining up with the Camarilla for protection.

* ClassicalMovieVampire: Of all the clans, the ''Old Clan'' Tzimisce are the most likely to be this, and it is even implied that Dracula himself is a member of the clan. Unlike the modern Tzimisce, they substitute Dominate for Vicissitude, and are stereotyped as being old and of relatively low generation, as well as possessing large tracts of land and mortal retainers.

* HazyFeelTurn: Parts of the clan can potentially break from the orthodoxy and join forces with the Camarilla or the Anarchs in ''V5'' plotline, making it a open and somewhat easily justifiable option to play as a Camarilla-aligned Lasombra character. Make no mistake though, the Lasombra who end up casting their lot in with the Camarilla are still very much Lasombra; that is to say, always creeping around in the shadows and scheming up something sinister.

* HazyFeelTurn: Parts of the clan can potentially break from the orthodoxy and join forces with the Camarilla in ''V5'' plotline, making it a open and somewhat easily justifiable option to play as a Camarilla-aligned Lasombra character. Make no mistake though, the Lasombra who end up casting their lot in with the Camarilla are still very much Lasombra; that is to say, always creeping around in the shadows and scheming up something sinister.

* EnemyMine: In the V5 plotline, some of the mavericks along the Lasombra leadership are starting to consider the possibility of forming an (uneasy) alliance with the Camarilla to protect themselves against [[ThePurge the Second Inquistion]] (...and of course, for other, more nefarious purposes). Whether it is actually going to work out is somewhat up in the air.

* HazyFeelTurn: Parts of the clan can potentially break from the orthodoxy and join forces with the Camarilla in ''V5'' plotline, making it a open and somewhat easily justifiable option to play as a Camarilla-aligned Lasombra character. Make no mistake though, the Lasombra who end up casting their lot in with the Camarilla are still very much Lasombra; that is to say, always scheming up something sinister.

* HazyFeelTurn: Parts of the clan can potentially break from the ortodoxy and join forces with the Camarilla in ''V5'' plotline, making it a open and somewhat easily justifiable option to play as a Camarilla-aligned Lasombra character.
* AHouseDivided: Due to the crisis sparked by the Second Inquistion in the ''V5'' plotline, the Lasombra has descended into serious in-fighting, with some factions of the clan even seriously considering the possiblity splitting off from the ortodoxy and joining up with the Camarilla for protection.

The leaders of the Sabbat, the Lasombra clan is well known for their ruthless natures and Darwinist beliefs. Arrogant, power-hungry and treacherous, they practise a unique Discipline that allows them to manipulate the shadows- making them deadly opponents in combat.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aec8cbcae049cdf67f42e78586823dfa.png]]

* MalevolentMutilation: Another popular use.

* OurGhoulsAreCreepier: Unlike much of the Sabbat, the Tzimisce have a predilection for utilizing ghouls, apparently due to being far too choosy about embracing childer to bother with mass-embracing shovelheads. Along with the armies of slaves, test subjects and monsters ghouled by the clan every month, the Tzimisce also have access to a number of ancient families that, thanks to constant exposure to vampire blood over the centuries, have become immortals in their own right. Still loyal to their vampire benefactors, these indentured families can aid the clan in many ways, providing fleshcrafted hounds, occult information, key access to mortal society, and so on. Some eventually prove themselves as capable servants, and become vampires themselves.
** In "The Crucible of God," ghouls start to become even creepier as [[spoiler: Tzimisce himself begins randomly ghouling creatures across the planet, transforming whole sections of wildlife into fleshcrafted monstrosities; even after the Antediluvian's death, these nightmarish creatures remain, becoming part of the natural environment following Gehenna.]]

* TheSocialDarwinist: Some members of the clan espouse these kind of beliefs.

* {{Transhuman}}: What many profess to.

* ThoseWackyNazis: Despite insisting that they didn't actually inspire Hitler or the creation of the Nazi party, the Tzimisce profited immensely from it; they were able to use the death camps as makeshift laboratories and feeding grounds, and managed to find several valuable recruits among the Nazi membership- one of the most notable being Doktor Totentanz. Even the majority of Tzimisce who viewed the Nazis with disinterest or outright contempt did so mostly because [[PragmaticVillainy they regarded genocide as pointlessly wasteful.]]

* ThoseWackyNazis: Despite insisting that they didn't actually inspire Hitler or the creation of the Nazi party, the Tzimisce profited immensely from it; they were able to use the death camps as makeshift laboratories and feeding grounds, and managed to find several valuable recruits among the Nazi membership- one of the most notable being Doktor Totentanz.

* GenuineHumanHide: Those of the clan who don't stop at making furniture out of people may extend their talents to making clothes out of people. In fact,at least one Tzimisce fashion designer liked tailoring clothes out of rewoven human tissue and selling them to Ventrue and Toreador clients; as well as being essentially spies for their mistress, the skin and sinew used in their creation was taken from homeless people- just so the designer could get a cheap laugh out of seeing a Toreador vampire dressed in a beggar's skin.

* FiveBadBand: