What Are Derangements, and Why Might You Use Them?
by: Kismet Rose
Given the horrible things that go on every night in the World of Darkness, anyone can develop mental and emotional wounds. Derangements are usually the result of great strain and the psyche's efforts to protect itself, but they can also be caused by magical effects, encounters with the truly alien, and other extreme events. Characters may suffer from them after failing certain rolls. Some characters, like Malkavians, are permanently afflicted, and some will garner more than one at a time. Most are based on real-life mental illnesses and can be disruptive to a group game when and if players get out of hand with portraying them, which made them controversial aspects at many tables. I present them here for completeness' sake, with some friendly advice in case you'd like to use them.
My first piece of advice is this: derangements shouldn't completely and continually disable characters. In most cases, afflicted characters will experience periods of symptoms that interrupt their normal functioning. Challenges arise because symptoms can be unpredictable but will often make things worse during moments that are already testing the character, when they have much to lose, such as combat and public speaking. Some derangements, like delusions of grandeur, are ongoing problems with perception and thus are part of the character's status quo: most times, the character knows they're the best, but every now and then, they're confronted with evidence that they're not. They can choose to ignore or creatively interpret that evidence, but the derangement will affect their relations with others, even when they're not responding to a triggering event. But it's vital to give players ways to resolve the derangements. It's one thing for the character to feel trapped by their condition; it's another thing for a player to feel trapped with an experience they don't want to deal with every time they play.
Derangements can add struggles and nuances to characters and offer unique roleplaying opportunities, but they must be used carefully. Whether or not you'll include them at all should be discussed with the entire group before character creation. Those who have had difficult experiences with mental illness in real life might want nothing to do with such things when they game. Whatever the reason, if someone is opposed, it's okay to pass derangements by. If you do decide to use them, it's generally a bad idea for Storytellers to simply choose derangements for player characters without consulting them first. Some players might not feel able to - or comfortable with - portraying certain illnesses. Players might also be disturbed if derangements are treated casually or disrespectfully. Players and Storytellers should work together to choose derangements and symptoms that won't throw the game into chaos or give all of the spotlight to one player, so the entire group will have an engaging experience.
New World of Darkness Derangements
Derangements have been replaced by Conditions in the latest iteration of the World of Darkness, but they can easily be converted into Conditions if the Storyteller and players want something different. A full list of derangements from the first edition of nWoD, with brief descriptions and locations, can be found at the WoD Codex.
Old World of Darkness Derangements
Below, I compiled a list of derangements from as many books as I could. You can find the name of each derangement, the book where it can be found, and the relevant page numbers. Some derangements, like paranoia, were printed in multiple books; in such cases, each location is noted. These derangements can be used for just about any character, Kindred or not, but some are specifically for vampires and ghouls. A player can always work with their Storyteller to alter the terms or make up a unique derangement, if they wish.
Derangement |
Book |
Page # |
Amnesia (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Amnesia (II) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Amnesia (III) |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Animalistic Hysteria |
Ghouls |
26-28 |
Berserk |
Guide Sabbat |
161-163 |
Berserker |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Blood Sweats |
Guide Sabbat |
161-163 |
Bulimia |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Choromania |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Compulsion (I) |
V:tM Player's 2nd |
35 |
Compulsion (II) |
Libellus 4 |
107-108 |
Delusions of Grandeur (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Delusions of Grandeur (II) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Delusions of Grandeur (III) |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Dependent Personality Disorder |
Ghouls |
26-28 |
Desensitization |
Malkavian (rev) |
55-58 |
Disassociative Blood Spending |
Malkavian (rev) |
55-58 |
Fantasy (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Fantasy (II) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Fits |
V:tM Player's 2nd |
35 |
Fugue |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Gluttony |
Guide Sabbat |
161-163 |
Habromania |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Hallucinations |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Hierarchical Sociology Disorder^ |
Tremere (rev) |
68-69 |
Homocidal |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Hysteria |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Insecure |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Klazomania |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Lunacy |
Libellus 4 |
107-108 |
Manic |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Manic-Depression (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Manic-Depression (II) |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Masochism (I) |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Masochism (II) |
Malkavian (rev) |
55-58 |
Megalomania (I) |
Libellus 4 |
107-108 |
Megalomania (II) |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Melancholia |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Memory Lapses |
Malkavian (rev) |
55-58 |
Misomania |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Multiple Personalities (I) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Multiple Personalities (II) |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Multiple Personalities (III) |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Nymphomania/Satyriasis |
Guide Sabbat |
161-163 |
Obsession (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Obsession (II) |
V:tM Player's 2nd |
35 |
Obsession (III) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Obsession (IV) |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Obsessive/Compulsive |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Overcompensation (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Overcompensation (II) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Overcompensation (III) |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Overcompensation (IV) |
Guide Sabbat |
161-163 |
Paranoia (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Paranoia (II) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Paranoia (III) |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Paranoia (IV) |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Perfection (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Perfection (II) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Phagomania* |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Phobia (I) |
V:tM Player's 2nd |
35 |
Phobia (II) |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Phobia (III) |
Guide Sabbat |
161-163 |
Power-Object Fixation |
Malkavian (rev) |
55-58 |
Regression (I) |
V:tM 2nd |
202-203 |
Regression (II) |
V:tDA |
204-205 |
Regression (III) |
Malkavian (rev) |
55-58 |
Sadism |
Book Wyrm 1st |
25 |
Sanguinary Animism |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Sanguinary Cryptophagy^ |
Tremere (rev) |
68-69 |
Schizophrenia |
V:tM 3rd edition |
222-224 |
Self-Annihilation Impulse |
Malkavian (rev) |
55-58 |
Self-Defeating Personality Disorder |
Ghouls |
26-28 |
Severe Dysmenorrheic Psychosis (SDP)** |
Ghouls |
26-28 |
Synesthesia |
Malkavian (rev) |
55-58 |
Thaumaturgical Glossolalia^ |
Tremere (rev) |
68-69 |
Visions |
Libellus 4 |
107-108 |
Although the books outline a lot of derangements, they by no means cover everything. Belladonna's derangements article offers more based on clinical conditions.
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