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Clanbook: Assamite

Clanbook: Assamite

List Price: $12.00
Your Price: $12.00
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: One of the Most Worthwhile Clanbooks
Review: A whole heck of a lot is covered in this clanbook, probably making it the most-used clanbook I own, even after buying the other 12.

Pluses
- Gives an interesting historical overview of the clan, explains the warriors' ancient roles as judges of other vampires and notes some interesting run-ins between the Children of Haqim and the Baali as well as another point of view of Carthage
- Explains the Schism: the fundamental disagreement between ur-Shulgi's loyalists and al-Ashrad's schismatics; all the main political factions are detailed (loyalists, schismatics and antitribu as well as dispossessed). (Approximately one third of the Assamites fleeing Alamut and seeking to negotiate with the Camarilla is not something I expected, and the clan is more accessible and less inscrutable because of this turn of events)
- Fully details the three main Assamite bloodlines (viziers, warriors, sorcerers), giving the option to play any of them with its own set of shared-and-different Disciplines and (optional) alternate weakness
- Defines (albeit out of necessity) some Assamite-specific terminology (e.g. rafiq, the Du'at, Amr, etc.)
- The comments on other clans are very good as they give the *general* Assamite points of view toward the others but from Assamites of various ethnicities
- Elaborates on Haqim's laws (which is nice considering the interpretation of one of them is partly responsible for the Schism)
- Looks into the Blood Magic of the Assamite sorcerers as well as advanced Discipline powers; there's a very helpful list that pulls together the non-Assamite-specific thaumaturgical paths that Assamite sorcerers may pursue
- There are some interesting character templates (Bogeyman, Circuit Rider, Cleaner)
- Some very old, powerful, notable Assamites are listed in the back (such as Thetmes and Tegyrius)

Minuses
- Seems to be lacking a prelude short story (but probably because of the sheer amount of other stuff covered in the rest of the book)
- Some of the other character templates are just dull or seemingly uninspired
- Mention of some more notable Assamites would have been nice (since there are so many)
- A glossary right at the beginning of the book would have made terms easier to define and become familiar with
- Several formating oversights make finding specific sections of text a little difficult since not all the headers are in bold

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Now we know why we fear the Assamites...
Review: After reading Clanbook Assamite thoroughly, I understand why these Vampires are the most feared of all Kindred. The book explains the history of the clan and its powerful code of honor, and through all this it becomes clear that the Assamites are fanatics in the truest sence of the word. All is written with an easy to read, although sometimes a bit forced shakespearian, style, and has a clear and ordered layout. The book is simply a must-have for all players and storytellers who wish to use Assamite characters in their chronicles.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Decent...
Review: All in all, a fairly interesting book. Some good information on history and motivations of the Clan. Some even a bit surprising. However, it did leave something to be desired... Worth your while for those who play Assamite, don't bother if you don't.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: exellent!
Review: Clanbook Assamite revised Is very Informative on the children of Haqim their struggles with the infernal Baali and their uprise in the first city..also the history on Mount Alamut and how the clan founder came to discover it along with his disciples makin it their homebase ,and then started their teachings more in depth there away from the other children of cain,Also other levels of the quietus discipline and obfuscate, the rituals presented are also very helpful.. overall this is a exellent book to build a assamite character or give more depth to an existing one..

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: exellent!
Review: Clanbook Assamite revised Is very Informative on the children of Haqim their struggles with the infernal Baali and their uprise in the first city..also the history on Mount Alamut and how the clan founder came to discover it along with his disciples makin it their homebase ,and then started their teachings more in depth there away from the other children of cain,Also other levels of the quietus discipline and obfuscate, the rituals presented are also very helpful.. overall this is a exellent book to build a assamite character or give more depth to an existing one..

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Could have been better
Review: I expected a lot more from this book and it let me down a lot. It's only saving grace are some surprises like Paths and character bios.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Assamites maul everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I've taken on werewolves with my Assamite. They0're the BEST clan for more experianced players. If your Chronicling for werewolves, having one or more of then unexpectadly... Meet an Assamite assassin could really screw up a capaign (if played right[GRIN]).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Blood
Review: May the night come that the kafir not awake again, but all be killed in their hiding places, crumbled to dust and forgotten forever, and may the day come that Haqim returns to greet us rafiq and bless us for our prevail. The old Blood are too weak, and the young blood are spoiled, and go forth to spoil this Earth with their petty rivalries and their pointless battles, that only let us become stronger, as we play them as pleases us. May the day come that Kayyin returns, only to find his Childer dead, and may the day come that Haqim ends Kayyin's blasphemic existence and frees the world of his unholy presence.

Wait for the day.

Uther Algaan, Assamite Elder

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Well done!
Review: My second favorite clan...

This clanbook is very informative and really helped me to flesh out my Assamite character. This book helps one to understand the rigors of what it means to be an assamite.

I highly recomend this book to players and storytellers alike.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Long Needed Change for Clan Assamite
Review: The Assamites, a clan of assassins hailing from Persia and Arabia, have long been characterized by negative stereotypes in the World of Darkness gamelines. The first edition clan book was filled with offensive remarks and stereotypes about Islamic culture and the Middle East. Clayton Oliver's revision of the clan was a very welcome change from all of that. The Assamites are detailed as being more or less like any other clan.
The first chapter opens with telling us everything that we have been told about the clan is a lie, created in part by the western clans, and in part by the Assamites need to remain secret. We are given an extensive history of the Assamite's role in Middle Eastern history, from ancient Mesopotamia, Persia, Babylon, Carthage, Greece and Assyria to Byzantine era. Great detail is given to the Crusades, the back story being that the Crusades shattered the Assamite's relation to the west. From then on, we get some brief views of Assamite activities during the Ottoman Empire, the British invasion of India, the formation of the Arab States, and finally the modern era.
The next chapter goes into detail concerning the Assamite's social structre. The main body of the clan, following an ancient Mesopotamian God-King Ur-Shulgi, is given great detail. With social ranks going from the Du'at (three leaders of the clan) to the Silsila (elder priest types) to the Fida'i (initiates to the clan). We also learn that there are three Assamite castes. The main caste, the warriors, are not the assassins that are always presented as Assamites. Indeed, the warriors were once judges and law enforcers, but slowly changed to warriors over time. And not all, or even most, are assassins. Indeed, they are body gaurds, soldiers, straegists, communications experts, technicians, smugglers, martial artists and bedouin lords. There are also two other castes. The sorcerers are blood magicians, drawing from ancient Hebrew, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Arabian, Persian and Indian magics. They are just as potent and deadly as the Tremere. The other caste are Viziers, the scholars and artisans of the clan. Not only are they record keepers, scholars and historians, but also scientists, linguists, religious experts, artists, jewellers, calligraphers, storytellers, legal expets, journaliss, Bollywood producers, politicians and so forth. Each gets a write up, complete with advantages, weaknesses, clan disciplines and bloodlines, and even specific ranks and offices.
We are then presented with the Laws of Haqim, which unit the Assamite clan and guide them towards their goals. Political factions, from the loyalists, to those who want to break with the clan, to the Sabbat and Camarilla members, to those who follow other paths (like the Israeli Leopards of Zion, all female Furies of Erinyes and the elite hashashyin of the Web of Knives) are explored. We are also treated with steroetypes about the "foreign" clans and other creatures of the night. The chapter closes out with some details on unique Assamite disciplines and merits and flaws. Not only do we get unique multi-discipline powers, but also higher level Quietus powers, unique Celerity and Obfuscate powers, a vizier-specific Auspex power and the all new Assamite sorcery disicpline which draws on Mesopotamian and Persian blood magics.
And of course, the book closes out with nine ready made Assamite templates (three for each caste, and one for each faction), several signature characters (some with stats) and an Assamite specific character sheet. Some of the more interesting templates included the archaeologist, character assassin, prophet of caine and witch-hunter (cool). Naturally, the signature characters included Fatima al-Faqadi (the Assamite signature character), but it also includes some really neat ones like Mata Hari (THE Mata Hari), Janni (an Israeli Assamite), Tegyrius (leader of the Schism who once rode with Alexander the Great) and Nar-Sheptha (a Babylonian sorceress bound into a series of CD-ROMS filled with magic lore), amongst others.
All in all, I think this book has been extremley useful for the vampire setting, getting rid of some extremely offensive and prejudiced views from earlier editions and making vampire games fit better into a Middle Eastern setting. If you want to be able to play an Assamite with any depth, this book is a much needed supplement. Easily the best of the Clan books.


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