Humanity is a measure of how closely a vampire clings to the morality and values of mortal life , and consequently how well they are able to resist the urges of the Beast.
Overview
Since every Kindred was a human before their Embrace, their most natural response in resisting the Beast's feral, predatory nature is to cling to their humanity. This is generally represented by the strength of their conscience and self-control, virtues common to Kindred and mortals alike.
A Kindred's humanity has a direct effect on the strength of the vampiric curse; those who lose ground to the Beast and lose their humanity find it more difficult to interact with mortals, to be active during daylight hours, and to awaken from long periods of torpor.
Humanity is universally adopted by the vampires of the Camarilla, but even among the Sabbat it is the "natural" and most common way of dealing with the Beast. Some vampires however reject the mores of mortal existence and adopt an alien Path of Enlightenment, in which they learn or construct a wholly different standard of morality. These often incorporate different virtues - conviction instead of conscience, and instinct instead of self-control - and establish a very different relationship with the Beast. Replacing the morality of one's human life is a daunting task, not to be taken lightly, and generally impossible without the tutition of one who already follows the alternate path.
The practice of assuming a Path of Enlightenment was much more common in the medieval period, when every vampire had to choose a "Road", a quasi-religious path to harmony with or control over the Beast. Humanity was one of these Roads, known then as the Road of Humanity (Via Humanitatis). Though less common than today, the Road of Humanity was still the most natural Road to follow.
Humanity Ratings
A vampire’s Humanity rating reflects how much of a character’s mortal nature remains despite the curse of Caine. It influences how well a character may deny her vampiric state, as well as how effectively she may pass for mortal.
| Humanity Rating | Moral Standards |
| 10 | Saintly |
| 9 | Compassionate |
| 8 | Caring |
| 7 | Normal |
| 6 | Distant |
| 5 | Removed |
| 4 | Unfeeling |
| 3 | Cold |
| 2 | Bestial |
| 1 | Horrific |
| 0 | Wight |
Hierarchy of Sins
| Humanity Rating | Moral Guideline |
| 10 | Selfish thoughts |
| 9 | Minor selfish acts |
| 8 | Injury to another (accidental or otherwise) |
| 7 | Theft |
| 6 | Accidental violation (drinking a vessel dry out of starvation) |
| 5 | Intentional property damage |
| 4 | Impassioned violation (manslaughter, killing a vessel in frenzy) |
| 3 | Planned violation (outright murder, savored exsanguination) |
| 2 | Casual violation (thoughtless killing, feeding past satiation) |
| 1 | Utter perversion or heinous acts |
| 0 | No moral values. Must sleep, must feed, must kill |
Humanity and Torpor
Vampires who enter torpor due to wounds must rest for a period depending on their Humanity or Path rating:
| Humanity Rating | Length of Torpor |
| 10 | One day |
| 9 | Three days |
| 8 | One week |
| 7 | Two weeks |
| 6 | One month |
| 5 | One year |
| 4 | One decade |
| 3 | Five decades |
| 2 | One century |
| 1 | Five centuries |
| 0 | Millennium+ |
Following this period of rest, the player may spend a blood point and make an attempt to Awakening. If the vampire has no blood in his body, he may not rise until he is fed; the vampire may try to awaken for as long as he has Vitae on his system. If the vampire rises successfully, he is considered Crippled and should either spend blood or hunt immediately to regain his full strength.
References
Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 311-313