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I have yet to meet a gamer who is not intrigued by The Kindred Most Wanted. I have seen many people pull it off my shelf, take one look at the cover, and decide that they have to see what’s inside. Every single one of them has finished it in my presence and given glowing reports about it. There are a few White Wolf books that have this effect – like the Book of Nod and the Masquerade core book – but this one stands out for a few reasons.

The first reason is the artwork portraying the kindred’s most hunted vampires, called the Anathema. It is absolutely excellent and meant to capture the very essence of each vampire. No crude mugshots are these. The large and seductive portrait of Angelo on the cover is repeated within, and each person outlined in the book is given the same full-page, in-depth treatment. Most of the pieces are intensive close-ups, in which the subjects look right at the viewer and their personalities are made plain on their faces. This book features some of the best art to be found in White Wolf, in the past and today.

But the artwork directs us to the real reasons for the book: the secrets of the Camarilla Red List and the stories of the Anathema. The Red List, styled after the FBI's Most Wanted, can be used in several different ways in any given chronicle. Player characters can find themselves in the plots of the Most Wanted, interacting with the fugitives or hunters, or hunting the Anathema for rich rewards. The Introduction outlines the history of the Red List, its politics, and gives details about trophies offered for capturing or destroying one of the Anathema. It also gives some details about the Alastors, the covert hunters of the Most Wanted.

Far more interesting than the Red List, however, are the Anathema themselves. All thirteen vampires of vastly different clans are given the royal treatment in this book. Each section gives the background of one vampire’s mortal life and unlife, their purpose, their modus operandi, the trophy clan offering rewards, and the crimes for which they have been added to the List. On top of that, full statistics are given for every character, from the recently Embraced Angelo to the ancient Kemintiri. What’s more, each vampire is fascinating and the stories are so enjoyable to read that I have come back to them again and again over the years. It is easy to feel sympathy for quite a few of them, since many of them are, like the best vampires, tragic figures.

One of the things that amuses me the most about this book is that, to this day, I have only seen it come up in chronicles a minimal amount. Some attentions have been paid to the Red List, but I have not seen many uses of the Anathema. Despite this, everyone I have talked to about The Kindred Most Wanted has loved the book and considered it an integral part of their collection. No one has reported feeling cheated, nor has anyone said the book was not worth the money. Every page transmits the feel of the World of Darkness and of Vampire: the Masquerade, and it is a great introductory read for new players trying to learn about vampires. Few White Wolf books match it for sheer enjoyment value; you only need to know the basics of the system to appreciate the characters.

I have only become more fond of The Kindred Most Wanted over time and I have never once considered selling it or even loaning it out. Thus I hold it in high esteem and I suggest you find it, whether you care about the Red List or not. Physical copies can be found in various online stores and .pdf copies can be purchased at drivethrurpg.com.

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