Beware some early-game story spoilers for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 in this guide.
As you progress through the main story of Bloodlines 2, you’ll encounter the first boss fight. Your opponent in this suspiciously German-nightclub-looking abandoned warehouse arena is Benny Muldoon, the Sheriff of Seattle who has gone rogue in the aftermath of Prince Campbell’s recent murder.
By this point in the story, Muldoon is fully mask-off with his bigotry towards Thinbloods. Regardless of whether the Nomad is personally affronted at finding the gruesomely dismembered corpses of vulnerable vampire spawns everywhere, Prince Ryong is very clear when commissioning them that the goal is to track down Benny and bring him in to face the court’s justice.
Following the boss fight where you subdue Benny, though, you’ll suddenly find yourself with a decision to make. Katsumi Ishizaki – not quite the “leader” of Seattle’s Anarchs, but perhaps the only figurehead with the ability to unify most of the fractured sub-factions – tracks you down to Benny’s location. There, she makes quite a compelling case that Benny should be punished by the communities he harmed, rather than the Camarilla who don’t really care about dead Thinbloods except for appearances’ sake. This, naturally, would mean handing him over to her instead.
After choosing your clan, this is perhaps the first major branching story decision you’ll make in Bloodlines 2, even if it doesn’t necessarily play out the way you might expect. Read on for everything you need to know before you decide whether to hand Benny over to Katsumi or Ryong in Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2.
What should you do with Benny in VTMB2?
First off, let’s be clear that this decision doesn’t actually have many short-term consequences. Despite feeling like a moment where the story might branch, Ryong will always appoint you the new Sheriff in Benny’s stead when you report back to her. Seattle needs a new Sheriff, Ryong needs to keep an eye on you, and you need a quick boost of influence in the city to continue your investigation into what exactly is happening to you: it was always going to play out this way, no matter what justifications anyone might give for their choices.
However, that’s not to say that there are no consequences to this decision whatsoever.
Choosing to hand Benny over to Katsumi despite promising to bring him back to the Camarilla will damage your relationship with Ryong, regardless of the fact that she’s still entrusting you with a position of power. Conversely, it makes a good first impression on Katsumi and the other Anarchs, who will be impressed by you (in their view at least) prioritising meaningful justice over strict adherence to the law.
Choosing to return with Benny to Weaver Tower will make a genuinely positive impression on Prince Ryong, but won’t impress Katsumi. The latter won’t fight you, and her troops will allow you to leave with Benny without any resistance if you choose to stick to your mission, but it certainly won’t earn you any headway with the Anarchs, either.
Gaining trust with faction leaders is a major influence on which ending you get in Bloodlines 2, so although it might feel like you’re not in possession of enough facts just yet, this is your first opportunity to start impressing the side you’d like to ally with in the end.
In other words, if you already know you’re aiming for the Camarilla ending, you should take Benny back to Ryong; and if you think the Anarchs might be more your speed, you should let Katsumi take him.
For more Bloodlines 2 story choices, there’s of course the all-important issue of who you can romance and how. Before you get there, though, you might also like to find out more about how to impress Lou Graham during your first conversation.