It seems more like a precaution to me.

[ Lestat shrugs, idly leaning back against the bar. He's not feeling ignored, exactly, but he is feeling a little like his two conversation partners are getting more out of this than he is. Oh, were he a normal human man who could get drunk at the bar while his friends talk shop. ]

To scale down the abilities of those of us who could go against the rules so easily were we at full strength. It wouldn't do the City any good to have someone running around who's unafraid of the dangers the City creates for us, now would it? Just like it wouldn't be very good for appearances if one of us could, let's say for example, fly into the sky and get a birds' eye view on exactly how far this place spreads beyond the perimeter.

[ A little tap-tap-tap of his nail on the bar. He looks away almost absently. He's probably aware he's being rude, though it's kind of hard to tell with him sometimes. ]

Or it's just a method of control, a way to keep us in line. If they can take power from us, what's to stop them from taking something else.