Force of Personality

Quite ironic....

2011-06-28T16:24:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Not a lot here, to be honest. I finally got my event card , the Unmasking , that will find its space into my Samedi Reanimateds and in the Imbued deck. I've been looking for trading this card a lot of time, because I don't like spending a lot of cash in cards, prefer trading; even though that for the common cards I take packs in ebay or buy sealed decks.

The irony here is that atm there is no stable playgroup, and until I finish my exams I won't try to organise any game. I miss the two playgroups I've played since I started, death of this game was something awful for those veterans who have been playing this for years.

See you later, Metuselahs!

Time is an Illusion, Politics is a Sin, I like that deck!

2011-05-14T10:51:00.002+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

This is another chapter of the decks I really liked that much to make an entry for them in the blog. And I will try to build this one with my own cards (or something close to this tbh).

Very straight forward, relies on obfuscate to make the actions successfull and the votes via action modifiers (in the crypt only Nehemiah has votes). High number of revelations of desire in there, it makes me think... only with venenation you put corruption counters, isn't it? Or the action modifier is just to bleed more and if they have those counters, the better?

Pool gain with... voter captivation, khobar towers and.. diversity! A good choice, but the pool gain potential is 2-3 and you need to have the votes. ¿Enough?

Link to the deck

I love the presence of a good number of serpentis cards, never tried that discipline yet.

¿Would you guys include, par example, some Neferu to get some extra votes?

Even though I like that deck, I *need* to include like 2x Clotho's Gift, and more Temporis stuff in here, if I get to play that kind of deck, I'll make a report =)

See you later, Metuselahs

PS: I can't post the decklist without ruining the entire post!! Sorry for not posting it!!

Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition

2011-05-11T10:20:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I got into V:TES bcs I loved the rpg, and today you can pre-order the 20th Anniversary Edition of the Masquerade.

The worst part is the sales price: 99,99$ , and at the moment I don't know if I would order mine.... bff is hard to decide.... very expensive imho

V20 and Grand Masquerade tickets on sale!

To preorder, click here.

V:tM 4ever, Metuselahs

Card: Domain of Evernight

2011-05-04T22:23:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I wanted to make an entry to this card specially, because its a must-carry in any True Brujah deck and with HttB and more TB goodies, has become searched even more in trades.

First of all, card text:

obf: +1 stealth

Pretty good, having obfuscate as outferior, you can expect stealth. Nothing unusual.

tem: If this action is blocked, all damage done to vampires in the resulting combat is aggravated.

If you can pack any sort of agg damage prevention, this could be a fact that could make the blockers think twice before trying to stop our actions. A good threat.

TEM: Only usable when an action is successful: Untap this acting vampire. A vampire can play only one Domain of Evernight each turn.

This is just awesome. No blood cost. Just like for+cel Forced March, only once a turn but.... who cares!! Multi acting with this card and superior Clotho's Gift is 3 actions with your True Brujah in a turn. The best effect of the card.

Get a True Brujah with obf + TEM, pack at least 10x of this card, you will want one in your hand the most of the time.

See you later, Metuselahs!

PS: I know, obvious posts are obvious, but I'm still searching for some DoE's and got some hype on making a True Brujah deck.

Results of the Poll

2011-05-02T22:15:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

The common question was:

Do you play another TCG apart from V:TES?

Yes. 1 (15%)

No, v:tes is enough. 6 (85%)

So people keep on playing this game, even though this poll isn't very significative, due to the lack of votes, but it's ok!

As for me, I want to make more V:TES games after my exams, and it'll be hard, but I want to make the playgroup to have at least a game per 2 weeks...

Have fun while you can, Metuselahs!

My Decks: DoC Baroness

2011-04-15T22:15:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Not a lot around here, but I wanted to post again on my blog a deck I have been playing during my last games, a Daughter of Cacophony vote deck with anarch barons. To analyze it, I'm going to use the pathofblood way to present a deck:

How do you intend to oust?

Lily Prelude is the way.
How do you intend to keep from being ousted?

Bloat with Benefit Performance and Voter Captivation, protect my Daughters with the fortitude cards, the Member of the Entourage and S:CE. I'm seriously thinking about including a Protected Resources.

What do you want your ready region to look like (ie, how many guys are you planning on getting out)?

The most number of daughters, the best. At least 2 of them with Fee Stakes, with those votes I can start moving hardcore.

What do you want your average turn to look like?

Bloating, defending and when I get enough stealth and votes, release the preludes to oust.

What's your metagame like?

Varied... but I can expect 2nd Traditions to be very common, so the stealth becomes really important.

Crypt (12 cards; Capacity min=1 max=6 avg=3.5) ==============================================
4x Anarch Convert 1 -none- Caitiff:ANY
2x Angela Preston 5 for PRE MEL Daughter of Cacophony:2
1x Céleste, The Voice of a Secret 3 pre mel Daughter of Cacophony:2
1x Delilah Monroe 4 for pre MEL Daughter of Cacophony:2
1x Gaël Pilet 6 chi pre FOR MEL Daughter of Cacophony:2
1x Muse 3 ani for mel Daughter of Cacophony:2
2x Yseult 6 FOR MEL PRE Daughter of Cacophony:3

Library (88 cards) ================== Master (12)
1x Archon Investigation
1x Bastille Opera House
1x Command Performance
2x Conductor
1x Creepshow Casino
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Hospital Food
1x Paris Opera House
2x Presence
1x Protected Resources

Action (7)
1x Entrancement
1x Fee Stake: Boston
1x Fee Stake: Corte
1x Fee Stake: Los Angeles
1x Fee Stake: New York
1x Fee Stake: Perth
1x Fee Stake: Seattle

Political Action (21)
7x Benefit Performance
2x Fanfare for Elysium
2x Firebrand
9x Lily Prelude
1x Revolutionary Council

Ally (4)
4x Member of the Entourage
Action Modifier (23)
2x Aura of Invincibility
2x Awe
5x Change of Target
1x Cryptic Rider
2x Freak Drive
5x Missing Voice, The
1x Virtuosa
5x Voter Captivation

Combat (13)
3x Groundfighting
6x Majesty
4x Soak

Combo (8)
8x Madrigal

In games this has worked really well!! :) I really like this deck.

Note: I am not going to buy embraces neither siren's lure... ;)

Discusting memories...

2011-02-19T12:37:00.002+01:00

Count Germaine doesn't like blood with acid....

I must have done something horrible in my other life.

Bleed you later, Metuselahs

Game Report 28/01

2011-01-29T13:48:00.003+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

It was a Fail what had happened! So we gathered 3 friends and went to the local game store to play a Jyhad (wooh, months since my last game *live*!) and I decided to give a try to my Imbued deck and my DoC Baroness deck. So one game each deck, and I'll make a short report.

1) First Game (Imbued deck)

me(Imbued) -> 2nd tradicion toreador princes guns -> ravnos wall-ish -> stanislava bleed+events -> Qwawinnya BlehBleh deck

The game was going pretty good, even though I made a huge mistake (there was a 1 cap pander with bd on my prey hunting each turn xD and didn't even block him lol) and the fact I only influenced Jennie, the Cop and another imbued, no Travis here, zing...
My predator didn't have a chance, because after visiting me, I targeted at Q's vitals and he regretted it a bit >.< Jennie's special made my Cop to live to fight another day. Then it was matter of time to get ousted by Stanislava.

The Gangrel played a Break the Code. OMGOSH first time I see it in game and I play HUMANS, is this luck or I just made something reeeally evil on my other life???
I couldn't block his stealthy actions and only deflected one of his bleeds... and died xd

2) Second Game (DoC Baroness)

me -> tremere blocker -> !nosferatu ANI POT rush -> New Carthage princes -> Ravnos wall-ish -> magaji no secrets + vote

As I first saw the magaji and the princes, I knew it was going to be a hard game. I got Yseult, Delilah and later Gael Pilet, made them anarchs and only got one Fee Stake.
I learnt and important lesson this day: only play Fee Stakes if you have at least 2 in hand, to have enough votes to defend it, or the Conductor/Bastille Opera House.
So I bloated, table talked a bit to make my Benefit's pass, and even one of the Lily passed, leaving my prey really soft with 4 pool, but I attracted the attention of the !nosf and he tried to rush me. That card... Fanfare for Elysium and the Member of Entourage are pure gold! they saved me a turn from him, then I made a pact so that my girls wouldn't get touched by those filthy and ugly thingies....

Things got worse as the magaji had in general no pressure by the Ravnos, and and he got the votelock after all the Brujah princes were having fun in Mordor. I died and I couldn't try the Aura of Invincibility, because I didn't draw any of my 2 copies I carried on the deck.

I promise to carry again the DoC, with the deck improved, packing some Cryptic Riders also, this girls are something!

Best of all, I had fun playing this time, both games were pretty active, people playing relaxed yet competitive and I've learnt a lot after this games and all my mistakes. I missed a lot to play Jyhad!

Finally about my decks, the imbued was interesting to play, if only that Break the Code wouldn't appear... and I wish I had an Unmasking, in a typical imbued deck is a must have.
The DoC deck was just awesome to play, I had plenty of fun with it, lots of table talk, and I nearly scored a VP in my situation, even though I made those huge mistakes!

We are now just planning the next Jyhad afternoon :D

I hope you liked the report, see you later, Metuselahs!

Aura of Invincibility

2011-01-27T12:59:00.008+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

This week, talking with a local vtes player, he told me to use the card "Aura of Invincibility" in my Daughters of Cacophony Baron deck, and I think I will test this deck on friday.

Aura of Invincibility
Type: Action Modifier
Cost: 1 blood
Only usable during a referendum, before any votes are cast.
If this referendum passes, put this card on the acting vampire and put a counter on this card. This vampire gets an additional vote for each counter on this card in referendums he or she calls. Add a counter to this card when a referendum called by this vampire passes. If a referendum called by this vampire fails, burn this card and send this vampire to torpor. A vampire can have only one Aura of Invincibility.

Why do I started liking this card?

My first 3 copies of AoI came from my first Ventrue (KoT) deck, and my first thought was "holy sh**, this is pure junk..." and I haven't use it even once since then.

This week, as I started before, I was told that it could be a good help in voting with the deck, because in the turn the DoC act, they can manage to have a good votelock (in this case, with also Baron tech, more votes, but in my deck at least no Embraces :p) thanks to cards like Bastille Opera House, Conductor, Madrigal and even Firebrand.

There is no pleasure without any sort of risk, and the risk of getting into torpor if the referendum fails isn't too bad, just have to use my daughter with the aura first, to gain the most votes of the Conductor, and keep on rollin'...

Thanks to BeAst to answer my questions here, if someone would ask himself the same ones:

Q1 -- if I use Aura of Invincibility and my vampire with it is blocked (referendum doesn't happen), does she go to torpor?
Q2 -- if I suffer a "delaying tactics" and the vamp casting votes has Aura of Invincibility, does she go to torpor?
Answer: No torpor, in first case, there is no referendum to fail, and in the second one the referendum is cancelled, so it never failed.

Become invincibles, Metuselahs!

PS: if I write another entry tomorrow spitting acid on the AoI, it means every time I tried to use it, my poor Daughter went into mordor...

OMGOSH LOOKALIKE!

2010-12-28T22:08:00.003+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

This post is pure junk, as I was answering a thread in the Spanish V:TES Community Forums, I came across the vampire Soldat, who resembles the 2D fighting game character Terry Bogard, the version that appears in the game "Garou: Mark of the Wolves"

Guys, I'm sick.....

Bleed until the very end, Metuselahs!!

Results of the Poll

2010-12-12T16:38:00.003+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I completely forgot I had a poll running on the blog (lewl) so it's time to post and comment the results:

Would you approve fan-made sets in tournaments?

Yes 1 (5%)
Of course not 13 (72%)
I don't mind 4 (22%)

Overwhelmingly, we do NOT want fan-made sets in tournaments, I hope to get new sets in the future, and some people just don't mind to adulterate our dear card game (heheh)

I voted that I didn't want it, because I'm 120% sure that a new set would disbalance more the clans / disciplines, and the test of it wouldn't be enough, plus that if the game revives one day...what would people do with the new archetypes that came up from the fan sets? forget about them? asking to WW/CCP or whoever it takes the game to print some of that set and fan storyline?

Ah and btw, when I get some time, I'll make the report of the tournament I played yesterday in Nexus-7

See you later, Metuselahs!

Anarch Siren's

2010-12-03T15:07:00.004+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I'm trying to build a deck more or less like this, inspired on a local player's deck that I only have seen in box, but never seen in action.

Why anarch baron daughters? Easy! I don't have The Embraces yet, so I'm trying to find another way to play them and have some fun, with the hope of getting at least 1 vp heh xD

Crypt (15 cards; Capacity min=1 max=6 avg=3.67) ===============================================
4x Anarch Convert 1 -none- Caitiff:ANY
2x Angela Preston 5 for PRE MEL Daughter of Cacophony:2
2x Céleste, The Voice of a Secret 3 pre mel Daughter of Cacophony:2
2x Delilah Monroe 4 for pre MEL Daughter of Cacophony:2
2x Gaël Pilet 6 chi pre FOR MEL Daughter of Cacophony:2
1x Muse 3 ani for mel Daughter of Cacophony:2
2x Yseult 6 FOR MEL PRE Daughter of Cacophony:3
Library (85 cards) ==================
Master (10)
2x Bastille Opera House
2x Conductor
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Hospital Food
1x Paris Opera House
1x Secure Haven
1x Twilight Camp

Action (8)
2x Concert Tour
1x Fee Stake: Boston
1x Fee Stake: Corte
1x Fee Stake: Los Angeles
1x Fee Stake: New York
1x Fee Stake: Perth
1x Fee Stake: Seattle
Political Action (19)
7x Benefit Performance
2x Fanfare for Elysium
1x Firebrand
2x Kine Resources Contested
7x Lily Prelude

Ally (3)
3x Member of the Entourage
Action Modifier (23)
1x Daring the Dawn
4x Freak Drive
4x Missing Voice, The
6x Phantom Speaker
1x Siren's Lure
7x Voter Captivation
Combat (14)
4x Groundfighting
6x Majesty
4x Soak

Combo (8)
8x Madrigal

A problem here is my absolute lack of Siren's Lure, but I'm not really worried (?) about that. So the idea is getting my Daughters into the ready region, make them anarch and barons, and start voting. A Benefit Performance of 3 or 4 can't be bad, it's better than nothing.

Groundfighting.... nice way to get rid of the grapples! :D then I can play the S:CE that I would have in hand.

About the crypt, I just don't know how to reduce it to 12-13, because in this period of non-gaming I am living at the moment, I can't test it :-/ what do you think?

Singing in the Elysium, Metuselahs!

I feel so impatient...

2010-11-01T14:10:00.004+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

You may remember one of my entries not so long ago about the re opening of the local game store... well it's open now but the V:TES game group we had on this downtown is imo really hard to get back to play weekly...

Some of them working, others studying, most also play the Game of Thrones LCG, and I'm starting to think that my decks will stay on the box until something happens or the game gets support again (heh...)

I'll try to post any crazy idea on the blog, or something, atm I'll try to get the Parity Shifts I always wanted for the Ventrue.

See you later, Metuselahs!

Shattering Crescendo and Snakes

2010-10-11T18:26:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I wanted to make a deck with Shattering Crescendos since I saw the card, but I can't see any particular and effective strategy, and I don't want to make a vile copy of Project Mayhem, so this are the results of some mindfuck probably useless.

In game:

Of course, I want Scout Youngwood and then Ogwon on the ready region, then support via Janet Langer and another FoS, thats a lot of pool in the ready region... and the obfuscate is very important in here, shall I add any Master Discipline: Obf?

How do I plan to get my VP

Shattering Crescendo is my way to send to torpor my prey's minions, and damage his pool via Fame and Tension in the Ranks. Also bleeding with Obf and Pre.

And my defense?

Narrow Minds is not a defense, but at least deflections are more expensive to the other players :P I may take also an Archon Investigation. Weenie bleeders with Crescendos, and rush with Members of the Entourage, Soaks and Majesty. Vote defense... negotiate the target of the SC?xD shatter the voters?

Deck Name: Encantadoras de Serpientes
Author: Ishvalan

Crypt (12 cards; Capacity min=3 max=8 avg=5.92)
===============================================
1x Abdelsobek 5 for nec obf pre ser Follower of Set:5
1x Ahmose Chambers 3 obf ser Follower of Set:5
2x Janet Langer 3 pre MEL Daughter of Cacophony:5
3x Ogwon 7 for OBF PRE SER Follower of Set:5
4x Scout Youngwood 8 for qui MEL OBF PRE Daughter of Cacophony:6
1x Sisocharis 4 cel obf pre Follower of Set:5

Library (77 cards)
==================
Master (14)
2x Blood Doll
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
2x Fame
1x Opium Den
1x Paris Opera House
2x Perfectionist
1x Secure Haven
1x Tension in the Ranks
2x Vessel

Event (1)
1x Narrow Minds

Action (26)
1x Concert Tour
6x Enchant Kindred
4x Enticement
1x Form of Corruption
14x Shattering Crescendo

Ally (3)
1x Gregory Winter
2x Member of the Entourage

Action Modifier (22)
2x Aire of Elation
3x Cloak the Gathering
2x Forgotten Labyrinth
5x Freak Drive
2x Marked Path
4x Missing Voice, The
3x Veil the Legions
1x Virtuosa

Combat (11)
6x Majesty
5x Soak

This will never work, but I want to test it!!

The Classics: Lasombra Nocturn

2010-10-05T10:12:00.005+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Today we take a look on the probably the tier1 deck of the clan Lasombra, a powerbleed deck supported by the ally Nocturn.
In general terms, we pretend to gain momentum with superior governs and influencing the most number of vampires, and then overwhelm your prey with dominate bleeds.

>> Tournament Winning Decks

- Nocturne - by Kalle Cederström - August 2007 the twd with the most attendance of players, playing a huge deck (90 cards) , Black Hand tech and a big number of nocturns.
- Nocturns Twins - by Carlos Eduardo Ganso - December 2008 this one uses the nocturns with the card Shadow Twin
- Lasombra Nocturna - by Sergio Gracia - November 2009 a deck reduced to the minimun cards and well-buildt, to be quick and deadly

>> Mainstays of the Deck

- Nocturn: the ally that gives name to the deck, you can either block with him all the rushes that will try to reach our vampires, or bleed your prey. I'ts incredibly strong that it moves to the ready region when recruited and the fact you can untap after recruiting it. With Perfectionist, the first nocturn is free, and combined with the Path, even the second!

- Jake Washington: our best way to refill our vamps. Playing dominate bleeds and obtenebration will get our minions dry extremely fast, even though you can save some blood with the Path of Night. This is the best drink ;)

- Shroud of Absence: thanks to its reprint in HttB, they are seen more nowadays, and it's the best stealth card a Lasombra can reach, with a huge effect at superior.

- Dreams of the Sphynx: this card is always good in most decks, but in a bleed/powerbleed one it's vital, if you get your hand jammed and you don't have the nocturns in time to stop rushes that would ruin your VP or dominate cards to finish your prey or putting down blood on the uncontrolled, our speed would be reduced and the metuselahs will have a chance to prepare for our movements.

After playing with my Lasombra Nocturn deck, I see important to pack at least one Secure Haven, and DI's to make at least your first vampire survive until you can influence more, and Forced Awakenings with the OtQV to get a vampire dry sooner in order to use the Jake Washington and have it filled in my next minion phase.

Torneo Blood Test
Barcelona, Spain
November 1, 2009
19 players

Sergio Gracia's Tournament Winning Deck with 3 VPs in the finals

Deck Name:   Lasombra Nocturna
Created By:  Sergio Gracia

Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 8, Max: 28, Avg: 4,58)
---------------------------------------------
1  Conrad Adoula      ani cel DOM OBT POT 8  Lasombra
1  Henri Lavenant     pot qui DOM OBT     7  Lasombra
1  Lord Vauxhall      DOM OBT POT THA     7  Lasombra
1  Onaedo             aus pot DOM OBT     6  Lasombra
1  Banjoko            obt pot DOM         5  Lasombra
1  Ermenegildo        pot DOM OBT         5  Lasombra
1  Leila Monroe       dom obt pre         4  Lasombra
1  Lucy Markowitz     dom obt             3  Lasombra
1  Dame Hollerton     myt DOM OBT         5  Kiasyd
1  Keith Moody        DOM                 3  Tremere Antitribu
2  Anarch Convert                         1  Caitiff

Library: (81 cards)
-------------------
Master (14 cards)
1  Coven, The
1  Dark Influences
3  Dreams of the Sphinx
1  Giant`s Blood
1  Jake Washington (Hunter)
1  Life in the City
1  Misdirection
2  Path of Night, The
3  Pentex Subversion

Action (15 cards)
15 Govern the Unaligned

Action Modifier (28 cards)
1  Blanket of Night
4  Bonding
4  Conditioning
4  Foreshadowing Destruction
5  Shadow Play
4  Shroud of Absence
4  Shroud of Night
2  Tenebrous Form

Reaction (10 cards)
3  Deflection
2  Delaying Tactics
3  On the Qui Vive
2  Redirection

Ally (11 cards)
1  Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)
10 Nocturn

Event (3 cards)
2  Unmasking, The
1  The Bitter and Sweet Story

See you later, Metuselahs!

but the no-life will survive

2010-09-12T14:49:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

After all this news, I'm 100% sure that people will still play, as someone who introduced me to this game said once, "one thing the V:TES fan's quality is it's loyalty to the game"

Even though the oldest or hardcore players will have a point that will be *stuck* with most of the cards they wanted, and decks buildt and tested, despite of the posibilities this game has, most of the people will play only strategies/clans or whatever they like.

And people can pick up new CCGs with active competition, but I like to think that they won't sell at least their favorite deck or couple of decks, to keep playing sometimes or waiting for the revival.

Go, Metuselahs, for this time and more than ever, lets make this Struggle Eternal!

V:TES in Torpor

2010-09-11T16:06:00.002+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

From Vietnam I'm reporting and this is what's happening... V:TES will cease its production, I've read it in the newsgroup and saw that it has been published in several blogs, and I share the sadness.

I hope that some company will rescue this game from torpor, I wasn't when it ceased some years before, but I don't want definitive death to imho the best CCG in the market.

As for me, I'll keep on writing mindfucks, reports and maybe one day I can post something like " V:TES is back"

See you later, Metuselahs

NoR boosters opening report

2010-09-03T16:38:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I've just received a 12-pack of Nights of Reckoning Boosters, and I had to check if I can manage to build my own imbued deck, which I was very itrigued to learn how to play with them and tbh, I like Jennie "Cassie247" Orne.

So, this is the pack of 12 rares I got from this boosters:

- Vigil, The Thin Like : yey! but emm well I had one already from some trades..
- Moise Kasavubu : hell, I like him, but his cost of 2 pool may be a lot for him, because I still don't own any Ashur Tablets + Liquidation to get a solid pol gain.
- Expiate x2 : oh no, please, no more! I had already one from trading and I don't think I'm going to ever use them...
- Surge : yey! I had already one, but in order to build a combat-ish deck they must be useful, so great!
- Project : good one, will I use it?
- Imprison : don't remember if I've seen any of these in the TWDA, so I'll keep the "yey" for later...
- Foresee : I wanted to have this one, best to prevent my imbued to be incapacitated after an error of blocking someone capable of obliterating my poor human.
- Champion : yey... well I didn't say it enough loud..... YEYYY!!!!
- The Crusader Sword : another must-have, so yey! for me.
- Blood Cult Awareness Network : nice but I already had 2 of them in a good auction (just had to paid for them like 0'5$ for the pack... ahh too many copies I won't use..
- Smite : even though I think it's cost is expensive in convictions, I like it, so I'll try to get this card into my deck.

As for the others, got 3x Angel of Berlin, not enough Convictions (just 3 Strike, 3 React and 4 Second Sight...), and for the imbueds... only ONE Jennie!! I'm quite disappointed about that... at least I got a copy of each Imbued, I think, and 3 copies of Travis, one of Maman Boumba and one of the imbued with +1 bleed and damage to other imbueds.

In the end, good boosters, I'm happy with the results, and I wanted to open more Champions (eheheh) and a Church of Vindicated Faith, which I'll have to ebay or trade one copy.

What do you think? Crappy Boosters or good enough? Thanks to a mate, I paid less for the pack, and I think I can build an average deck with this and some of my cards (aaallll my Target cards will be here-> my 3 TargetVitals, the 2 Target:Head and the Target: Arm...I want moar!)

Take on the night, Metuselahs!

Game Report 30/8/2010

2010-08-31T23:59:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

In the opening of our dear game store, we gathered 4 players to play a game until the store had to close, and I could test my Lasombra with Nocturns, even thought I forgot to change the Dreams of the Sphynx and the Pentex from another deck to the Lasombra I wanted to play today.

Me (Lasombra Nocturn) -> Iderak (strange Ventrue with obf and flamethrowers) -> Victor (Theo+Brujahs rush) -> Pablo (my Dmitra+Germaine multirush deck)

Game started a bit slow for me, but I got Conrad Adoula and started to gain momentum, governing at superior until I got 3 minions, and I had to start the bleeding machine, because the rush decks crosstabled me as expected.

I couldn't protect my vampires at all, for the 10 Nocturns I carry in a 75 card deck, I only managed to draw one!!! So my vamps ended in mordor and couldn't negotiate anything.
One thing I forgot and then lamented is that if you rescue a vampire in mordor with other vampire, it is untapped, so he can hunt, and I had a Festivo Dello Estinto in game and another vamp alive to rescue the poor Ermenegildo The Rake.

For me, zero VP's, but this bleed deck is really fast, my prey was left with 2 pool and he recovered like 6 more, but finally he was overrun by the Brujah, even though I was being rushed by my predator and my meta predator!. In the end, after ousting the Ventrue, rush vs rush, Brujah Dmitra win and get all VP's and GW.
I've played other times that deck and it's as reliable as always =) you know, Dmitra Ilyanova + Erotic Might = T3H LULZ

See you later, Metuselahs!

Mazinger Oviedo lives again!

2010-08-28T15:05:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I'll tell you what's happening: our dear local game store, which was closed for more than a year, is going to be opening this Monday at 18:00, if you live in Asturias it's a good chance to peek and enjoy the new store, which of course will sell V:TES and run tournaments.

Well, I just can't wait to play V:TES again with the game group and people that introduced me to this card-drug.

Best wishes from Force of Personality! I'll try to be there for the opening!

Adress:
Str. Avda. de Galicia, 42
Oviedo (Asturias)
SPAIN

I'll keep the information up-to-date with the webpage or forum I suppose we will have again ;)

See you later, Metuselahs!

Results of the Poll

2010-08-06T12:15:00.006+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

This are the results of the last poll in the blog:

Does the Sabbat need better cards?

No, it's balanced with the Camarilla 4 (17%)
Of course! Atm C>S 17 (73%)
I think Sabbat cards are better 2 (8%)

After 23 votes, most of us think that we need a new Sabbat set, that could bring balance, because after Keepers of Tradition, the difference gets larger.

See you later, Metuselahs!

The Classics: Assamite Vote

2010-08-01T13:36:00.005+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

This powerful deck focuses on breeding and bloating like hell, and ousting via bleeds, Kine/Conservative Agitation or Reckless Agitation if you take the anarch way.

The best defense against bleeding is bloating enough, and this will be done with enough breeding with Web of Knives Recruit + The Embrace, and then Conservative Agitation.

Everything is buildt around Amaravati, thanks to his superb special that will increase the chances to pass our referendums.

>> Tournament Winning Decks:

- Assamite and Amaravati - by Marco Vassallo - February 2008 a typical Amaravati deck, with some blood support with Procurers.
- Amaravati & Co. - by Imanol López - June 2007 this time with more minions that share DOM with Amaravati.
- The Death Star - by Matt Morgan - October 2008 assamite breed+vote with anarch tech, maybe the most effective variation.

>> Mainstays of the Deck:

- Amaravati: the pillar, the big guy (well most of the crypt is low except this guy) he will be surrounded by assamites, recruits and embraces that will receive an additional vote during a political action that you will need to pass like ConBoon or the Reckless Agitation that may give you the VP.

- The Embrace: main way to get more assamites in play, which will mean more votes, more minions to bleed... and easier victim to cards like Ancilla Empowerment or Anarchist Uprising.

- Web of Knives Recruit: the "embrace of the assamites", quite easier to get your hand on some copies, the worst part is the turns you have to wait until you finally get the recruit.

- Alamut: even though some of the Assamites have Auspex, generally we don't bounce, so this card is golden either to defend ourselves in other decks from votes, or to getting some more if Amaravati is dry. Must-have.

North American Continental Championship Day One
Montreal, Canada
October 25th, 2008
57 players
3R + F

Matt Morgan's Tournament Winning Deck with 3 VPs in the finals
(2GW 10.5 VPs going into the finals)

The Death Star

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 1 max: 8 average: 3.5
------------------------------------------------------------
4x Anarch Convert         1                        Caitiff:0
1x Amaravati              8  DOM OBF QUI ani chi   Assamite:4
1x Hafsa, The Watcher     6  OBF QUI aus cel       Assamite:5
1x Vardar Vardarian       6  OBF QUI cel pre       Assamite:4
1x Janni                  5  cel for obf qui       Assamite:4
1x Layla bint-Nadr        5  CEL OBF qui           Assamite:4
1x Michael diCarlo        5  CEL obf qui           Assamite:4
1x Alu                    2  obf                   Assamite:5
1x Basir                  1  qui                   Assamite:4

Library [75 cards]
------------------------------------------------------------
Action [17]
4x Embrace, The
1x Fee Stake: Boston
1x Fee Stake: Corte
1x Fee Stake: Los Angeles
1x Fee Stake: New York
1x Fee Stake: Perth
1x Fee Stake: Seattle
1x Khabar: Glory
2x Undue Influence
5x Web of Knives Recruit

Action Modifier [23]
3x Cloak the Gathering
6x CrimethInc.
2x Cryptic Rider
1x Domain of Evernight
3x Faceless Night
3x Lost in Crowds
3x Spying Mission
2x Veil the Legions

Action Modifier/Combat [3]
3x Swallowed by the Night

Master [14]
3x Alamut
1x Archon Investigation
1x Barrens, The
1x Black Throne, The
2x Blood Doll
1x Club Illusion
1x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Seattle Committee
1x Twilight Camp
1x Yoruba Shrine

Political Action [17]
1x Anarch Salon
5x Consanguineous Boon
1x Exclusion Principle
2x Firebrand
4x Kine Resources Contested
1x Patsy
3x Revolutionary Council

Hope you had a good time, Metuselahs!

About: Groaning Corpse

2010-07-25T21:00:00.006+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I wanted to have a look at this card, because at the moment, I think that combat with the Samedi is really inviable.

First of all, a copy-paste of the card text:

Groaning Corpse
Type: Combat
Requires: Thanatosis
Cost: X blood
Only usable before range is determined.
[thn] X is the number of Groaning Corpses already played this combat. The opposing minion takes 1 damage each round of combat during strike resolution if the range is close.
[THN] As above, but for 2 damage. A vampire may play only one Groaning Corpse at superior each combat.

Rarity: HttB:C

Should we call them the Carrion Crows of Thanatosis? The answer is definitely NO. (duh)
First of all we must be in close range (so forget about Cold Aura + Groaning Corpse + any ranged weapon), so we must think about how are we going to defend ourselves to being beaten to a Samedi pulp. At this point, there are some combos with this card to make it more playable:

- Endure and let the Corpses do the job: In other words, Superior Mettle and Groaning Corpse, with Taste of Vitae to recover blood spent, also using Trap or Mob Connections in order to play more combat rounds until you send to torpor the opposing vampire (if you endure the blood cost..)

- Can't touch this!: during strike resolution, using Dust to Dust plus the Roaning Corpses, you can dodge and press to continue the punishment to the other minion. The worst part of this combo is the fact Dust to Dust is Rare and not so easy to find, at least is $ cheap (like ~3$)

- Adding Rigor Mortis: at thn we get a press and the opposing minion can't use additional strikes, but the best comes at THN, when you can also cancel a maneuver of the opposing minion, but only once each round. Thanks for pointing it out, kevin :)

So, Metuselahs, have you tried them? Are those corpses your new pets? Wanna make Baroque or Josette the Ultimate Rusher? ;)
As for me, I like the card, and I'll try to get some of them to try the first strategy, until I get some Dust to Dust, to make a fun deck that can be easily taken back to my Reanimated Corpse deck I like to play.

In the mortuary, Metuselahs!

Summer.... finally?

2010-07-22T03:27:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Until I go on a journey this summer, the plan for V:TES seems quite thanatosed (uh? nvm..) bcs I haven't received any email from any upcoming tournament here and the other playgroup afaik in Gijón meet on saturdays, which is the only day I can't save for this CCG...

Nothing more to say, my Shattering Crescendo count is at 9 copies and must get at least the double of them to make a S.C. fun deck..

Don't remember not to have sunbaths, Metuselahs!

We are surrounded by silence

2010-07-06T14:22:00.002+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

The main issue is that *nothing* is really happening. It's getting really suspicious that we haven't got any notice about a possible next set in V:TES.

First, in the next-12-month-schedule of White Wolf, this CCG isn't listed anywhere!

Link to the Schedule.

And then, we may have our answer in the GenCon or in the Grand Masquerade of September.

Link to the post of Eddy Fate @RPGnet

You know? Anyone of us wants this game to die...

Thinking maybe too much, Metuselahs

Looking forward to....

2010-07-04T13:47:00.002+02:00

Some kind of inspiration....

What's happening, Metuselahs?

At the moment, with no tournaments in sight and exams in less than 2 weeks, sometimes I start thinking about the Daughters of Cacophony deck I've been wanting to do lately.

Cards that I want in that deck?

- Fanfare for Elysium (atm I just own 2, maybe just enough)
- Benefit Performance
- Lily Prelude
***hell, I want to try those..***
- I plan to add Shattering Crescendos

But, the crypt?

To be honest, I wanted to try something with Scout "Hottie" Youngwood, but the new crypt has less members than the others, and maybe Yseult + Crypt 4 (more with pre/PRE) will perform better.

What do you think, Metuselahs? Do you have any DoC deck with the new political action cards, or a shattering crescendo+vote DoC deck? I wanted to have a point to start with.

On the dark of the crypt, Metuselahs!

The Classics: Carna Deck

2010-06-24T21:58:00.007+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

In this type of deck, we can take advantage with cards like Magic of the Smith to fetch the right equipment in each situation, keep our vampires alive bloating via theft of vitae+vessel/blood doll, defending locations like Powerbase Montreal or ousting via Smiling Jack if you become more wall-ish. We also use deflections and telepathic misdirections to bounce the bleeds, all the AUS to block and we oust generally with dominate bleeds.

So, in general our vampires can handle a fight, bleed, block and we can adapt our strategy as we play our game.

>> Tournament Winning Decks:

- Carna - by Izaak Havelaar - June 2009 - A straightforward deck, focused on bleeding and some combat block mainly via equipment.
- I love the Tremere - by simon Reed - June 2009 - The typical Carna deck, toolboxy and effective.
- Carna - by Adam Talarek - November 2008 - Wall version of the Carna deck.

>> Mainstays of the Deck:

- Carna, The Princess Witch: her +1 Int and all the clan-disciplines at superior for just 7 pool and the primogen title makes her the most stable vampire in the deck. You will just love her.

- Chantry: I'm just obsessed with this card, your mages will come back to the ready region over and over again. Works really well with Burst of Sunlight (if you don't have the Rotschreck in hand ofc)

- Magic of the Smith: search an item, and equip it at +3 stealth (at THA), for just one blood!

- Bowl of Convergence: main equipment for any blocker that uses Auspex.

Sometimes is good to pack some Burst of Sunlight+Rotschreck to make them fear everytime you block, or carrying a Ponticulus, the new ally released in Keepers of Tradition which has become very handy. Equipments like Sniper Rifle or .44 Magnum have their space in here, and master cards like The Rack, PB Montreal, Marraketch Codex or Erciyes Fragments.

Deck Name: Carna
Author: Ishvalan
Description:


Crypt (12 cards; Capacity min=3 max=7 avg=5.75)
===============================================
4x  Carna, The Princess Witch   7  AUS DOM THA      Tremere:3
1x  Elena Mendoza Vasquez       6  dom obt AUS THA  !Tremere:3
1x  Eugenio Estevez             6  dom for AUS THA  Tremere:3
1x  Martin Franckel             3  tha AUS          Tremere:3
1x  Masika St. John             3  THA              Tremere:3
1x  Muhsin Samir                6  aus pot DOM THA  Tremere:4
1x  Neighbor John               5  dom for AUS      !Ventrue:4
1x  Selena                      6  AUS DOM THA      !Tremere:3
1x  Valois Sang, The Watcher    6  nec tha AUS DOM  Tremere:3

Library (90 cards)
==================
Master (14)
1x Arcane Library
1x Chantry
1x Erciyes Fragments, The
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Montreal
2x Rötschreck
1x Rack, The
1x Smiling Jack, The Anarch
4x Vessel
1x WMRH Talk Radio

Action (14)
1x Aranthebes, The Immortal
9x Govern the Unaligned
4x Magic of the Smith

Equipment (4)
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Ivory Bow
1x Light Intensifying Goggles
1x Sniper Rifle

Ally (2)
1x Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)
1x Ponticulus

Action Modifier (10)
4x Conditioning
3x Mirror Walk
3x Seduction

Reaction (27)
4x Deflection
4x Eagle's Sight
2x Enhanced Senses
6x Eyes of Argus
2x Forced Awakening
3x On the Qui Vive
2x Precognition
4x Telepathic Misdirection

Combat (19)
8x Apportation
3x Burst of Sunlight
8x Theft of Vitae

See you later, Metuselahs!

Back to the elysian fields then...

2010-06-15T00:35:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

The exams are over, and I came back *alive* from my etilic celebration of the end of June's exams, and it's time to relax a bit, play jyhad, train again, and go out even more!!

^happy mood^ happy? whoa why? I've just received my Lilith's Blessing card, so another new tool to the Lasombra Black Hand deck (6)

If I get enough of them, my plan is to trying the infamous Imbued, you know, Cassie is hot (?)

Next day if I do remember, I'll post a deck that I actually use and it gives me plenty of fun, inspired in a Spanish TWD, the Fight Club (Dmitra Ilyanova, Germaine and Themistocles multirushing asses)

See you later, Metuselahs!

About: Lilith's Blessing

2010-05-31T12:20:00.005+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

After reading the card and asking some questions in the sorcery.net chat of jyhad, I must admit that this promo is going to be legendary.

For just ONE pool, you get this master which is not unique, so it cannot be contested, and after you tap it, you "regain" the pool invested in the master as blood in your vampire, plus 2 more. Yeh, right, after you use it with one of your bloodsuckers, you can't use it again on him, because now is Bahari. Don't care a lot about that, if you could use it more than once in the same minion it would be disbalancing, but you will sure want to use it to refill all your vamps.

The best use for this card imho, would be in decks that have their vamps thirsty really early. He-he now I can feel better after stating the obvious. Par example, Lasombra Nocturn would be more powerful, so that you wouldn't need to rely so much on Jake Washington to refill after spending blood on obt allies.

Then, thinking about my decks, my Lasombra Black Hand would be happy enough to receive it, or the Reanimated Corpse deck... And this promo encourages me to make a Truth of Blood deck! Refilling my vampire and searching for Master: Auspex to make the most of my vamps able to play Crocodile's Tongue and Truth of Blood seems fun.
Some more uses.... the new DoC and fetch Master:Obfuscate, and Shattering Crescendos will be easier to pass ;-)

After all, I have to get my own copy of it, bcz I couldn't attend to the Storyline Event in my town, now I regret it.....

So, in which decks you use Lilith's Blessing and why?

Receive her sexy blessing, Metuselahs!

On exams

2010-05-26T21:58:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Captive by my studies ¬¬

That is the fact it's happening...

Y'know? I'm addicted to the strange rythm of the song Everyone Should Play V:TES ('Cause Somebody's Gotta Be Worse Than Me), by the Gothsicles. Dude, this is sick...
Kind of identified when I was running AAA in my very start on this game..... heh xD

See you later, Metuselahs!

Results of the Poll

2010-05-21T22:40:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Kind of flame question in here, so 50 Metuselahs spent 1 point of the durability of their mouse choosing the answer that fit them most, and the question was:

Do you want another Imbued set?

- No! 35 (70%)
- Yes. 11 (22%)
- Don't Care at all...just new cards.. 4 (8%)

Predictable, isn't it? Even though there are a lot of cards nowadays that help the duty against allys and Imbueds, they still get so much table hate. For their past, and for their present, all those events, the fact that you can't taste of vitae on them....

IMHO, no more Imbueds, pls! Black Hand, Red List, SABBAT, etc would make this time worth waiting than more mere humans....

Till next poll, Metuselahs!

After all that speculation, Choirs with Harmony?

2010-05-20T00:41:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

After the release of HttB, everyone was so excited with the Harmony, and so did I. More accurate to say that I'm still very interesed in building my own Choir deck thanks to the new rare.

Bids in eBay still go hard on them (Buy-it-Nows are ~15$) and it is still very expensive for being only a card that after some months of the release, I don't have notice that could become the tool that would make Choir decks playable or even enough to be brought to a Tournament and aiming not to be a free VP. At least, surfing the net I haven't found anything. At least Shattering Crescendo had its place in Project Mayhem TWD, but ofc, that wasn't Choirs.

¿Have you archieved anything with Harmony? ¿Or suffered it?

I hope to get some of them and try, Daughters of Cacophony have their own charm. If not, swap to voter deck and the fun continues, or even Shattering Crescendi ;-)

Sing along, Metuselahs!

AK-47: Anarch Agent Janni

2010-05-15T16:08:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

As I said some posts ago, this is the deck I actually rule (well, with some proxies *balls* I'm lazy to order diversions hahah) and it does surprisingly well!
I'ts kind of important to grab the AK asap, and well, I often see animalism here, so Sire's Index Finger is meta oriented.

This is not as good as Fatima mutirush and it is not what it was meant to be, but sometimes.... I feel pleasure playing this (omg..) torporising with my little Janni.
Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 1 max: 7 average: 3.83333
------------------------------------------------------------

4x Janni 5 cel for obf qui Assamite:4
4x Anarch Convert 1 Caitiff:0
2x Joe "Boot" Hill 7 CEL QUI for obf Assamite:4
1x Michael diCarlo 5 CEL obf qui Assamite:4
1x T.J. 3 cel for Gangrel:4

Library [90 cards]
------------------------------------------------------------
Action [11]
2x Ambush
3x Bum's Rush
4x Clandestine Contract
2x Harass

Action / Combat [3]
3x Steely Tenacity

Action Modifier [10]
4x Forced March
6x Freak Drive

Action Modifier/Reaction [1]
1x Provision of the Silsila

Combat [36]
7x Disguised Weapon
9x Diversion
4x Flash
5x Groundfighting
4x Sideslip
1x Taste of Death
6x Taste of Vitae

Equipment [10]
2x .44 Magnum
5x AK-47
1x Ivory Bow
1x Reliquary: Shango Remains
1x Sire's Index Finger

Event [1]
1x Dragonbound

Master [14]
3x Dreams of the Sphinx
2x Fame
2x Fortitude
1x Market Square
1x Monster
2x Path of Blood, The
3x Vessel

Reaction [3]
3x Black Sunrise

Retainer [1]
1x Crypt's Sons

I hope you enjoyed it ;-)

Shoot first and ask questions later, Metuselahs!

Strategy: Fractura

2010-05-12T20:35:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Even though I haven't tested yet a Striga deck (you know, exams and all that stuff...) I've been thinking a lot about doing something effective with it. Honestly, I want to build a deck for each of the new infernal "disciplines".

When we have a look at Striga, all the cards cost its blood, and blood in an infernal deck is a big problem, even though we have now the superb Tend The Flock, the only one that has no cost is Scobax. But this is not about Striga in general, is just about one of its 2 rare cards, the Fractura.

The outferior is just a dodge, nothing more to dig about it, cel required.

At stg and STG it gets more interesting.
So we play infernal minions, we can get Concordance on them (+1 str) and now they have 2 Hand Damage. With the +1 at STG we can reach 3 damage and for each blood another additional +3. This is handy, also when we get grappled, but we must think also in defense.

Medium Cap vampire like Dylan Adv with his +1 strenght can make real good use of Fractura, and he has FOR to resist, so does the other infernals with it.
Then we have The Unnamed as a good option. Block with Sense the Sin, Scobax, etc or using Strix to get in combat with the bleeder. We can't spit aggravated? No problem, Flesh of Marble and Fractura, but we must carry tastes of vitae...

A nice card to have like a couple in the deck. At least as long as I remain without getting a game to play to test it. May do it on JOL.

Conclusion in this "strategy" article, I think that is a good card when we build a combat oriented infernal deck, and seems suited for Dylan Adv, Mary the Black (with Concordance you strke for 3 agg!), and maybe Sargon.
Will it be worth playing it? I hope so, but Concordance'd Baalis with STG, High Ground/Roll + Hexe seems more effective for me, but this rare has its uses, limited, but it has them

I also have to point out that his $ in eBay is lower now, Strix gets all the attention, understandable, just saying.

Hit, again and again, Metuselahs!

And now in Lackey

2010-05-12T09:19:00.002+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Even though I've started playing on JOL, also downloaded the LackeyCCG with the VTES plugin in this page:

http://www.lackeyccg.com/vtes/tutous.html

Playing here get so damm funny, we arrange in the forum, connect skype in a group conversation and let the bleed start.

Now its the beginning of my exams in the university, so no tournaments neigher "live" games until I'm done.

I have to point out that Valerius Maior Adv. DOESN'T DESERVE A PENTEX CROSSTABLED. Leave those goodies to Tariq or something....

This online gaming is perfect to test decks and cards that I do not own yet, but kind of miss the real games.

In the next entry, I'll post my current Anarch Janni deck. She is so cute & awesome heheheh

Plug in, Metuselahs!

Ishvalan on JOL3

2010-05-08T14:45:00.002+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I've decided to join the Jyhad On-Line, in order to test my decks and also calm the addiction between games on my town to this cardboard hobby *heheh*
As you might suppose, my nickname is Ishvalan xD

Looking forward to playing with you, Metuselahs!

Infernal Pact and Infernal Familiar

2010-05-07T15:34:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Today's entry is a tribute to this two cards. Playing !Tremere in several type of decks, can make us feel sort of creative when you have cards like this.

Plus to the posibilities that some cards grant such as Magic of the Smith searching for The Book of Going Forth by Night, The Textbook of Damnation, Amulet of Temporal Perception.... and also the vampires Ian Forestal and Nickolai, The Survivor; make the !Tre the perfect companions with other clans, and extend the posibilities of the clan.

First, the Infernal Pact has the disadvantage of being unique, but we can understand that fact, for just one pool that effect! Every !Tre deck I own or build always carries one, and if you block and you suspect the evil Ventrue of having several Kisses of Ra, par example?

Then, we have the Infernal Familiar, imo excessive blood cost for being only able to play the basic level of a discipline, and the other disadvantage is not that important if you place it in a midcap vampire and you don't rely that much in the out-of-clan discipline. But enough to include one if you find space in the deck for it.

Beyond your imagination, Metuselahs!

Results of the Poll

2010-05-04T22:15:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Another poll comes to an end, and the question was...

Would you like the next set to be focused on the Sabbat?

- Yes!! Sabbat Owns!! 19(55%)
- Don't Care :) 9(26%)
- No, I'm a Camarilla/Independent freak.... 6(17%)

So, 34 Metuselahs became one with his soul, introduced themselves to their own deep feelings, and answered if they desired the next Sabbat set asap, and most of them wanted to!
My vote was also "Yes", because after KoT, I feel like Camarilla atm have the best crypt in general, and we also need some new Sabbat cards...

In the blink of the night, Metuselahs!

Govern the Gates, ECQ 2010 TWD

2010-05-04T01:01:00.005+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Reading the newsgroup I came across a deck posted today, which is a DOM POT midcap vampires deck, that was led to the victory by Alfred Behrends in the German ECQ 2010 Ludwigshafen.
Topic in the NewsGroup

Deck Name : Govern the Gates
Author : Alf Behrends
Description : IMHO G4/5 has an insanely good weenie to midcap crypt for
POT and DOM/POT. Inspired by Tuomas Nyberg's TWD "Dr. Sutphens Dental
Care" I used the new crypt, replaced Computer Hackings with Govern and
some cards for my personal taste. Didn't get to play the deck before the
qualifier and really only wanted to qualify, so I'm very pleased with
it's perfomance. Never used the whole library so should probably go down
to 80 or even 75 cards.

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 3 max: 6 average: 4.83333 ------------------------------------------------------------

2x Virginie, Prodigy 6 DOM POT obt bishop Lasombra:4
1x Accorri Giovanni 6 DOM POT ani nec Giovanni:5
1x Black Wallace 6 DOM POT obt tha Lasombra:4
1x Donatello Giovanni 5 DOM aus pot pre Giovanni:4
1x Ermenegildo, The R 5 DOM OBT pot Lasombra:4
1x Esoara 5 DOM aus for pot !Tremere:4
1x Gianmaria Giovanni 5 POT dom nec obt Giovanni:5
1x Patrick 4 POT pre !Brujah:4
1x Volo 4 POT pro san Blood Bro:5
1x Almodo Giovanni 3 dom pot Giovanni:4
1x Arriette Sylla 3 POT Osebo:4

Library [90 cards] ------------------------------------------------------------

Master [12]
1x Archon Investigation
4x Blood Doll
1x Dominate
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Fame
1x Haven Uncovered
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Potence
1x WMRH Talk Radio

Action [21]
1x Abbot
5x Bum's Rush
1x Dominate Kine
1x Far Mastery
11x Govern the Unaligned
1x Graverobbing
1x Rampage

Action Modifier [4]
4x Bonding

Ally [1]
1x Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)

Combat [31]
2x High Ground
7x Increased Strength
3x Mighty Grapple
3x Taste of Vitae
14x Thrown Gate
2x Weighted Walking Stick

Equipment [4]
1x Ivory Bow
2x Leather Jacket
1x Sport Bike

Event [1]
1x Scourge of the Enochians

Reaction [13]
6x Deflection
2x Delaying Tactics
4x On the Qui Vive
1x Touch of Pain

Retainer [3]
1x J. S. Simmons, Esq.
1x Mr. Winthrop
1x Tasha Morgan

It was kind of stupid the main reason I liked this deck before reading it all, it was becaouse I like Virginie, Prodigy.
But after the first burst of noobness, ranged combat with POT is killer, and the fact that we don't use star vampires in here, makes most of the crypt able to perform the duty of the deck: bruise and bleed. I just loved it, and might give it a try with some changes :)

I would stick there some Thrown Bikes hehehehheh eeevill

Jackie Chan also fights with ranged POT in some films..... until he gets melee of course xD

See you later, Metuselahs!

We just can't have only one deck!

2010-04-30T23:16:00.006+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I'll tell you what's happening... we are greedy. The eternal night makes us long for all the options, or everything we could try as our limited resources can manage.

We... are gamblers. Some of us just adore eBay, others purchasing boosters just like smokers, until we reach the rare or the number of commons/uncommons we put ourselves as objective in our dark deck lists. Internet is the spark that lit this fire. No doubt.

After playing other CCGs, I've never felt this sick desire of having more than one deck. I think it was easier then. In Warlord, par example, I only liked Deverenians and Elves, and my priority was the first ones. Fucking good was that game, its a pity it just died in Spain, afaik.

Now, here I am. From the V:TM I thought I could have one or two decks in this game with the clans I roled, maybe a third if it was as *cheap* as I thought (Toreador, !Toreador and Lasombra). Things in the card game were really different as the aims I had for them. At the moment, close to be completed there are 5 decks. Motherfucking fiive!!
Others have a lot more, and other players just stay in one clan... but at least a couple of decks of that clan.
And shared this thoughts with other players and companions, and in the end, its all greed.

"You know? I can try building a deck around this card....."

The beginning of your Apocalypse, my friend.

Don't you think, Metuselahs?

My decks: Valerius Wall

2010-04-28T23:04:00.004+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I'll post one of my favorites (if not the most) decks I play, the Valerius Maior Advanced wall deck.
After reading about this infernal warlock in the Red List supplement in Vampire: The Masquerade, and playing it as a guest in the Carna deck I played before... got totally into him.

Playing then complete !tre decks around him, mixing with camarillas, others trying to get the most minions with daimonion and infernals to use the concordance, other versions without any dai except some Conflagrations to make a good surprise, toolboxes, Malgorzata and Valerius, etc etc etc the best results I've got were with the wall type deck.
At the moment, I long for getting a Barbaro Luchesse to put a bit more of the dai, and another Concordance user... just saying...

So this is the deck as I run it atm, but I think Kyoko will be dropped, that lack of tha makes me sick:

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 3 max: 7 average: 5.66667
------------------------------------------------------------

4x Valerius Maior, He Adv 7 AUS DAI DOM THA nec pre !Tremere:4
1x Elena Mendoza Vasq 6 AUS THA dom obt !Tremere:3
1x Selena 6 AUS DOM THA !Tremere:3
1x Yasmin the Black 6 AUS THA dom pre !Tremere:3
1x Frondator 5 AUS dom tha bishop !Tremere:4
1x Kyoko Shinsegawa 5 aus cel dom for Tremere:3
1x Neighbor John 5 AUS dom for !Ventrue:4
1x Janine 4 aus dom tha !Tremere:4
1x Martin Franckel 3 AUS tha Tremere:3

Library [90 cards]
------------------------------------------------------------

Action [8]
1x Abbot
1x Aranthebes, The Immortal
3x Concordance
3x Magic of the Smith

Combat [25]
2x Burst of Sunlight
4x Conflagration
4x High Ground
4x Movement of the Mind
2x Rego Motus
9x Theft of Vitae

Equipment [5]
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Ivory Bow
1x Leather Jacket
1x Ruins of Ceoris
1x Kaymakli Fragment

Master [17]
2x Blood Doll
1x Fragment of the Book of Nod
1x Infernal Pact
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Barranquilla
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Rack, The
1x Rotschreck
2x Smiling Jack, The Anarch
1x Spirit Summoning Chamber
1x University Hunting Ground
2x Vessel
1x WMRH Talk Radio
1x Wash

Reaction [33]
4x Deflection
1x Delaying Tactics
4x Eagle's Sight
2x Enhanced Senses
6x Eyes of Argus
3x Forced Awakening
4x On the Qui Vive
3x Precognition
2x Spirit's Touch
4x Telepathic Misdirection

Reaction/Action Modifier [2]
2x Sense the Sin

Points to improve that I have in mind, with the Luchesse in the crypt, increasing by 2 the Sense the Sins, maybe lowering the masters, so that I don't get my hand full of green cards and stuck, thinking about dropping the something in order to include a Melange in there....

Not the best wall, of course, but really fun to play with, and I'm playing with one of my favorite vampires of all time, it can manage to get vps also.
If you like wall decks, I encourage you to try this. It is not as effective as weenie AUS, but it grants you good times and some epic moments.
Oh hai, predator, do you obf? :)

See you in hell, Metuselahs!

Results of the Poll

2010-04-26T11:21:00.002+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Another poll comes to an end, and I must admit it was quite a personal question, because I have an eye on the Daughters of Cacophony, thanks to the cute Scout Youngwood and the new overrated Harmony, so the common question of the week was..

Will Harmony make choir decks playable?

- No, that deck will never work. 10 (35%)
- Yes, I think so. 9 (32%)
- Never gonna play singer ladies. 9 (32%)

This was reeally close, but in the end, with one vote advantage, the Choir Girls aren't supposed to work at all.

Something different will come with the Shattering Crescendos =3 and also Lily Prelude, which I think is killer, but to get enough votes if you have another political deck in the table...

See you, Metuselahs!

Likes and effectiveness

2010-04-21T14:14:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I've been thinking a while about the decks I build and the decks I have plans to complete, changes to them, etc, and it's very common to see players lowering the efectiveness of a deck but using the vampires they like, or focusing on a strategy they just love.

Some months ago, I had a Tremere deck, the typical, proved effective, blocker, Carna as a leader, other tremeres, govern, conditioning, chantry, etc and it just worked nice. Same the case of Anarch Fatima multirushing asses, but then I started to like vampires like Valerius or Malgorzata, and the deck was quite less effective (well, less Valeriu than Malgie) but the idea of getting back to the other deck is always discarded. I've also dropped Fatima to a Janni AK deck, which I find funnier to play but its huge less effective deck, but.... it's what we like!

In the international chat, in one of the talks, a user was thinking about a Lucubratio+weenies AUS+Anima Gatherings, and I enjoyed to read new ideas to me, and think how can you make a vampire that you hardly see a useful tool to get vps.
In the last tournament I assisted, saw some tier decks of many clans, and an Elimelech Rush deck that even the owned admitted it was something weird, but he came with it, to play against those decks with well-known-effective strategies. Awesome :D
Most of this times, when we get obsessed with a vampire, we build a deck around him and the deck also weakens (star vampire down? game gets harder..)

In conclusion, I like to see when we try to manage the most potential of some vampires we like, or cards that can be of some use, and maybe, someday, a new tier deck can be born from the mindfuck of someone creative :)
Of course, if you want to rank, and it's your primary objective, the easiest way is to use a tier deck, and to be an excellent player....
Still, I like to improve with the decks I play, even tho I own a tier deck that I use sometimes.

Do you play your creations, or are you always getting inspired in TWD?

Malkav gave us the way, minfuck, Metuselahs ;)

Tournament Report 17-4-2010

2010-04-17T15:43:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I'll tell you what's happening... a tricicle, zero zero zero vps XD but I had so much fun this morning spent on a V:TES tournament, and I think I've learnt some interesting things to take into account for next struggles.

I won't put the names of the players, because this wasn't an official tournamend, and I didn't ask for permission xd so only the decks that attended the tournament:
-- Daughters of Cacophony embraces
-- Weenie dom/obf
-- !tre/tre toolbox
-- Stanislava Baltimore Purge
-- Elimelech Rush strange deck
-- !Ventrue Grinder
-- Nergal Calls the Great Beast
-- Uta Kovacs Tha Combat Rush

In Nexus 7, eight Metuselahs gathered to bleed like bi@tches, 3R+Final, for me 3R hahahh

First Round:
Uta -> me -> !ventrue -> Stanislava

First time in my life that I've played against a Baltimore Purge. !Ventrue killed Purges and Uta got GW. 0 VP

Second Round:
nergal -> me -> !ventrue -> weenie obf/dom

Basically the weenie ousts nergal really fast (he only manages to influence a weenie obf and his nergal adv) and the game gets a bit hard for me. Can't go forward a lot, and a Scourge of the Enochians my prey played helped me to have a 1vs1 with him. But no wakes, he had his wall buildt and got ousted bcs my pool was very damaged(I couldn't deflect all those bleeds, and a bad draw I had..) --> 0 VP's

Third Round:
Daughters -> Stanislava -> weenie dom/obf -> me

Stanislava does Information Highway and Zillah's Valley, fast start. Then weenie bleeds me a bit, and I manage to influence Ladislas, Frondator and Keith Moody, and the Daughters only move blood to uncontrolled, because I had the pressure of the bleeder, and the weenie wanted to oust me quick enough to influence more and resist the continous Purges.
After two turns, he finally pacts with me to bleed me and letting me bounce the bleeds to the Stanislava deck, that was making his game without any pressure.
After having the weenie and me ousted, the Daughters influenced completely the vampires and started to make embraces and trying to get his vp. Close call, Stanislava won again. 0 VP

The only spectate the final round, which was like !ventrue -> Uta -> weenie -> strange deck(changed the elimelech one xD) -> nergal
I only have to say that is was so fun to see it, and to hear them talking, pacting, to get Uta with blood (she was dry), an Anarch Troublemaker doing his job, the !ventrue grinder resisting, but finally game was for the strange obf deck.

Well, learnt some things, got the gift of experience ;) and had lots of fun this morning, even if I went there after 2 nights of insomnia, some huge mistakes today. No tears for spilt milk, as we say in Spain :P

Bleed HARDER, Metuselahs!

Results of the Poll

2010-04-17T00:48:00.002+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Another poll ends, as the pool of some of my preys eh eh eh (?)

So the poll question was:

Which is the best High-Cap Baali?

- Nergal 16 (35%)
- Cybele 10 (22%)
- The Unnamed 8 (17%)
- Huitzilopochtli 5 (11%)
- Nergal Adv 5 (11%)
- Petaniqua Adv 1 (2%)

The base version of Nergal has won. He is epic. Nothing more to say.
Followed really close by Cybele (my vote was for her, yey!) and the only lack I see on ther is the lack of fortitude.... Nice art, btw.
Next one is the new big one, The Unnamed, which specials can make him/her/that thing awesome for bruise/bleed or stealth/bleed + bloating.
Then we have Huichachilipu, this dude should have been called the true unnamed, geez... that name... heheh
In the same position of mr. H, we have Nergal Advanced, and then the advanced version of Petaniqua Adv, which I do prefer the base one, but she doesn't fit here because he is Malkavian, not Baali. Nothing for you, Petaniqua!

Have fun, Metuselahs!

The game is getting quite expensive...

2010-04-12T21:16:00.002+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Even though I buy boosters, I'm a regular ebayer, and we do suffer about how high people manage to pay for this cards.
And this is not a brainfuck coming from a Spanish Troll on teh Int3rnet. It has been commented in forums and several blogs, and it made me think a bit.

Par example:
- Mind Rape 19$
- Summon History ~20$ (the auctions I've seen..not yet ended!)
- Harmony 17$ (wtfzomg! do you really think this will make your choir deck a tier 1? Pwnd)
- Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter) 39$ (ok, do you like e-anal-sex?)
- Nergal Base Promo 39$
- Enkil Cog 39$
- Preternatural Strenght 29$

.... well, enough for my brain...

My gut feeling is that the price of the cards that have always been coveted, will maintain their price, and those new cards like Summon History will increase their cost on ebay....
I hope Harmony decreases someday its cost, because I have a dark desire with the Daughters :D

Try to save some cash, Metuselahs...

Results of the Poll

2010-04-08T22:39:00.005+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

So the question of the last poll was...

Best Camarilla Clan for Voting?

-- Ventrue 18 (50%)
-- Toreador 11 (30%)
-- Brujah 6(16%)
-- Nosferatu 1( 2%)
-- Tremere 0(0%)
-- Gangrel 0(0%)

Well, I voted Toreador. My souls belongs to Arikel.

This results were so PrEdIcTaBlE but I expected more votes to the Nosferatus.
Brujah, with the new crypt have become a very decent voters, and Dmitra Ilyanova is so pro that everyone wants to use her. I admit it, I do use her too, but in a combat rush deck :D

Cheers, Metuselahs!

edit: I missed one clan.... blogwriting drunk isn't best to make accurate em things.

Reprint -> Melange

2010-04-04T12:21:00.007+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

As a newbie in this game, there are tons of cards that I have never used, read, etc and one of this card is the Melange.

Even though I like to make new decks, and try more clans, I stick with two of them, as you might suppose, the Tremere Antitribu(well, I've also been Camarilla hehh) and the Assamite. So now I run for the first one a bleed/block deck, whick I'm trying to improve the most, and after purchasing a !Ventrue/!Salubri HttB Starter, I got a copy of this card, and the plan is to getting 2 more.

Melange
Reaction, Auspex, R , [Sabbat:R, SW:R, HttB:Starter Deck]
[aus] +1 intercept.
[AUS] As above, and if you successfully block the acting minion, put this card on the acting minion; you still control this card. You may burn this card to get +1 bleed when this reacting vampire bleeds the controller of the vampire with this card.

At superior Auspex it's sick, and every deck that runs AUS should include at least a couple, imo.
Bleed boost for my Govern+Conditioning ( I do not fear the archon!! bwahhah... ehmm well xD enough), and for other decks like Tzimisce one, can reach some bigger bleeds, like bleed for 2 with deep song and burn the Melange that was used to block to get finally a bleed of 3...

Worst part: is rare, and only one per starter.... the starter that gets sold the very first!

Best part: in eBay, it's cheap, 1-2$ each one most of the sellers.

Have you ever used it?

Have fun, Metuselahs!

Results of the Poll

2010-03-31T20:01:00.003+02:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

The common question of the poll, aswell as the results were:

"What's your favourite ally deck?"

Nephandus --> 12 (24%)

War Ghoul --> 10 (20%)

Shambling --> 7 (14%)

Renegade Garou --> 7 (14%)

Nocturn --> 5 (10%)

Reanimated Corpse --> 4 (8%)

Remnant ot the Endless Storm --> 2 (4%)
Hexaped, Infernal Servitor, Muddled Vampire Hunter --> 1 vote and 2% each one.

Finally, Nephandus won the poll, followed really close by the War Ghouls. You know? tbh I expected that the Nocturns would reach at least the 2nd place!
I think we are going to see more ally based decks, because both Lasombra Nocturn decks and Kyasid decks with Nocturns to bleed, block rushes agains the vampires, I think they will be common in tables (well, trust me, even if I didn't predict the results of the poll heheh), as well as a mix between Reanimated Corpses and Shamblings, a deadly combination imo.

Thanks for voting, Metuselahs!

Am I getting erhm blind?

2010-03-24T08:17:00.011+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Bitching with my Elder Library, I came across a coincidence.

The !malkavian Artemis resembles way too much to the Ahrimane Dovey Ebfwe (cooler for me his art)

VS

Well they may be secret brothers, or have the same dressmaker, or is Weighted Walking Stick the most fashionable complement for the modern vampire?

So, little crazed Artemis, did you just attempt to think you could just escape from our sight? Did you have emo-complex with that blood tear falling from your left eye and you wanted to change your fate?

Uh yep, you got a new shirt or at least you cleaned it, got your hair combed and bought those fashion non IR non Light Intensifying googles.
And now you call yourself a "Black Hand"? Bi@tch! and now sterile heheheheh (balls!)

Grin, Metuselahs!

Edited: edited a meme, just... don't want to make polemic... at the moment ;)

Thanatosis: an overview

2010-03-18T23:19:00.004+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

This weekend I'm going to have more time to spend on the blog, but I wanted to update it with an article about the cards of Thanatosis that I consider the most important of them.
I have to admit that I've already written this article in the WikiTES of the vtes.net, in Spanish.

The reason that I had to look at this discipline was the vampire Morlock. Reasons? His clan disciplines at superior, his +1 Bleed, Black Hand, obf.... Sweet! And the art (mueheh)

So, Thanatosis (from Greek thanatos, 'death', and -osis, 'state of disease') is Samedi's clan discipline. It involves altering the appearance of death and the effects associated with it and decomposition. It is otherwise similar to Necromancy. Source: WoD Wiki

-- Reanimated Corpse
Excellent ally, even tho its time in game is limited by the pathos counters. Perfect to combine with Shambling Hordes. Enough to bleed and block (2 str, 2 bleed) and imho, the best card of this discipline. Cute art too ;)

-- Pressing Flesh
Really handy, take an ally from another ash heap at +1 stealth and in THN with +1 life. Well, it cannot gain life, it is a zombie, but he can play fortitude cards. I think we will see this card a lot in most of the Samedi decks.

-- Compress
So, this is the Burning Wrath of Thanatosis. Nothing more to say. I would bring max 2 in a deck, but 1 is enough to have a funny moment in a combat. The outferior is with pot, strike +2 str.

-- Groaning Corpse
It only works at close range... the worst part of the card. In the other hand, you deal damage each round, and cost increases if you play more of them.

-- Under My Skin
For 1 blood of the vampire, the outferior (obf) is +1 stealth, and thn is +1 stealth for the action and you keep that card on the vampire, to burn it in another action to have +1 stealth. At THN the same, but +2 stealth when playing it, +1 stealth by burning it. I do like it, don't want my reanimated corpses to be blocked.

-- Ashes to Ashes
At outferior (for) is works only when you are going to be burned. Nah. At thn, prevent all damage, untap and torpor. THN the same, but you gain 2 blood from the blood bank. Having cards like Skin of Steel, Rolling with the Punches , etc, would this card be worth including in the deck? Honestly, I haven't tested yet, and idk.

For me? That's all.... well, I do like Hag's Wrinkles, but I don't see it so important to write more about it :P what do you think? Did I miss something?

Take care if you get some rigo mortis this spring, Metuselahs!!

Results of the 1st Poll

2010-03-17T08:22:00.002+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Just realised that the first poll of the blog was over, so here are the results after 29 Metuselahs spent some seconds in this ;)

What are your favorite type of decks?

1- Toolbox -> 12 (41%)

2- Vote decks -> 5 (17%)

3- Wall Decks -> 4 (13%)

4- Ally decks -> 2 (6%)

5- Combat Rush -> 2 (6%)

6- Bruise/Bleed , Stealth/Bleed, Weenie and Blocker -> 1 (3%) each one

7- Turbo, Embraces -> 0(0%) each one

I know that the list of decks was not complete, but do you want an eternal poll of archetypes? Comment, if you want to vote next time in a similar poll XD

By the way, you should have realised that you have to mortgage your entire Elysium to handle the new rares and some of the oldies? We don't want this game to become a "second Magic The Gathering", do we? I'll talk about that in the next episode..

Arise, Metuselahs!

Battle Lines Storyline & Prelude in Spanish

2010-03-10T21:03:00.007+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

Instead of giving the news, I'll prefer to link to extrala's blog, who has announced both Storyline and its Promos, so here is the link.

Next day I'll comment the promos, but the Infamous Insurgent (in the "Rules" link in extrala's blog) just reminds me to Count Germaine Merged.

I've translated the prelude of this Storyline to my language:

"Éstas son las últimas palabras de Caín antes de entrar en la tierra...

Con el cuchillo de Lilith, me corté a mi mísmo y canté:

'Desde éstas heridas abiertas,
vida tendrá que venir de la muerte
y la última hija
portando la marca de La Luna,
envía el veneno de Lasombra a cenizas,
envía la progenie de Gangrel a la fría piedra,
infecta la guarida de Nosferatu con serpientes, y derriba a su mujer,
y atraviesa al resto de mis nietos con el fuego de la sabiduría.'
Con éstas palabras me hundí,
en los fríos brazos del jardín de Lilith.
Por favor, erradica mi locura.
Y termina con ésto."

Las palabras de los antiguos son claras. Es nuestra tarea escucharlas y comprender."

Helena pasó su mano por encima del disco de platino y la traducción en pergamino de su texto extendidos en la mesa enfrente de ella.

"Caín se entregó a sí mismo a Lilith en el Jardín de Ba'hara y fue destruído. No es más. Pronto sus hijos le seguirán al olvido. Pero vosotros, todos vosotros, tenéis un camino diferente a seguir. Podéis volveros a Lilith. Podéis aceptar a nuestra Madre, como yo hice, y ser aceptados por ella. Sobreviviremos y gobernaremos en el estado que va a venir. Confiad en Lilith. Es de su sangre de la que recibimos la bendición de la inmortalidad. Ella es la fuente de nuestro poder. Para nosotros, el legado de Caín es sólo su maldición. Hemos de renegar de él, como él renegó de nosotros."

Helena echó una hojeada a la estancia. Aquella a la que llaman The Siamese saltó sin esfuerzo a las vigas de la rústica cabaña tan pronto como entraron. Paró de moverse rítmicamente alante y atrás en la viga de madera. Sólo se movieron sus ojos, saltando de Helena a la Ahrimane más anciana, Muricia, y de vuelta a Helena.

Muricia estuvo tendida en el enorme sofá. Se levantó para acercarse a la mesa grácilmente, silenciosamente. Tras ésto, echó un vistazo a los objetos como les comunicó Helena.

"Éstos textos están escritos en Enochian, la lengua de Caín y sus Hijos. Éste disco fue perdido, sellado en la ciudad prohibida de Kaymakli. Te lo traigo para enseñarte que ésto no es ninguna perdida profecía, susurrada y tergiversada a través de cientos de años. Éstas son las palabras de alguien que estaba allí y presenció éstos acontecimientos. Hablan de la verdad. Éstas palabras me han enseñado el camino."

***

"Ésto es basura." Angelo se recostó y puso sus pies sobre la mesa en el bar vacío. "En serio, Germaine. Respeto lo que has estado haciendo. Pero,¿ en serio? ¿Jardín del Edén? ¿La guarra de la ex-mujer de Adán? ¿Qué es ésta mierda que me estás vendiendo?"

Count Germaine extendió sus colmillos y deslumbró al Hermano de Sangre con una dentada mueca. "¿Cuál es el problema? ¿No crees en lo sobrenatural?"

"Nah. No es éso, listo. Vampiros, hombres lobo, y todo éso son una cosa. Ésto es otra distinta. Has conocido al Círculo de Chicago. Son nerviosos. Si les traigo ésto, me partirán la cara y me largarán de la ciudad."

"¿Quieres que vaya contigo? Puedo sujetarte la manita."

Angelo sacudió su cabeza y sonrió. Durante un momento guardó silencio. "Incluso cuando era un niño, antes de todo ésto, nunca pregunté por los cómo y los por qué de todo. Las cosas simplemente son. Todas ellas. Alguna mierda es realmente salvaje. Pero tomas lo que te han dado. Haces lo posible con ello. Te concentras en el qué y en el quién. Éso es lo que me lleva a través de la noche. Comparte las profecías y portentos."

Inclinándose, Count Germaine se acercó. "Solía ser como tú. No hacía preguntas. Tenía comodidad en mi ignorancia. Ahora he visto lo suficiente como para saber más. ¿Quieres saber sobre el quién y el qué? Te diré el qué. Tenemos los mapas. Sabemos dónde se están escondiendo los Antediluvianos y vamos a sacarlos de ahí. ¿Quieres ser parte de la acción? ¿O quieres ser barrido con la basura? Quieres algo real? Ésto es real. ¿Crees que no puedes hacer éste baile? Pregúntale a un Ravnos lo bien que funciona ésto. Si puedes encontrar alguno."

"Ésto es así, ¿eh? Los Hermanos firman para tí, se beben la Pócima Mágica de Lilith, y con ello sobrevivimos. ¿De otra manera sería la Gehenna y toda ésa mierda?"

"Así es."

"¿Qué pasó? ¿Simplemente te levantaste, decidiste salir y dar fin al mundo?"

"No exactamente."

***

"La plaga infernal ha sembrado más profundamente las semillas de nuestra corrupción. ¿Ha sido el final de ello? Oh, no, sólo ha sido el comienzo. La Tentadora de Troy se aventuró profundamente dentro del Abismo. Volvió con Nergal, el Príncipe del Infierno. El Señor de los Demonios fue liberado de su prisión. Se escurrió de las cadenas que le contenían. El Atormentador fue liberado. Camina sobre ésta tierra incluso en éste momento. Y no anda solo. ¡Él y los de su clase no estarán satisfechos hasta que puedan echar sus manos en tu alma inmortal!"

Cuando una persona atraviesa por la transformación que le convierte en un vampiro, experimenta un número de cambios fisiológicos. Entre éstos cambios, detención de todos los procesos que generan secreción en el cuerpo. Normalmente, ésto incluye las glándulas salivales. Es obvio que el Reverendo Adams es una excepción a ésta regla.

El Reverendo llevaba una vieja y gastada Biblia. Con cada declaración, estampaba la mano en el libro. Estaba echando espumarajos. Su desgreñada barba estaba húmeda y partículas de saliva salpicaban el duro y pálido semblante de la Gárgola que se situaba en frente de él.

"¿Crees que era el final? El Príncipe del Infierno ha sido liberado sobre la tierra. ¿Crees que no podría haber nada peor que ésto? Bueno, estás equivocado. Hay algo peor. Incluso ahora la seductora que lanzó cientos de barcos ha enviado sus servidores infernales a cada confín del globo. No estarán satisfechos hasta que hayan traído a la Reina Demonio. No pararán hasta que hayan invocado a la Esposa de Lucifer. No van a descansar hasta que nos hayan convertido a cada uno de nosotros en un sacrificio para su Madre Oscura."

Lucinde había escuchado suficiente. "Gracias, Reverendo." Silenció al predicador con una mirada. Él dió un paso atrás se sentó en un banco frontal de la iglesia. El Reverendo Adams cerró los ojos, echó atrás la cabeza y sostuvo El Libro sobre su cabeza con ambas manos. Lucinde se giró hacia la Gárgola, Ferox, El Señor de la Roca.

Ferox subió cerca del púlpito y se giró lentamente. Inspeccionó la vasta catedral y contempló cada ventana de vidrio tintado, iluminada por la suave luz exterior del alumbrado de la calle. Entonces habló.

"Nos están prometiendo libertad. Es una oferta que bastantes de nosotros estamos ansiosos por aceptar. Bastantes Gárgolas ya se habían unido."

Lucinde se acercó. "Ferox, os ofrecen mentiras. Os prometen libertad, pero seguirlos sólo os dirigirá a un tipo diferente de esclavitud. Sabes que el Reverendo dice la verdad."

Ferox inclinó la cabeza. "Lo hace." Estendió sus enormes alas. Los ojos de Ferox brillaron con el virtuoso fuego que ardía a través de él. "El Tiempo del Juicio está cerca. Las líneas han sido dibujadas. Nos prepararemos para la guerra."

***

Fin.

Enjoy, Metuselahs, until next episode ;)

Maleficia & Striga

2010-03-06T11:59:00.009+01:00

What's Happening, Metuselahs?

So, why don't we have a look at all the cards of the new "not-disciplines" for infernal minions, Maleficia and Striga of the Heirs to the Blood set?

MALEFICIA C , [HttB:C]
Master: Trifle. Put this card on an infernal vampire. This vampire may play cards that require Maleficia (not a Discipline). With two of these cards he or she may play cards that require superior Maleficia. Burn this card if this vampire is not infernal.

STRIGA C , [HttB:C]
Master: Trifle. Put this card on an infernal vampire. This vampire may play cards that require Striga (not a Discipline). With two of these cards he or she may play cards that require superior Striga. Burn this card if this vampire is not infernal.

Cards that require Maleficia

Evil Eye Combat / Reaction, 1 blood, Maleficia, C , [HttB:C]
Do not replace until your untap phase.
[mal] [COMBAT] Cancel a strike played by the opposing minion as it is played (no cost is paid). The opposing minion cannot choose another strike and gets no strike instead. Maleficia is not a Discipline.
[MAL] [REACTION] Cancel an action card as it is played and tap the acting minion. Burn option.

I start with this card, because I find it awesome. Cancelling strike cards, aggravated, or any combat card that annoys us. Also ranged Potence, and cards such as Taste of Death, par example. But the best part comes with MAL-> cancelling action cards, and leave the minion tapped. If you play Maleficia, a must-have.

Psalm of the Damned, Action Modifier, Maleficia/Presence, [HttB:C]
[pre] Burn 1 blood to get +1 bleed. You cannot play another action modifier to increase this bleed.
[mal] Choose a minion. The chosen minion cannot play reaction cards (including (reaction) abilities of power cards) this action. Maleficia is not a Discipline.
[MAL] As [mal] above, and the chosen minion cannot block this action.

The outferior may become handy, but with mal/MAL will make your actions pass. At superior is just like Seduction at superior, and mal will cancel reaction cards. Bleeders will love it.

Greater Curse, Action, 1 blood, Maleficia/Daimoinon, C , [HttB:C]
+1 stealth action.
[dai] (D) Bleed and gain 1 pool.
[mal] (D) Put this card on an ally or younger vampire. Bleed actions and combat cards cost this minion an additional blood or life. A minion can have only one Greater Curse. Maleficia is not a Discipline.
[MAL] As [mal] above, but the vampire need not be younger.

Outferior with dai, sweet&handy. The mal/MAL it's useful, their minions will get so dry if you put that Curse on them. All at +1 stealth.

Minor Curse, Action, Maleficia, R , [HttB:R]
[mal] (D) Put this card on any minion. this minion's controller doesn't replace cards played by this minion until the end of the action. Maleficia is not a Discipline.
[MAL] As above, but cards are not replaced until the discard phase of that turn. Burn option.

Rare card, and even if it's useful, I find it weaker than the Greater Curse mentioned above. At MAL can ruin the turns of a Metuselah if you stick that curse on a star vampire of his deck.

Barrenness, Action, Maleficia, R , [HttB:R]
+1 stealth action.
[mal] (D) Put this card on a vampire and untap this acting vampire. This vampire is sterile and his or her capacity decreased by 2 (to a minimum of 1). Maleficia is not a Discipline.
[MAL] (D) Burn a vampire whose capacity is 1. Burn option.

The last rare card of Maleficia, and if you manage to reduce the cap of a vampire to 1, the controller must forget about his vampire. Maybe synergy with Corruption decks, or you can make the Obedience work against older vampires...and with Contagion ;)

Cards that require Striga

Hexe, Combat, 1 blood, Daimoinon/Striga, C , [HttB:C]
[dai] Strike: 2R damage.
[str] Strike: 1R aggravated damage. Striga is not a Discipline.
[STR] As [str] above, and the damage is unpreventable.

I find Hexe a good card, but only for str/STR, for the outferior effect we have FotN, Conflagration, with better results. With str is like a Conflagration used at inferior, and STR you make it unpreventable. Bye bye, Flack Jackets, Kevlar Vests, Guardian Angels, etc against aggropoke ;)

Scobax, Reaction, Striga/Presence, C , [HttB:C]
[pre] Reduce a bleed against you by 1.
[str] The acting minion gets -1 stealth. Striga is not a Discipline.
[STR] As [str] above, and the action ends immediately (unsuccessfully) unless the acting minion burns 1 blood or life.

Personally I don't like it. Only str in my opinion it's worth it, because most of the time, minions can afford 1 blood/life if their action continues. If someday I run Striga, only a couple of this would be in there.

Masca, Action Modifier, 1 blood, Striga/Obfuscate, C , [HttB:C]
[obf] +1 stealth.
[str] This acting vampire gets an optional additional strike each round of combat until the end of this action. Striga is not a Discipline.
[STR] As [str] above, but with +2 stealth.

Costs 1 blood, in outferior only +1 stealth. In str I don't find it that useful, only STR. Thinking about a Great Beast visiting at +2 Stealth with an optional additional strike each round is nice. But you have to get the superior STR :)

Fractura, Combat, X blood, Striga/Celerity, R , [HttB:R]
[cel] X is 0. Strike: dodge.
[str] This vampire gets X additional strikes each round. Those additional strikes can only be hand strikes. Striga is not a Discipline.
[STR] As [str] above, and this vampire gets +1 strength for remainder of this combat.

I love it. The card and he art. The worst part is that those additional strikes must be hand strikes. Imho, this card was made to make The Great Beast own in combat. More. With MAL you get X additionals at 5 str!! xD sick!! But rare.

Strix, Reaction, 1 blood, Striga, R , [HttB:R]
[str] +1 intercept, even if intercept is not yet needed. If this vampire successfully blocks this action, he or she untaps at the end of the action. Striga is not a Discipline.
[STR] Only usable when a bleed against you is successful. The bleed burns no pool. Instead, this vampire taps and enters combat with the acting minion. Burn option.

So, I can't intercept all the stealth you got? You think you are really going to bleed me? This card is indeed the best of Striga. And of course, rare...

Drinking the Wine, Metuselahs!

Concordance + Rutor's Hand -> Synergy

2010-03-01T21:04:00.007+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

I wanted to share a combination that I didn't realise its potential.
Soo, mindfucking my brain for something more interesting than the Carna blocker that I used to play, it was quite effective, but I wanted... more [?]

I had a !Tremere starter and got grabbed into the Sabbat, except Carna, I still use one in my !Tre deck, she si so fucking adorable.
Tell me, Bloodsuckers, she is close to perfect... ehehh *balls...*

Then I came across Valerius Maior, which seemed the vampire I was looking for. Imho uber special in the Adv version, and had to deal with the Infernalism.
Maybe Magic of the Smith+Textbook of Damnation+Concordance+Rutor's hand is too long to be worthy. What do you think?

So we have an Infernal minion, and first of all, we get a Concordance into him, and then if we use the Rutor's Hand (ofc at inferior tha), we only have to take 1 point of damage non aggravated, thanks to the first card. Ssweet.

Link to my question about this cards in WW Forums

This time I talked about an Tremere Antitribu, and this month in the VTES Usenet Newsgroup in Google Groups, were published February newsletters of the Baali, the Nosferatu, the Brujah and the Tremere Antitribu. Enjoy!

Ignore the soaring flames while you conquer the hell, Metuselahs ;)

Fatima and her M-16

2010-02-26T16:08:00.016+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

One of the clans I do like most are the Assamites, that are one of the... em no, the most nerfed clan in V:TES, as all of you must know. But we like them :D

After many attempts with Fatima, then with Janni, fighting in a meta where a game with at least 1 metuselah playing ANI is very common, we, the Children of Haquim, won't give up. Must get the Groundfightings and the Diversions, atm are proxys xd but I have the gut feeling that this is going to work. With a PS in later posts, I'll tell you my results heheh

Deck Name: Fatima Multirush
Created By: Ishvalan
Description:

Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 4, Max: 32, Avg: 5,16)
---------------------------------------------
4 Anarch Convert none 1 Caitiff
4 Fatima al-Faqadi aus CEL for OBF QUI8 Assamite
2 Parnassus aus CEL QUI tha7 Assamite
2 Jalal Sayad CEL pot QUI 6 Assamite

Library: (90 cards)
-------------------
Master (16 cards)
1 Dreams of the Sphinx
2 Fame
2 Fortitude
1 Monster
1 Tension in the Ranks
3 Vessel
4 Villein
1 Yoruba Shrine
1 Carver`s Meat Packing and Storage

Action (11 cards)
2 Ambush
3 Bum`s Rush
4 Clandestine Contract
2 Harass

Action Modifier (13 cards)
4 Forced March
6 Freak Drive
3 Smoke and Mirrors

Combat (34 cards)
7 Diversion
4 Groundfighting
7 Psyche!
4 Selective Silence
2 Taste of Death
7 Taste of Vitae
3 Sideslip

Equipment (10 cards)
7 Assault Rifle
1 Blade of Enoch
1 Codex of the Edenic Groundskeepers
1 Ivory Bow

Event (1 cards)
1 Dragonbound

Combo (5 cards)
3 Steely Tenacity
2 Resist Earth`s Grasp

Sharp shoot, Metuselahs

Fails to the Blood, thanks WW

2010-02-25T18:24:00.004+01:00

After those news in WW, I sent an email to the V:TES Support (at least they answer *relief..*)
So, the reply I got was:

*Ishvalan*,

There are no plans to do a reprint at this time.

--
Oscar J Garza III
Organized Play Coordinator
CCP|White Wolf

Aww great.... -.-"
The question was about a possible reprint of the Starter Decks of the Heirs to the Blood set, and all we got is bad news. Posted it on the forum and read that even some stores didn't receive a single box of the decks!

And they tell us on the official site to grab the boosters.... but we can't get what was on the starters by opening boosters!

I hope they could react to this, really. It won't be unbalancing the game, it will just keep the community happy, and alive. I may be missing something, something only the WW bosses know, but I don't understand that move they made. We all, I mean, most of the players have more than one and more than two decks.
More wishes, I want all the complains that they are must be receiving at the moment should be heard.

Bleed hard (to your prey heh)

New V:TES Blog

2010-02-25T14:28:00.003+01:00

What's happening, Metuselahs?

This is going to be the first step of Ishvalan's V:TES Blog, and I hope that you could find some interesting ideas, news, decks or plain entertainment on my entries. Just a newbie Spanish v:tes player on the internet ;)

And what are my objectives with this blog? (obviusly stealing some part of your lifespam ehheh *balls*)

- Writing down my deck ideas and projects (well, and mindfuck decks...)

- Posting the news I gather from White Wolf V:TES official page and general news of the game in Spain.

- Vampire/VTES related stuff.

- Everything I find interesting enough to be posted in here.

Bleed hard, comrades...