Results of the Poll

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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 ;)