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

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

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

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.

Discusting memories...

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

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

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!

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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!