Assamite Clan newsletter.
Volume 4, Issue 11
(November 2004)
Written by Otto Koskinen
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Here we are, November. EC came and went, and I'd like to dedicate a
couple lines of it here.
Was a most splendid time, my big thanks to all the organizers, and a
special thanks goes for Andreas for ordering a cab for me an my mate.
Thought about it in the morning, and came to the conclusion we
propably would have had to sleep in the gutter, or wonder around
Heidelberg aimlessly fro the night.
I had a good time, and met many people who knew me beforehand from
reading these newsletters. A big thanks for all of you for it, for now
I know there actually are some people who not only read these, but
also like them. Heh, go figure.
Also, I'd like to congratulate the new European Champion, Rubén Vidaña
Ramos. Splendid job in the finals. You earned your victory, fair and
square.
Anyhow, off to topics more after my own heart.
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PROGENY; CREATION OF A LEGION
It is dangerous to confuse children with angels
-David Patrick Maxwell Fyfe
Along with the ten year anniversary set, there came a rewording for
Revocation of Tyre, and the three other votes, which make each
Independent clan Camarilla, respectfully. And a sweet, well thought
rewording it is.
Now, to jog all of our memories.
Revocation of Tyre
Political Action
Political Card - Worth 1 Vote. Called by any vampire at +1 stealth.
If this {referendum} is successful, all Assamites are considered
Camarilla vampires for the rest of the game. All options available to
Camarilla clans are now open to the Assamites.
Now, how it used to work was, that all Assamites *currently in play*
were considered Camarilla. If you had uncontrolled Assamites they were
doomed to be Independent once they came up, while their brethren were
happily partying in Elysium. Lucky sods.
But now, it has been changed to this:
Revocation of Tyre
Political action
Political Card - Worth 1 Vote. Called by any vampire at +1 stealth.
If this referendum is succesful, each Assamite may choose to be
Camarilla. Put this card into play. Whenever an Assamite enters play,
he or she may choose to
be Camarilla. The Assamite Clan is a Camarilla Clan.
So, here we go. Around eight months or so back, I thought about a
Camarilla breeder deck, which would vote. I mean, the Clan has
obfuscate, has a master card just made for horde decks to bleed with
(Khabar:Community) and have a kickass Justicar to boot with. The idea
was using Revocation quick and fast, then to go on a Praxis Spree with
a little help from our Justicar, and/or titled vampires.
But alas, it was not to be. But now, it's a whole new ballgame.
What I wonder, though, is why is there not a vote which would enable
the Indies to join Sabbat?
Joining Sabbat is pretty easy for Indies as is, with "Into the Frying
Pan" but still.
Withour further ado, here is a decklist using Revocation of Tyre,
reworded.
Deck Name: Swinging in the shadows of Elysium
Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 15, Max: 37, Avg: 6,08)
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3 Tegyrius AUS CEL FOR PRE QUI 9, Assamite:2, Justicar
1 Ali Kar obf qui 3, Assamite:3
2 Tansu Bekir cel OBF 4, Assamite:2
1 Anwar cel obf qui 4, Assamite:2
1 Badr al-Budur cel dom OBF qui 5, Assamite:2
1 Abd al-Rashid CEL obf QUI 5, Assamite:2
1 Zahir CEL OBF qui tha 6, Assamite:2
1 Aziz CEL OBF PRE QUI ser 10, Assamite:2, 2 votes
1 Yusuf aus CEL obf qui 5, Assamite:2
Library: (90 cards)
-------------------
Master (14 cards)
1 Alamut
1 Blood Doll
1 Coven, The
1 Creepshow Casino
1 Elysium: The Arboretum
1 Gift of Experience
2 Khabar: Community, The
2 Life in the City
1 Obfuscate
2 Secret Passage
1 Secure Haven
Action (15 cards)
1 Distraction
4 Embrace, The
4 Judgment: Camarilla Segregation
1 Media Influence
5 Third Tradition: Progeny, The
Action Modifier (14 cards)
7 Cloak the Gathering
2 Faceless Night
2 Lost in Crowds
3 Voter Captivation
Political Action (28 cards)
1 Banishment
4 Consanguineous Boon
2 Kindred Restructure
1 Kindred Segregation
5 Kine Resources Contested
2 Parity Shift
1 Praxis Seizure: Amsterdam
1 Praxis Seizure: Athens
1 Praxis Seizure: Barcelona
1 Praxis Seizure: Geneva
1 Praxis Seizure: Glasgow
3 Praxis Seizure: Istanbul
5 Revocation of Tyre
Reaction (1 cards)
1 Legacy of Power
Combat (16 cards)
9 Flash
2 Majesty
2 Staredown
3 Taste of Death
Combo (2 cards)
2 Swallowed by the Night
<<<>>>
Right. Legacy of power is a card you may very well cut, if you feel
like it. Me, I just tossed it in for the fun factor of it. Plus, I
think it's a great card, if a tad expensive.
Nothing like sending Theo Bell down to torpor, when he has been
chumpblocked by a progeny, eh?
As for the rest of the deck, it's a very basic Camarilla breed-voter
deck, utilizing the inherent discipline of Assamites, Obfuscate, to
get itself to the referendum. Once there, Tegyrius-ADV's special comes
into play, in a Power Structure'ish kind of a way, allowing a quick
votelock even on a table littered with votes. Costly in the long run,
but if you give Legacy of Power the axe, I'd consider Sunset Strip, to
let your progenies hunt with 2 stealth, once they have provided their
vote for the day.
Basic celerity combat defense, chosen to trump Immortal Grapple rush
decks, which generally have a problem with maneuvers. Meta-game
choices vary, but if Immortal Grapple is not a big issue around your
neck of the woods, I'd consider Preternatural Evasion for
Strike:Combat Ends effects on your bigger, and thus, faster (Celerity)
minions. (8/12 have superior Celerity).
Also, Taste of Death is a quick trip to torpor to anyone not prepared
to handle it, and works two-fold. Not only does it send someone to
torpor, it will also make them think twice before blocking your chump
bleeds for one, when you need the edge, or, whatever it is you may
send your minions to do.
As the deck inludes four minions with Auspex, three of the superior,
I'd also consider switching a couple combat cards, meaby one Majesty
and Staredown for Aura Reading. Inferior, this card forces your prey
to play with an open hand for the duration of the game, something that
can be used against him, and in some instances as a mean of threat,
though not meaby an overly strong one. Superior, though, it will cycle
your hand, and let you tap into the cards you just might be looking
for.
Your call, I chose to forgo it, at least in this version.
No bleed defense, in the traditional sense of it, but Consanquineous
Boons called for 5+ should go a long way, one thinks. Also, Parity
Shifts for forward momentum and bloat in the process.
I considered Heartblood of the clan, but decided against it, since the
deck has a fairly low crypt, and oft times may have an empty
uncontrolled region, and besides, using your actions on a bloat of one
seems a bit foolish, when you could call a boon for 7 instead. Also,
lack of stealth makes me a bit iffy to use Heartblood.
To go more tricky, and start playing it safe when you encounter other
bleed decks, the 3 Voter captivations arent really super crucial for
the deck.
Things to cut in my mind are as follow: Legacy of Power, 1-2 Voter
Captivations, Praxis: Berlin, and one Third Tradition. The five cards
gained from those, I'd use for a couple Cryptic Riders, meaby a
Charming lobby, and one more PS: Istanbul, to call the "Assamite
Justicar" vote, which should pass with ease, and then Cryptic your
next, your *real* vote.
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USING YOUR CARDS
The use of money is all the advantage there is in having it
-Benjamin Franklin
A hard lesson I learned at the European Championships.
If your hand doesnt move, you might as well be dead.
There has been extensive talk and testing in the newsgroups concerning
hand cyclers, and on how to prevent hand jams.
What am I talking about?
I'm talking about playing decks which can reliably keep their hand
moving, whether by hand cyclers, or just by the virtue of playing
nearly all of their actions via cards, and using plenty of modifiers.
I'm talking about building your decks with a thought about what
happens when they meet a situation which has potential to hurt their
cycling, and playing of their cards. Stealth & Bleed meeting a prey
who doesnt block, hoping their predator to jam on stealth cards.
About a rush deck hitting Obedience wall, or other means of combat
defense which denies them their chance of playing combat cards.
I'm sure you can think of other instances as well.
How to handle those situations then? Assamites have it well, I'd like
to think. Infernal Pursuit goes a long way, even if you arent a heavy
combat rush deck. Even when you play only 2 cards per combat, say a
maneuver and a strike card, you will cycle 6 cards by adding in
Infernal Pursuit to your chain.
Flurry of Action inferior cycles 3 cards, when succesful, ability
which allows Flurrymut (Sebtember newsletter) to reliably cycle into
it's first Alamut, and flush away the rest that come along with it.
A card I mentioned in the same newsletter as well, Marked Path, which
flows away easily enough.
An often overlooked card, Distraction, may also find it's way to your
deck. Inferior Celerity should be easy to find in the Clan, and
cycling 6 cards for one blood seems like a good trade off.
In the long run, choosing the not-as-good action over the
super-mega-hotness-only-done-by-one-vamp-in-my-crypt might be the
better choice.
I could ramble on and on about the permanents, but I feel this thread
in the newsgroups will do a better job dissecting the pros and cons of
each, brought to you by Derek Ray. Hope it helps you all.
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PATH OF BLOOD
Have you heard of it?
No, I am not talking about the card anymore.
The Path of Blood is the best on-line site dealing with Vampire: The
Eternal Struggle, concentrating on the Clan Assamite.
Todd Banister, the man behind it all, has done a splendid job with it.
Come see for yourself, I dare you.
If you are interested more closely in Assamites, visit the site at:
http://www.thepathofblood.com/
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