Introduction: Welcome to the Final Nights edition of the Brujah newsletter. In the following lines I want to start to explore the new possibilities the Brujah got. This issue will cover only the obvious things, i.e. the new cards for our in-clan disciplines and of course Theo Bell, the new vampire. No strategy section this time, I will continue that in the next newsletter after gaining some experience with the post-Final Nights meta game - unfortunately I didn't get to play much recently due to real life demands on my time. Before I start I would like to apologize for the mistake I made in the last edition about the sale-ability of Rumor Mill - it happened by negligence from my side, but quite a few mails by confused readers made it clear to me that errors of this sort are not tolerable. I promise to be more thorough from now on (and still might fail, as that is human nature, but anyway...). Another thing: As my time right now is not permitting me to take part in any ongoing discussions on the newsgroup, I would like to take this chance and comment on the "play to win" vs. "play for fun" thread. Rob Treasure wrote something I totally agree with in his June Ventrue newsletter: "As a final side note, I believe the game has a place for both types of player AND the differing styles of decks that both types usually play. One of the things that I love about the game is that ANY player can win a game by making a few solid choices and playing their deck well. In the dynamic sphere of meta-games, a deck can sweep one day and be the first to turn into a grease spot the next. Deck choices are at any given time a cross section of ideas, opinion, meta-games and play-styles - I don't think we should be rubbishing any decks that people choose to play in a competitive or non-competitive arena. Yes, goddamnit that's right, sleaze has a place." Amen. Fun and winning are related, but the real fun comes from actually playing. Winning is the ultimate goal of the game, and although our local play group is not really cut-throat competitive, the highest reward for everyone coming to play is to win - not to show off with goofy combos. Cool deck ideas are encouraged, but never at the expanse of competitive play. Sleaze has a place, because we are all on a learning curve, and playing against the tried-and-true masters of cheesy effectiveness is the ultimate test for everything new anyone may try. And - as has been observed repeatedly on this newsgroup - there is no single überpowerful deck. Some are more effective than others, but as Rob said and as I sadly found out in our latest tournament, they "sweep one day and be the first to turn into a grease spot the next". A big part of the fun in V:tES comes from adjusting your own playing style and deck to the challenges the other players pose. So yes, we all want to win, we want to prove that our ideas are valid and competitive in the arena. If we do it with "style", so much the better - but here in Munich no one will ever complain that his idea of stylishness is not compatible with the general pace of the game. Sometimes we have a so-called fun-round, where wild deck ideas are fielded, but they generally fall into the same category as say a round of preconstructed - the sweets at the end of a good meal, so to speak, but nothing you want to have as your sole diet. On an additional side note, I will not comment on the I guess unavoidable "Card Limits" thread that (again) showed up on the newsgroup. Or I will, but only briefly: Most of my life as a V:tES player I spent in a group enforcing a 5-card limit. I want to tell you one thing: I never really saw a reasonable Brujah deck in this environment. Most obviously that doesn't mean that NCL Brujah decks are degenerate, as is proven in many tournaments. On the other hand most good Brujah decks will never work with a card limit. I have no argument to add to what was already said, I just encourage each and every one of you in doubt about NCL to try it - it takes a while to change your playing habits, but it's worth it (*switch off pathos*). Fiction: The wind that sweeps through the endless rows of crosses brings a hint of nocturnal coolness, still the air is humid and thick with the smell of summer. The distant town is vivid with activity, as today the fourth "etappe" of this years Tour de France ended here. But the enormous memorial ground of Verdun lies almost deserted. It is the principle of "security through obscurity" applied, and only a very thorough investigator would ever find out that one grave looks a little newer than all the others... Although tonight his job would have been easier, thinks Dónal O'Connor as he cleans the dry earth from his hands. Security is not the top priority at the moment as the Don's Archons spread out to find out what exactly happened on the Final Night of hertzBl00ds european tour. They had seriously underestimated the Giovanni forces, so much was obvious, the end result lying a few feet beneath Dónal's polished leather shoes. And what was now again covered by earth and grass had yielded no useful information. He shares a bottle of Bushmills with Anvil as they wait for the "brute force approach" - the dreaded Brujah Archons showing their muscles to cover up whatever Cruez' real plans are. After decryption the mail from cvinti@euronymous.com had read like this: From: cvinti@euronymous.com Sent: July 01 2001 23.03 h To: dconnor@euronymous.com, bloodlord@anvil.org, volker.vanhelsing@web.de, ilpapasympatico@getaway.com Subject: Final Night's mayhem Dear fellow Archons, here is my preliminary report about the happenings on the final night of our media influence campaign against the Ven/Gio conspiracy in Rome three days ago. Apparently the Giovanni have not only gained strength in numbers, they also seem to possess some new and frightening skills. Towards the dead end of this night's partying - I was just outside for a little refreshment - two sharp-dressed kindred crashed into the backstage room and immediately attacked Yuri with utmost ferocity. The Talon put on a brave fight, but nevertheless was completely destroyed during the melee. Then a strange thing happened: When I, alarmed by the noise, returned in a hurry I saw one of the Necromancers perform some ghastly magick on the pulp that once was Yuri, and by forces unknown a demonic possession took place, restoring him to unlife. Those two tried to make their escape while the other kindred, already badly hurt by Yuri's punches, stood in my way. After I finished him off I hurried past Yuri and the necromancer, catching them as they entered a black Alfa Romeo. A sewer lid I threw caught poor Yuri straight on his skull. The suit left him where he had collapsed and drove away at break neck speed. The torporous body of Yuri was sent to his haven in Verdun through the usual Cold Dawn channels, and I strongly recommend a complete analysis of the his bodily and mental functions before attempting to wake him. Poor brother, he deserves his rest... FYI I managed to find a link between the car's license plate and UBAE Arab Italian Bank, presumably a key node set up by the Ventrue/Giovanni secret operation (you all remember that the sanguis.com investigation revealed links to UBAE and further on to Lybia, right?). The Don himself is checking these links. Love C. (as in confused) Indeed he did, and with some success. Theo Bell is racing his black '68 Mustang over the straight roads of northern France. "Verdun, 16 km" reads a sign as it flies by. He feels like a special agent on a mission, which is exactly what he should feel like. "Licensed to kill" and all that, but while fear may spread in front of his approach, he knows that this mission - his first in Europe since 1944 - should better be a success. Nobody knows how much it cost the Don, but he managed to convert one of the "new Giovanni". Grim negotiations took place in the week following Constanza's mail, old favors were called, new alliances formed, and in the end they had what Theo called "The Go (tm)". And they knew were to begin, the "source" had given them all necessary information. At last the Anathema on Carlotta Giovanni would be fulfilled, and the whole conspiracy would be taken apart by the tool Theo wielded best: terror. More precisely Theo was the tool, but no one would dare to call him that into his face. "I'll send Theo Bell. You will recognize him when you meet him," was all the Don had said to Anvil on the phone. As soon as he and Dónal see the battered black sports car drifting through the gravel underneath the monument that had struck Anvil a wee bit too "erect" the whole evening, they know that the Don, as always, is right. AC/DC's 'Hell's Bells' blasts from the stereo while the driver tries to readjust his sun glasses. "He's not the subtle kind", remarks Dónal as the car slides to a stop. A discussion of new cards: Final Nights, while an interesting expansion with many intriguing new options, didn't offer too many new toys for the Brujah. The obvious stuff consists of four cards: Theo Bell, the new Brujah vampire, and one card each for Celerity, Potence and Presence. Some of the equipment is very interesting for Brujah, as are some of the new vampires - especially pot/dom decks look really interesting now, with Jan Pieterzoon, all the new Giovanni and Theo Bell. More on that in future issues, now I want to discuss the merits of the already mentioned four cards. Theo Bell Bra 7, cel dom POT pre Camarilla: Theo may enter combat with any ready minion controlled by another Methusalah as a (D) action. If you control a ready prince or justicar, blood hunts may not be called on Theo. At last! A vampire for the Brujah that has an inherent rush ability. And if you have a ready prince or justicar he turns into a full-fledged Archon. Plus: He has the often-mentioned fourth Brujah discipline, Dominate. The downside? Well, paying 7 pool for just cel/dom/POT/pre is nothing you do laughing, although after the first successful diablerie that should change. At least he's got the stuff he really needs - superior Potence. Theo will fit perfectly in any classic Euro-Brujah deck, and he will make his way into almost every "destroyer deck" also. Strangely he's also the first 7-cap. Brujah ever. He's the best Final Nights has to offer for our clan. While other cards can (and should) be adapted to the Brujah cause, his general usefulness stands beyond doubt. Comparing him to Beast, another (somewhat expensive) rush monster, is a close call, but in the right Brujah environment his better fitting skill set makes him the top candidate. Relentless Pursuit Combat, Potence, 1 blood [pot] Press. [POT] Press, and if another round of combat starts, your hand size is two cards larger for the remainder of combat. Well, honestly, this card is almost wallpaper. It might have its moments in mono Potence decks that need to go to second round in combat and have card-cycling problems, but I fail to see any such deck. For Brujah, which have Celerity and thus more presses than you can count, it's more or less obsolete. The extra hand-size might be interesting in some corner cases, but the cost of one blood... 'Nuff said, I presume. The Giovanni might need it, but not the Brujah. Stutter Step Combat, Celerity [cel] Strike: dodge. [CEL] Strike: dodge and inflict strength damage. This damage may be modified by effects that modify hand damage. Only usable at close range. Not usable as an additional strike, and this vampire cannot use any additional strikes this round. A very close relative of Acrobatics, Stutter Step shines if your Brujah get into combat with anyone that threatens a nasty single strike each round - that means all clans without anti-dodge cards (which are quite common, if not excessively played these days) or additional strikes. Acrobatics cost 1 blood from the vampire, but gives you a full additional strike, which means you can play stuff like Undead Strength or Burning Wrath. Stutter Step has advantages in decks that rely on cards like Torn Signpost due to its lower cost, but basically it suffers from the same drawback as Acrobatics: It doesn't work if you played Immortal Grapple, which IMHO opinion is always the preferable strategy in close-range combat when playing Brujah. Also there are plenty of more versatile Celerity cards that offer a dodge at inferior, and one or two additional strikes are nothing uncommon in Brujah decks as well. All in all not a card I have wet dreams about, although Legbiter and all !Gan aficionados might have a different opinion here. The Summoning Action, Presence +1 stealth action. [pre] Search your library for an ally or retainer. Show it to all players and put it in your hand. Discard down to your hand size and shuffle your library afterward. [PRE] Search your library for a ally. This vampire recruits that ally (he or she must meet the requirements, if any, of the ally). Pay cost as normal. Shuffle your library afterward. The usefulness of this card is closely related to the usefulness of retainers or allies. Marijava Ghoul is a retainer that naturally comes to mind as it gives +1 stealth to all Presence actions. The Brujah have quite many allies, so they might profit from The Summoning. As soon as I come up with a killer Brujah allies deck be sure that The Summoning features prominently, so far the only use I can see is in a Presence bleed deck - a strategy Brujah can and should adopt occasionally, if only for the intimidation value of being Brujah in the first place. Deck: Hell's Bell As already mentioned I think the Final Night's biggest addition to the Brujah arsenal is Theo Bell. So here is a deck that uses him. It's an enhanced version of February's Euro-nymous Investigation thing: Euro-Brujah with Dominate, quite a few votes (and especially access to the Traditions) and some intercept ability. This one is more combat- and especially rush-oriented than its predecessor. I added Thoughts Betrayed to make it even more immune to hostile combat strategies, and in turn tuned down the aggressive kill potential of the earlier incarnation - it is relying on Torn Signpost and Blur as its main source of damage. Crypt: (12 cards) [Min: 19, Max: 32, Avg: 6,58] 2 Anvil (dom CEL POT pre tha, Brujah, 6, Primogen) 2 Constanza Vinti (CEL DOM POT, Brujah, 8, Prince) 3 Dónal O'Connor (CEL DOM POT, Brujah, 8, Prince) 1 Dre (cel pot, Brujah, 3) 2 Theo Bell (cel dom POT pre, Brujah, 7) 2 Volker (CEL pot, Brujah, 5, Prince) Library: (88 cards) Master (13 cards) 4 Blood Doll 1 Depravity 2 Dominate 4 Haven Uncovered 1 Information Highway 1 Zillah's Valley Minion (77 cards) 5 Amaranth 2 Archon 6 Blur 7 Bum's Rush 4 Conditioning 1 Deflection 2 Disarm 5 Flash 3 Govern the Unaligned 6 Immortal Grapple 3 Pursuit 4 Second Tradition: Domain, The 1 Side Strike 3 Sideslip 7 Taste of Vitae 6 Thoughts Betrayed 9 Torn Signpost 3 Undead Strength Final Note: I have to admit that although at first glance the Brujah do not benefit too much from Final Nights (apart from all the generally useful cards like Zillah's Valley), a lot of intriguing new thoughts circle in my mind. So again no promises for next month's issue, but it seems likely that I will present another post Final Nights deck idea. Any comments, suggestions or praise please send to skaffen_amtiskaw@runbox.com Any abuse please direct to /dev/null Thanks for reading Skaffen Chantry Elder Of Munich "Truly", said Sir Persant, "whatsomever he be, he is comen of a noble blood." (Sir Thomas Malory, 'Le Morte D'Arthur')