Official V:EKN Caitiff Newsletter - February 2004
*Caitiff "Love, Love" newsletter special: Fugue in Lunar Radiance*
Contents
- Life in the City (Vampire fiction)
- Um, I dunno. What d'ya wanna do? (Clan Strategy)
- ...and the Kitchen Sink too! (Discipline overviews)
- Pick Me! PICK ME! (Card overviews a. crypt b. library)
- Smack Talk (Reader feedback)
- Dear Azel (Advice column)
- Ante up, Sucka (Deck designs)
- Peace Out (Conclusion)
Life in the City
We've received a piece of fiction to immortalize this newsletter! Please, enjoy.
"Every Path has a Beginning." by Damien Hennessy (c) 02/2004
The bright, fluorescent highway lights flickered past one by one in
a seemingly never ending line that stretched alongside the highway.
The deep, roar of a Harley Davidson broke the quiet night as the
battered form of a motorbike speed rapidly along the road. Crouched
on the bike was a tired, looking black man with flashing, brown eyes.
He was dressed in a tattered, black trench coat and stained, blue jeans.
He glanced frequently into the motorbikes side mirrors, always watching
the chasing lights. Yes, they were slowly getting closer. He was already
running at top speed and they will catch-up to him before the night was
over. David looked at his reflection in the mirror, his smooth,
middle-aged face and shiny bald head. He looked into his soft, brown
eyes. They stared back at him, giving no answers.
His name is David Archer. The bright lights rapidly over head, flashing
over him briefly before vanishing into the distance. He watched as two
of the chasing lights started to close rapidly, the riders hunched down
as their vehicles' speed along the had concrete. David pulled out a
gleaming, Magnum from the depths of his coat, he watched as the two riders
closed the distance. Both riders were clad in black, leather body suits
and helmets, riding, sleek, red racing machines. They closed in on David,
one coming in from each side. He watched in his bikes mirrors as both
black, leather riders pulled out submachine guns. David watched and
sighed as the riders cocked and aimed their machine guns at his back.
The magnum boomed once and the bullet smashed into one of the riders'
helmets. The black, clad rider was knocked from his motorcycle and from
view. David hit his brakes as the remaining rider opened fire. The
chattering machine gun spat bullets past him and David felt several
clip his arm. The remaining rider zoomed past, his machine gun blazing
rapidly as David ducked under his arc of fire. He felt more bullets
impact into his body, but held his course.
The black, clad rider appeared surprised that he was still on his bike.
David looked at his smiling reflection in the polished visor, gleaming
red eyes and his visible, white fangs. The magnum boomed once more,
the heavy bullet knocking the black clad rider and his sleek, red machine
from view. Smiling David roared away into the darkness..............
To Be Continued..........
Um, I dunno. What d'ya wanna do?
"This month I don't wanna do nuthin'." Clan strategy for another time folks :P
...and the Kitchen Sink too!
Being the "Love, Love" special: Fugue in Lunar Radiance newsletter [tm]
in honor of St. Valentine's Day for this month I will look at the
discipline overview and see what type of "love" we of the "clanless clan"
are. The format will consist of standard three letter shortened form of
discipline with a [x,x] number pair, first being inferior, second being
superior - the "big 17" disc. will be auto included. So, without further
ado, discipline breakdown!
-- ani [2,0] aus [2,1] cel [3,0] chi [0,0] dem [1,0] dom [0,0] for [2,0]
nec [1,0] obf [2,0] obt [0,0] pot [3,0] pre [3,0] pro [1,0] qui [1,0]
ser [1,0] tha [1,1] vic [0,0] --
oookay... some weird things one wouldn't expect (someone like a certain
unnamed newsletter editor *gazes away and whistles distractedly*). I expected
no chi, obt, or vic. The 1 dem is a nice make-up for modern V:tES. Knowing
about Julius I expected the 1 of each for qui and ser. The 1 nec blindsided
me, but I thought, heck maybe DS set, right? Nope, Anarchs! Wow. And this
one was a stunner - no dom, at all! I mean it's part of the big ol' ten,
and yet after all this time no dom? I guess in a way for game balance
that's good, but it certainly was a suprise.
I'm gonna deal with the most common disciplines shared for the first article
in this section - and we can see what type of "love" we are. Well, what
comes off as the most common disciplines? aus, cel, pot, and pre. What'd'ya
know, the entire Brujah clan disciplines are represented in that... hmm.
And then there's aus, which with pre and cel, shows the entire Toreador
clan disciplines too. It seems to me we Caitiff are predominantly the
charming [pre] thug [cel,pot] that parents warn their daughters about,
for fear of stalking [aus]. Prone to physical abuse [cel, pot] or emotional
abuse [aus, pre]. So we are charming, abusive, stalking roughnecks! Yay!
Guess it's high time we go out their and spread our type of "love."
Season Toreador and Brujah decks with us liberally.
Pick Me! PICK ME!
Crypt
Name: Antoinette DuChamp
[DS:V]
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Caitiff
Group: 2
Capacity: 1
Discipline: cel pre
Camarilla:
If Antoinette uses an action or strike that requires Celerity,
she burns an additional blood.
Being the "Love, Love" special what better vampire to review for Caitiff
than Antoinette. She has a beautiful name (French, the language of love,
"oh l'amour"), a pretty picture, and pre! She can be added to either
Toreador or Brujah decks, representing our "love archetype" well, due
to her disciplines being shared by both clans. With such features she
is the natural choice for the season.
First let us take a look at her disability; disabilities being the uniting
force of our "clan." Actions or strikes that require celerity makes her
burn an additional blood. Hmm, so what exactly is she missing out on?
Actions: Cat Burglary, Distraction, Speed of Thought. Not exactly anything
I mourn losing access to. Strikes at cel: Fast Hands, Preternatural
Evasion, Riposte, Side Strike, Sideslip, Stutter-Step, Vampiric Speed.
1 steal weapon [1 blood], 1 2nd round combat ends [1 blood], 4 dodges
[free]. Nice selection, but steal weapon and combat ends are naturally
out, her disability ensures that. The free dodges would cost 1 blood for
her, probably would use disciplineless Dodge. So overall not a terrible
loss of options. But what to do with her?
Well, she's not too far from going to torpor, being a 1 cap and all. But
her ability to maneuver and press all over the place with cel is nice.
And cel intercept now is a bit more feasable for chump blocking - though
I'd probably stick to location intercept for her. If she was to do combat
she'd be better off with a weapon, and the less expensive the better.
Her pre gives her a lot of access to +1 bleed cards, and +2 bleed cards
too (but they tend to empty her). Charming Lobby would work very well
with her. And then she can attempt to Mind Numb, or run The Summoning
to get your Marijava Ghoul or bleed retainer.
Mostly as is she does the menial tasks, so if you wanna squeeze a bit
more out of her I'd suggest discipline masters of pre or cel. Honestly
I'd focus on pre, because she could survive combat more, do serious
damage bleeding, and tie up minions with pre tricks. For me her cel
is basically a way to go to long to avoid IG so you can still S:CE. And
in the end, who's gonna waste an IG on a Caitiff ;) But I'm sure there's
been entrepeneurial folks out there that have made her an asset with CEL
focus - if so I wanna hear about it! :) Having a cheap and disposable
minion to do all these pre tricks is great, probably moreso for Toreador
due to their infatuation with pre, but also with Brujah, especially when
they need that extra bleeding "punch" without tying up their bruisers.
And considering she has the discipline spread of Uma Hatch/Mazz/Itzahk
Levine at 2 capacity less means she's a bargain if you're just focused
on the disciplines. Very nice.
Smack Talk
There was some interesting talk going on about March Halcyon multi-rush.
Wondered how that turned out. Unfortunately March is Pander and would
rather smite than represent us Caitiff. But we can still claim a little
representation just for his weenie-ness. Y'know, I never got to see the
post of the deck with March and the Eye, post it on up. Oh, by the way,
we have a serious lack of macho pro wrestling smack talk going on in
reply to the newsletter. It is a deficiency that needs overcompensation
ASAP. So bust out your ego and don't be afraid to "bring it on!" I'll
give you a starter: should Pander and Caitiff have separate newsletter
representation? Is sect mixing so taboo that this case should be no
exception? Are they afraid to "bring it on!" 'cause of our roughneck
status? Hoo-yah!
Dear Azel
Some friends I hang with were talking V:tES with me and a few interesting
things came up. They asked me my thoughts on them and after a thorough
musing here's what my take was. Oh you priveledged few who get to hear the
erratic wisdom that tumbles forth from my head ;) Take a read.
Dear Azel, My Tremere deck was getting choked on 2nd round strikes in the
face of a prey with an agg poke deck (with plenty of ranged agg poke too!).
I lost any forward momentum 'cause of the torporing and hand jam. What do
you recommend? -- Walks on no Flame
Dear 'no Flame, What you need is a big movie set fan with remote control
or a new angle. I suggest the fan, because even after the game, once you
blow away with gale force winds the offending cards in question, you can
still use the fan for really fun things. Such as cooling off freshly baked
banana cream pies. Or launching said pies by the huge tempest you can create.
Or chill out 100' off the ground by attaching yourself to a kite and enjoying
said pastry in peace - by dropping it on agg-poke player's head. See, you'd
be sharing, having good sportsmanship you'd be. Or you could try that *other*
route and try a new angle... It's not nearly as fun, though. I'd recommend
a nice mix of thefts and/or anti-for tha strikes. Then an inscription or
two to get the 2nd round strikes out of your hand, but still in the game.
Most importantly I'd either add flak jackets or play with more precognitions.
To use the precognitions I'd recommend doing your own thing, like getting
the inscriptions out, governs, or magic of the smith, and then block their
undirected actions when they are low, preferrably a hunt action. And since
they play combat cards first you can react with more ease, they have to
show their agg-poke first if at all. You can still have forward pressure,
but just be sure to send a chump to harass bleed and then rescue as needed,
y'know testing the waters and all. Eventually you'll whittle his game down.
Then there's always wind dance, (which gets very little lovin' 'round here),
a free dodge at inferior is quite a resource within Tremere in-clan disciplines.
Good way to get safely to your 2nd turn for mutual poke-age. But I still
like the fan...
Dear Azel, I totally dig laptop computer, it has such bastardry potential,
and still is just a common piece of equipment! Don't you dig it too? --
Apple, Open Apple
Dear AOA, Yeah the laptop has left us all some good times to be sure. But it's
time to catch up to the "now." We need more technology represented. Like - car
alarms and radar detectors for vehicles, or text messaging, PDAs, Micky D's
Internet Hot Spots, and cyber cafes. Things like steroids, pain killers, and
hearing aids should also be represented. And most of these gizmos should have
extra features to help allies or retainers, preferrably passably human ones.
Give them like +1 bleeds or +1 intercepts, presses, maneuvers, +1 stealths,
+1 strengths, or prevent 1 damage type stuff. And maybe make it mostly Anarch,
as a) they need the help to recruit more people, b) it makes more sense as
Anarchs are more in touch with the modern world. There's a whole spread of
ideas available. Shouldn't just be laptops, computer hackings, and incriminating
videotapes, etc. as the few representatives of the big world of modern technology
in the game. Maybe even wacky things, like pay phones, spam, telemarketing, and
ATMs could be added. I'm sure some of us out there have good ideas to make
cards out of this. Hop to it! Post it up here!
Ante up, Sucka
Well, considering it's the "Love,Love" special I'd be remiss to offer anything
less than a presence-filled deck. Working with our "clan's" inherent "love" theme,
it'd be appropriate to include some violence and stalking with our bleed habits.
Call on some Toreador and Brujah to fill up the ranks and we got ourself a theme.
And since it's that time for romance, I'm gonna go all classic on you - group 1
and 2 - and all ladies, since Valentine's "Night" is their special time.
"Girl's Night Out"
Vampire (12) [Min: 4 Max: 24 Avg: 4.00]
2 Adrianne aus cel pot pre 6 Camarilla
4 Antoinette DuChamp cel pre 1 Camarilla
2 Black Cat pot pre CEL 5 Camarilla
2 Brachah for CEL PRE 5 Camarilla.
2 Victoria Ash aus cel dom PRE 6 Camarilla primogen
Master (18)
1 Anarch Troublemaker
4 Blood Doll
2 Celerity
2 Effective Management [because the picture says it all...]
1 Filchware's Pawn Shop. [because bargain shopping is good]
1 Life in the City [where they party at]
2 Presence
1 Society Hunting Ground Toreador
1 The Coven [what they feel like on their night out]
1 Vast Wealth [their credit cards]
1 Vox Senis
1 Warzone Hunting Ground Brujah
Action (17)
3 Cat Burglary Celerity [mmm, skin tight clothes]
3 Enchant Kindred Presence [because they're fabulous, darling]
1 Entrancement Presence [happened to more than one man]
4 Mind Numb Presence [the way they leave people in their evening wear]
2 Revelations Auspex ["no sweety, not tonight,"]
3 Social Charm Presence [know how to be the "life" of a party]
1 Speed of Thought Celerity [the rate at which they calculate bargains]
Equipment (12)
4 Concoction of Vitality [the wine coolers]
4 Incriminating Videotape [heh, need I say more?]
4 Saturday-Night Special [under a pillow, or tucked in a garter
- and always with mother of pearl handles]
Action Modifier (8)
3 Aire of Elation Presence ["Brad Pitt" leaves them this way]
2 Scrying of Secrets Auspex [searching through your medicine cabinet]
3 The Missing Voice Melpominee, Celerity [so easy, because "men never listen anyway"]
Reaction (9)
2 Delaying Tactics ["hold up, I'll be right there!"]
1 Elder Intervention [when they sic "daddy" on you]
2 Irregular Protocol [sorority pranks]
1 Pack Tactics [when their friends jump in to argue for her]
3 Wake with Evening's Freshness [ready for the weekend!]
Combat (26)
2 Aura Reading Auspex ["because I picked up this book on auras, and was like, oh my god..."]
3 Flash Celerity [somehow their "bling bling" is enchanted?]
5 Majesty Presence [because they *are* fabulous]
3 Nimble Feet Celerity [it's all about the 4 inch heels]
2 Psyche! Celerity [it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind]
2 Rapid Thought Celerity [how she can anticipate what you are about to say next]
2 Sideslip Celerity [...out the back door of a club]
3 Staredown Presence [woe to the woman who wears the same outfit as she]
2 Thrown Sewer Lid Potence [as close to a dish as I could find]
2 Undead Strength Potence [she looks so happy in the picture]
Peace Out
Well, another newsletter has come and gone. I hope everyone enjoyed
it this time; I put extra love and care into it. If you enjoyed the
theme and would like to see another 'special' eventually in the future
please drop some feedback. Q&A and suggestions at opaopajr@comcast.net
and as always, prey is to the left. ;)