Hi ! =)
Welcome to this long delayed issue of the international Giovanni Newsletter
vol 1.
*summary*
I - Giovanni Haiku by Janne "HG" Hägglund
II - Necromancy cards rated
III - Orpheus free talk about Clan Giovanni
IV - The very short story
V - Deck of the Month
VI - card of the month
VII - Conclusion
I - Haiku
"Giovanni"
Ash heaps, yours and mine,
they all belong to me now.
No, you may not block.
Janne "HG" Hägglund
II - Necromancy cards rated
Inclan disciplines for the Giovanni are Potence, Dominate and Necromancy.
Two of them you already know. Potence is the combat ability you want to
inflict a maximum amount of damage on your enemies. Dominate is the supreme
discipline regarding passive and active bleeds. But what about what was for
a long time the Giovanni's specific domain ? Necromancy is a strange
discipline indeed. It doesn't make you win by itself, as dominate can do. It
does only give you a slight edge during a game. It gives you a bit of
stealth , a bit of intercept, and above all a handful of odd actions. The
best thing necromancy can do for you, however, is to make you win the
advantange of a valuable resource you maybe didn't think about. Not pool,
nor blood. First : the cards themselves. In a 90 cards deck, some may prove
more efficient depending on your opponent. You can't be prepared for
everything, but at least with necromancy you can use again and again the
cards which prove to be more useful in that particular game. Then,
necromancy helps with your other resources : the minions. Necromancy brings
back your minion, allies and vampires alike, from nowhere ready to go and
act. It also brings back your opponent's minions on your side. Sometime, you
're down at 3 pool , with only two giovanni left with two or three blood on
them when you start your turn. No one is betting on you, you're already
ousted in their mind. Then you bring back a justicar and a pupeteer. Against
all odds, the game continues for you. Show them how to cheat death.
What can Necromancy do for you ?
Baleful Doll > ** > a very interesting equipment, ideally used with masters
like Society of Leopold, Fame. Can also counter some dominate fatty + tons
of deflections strategy, and paralyse a sharp blocker just before an
important action. Now, Baleful doll can also counter the 2nd traditions from
a tapped minion ; makes the Call of the Hungry Dead more valuable ;)
Call of the Hungry Dead > ***> Puts a blocker right out of the equation.
Very interesting at superior, not so great at inferior. The -1 interecept
version can be useful to avoid being blocked at the early beginning of the
game, and has the advantage of having no cost. Better use the superior
version for very important actions, especially when the opponent just tossed
a wakey or forced awakening ! Great combo with seduction for what is now
called « responsible bleed ».
Compel The Spirit > ***> Incredibly efficient card, but very specialized
since it will find a place only in an ally deck type. Before bloodlines,
Necromancy was the only discipline providing such a resurrection trick. Once
again, the superior version is clearly more powerful since it allows you to
save one recruit/emply action and some pool or blood.
Daemonic Possession> ****> Maybe the most underestimated card in all of
Jyhad. It allows you to put in play on your side an ally or vampire that has
just died for a mere 2 blood. Forget all those Hostile Takeovers or
Temptations of Greater Power !
This card is also highly playable since the inferior version is as good as
the superior, good news for the small Giovanni or other vampires with
necromancy as thrown in discipline : Krassimir, Sarrasine, Matthias, Julio
or Lille can use it right after an Amaranth, Sacrificial Lamb, Decapitate,
Walk of Flame. Can also be combined with Antediluvian Awakening, Milicent
Smith, Society of Leopold, Anisa Marianna Lopez.
Death Pact >*> One of the worst cards provided by necromancy. Not only it is
difficult to transform it to an actual retainer (burning a vamp is not
alwasy easy), but the result is inferior to a mere flack jacket. If only it
could *prevent* aggravated damage instead. But no, it changes aggravated to
normal damage. Can in some particular cases be useful in a Thau Giovanni
deck, with Bursts of Sunlight. Might also help an Ex Nihiled vampire, but
anyway it's very cornercase. Combo with : Julius, March Halcyon, Ex Nihilo.
Ex Nihilo > ** > A somewhat mitigated result for a promising card at first
sight.The +1 stealth effect is always useful, but the problem of losing
blood with no option to gain some is a big handicap. Despite the Weather
Control text change which shut down a powercheese combo, Ex Nihilo + Weather
Control + Trap which can still be deadly. Combo : Govern the Unaligned
(influence at +2 stealth), Zombie retainer + Harass.
Eyes of the Dead > - > No need to comment on this card as it is broken to
the bones. It's so powerful it has been banned from tournament. Some say it
digs Return to Innocence. Just kidding. If it was +1 / +2 intercept against
an action targetting one of your torporized vampires, it could help you to
stop those graverobbings or rescue famous vamp actions. Or if it was untap +
intercept à la 2nd tradition. Or if. whatever, destined for the trashbin
anyway.
Grasp the Ghostly > *> Bring some equipment from the opponent's ash heap,
what a tricky trick ! yes, but he has to play some equipment -but with the
advent of Concelead Weapon, there are fewer chances that weapons will lie in
the ash heap due to intercepted equip actions. And even if you find some
equipment there, you keep it for a grand total of three turns. Not very
useful, it is better to put in an equipment card instead of hoping to fetch
a Femur from Grasp the Ghostly.
Haunt > ***> The inferior version is not so interesting, except maybe in
combination with Acquired Ventrue Assets or another random powerbase. Note
that your haunted location is still vulnerable to those perfidious votes. At
superior, it's a +1 stealth Arson that gets replaced immediately. Combined
wih Call of the Hungry Dead, Haunt is great.
Jar the Soul > **> There are lots of different cards to tap a minion, but
this one is the best. Free, with +1 stealth, and at superior the target
burns a blood (which is barely noticeable) Perfect in a weenie dominate
deck. Combo : Charnas the Imp, Harass.
Masquer > **> A bit costy, compared to a raven spy, but nearly impossible to
kill. Can also be used to give intercept cross table, or emergency auto
destruct when someone tries to steal it from you with a Far Mastery. A lot
of players would still rather play with a Sport Bike or Mr. Winthrop for the
cost. Combo : Weather Control, Shroud Mastery, Compel the Spirit.
Possession > ***> One of your dead vampires hits the table again ! its often
a decisive action which startles the table. With all those fighters,
archons, rushers and so on, one of your vampires will surely be burned for
some reason or another. Put him back in the life cycle ;) This card is known
for numerous abuses. Combo : Might of the Camarilla, Bleeding + Daring the
Dawn, Soul Gem of Etrius.
Puppeteer > ***> Fragile but potentially destrutive, the pupeteer is one of
those strange necromancy thingumajig. Even if he takes no action, it's alwas
a cheap blocker (not concerned by Daring the Dawn or Day Operation, some
players are still crying because they missed the VP by laying their cards
without thinking this small Puppeteer could block). With superior version,
he can block two actions before dying. With the advent of Camarilla Edition,
we'll see fewer weenies, but anyway, the Puppeteer can still give you an
Embrace or a Progeny to make a diablerie for you ! Combo : Cloak the
Gathering, Shroud Mastery, Fake Out (when you plan to use it as a blocker).
Release of the Shackled Soul > *> A somewhat stupid card since it is limited
to allies and retainers from your prey, even at superior wihch only grants
+1 Stealth. As almost all giovanni master Dominate, common sense suggests to
use Far Mastery which steals instead of destroying and has +1 stealth even
at inferior.
Shambling Hordes > ****> Often referred as « The poorman's War Ghoul », this
ally has the best quality for its cost, since you pay its recruitment in
blood rather than in pool. This canon fodder horde laughs at Obediences,
Taste of Vitae, Terror Frenzy or Drawing Out the Beast. Combo : Trap,
Memories of Mortality, Barrens, Pulled Fangs, The Path of Bone, Charisma.
Shroud Mastery > **> A very focused card wich can replace both Freak Drive
and Cloak the Gathering in the right deck. Very good options in Masquer
intercept decks. Combo : Masquer, Brigitte Gebauer, Felix "Fix" Hessian.
Soul Stealing > * > Very difficult to play, this card can at least make you
gain some bonus blood after a savage Decapitate. Curiosity fact : you can
use this card at inferior necromancy after combat if you are the acting
vampire. You can play it while reacting or inside combat ony of you have
superior necromancy. Soul Stealing is rarely seen but has a certain
potential. Combo : Anisa Marianna Lopez, Decapitate, Dragon's Breath Rounds.
Spectral Divination > ***> Excellent card, very versatile despite the blood
cost. This card will find its place in all your Giovanni decks Too bad
necromancy only provide one source of stealth and one source of intercept
which happen to be the same card. Just try to figure, how the metagame would
be if the designers had just switched the superior and inferior version of
Spectral Divination, giving birth to the Giovanni interceptors.
Spiritual Intervention > ***> An excellent strike : combat end cards, no
cost, wich allows you a quick exit when there are too many crows and wolves
around.
Summon Soul > *** > This necro-restoration offers at superior a very
interesting recursive power. If you don't play with Pochtli, this card is
unvaluable and can make the difference you need at the endgame where each
card counts. The usual choice is to bring back Wake + Deflection from the
Ash Heap but the choice is yours ! Can also make combo deck work better as
the game progress. Combo : Tower of London.
Torment the Soul > **> not so powerful, not very interesting, you need
superior necromancy for the 1R aggravated. Potence being an inclan
discipline, it's often better to play Burning Wrath if you need aggravated
damage, or Torn Signpost + Undead Strength to actually hurt the opponent.
But the surprise factor here may be very important. I had my ass kicked by a
Harbinger deck packing a few Hidden Strength for prevent and presses and a
handful of Torment the Soul. Combo : Zombie + Trap, Press from a Thrown
Sewer Lid.
Whispers from the Dead > **> Bring back the card you need right now.
Interesting even if you play with Carlotta. If you play wisely, you can
simply shut down you predator's deck by getting some cards again and again :
Deflections, Delaying Tactics, Sudden Reversals, Direct Interventions,
Obedience or other counter cards. This can allow you to breathe a bit, until
you're ready to confront him. In the endgame it helps you cycle useless
cards and bring back the Conditioning or Call of the Hungry Dead you need in
the same move. Whisper of the Dead helps you kill a tapped prey, no less.
Combo : Tower of London, Dreams of the Sphinx, Freak Drive.
III - Orpheus free talk about Clan Giovanni
First there was nothing except chaos. Then obscure forces gave birth to the
earth. Then the human species appeared, quickly followed by vampires, which
nowadays have their own card game. Our historian Orpheus tells you the
story.
-With the release of Camarilla Edition, the 3rd Expansion in two years since
the Giovanni were re-issued, it appeared important to me to explore all the
possibilities we had with our favorite Necromancers, and what new
possibilities CE will allow us to explore.
Up to now, what could we do with the Giovanni ?
Until the advent of Final Nights, they were pretty much useless ; They had
ONE big thing for them, though : Carlotta. [note for the new players : a
vampire which allows you to fetch a card of your choice from your ash heap]
And a few allies, including good ones like Ambrosius or Leonardo, and less
good ones like Scapelli.
* What did they gain in FN ?
- Call of The Hungry Dead, THE main reason for playing Giovanni
- the Shambling Hordes, the second reason...
- Other wraith allies : The Puppeteers (hard to use but good), Brigitte
Gebauer (great) and Felix (a little expensive to my taste, but nice), and a
great card for them : Shroud Mastery. [note : gives one stealth to a wraith
acting, or untap when putting a wraith into play]
- Pochtli, who can, like Carlotta and Rafaele use obfuscate. His power can
also come in handy, although I'll forever prefer Carlotta's, and seldom have
used Pochtli (too bad i I never got him when I had Harbingers behind.)
- Augustus, a useless 11 Cap, nice for collection but, as most of the
independants (except Ezmeralda) in my book, isn't nearly worth his 11 points
(just look at the Inner Circles, the new CE 10 Caps etc), and Silvia the new
10 cap, beautiful, but quite useless in my opinion.
- Very good 7 caps and an awesome 5 Cap, which fill holes in the overall
Giovanni crypt.
- A few guys with Aus, including 2 with THAU / Aus, which open new ways for
the Giovannis.
- Charisma, to play with allies, and Tower of London for many uses, both can
be combined to consolidate shambling hordes decks.
- Ex Nihilo -still trying to figure out how good or bad that card really is
; still have to try it in combo with Talbot's and Wendell, too...
So the Giovanni came out strengthened, and actually won tournaments !! To my
knowledge, only two types of such decks won to this day : the "not you and
you neither" Seduction / Call of the Hungry Dead bleeding combo, and the
Shambling Hordes decks. I've tried different combinations of Puppeteers and
wraith allies, but couldn't succeed without Obf, and had trouble playing
them anyway. Will give it more tries, we'll see.
And, one thing I will never understand : Spiritual Intervention wasn't
re-issued in Final Nights, leaving the S:CE option only to those lucky (or
stubborn) enough to get their hands on these DS commons. [ note : i must
admit this is a bit annoying for the newcomers ]
*What did the Giovanni gain with Bloodlines ?
Not as much as one would think, since no new necromancy card were issued. At
least many other clans mastering Necromancy appeared, but they are not all
that compatible. If you really try the Aus / Dom / Nec (Nagaraja) angle,
you'll include very few Giovanni, probably preferring the 2 Kiasyd, and
therefore also probably basing your deck on Bartholomew.
But if there is ONE vampire to include in a non-Pot Gio deck, with or
without Auspex, it certainly is Le Din Tho !! Discard all Archon
Investigations and Deflections, and let's talk now !!
Surprisingly, the vampire competing with Le Din Tho for "best addition to
the Giovanni Clan" certainly is the youngest True Brujah Krassimir, highly
playable with the Obf Giovanni : he has POT, Nec, Dom, a nifty special, and
you get the benefit from a great Obfuscate / Temporis card called Domain of
Evernight. I tried him with Carlotta and Pochtli, and let me tell you : it
works !!
In the Obf department, we also get Raful Al-Zarqa (awesome special, even if
she's better played with Malks...), and The Baron (expensive but good guy,
with 2 votes, +1 Bleed...).
*Now, what do we get with Camarilla Edition ?
- Concealed Weapon, which will help all allies, so will help the Giovanni !
- 3 Tremere with inferior Necromancy, making the THAU / Aus angle more
possible than ever [note : look at the deck of the month] ; in a Nagaraja
deck, or a Perfect Clarity Necro bleed, I'd add a few Valois Sang (I must
say the illustrations for both of these are awesome !!) ; but Lille Haake is
a little expensive in a Gio deck too. I'd rather think Nec was put there to
give some much-needed stealth to the Tremere, and that we can add a few
Giovanni to help them in. Too bad they all have inferior Necromancy only,
but then stealth with Perfect Clarity has to be feared
- The !Nosferatu named Julio Martinez also allows for another nice
Dom/Nec/Pot/Obf, and all the combos thereof (Hidden Lurker / Potence, Cloaks
for the Necro allies, Call of the Hungry Dead / Seduction / Elder
Impersonation, Allies + Mask of a Thousand Faces, etc).
So, still no new Necromancy card, but a few more possibilities.
All of these we'll be able to explore later on. So little time, so many deck
to build...
Yours,
Orpheus Giovanni
[note : and Orphy is right since the next newsletter will detail every
vampire with necromancy and suggest in which deck you can put each one of
them]
IV - The very short story : The new alliance
Sadly, the stars were barely visible. The electric light banned everything
poetic in the night sky : no wonder that all the city dwellers forgot long
ago what a dream is. The muffled noise of a car's motor then dissipated
those vain thoughts. Valois was standing on the balcony, staring at the dark
sky of the ever illuminated city when the dark limousine stopped in the
immense courtyard of the Chantry. Valois turned to face his elder standing
next to him. Not even daring to look at his very marked expression, maybe
avoiding his disturbing missing eye lost in a strange thaumaturgic ritual,
he tried again to convince him : "Sir, nothing compels us to make an
alliance with them. It may not be wise. I approached them in the past, and I
beg you not to walk side by side with those necromants." "Everything
changes, Valois. Life and unlife are about trying new things, finding new
allies and learning new skills and talents. Just think about it as a lore
exchange. Adding this Ex Nihilo ritual to our files is something you should
not underestimate. And don't forget our both clans have the priviliege the
be the most despised amongst the Camarilla. You're still young, but one day
you'll understand that hatred and revenge is what motives us all." Thrace
then left his lieutenant to greet the newcomers.
V - Weather Nihilo, once again
No, the Weather-Nihilo deck is not dead with the errata =)
Having worked hard on a working version of my sucessful Ex nihilo + Weather
Control deck (which also delayed the newsletter a bit), I am proud to
prensent you the new CE version of Weather-Nihilo. No more 8 cards tossing
in the first round, but rather a fine use of trap, and the a new Tremere
friend, Oliver Thrace.
Above all it's a fun deck, but it tends to sweep his first prey very
quickly, so you can try to compete with stronger decks to see the outcome.
This deck has no quick way to gain pool back, be careful on how you spend
your precious influence. You'll get three vampires out most of the time, and
everything starts rolling once one of them (preferably Oliver) gets the Ex
nihilo on him.
The deck can be boosted by adding Chantry, a 2nd Jake Washington, and maybe
Muaziz instad of Enzo and a Sargon Fragment. Just try yourself which cards
can be the best ;)
Crypt :
Oliver Thrace x 4
Valois Sang x 2
Marianna (giovanni) x 2
Marciana Giovanni x 2
Enzo Giovanni x 1
Ambrogino Giovanni x 1
/ half tremere, half giovanni.
Library
*Master : 13
Blood Doll x 4
Haven Uncovered x 2
Society of Leopold x 2
Metro Underground
Jake Washington
Golconda
Mob Connections
Morgue Hunting Grounds
*action
Nose of the Hound x 2
Ex nihilo x 4
Govern the Unaligned x 4
*retainer
Masquer x 3
*reaction
Wake with Evening's Freshness x 4
Obedience x 2
Deflection x 4
Eagle Sight x 2
Precognition x 2
Spirit's Touch x 2
Enhanced Senses x 4
Venetian Conference x 2
*reaction + modifier
Spectral Divination x 4
*action modifier
Call of the Hungry Dead x 2
Threats x 4
Foreshadowing Destruction x 2
Command of the beast x 2
*Combat (yeah, here is the nice part ;p )
Trap x 6
Weather control x 9
Aura Reading x 2
Spiritual Intervention x 2
Telepathic tracking x 3
Blood rage x 2
Drain essence x 4
VII - Conclusion
In the next newsletter, we'll explore which clan can help the giovanni. And
which clan can be helped by a spice of necromancy. You'll also learn how to
master politics from the Mausoleum.
Thanks to Serge "Orpheus" Cirri and Janne Hägglund for their contributions.
Reyda
(send feedback and comments to reyda@club-internet.fr)