V:EKN Clan Malkavian Newsletter, January 1999

Some fun, this month.  A Malkavian idea that is just *so* cool but *so*
fragile, as all the best ideas are.

Combine the two following items:  Legbiter and deck ideas, and you know
where this deck is coming from.  Hideously fun, scary as heck and a
right laugh.  

Two cards exist in the game which would compliment each other well, if
used in the right deck: Madness Network and Rotschreck.

You take a Malkavian, have them rush out of turn, deal aggravated damage
and then Rotschreck it.  It's *great* because it provides excellent
defence in the combat as well - you never actually resolve the strike.
Then just mop up afterwards.

Look at the possibilities on offer.  You could just leave the vampires
in torpor, which is risky since they've got blood to come out, or you
send another vampire in to diablerise them. Well, burn them anyway.
Just use Sacrificial Lamb and it's all so much better, because there's
no Blood Hunt.  Huzzah for the Malkavians.

The deck requires a little setting up though.  You need the following:

1) A vampire to send into combat
2) A vampire with OBF who can Sacrificial for you
3) A Madness Network in play to rush with
4) A way of rushing
5) A Rotschreck in hand
6) A Sacrificial Lamb
7) A source of aggravated damage

The nice thing is, though, a lot of it is permanent.  Your average
Brujah rush deck might require more cards than that for a combat.  Your
vampires aren't a problem, really.  They shouldn't (hopefully) be going
to torpor.  A Madness Network in play is the tenuous part - they get
burned.  You'll need a vampire or two to block them, if you can.  Once
you get going, they should run out of vampires to block with.

A source of aggravated damage?  Well, there are vampires with Protean,
of course, but you can do better than that.  An Ivory Bow, Sengir Dagger
or White Phosphorus Grenade would be a cheap, effective way to deal with
this.  The Grenade isn't unique (so can't be contested) and won't blow
up if you play Rotschreck, since you interrupt the strike resolution,
and never get to he burning it part.  Fun.  However, if you get attacked
and don't have a Rotschreck to hand (or it's your turn) you have to
watch the Grenades since they do damage to you, too, at close range, and
will blow up.  

A way of rushing is probably best accomplished with minion cards.  Your
master compliment is already very high, and a minion card is a better
choice.  Rush with a Bum's Rush or an Ambush, perhaps.  Bloodhunt is
probably too limited to be worthwhile, since it will only work once (if
you get this right) and requires a pretty hefty vampire.  You probably
have no chance of passing an Archon.  Haven Uncovered would probably
just compete for master space.

A Parthenon may help.  If you have to play a Rotschreck and replace a
Madness Network, the Parthenon will get you the extra master phase to
pull it off.  Heidelberg might be nice, to move equipment around, but
will compete for master space and is a little expensive.  

-- 
James Coupe (Malkavian Mouthpiece)
Vampire: Elder Kindred Network
http://www.white-wolf.com/VTES/vekn.html