"Igor!"
"Yes, mashther," came the reply from his hunch-back servant.
"Go and fetch me the latest reports. I need them for important
research."
"Yes, mashther." Igor shuffled out of the room slowly. A short time
later, he returned carrying several piles of paper on a silver platter.
He walked over to his master and presented the platter too him.
"Very good," he said. "You may go now, Igor."
After Igor had gone out of the room, Damaskenos sifted through one of
the piles of paper. It had a garishly coloured segmented cover, with a
small title inscribed at the top of it. It seemed to be stapled down
the side too. He flicked from one page to the next.
"Ooh... he's so fast..... Heh... her red and black sweater really sets
her off a treat.... I doubt any mere mortal could carry out some
devilish scams as this 'Roger' fellow.... What a naughty baby!"
Suddenly, his face jolted. He quickly flicked back to the front cover
and carefully examined it.
"They are moving."
***
Well, we've been away for a month. But there is a good reason. We had
to keep the Malkavian Antitribu under control. We failed. Oh well,
here's the run down on their Dementation discipline for your perusal.
Card Title: Blessing of Chaos
Blood/Pool: 1 blood
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action
Card Text: This is a +1 stealth action.
Put this card on the acting vampire. If the vampire
with this card attempts to block another vampire,
that vampire cannot play action modifiers requiring
Dementation, Dominate, Presence, or Chimerstry.
Vampires opposing this vampire in combat cannot play
cards that require those Disciplines.
(S) As above, and actions requiring those Disciplines
cannot be directed at this vampire.
Artist: Hannibal King
Rarity: Rare
An absolutely *beautiful* card. If you can get this one into a deck,
do. It screws over bleed decks so much. All you have to do is attempt
to block with this vampire - not even succeed - and they can't fight
against you wit any of those disciplines. Dominate and Presence screws
over bleed decks royally - how else do they get quick extra bleed? Not
easily. Also, Thoughts Betrayed and Majesty, as the obvious cards, are
stopped in combat. And no more worrying about non-useful vampires with
Illusions of the Kindred who can still pound you, but killing them won't
help you. Heh.
Card Title: Coma
Blood/Pool: 3 blood
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Combat
Card Text: Strike: opposing vampire goes into torpor
(S) As above, and that vampire does not untap
during his or her controller's next untap phase.
Artist: Ash Arnett
Rarity: Uncommon
Another nice card. If you can include it in a few decks as a
supplementary card, do. It's not good enough to focus as the major part
of your deck - too expensive - but it would be utterly wonderful to just
have it in a normal stealth bleed deck. "Oh well, I'll block to cycle
my wake out my hand..... you'll play stealth." "No, I won't." "You
what?" "Coma... hehe."
Many decks wouldn't have combat defence to deal with it properly. It
would be hosed by Immortal Grapple, but then, what isn't? Against a
deck with minimal combat defence (many decks), it can be a lot of fun.
Torporise their vampires! Whee!
Card Title: Confusion
Blood/Pool: n/a
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action Modifier
Card Text: After playing this card, you cannot play another action
modifier to further increase the bleed for this action.
+1 bleed
(S) +1 stealth and +1 bleed
Artist: Gary Leach
Rarity: Common
A stock standard card. Whilst Dementation probably isn't as effective
at bleeding as Dominate is - in the sense of the number and uses of the
cards it has - I like this card. It provides stealth and bleed in one.
The Ventrue love Bonding - their only real stealth. Why shouldn't the
anti-Malks like this one? Well, it has the drawback of duplicating the
stealth inherent to their Obfuscate discipline. Same deal with the
normal Malks. Perhaps worth considering Threats with normal Malks and
with the Anti Malks, well...
Card Title: Derange
Blood/Pool: n/a
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action
Card Text: This is a +1 stealth action.
(D) Put this card on a vampire who is not a Malkavian
antitribu. The vampire with this card is now considered
to be a Malkavian antitribu and is no longer a member
of his or her original clan. The vampire with this card
may move it to another vampire as a (D) action.
(S) As above, and the vampire with this card does not
untap as normal. He or she may burn 1 blood to
untap.
Artist: Eric LaCombe
Rarity: Rare
A useful card if used in large quantities. Just what is the best card
available for use against other vampires who are Non-Camarilla? Erm...
I think you'll find it's Protect Thine Own. Get out a BIG vampire -
preferably an Inner Circle. Kit up some weenies with DEM. Get them to
infect other vampires with this. Then try and pass your votes with
this. It would be a difficult deck to get working, but it's a lovely
deck idea. After all, that is part of the beauty of Jyhad - playing
decks for fun, rather than to win.
Card Title: Eyes of Chaos
Blood/Pool: n/a
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action Modifier
Card Text: After playing this card, you cannot play another
action modifier to further increase the bleed for this
action.
+1 bleed
(S) +2 bleed
Artist: Eric LaCombe
Rarity: Common
...the Anti-Malks have Derange as their counterpart to Threats. With
your Anti-Malks, you can get the stealth if you want, but they can also
be having a right old laugh with their deck. If you want to make a hard
and fast bleed deck, this might be better than Confusion - more bleed
intensive and you should have the stealth. With a more fun deck,
though, consider Confusion as the best of both worlds - bleed and
stealth for minimal card space.
Card Title: Kindred Spirits
Blood/Pool: n/a
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action
Card Text: (D) Bleed any Methuselah. Gain 1 pool if
successful.
(S) As above, with +1 bleed.
Artist: Greg Loudon
Rarity: Common
And now those pesky Anti-Malks encroach on the domain of Presence too!
A lovely card for pool gain. You should be getting those bleeds through
and your pool should be a lot healthier with this - more vampires, or
just defence against a predator, perhaps.
Card Title: Mind of a Child
Blood/Pool: 3 blood
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action
Card Text: (D) Put this card on any vampire. The vampire with
this card cannot play cards that require Disciplines.
This card may be burned by any vampire as a +1
stealth action.
(S) As above, and the capacity of the vampire with this
card is reduced by 1 (but not below 0). Remove
excess blood.
Artist: Michael Astrachan
Rarity: Uncommon
Didn't this get into Inquest's top five of sick cards, or something like
that? (The blocks spell out "Abused" you see.) Expensive as hell but
it can slow down another deck a treat. Disciplines are the be all and
end all of most decks. Without them, they're screwed. Unfortunately,
it's very temporary. You need intercept to back it up, and if you have
this card and intercept and defence for that combat, how much of the
rest of your deck can do something useful? A card to be used only in
moderation, perhaps.
Card Title: Mind Tricks
Blood/Pool: 1 blood
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action Modifier
Card Text: +1 stealth
(S) As above, with an optional maneuver or press if
combat occurs.
Artist: Eric LaCombe
Rarity: Common
A weird card. Stealth but a maneuver - just in case. Surely you should
be hoping to avoid combat with a stealth card..... like I say, just in
case, surely, but wouldn't lost in crowds be a better card to be
playing?
Card Title: Passion
Blood/Pool: n/a
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action
Card Text: (D) Tap a minion controlled by your prey.
(S) As above, with +1 stealth.
Artist: Thea Maia
Rarity: Common
Please, if anyone can come up with a good use for this card, tell me.
Card Title: Wave of Insanity
Blood/Pool: n/a
Clan/Discip.: Dementation
Card Type: Action
Card Text: This is a +1 stealth action.
(D) Tap an ally.
(S) Tap all allies.
Artist: Drew Tucker
Rarity: Rare
Well, this is similar to the above, but it taps a lot in one go,
perhaps. But how many times do you need to deal with loads of allies
that you'd put cards in a deck ONLY useful for that? Not often.
--
James Coupe (Prince of Mercia, England)
Vampire: Elder Kindred Network
http://www.white-wolf.com/VTES/vekn.html