This month I figure I'd examine the Basic set Nosferatu vampires that we all know and love, and examine their usefulness (with a rating of 1-5 stars...), possibly giving ideas for decks including them. The Basic Nosferatu we all know and love: KoKo*****: KoKo is nothing but useful. As a 2 point vamp with pot, he (KoKo is always a he...) is useful for his weenieness, as well as being able to take out much larger vampires (around here KoKo has quite a collection of extra limbs...). He is good in any Pot based deck and in any weenie deck. Dimple****: Dimple is a bit less utilitarian than his brother KoKo, as having nothing but obf is far less useful than having only pot (as Obf tends to be a very reactive discipline, while Pot is completely proactive), but still good in any Obf deck as well as any weenine deck. Duck****: Like KoKo and Dimple all rolled into one really cool picture of Klaus Kinski. A 3 point guy is still small enough to be an effective weenie vamp, although the combo of pot and obf is kind of difficult to capitalize upon (unless you own 15 Behind Yous). Sammy***: The generic 4 pointer. Everybody has one. 4 points is getting a bit large for wennie benefits, but he works as a reliable fill in for any clan discipline Nosferatu deck. Rarely a first choice. Agripina***: I always liked her, but the combo of OBF and pot isn't particularly useful (again, barring 15 Behind Yous...). She is the always welcome in any pure Obf deck, however, and is often found hanging out with Malkavians and Skill Cards. Tiberius*: I am still yet to use him in any deck. Ever. A 5 with all inferiors and a fairly useless special ability, he might find a home in a Brujah deck (having pot and cel), but there is always someone better to use. Maybe the mythicaly effective Cel-Obf blurred, disguised weapons deck. Maybe not. Sad, as he has such a cool picture. Grendel***: As opposed to his pal Tiberius, Grendel sees a lot of use. OBF plus a pretty useful special ability makes him pretty good for most stealth decks and pretty much any Nosferatu deck that uses Obf. Not real strong on disciplines for a 5, when compared to the likes of Camille, however. Tusk*: Tusk is just plain weak. A 6 with the exact same disciplines as Grendel, and a farily useless ability. Never used, as there is always someone better to replace him with. Not good. Chester*****: An amazing combatant, having POT, ANI, and for, and a Primogen to boot. Build a deck based on Drawing out the Beast, Immortal Grapple, and Skin of Steel, and put in 3 Chesters. Sebastian**: A 7 with only one superior discipline (and ANI, at that...) and no title, he sufers greatly from the original sets over valuing of +1 hand damage. He can be handy in Ani based intercept decks, and his very cool picture helps make him semi-useable. Ebaneezer*****: All three in clans at superior automatically demands respect. Add to this pro and a very good special, and Ebaneezer becomes a powerful member of many decks, as well as the backbone of any Pot-Pro combat deck or an Ani based intercept deck. Selma***: A good 8 point prince with an occasionally useful special ability, although she should probably have a third superior. The POT for combo increases her combat use, but the OBF doesn't really help her do all that much. Marty*****: So cool, I named an entire series of (sometimes effective) decks after him. POT DOM for ani makes him a very good bruise-bleeder, and his special ability is even potentially useful. Who thought someone wearing a Mickey-Mouse watch could be so scary. Sheldon****: The cheapest Justicar there is, with all three in clans at superior, as well as AUS (maybe good for a Ani/Aus intercept deck with Sebastian) . His POT ANI for make him a strong fighter. Often seen hanging out with Chester and Selma. Lucretia**: Cool in theory, but she doesn't even have POT. Her constant +1 stealth is probably over valued, as she really can't do anything that scary with it and her inherrent disciplines, and the cel is pretty much a throw away (why get a 10 with pot and cel when there are many 10s with POT CEL?) Peter D Bakija PDB6@aol.com "We dress like Students. We dress like Housewives. Or in a shirt and a tie." -Talking Heads