V:EKN Ravnos Newsletter Vol 1 number 2 May 1st 1998 Welcome to the Official VEKN Ravnos Newsletter. This month we will delve into a very important strategy when playing Ravnos - blood, or lack of it. This month's section include: 1) The Pied Piper of Hamelin 2) Ravnos Strategy: Getting the Job Done 3) Ravnos Related Card and Combo 4) Ravnos Stop the Bleeding Deck 1) The Pied Piper of Hamelin continued from last month... The Ravnos returned to Hamelin that evening with hordes of rats in tow. "Alas, alas for Hamelin!" he thought, as he pulled out his pipe and played three pure tones slow and solemn. Those celebrating the depature of the rats could not move amidst the swarms of rats. The young Kine however could not control themselves, left their homes, and followed the Ravnos in the surrounding forest and disappeared. Some say they saw the children disappear into a mountain. But who knows, perhaps they did, perhaps it was an illusion. The Brujah prince in all his rage called a Bloodhunt on the Ravnos, but only a few heeded his call. Others saw that the Brujah Prince had wronged them by getting rid of their kine. Things got so bad for the Prince and other kindred in Hamelin that they ultimately left forced to lead, at least for a while, an existence close to that of the Ravnos. As for the Ravnos and his pipe, he was never seen again. It is most likely for this reason that when a Ravnos enters a city he is left alone. 2) Ravnos Strategy: Getting the Job Done In order for Ravnos to be successful in their endeavors they need a little stealth and perhaps even then some unblockability thanks to their possession of the skill Fortitude. Usually, what actions they have to perform are vital and deadly like Sensory Deprivation, thus requiring blood expenditure, so rely on cards like Fortune Teller Shop, Rom Gypsies, and Fata Morgana for stealth. Use Day Operation and Daring the Dawn to make your actions unblockable in case someone comes up with surprise intercept. 3) Ravnos Related Card and Combo This month's card highlight Masochism was, I believe made specifically for the Ravnos. What more could you ask in a card that paid for other cards? This card allows your vampire to pay for cards by using counters off the card instead of burning blood. Counters go on the card whenever your vampire takes damage, be it during combat, after a Force of Will, Rutors, or best yet, if Charnas The Imp is on the vampire with Masochism. This month's combo pretty much puts any vampire you engage in combat in torpor, barring a Thoughts Betrayed, or Majesty. Play Conquer The Beast, (for the presses to continue, at superior you may have this as an option) Drawing Out The Beast, (free and deadly - one of the best combat cards of all time. Force the vampire to take at least 1 damage unpreventable after each round, no matter how the round ends) and an Apparition to prevent 2 damage each round . The whole combo costs 1 blood. Season with Owl Companion so you can choose when to execute your combo, or Pulled Fangs usually to burn the opposing vampire that is going to torpor. Even throw in Carrion Crows to increase the damage taken by the opposing vampire by 2 each round. Or even Murder of Crows and Wolf Companion. Someone's going to torpor. Hopefully it will not be you. 4) Ravnos Stop the Bleeding Deck The Crypt Konstantin, Baro of the Caravan (x1) - RAV 9 ANI CHI FOR (D)+1 stealth: Steal equipment from another minion Joaquina Amaya (x2) - RAV 6 ANI CHI FOR - +1 stealth when equipping Sarisha Veliku (x1) - RAV 6 FOR ANI chi Vaclav Petalengro (x2) - RAV 6 ANI CHI for - +1 intercept vs. GAN Salbatore Bokkendro (x2) - RAV 4 for CHI Lazar Dobrescu (x2) - RAV 3 for - (D) move 1 blood from vampire in your prey's uncontrolled region to vampire in your uncontrolled region. Sasha Miklos (x2) - RAV 2 chi Total - 12 Vampires The Library Master - total - 19 cards Giant's Blood (1) Minion Tap (1) Fortune Teller Shop (2) Park Hunting Ground (1) Major Boon (1) Blood Doll (2) Fortitude (1) Chimerstry (1) Rotschreck (1) Sudden Reversal (2) Fame (1) Inbase Discotheque (1) Ravnos Carnival (2) Tomb Of Rameses III (1) Humanitas (1) Action/Action Modifiers - total - 33 cards Masochism (1) Change Of Target (1) Catacombs (1) Restoration (3) Regeneration (2) Rom Gypsy (3) Aaron's Feeding Razor (1) Palatial Estate (1) Leather Jacket (2) Army Of Rats (1) Daring The Dawn (2) Fata Morgana (6) Day Operation (2) Sensory Deprivation (2) Freak Drive (3) Raven Spy (2) Reactions - total - 17 cards Cat's Guidance (5) Ignis Fatuus (4) Rat's Warning (1) Veiled Sight (1) Wake With Evening's Freshness (3) Forced Awakening (2) The Deadliest Sin (1) Combat - total - 21 cards Apparation (3) Pulled Fangs (2) Skin of Night (2) Undead Persistence (1) Carrion Crows(3) Skin of Steel (1) Rolling With The Punches (1) Drawing out the Beast (2) Indomitability (2) Scorpion Sting (2) Taste Of Vitae (2) Total: 90 cards Blood is no longer your enemy with this deck, there are so many ways to get it back. Taste, Masochism, Regeneration, Restoration, Aaron's Feeding Razor and a flurry of Masters will have your vampires dancing with cards to spend blood on. Your vampires will almost surely go to torpor, hopefully on your terms. Do what must get done go to torpor if need be. Regenerate and come out for free at +3 stealth. Perhaps even your prey will just happen to pay 3 pool for Fame. What percentage of games does Fame win (or play a huge part in winning) in your experiences? I have found that roughly 1 in 4 games (25%) is won by Fame. There are just so many way to intimidate your prey and put your vampire with Fame in torpor, the Ravnos know how to make it an art form. That's all for this month. Take care, J D Stevers