V:EKN Official Tremere Newsletter, March 2004 I. Introduction II. Strategy Discussion - The AUS/THA Paradigm III. Crypt Focus - Erichtho IV. Library Focus - Outcast Mage V. Deck Focus - Magnums with a Mind of Their Own VI. Conclusion I. Introduction Welcome to the Tremere Newsletter! This issue will feature my thoughts on the utility of superior Auspex, and a focus on one of my current decks. Until the next expansion comes out, I will be showcasing chiefly post-Camarilla Edition decks and strategies. Without further introduction, I humbly submit one Warlock's thoughts. II. Strategy Discussion - The AUS/THA Paradigm In the early days of this game, the Tremere had Auspex as an in-clan discipline, but superior levels were not readily available until you reached 8-capacity vampires. The Tremere-antitribu had but one small vampire with superior Auspex in Richard Tauber. Instead, they focused heavily (and rightly) on Thaumaturgy, with their secondary discipline clearly as Dominate. With Thaumaturgy combat and strong bleeding from dominate, Tremere were the original bruise-and-bleeders. These days, however, the clan has shifted its focus onto Auspex, and with that change come many new options to the clan. Starting with Aisling Sturbridge and Hannigan in Final Nights, the Tremere have received a startingly efficient crypt of vampires with superior Auspex, often coupled with Dominate and superior Thaumaturgy (dom/AUS/THA). Let us discover some of the new strategies and changes all the new Auspex brings to the clan. For the old-style bruise and bleed deck, the superior Auspex adds: the ability to form an efficient defensive block with cards like Enhanced Senses and Telepathic Misdirection; use of Pulse of Canaille as a permanent bleed boost instead of - or along with - the usual pile of Conditionings; Aura Reading for hand tuning and frustrating your prey; the use of Telepathic Tracking to trump Strike: Combat Ends and gain easy access to the intimidating Walk of Flame; and greater access to Revelations for responsible bleeding and flushing defensive cards from your prey's hand. One can also create a variety of intercept decks based on the new vampires, relying heavily on Eagle's Sight. Last month's deck (found at http://www.thelasombra.com/newsletter/tremere_february_2004.htm) featured my favorite so far, a mid-cap deck with heavy Auspex and Burst of Sunlight + Rotschreck to punish my prey's vampires. Another ousting option not yet fully explored would be to utilize Smiling Jack and have the Tremere suck all the blood out of your prey's vampires, forcing your prey to spend his pool. These strategies complement Thaumaturgy well, which acts as the Tremere's combat discipline and assists in tooling up vampires with cards like Rutor's Hand and Magic of the Smith. As you can see, the focus on Auspex strengthens the clan in numerous ways, and not just in terms of intercept. I entreat every player to explore the possibilities inherent in just one discipline and see what it does for the clan! III. Crypt Focus - Erichtho Erichtho Clan: Tremere Capacity: 8 Group: 3 cel obf AUS DOM THA Camarilla: Actions to recruit or employ mages cost Erichtho 1 less pool or blood. Erichtho is a strong addition to the clan, with all three disciplines at superior. However, without utilizing her special ability or off-clan disciplines, most Methuselahs will find her too costly for a typical Tremere deck. The addition of Celerity makes her a great addition to many decks which use it to support Thaumaturgy. Obfuscate has always been good for stealth, and it will allow you to push crucial actions through such as Rutor's Hands, bleeds... or recruiting a Mage at reduced cost! Her special makes one of the best allies, Outcast Mage, efficient, and it is worthy of a deck built around it, and later in this issue I will showcase a deck using it. IV. Library Focus - Thadius Zho, Mage Thadius Zho Ally Tremere 4 pool Unique mage with 2 life, 0 strength, 2 bleed. Thadius Zho may strike for 2R damage. Thadius Zho gets and optional maneuver each combat. He may burn 1 blood from any vampire as a +1 stealth (D) action. Ever since the first printing of the game, Thadius Zho has been a powerful ally to the Tremere. He is a bleeder with a maneuver and a built-in strike for 2R damage... a .44 Magnum that bleeds for 2! Compared to an Outcast Mage, you pay 1 more pool for a unique minion with +1 more bleed and a powerful special ability. In some games he may be considered too fragile to play but it is easy to support him in combat with generic maneuvers, which can double as combat defense for your Tremere. And for those of you who may have missed it, he is a mage, making him a necessary addition to a deck featuring Erichtho. V. Deck Focus - .44 Magnum with a Mind of Its Own This issue's deck will use the foci discussed earlier: Erichtho and Thadius Zho. Specific comments are made in the deck below. Deck Name: Outcast Mage Created By: Dorrinal Description: This deck features Erichtho and a host of Outcast Mages. With a maneuver, 2R damage, and 1 bleed, each mage is a .44 Magnum that bleeds on its own! Simply build up, protect your pool, then swarm. The Dominate block is meant for bloating (Govern the Unaligned) and for hard-to-block finishing bleeds. Fake Out and High Ground are usable by the allies, but I often find them more useful for the vampires when they get in a pinch! Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 15, Max: 32, Avg: 5.92) ---------------------------------------------- 4 Erichtho AUS cel DOM obf THA 8, Tremere:3 2 Valois Sang AUS DOM nec tha 6, Tremere:3 2 Marlene AUS dem DOM for tha 6, Ventrue Antitribu:2 1 Eugenio Estevez AUS dom for THA 6, Tremere:3 1 Aisling Sturbridge AUS dom THA 5, Tremere:2 1 Almiro Suarez aus 2, Tremere:3 1 Mustafa Rahman dom 2, Tremere:2 Library: (90 cards) ------------------- Master (18 cards) 1 Barrens, The 3 Blood Doll 2 Charisma 1 Dreams of the Sphinx 3 Effective Management 1 Giant's Blood 1 Golconda: Inner Peace 1 KRCG News Radio 1 Memories of Mortality 2 Secure Haven 1 Visit from the Capuchin 1 WMRH Talk Radio Action (15 cards) 1 Arson 8 Govern the Unaligned 1 Psychic Projection 4 Rutor's Hand 1 Seeds of Corruption Action Modifier (12 cards) 4 Forgotten Labyrinth 4 Seduction 4 Sleeping Mind, The Reaction (14 cards) 4 Deflection 10 Telepathic Counter Combat (20 cards) 5 Fake Out 5 High Ground 4 Soul Burn 6 Theft of Vitae Ally (11 cards) 10 Outcast Mage 1 Thadius Zho, Mage VI. Conclusion Hopefully I have again shown that Clan Tremere is not limited to bruise-and-bleed and Cryptic Mission decks. There are many facets of the clan that have not been explored yet. Until next month, I hope everyone puts together their copies of Erichtho and dusts off those extra Outcast Mages and gives them a try! In the following months before Gehenna is released, expect this Newsletter to focus on other strategies available since Camarilla Edition. Specifically, I have ideas for: THA Fame-rush (with a great surprise!); a new look at the classic combination of Celerity and Thaumaturgy; and the plethora of Presence available to the Tremere, with special guest Alfred Benezri. Thank you for perusing this month's Tremere Newsletter! As always, direct all questions and comments to dorrinal @ hotmail . com Dorrinal Blackmantle Chronicler of Clan Tremere