Please direct all correspondence and commentary to Xian
[Legal stuff to the tune of: I wrote all this, so give
credit where it's due, etc.]
Good evening, and welcome to the premiere issue of the second volume
of the Tremere clan newsletter. After having taken some time off to
further the master's objectives, I have returned to my post as the
Chronicler of our glorious clan.
Look for some of the normal features this month, though I will point
out that there will be no short fiction this time around, and no review
of vampires. The arrival of Sabbat War is eagerly awaited, and should
provide some interesting food for thought.
Focus on a Card
In the past, I have only reviewed Thaumaturgy cards, as they are the most
obviously unique to the Tremere. This month, however, I would like to
highlight something from one of our other standard disciplines, namely
Dominate. Slaughtering the Herd provides an unusual effect (for Dominate)
at its superior level, one which I feel is not taken advantage of enough.
Slaughtering the Herd
2 blood Dominate
Inf: (D) Bleed at +2 bleed. Allies cannot block this action.
Sup: (D) Put this card on a vampire controlled by your predator. Each time
that vampire attempts an action, he or she moves 1 blood to this acting
vampire. That vampire may burn this card by burning 4 blood during his or
her controller's minion phase. Burn this card if this acting vampire is sent
to torpor or burned.
At the inferior level, Slaughtering the Herd is obviously inferior to Govern
the Unaligned, (+2 bleed for 1 blood rather than StH's 2 blood cost...unless
you see lots of allies at your tables...) but the superior effect is quite
different...and it creates a helpful situation for any deck.
Gaining blood for your vampires is often a secondary concern, after the level
of your prey's pool. However, with Slaughtering the Herd, each time your
predator's vampire attempts an action, your vampire hunts for free. That
extra blood never hurts...you can take it back to your pool, use it to fuel
an upcoming bleed modifier, or it may help your vampire survive the next
combat it enters. Ideally, you target a small vampire, or one very low on
blood, so that it will be a long time (if ever) before it can burn the 4
blood to remove the effect. I had included this in my most recent version
of my Dom/For/Tha deck, but at last glance, I had pulled it out in favor
of a few reactions. It may receive consideration again, as my vampires
are constantly running low on blood in that deck, as I usually have to
cope with fewer (and larger) minions than normal to pull off the discipline
combination. This means that in order to play aggressively, the vampires
are almost always too busy doing other things to hunt, or even play one of
the Restorations in the deck. Free hunt...Slaughtering the Herd could be
really great.
And, I suppose, if you just don't think you're going to be able to pull
that off, you could always stoop to using it as a bleed, and use the Govern
the Unaligned to influence more vampires out.
Strategy Corner
In the future, I will have more useful commentary here, as I spend more
time playing again, and as I am able to test new decks more concretely.
For this month, I will simply bring to the table the concept of Tremere
combat.
Most people see Tremere combat as really only effective (and scary) in
the second round. Perhaps they'll hold onto their Majesty or Dodge just
to see if you make it to the second round, and not blow it during the
first. Okay, maybe they won't, but generally, if they're relying on Majesty
for combat defense, they will want to make sure that you toss down that
aggravated damage or Cauldron of Blood before they get rid of one of their
precious S:CEs.
I've never been convinced that 2nd round combat was the way to go. Yes,
I like Walk of Flame as much as anyone else, but Cauldron of Blood pretty
much sucks, and Drain Essence may be even worse. If you're playing Tremere
combat of any form, your primary objective should be to hurt the opponent
as much as possible, but never count on making it to the second round to
roast the opposing minion. Instead, simply make sure that the other player
is scared to death of what you're going to do to him, so that he avoids
combat at all costs. If you're playing a bruise & bleed deck, go heavier
on first round combat (especially the Blood Fury/Rage and Soul Burn) and
bleed modifiers and thin out those Walk of Flames a little. If you're
going for an intercept deck, you'll have room for a little more intercept,
instead. As well, if you're playing a deck with another combat discipline,
celerity or fortitude, presumably, I would recommend removing almost all
of the second round combat. With fortitude, your best bet is to play a
bruise & bleed deck, and use Dawn Operation/Skin of Night/Weather Control
to do your work for you...no need to *ever* get to second round. With
celerity, using blurs, you should be able to do enough damage or suck
enough blood off the opposing vampire that it won't matter what your
strike is second round...he'll be going to torpor anyway.
Sample Deck
Title: Their Own Game (Pavis of Foul Presence)
Crypt
Violet Tremain -- Tzi 6 dom pre tha vic
2x Lydia Van Cuelen -- Tre 6 aus dom pre tha +1 bleed
Anvil -- Bru 6 CEL dom POT pre tha Primogen
2x Bryan Van Duesen -- !Tre 7 aus DOM pre THA +1 bleed
Rebekka, Chantry Elder of Munich -- Tre 8 AUS pot PRE THA
+1 stealth, +1 bleed vs Malk.
2x Spiridonas -- Tre 9 DOM pot pre THA Prince
burn X+2 blood for X bleed once per turn
2x Keminitiri -- FoS 10 aus dom OBF PRE SER THA anti-Ventrue stuff
Cassandra, Magus Prime -- Tre 10 AUS cel DOM pre THA Primogen
+1 hand size, +1 hand damage
Average: 7.8
Best: 24
Worst: 39
Library
Masters (15):
4x Presence
2x Thaumaturgy
1x Dominate
5x Minion Tap
2x Arcane Library
1x Barrens
Actions (13):
5x Social Charm
3x Rutor's Hand
5x 5th Tradition
Political Actions (24):
8x Praxis Seizure: Various
5x Conservative Agitation
3x Kine Resources Contested
2x Disputed Territory
1x Domain Challenge
2x Kindred Restructure
2x Parity Shift
1x Tremere Justicar
Action Modifiers (9):
7x Bewitching Oration
2x Voter Captivation
Reaction (14):
6x Wake with Evening's Freshness
6x Deflection
2x Kindred Coercion
Combat (15):
4x Majesty
5x Blood Fury
4x Movement of the Mind
2x Walk of Flame
All right. I admit that I haven't had time to test this deck. I promise
to do so as soon as I can and report on its effectiveness. It is similar
to one I have had posted in my archive for a while, but instead of using
Seeds of Corruption, the idea here is just to vote and scare people away
from combat if they intercept you. The crypt selection is pretty awful,
as usual. I'd like to add some Aire of Elation or Presence bleed actions,
but I'm not sure what to take out, or if they belong in the deck to start
with. The Majesty could go, but I'm kind of intrigued by using it.
Instead of Kindred Coercion, Dread Gaze could go in...Awe would be fine
as well, I'm sure.
Next month: A review of Sabbat War (possibly), perhaps some short fiction,
a new card, a classic Tremere deck, and more!
Xian
Chronicler of Clan Tremere
--
I'd tell the world and save my soul, But rain falls down and I feel cold.
A cold that sleeps within my heart, It tears the earth and sun apart.
--_Shellshock_, New Order
www.waste.org/~xian