Official V:EKN Clan Newsletter: Tzimisce August 1999 Volume 1, Issue 4 Inside this month's issue: I. TZIMISCE WAR REPORT II. DECK O' THE MONTH: Hit Me And Die III. SUBMISSION: 'The Slayers' by Ethan Burrow IV. Letters to the Editor ---------------------------------------------------- I. TZIMISCE WAR REPORT From the Front Lines: Gen Con '99 After a long night of gaming before the championship event, I returned to the hotel room with one thought, elder impersonation, so into the deck I went, finding 2 slots available for direct intervention. That one early morning substitution at 7:30 AM actually worked in my favor round 3. Saturday 1:00 PM - Championship Event: This may not have been the best possible event for the Tzimisce as it seemed everyone was playing a big bleed deck, and they always seemed to be my predator, until round 3 when things really got smokin'. Round 1, 0VP I was stuck with major pool gain and combat as my prey and major bleed as my predator. After sending my predators minions away, I made him a deal, don't bleed-don't die…He wasn't very receptive so he tried to bleed me out of the game, his mistake. The sound of Genevieve slamming into torpor was the end of my prey. Then my prey decides to move in for the kill, restructuring the table and taking him out. Goody fresh meat, I was able to carve a nice path into my new prey knocking him down to 2 pool, but could never quite kill him off. He stopped doing anything and deflected every bleed attempt. Things were looking grim, I was able to bluff well and stayed alive for a few more turns but eventually the big hoard came knocking killing my minions and me in a matter of seconds. Round 2, 0VP I sat down to a table of 3 bleed decks. Things were going well until a Weenie-hoard misdirection deck ousted my predator. I fought hard to keep my predator in the game, but ran out of eagle's sights. My new predator wasn't at all gentle, forcing me to eradicate 5 of his minions with extreme prejudice. Unfortunately for me though he was able to mortally wound me down to 1 pool. Once my predator was ousted, it was lights out as single bleed of one came at me with 5 stealth…ouch! Round 3, 4VP The perfect table…I went into the round figuring to just be a spoiler for whomever had the most VPs. Luckily everyone else at the table was gunning for him as well…and he was my prey! My predator wasn't putting any pressure on me, I made him the same deal as in the first round, don't bleed, don't die. I think he listened. The fight begins…after allowing my prey to dwindle my grand prey's pool down to two. I stepped in and started killing weenies 6 more chumps in torpor and a cakewalk over on my turn since his pool was down to 2 as well. Quick two-action turn; bleed, bleed, gain 6 pool, and a VP. Now the decision, how long to leave my prey, with only 2 pool left, in the game. He was playing a pre-obf stealth deck that could bleed my predator soon to be prey, down to 6 or less. So I gambled and let the bleeding of my predator begin. It worked my prey was able to bleed my grand prey down to 5 pool. Perfect I thought. Then my sneaky predator went for it, attempted to play a dramatic upheaval, switching places with my prey. Well I just couldn't see that happening so I woke and blocked successfully. Again, my predator tried to call the same vote, lacking a wake; I saw the card I'd just put in the deck less than 10 hrs prior, direct intervention, and success. That single play was the cornerstone of my near table sweep in the 3rd round. ---------------------------------------------------- II. DECK O' THE MONTH Deck Name: Hit Me And Die, a.k.a. "The Great Weenie Killer" (Gen Con '99) Created By: Joe Churchill Comments: "Everyone was afraid of Joe's deck. They just carved people up…. Being the top seed, I had already decided to be as far away from Joe as possible if he got into the final." - Robert Goudie Description: This deck's major focus is on Intercept and Destruction. There's nothing better than a few drawing out the beast, then plopping down a blood of acid at close range. Furthermore, the abundance of eagle's sight allows you to apply pressure on your prey at will, and/or stabilize the table when needed. The majority of intercept in this deck is the permanent kind, with revenants as the mainstay, they are stackable (little buddies are so nice). Also, add to the list eagle's sight and melange, because sometimes you might need more than the revenants have to offer. Now that you've caught him make him pay. Crypt: (12 cards) [Min: 23, Max: 38, Avg: 7.67] 2 Anton (Tzimisce, 8, AN AU ce ob vi) 1 Corine Marcon (Tzimisce, 6, an AU VI) 2 Devin Bisley (Tzimisce, 5, AN AU vi) 2 Dragos (Tzimisce, 7, AN AU vi) 2 Lambach (Tzimisce, 10, AN AU DO pr VI, Cardinal) 1 Meshenka (Tzimisce, 8, AN AU VI, Priscus) 2 Stravinsky (Tzimisce, 9, AN AU po VI, Archbishop) Library: (90 cards) 7 Aid from Bats 5 Blood Doll 5 Blood of Acid 2 Direct Intervention 23 Drawing Out the Beast 12 Eagle's Sight 16 Forced Awakening 2 Library Hunting Ground 5 Melange 2 Revelations 7 Revenant 2 Tomb of Rameses III 2 Vicissitude ---------------------------------------------------- III. SUBMISSION The following deck was submitted by Ethan Burrow and was mentioned in the July edition of the Toreador-Antitribu Newsletter. http://whitestar.ddg.com/vtes/TorA070199.html Deck name: The Slayers Created by: Ethan Burrow Description: The main point of this deck is to use the Tzimisce or Beast to get into combat and send your opponent to torpor. Then you have another vamp "eat" the torpored vamp during your same turn using Sacrificial Lamb or diablerie if it's safe. The deck is designed to utilize any vamps, but this deck is most effective if you have Beast with Vicissitude on him and Muaziz in play. The Taste's allow your combat vamp to continue to attack every turn, even with the expensive combat cards. The minion taps is to suck the eating vamp down to 1 blood during your master phase, so you can fill them up with the blood on the torpored opponent vamp when you play sacrificial lamb (or diablrize if you're using Muaziz). Therefore, you want to keep as much blood on them as possible when you torporize them. This deck was able to compete against both my predator and my prey when it reached a 3-player game. I was surprised at its effectiveness. It is slower than a potence rush deck, but it has better staying power later in the game in my opinion. Crypt: (12 cards) 2 Anton (Tzimisce, 8, AN AU ce ob vi) 1 Beast, The Leatherface of Detroit (Nosferatu Antitribu, 7, an ce OB PO) 2 Blaise (Gangrel Antitribu, 7, AN CE ob vi) 1 Dragos (Tzimisce, 7, AN AU vi) 1 Horatio (Tzimisce, 2, vi) 1 Muaziz, Archon of Ulugh Beg (Tremere, 7, au do fo TH) 1 Nigel the Shunned (Nosferatu Antitribu, 5, AN ob PO) 2 Olivia (Nosferatu Antitribu, 5, OB PO vi, Bishop) 1 Tansu Bekir (Assamite, 4, ce OB) Library: (90 cards) 5 Ambush 3 Blood Doll 4 Blood of Acid 6 Body Arsenal 5 Bonecraft 5 Breath of the Dragon 4 Bum's Rush 3 Canine Horde 6 Carrion Crows 6 Cats' Guidance 1 Femur of Toomler 4 Guard Dogs 3 Guardian Angel 1 Library Hunting Ground 2 Marked Path 5 Minion Tap 1 Nosferatu Kingdom 3 Obfuscate 5 Sacrificial Lamb 1 Shanty Town Hunting Ground 1 Shepherd's Innocence 1 Song in the Dark 6 Swallowed by the Night 5 Taste of Death 4 Vicissitude ---------------------------------------------------- IV. Letters to the Editor For ideas on the newsletter, on future articles, deck submission, general discussion, or corrections, please feel free to contact me. Thanks, Joe Churchill http://www.warghoul.com