Official V:EKN Lasombra Newsletter for April 2001

Official V:EKN Lasombra Newsletter for April 2001 By Michael Eichler michael...@ramstein.af.mil - - - - - - - - - - - News on Clan Lasombra Minion Call – A discussion of cards… Review of an Old Friend – Political Struggle, it’s not just for breakfast anymore… Deck – The Balance of Terror Deck – A Decree for Punishment Deck – Weak Appearances Provide Time - - - - - - - - - - - News on Clan Lasombra There is good news appearing on the rise of people playing the clan Lasombra. This increase has spilled over to competitive Lasombra decks being brought to tournaments and that has led to some victories. These victories can be classified into two areas, victory reaching the finals and victory within the finals. Of the two, victory within the finals is what each of us strives for when we enter a tournament, but gaining victory by just reaching the finals should be congratulated as well. It is never easy to reach the finals and being able to stand along side the other 4 top players should instill a sense of pride and accomplishment. As of late, Jeffrey Thompson at the Continental Championship Seattle Qualifier in Seattle, Washington represented the Lasombra clan. There he fought amongst other raging Methuselahs and came out on top. Congratulations! - - - - - - - - - - - A discussion of cards… With the entrance of Sabbat War, the Lasombra clan gained several new cards. These additions should assist the Lasombra in their drive toward dominance within the V:TES world. As a whole, the Lasombra gained some outstanding cards to enhance some of the clan’s inherent disadvantages. In previous newsletters the cards, “Blanket of the Night”, “Black Metamorphosis” and “Darkness Within”, have been discussed. The new “Darksight” and “Shadow Twin” are the topics within this newsletter. Darksight – Obtenebration Reaction Cost 1 blood Text – Normal – [+1] intercept. Superior – As above, and if this vampire successfully blocks the acting minion, put this card on the acting minion. The minion with this card gets [–1] stealth when attempting to bleed this reacting vampire’s controller. Any minion may burn this card as a [+1] stealth action. This card is a fine addition to the clan’s special discipline, Obtenebration. Previously the Lasombra clan has been somewhat hampered by the lack of real intercept ability. While “Eyes of the Night” is a great card, the inability to augment an attempted block has forced the clan to move away from Intercept as a viable and dependable strategy to other strategies to further their goals. Now with addition of “Darksight” and the next card to be discussed, the clan can finally move toward a strategic wall while pushing forward to demolish their prey. The card’s extra intercept capability is a welcomed addition to the clan’s blocking ability. Though the cost of the card, 1 blood, can be viewed as a deterrent to it’s use can be offset by a few methods. First, with the Path of Night on the table your Lasombra can play the card at no cost. Second, through the efficient use of Taste of Vitae from the resulting combat the loss is quickly regained. Third, when coupled with “Slaughtering the Herd” at superior, the loss is actually paid by your predator. The card’s use at superior does have a limitation. It is only active against future bleed action initiated against you. This means, minions who are blocked with the use of “Darksight”, will receive a reduction in their stealth capability when it attempts to bleed the same Methuselah again. As the card is cumulative, this could significantly negate a “Sneak and Bleed” deck’s ability to operate. Thus, the design team added a protective limitation to the card. That limitation is the ability for any minion to burn the card as an action at [+1] stealth. It should be noted that if the minion with the “Darksight” negative stealth attempts the burn action, it is still at [+1] stealth as it is not a bleed action. So the high use of “Darksight” would produce two effects: 1) It would burn stealth cards that would normally be used against you. 2) It would allow the placement of more negative modifiers against the bleeder for future bleed actions. The only downfall is the continual cost of 1 blood from the card, but as noted above this could be offset or completely negated. Though the extra [+1] intercept may not seem like much, it is still open to additional augmentation by a couple of old standbys, “Elder Intervention” and “Pack Tactics”. Though these do cost 1 blood for their use, they can bring up the interception capability of the Lasombra clan up to [+4] uncontestable intercept against bleeds. This is not too shabby for a non-Auspex clan, even at the cost of 2 blood. Shadow Twin – Obtenebration Action Cost 0 blood Text – [+1] stealth action Normal – (D) Do 1 damage to any minion or retainer (damage not preventable). Superior – As above, and put this card on that minion. You still control this card. The minion with this card has [–1] stealth. Burn this card during your next untap phase. On the outside this card looks like nothing more than a “Cryptic Mission” look alike. It is close. Alone the card is a harassment card. It can be directed against any minion and retainer on the table. Thus, based upon current Errata it should be able to kill “Charnas the Imp” so long as Charnas’ host minion is not the one doing the “Shadow Twin”. As a control to be used against one’s predator, it should do poor to moderately well alone, especially if used at superior to allow for more options. The use of “Shadow Twin” really comes into play when used with “Darksight” and “Eyes of the Night”. The superior capability of “Shadow Twin” forcing an all encompassing –1 stealth to all actions helps defend the actions to burn any “Darksight” cards if the affected minion attempts the action. At best, it serves as a distraction that can give the Lasombra more time to oust his/her own prey. Another possible use of the card is to use it with the “Society of Leopold” like some Giovanni and Tremere decks have done in the past. - - - - - - - - - - - Review of an Old Friend – Political Struggle, it’s not just for breakfast anymore… Back in July 2000, I wrote a newsletter describing the use of Political Struggle. The article received a response by Sorrow indicating his dislike of the card based upon it’s slow use and implementation. Based upon the article and how I identified the way the card could be used, he was correct. Recently, during a solo 5 deck playtest session to test deck flow of various decks, I came upon another possible use of my old friend “Political Struggle”. I pushed the idea toward LSJ for confirmation and received it. “Political Struggle” is the Lasombra equalizer against Political decks, short and simple. That is easy to identify just based upon the card’s text. It allows the accumulation of political votes from other minions that are and have been on the table so long as those minions fall victim to the “Political Struggle”. The only way these accumulated political votes can be removed are: 1) The destruction or torporization of the Lasombra minion who has accumulated votes. 2) The re-influencing of the minion that was initially a victim to a “Political Struggle”. The method of gaining the votes is by combat. The victim of the “Political Struggle” must be sent to torpor or removed from the table for the votes to be gained by the acting minion. How that victim goes to torpor does not matter. That is the key. A Lasombra deck with “Haven Uncovered”, “Bum’s Rush”, “Ambush”, “Political Struggle” and combat cards can target, neutralize and counter start countering any political deck on the table. Additionally, a minion targeted by “Political Struggle” will meet the criteria of the card even if some other Methuselah’s minion is the one who puts it into torpor. This opens a new field for the Lasombra. The accumulation of political votes enough to allow use of “Amaranth” without fear of later destruction from a Blood Hunt vote being called. Thus, an old friend may find some new use out in the world. - - - - - - - - - - - Balance of Terror Created by Michael Eichler Deck uses small minions to function as it’s combat machine, but uses the Lasombra minions to guide it to victory. The Lasombra use the Political Struggles to target selected minions and then launches a assault against it through either Rush actions or a Haven Uncovered. Once the victim is placed into torpor the Political Struggle is burned as it’s requirements are met. Eventual diablerization will take place once the deck achieves political dominance. The deck aims for combat as it’s primary strategy, however, with the Political Struggle cards the deck has the ability to gain defensive political strength. At worst, it can use a Political Struggle to threaten a political deck to avoid it. The Clan Impersonations are for the non-Lasombra minions to become Lasombra. This will open the door for use of Political Struggle action cards and to also increase defensive political strength if Power Structure is played. Bleed defense relies upon the deck’s inherent combat rush ability and the few Deflections it contains. Deck has been used in two attempted playtests that terminated early each time due to circumstances. Each time, however, the deck rolled wonderfully. Crypt: 12-14 cards (min=10, max=18, avg=3,33) Lisette 6 DOM POT pro Lasombra Bishop Ignacio 4 dom obt pot Lasombra Francesca 4 dom pot nec Giovanni Jimmy Dunn 4 CEL POT for Pander Agatha 4 obf POT !Nosferatu Hugo 4 POT pre vis !Brujah Shane Grimald 4 dom pot ani !Gangrel 2x Cameron 3 dom pot Lasombra Raziya 3 pot ani Brujah KoKo 2 pot Nosferatu Mitchell 2 obt pot Pander Possible extras (min=9, max=18, avg=3,21) Dre 3 cel pot Brujah Lupo 2 pot Brujah Library – 90 cards Master – 17 cards 2x Potence 3x Tribute to the Master 3x Blood Doll Power Structure Depravity – 1 pool Political Seizure – 2 pool Political Hunting Ground – 2 pool 5x Haven Uncovered Dominate – 5 cards Grave Robbing 4x Deflection – 1 blood Potence – 34 cards 2x Decapitate – 2 blood Fists of Death – 1 blood Fractured Armament 8x Immortal Grapple 4x Increased Strength 5x Pushing the Limit – 1 blood 7x Torn Signpost 6x Undead Strength Other – 34 cards 2x Ambush 6x Bum’s Rush 4x Clan Impersonation – 2 blood 2x IR Goggles 3x Laptop Computer – 1 pool Leather Jacket Political Backlash 5x Political Struggle 2x Ritual of the Bitter Rose 4x Taste of Vitae 4x Wake with Evening’s Freshness - - - - - - - - - - - A Decree for Punishment Created by Michael Eichler This deck started as a variant of my first successful Lasombra deck. This is the deck where I realized that Political Struggle did not require the acting minion to be the individual that torporized or burned the targeted victim to gain the card’s advantages. The deck is a combat-bleeder deck. The large size of the deck’s minions forced the necessity of the Information Highway, Tombs of Ramses III and the use of both Scouting Mission and Govern the Unaligned to be used at superior. The deck has the potential of intercepting either predator or prey actions with both the KRCG and Rumor Mill coupled with the few Eyes of the Night and Darksight cards in the deck. After the release of Sabbat War expansion, the Rumor Mill has become the Intercept Master card most likely seen at the table. Therefore, KRCG has been included to help offset the possible loss of semi-permanent intercept capability, as it was not printed in the SW expansion. As more expansions are printed this may change again. Crypt – 12 cards (min=11, max=34, avg=6,33) Lucita 8 cel DOM FOR OBT pot Lasombra Lisette 6 DOM POT pro Lasombra Antonio 9 DOM OBT POT tha Lasombra Alvaro 9 dom OBT POT pre Lasombra Beast 7 ani cel OBF POT !Nosferatu Talley 6 aus dom OBT POT Lasombra Sela 6 cel obt POT PRE !Brujah Cameron 3 dom pot Lasombra 2x Ignacio 4 dom obt pot Lasombra Aurora 6 dom for OBT pot Lasombra Gratiano 8 DOM obf OBT pot Lasombra Library – 90 cards Master – 18 cards Dreams of the Sphinx Giant’s Blood Power Structure Obtenebration 2x Potence KRCG News Radio Tomb of Rameses III Information Highway Rumor Mill, The Elysian Fields Political Hunting Ground 3x Minion Tap 3x Blood Doll Dominate – 15 cards 6x Deflection 2x Scouting Mission 4x Govern the Unaligned 3x Bonding Obtenebration – 12 cards 2x Entombment 2x Arms of the Abyss 2x Eyes of the Night 4x Shadow Play 2x Darksight Potence – 22 cards 7x Torn Signpost 7x Immortal Grapple 2x Increased Strength 3x Undead Strength 3x Pushing the Limit Others – 23 cards 2x Amaranth 6x Wake with Evening’s Freshness 2x Ambush 4x Bum’s Rush 5x Taste of Vitae Political Struggle J.S. Simmons Esq. Tasha Morgan Laptop Computer - - - - - - - - - - - Weak Appearances Provide Time Created by Michael Eichler This deck is experimental, but is designed to illustrate the use of both Darksight and Shadow Twin operating together in a deck. The large use of equipment will create a strain on the blood pool, therefore to try and keep the loss down the crypt does not exceed 6 capacity. I intend to play this deck within my group the next time we get together just to see how well it bears out. Any thoughts on how to improve this deck are welcome. Crypt – 12 cards 2x Talley 6 OBT POT dom aus Lasombra 2x Aurora 6 OBT pot for dom Lasombra Guido 5 OBT dom obf Lasombra Ramiro 4 obt dom vis Lasombra 2x Ignacio 4 obt pot dom Lasombra 2x Mitchell 2 obt pot Pander Cameron 3 pot dom Lasombra Aaron 2 obt Lasombra Library – 90 cards Master – 18 cards Barrens, The Political Hunting Ground – 2 pool 2x Path of Night, The – 1 pool KRCG News Radio – 2 pool 2x Tribute to the Master 4x Blood Doll Dominate Pentex Subversion – 2 pool 2x Vast Wealth 2x Obtenebration Hungry Coyote, The – 2 pool Dominate – 9 cards 4x Bonding 5x Deflection – 1 blood Obtenebration – 29 cards Entombment – 2 blood 2x Shade – 1 blood 6x Shadow Strike – 1 blood 4x Eyes of the Night 5x Darksight – 1 blood 7x Shadow Twin 4x Arms of the Abyss Potence – 8 cards 4x Thrown Sewer Lid 4x Undead Strength Other – 26 cards 2x Pack Tactics – 1 blood 4x Taste of Vitae 3x Forced Awakening 5x Wake with Evening’s Freshness Pier 13 – 2 blood 3x IR Goggles 3x Laptop Computer – 1 pool 3x Gas-Powered Chainsaw – 1 pool 2x Brass Knuckles

[Big snip] Review of an Old Friend – Political Struggle, it’s not just for breakfast anymore… Just needed to comment on this, Michael. We talked about it before and I think the real power of the Political stuggle lies in the agitation aspect of the card. It is a great way to manipulate resources available around the table. Not only can you equilize table votes with it. Its one time torpor effect makes people very wary. Of course you could better use War Party and Blood hunt, but these cannot target Princes etc. by card text. The good thing about PS is that you do not HAVE to rush, it is a threat undermining other player's strategies, in the same way Fame does when used in an intercept deck. Sure you could use it for the rush only. But when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, the opportunity, the option you have can be of paramount importance. You do not need to have the rush card IN your hand. It can be played earlier in the game, but have an impact in the endgame. Which can be the difference between a VP or not. Moreover, I have used them in a Bruise and Vote deck, and Toreador did not like the PS on Anson turn in turn 3. Either he lost 3 votes and Anson..or he voted with me the entire game. It can effectively be used to neuter any core vampire your prey has, provided you can back it up with enough combat cards. When you have used it effectively a couple of times, try a deck with 2-3 of them, and NO combat to back it up. Then the fear factor comes in.... It is all about tabletalk and agitation, Tim Eijpe [snip]

> Of course you could better use War Party and Blood hunt, > but these cannot target Princes etc. by card text. Just a quick note: after a discussion I had with Norm Brown on how broken I think Blood Hunt (the action) is (and I think it's way broken), I took a look at War Party because Norm said it was analogous to BH. It turns out that in the case of WP, only minions controlled by another meth my take the action to attack the affected vamp. So you couldn't use WP and expect to attack the affected vamp with your own minions... Sorrow --- "Are they dead?" - Pugsly "Does it matter?" - Wednesday

In message <te1hoqj...@corp.supernews.com>, Sorrow <cbo...@apdi.net> writes >It turns out that in the case of WP, only minions controlled by >another meth my take the action to attack the affected vamp. "Different controller" in this context refers to a controller other than the one with the minion card on. Since it's a minion card, the implicit "you" is the controller of the card. I think. Compare Blood Hunt official text: "Requires ready Prince or Justicar. +1 stealth action. (D) Put this card on a vampire who is not a Prince or a Justicar {or an Inner Circle member}. Any vampire <controlled by another Methuselah> may enter combat with this vampire as a +1 stealth (D) action." -- James Coupe PGP Key: 0x5D623D5D EBD690ECD7A1F What's the meaning when you speak with so much feeling? B457CA213D7E6 Is it over when you're sober? Is it junk? 68C3695D623D5D

> >It turns out that in the case of WP, only minions controlled by > >another meth my take the action to attack the affected vamp. > "Different controller" in this context refers to a controller other than > the one with the minion card on. > Since it's a minion card, the implicit "you" is the controller of the > card. > I think. Hmm, I think you're right. That would make "War Party" as broken as "Blood Hunt", IMO. Sorrow ---- "This is my costume. I'm a homicidal maniac. They look just like everyone else." -- Wednesday Addams

>===== Original Message From James Coupe <ja...@zephyr.org.uk> ===== >Sorrow <cbo...@apdi.net> writes: >>It turns out that in the case of WP, only minions controlled by >>another meth my take the action to attack the affected vamp. > >"Different controller" in this context refers to a controller other than >the one with the minion card. Right. >Since it's a minion card, the implicit "you" is the controller of the >card. Right. -- LSJ (vte...@white-wolf.com) V:TES Net.Rep for White Wolf, Inc. Links to revised rulebook, rulings, errata, and tournament rules: http://www.white-wolf.com/vtes/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Get your FREE web-based e-mail and newsgroup access at: http://MailAndNews.com

"Sorrow" <cbo...@apdi.net> a écrit dans le message news: te21vj...@corp.supernews.com... > > >It turns out that in the case of WP, only minions controlled by > > >another meth my take the action to attack the affected vamp. > > "Different controller" in this context refers to a controller other than > > the one with the minion card on. > > Since it's a minion card, the implicit "you" is the controller of the > > card. > > I think. > > Hmm, I think you're right. That would make "War Party" as broken > as "Blood Hunt", IMO. in fact this is only an action, wich can be blocked like all other actions. The big problem is : you can't get rid of WP or BH once it is sticked on your vampire. A good addition would be an action card to get rid of all cards put on you rminion, including masters... The text on Memories of Mortality includes this: the "minion burns X blood and goes to torpor during your influence phase" is the price to pay to recover a "clean status". An action card like this one would help against haven uncovered, fame, charnas or sensory deprivation.... without being broken : going to torpor just before other methuselahs turn is something to handle cautiously.

> > Hmm, I think you're right. That would make "War Party" as broken > > as "Blood Hunt", IMO. > in fact this is only an action, wich can be blocked like all other actions. So? _Return to Innocence_ was "just an action, which can be blocked like all other actions". That didn't make it any less broken. > The big problem is : you can't get rid of WP or BH once it is sticked on > your vampire. This is what is broken about it. While Sabbat titles are a bit difficult to come by, Cam titles are a dime a dozen. And this being the only requirement of the card doesn't go far enough. This is because the results of that action if successful are devestating. There is *no* way to get rid of it. Once you go to Torpor, that's it... you might as well stay there because there is no hope of ever shaking it. At least with Haven, you can attempt to burn it. Not so with Blood Hunt/War Party. This is why it's broken. Errata would be nice saying that once the affected vamp went to torpor, the card is burned. Or something. Sorrow --- "I am Jack's wasted life." - Narrator

[ quoted text not captured ] How about Contracts, then? It's easier to have 1 intercept to block the Blood Hunt action than bother to put in the Violation of Trust. You can argue the one-for-one problem with the Contract, but if there's *one* guy I don't want having rights on rushing my guy, it's the Assamite deck's best killer. -- Pat Ricochet Soul Jar'rn Fool of Atlanta "You can't make a fact out of an opinion by raising your voice."

On Mon, 23 Apr 2001 20:46:58 GMT, "Sorrow" <jcb...@yahoo.com> wrote: > >> The big problem is : you can't get rid of WP or BH once it is sticked on >> your vampire. > So dont piss off the prince. =] T

> How about Contracts, then? It's easier to have 1 intercept to block the > Blood Hunt action than bother to put in the Violation of Trust. You can > argue the one-for-one problem with the Contract, but if there's *one* guy I > don't want having rights on rushing my guy, it's the Assamite deck's best > killer. I don't have a problem with Contract. Contract: Master. Put this card on any ready minion and choose an Assamite <in play>. That Assamite may <enter combat with> that minion as a +1 stealth (D) action Blood Hunt: Put this card on a vampire who is not a Prince or a Justicar {or an Inner Circle member}. Any vampire <controlled by another Methuselah> may enter combat with this vampire as a +1 stealth (D) action. *AN* Assamite v. ANY Vampire. It is much more feasable that you can defend yourself against an attack that is coming once per turn than it is to defend yourself against multiple attacks per turn. And it's not just the turn of the Meth who played the blood hunt. If there are any other semi-combat decks at the table, they'll be gunning for your guy, too, if it's in their best interest. Hell, even your pred/prey might rush your guy even if they don't have combat if you are at 1 or 0 blood just to try to put them into torpor. I don't see a problem with Contract. I see a huge problem with Blood Hunt and War Party. Sorrow --- "I am Jack's inflamed sense of rejection." - Narrator

> >> The big problem is : you can't get rid of WP or BH once it is sticked on > >> your vampire. > So dont piss off the prince. =] You piss off a Prince just by being their prey... [ quoted text not captured ]

-- "Sorrow" <jcb...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:6x0F6.4696$Uu6.4...@monger.newsread.com... [ quoted text not captured ] Hmm can't you get rid of it by voting the vampire to archbishop/prince etc?

> > of the card doesn't go far enough. This is because the results of that > > action if successful are devestating. There is *no* way to get rid of it. > > Once you go to Torpor, that's it... you might as well stay there because > > there is no hope of ever shaking it. At least with Haven, you can attempt > > to burn it. Not so with Blood Hunt/War Party. This is why it's broken. > > Errata would be nice saying that once the affected vamp went to torpor, > > the card is burned. Or something. > Hmm can't you get rid of it by voting the vampire to archbishop/prince etc? Nope. It just cannot be played on a titled vamp. There is nothing in the card text saying that it goes away if the vamp becomes titled. Sorrow [ quoted text not captured ]