Bik V:tes Cup 2010 report

Two weeks ago I went to this exclusive event, which should have consisted from three separate V:tes events - draft, constructed and 2 on 2 matches. Since there were only 7-8 people most of the time and much more alcohol, that we initially expected, only event which actually happened was the draft. This slightly delayed report is about that event.

It isn't exact to say, that we have limited supply of cards in our city, since one of our players is one of the top rated V:tes sellers on ebay, but orders were delayed and mixed up, so we were forced to use well... slightly unusual sets for this draft. We went with 16 boosters, 4 of each sets - Legacies of Blood, Lords of the Night, Heirs to the Blood and Ebony Kingdom. We have removed the crypt restriction rule, because of this combination. Still it was little unfair, since there were some players which are most familiar with camarilla clans. My knowledge of practically every card in theese sets has been both blessing and a curse. For a fair ammount of time I have actually ignored some cards, because I have forgotten, that some of theese sets have actually very cool draft efects - well at least LotN has.

We have started with Legacies and after theese four boosters I had Eze, The Demon Prince and two copies of No Secrets From the Magaji. 

Theese were fairly strong card and could be game winnig, but unfortunatelly Eze was my only magaji and that was very dangerous. We continued through HttB and in a moment, unnamed, The was in my hands with two Hordes in addition. You can surely see my dilema. Still I have continued to LotN and Sense the Savage Way helped me to decide. There were also some cool presence bleeding actions and well ... AK-47.

Ebony kingdom just sealed the deal for me. With two coppies of Ngozi Ekwensu, Lucian, the Perfect and few other laibon supporters I was fairly confident, that I can win this thing. I was little worried though. Not that someone has built better deck, but actually about my damn luck.

Because there were only eight players and not much of time - since one of the players have taken few hours to build his deck, we have decided to play 2 rounds + final table. Oh and not to forgot - we have supported some Aye and Orun to each player.

First game was great for me. I got Eze in the starting four vampires, so I could influence him right out, which I did. I have waited a little bit, bloated a little, got AK-47 and little later first no secrets. I almost lost the game due to two little errors, but only one VP was stolen from me in the end.

Second game was a lot alike the first, but Eze wasn't there from the start and a had to go for him to my crypt. Same scenario - no secrets, AK-47 and a looooot of Aye and Orun Cards. Again only one VP was stolen from me.

Since the tournament rules were little unclear at this point, I had to decide if the final seating would be random or chosen. In all fairness have I chosen the random seating, since I was the leading player in both VP and GW and it was my fault for not stating the final seating earlier.

I have gotten the same predator in this game as in the second. Small melpominee swarm with support of some other weenies. For myself I have to say, that I was dissapointed, but not surprised. No magaji in the starting lot, my prey have influenced out Ngozi Ekwensu by the time that I had gotten to her in crypt. Getting to eze was little complicated at that point. My predator had perfect start - lili prelude in the second round and two Daughters out. Even if I had Eze, lets say it would not be easy. I have died second only because some table talk/whining and cross-table politics. Ngozi Ekwensu had won the game for my prey due to her awesome ability. My predator was the last one to remain on the table with him. It turned out that his Daughter deck was built bruttaly efficient - but after dealing with only one metuselah it almost ran out of cards.

I had hoped, that in the other rounds, constructed and 2vs2, I can steal some points and get to better spots, since I was fourth after the final. But other events were cancelled and I have returned home without trophies for first three places. What a pity.

I can say that LoB and EK in combination provided great laibon potencial for wall and long term decks. LoB and HttB on the other hand created a viable possibility of destructive but risky strategies and LotN provided great support. Well of course it would not be playable without crypt restriction removal and I cannot say that this combination was perfectly ballanced, but hell it was fun.

That is all for today. I'll be back, soon...

Tremere Politics

I have wanted to play Tremere (or !Tremere) from the start of my Vtes career. Since i have seen pretty much perfected bleed and combat strategies I have decided to build political Tremere just because it sounded like a challenge. I know that this deck isn´t tournament worthy, but I have achieved a very stable pub-game wining ratio.

Although main idea is to do pool damage with politics, this deck is rather toolboxy. Crypt is built from vampires with titles with superior thaumaturgy and mostly superior auspex. Most of them have also dominate, but there are no cards that requie dominate. They were removed after lot of testing and I am not missing them.

Deck Name: Tremere Politics
Author: Silmegil
Description:


Crypt (12 cards; Capacity min=6 max=9 avg=7.92)
===============================================
 1x  Alfred Benezri              6  aus dom PRE THA      Pander:3
 2x  Anastasz di Zagreb          8  ani cel dom AUS THA  Tremere:3
 1x  Carna, The Princess Witch   7  AUS DOM THA          Tremere:3
 2x  Ladislas Toth, The Torch    7  for AUS DOM THA      !Tremere:3
 2x  Malgorzata                  9  pre AUS DOM THA VIC  !Tremere:4
 2x  Orlando Oriundus            9  obf AUS DOM THA      !Tremere:4
 2x  Polly Kay Fisher            8  for pot AUS DOM THA  !Ventrue:4

Library (90 cards)
==================
Master (14)
 1x Barrens, The
 6x Blood Doll
 1x Elder Library
 1x Erciyes Fragments, The
 1x Giant's Blood
 2x Information Highway
 1x Smiling Jack, The Anarch
 1x Wash

Event (1)
 1x Scourge of the Enochians

Political Action (17)
 1x Ancient Influence
 2x Banishment
10x Kine Resources Contested
 2x Neonate Breach
 1x Political Stranglehold
 1x Reins of Power

Action Modifier (4)
 4x Mirror Walk

Reaction (26)
 3x Eagle's Sight
 1x Eluding the Arms of Morpheus
 2x Enhanced Senses
 3x Forced Awakening
 4x On the Qui Vive
 2x Precognition
 4x Spirit's Touch
 7x Telepathic Misdirection

Combat (28)
11x Apportation
 1x Burst of Sunlight
10x Theft of Vitae
 4x Walk of Flame
 2x Weather Control

Created with Secret Library v0.9.3. (Nov 7, 2010 20:09:25)

This deck can have really slow start, but it can become very powerfull in the mid- or lategame. What do you think?

Vtes is not dead!

I am sure, that there is a better time to start blogging about a game than right after cease production announced. But to be fair... I don´t think, that Vtes will die someday soon. Well at least I am still hoping for many great games with my friends.

There will probably be a lot of people, which will not be interested about news from Czech Republic. But for those, which will care I will try to update this blog as much as possible.

Since I don´t have any experience with blogging and I haven´t used my english for anything but reading, this blog won´t probably look any good, but I will try to improve it.

This is only begining. Stay tuned for more...