THE GUARDTOWER MONTHLY
Issue #8 • Mnemonic Edition • September 2003
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VTES strategy: Archetypical decks, SB and B&B
By Alexander James
Please email me with any questions you might have about the game, 
what you’ve read here, or comments on what you would like to
(not) see in the future. Thank you, and remember VTES happens 
every Wednesday at 7PM.


Note: my apologies for failing to type an article for last month.
In my last article I talked about each major discipline, their
uses and some of their cards. In my first article I talked about some
must haves and some what-ifs in the game. In both I mentioned
some deck types, like Stealth Bleed (SB), Bruise and Bleed (B&B),
and so on... In this months article I would like to examine these
archetypical decks, grabbing a deck list I’ve found online and telling
you how it plays.

First a note on the Internet resources I’m using. All of these
can be found via www.thelasombra.com by clicking on Decks at
the top. The deck below was found on the Tournament Winning
Decks section, copied here, in its entirety. It took place in Paris,
France, April 26, 2003 (as you can see, this is an international game,
not unlike MTG).

This deck is a stealth bleed deck with Anarch Revolt assistance.
It relies on the card Kindred Spirits to bleed its prey, using
whatever form of stealth it wants to do so successfully (see Action
Modifier above) and then gain pool from the successful bleed. It
damages its prey (and everyone else) with Anarch Revolt for one
pool during every players untap phase for an even quicker oust. It
regulates who will die with the card Life Boon. It generates with
use of the six pool gained from ousting prey, from Kindred Spirits
and Dreams of the Sphinx (a one pool costing master card that can
increase your hand size or gain you a free pool on an uncontrolled
vampire, either or, for three of your turns) and a couple of Blood
Dolls. Its bleed defense consists of bouncing (Telepathic Misdirection,
My Enemy’s Enemy) and pool gain.

It has no answer to combat except going to long range with the
superior text of Swallowed by the Night, and playing Sudden Reversal
on master cards that let people enter combat with you or
punish you for losing (like Fame). Also be careful that they aren’t
packing a lot of bounce themselves. Your only answer to that are
Spying Mission and Revelations. A strong political deck might hurt
it, but that’s why there are a few Delaying Tactics and titled vampires,
like Quentin King III.

Transfer out a small to mid sized vampire, bleed at stealth,
gain pool from ousting prey. Repeat. The deck almost plays itself.
Next month I’ll examine a more complicated deck, of a nature
I’ve yet to decide.


Deck Name: Kindred Spirit
Created By: Kamel Senni

Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 16, Max: 27, Avg: 5.50)
1 Dolphin Black AUS DEM OBF 6, Malkavian Antitribu
1 Artemis aus cel DEM for OBF 6, Malkavian Antitribu
1 Korah any AUS DEM OBF 7, Malkavian Antitribu, Priscus
1 Dr. Douglas Netchurch AUS dem dom OBF 6, Malkavian
1 Uncle George aus DEM dom obf 5, Malkavian Antitribu
1 Claven aus dem obf 4, Malkavian Antitribu
1 Persia aus DEM obf 5, Malkavian
1 Kite AUS DEM obf pre 7, Malkavian Antitribu, Bishop
1 Yorik dem obf 3, Malkavian Antitribu
1 Adelaide Davis aus dem obf 4, Malkavian
1 Quentin King III AUS DEM obf pre 7, Malkavian, Prince
1 Ruth McGinley aus cel DEM obf 6, Malkavian, Primogen

Library: (90 cards)
Master (16 cards)
5 Anarch Revolt
2 Blood Doll
5 Dreams of the Sphinx
1 Life Boon
2 Sudden Reversal
1 Visit from the Capuchin

Action (21 cards)
12 Kindred Spirits
5 Madman’s Quill
2 Restructure
2 Revelations

Action Modifier (37 cards)
4 Cloak the Gathering
2 Domain of Evernight
5 Elder Impersonation
10 Eyes of Chaos
4 Faceless Night
6 Lost in Crowds
4 Marked Path
2 Spying Mission

Reaction (12 cards)
3 Delaying Tactics
1 My Enemy’s Enemy
6 Telepathic Misdirection
2 Wake with Evening’s Freshness

Combo (4 cards)
4 Swallowed by the Night