1.0 - Editorial
1.1 Word From the Editor
1.2 Next Issue
2.0 - Concepts
2.1 Crypt Card Focus
2.2 Library Card Focus
2.3 Sign Off

--[1.1 - Word from the Editor]----------------------

Well Third Edition is here, and it makes a very impressive entrance. The new card texts all seem to add something new, while not just being overpowered versions of previous cards. I know there has been some complaint about the physical cards, being damaged, miscut and generally not up to the standards people expect, however that is only a minor thing, and something that may very well be corrected in future print runs.
In this issue I look at some of the cards from 3rd Ed and see how they will fit together with the Ahrimane. There is no deck this month, as there is no room for it, however you had three last month, so surely they should be keeping you busy.
In the past few days I played at ECQ Wales with an Ahrimane deck, however my success or lack of it followed my usual trend at tournaments, so we will skip over that. However I did manage to play some Double Duffin Draft, with Black Hand and 3rd Ed, and I will say TRY IT NOW! It was very good fun, and I managed to get a deck that could almost play like a constructed deck. Still didn't win, but hey, you are used to me doing that by now eh?

--[1.2 -Next Issue]------------------------------------

Finally I will do something on the Abombwe, it was delayed previously but now it will appear - honest! I will also look back at The Siamese, and then try to make some sort of deck out of both concepts.

--[2.1 - Crypt Card Focus]--------------------------

Now with the sudden influx of vampires Third Edition brings I won't look at all of them, indeed some would have to be heavily levered into an Ahrimanes deck. Instead I will be looking at the ones that can slide more easily into your average Ahrimane deck.
First up is:

Stick
Clan: Nosferatu antitribu (group 4)
Capacity: 3
Disciplines: ANI
Sabbat.
Cheap, cheerful, and with ANI, he will stand along side Zip as a minion to fill out your crypt. Whereas on the other hand we have:

Loonar
Clan: Toreador antitribu (group 4)
Capacity: 4
Disciplines: PRE cel
Sabbat.
She gives us a PRE boost, which can deliver that ousting bleed after everyone else has done his or her thing. Having PRE means that she can load up with a Heart of the City and then sit as your potential Bleed Hammer. Even her CEL can be used to give her a little defence with the outferiors of Squirrel Balance and Swiftness of the Stag.
Next up is:

Mowgli
Clan: Gangrel antitribu (group 4)
Capacity: 5
Disciplines: FOR PRO ani cel
Sabbat: Mowgli cannot use maneuvers to maneuver to long range and cannot use presses to end combat.
The skills are there if you are going with some PRO, which as we have seen in previous Newletters. Fitting well along side Janey Pickman and Celeste Lamontagne. However his limits may prove dangerous unless you prepare for it. Finally in this issue we have

Aksinya Daclau
Clan: Gangrel antitribu (group 4)
Capacity: 9
Disciplines: ANI FOR PRE PRO cel tha
Sabbat: Once each turn during a bleed against you, if Aksinya is ready and untapped, you may discard a master card from your hand to redirect the bleed to any other Methuselah.
She was released as a spoiler in the build up to this set, and as many people commented then, she is awesome. From an Ahrimane perspective she has two in clans at superior, with FOR, PRO and cel all being very useful. She also has a great special if you load up with some Master cards, as she gives us bounce! Sure she needs to be untapped, but with some organizing she could easily get superior SPI, and thus have access to Speak with Spirits! Of course it may be easier to get Eternal Vigilance, especially as she pairs up well with Una. Add in Muricia, and a couple of Cardinal Benedictions, and you have some unholy trinity right there.
Sadly there are no vampires with SPI, with the only Bloodline skills represented being ABO and VAL, neither of which concerns us much here. Oh well, maybe in the next set?

--[2.2 - Library Card Focus]------------------------

First card is this
Abbot
Type: Action
Requires: sabbat
+1 stealth action. Requires a Sabbat vampire.
Put this card on this acting Sabbat vampire and untap him or her. This Sabbat vampire gets +1 intercept against (D) actions directed at his or her controller. A vampire may have only one Abbot.
Sure with ANI it may be better to use the various retainers, but there are two Ahrimanes without ANI, plus any other converts you take. Also retainers can be killed, stolen and otherwise abused, whereas this is permanent! You should be able to get this into play with Squirrel Balance, and then load up with Guardian Angel and Raven Spies. Still if you are taking all those actions you will need some way of untapping, and here it is

Danse Macabre
Type: Master
Master.
Choose a ready Sabbat vampire you control. Once this turn, when the chosen Sabbat vampire performs a successful action, he or she may burn a blood to untap after resolving that action.
Yes, it's a Master card, which with Sudden Reversal and Wash may never get played, but it gives a Freak Drive effect to any vampire - so long as you chose carefully when it is played.
Now to up the offence

Frontal Assault
Type: Master
Master.
Put this card in play. Each ready minion you control may enter combat with any minion controlled by your prey as a (D) action. You gain 1 pool each time a ready minion controlled by your prey is burned or sent to torpor. During your influence phase, burn this card and burn 1 pool for each ready minion controlled by your prey.
This card gives a rush for all of your minions, which is quite important, as it allows you to rush with High Top, Ohoyo Hoposkia and any other ally you may play. I think it is of more use when you have minion advantage, or at least some sort of multi rush ability. However a couple in an Ahrimane deck could easily help push your prey over the edge.
Next is

Grooming the Protégé
Type: Master
Master.
Move up to 3 blood from a ready vampire you control to a younger vampire of the same clan in your uncontrolled region.
This is good, especially with group 2, as there is a better core of Ahrimanes to Groom. In combination with some Enchant Kindred you will soon have an army of cats to overwhelm your prey, possibly with a Frontal Assault.

Harvest Rites
Type: Action
Requires: sabbat
Cost: 1 blood
+1 stealth action. Requires a Sabbat vampire.
Put this card on this acting Sabbat vampire. Once each turn, when the vampire with this card successfully hunts, he or she gains 1 additional blood. A vampire can have only one Harvest Rites.
Harvest Rites is especially powerful for the Ahrimanes, as they can combine it with The Hungry Coyote, and Vultures Buffet. This will quickly refill a thirsty Ahrimane, and would be good with Grooming the Protégé, and gives the option of a 'breed' deck to the Sterile Ahrimanes - by trying to bring out the entire crypt.

Heart of Nizchetus
Type: Equipment
Cost: 1 pool
Unique equipment.
During your untap phase, if the bearer is ready, you may draw up to three cards from your library and then move the same number of cards from your hand to the bottom of your library.
This one is hardly a surprise, as it has become the card to own. However rather than go on about how good it is, I thought I would mention how the rise of very powerful equipment, and the use of equipment generally, means it may well be worth substituting a few Canine Hordes for the usual Aid from Bats, if for no other reason than you can say "I broke your Heart". :)

Helicopter
Type: Equipment
Cost: 3 pool
Vehicle.
When a minion equips with the Helicopter, tap it. After resolving a successful action, this minion may tap the Helicopter to untap. A minion may have only one vehicle.
As above this is a definite target for those useful dogs, however it has its uses in an Ahrimane deck as you will be able to act and still be untapped ready to block. Or alternatively go for two Hunt actions, ready for some Grooming.

Instability
Type: Master
Master.
Only usable if your prey controls the Edge or the Edge is uncontrolled. Your prey may take the Edge if it is uncontrolled. You gain 2 pool. Only one Instability may be played each turn.
Sweet, sweet Pool gain! Pure and simple, sure it has some limitations, but it is still quite playable. Again it is not a card to overload on, mostly because of the Edge requirements, but a few will improve a deck.

Keep It Simple
Type: Reaction
Cost: 1 blood
Reduce a bleed against you by one for each point of stealth the acting minion has when this card is played.
Often the Ahrimanes can generate more than enough intercept to block a bleeding minion, however once in a while one will slip past, which normally meant pool loss. Well not any more, as with a couple of Keep It Simple in the deck all of that accumulated stealth will actually take the bite out of their bleed! Add in a Dummy Corporation and you should be able to reduce it down to zero - almost as good as bounce.

Minor Irritation
Type: Reaction
Only usable when this vampire successfully blocks an ally or a younger vampire (play before combat, if any). This vampire doesn't tap for successfully blocking.
This is good; the only problem I see is fitting it into a deck. Also I am not sure I would use lots, as there is the stipulation about blocking younger vampires and allies and this sort of card is just the thing the fatties need to work, so there should more of them out there, and with the Ahrimanes having an average capacity of 5.6 it could be a dead card.

On the Qui Vive
Type: Reaction
Only usable by a tapped minion. This reacting minion can play reaction cards and attempt to block as though untapped until the current action is concluded. If this minion is an ally, he or she does not untap as normal during his or her next untap phase. A minion may play only one On the Qui Vive between his or her untap phases.
This can add to the Toolboxy nature of the Ahrimanes, as this card will allow your allies to untap. As we have seen over the last few months' newletters, Ahrimane decks often include some allies, and the surprise of reacting with either Carlton Van Wyk or Ohoyo Hopoksia ready to use their varied specials should foil your predator's plans.

Yawp Court
Type: Master
Requires: sabbat
Master: unique location. Requires a ready Sabbat vampire.
Tap when a political action is successful, before the referendum, to have a ready untapped Sabbat vampire you control tap and enter combat with the acting vampire. If the acting vampire is still ready at the end of combat, the Sabbat vampire takes 2 damage, and the referendum is conducted as normal.
This is very powerful if you can properly untap as a reaction, which fortunately the Ahrimanes can with Speak with Spirits. This also gets us in to combat, where we can put vampires into torpor with the usual Carrion Crows and Aid from Bats. However there will be some S:CE to get past, which may be a problem, but if you are playing with Owl Companion at least you won't waste too many cards...

--[2.3 - Sign Off]-------------------------------------

Well I hope to be playing with these cards real soon, and also I should be trying a couple of draft games with some in the next couple of weeks - might as well get some mileage out of those little grey boxes! Also we may have some more information on the upcoming Millenium Cultists Storyline event, where you will all be playing Ahrimanes won't you? After all it is set in their neck of the woods!

Sam
*