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Textbook Damnation
==================
VEKN Official Baali Clan Newsletter
February, 2010
This Edition includes:
- Introduction
- Analysis: Heirs to the Blood
- Fiction: Final Strike
- Strategy of the Month: Infernal Hordes
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INTRODUCTION:
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So here we are just after the release of Heirs to the Blood which featured amongst others, new Baali and infernal cards.
So below I will make a short analysis of the cards as I see them.
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ANALYISI: HEIRS TO THE BLOOD:
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CRYPT CARDS:
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Annazir [HttB:V]
Clan: Baali
Group: 5
Capacity: 9
Disciplines: DAI OBF POT PRE
Independent: Anazir has 2 votes. He may burn a location or steal an equipment as a (D) action. +1 bleed. Infernal.
2 votes and a very useful ability rounded up with additional bleed. He is nice, but capacity 9 means he has to compete with other vampires in the 9-11 capacity spot and looking at that he is not that powerful anymore. But he is group 5 so he can be mixed with all the other group 4 and 5 vamps.
Arishat [HttB:V]
Clan: Baali
Group: 6
Capacity: 6
Disciplines: DAI OBF PRE
Independent: Arishat has 1 vote. Once each referendum, she may burn a blood to force a vampire to abstain. Infernal.
A 6-cap with all in-clan disciplines at superior is always nice. On top the vote and the vote ability, make her a pretty efficient vampire for presence based vote decks. Unfortunately the group 6 means, that at the moment there aren't enough other vampires in the obfuscate and presence department to be combined with her.
The Horde [HttB:U2]
Clan: Baali
Group: 6
Capacity: 3
Disciplines: dai obf pre
Independent: Non-Unique. The Horde may tap to give another infernal minion +1 bleed for the current action. Infernal.
Solid, but nothing exciting here. Tapping them for the extra bleed is more of a 1-1 pool trade unless you have the Path of Evil Revelations ready for them.
The Unnamed [HttB:V]
Clan: Baali
Group: 6
Capacity: 10
Disciplines: CEL DAI OBF PRE PRO
Independent: The unnamed may strike: 2R aggravated damage as a strike that costs 1 blood. If it successfully bleeds, you gain 2 pool. Infernal.
Looks like a city gangrel with a built in superior Body Flare for 1 blood or maybe it is just the baali with built-in conflagration and some combat disciplines. Either way the two abilities of the unnamed are huge.
Constantly being able to do ranged aggravated damage can contain many threats and gain 2 pool for a sucessful bleed is definitely huge, even if the bleed is just for 1.
I'm still a bit unsure where to go with this but the Unnamed sure has potentional.
Xeper, Sultan of Lepers [HttB:V]
Clan: Baali
Group: 6
Capacity: 7
Disciplines: ani dai pro OBF PRE
Independent: Xeper gets 1 additional vote for each unique infernal vampire you control. He may steal an ally as a D action. Infernal.
So he will have at least one vote which is good. The ally stealing ability is nice and will be of use in some games. Unfortunately he has only inferior Daimonon, but has protean so may share the Unnamed in a PRE, OBF, PRO bleed deck.
DAIMONON CARDS
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#023 Diabolic Lure (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Reaction
Discipline: Auspex/Daimonium
(aus): Reduce a bleed against you by 1
(dai): Requires an infernal vampire. Only usable when this vampire successfully blocks. Put 4 pact counters on the acting minion. If the number of pact counters equals or exceeds his or her capacity or cost, burn them to make him or her infernal
(DAI): As (dai) above, ant the acting minion's controller burns 1 pool
Requires you to block which isn't what you usually want to do with most Baali decks, but a Nergal wall might very effectively employ this, since he can also use the outferior version. Obviously Especially good against weenie deck.
#032 Flames of the Netherworld (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Reaction
Discipline: Thaumaturgy & Daimonion
(tha): Only usable at long range. This vampire burn 1 blood to strike for 1R aggravated damage.
(dai): Strike: 1 aggravated damage.
(DAI): Strike: 1R aggravated damage.
Now it boils down to this or Conflagration. Conflagration packs more punch, but costs a blood. If you just want a suprise aggravated ping this can be your card. Conflagration packs more punch and can also burn vampires so it is more likely to be used in a combat oriented Daimonon Deck (Go Valerius Mayor). Note the Thaumaturgy ability is quite nifty. This might actually see play in some tremere decks with sufficient manuevers.
#047 I am Legion (HttB:R)
Cardtype: Action Modifier
Cost: 1 blood
Discipline: dai/obf
(dai): +1 stealth.
(dai)(obf): Cancel a card that requires Auspex as it is played.
(DAI)(OBF): As (dai)(obf) above, and gain 1 pool if this action is successful (after resolving the action).
The price for this card on ebay was already above 15 USD in an auction. However depending on the vamps you are playing Hide the Mind might be better. Costs no blood, but you might not gain a pool. On top it is a card you will not include in your decks lots of the times, so I would expect its price to drop.
#103 Unleash Hell's Fury (HttB:R)
Cardtype: Action
Discipline: Daimonium (Burn option)
Cost: 2 pool
+1 stealth action. Requires an infernal vampire. Unique.
(dai): Put this card in play. This card may attempt to block a (D) action against you and is considered a 9-capacity infernal vampire with +2 intercept during that attempt. If successful, the action minion takes 1 unpreventable aggravated damage and this card is burned.
(DAI): As above and untap this vampire.
This generates a nice chumpblocker, that can block sensible bleed or rush actions. Obviously the most important thing about it, is the 1 unpreventable aggravated damage when it blocks. Utterly useless against the bashy allies/imbued but vamps have to fear that a lot. It costs 2 pool though and since is on the table can be played around.
OTHER MASTER AND MINION CARDS:
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#048 Infernal Servitor (HttB:R2)
Cardtype: Ally
Cost: 1 pool
Discipline: Daimonion
Unique demon with 2 life, 1 strength, 3 bleed. Requires an infernal vampire.
(dai): Move the servitor to the ready region when recruited. Remove her from the game if she successfully performs an action (after resolution) or if you control no infernal vampires.
(DAI): As above, and the servitor may play cards requiring Daimonion (dai) or Obfuscate (obf) as a vampire.
It can double as a one shot bleed for 3 or blocker. Could even hurt someone with Flames of the Netherworld. Ok, but not an Auto-Play
#052 Knotted Cord (HttB:R)
Cardtype. Action Modifier/Reaction
Requires an infernal minion. Only usuable during a referendum. Choose a younger vampire. The chosen vampire abstains. This can cancel that vampires votes.
Solid card if you are playing infernal votes that it :) Obviously most-useful when played by your higher-caps.
#088 Shatter the Gate (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Action
+1 stealth action. Require an infernal baali with capacity 9 or more. Put this card on this baali. A vampire with capacity 6 or more may burn the edge to burn this card as a D action. If this baali has three, burn them all to give each other Methuselah a shatter counter. A Methuselah with any shattered counters buns 3 pool during his or her untap phase.
Much harder to pull off than Call the Great Beast. Your chosen vampire needs to pull this action off three times. So during that time the other methuselah's can try to burn it, which they will unless you are playing a Baali Wall. Even if it resolves the effect might not turn out to your liking. Just like Anarch Revolt or Fame, global damage can also easily oust your grand-preys.
#096 Tend the Flock (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Master
Clan: Baali
Choose a ready, untapped, infernal baali you control. Move 3 pool from the blood bank to a younger infernal vampire in your uncontrolled region. For no cost you can speed up your vampire count or bloat by 3. Very Nice indeed.
The only downside to this card is, that it requires other younger infernal vampires in your deck, meaning it will only come into play if you play with multiples in your deck or increase the baali's capacity somehow.
#105 Veneficti (Mage) (HttB:R)
Cardtype: Ally
Clan: Baali
Cost: 1 pool
Unique mage with 2 life, 1 strength, 2 bleed, requires an infernal vampire. Veneficti has +1 stealth. He can steal a demon ally or burn a demon retainer as a (D) action. He cannot be the target of a (D) action by a vampire with capacity less than 7 or an ally. (Draft): (tha) As above, usable by a non-infernal vampire.
Now that is an excellent ally for the Baali. He is not infernal himself, so does not require any upkeep from you. His stealing ability is normally very useless, but the built in +1 stealth is very good, considering he also has a bleed of 2. Also midcap rush decks may have problems rushing him. All for the cost of 1 pool...excellent.
MALEFICIA CARDS:
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#057 Maleficia (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Master: trifle.
Put this card on an infernal vampire. This vampire may play cards that require Maleficia (not a Discipline). With two of these cards, he or she may play cards that require superior Maleficia. Burn this card if this vampire is not infernal. (DRAFT): Make a vampire you control infernal, and play this card as above.
It can only be played on infernal vampires and you cannot use discipline granting effects to get it which means you will have to have an abundant amount of this master card in your deck to be sure you'll have it on your vamps. All in all this leads to this being a rather corner-case "discipline". Due to this, the cards are very powerful and you will rarely see them. Maleficia deals with cursing the enemy and thus usually has effects that hinder then opposing vampires.
#004 Barrenness (HttB:R)
Cardtype: Action
Discipline: Maleficia
+1 stealth action.
(mal): (D) Put this card on a vampire and untap this acting vampire. This vampire is sterile and his or her capacity decreased by 2 (to a minimum of 1). Maleficia is not a Discipline.
(MAL): (D) Burn a vampire whose capacity is 1.
This can just destroy breed decks in multiples. Making the breeding vampires sterile will usually just shut those down. If you want to play this, odds are you will be playing multiples.
#029 Evil Eye (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Combat/Reaction
Cost: 1 blood
Discipline: Maleficia (burn option)
Do not replace until your untap phase.
(mal): (Combat): Cancel a strike played by the opposing minion as it is played (no cost is paid). The opposing minion cannot choose another strike and gets no strike instead. (mal) is not a Discipline.
(MAL): (Reaction): Canceal an action card as it is played and tap the acting minion.
Brutal card. Will cancel any dodge/combat ends strategy as well as the strike cards being used more often (like Aid from Bats), unfortunately will not help against guns and most potence close range combat since they just rely on inherent strikes. Superior effect is really good and just shuts down one action. All for one measly blood.
#037 Greater Curse (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Action
Discipline: Maleficia/Daimoinon
Cost: 1 blood
+1 stealth action.
(dai): (D) Bleed and gain 1 pool.
(mal): (D) Put this card on an ally or younger vampire. Bleed actions and combat cards cost this minion an additional blood or life. A minion can have only one Greate Curse. (mal) is not a Discipline.
(MAL): As (mal) above, but the vampire need not be younger.
Also very playable for just daimonon users. Compared to Eternal Mask this is just plainly better. The pool gain will offset the infernal cost for the next turn. But is it better than superior Social Charm or Legal Manipulations? Although not coming with stealth, odds are you'll be playing abundant stealth anyhows.
For Maleficia users this is the cards to go since they most likely will be able to use the daimonon effect as well and the Curse is really really good. And you will usually find a nice target for it on any table.
#061 Minor Curse (HttB:R)
Cardtype: Action
Discipline: Maleficia (Burn option)
(mal): (D) Put this card on any minion. this minion's controller doesn't replace cards played by this minion until the end of the action. (mal) is not a Discipline.
(MAL): As above, but cards are not replaced until the discard phase of that turn.
Also nice and this time without a blood cost. Although I would only play it for its superior effect.
#076 Psalm of the Damned (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Action Modifier
Discipline: Presence & Maleficia
(pre): Burn 1 blood to get +1 bleed. You cannot play another action modifier to increase this bleed.
(mal): Choose a minion. The chosen minion cannot play reaction cards (including (reaction) abilities of power cards) this action. (mal) is not a Discipline.
(MAL): As (mal) above, and the chosen minion cannot block this action.
If you don't wanna be blocked or deflected by one guy this is your option. For no cost this is an excellent block/reaction denial card. On top the presence effect is at least playable if you really need 1 more bleed.
STRIGA CARDS:
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#093 Striga (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Master
Master. Trifle.
Put this card on an infernal vampire. This vampire may play cards that require Striga (not a Discipline). With two of these cards, he or she may play cards that require superior Striga. Burn this card if this vampire is not infernal.
(DRAFT): Make a vampire you control infernal, and play this card as above.
Obviously the same applies for this as for Maleficia with the exception that it is a more physically applied witchcraft.
#094 Strix (HttB:R)
Cardtype: Reaction
Discipline: Striga (burn option)
Cost: 1 blood
(str): +1 intercept, even if intercept is not yet needed. If this vampire successfully blocks this action, he or she untaps at the end of the action. (str) is not a Discipline
(STR): Only usable when a bleed against you is successful. The bleed burns no pool. Instead, this vampire taps and enters combat with the acting minion
For 1 bleed you get a combined cat's guidance inferior plus superior for 1 blood. The superior version assumes that you can and want to fight but will stop any bleed whatsoever regardless of stealth or even if unblockable.
#034 Fractura (HttB:R)
Cardtype: Combat
Discipline: Striga/Celerity
Cost: X blood
(cel): X is 0. Strike: dodge.
(str): This vampire gains X additional strikes each round. Those additional strikes can only be hand strikes. (str) is not a Discipline.
(STR): As (str) above, and this vampire gets +1 strength for the remainder of this combat.
Unfortunately the additional strikes can only be used for hand strikes. This will put this card firmly into close combat strategies. Good that a bunch of those infernal vamps has potence. Also note that this lasts the entire combat
#043 Hexe (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Combat
Cost: 1 blood
Discipline: Daimonion & Maleficia
(dai): Strike: 2R damage.
(str): Strike: 1R aggravated damage. (str) is not a Discipline.
(STR): As (str) above, and the damage is unpreventable.
The daimonon and inferior effect is really rather useless when compared to the two daimonon aggravated strike cards, but the superior effects kicks vampire a$$. Unpreventable ranged aggravated damage without a restriction of usage is really good.
#058 Masca (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Action Modifier
Cost: 1 blood
Discipline: Obfuscate & Maleficia
(obf): +1 stealth.
(str): This acting vampire gets an optional additional strike each round of combat until the end of this action. (str) is not a Discipline.
(STR): As (str) above, but with +2 stealth.
I'm not sure what to make of this card. The stealth affects are OK but rather costly for the 1 blood cost. One additional strike per round for 1 blood is OK, but since you will have to play it as an action modifier you will sit on it when you draw it in combat. Still versatile, so might be included in low numbers
#084 Scobax (HttB:C)
Cardtype: Reaction
Discipline: Presence and Striga
(pre): Reduce a bleed against you by 1.
(str): The acting minion gets -1 stealth. (str) is not a Discipline.
(STR): As (str) above, and the action ends immediately (unsuccessfully) unless the acting minion burns 1 blood or life.
This is a good one. The presence effect is easily playable by anyone. The Striga effect can be played on any action so you can use it to good effect in helping other methuselah's out in terms of deals etc.
All in All Maleficia and Striga are corner-case "disciplines" and decks supporting those will most likely fall under the fun-category.
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FINAL STRIKE:
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Arishat and Leper looked at the hordes of minions beneath them. For years they had been preparing this strike and now the time had come. This time the methuselah would fall for sure.
For the last months they had relentless attacked his ressources and on this cold winter night he was bound to finally fall.
Arishat was relievd to have Xeper by his side. Just a week ago, he prevented an assault by a renegade garou in the last mintue and drew the flea-bag over to their side. The methuselah's anger over this loss was felt by his underlings indeed.
Now the werewolf was standing beside Xeper roaring with rage, ready to be unleashed.
It was all but a whisper, but all that attended understood Arishat at once. The attack had begun. The minions swarmed away into the direction where they had found the methuselah to reside. Already screams could be heard from his hapless ghouls and retainers.
As soon as he was weakened enough Arishat would go in and deal the final blow.
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VAMPIRE OF THE MONTH
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Arishat
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G6 / DAI OBF PRE
Cap - 6
Independet. Arishat has 1 vote (titled). Once each referendum, she may burn 1 blood to force a vampire to abstain. Infernal.
Capacity 6 vampires with all in-clan disciplines at superior are always a treat and thanks to Arishat's infernalism her powers do not stop there.
1 vote herself and on top the power to let one vampire abstain makes her a huge asset in any presence voting strategy.
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DECK OF THE MONTH
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Deck Name : Arishat's Hordes
Author : Bernd Schwabe
Description : Arishat and some fellow Baali Vote and create Hordes
Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 3 max: 9 average: 5,66667
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4x Arishat 6 DAI OBF PRE Baali:6
2x Annazir 9 OBF PRE DAI POT Baali:5
2x Xeper, Sultan 7 OBF PRE dai ani pro Baali:6
4x The Horde 3 obf pre dai Baali:6
Arishat is the star here. All disciplines at superior a vote and a vote cancelling ability makes her good in the vote department. Annazir brings 2 votes himself and may burn locations and equipment (+1 bleed is just a bonus). Xeper has 1-3 votes depending on the other ones out and can steal allies. So all in all nice utility. The Horde are there as basic chump blockers or bleeders.
Library (75 cards)
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Action (6)
2x Condemnation: Mute
1x Contagion
1x Entrancement
2x Legal Manipulations
Condemnation: Mute is here to silence those pesky vote-givers on the table.
Action Modifier (19)
1x Awe
3x Bewitching Oration
2x Faceless Night
1x I am Legion
3x Lost in Crowds
1x Perfect Paragon
1x Spying Mission
2x Veil the Legions
4x Voter Captivation
Fairly basic stealth and vote module.
Combo (1)
1x Knotted Cord
Ally (2)
1x Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)
1x Veneficti (Mage)
Unless I misread Veneficti, he has 2 bleed at 1 stealth constantly...
Combat (6)
2x Flames of the Netherworld
4x Majesty
Flames of the Netherworld has the benefit of not costing a blood. This can always suprise the opponent.
Event (1)
1x Anthelios, The Red Star
Master (25)
1x Archon Investigation
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Fortschritt Library
1x Giant's Blood
3x Parthenon, The
3x Path of Evil Revelations
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Ruins of Charizel
1x Secure Haven
4x Tend the Flock
1x Tribute to the Master
2x Vessel
2x Villein
1x Wider View
1x Wash
Fairly plentiful master cards. Path of Evil Revelations is worthwile as a drop even if you can't defend it as long as it saves pool. Tend the Flock allows you to gain 3 pool or a new vampire, basically your choice while Wider View allows to sift through unneeded crypt cards.
Political Action (12)
1x Banishment
2x Consanguineous Boon
3x Kine Resources Contested
4x Reckless Agitation
2x Rumors of Gehenna
Reaction (2)
2x On the Qui Vive
Reaction/Action Modifier (2)
2x Sense the Sin
For the occasional suprise intercept or bleed modifier.
Cheers
Bernd Schwabe
VEKN Prince of Hanau