Blog remake

If anyone is reading this I made a decision to switch this blog from being V:tes related to a general one. The key to the coffin of my interest in V:tes was the last storyline in which they (IMHO) destroyed everything I liked in some of the bloodlines. I was never found of the storylines but the last one was to much for me.

What is going to appear here.
My views on how countries should be ruled, and where is the world heading in my opinion.
Reviews of games I play, some informations about them maybe sometimes other articles about them.

What can be expected next:
Something about kickstarter set up by Raging Heroes.
Analysis of what is bad in the way how some countries implement democracy and why aren't other systems much better.
My opinion on wealth distribution, corporations, banks and taxes.
Review of core set of Nightfall (I bought one IU have to read the rules and start playing).
Opinion on current book distribution methods and its influence on RPG.
Review of Armie Apokalipsy (Armies of Apocalypse). It is a polish RPG about angels, for mature audience only (any possible articles on this blog will not contain mature content.
Some thoughts about the new Codex for the Eldar (an army in WH:40k).

Haven't posted in a while...

Because after what this *not so competent* storyline writer made of my favorite bloodline made me angry and official death of v:tes made me loose spirit for this game completely.
I have new project. I want to create similar themed card game and I'll try to post here its mechanics and cards.
I played vtes last Wednesday. I went on a meeting of my local playgroup and met only 1 person from old crew. It was... weird. 1 year and such huge change. I don't really enjoyed how it went. People was practicing before European continental championships in Warsaw so decks was made more for effect and less for fun and peoples mind set and all was result not fun focused. I didn't liked that. I'll see when I'll return, likely I will spend more time with my cards making deck (what I still like) than actually playing.

Kiasyd combat part 3 - Combat cards for Obtenebration

Since I have just seen that somebody reads my blog it gave me motivation to finish my articles about combat for Kiasyds.

Its finally time for obtenebration.
There are combat 11 cards that require obtenebration (and don't require mytherceria).

Ahriman's Demesne
Cost: 2 blood
Not usable the first round of combat. Only usable at long range.
[obt] Strike: 1R aggravated damage.
[OBT] As above, and if the opposing minion is a vampire and would go to torpor during the resolution of this strike, he or she is burned instead. This is not considered diablerie.
When I first seen this card I was very enthusiastic about it. I still consider its effects as great but I also consider it as to hard to play to be worth to play. I tried to play my !tremere deck based on second round combat and it was horrible. Kiasyds have even worse cards to try to fight in this way effectively. To land your killing blow with this card your opponent have to:
- don't end combat
- don't use string first round combat that you aren't able to survive
- don't limit your strikes or range
- don't prevent damage
- don't be immune to aggravated damage.
- don't dodge your strike
There are ways to prevent S:CE, dodge's, immortal grapple and so on but only to limit strikes, set range for second round and play Ahriman's Demense you have to pay 6 blood (2 Thoughts Betrayed + 2 Shadow Step + 2 for the card).
I find only 1 condition when it will be worth working with combat around this card - trophy deck. Kiasyd bloodline have access to 4 votes with most luck and no additional cards so it is better to be able to avoid blood hunt referendum that to try to survive it. Still I haven't seen or heard about none deck based on this and I doubt that I'll ever see it in future (at least in TWDA :P).
2/5 (good effect but to hard to play)

Arms of the Abyss
[obt] Strike: dodge.
[OBT] Strike: dodge, with an additional strike.
Arms of the Abyss is for me the base card to even think about combat deck for Kiasyd (IMHO all obtenebration based combat). It provides good amount of survivability and passes eventual dodge. Of course all provided only by superior version, inferior gives only hopes to survive one round. In contrast to Acrobatics it don't cost a single blood and in contrast to Hell-for-Leather you don't have to become an anarch. I consider it to be one of the best combat cards regardless of disciplines.
5/5

Call the Lamprey
[obt] Strike: steal 1 blood from the opposing ally. Only usable during combat with an ally.
[OBT] Strike: steal 1 blood from the opposing minion.
1 blood... its just not worth the effort to put it into deck for 1 blood. I hope that they never reprint this card.
1/5

Darkness Within
Cost: 1 blood
[obt] Put this card into play before range is determined. Once each round, during strike resolution, move 1 blood (or life) from the opposing minion to this card (even at long range). Burn this card when combat ends. This vampire gains half of the blood (rounded up) from this card when it is burned. A minion can play only one Darkness Within each combat.
[OBT] As above, with an optional maneuver.
Great, unpreventable environmental loss of blood that pays back after combat. IMHO nice card but Kiasyds have not enough multiple rounds potential to take from this card as much as is needed for this card to shine. Without better synergy I rate it as average
3/5

Entombment
Cost: 2 blood
[obt] Strike: burn the opposing ally.
[OBT] Strike: send the opposing vampire into torpor.
Great card. A bit pricey (normal damage can be changed to blood using Taste of Vitae) but its still can be only dodged and it sends to torpor. Vampire send with it looses no blood what gives both advantage or disadvantage depending how do you plan to use it later. If you are going to steal this vampire with Graverobbing, burn with Amaranth (hopefully followed by Ritual of Bitter Rose) or dealt otherwise in the current turn its great if not... You pay 2 blood (+ eventual damage taken) for loss of 2 blood and 1 action to save vampire from torpor. It doesn't sound that cool does it? Someone would say that it can be still great with Fame so there will be blood to save this vampire and put him/her there again. Its not that great. Controller of vampire in torpor have to agree to pay any of blood needed to save vampire from torpor from him/her. More experienced players tend to left such vampire in torpor if they cannot get rid of fame or let them meet final death.
I rate it 4/5

Hell-for-Leather
Requires an anarch. Only one Hell-for-Leather may be played at a given Discipline each combat.
[ani] Strike: dodge, with an additional strike.
[cel] Additional strike (that doesn't count against the limit).
[obt] Play if this anarch is ready and the opposing minion is not. The opposing minion's controller burns 2 pool.
It is better card for Kiasyd than it looks at first glance. Its not only usable at obt for most groups. In 4th group Omme and Roderick have cel and (IMHO) the only thing that makes 6th group worth any considering is Myrna with ANI mixed with Nitidas with ani. For Omme and Roderick it largely increases their maximum damage output per round and for Myrna and Nitidas it lets them use Arms of the Abyss efect without improving obt of the smaller vampire.
Most would probably now wouldn't agree with me but I rate it as 3/5 (need some setup, usable once per combat and there are other clans and bloodlines that put vampires easier into torpor)

Oubliette
Cost:1 blood
[obt] Strike: combat ends.
[OBT] As above, and the opposing minion burns one blood (or life) after combat.
I know that possibility to continue action as unblocked might be worth more than loss of 1 blood/life but out of 2 obt combat ends its my favourite. First of all without some nice effect like untap (Majesty) I don't like being the only person that pays blood in single combat. Secondly I'm mostly blocked when I bleed so I like more effect that can take place each time I play combat end than Shadow Body.
4/5 (not the best combat end that exists but still quite nice one without drawbacks and with normal cost)

Shadow Body
Cost:1 blood
[obt] Strike: combat ends.
[OBT] As above, and if this vampire was blocked while performing an action other than a political action or bleeding, the action continues as if unblocked.
Nice card its arguably better than Oubliette since it lets you continue your action as unblocked if you wasn't bleeding or playing political action.
4/5

Shadow Parasite
Cost:2 blood
[obt] Strike: 3R damage. Only usable at long range.
[OBT] Strike: 4R damage. Only usable at long range.
There is no reason to pay 2 blood for 1 damage more than Earth Swords provide.
1/5

Shadow Step
[obt] Maneuver.
[OBT] Only usable at the beginning of a round. This vampire burns 2 blood to set the range for {this} round. If he or she does so, skip the Establish Range step for this round.
Quite expensive set range (both in blood and money). It may be vital for some decks but unless you need it for some amazing strike that can be made only in one particular range its not worth using (fae contortion is better).
2/5 (in decks that rely on strong effects at single range it would be 4/5)

Shadow Strike
Cost:1 blood
[obt] Strike: strength ranged damage, with an optional maneuver.
[OBT] As above, with an optional press.
With Darkness Within it looks similar to Carrion Crows with Aid from the Bats (since most of Kiasyd have 1 base strength and limited options to improve it) but it have smaller damage output and cost 1 blood each card.
1/5 (for Lasombra I would rate it much higher)

Next time either non combat cards that are made for combat (equipment and so on) or cards that don't require disciplines. I hope that next time will be sooner :P

Kiasyd combat part 2 - combat on Dominate

There are only few combat cards that require dominate.

Absorb the Mind exploits Mytherceria as its main discipline so I'm not going to write about it again.
Denial of Aphrodite's Favor requires also fortitude and can be used as combat card only by vampires with DOM & FOR so without additional help it isn't available for any kiasyd (at least until new expansion, but I don't think it will change in HttB.

Autonomic Mastery
Only usable at close range.
[dom] Strike: burn the opposing non-wraith ally or a non-wraith retainer on the opposing minion.
[DOM] Strike: hand strike. Damage from this strike is reduced to zero. Combat ends immediately after this strike resolves, unless it is dodged. Only usable in combat with a non-wraith ally or a younger vampire.
About dom version: There is one thing better than dead ally/retainer in your oponent ash heap. The same ally/retainer in your ready region/on your minion.
About DOM version: It' nice when you don't have to take more than one strike per fight but its better if you don't have to suffer any strike.
At dom its better to use Far Mastery to take control over a(n) ally/retainer. At DOM its better to use combat ends based on Obtenebration. Still there is no other card that gives you either possibility to kill opposing ally/retainer or end combat. Yet this combat end isn't even worth considering (one strike is enough to loose lot of blood or go to torpor) and in most situations its safer to use other ways that enables killing allies than this (either by regular damage from Earth Swords or by effect from Entombment of Basilisk's Touch). You can say that its the cheapest way of killing ally. Yes Its the most sure and cheapest way to do it but other cards that makes the same have also other good effects and this card's other effect weak.
1/5

Still the Mortal Flesh
Only usable in combat with an ally or younger vampire. Not usable against a mummy, wraith, or zombie.
[dom] Maneuver or press.
[DOM] Strike: burn the opposing ally.
Cost: 1 blood
Lot of requirements blood cost and effects worse than other available cards that do the same. Of course someone may want to consider this card for this combination of effects but I doubt it would be wise to use this card.
1/5

Thoughts Betrayed
Only usable before range is determined on the first round.
[dom] Opposing minion takes 1 additional damage in the first round of combat during normal strike resolution.
[DOM] Opposing minion cannot play any strike cards for the duration of this combat.
Cost: 2 blood
Its the only available for kiasyd card that prevents opponent from using strike: combat ends, and the best combat card based on dominate (actually the only one I have ever seen in play). It isn't the cheapest card with this effect but the only one that can be used regardless of range and it forbids using s:ce and isn't prolonging fight after combat ends (like Psyche! and Telepathic Tracking). The best combo I have ever seen this card in was with addition of entombment and amaranth (opposing minion don't loose blood, you gain it all at the end of combat, and opposing vampire is no more, the deck in which I've seen this combination was based on Lasombra with votes so it was quite safe during bloodhunt referendum). Kiasyd don't have enough combat power to hunt for other vampires in the same way as dedicated combat clans so I don't consider this card worth of using in decks based on this bloodline.
3/5

Tranquility
Only usable by a ready vampire not involved in combat.
[dom] Cancel a frenzy card as it is played (no cost is paid).
[DOM] As above, and the target of the frenzy card gets an optional press, only usable to end combat.
There isn't much to say about this card. If your meta isn't crazy about frenzy cards it isn't worth worsening card flow with this card. It have narrow utility so if you aren't sure that you will have problem with frenzy cards don't take it.
1/5

Starter for kiasyd

It is said. Kiasyd will have their own starter. They will be mixed with Lasombra.
Its not exactly what I was hoping for but I cannot say it was unexpected. Bloodlines was made as support beings not stand alone clans. :(

Heirs to the Blood

New expansion will contain 170 new cards.
Most important matter that remains is if there will be reprints in this expansion. Last few expansion was made either of some reprints and some new cards or only new cards. New card only expansions had 60 or 150 new cards so I hope that HttB will be similar to KoT and 3rd edition rather expanded 150 card version.

Edit: It was only rumours that there will be any cards available only in starters.

Kiasyd combat part 1 - combat on Mytherceria

After a long time without update I decided to move something on this blog. I'm going to write about combat since its the 3rd strongest side of this bloodline (maybe it isn't strong enough to create deck that could easily win tournament but good enough for fun deck or casually fighting deck). Since it is quite a lot of stuff to write about combat ill start from combat cards.

There are 5 combat (or combo with combat option) cards based on mytherceria.

Absorb the Mind
[dom] Strike: dodge.
[myt] Strike: ranged. Steal 1 blood.
[MYT] Strike: ranged. Steal 1 blood and steal 1 master: Discipline card from the opposing vampire (put it on this striking vampire).
Stealing one blood isn't the best combat option ever. Stealing master: Discipline card would sound great if this kind of card would be popular (and based on my experience it isn't). Dodge seems to be worth using since if you want to have this effect without disciplines you can't replace card until end of combat so for winnie dom this card seems to be usable, but kiasyd have access to better defensive cards.
I give this card 2/5

Basilisk's Touch
Cost: 2 blood
Only usable in combat with an ally or younger vampire. Only usable before range is determined.
[pot] This vampire gets +1 strength for the remainder of combat.
[myt] If any damage is successfully inflicted from this vampire's hand strikes this round, send the opposing vampire to torpor or burn the opposing ally.
[MYT] As [myt] above, and the opposing vampire burns 1 blood if any damage is successfully inflicted.
In fluff this ability is awesome but as a card its nearly wallpaper. Basically effect is similar to entombment. You strike at close range, pay 2 blood and ally is burned or vampire is send to torpor... But! You can use entombment against older vampire, you can't prevent it and you can play it later than B.T. The only fields that sound better in B.T. from kiasyd point of view is that Marconius and Omme can play it for 1 blood (al lasombra can play entombment for 1 blood if their matusaleh have path of night) and if successfully used it means not only torpor but also damage from hand strike and 1 blood to burn when used at MYT.
If this card would be basically for 1 blood I think it would be usable but the way it is its just card for collectors and masochists.
1/5

Darkling Trickery
[obt] Press, only usable to end combat.
[myt] Maneuver or press.
[MYT] Only usable when the opposing minion attempts to strike with a weapon that does ranged damage. The damage from that weapon is reduced to 0. The opposing minion takes 1 additional damage during strike resolution.
At myt it's good addition for combat. At MYT it gives some protection against some decks based on guns (or Kerrie :P). It reduces damage from single strike but its still great option since its the only card that prevents damage kiasyd have access to (I don't count disciplineless card because it isn't efficient).
4/5 Nothing game breaking but if you plan to fight its good to have access to flexible card that gives you maneuver or press.

Earth Swords
[pot] Strike: 1R damage.
[myt] Strike: 2R damage.
[MYT] Strike: 3R damage.
When comparing to other combat cards its easiest to compare it to sacrament of carnage. When compared to it its great card. It deals proper damage, its free and usable at long range. But... potence have better cards to deal damage at long range and they can be improved by Increased Strength. Earth Swords can be improved only by target cards. It is still good card though but 3 damage from strike card is just not the best way of fighting in this game. Still its good and if its only addition to non combat oriented deck it can be great help and nice strike back when opposing other minions.
4/5 sound as good grade for this card.

Fae Contortion
[myt] [REFLEX] Cancel a grapple card played on this vampire as it is played (no cost is paid).
[obt] [COMBAT] Maneuver.
[myt] [COMBAT] Maneuver.
[MYT] [ACTION MODIFIER] +1 stealth.
Its IMHO the best combat card that is available for kiasyd bloodline. It have 3 effects and all of them are good. I have only one advice about this card. If you play against pot deck don't use it to manouver at long range if you want to play strike: combat ends. Each combat deck that fights on one specific range should have some ways to change range so its safer to think that your opponent will have more maneuvers than immortal grapples.
I rate this card 5/5