Deck Archetypes: Euro Brujah

"Euro Brujah" is a toolbox deck archtype which uses Princes of the clan Brujah w/ the "Dominate" discipline. The name is derived from the fact that the Princes used in this deck type ("Donal O'Connor", "Constanza Vinti" and "Volker") are all princes of European cities. This decktype is around since the early VtES expansion "Dark Sovereigns", and is quite successful every since. There are at least 7-8 decks of this archetype in "Lasombra's Tournament Winning Deck Archive". The popularity of this decktype has dwindled in the past few years, not because it has become weaker, but due to the fact that players have moved on to play decks with new tricks and new ideas.

How to win with them
The "Euro Brujah" deck is somewhat toolboxy in nature, since it offers a pretty good offense/defense capabilities in all three major fields (bleed/combat/vote). The deck can oust in a number of ways, usually either using "Fame" or "Tension in the Ranks" or by bleeding out its prey (after some or most of it's preys minions have torporized). A handful of political actions, namely "Parity Shift", are used as support. The deck is strong because it uses a number of cards which are strong by themselves, especially the "Parity Shift", "Govern the Unaligned" and "Second Tradition: Domain".

• Bleed: Use "Conditionings" and "Govern The Unaligned" for hefty bleeds, although you should use the later for bloating in the first phase of the game. The decks main bleed defense are the "Second Traditions: Domain". If a Stealth & Bleed deck or Powerbleed decks manages to get through, use a "Deflection" to bounce the bleed to your prey.
• Combat: The proverb "The best defense is a good offense" is definetely true for this deck. Typically "Euro Brujah" feature one of two different combat packages. The first one consists of "Torn Signpost", "Immortal Grapple" and "Blur" for short range combat; second one consists of the "Concealed Weapons" and ".44 Magnums" combo with an occasional "Blur" or "Pursuit" for long range combat. "Taste of Vitae" is used in both packages for recovering blood. Since your deck is not too focused on combat, you should try to threaten to block more often rather than try to block all the time.
• Vote: Although this deck is not primarily a vote deck, it can usually get some political actions through with the permanents on the table or some negotations. Do not use the "Parity Shift" votes carelessly; Use it either if you lunge to oust your prey (usually as the first action in that turn), or if your down on pool to help you survive. Playing it very early in the game can easily lead to table hate/fear.
• Defense: "Second Tradition Domain" is the decks first line of defense against all types of hostile actions. But since the amount of "Second Tradition: Domain" is not limitless, you should generally not tap all of your minions during your own turn. This also saves the blood you would have to pay for the untap effect of the "Second Tradition: Domain".

How to win against them
Though the "Euro Brujah" deck has a very versatile and strong offense and defense, it has weaknesses, although there are few of them:

• When trying to bring through important actions against the "Euro Brujah" you need to have +3 stealth, e.g. a "Forgotten Labyrinth" does the job. The good thing is that the amount of stealth is quite calcuable, i.e. if there is no intercept location on the table, you can expect that the Brujah cannot generate more intercept than the +2 intercept "Second Tradition: Domain" is providing.
• The deck is vulnerable against hitback in combat since it has no or low prevention capabilities. Prevention is usually limited to "Guardian Angel", "Sidelip" or "Leatherjacket". So if you can dish out 3+ damage or if you have additional strikes (and can survive the initial strike) or can produce two or more aggravated damage the Euro Brujahs are in trouble. The "Euro Brujah" also do not like opponents which can prevent damage (e.g. with "Rolling with the Punches" or "Skin of Steel") since it often relies on "Taste of Vitae" to recover blood lost in combat or spend otherwise.
• The actions taken by "Euro Brujah" are usually at +1 stealth only. So if you have an "Unmasking" in play, you may chump block important actions like a "Parity Shift" with a "Procurer" or a "Shambling Hordes". The same goes for any other intercept location you may have in play, and a vampire which is likely to survive the combat. But beware: the Euro Brujah hit hard in combat!
• If you can manage to push a vote through (e.g. with "Awe"), the "Euro Brujah" are not likely to counter this, since they rely on the permanent votes of the Camarilla princes. There is no "Delaying Tactics" to expect, though rarely you might see a "Scalpel Tongue" as response to a political action.

All in all the "Euro Brujah" suffer sometimes from the predictatbility, and their toolboxy approach.

Key Cards

• "Second Tradition: Domain" -- the first line of defense, since it offers both untap and +2 intercept.
• "Parity Shift" -- the decks sheet anchor .. if anything goes wrong either use the Parity Shift on your prey or predator to regain crucial pool.
• "Govern the Unaligned" -- used both for bloating and bleeding.
• "Torn Signpost" / "Immortal Grapple" / "Blur" -- the main combat package, able to kill most opponents

Notable Examples & Variations

• As mentioned above there are quite a number of "Euro Brujah" decks, sample includes
  
  • "Bell's Bruise, Bleed, and Bloat Brujah" by John Bell
  • "Brujah with Dominate" by Ira Fay
• "Carthage Remembered" -- With the master card "Carthage Remembered" this deck mutates into a stealth & bleed deck, since it gives all Brujah Princes +1 stealth for bleed actions. The Princes are then also used for defending the card. Example:
  
  • "Princes of Carthage" by Legbiter
• "Brujah Debate" -- like "Carthage Remembered" this is a multiplier card, which needs the protection. The deck focuses on "Brujah Debate" as combat permanent card, not only to make the Brujah princes combat monsters but also Brujah small caps. "Progenies" can be used to further boost the benefits from "Brujah Debate".
  
  • "Los chicos Llongueras" by Txus Alútiz

Sample Decklist

Quebec Championship 2006
November 4, 2006
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
20 methuselahs

Deck Name : Blast from the Past
Author : Richard Blais
Description : EuroBrujah deck with a little spicy Beast. Not a strong actual archetype, but if well played you can manage Tournament Win and crawl your way to the top. By the way "Pentex Subersion" rocks. This card gave me the VP needed to make the final and win the tournament.

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity average: 7.17
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4x Theo Bell 7 POT cel dom pre Brujah:2
3x Beast, The Leather 7 OBF POT ani cel !Nosferatu:2
2x Constanza Vinti 8 CEL DOM POT prince Brujah:2
2x Dónal O'Connor 8 CEL DOM POT prince Brujah:2
1x Volker, The Puppet 5 CEL pot prince Brujah:2

Library [90 cards]
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Action [7]
1x Aranthebes, The Immortal
6x Govern the Unaligned

Action Modifier [4]
4x Conditioning

Combat [45]
2x Amaranth
5x Blur
2x Decapitate
5x Disarm
6x Earthshock
9x Immortal Grapple
7x Taste of Vitae
9x Torn Signpost

Master [14]
5x Blood Doll
1x Carver's Meat Packing and Storage
1x Celerity
1x Depravity
2x Fame
1x Giant's Blood
1x KRCG News Radio
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Rumor Mill, Tabloid Newspaper, The

Political Action [3]
1x Anarchist Uprising
2x Parity Shift

Reaction [17]
6x Deflection
4x On the Qui Vive
7x Second Tradition: Domain