German VtES Championship 2008 in Ludwigshafen

The German VtES Championship 2008 will take place at the DASHaus in Ludwigshafen, Germany on the weekend of November 22nd/23rd. The location DASHaus should be familiar to most of the German players since we used the location for at least four National events in the past years.

1. Timetable German Championship
   
   • Date: Saturday 22.11.2008 "German Championship"
   • Format: Standard Constructed
   • Schedule:
     10:00 - 10:45 Registration
     11:00 - 13:00 Round 1
     14:00 - 16:00 Round 2
     16:10 - 18:10 Round 3
     18:30 - 20:30 Finals*
   
   * Eventually we will be offering a Duffin Draft tournament during the finals
   


2. Timetable "Keepers of Tradition" Launch Event
   
   • Date: Sunday 23.11.2008 "Keepers of Tradition" Launch Event
   • Format: Booster Draft
   • Boosters: 7x Keepers of Tradition, 2x Gehenna
   
   
   • Entry Fee for the Booster Draft: 18 EUR
   • Schedule:
     9:00 - 9:45 Registration
     10:00 - 11:00 Booster draft + deckbuilding
     11:15 - 13:15 Round 1
     14:15 - 16:15 Round 2
     16:30 - 18:30 Round 3
     18:45 - 20:45 Finals*
   * Eventually we will be offering a Duffin Draft tournament during the finals
   


3. Address
   Kulturzentrum dasHaus
   ehemals Haus der Jugend
   
   Förderverein "das Haus" e.V.
   Bahnhofstrasse 30
   67059 Ludwigshafen, Germany


4. Entry Fee
   There is no entry fee. Every participant gets 2 boosters from a current VtES sets. Players who play for their first time in an official VtES tournament get a VtES starter.


5. Prizes
   
   • Main Price: TBA
   • Finalist: Boosters, Boosters, Boosters,....
   
   

"Rise of the Imperator" Storyline Event

On the White Wolf storyline website you can find information about the next (and last) part of this year's storyline event series called "Rise of the Imperator":

Faced with increasing threats from an anach revolt, the deadly Sabbat, and their own internal strife, the Camarilla's Inner Circle has agreed to appoint a military commander – an Imperator. The new Imperator will have the mandate to enforce the traditions and maintain discipline among the Kindred, and be granted broad powers to fulfill this mission. Who among the clans will have to power to seize this exalted position? Who will have the strength to keep it?

Aftermath of the "Black Miracle & Lies" Storyline

Ben Swainbank, the VtES Storyline Coordinator, has posted information about the aftermath story of the "Black Miracles & Lies" storyline event. "Black Miracles & Lies" is the second part of this years three-part storyline event series, and was played during the NAC 2008 in Montreal, Canada earlier this year.

Here you can find the Black Miracle & Lies Aftermath and more information about White Wolf's storyline events in general as well.

"Keepers of Tradition": Crypt/Library/Reprinted Cards

For the upcoming VtES expansion "Keepers of Tradition" I have put up in the Polish VtES forum lists of the new Crypt and Library cards, as well as those reprinted in the boosters. This information comes primarily from IRC channel #vtes, the Usenet Newsgroup as well as various VtES forums around the world:

• Keepers of Tradition Crypt cards
  
• Keepers of Tradition Library cards
  
• Keepers of Tradition Reprints

Also there will be four new starters in the "Keepers of Tradition" expansion:

• Keeper of Tradition: Brujah Starter
• Keeper of Tradition: Malkavian Starter
  
• Keeper of Tradition: Toreador Starter
  
• Keeper of Tradition: Ventrue Starter

The starter deck lists are complete for some time now, but now also the crypt and library lists with the actual card texts are complete as well.

"Keepers of Tradition": Complete Card Checklist

Lasombra has completed the task of documenting the contents of the next VtES expansion "Keepers of Tradition":

• Complete Card Checklist (with rarities)
• Content of the Prerelease Kit

He also has listed the individual starter decks:

• Brujah Preconstructed Deck
• Malkavian Preconstructed Deck
• Toreador Preconstructed Deck
• Ventrue Preconstructed Deck

"Keepers of Tradition": Overview New Library Cards

Here's the complete list/overview of new library cards of the new VtES expansion "Keepers of Tradition". Thanks to Lasombra for the compilation!

• New Rares -- 16 total
• Arcane Appraiser
• Enkil Cog
• Ephor
• Monastery of Shadows
• New Carthage
• Nocturn Theater
• Ponticulus
• Scourge of the Enochians
• Soul Scan
• Tainted Spring
• Target Retainer
• Touch of Clarity
• Veles' Hunt
• Waiting Game
• Warsaw Station
• White Nights Massacre


• New Uncommons -- 19 Total
• Becoming, The
• Blood of Sandman
• Charismatic Aura
• Childling Muse
• Coterie Tactics
• Dark Influences
• Dark Mirror of the Mind
• Heroic Might
• Kevlar Vest
• Leech
• Light Intensifying Goggles
• Old Friends
• Papillon
• Perfect Paragon
• Persona Non Grata
• Repair the Undead Flesh
• Scourge
• Still the Mortal Flesh
• Villein


• New Commons -- 17 Total
• Agate Talisman
• Ashur Tablets
• Deep Song
• Eyes of Argus
• Eyes of the Beast
• Fleetness
• Force of Personality
• Horseshoes
• Loki's Gift
• Mouthpiece
• Neonate Breach
• No Trace
• Oath, The
• Rego Motus
• Steadfastness
• Torrent
• Wrong and Crosswise

For individual cardtexts check the links in this overview article.

Results European Draft Championship 2008

Here are the results from the V:tES European Draft Championship, which was played on November 8th, 2008 in Paris, France with 48 players participating. The standings of the final round were as follows:

1. Robert Fängler (GER) -- 1 GW 5.5 VP -- 1.5 VP
2. Vincent "Ankha" Ripoll (FRA) -- 1 GW 5.5 VP -- 1.5 VP
2. Reyda "The Little Pander" Seddiki (FRA) -- 2 GW 6 VP - 0 VP
2. Orian "TTCMaster" Gissler (FRA) -- 2 GW 5.5 VP -- 0.5 VP
2. Florian "Blondin" Prosper (FRA) -- 1 GW 5.5 VP -- 0 VP

Congratulations to Robert for winning the VtES European Draft Championship 2008. You can find a tournament report (in french) on the Sabbat in France forum and the White Wolf website and some pictures of the event on Picasa.

Official "Keepers of Tradition" Announcement

White Wolf has finally -- just two weeks before the official release date -- managed to officially announce the release of the next VtES expansion "Keepers of Tradition". Aside from the known facts that the set's theme is based on the Camarilla and there will be four starters (for "Brujah", "Malkavian", "Toreador" and "Ventrue") it was disclosed that the Pre-Release Kit will contain four new promo cards, although the actual card texts are unknown yet:

• House of Sorrow
  
• Subdued by the Blood
  
• Two Wrongs
  
• Lay Low

"Keepers of Tradition": Preconstructed Deck "Malkavian"

Here's the deck list -- spoiled by a certain individual on the IRC channel "#vtes" -- of the "Malkavian" preconstructed deck of the "Keepers of Tradition" expansion.

Deck Name: "Malkavian" Starter Deck (Keepers of Tradition)
Created By: L. Scott Johnson
Description: "Malkavian" Preconstructed Starter Deck from "Keepers of Tradition".

Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 12, Max 42, Avg: 6,83)
---------------------------------------------
2x Cassandra Langely, The Waif dem 2, Malkavian
2x Florentina Lengauer aus OBF 4, Malkavian
2x Morel AUS DEM OBF 6. Malkavian
2x Aleister Crowley aus obf DEM PRE THA 7, Malkavian
2x Tryphosa AUS DEM DOM OBF POT 10, Malkavian
2x Lutz Von Hohenzollern pot AUS DEM OBF PRE 11, Malkavian

Library: (77 cards)
---------------------------------------------
Master (17 cards)
1x Auspex
1x Bleeding the Vine
1x The Coven
1x Dementation (new art)
2x Effective Management
1x Elysium, The Arboretum
1x Giant's Blood
1x High Museum of Art, Atlanta
4x Life in the City
2x Obfuscate
2x Vessel

Action (13 cards)
5x Forgery
6x Kindred Spirits
2x Sleep of Reason

Political Action (1 card)
1x Praxis Seizure: Chicago

Equipment (5 cards)
3x Cooler
2x Learjet

Action Modifier (23 cards)
3x Change of Target
6x Eyes of Chaos
6x Into Thin Air
4x Spying Mission
4x Veil The Legions

Reaction (12 cards)
3x On the Qui Vive
2x Poison Pill
2x Shattered Mirror
3x Spirit's Touch
2x Voice of Madness

Combat (4 cards)
4x Glancing Blow

Action Modifier/Combat (2 cards)
2x Deny

Also "Kindred Spirits", "Dementation" and "Spirit's Touch" got new artwork. The individual Malkavian have the following stats:

Cassandra Langely, The Waif
Clan: Malkavian
Group: 4
Capacity: 2
Disciplines: dem
Camarilla.

Florentina Lengauer
Clan: Malkavian
Group: 4
Capacity: 4
Disciplines: aus OBF
Camarilla.

Morel
Clan: Malkavian
Group: 4
Capacity: 6
Disciplines: AUS DEM OBF
Camarilla.

Aleister Crowley
Clan: Malkavian
Group: 4
Capacity: 7
Disciplines: aus obf DEM PRE THA
Camarilla. Frenzy cards cannot be played on Aleister.

Tryphosa
Clan: Malkavian
Group: 4
Capacity: 10
Disciplines: AUS DEM DOM OBF POT
Camarilla Prince of Rome. While Tryphosa is ready, any Malkavian's bleed action costs an additional blood and gets +1 stealth.

Lutz Von Hohenzollern
Clan: Malkavian
Group: 4
Capacity: 11
Disciplines: pot AUS DEM OBF PRE
Camarilla Malkavian Inner Circle. While Lutz is ready, your prey burns a pool each time the referendum of a political action passes +2 bleed.

Deck of the Month: October 2008: Children of the Damned

This month's most interesting deck is not Matt Morgan's and Ben Peal's "Death Star" deck. Not since it is not a good deck, heck, it won two of the major tournaments (during the North American Championship 2008) this year, but since a very similar deck was already Deck of the Month in August 2008. The deck of the month for October 2008 is a very interesting fusion between a Nephandus and an Assamite deck built and played by Greg Williams. But see the decklist and Greg's elaborate notes for yourself.

Deck Name: Children of the Damned
Description/Notes: The idea here is simple. Pull out 2 or 3 Assamites and Antonio d'Erlette. Use the Assamites for Haquims Law along with Ascendance (Yes! Ascendance) to bloat. Play Powerbase: Tshwane to reduce the cost of Nephandus Mage's (this work's with Antonio's ability!!!!!!). Then pull out Nephandus mages every turn and bleed, bleed, bleed. Right now the only defense from stealing the Nephandus is intercept, so, adding in some Direct Interventions, etc. may be necessary if your Metagame calls for it. The Boston metagame has only minimal Ally stealing. If you are lucky to get the Heart of Nizchetus, cycle all the Nephadus to the bottom of the deck.

I was lucky to win the Sherbrooke Mini Qualifier Montreal Canada Oct. 22, 2008. The finals had another Antonio/Nephandus deck. I actually chose to be his prey because his predator was a heavy blled deck. I gambled that I could bloat and survive long enough to build up some defense. My gamble paid off and was able to take the table.

Crypt (12 Cards) Avg Cap: 5.00; Min Draw Capacity: 15; Max Draw Capacity: 25
------------------------------------------------------------
5x Antonio d'Erlette 5 !Tremere Sabbat dom for pot THA
2x Olugbenga 7 Assamite Laibon ani cel OBF QUI Magaji
1x Hafsa, The Watcher 6 Assamite Camarilla aus cel OBF QUI
1x Layla bint-Nadr 5 Assamite Independent qui CEL OBF
2x Kamau Jafari 4 Assamite Laibon obf QUI
1x Alu 2 Assamite Independent obf

Library (90 Cards)
------------------------------------------------------------
Actions (10)
2x Web of Knives Recruit
8x Haqim's Law: Leadership

Action Modifier (18)
7x Cloak the Gathering
4x Veil the Legions
4x Into Thin Air
1x Elder Impersonation
2x Forgotten Labyrinth

Ally (14)
12x Nephandus (Mage)
1x Vagabond Mystic
1x Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)

Combat (11)
8x Dodge
3x Target Vitals

Equipment (1)
1x Heart of Nizchetus

Events (1)
1x Unmasking

Master (18)
1x WMRH Talk Radio
1x KRCG News Radio
7x Ascendance
2x Vessel
2x Secure Haven
2x Powerbase: Tshwane
3x Dreams of the Sphinx

Reaction (17)
3x On the Qui Vive
2x Black Sunrise
1x Wake
5x Nest of Eagles
4x Deflection
1x Confusion of the Eye
1x Poison Pill

Bang Nakh's aplenty

Bang Nakh's aplenty
Wallpaper against the cold
It still costs too much.

In the Presence forum this was Azel's comment on the n-th reprint of Bang Nakh -- Tiger's Claws in a VtES starter deck, next time in the Brujah starter deck of the upcoming VtES expansion "Keepers of Tradition".

"Keepers of Tradition": Preconstructed Deck "Brujah"

Here's the deck list -- copied from the Presence forum -- of the "Brujah" preconstructed deck of the "Keepers of Tradition" expansion.

Deck Name: "Brujah" Starter Deck (Keepers of Tradition)
Created By: L. Scott Johnson
Description: "Brujah" Preconstructed Starter Deck from "Keepers of Tradition".

Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 14, Max 42, Avg: 6,5)
---------------------------------------------
2x Garret pot pre 3, Brujah
2x Reginald Moore PRE 4, Brujah
2x Herbert Westin pot OBF PRE 5, Brujah
2x Tomaine CEL POT PRE 6, Brujah
2x Jann Berger dem for CEL POT PRE 10, Brujah
2x Adana de Sforza aus CEL OBF POT PRE PRO 11, Brujah

Library: (77 cards)
---------------------------------------------
Master (10 cards)
1x Celerity
1x KRCG News Radio
2x Major Boon
1x Nod
1x Potence
1x Presence
1x Tension in the Ranks
2x Vessel

Action (14 cards)
4x Enrage
2x Entrenching
5x Harass
3x Public Trust

Combat (32 cards)
6x Brute Force
3x Immortal Grapple
3x Psyche!
3x Relentless Pursuit
4x Slam
4x Stutter-Step
3x Taste of Vitae
3x Torn Signpost
3x Weighted Walking Stick

Equipment (9 cards)
4x Bang Nakh - Tiger's Claws
2x Bundi
1x Drum of Xipe Totec
1x Phased Motion Detector
1x Sengir Dagger

Political Action (4 cards)
2x Finding the Path
2x Year of Fortune

Reaction (3 cards)
3x On the Qui Vive

Combo (5 cards)
5x Resist The Earth's Grasp

The individual Brujah have the following stats:

Garret
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Brujah
Group: 4
Disciplines: pot pre
Capacity: 3
Camarilla.

Reginald Moore
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Brujah
Group: 4
Capacity: 4
Disciplines: PRE
Camarilla Primogen. Reginald gets +1 strength in combat with Tremere and Tremere antitribu. He cannot block vampires of those clans or attempt actions to enter combat with them.

Herbert Westin
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Brujah
Group: 4
Capacity: 5
Disciplines: pot OBF PRE
Camarilla. When Herbert successfully performs an equip action, you may draw an additional card (discard afterward).

Tomaine
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Brujah
Group: 4
Capacity: 6
Disciplines: CEL POT PRE
Camarilla Primogen. If your prey controls a ready Sabbat vampire, he or she gets +1 hand size while Tomaine is ready.

Jann Berger
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Brujah
Group: 4
Capacity: 10
Disciplines: dem for CEL POT PRE
Camarilla Prince of Monaco. Cards that require Potence cost Jann 1 less blood. +1 bleed.

Adana de Sforza
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Brujah
Group: 4
Capacity: 11
Disciplines: aus CEL OBF POT PRE PRO
Camarilla Brujah Inner Circle Member. Combat cards cost Adana 1 less blood. +2 bleed.