Cause & Effect: Episode 4.3

The third episode (of the fourth season) of the VTES webshow Cause and Effect has been broadcasted live  this Sunday (September 23rd, 2012). This time Adam, Anders and Isak discuss Flurry of Action as well other means (unusual) means of multi-acting. In addition, they give some tips about drafting and playing in a draft tournament.

Results US National VtES Championship 2012

On September 2nd, 2012 the US National VtES Championship 2012 was held in Atlanta  n Atlanta, Georgia with 15 players attending the tournament (during the DragonCon 2012). The final standings after 3 rounds and final were as follows:

1. Matt Guinn (USA) -- 1 GW 7 VP -- 1.5 VP -- New Brujah Bleed/Vote
2. Robyn Tatu (USA) -- x GW y VP -- 1.5 VP -- Nosferatu Royalty
2. Jeffrey Thompson (USA) -- x GW y VP -- 1 VP -- Lasombra Bleed
2. David Baker (USA) -- x GW y VP -- 0 VP -- Cybele & Friends Bleed ("Girls")
2. Jeff Brandon (USA) -- x GW y VP -- 0 VP -- Tzimisce S&B

Congratulations to Matt for his win of the US National VtES Championship 2012. You can find the tournament winning deck also in the VEKN forum.

Did you know, that ... (Part 95)

.. you can't play Inspire Greatness on a minion during combat? Although the card refers directly to the ability of giving extra strength (usable in a combat), the rules explicitly state you can only play combat cards during combat. So Inspire Greatness (as an Action Modifier card) has be played anytime before the combat starts.

Reference: VEKN.net

VEKN Designer's Diary: "Openness & Canon"

On VEKN.net the design team has released a new entry of the Designer's Diary This time it's about the transparency and openness in the design process and the conflict between the between canon (World of Darkness) and metagame.

Rule-Sharking

More or less by accident I read about a certain type of rule violation in trading card games (even as official terms in the online version of Yu-Gi-Oh!) which is called Rule-Sharking.

Rule-Sharking is defined as ..

"Attempting to force a non-existent rule or policy on an opponent who has made a small and repairable error."

On Dueling Network as examples for Rule-Sharking are named ...

• Not allowing an opponent to Set an accidental Normal Summon (e.g. Snowman Eater).
• Not allowing an opponent to activate/resolve a mandatory effect since they "missed the chance".
• Asking an opponent to admit defeat after they have drawn an extra card by accident without shuffling their hand.

Results Dutch EC Qualifier 2012

On September 15th, 2012 the VtES Dutch EC Qualifier was held in Utrecht, Netherlands with 10 players attending the qualifier tournament. The final standings after 3 rounds and the final were as follows:

1. Jeroen van Oort (NED) -- 2 GW 7 VP -- 1,5 VP -- Gangrel Wallish Toolbox feat. Torvus
2. Martin Schumacher (GER) -- 1 GW 5,5 VP -- 1,5 VP -- Tremere Bruise, Bleed, Block
2. Dietmar Range (NED) -- 1 GW 2,5 VP -- 0 VP -- Assamite Amavarti Vote/Toolbox
2. Bram Van Stappen (BEL) -- 0 GW 3 VP -- 0,5 VP -- Elimlech & Black Hand Friends
2. Luc-Olivier Lambermont (BEL) -- 1 GW 3 VP -- 0 VP -- Giovanni Pot Rush feat. Ignazio Giovanni

Congratulations to Jeroen for his win of the Dutch ECQ 2012. You can find the full standings and the tournament winning deck on VEKN.net

Did you know, that ... (Part 94)

.. that Helena can play multi-discipline cards when tapped, provided that one of the discipline requirements is Auspex (e.g. Read the Winds (if she gained Animalism) or Quicken Sight)?

Source: VtES Usenet Newsgroup

"Luck Versus Skill" by Richard Garfield

As part of the "2012 Magic Cruise", Richard Garfield, creator of VtES and MtG (among other games), gives a presentation about "Luck Versus Skill" when designing games .

The Magic Cruise is a multi-day MtG event, but not in a regular convention center or something, but on a cruise ship. This year's Magic Cruise was taking place from June 1-9, 2012 and the sea voyage was from Seattle to Alaska (and back).

Memorable Quotes (Part 147)

"A Daughter deck can't not be super-aggressive (..)" -- Xaddam, Swedish VtES player

Cause & Effect: Episode 4.2

The second episode (of the fourth season) of the VTES webshow Cause and Effect has been broadcasted live this Sunday (September 12th, 2012). This time the three Swedish are joined by the Danish VtES player Martin Randers. They talk about the NAC 2012 tournament and the performance of the Three Inches of Danish Steel deck (based on Eze the Demon Prince) that Martin played during the tournament (and won with).

Reasonably Priced Decks: Nosferatu Antitribu

The following deck based on the Nosferatu antitribu clan is the fifth deck in the Reasonably Priced Decks series, which I have outlined in a previous blog post.

The Nosferatu antitribu deck is basically a toolbox deck with an emphasis on both blocking and fighting. The deck is rather slow and requires some patience, because you need some time for the setup (that is recruiting allies and equipping) before you can eventually grinding down your prey(s).

Results French EC Qualifer 2012 (North)

On August 25th, 2012 the second VtES French EC Qualifier was held in Paris, France with 20 players attending the qualifier tournament. The final standings after 3 rounds and the final were as follows:

1. Vincent Ripoll (FRA) -- 1 GW 5 VP -- 3 VP -- Enkidu Earth Meld/Psyche
2. Pierre Tran-Van (FRA) -- 1 GW 6 VP -- 2 VP -- Carna Wall
2. Etienne Faust (FRA) -- 1 GW 4.5 VP -- 0 VP -- Lasombra Presence
2. Jorge Delgado (ESP) -- 1 GW 4 VP -- 0 VP -- Nosferatu Royalty
2. Christophe Bolo (FRA) -- 1 GW4 VP -- 0 VP -- Toreador AAA

Congratulations to Vincent for winning the French ECQ (North) 2012. You can find the tournament winning deck and a short report from the final round on VEKN France.