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Underground > Games & Gameplay >

Vampire: The Eternal Struggle

semioticrobotic

01:26 / 07.10.05

Do any 'lithers play V:TES? I am relatively new to the game and looking for tips.

For non-players, Vampire: The Eternal Struggle is a collectible card game by White Wolf in which players assume the roles of elder vampires called Methuselahs, who exert influence over younger, impressionable vampires (i.e., character cards in their decks) in an effort to reduce and eventually nullify the social/ political/ economic influence of other Methuselahs (i.e., the other players at the table).

I'm wondering what general deck constructions tips some players have found useful, and what in-game strategies tend to work best for players controlling vampires proficient in a variety of disciplines (particularly in terms of table balance, etc.).

10:09 / 07.10.05

Yikes, thats a blast from the past. I've got a large biscuit tin full of Jyhad and Vampire cards that I haven't touched in about 3-4 years

.

Great game if you've got a few hours and a bunch of mates round, I remember some epic 10 people games that went on the whole day back when I was a student.

Ok so what cards do you have at the moment, any particular clan you're strong in and do you have a particular strategy in CCG's you like, i.e Weenie Deck, Rush Deck etc etc.

I used to like building theme decks, one of my favourite was the 'Nosferatu hit things hard deck' filled with Potence and cards like Thrown Gate, Thrown Sewer Lid and Thrown Car, along with a some Obfuscate cards for ambushing people.

Give us details of what you've got to work with and we should be able to talk tactics

.

15:57 / 07.10.05

Good grief, that takes me back. Much like Al, I used to play many, many years ago, so much so that at my peak I was one of the shortlisted players in the UK championship (no, I didn't win, but I still played a damn good game).

Haven't touched it for a long time though, and I expect all of my cards are now horribly out of date, or have ben massively amended.

Damnit, now I've got all nostalgic and fancy playing again...

semioticrobotic

20:11 / 07.10.05

I'm a Ventrue guy who likes playing politics. My biggest problem is combat; I get my ass handed to me every time, because this clan is weak in both stealth and intercept. Additionally, bleed modifiers are rare, so I'm pinging my opponents for one pool each turn while taking massive hits from combat deks with the ability to target me directly (that is, from _any_ seat at the table).

I am intrigued by the voting aspect of the game. Not many people in my playgroup use political strategies, so I want to do this as a way of differentiating myself. I only own one preconstructed deck (*looks at toes*), but I am doing my best with it (it's the Ventrue Camarilla precon). Majesty is my saving grace right now, and I am trying to acquire more of that card (since it allows vampires with superior presence to end combat immediately AND untap).

So anyway, that's a bit about my preferences. I'm just happy there are other interested folks here!

21:46 / 07.10.05

Fortitute, Fortitude, Fortitude baby. The afformentioned Nos 'Hit things hard' deck met it's match when I went up against a Gangrel deck, the sound of Cars, Sewer Lids and Gate's bouncing off Gangrel could be heard several streets away

.

You might want to hunt down things like Sports Bikes and Infra Red Goggles if you can as I recall they give you Intercept. Theres also locations and possible a vote card or two that gives you intercept (Justicar Archon??).

Sorry if I'm vague it's been a while and I don't have access to my cards (they're in a box, in a barn, in kent

)

23:44 / 07.10.05

Great game if you've got a few hours

We have eternity, childe.

04:00 / 08.10.05

Additionally, bleed modifiers are rare

Are you quite sure you're still talking about Venture here? I haven't admittedly played for a long time, but when I did by far the vast majority of bleed modifying cards belong to the disciplines of Presence and Dominate, both of which the Ventrue posses. Indeed, the guy who actually won the UK championships the year I was in it used a Ventrue deck precisely for that reason (IIRC he was managing to pump his successful bleeds to some hideous number every time).

Fortitude, fortitude, fortitude

Ahhh, the Gangrel. My very first deck and one of my most polished. I can still see the faces of my opponants as they go all out to wrack up the agg damage, burning through their hand like it was going out of fashion, to only find I played a superior Flesh of Marble at the end and took 1 ordinary damage. Then hit them with the old Bhang Nak, Wolf Claws, Lucky Blow combo for 4 agg (usually upped further since I'd invariably have one of Animalism cards in play that deals additional damage every round.

I don't know how much things have changed, but I believe they've released all the Sabbat and Antitribu clans now, right?

semioticrobotic

22:10 / 10.10.05

the vast majority of bleed modifying cards belong to the disciplines of Presence and Dominate, both of which the Ventrue posses.

You're correct. I was hastily making judgements about the entire clan based on the contents of my single preconstructed deck. I was actually able to bleed successfully for 6 pool from a single minion on one turn (this has never happened again, by the way) with the right confluence of factors.

Thanks to everyone for the card suggestions. I can review them all here.