This is not a Ravnos Newsletter! v.2 - February 2009

This is not a Ravnos Newsletter! v.2

A good evening to you all.
Finally the Terms are over and more time available to spend on V:TES
So i found some time to create a new Newsletter after all (even tho
its already well into february). As always, feel free to send comments
or suggestions to my E-mail: felix_vicentini@gmx.net.

This Newsletter will focus on some of the remaining Cards from Lords
of the Night i failed to include in the last one , some more Minions
and another Deck, so lets begin:


Mirror's Visage
Type: Action Modifier
Requires: Chimerstry
Cost: 1 blood
[chi] Only usable when this acting vampire is blocked (play before
combat, if any). Untap this vampire and end the action. This vampire
cannot act again this turn.
[CHI]+2 stealth if this is an undirected action, otherwise +1 stealth.

Ill be frank: not a good card in my oppinion. The basic version is a
bad Red Herring, and the superior gives you the same as many other
Chimestry cards , but without the Combat side-benefit that makes Cards
like Occlusion or Mirror Image shine. Granted , the +2 stealth on
undirected is something Chimestry was missing until now, but its still
not enough to get your Mass Reality over the critical Second Tradition
border. So , you can run one or two of these in your Deck , but
generally , youd be better off with false resonance , mirror image or
occlusion.


Sympathetic Agony
Type: Combat
Requires: Chimerstry & Fortitude
[chi][for] For the remainder of combat, when any damage is
successfully inflicted on this vampire in a round, the opposing minion
becomes unable to use presses that round.
[CHI][FOR] As above, and if any damage is successfully inflicted on
this vampire in a round, the opposing minion becomes unable to use any
additional strikes that round.

This Card just makes me ask: Why run this when i can have Strike:
Combat Ends or good Preventers with a single of those disciplines? So
again i fail to see any use here. Might be good against celerity gun
decks , but there again , a Mirror Image would be better.....or a Skin
of Steel. Please , send me your ideas regarding that card , maybe im
overlooking something.


Mantle of the Moon
Type: Action Modifier
Requires: Ravnos
Cost: 4 blood
Only usable as the action is announced.
This action is unblockable.

A slightly worse version of the infamous horrific contenaunce, Mantle
of the moon is a horribly expensive Card. First: unless your prey has
ABSOLUTLY no Auspex or Dominate , dont use this card on a bleed.
theres nothing worse then ousting your grandprey with and unblockable
bleed, and you spending 4 blood on it. And with all the other stealth
options available (Rom Gypsy , Fortune teller , the allmighty Mirror
Image and Occlusion , and so on.....) you should rarely be in need of
this Card. One exeption exists although: Mata Hari, equipt with an
Ankara Citadel. 2 blood is a much more reasonable cost and being
unblockable on actions like concert tour or warghoul recruitin is
actually rather nice. In all other cases the bloodcost is just too
staggering.


Talith
Type: Equipment
Requires: Ravnos
Melee weapon.
Strength+1 damage each strike. A Ravnos may use this weapon to strike:
destroy weapon with first strike instead.

Short Answer: its a melee weapon.
Long answer: Melee weapons in general are one of the weakest concepts
in V:TES at the Moment, with zero to non accses to defy Strike: combat
ends , dodges or preventers. (and none of these methods are playable
with the Ravnos). I also predict that unless your Meta is highly
unusually, the only weapons you will ever want to destroy are long
range guns, and since the Talith does not work on long range , and the
average celerity deck easily outmaneuvering us you wont have the
opportunity to make good of that ability. So save your precious
actions and dont play the Talith.


Shattering
Type: Action
Requires: anarch Chimerstry/Dementation/Protean
Cost: 1 blood
Requires an anarch.
[chi] +1 stealth action. (D) Look at another Methuselah's hand and
discard a card from it.
[dem] +2 stealth action. Burn an event (undirected, no matter who
controls the event).
[pro] (D) Inflict 2 unpreventable damage on a ready minion.

A very nice card , similar to basic revelation at the Chimestry
level , but it can target any methusala, to bad its restricted to
Anarchs....But if your running a Ravnos Anarch Deck (which is an
entirely solid concept by the way) It can never hurt to remove some of
your preys blook or bounce capacities before bleeding for lots. basic
Cgimestry is very easy to come by even with breeded tumnimos after
all. And since several of the new Ravnos also have dementation, Ally
decks that have been poisoning your life can be put back on theire
place with a timely burned unmasking.


Well thats it with the New Toys Lords of the Night has provided to us,
so here are several more illusionists worth of notice:

Kiradin
Clan: Ravnos (group 4)
Capacity: 8
Disciplines: CHI DEM FOR ani pot
Independent: Once each round, Kiradin may burn a blood to get an
additional strike.

Another Vampire with CHI DEM , so the basics i outlined with Ganesh in
the last Newsletter also apply to her, (and the artworks nice)
however ,the higher poolcost might force you to find a way to use her
to her full potential , which in my oppinion lies with Mass Reality.
Apart from imposing Phantasmn Kiradin is the only Additional Strike
source for Ravnos, so giving her a Zipgun with a Mass Reality in play
will result in 6 total damage (not bad for only using permanents). She
has fortitude , so she could possibly Multirush or create a Mass
Reality and Rush (recoup lost blood with taste of vitae). Strength
enhancing Permanents like Depravity or Preternatural Strength also go
well with her (and if your Meta is full of S:CE , theres always
immortal grappel with her pot).


Durga Syn
Clan: Ravnos (group 4)
Capacity: 9
Disciplines: CHI OBF THA ani aus dom for
Independent: Durga Syn may steal equipment with first strike as a
strike that costs 1 blood. She does not tap when blocking allies or
vampires with capacity less than 5.

At first look she looks solid enough , but her odd combination of
disciplines prevent her from teaming up very well with other Ravnos,
She can block a little with her CHI ani aus , but this disciplines are
hardly ideal to generate lots of intercept , so her special will not
gain you much unless your swarmed with a weenie computer hacking deck.
Her equipment stealing is nice , but the Ravnos can do cheaper (and
better) in this area with fleejing the gaje or Alexis Sorokins
special. So , at the moment for me shes a no-go. If i could just make
up something solid with OBF CHI THA.....


Genina, The Red Poet
Clan: Samedi (group 3)
Capacity: 8
Disciplines: CHI OBF THN aus cel for
Independent. Red List: If a blood hunt is successfully called on
Genina, she goes to torpor instead of being burned. Genina gets +1
stealth on diablerie actions and on undirected actions.

What, a Samedi? well , nobody would want to miss Genina now would
they? Her Chimestry and Obfuscate go well with Mata Hari and Alexis
Sorokin , the stealth special can be usefull , and diablerys never
hurt you no more. If you center your Deck on her and Mata Hari , you
can even use several Samedi toys like Houngan (which is awesome
bloodgain) and the regenerative blood, and still use Chimestry with
all your Vampires. So this Red List is an excelent addition to our
Ravnos.


So , this is it with Vampires for the moment, heres a Deck i build on
scratch: Its jet in testing phase, but it might have some potential.

Triple Redlist for Triple Fun:
__________________________________________________________________________

Crypt:

2*
Alexis Sorokin
Clan: Ravnos (group 4)
Capacity: 8
Disciplines: CEL CHI OBF PRO for
Independent. Red List: Once each combat, Alexis may dodge as a strike.
She may steal an equipment card as a (D) action. She gets +1 bleed
when bleeding a Methuselah who controls a ready Toreador.

3*
Mata Hari
Clan: Ravnos (group 4)
Capacity: 7
Disciplines: CHI OBF aus for qui
Independent. Red List: Mata Hari has 2 votes (titled). You and she may
play cards that require a sect and/or clan as if she were of that
required sect and/or clan.

3*
Genina, The Red Poet
Clan: Samedi (group 3)
Capacity: 8
Disciplines: CHI OBF THN aus cel for
Independent. Red List: If a blood hunt is successfully called on
Genina, she goes to torpor instead of being burned. Genina gets +1
stealth on diablerie actions and on undirected actions.

2*
Paul Forrest, False Prophet
Clan: Ravnos (group 4)
Capacity: 5
Disciplines: chi for pre
Independent: Once each action, Paul can burn a blood to give an acting
Ravnos you control +1 bleed.

1*
Vassily Taltos
Clan: Ravnos (group 4)
Capacity: 6
Disciplines: aus cel chi dom for obf
Independent: Vassily may burn a hunting ground or a Blood Doll card as
a (D) action.

1*
Callirus
Clan: Ravnos (group 4)
Capacity: 5
Disciplines: CHI FOR ani
Independent: During your untap phase, Callirus can burn 1 blood to
burn one card on him.


Libary: 90 Cards:

Master: 16
2* Week of Nightmares
1* Houngan
1* WMRH Talk Radio
1* Giants blood
1* KRCG Newsradio
2* Archon Investigation
2* Major boon
1* Fortune Teller shop
1* Tension in the Ranks
2* Fame
1* Depravity
1* Kumpania

Action: 10
5* Mass Reality
2* Sensory Deprivation
3* Restoration

Action modifier: 12
6* Forgotten Labyrinth
6* Freak Drive

Combat Cards: 24
8* Disguised Weapon
7* Imposing Phantasmn
4* Apparition
4* Fake out
3* Zip gun
8* Taste of Vitae

Equipment: 15
8* Garrote
4* Camera Phone
3* Sport bike

Reaction: 8
8* Draba
10* Forced awakening

Retainer: 1
1* Mr. wintrop


Thats it for this Months Newsletter , i hope you enjoyed reading.