Curevei
10/15/2010 5:00:00 PM
On Oct 14, 11:57 pm, John Worrall <john.r.worr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Still learning the dynamics of the game, So for me its kind of hard to
> judge the quality of a deck... particularly a toolbox deck which to me
> is all over the place...
A toolbox deck shouldn't be all over the place. Should pick something
as its core strategy and add other elements to reduce matchup problems
that the core strategy may have.
For instance, the reason to toolbox stealth bleed is because you may
be concerned that you can't interact enough with a table and maybe you
add some intercept and casual two-way combat, the former to not get
slammed by miscellaneous actions, the latter to gain incremental
advantage. Reason to toolbox intercept combat is because you may be
concerned at a lack of ousting power or, at least, the ability to
deliver your ousting power and add some stealth to lunge better. Or,
whatever.
> What i came up with was a stealth bleed deck; which between isouda's
> ability/flurry of action/patronage is able to stay untapped to block.
> Thinking about it now as i post this... the celerity gun combat
> package probably dilutes the deck, might be better sticking to
> majesty?
Fairly borderline as a bleed deck. Without Kadim, not a whole lot of
bleed. Looking at 13 cards that increase bleed, only one of which is
a permanent. While that may be not terribly dissimilar to something I
might do, I wouldn't expect all of the Enchant Kindreds and True
Love's Faces to act as bleed cards. Especially with Flurry of Action,
I would think you would be using more permanents.
Intercept plus Majesty is certainly a possibility. Or, you could be
all two-way and go with intercept + Catatonic Fear + Target Vitals.
But, I don't see anything wrong with guns or even some Celerity. The
problem I see is that you are about 50/50 on the two strategies where
I prefer having a less even split.
> Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 4 max: 7 average: 5.75
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> 3x Isouda de Blaise 7 CEL OBF PRE aus !Toreador:4
> 2x Suzanne Kadim 7 CEL PRE aus dom obf Toreador:3
> 2x Creamy Jade 5 PRE aus cel vic !Toreador:3
> 2x Loonar 4 PRE cel !Toreador:4
> 1x Antoinette, She Wh 6 AUS PRE cel obf primogen Toreador:3
> 1x Cristos Mantigo 5 aus cel dom obf pre !Toreador:3
> 1x Gabriel de Cambrai 5 aus cel dem obf pre !Toreador:4
>
> Library [80 cards]
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Action [15]
> 1x Abbot
> 6x Enchant Kindred
> 4x Flurry of Action
> 4x Patronage
I've had some success with Patronage, at least in the long, long ago.
But, if you take out the Patronages, you don't have that many
actions. A lot of your actions aren't that important, either. Public
Trust could replace Enchant Kindreds, though neither synergizes with
your Flurry of Action plan.
If you want some flexibility, consider Entrancement. Not to encourage
more actions, but there's also plays like Mind Numb.
> Action Modifier [11]
> 2x Aire of Elation
> 3x Cloak the Gathering
> 4x True Love's Face
> 2x Veil the Legions
Do you realize how much effort you are going to to support nine cards
that require Obfuscate? The crypt, the Masks, the skill cards - all
for a tiny bit of stealth?
I don't have any problem with the idea of using Obfuscate for stealth,
but then, you probably want to actually be running meaningful levels
of stealth. Veil the Legions is a stealth and a half card, sure, but
how about some Faceless Nights or Swallowed by the Nights or Spying
Missions?
> Action Modifier/Combat [4]
> 4x Resist Earth's Grasp
> Combat [15]
> 4x Blur
> 2x Disguised Weapon
> 5x Majesty
> 2x Nimble Feet
> 2x Psyche!
I'm not the biggest Blur fan in the world. Wait, I have virtually no
interest in Blur. But, I can see where it provides some real combat
pop to the deck. Nimble Feet, though, I'm not seeing the point in.
Pursuit or Flash would make more sense to me. Taste of Vitae would
make more sense to me.
> Equipment [10]
> 1x Bowl of Convergence
> 2x Changeling Skin Mask
> 4x Desert Eagle
> 1x Ivory Bow
> 1x Laptop Computer
> 1x Sport Bike
..44 is more appropriate than Desert Eagle - .44's badassery comes from
how it doubles as combat defense. You should totally test running two
CSMs, a card I consider way underrated as the +2 intercept can be game-
changing. The rest is okay, if not that inspiring to me. I'd rather
run J.S. and Tasha than Laptops.
> Master [11]
> 4x Blood Doll
> 1x Fetish Club Hunting Ground
> 1x Guardian Angel
> 1x KRCG News Radio
> 2x Obfuscate
> 1x Rack, The
> 1x Society Hunting Ground
To me, the point of cards like Changeling Skin Mask is so that I don't
have to waste master slots on skill cards. I'd cut at least one
Obfuscate.
Contrary to most of the comments and my usual advice, I actually don't
have a problem with the hunting grounds. However, if you are going to
play mediocre, long game cards like hunting grounds, I only see the
payoff being if you commit to defense. In other words, this deck that
was intended to be stealth bleed with intercept combat toolboxing that
ended up being about 50/50 should actually be an intercept "combat"
deck that toolboxes stealth bleed. Or, you could just junk the
hunting grounds and run Heidelberg and more bleed permanents.
Add some Wider Views and some other miscellaneous good stuff masters,
like Direct Intervention.
> Reaction [13]
> 2x Eagle's Sight
> 2x Enhanced Senses
> 4x Forced Awakening
> 3x Quicken Sight
> 2x Spirit's Touch
If anything about this deck cries out for major changes, it's your
reactions. First of all, Forced Awakening should be no more than 1-2
copies, if that. There's nothing wrong with WWEF, and On the Qui Vive
is just a better WWEF (frighteningly). As for not wanting to have to
have superior Auspex, you have to have superior Auspex. Yes, I
realize your crypt sucks for it, but you have to have Telepathic
Misdirection. Nothing will be as useful as bleed bounce - not a very
good toolbox that leaves out the 4-way wrench.
> Retainer [1]
> 1x Mr. Winthrop
So, how would I keep it at 80 with the changes I suggest? I'd drop
actions. I'd replace Flurry with wakes, since unblockable untaps are
better than blockable ones. Patronage becomes masters. Nimble Feet
become bounce. Etc.
Alternatively, stick with a more bleed focus and lose much of the
intercept for bounce. Add more stealth, figure out how to get AUS.
Drop the HGs and some of the combat, thin the equipment. Could
(probably should) run Unholy Penance for more bleed.
Oh, and every deck is better with dodgy allies.