Ahrimanes Newsletter #6 03.10.05
Jazzbeaux
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[ AHRIMANES NEWSLETTER ]
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1.0 - Editorial
1.1 Word From the Editor
1.2 Next Issue
2.0 - Concepts
2.1 Crypt Card Focus
2.2 Library Card Focus
2.2.1 Benoit Oliveiri's high placing Deck
3.0 - Deck
3.1 Ahrimane Wall
3.2 Sign Off
--[1.1 - Word from the Editor]-----------------------
Another month, another newsletter, and already we have a preview of a new
Ahrimane from the Legacies of Blood set. Muricia has been revealed in White
Wolf's Fall Quarterly, and all I can say is that she is very promising -
more on her in the next issue. It will be interesting to she how she is
fitted into the current grouping, ideally she will be a group 3 bridge, but
might end up in group 4 which might be better from a game point of view, but
surely the founder of the clan should be playable with any of the other
Ahrimanes? We will have to see what LSJ has decreed when more details
released.
--[1.2 -Next Issue]---------------------------------
Who knows what with the Return of Nergal and Legacies of Blood next issue
could see all kinds of new cards and ideas. Either way I will be going over
Muricia, and seeing what I can do with her special - surely you can use it
more than once per vampire right? I will also be talking about Owl
Companion, and showcasing a deck that uses Fortitude.
--[2.1 - Crypt Card Focus]-------------
Howler. This issue we focus on the current Queen of Ahrimane decks Howler,
she comes ready with all in clans at superior, and two nice specials.
Howler
Clan: Ahrimanes (group 2)
Capacity: 8
Disciplines: ANI PRE SPI obf
Sabbat: Howler gets 1 optional maneuver each combat. She cannot use weapons.
+1 strength. Sterile.
Rarity: BL:U1
In my first issue deck, Ahrimane Howling, Howler was the star, as once
tooled up with The Wildebeest and Heart of the City she had 2 optional
maneuvers, +2 strength, and +2 bleed. Of course she can suffer from a lack
of combat prevention, but this is often offset by a combination of Guardian
Angel and Flak Jacket.
Howler's strength comes from having both Animalism and Spiritus at
superior - unlike any other current Ahrimane. This allows you to use the
full power of cards like Nose of the Hound, Carrion Crows and Aid from Bats,
which in combination gives you the ability to rush anyone, at stealth, with
four optional maneuvers, an optional press, and doing four damage, two of
which is environmental. Of course you can use the reaction cards, often to
better effect as you play everything after the acting minon. However as your
opponents realise her strength then she becomes the target of lots of
destructive effects. So I would avoid making a Superstar deck out of her as
an aggressive predator or prey could easily neuter you.
She also has Obfuscate, which overlaps a little with a couple of Gangrel and
Gangrel Antitribu but if you are trying to make an ANI/OBF deck you would be
better off looking else where. However a splash could help make those
required actions more successful, and with Changling Skin Mask you can add
superior OBF quickly and easily.
--[2.2 - Library Card Focus]-------------
Neighborhood Watch Commander. Now Neighborhood Watch Commander (NWC) is a
relatively new addition to the world of Vtes yet is something that fits very
well into blocking decks.
Neighborhood Watch Commander (Hunter)
Type: Ally
Cost: 2 blood
Mortal with 1 life. 1 strength, 0 bleed.
When an action taken by a vampire ends unsuccessfully, you may tap this card
at the end of that action to inflict 1 damage on the acting vampire. Only
one Neighborhood Watch Commander may tap to inflict damage each action.
Rarity: Gehenna:C
As has been shown in previous newsletters, the Ahrimanes are very good at
blocking, and pretty good at damaging, acting minions. However sometimes you
block, but combat is avoided - this is where NWC comes in, as he can inflict
damage outside of it. This can make the difference between a blocking deck
working and have an effect on the game, and it just neutralizing other decks
and stalling the game. Their multiple use is limited by card text, but as
you don't need any condition other than an unsuccessful action you can keep
picking away at other players vampires - so it works as a further
attritional step in your game.
Also NWC seems to stay alive longer than other similar Allies such as
Procurer, who whenever I have used him seems to end up as vampiric road
kill. I think this is because he doesn't act and only inflicts single points
of damage that most people are prepared to accept, at least for a while.
This deck by Benoit uses the various attritional cards available, with NWC
and the very adaptable Swiftness of the Stag to block and grind down the
rest of the table. Once the other players are unable to defend themselves he
can come in with some reasonable bleeds to oust his prey.
Created by Benoit Oliveiri, 4th at French Championship 2005.
Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 2 max: 8 average: 6.34
4x Howler 8 ANI PRE SPI obf Ahrimanes:2
3x Siamese, The 7 PRE SPI ani pro Ahrimanes:2
2x Cynthia Ingold 6 SPI ani for pre Ahrimanes:2
1x Nettie Hale 5 ani cel pre pro spi Ahrimanes:2
1x Juanita Santiago 4 ani pre spi Ahrimanes:2
1x Zip 2 ani Ravnos:3
Library [90 cards]
Action [5]
1x Army of Rats
2x Entrancement
2x Nose of the Hound
Action Modifier [2]
2x Aire of Elation
Ally [6]
1x Mylan Horseed (Goblin)
5x Neighborhood Watch Commander (Hunter)
Combat [26]
2x Aid from Bats
2x Canine Horde
10x Carrion Crows
3x Majesty
3x Staredown
2x Taste of Vitae
4x Terror Frenzy
Combat/Action Modifier [10]
10x Swiftness of the Stag
Equipment [1]
1x Leather Jacket
Master [13]
4x Blood Doll
2x Direct Intervention
1x KRCG News Radio
1x Pentex Subversion
1x Perfectionist
1x Rumor Mill, Tabloid Newspaper, The
2x Sudden Reversal
1x WMRH Talk Radio
Reaction [25]
5x Cats' Guidance
2x Delaying Tactics
8x Falcon's Eye
2x Forced Awakening
8x Speak with Spirits
Retainer [2]
2x Raven Spy
I feel that this deck could do with just a few more bleed modifiers to oust
players that little bit quicker which is important at tournaments, or any
game played with a time limit. I would remove two Swiftness of the Stag, and
add two Aire of Elation, which would make quite a difference in removing
tenacious prey, but Benoit obviously got good results with it as it is.
--[3.1 - Deck: Ahrimane Wall ]--------------------
Deck Name : Ahrimane Wall
This deck is an absolute wall deck, compared with some of the previous NL
decks that had more toolboxy ideas. This should grind most opponents down
allowing you to pick up the pieces, and vps afterwards.
Crypt [13 vampires] Capacity min: 2 max: 8 average: 6.08
3x Howler 8 ANI PRE SPI obf Ahrimanes:2
3x Siamese, The 7 PRE SPI ani pro Ahrimanes:2
3x Cynthia Ingold 6 SPI ani for pre Ahrimanes:2
2x Nettie Hale 5 ani cel pre pro spi Ahrimanes:2
1x Juanita Santiago 4 ani pre spi Ahrimanes:2
1x Zip 2 ani Ravnos:3
Library [90 cards]
Action [11]
4x Enchant Kindred
3x Engling Fury
4x Nose of the Hound
Ally [5]
5x Neighborhood Watch Commander (Hunter)
Combat [24]
10x Aid from Bats
10x Carrion Crows
4x Taste of Vitae
Combat/Action Modifier [5]
5x Swiftness of the Stag
Equipment [1]
1x Flak Jacket
Master [14]
2x Animalism
3x Blood Doll
3x Direct Intervention
2x Guardian Angel
1x KRCG News Radio
1x Rack, The
2x Sudden Reversal
Reaction [24]
4x Cats' Guidance
5x Falcon's Eye
8x Forced Awakening
2x Instinctive Reaction
5x Speak with Spirits
Retainer [6]
4x Murder of Crows
2x Raven Spy
--[3.2 - Sign Off]-------------
Well if you got this far I must be doing something right. In the next few
months you can play in the Return of Nergal storyline event, which actually
encourages clan specific decks, and hopefully the past few newsletters have
influenced your choice. I can't imagine Ahrimanes winning the event, but
would hope that they get a good placing - and that is up to you lot.
Sam
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