Los Angeles Blood Feast 2000 Tournament REPORT [LONG]
Chris Shorb
the scantily clad members of all genders, to make it to Third Planet to
beat, bleed, and vote the heck out of each other.
This was among a group of tournaments worldwide in which methuselahs
could finally use their Sabbat War cards in sealed constructed play.
Because of this, I interviewed every player to find out a couple of
things. First, did they add any new SW cards to their decks, and if so
what. Second, did they do anything to their decks to prepare for
changes in the metagame as a result of Sabbat War. And third, what
would they do next time. Here are the results (sorry, resluts):
Marcos Acevedo 0VP 48TP, had to withdraw prior to third round.
Playing "Standard Ventrue Bleed untapper" with 5th Trad, Minion tap.
Twist was Marijava Ghouls, presence bleed.
New SW Cards: Storage Annex x 2
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: None
Things do different next time: I didn't get a chance to interview him
again before he had to leave.
Anthony Orozco 0VP 60TP
Brujah! Cel Fighter
New SW Cards: Victor Tolliver, Amelia
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: Added more bleed
Things do different next time: add intercept.
Duane Honeyman 0VP 70TP, Duane is our newest player.
Playing his megatoolbox deck (uses we think 7 disciplines!).
New SW Cards: Mercy, Omaya, Kyle Strathcona, Ox, Vincent, Darell, Rave.
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: More Intercept, increased wakes.
Things do different next time: Thin out masters.
Jason Perry 0VP 72 TP
Old School Gangrel
New SW Cards: none
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: None
Things do different next time: none
John Knowles 1VP 66TP, had to withdraw before final round.
Giovanni Ally deck. John admits that he loves Giovanni, and plays them
in tournaments, even though he doesn't expect to win with them. He is
understandedly excited about the release of the Final Nights Set.
New SW Cards: None
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: None
Things do different next time: Lots, but not sure about specifics.
Steve Bucy 1.5 VP 108TP
Ravnos Avoider using lots of Animalism
New SW Cards:none
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: avoiding combat using Illusions, Aid from Bats (to
avoid those Horrid Form strikes,etc.)
Things do different next time: a little more intercept, maybe more
permanents.
Robyn Merill 2VP 100TP
Weenie Presence bleed - 21 minions in her deck.
New SW Cards: none, except the new Enchant Kindred
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: 35 Majesties!!! Expecting massive amounts of
combat.
Things do different next time: more minions!
Gene Martin 2VP 120TP
Mauziz DawnOP Weather Control nastiness
New SW Cards:None
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: None
Things do different next time: I didn't get a chance to interview him
again before he had to leave.
Paul Johnson 2.5VP 112TP
Paul's deck made the most use out of Sabbat War of any there. His deck
also had won every casual game it had played in until this tournament.
It basically was a Gangrel! ally deck, that honestly gained gruesome
amounts of pool. The other vector of offence was Hidden Lurker, Claws,
Amaranth, Gangrel Conspiracy. Ellen Fence's special came in very handy
in his deck. If I can get him to, I will try to get him to post his
deck.
New SW Cards: Ellen Fence x 2, Darrell Boyce x 2, Wren, Vagabond Mystic,
4 Storage Annexes (really made his deck flow!), Path of the Feral Heart.
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: Paul had a big worry about Eternal Vigilance, so he
made his deck one of little actions that added up to a big whammy (his
decks are often like that). He expected more combat, but since his deck
was combat heavy, that was ok.
Things do different next time: Add Golconda, focus more on Ellen Fence.
Mike Courtois 2.5 VP 120TP
Tzimisce blocker burner. Mike has played this gruesome Horrid Form
monster at several of the recent tournaments. It almost squeaked into
the finals, but in the end, just didn't pack enough punch.
New SW Cards: Little Tailor x 2, Caliban, Telepathic Tracking x 6
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: Not really
Things do different next time: Reduce intercept and rushes, add more
Horrid Form (ouch!).
****************
Finalists
****************
Robert Goudie 3VP 108TP
Ventrue Bleeder. Focus on Scouting Mission, Governs, and Enchant K to
use as both offensive and defensive cards. Also Change of Target.
New SW Cards: None
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: Using the newly +1 stealth Enchant Kindred. 16
Majesties.
Things do different next time: More vote cards. Encourage prey to block
more, so can Majesty/change of target and untap.
Robert Acevedo 3VP 108TP
Weenie Presence Voter - everyone ganged up on him during the last two
rounds and the finals, yet he still made it to the finals and was a good
sport to boot.
New SW Cards: None
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: none
Things do different next time: I didn't get to interview him after final
to find out.
Dan Harting 6VP 138TP
Nosferatu Potence Fighter with some stealth. Dan is one of Alex's
housemates, and has a similar style, very low key, soft spoken. But
they both made it into the finals - maybe they are onto something!
New SW Cards: Ox
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: not really, tried to build a deck that wouldn't
contest.
Things do different next time: nothing - it "did much better than I
thought it would".
Wade von Grawbadger 7VP 144TP
Malkavian Non-Camarilla hoser. Two key cards: Judgement Camarilla
Segregation, and Slaughtering the Herd (which is much easier to get now
with Sabbat War). Gained pool using Minion Tap/5th. His first table,
only one meth was playing with non-cam vamps, and that was his
grand-predator, his ally. Brutal.
New SW Cards: None
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: his whole deck.
Things do different next time: not too much.
Alex Harmon 10VP 174TP (almost a perfect score in Table Points)
A Toreador! vote/bleed deck, with some added stealth to get past at
crucial moments. Voted mostly with Banishment, with a few KRC's. His
deck is posted at the end of this article.
New SW Cards: Greta Kircher x 2
Deck construction changes in reaction to change in metagame due to intro
of Sabbat War cards: not really, although he added Cardinal Benediction
and more majesties.
Things do different next time: not much.
Final Standings after 3 rounds:
Alex Harmon San Diego 10VP 174TP
Wade Grawbadger Los Angeles 7VP 144TP
Dan Harting San Diego 6VP 138TP
Robert Goudie Los Angeles 3VP 108TP
Robert Acevedo Los Angeles 3VP 108TP
--------- the cut
Mike Courtois Los Angeles 2.5VP 120TP
Paul Johnson Los Angeles 2.5VP 112TP
Gene Martin Long Beach 2VP 120TP
Robyn Merrill Los Angeles 2VP 100TP
Steve Bucy Los Angeles 1.5VP 108TP
John Knowles Los Angeles 1VP 66TP
Jason Perry Los Angeles 0VP 72TP
Duane Honeyman Carson 0VP 70TP
Anthony Orozco Los Angeles 0VP 60TP
Marcos Acevedo Los Angeles 0VP 48TP
**************
The Final
**************
Seating in the final was as follows:
Alex -> Robert A -> Dan -> Robert G -> Wade
A brutal final indeed. Lots of teeth gnashing as Robert Acevedo's deck
slowly was crushed under Alex's assault. Wade would have eventually had
the upper hand (maybe), but Lucian's block of one of Robert's ventrue
resulted in Kiss of Ra, which sent Lucian (the key of Wade's deck) to
torpor. Then came the critical deal, wherein Robert A voted to side
with Robert G on the diablerie of Lucian. Because of that, Alex had
significantly less pressure. Robert G managed to oust Wade, but by that
time Alex was sweeping up the rest of the table.
An interesting side note - as you will see, Alex won without one (1)
intercept card. Wild stuff.
The finals standings were as follows:
Alex Harmon 4VP
Robert Goudie 1VP
Wade Grawbadger 0VP (3rd on previous round points)
Dan Harting 0VP (4th on previous round points)
Robert Acevedo 0VP (5th on previous round points)
Congratulations to Alex Harmon, winner of Blood Feast 2000! And thank
you to all the participants!
Alex Harmon's game winning Deck:
Deck Name: My Toreador Antitribu Bleedy, Votey, with a little stealth
and Majesty deck
Created by: Alex Harmon
Description:
Crypt: (12 cards) [Min: 13, Max: 29, Avg: 5.5]
1 Basil (obf, Pander, 1)
1 Gideon Fontaine (PRE, Ventrue, 3)
2 Greta Kircher (AUS CEL obf PRE, Toreador Antitribu,
7)
1 Ian Wallingford (aus CEL PRE, Toreador Antitribu, 6,
Bishop)
1 Jessica (AUS CEL OBT PRE, Toreador Antitribu,
7, Bishop)
2 Jost Werner (ani AUS PRE, Toreador Antitribu, 6)
1 Lachlan (AUS CEL dom PRE, Toreador Antitribu,
8, Archbishop)
1 Lena Rowe (aus obf pre, Pander, 3)
2 Sheila Mezarin (AUS cel for PRE, Toreador Antitribu,
6)
Library: (90 cards)
Master (18 cards)
3 Blood Doll
1 Direct Intervention
2 Dreams of the Sphinx
1 Fetish Club Hunting Ground
3 Minion Tap
6 Obfuscate
2 Palla Grande
Action (12 cards)
1 Art Scam
1 Charming Lobby
5 Enchant Kindred
5 Social Charm
ActionMod (25 cards)
4 Awe
4 Bewitching Oration
3 Cloak the Gathering
2 Faceless Night
2 Forgotten Labyrinth
3 Lost in Crowds
1 Spying Mission
6 Voter Captivation
Political (14 cards)
4 Banishment
3 Cardinal Benediction
1 Consanguineous Boon
1 Disputed Territory
4 Kine Resources Contested
1 Rumors of Gehenna
Reaction (10 cards)
5 Telepathic Misdirection
5 Wake with Evening's Freshness
Combat (10 cards)
10 Majesty
Combo (1 card)
Swallowed by the Night
--
chris
<www.vtesinla.org> (A V:TES site in development)
ultimate disc - V:TES - hockey
v:ekn prince of torrance, ca
The Lasombra
Chris Shorb <chr...@vtesinla.org> wrote:
> An interesting side note - as you will see, Alex won without one (1)
> intercept card. Wild stuff.
Not counting the 5 cards that give intercept in the deck,
Telepathic Misdirection. Although he may certainly never
have played them for the intercept. I will leave that for
him to say.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Alex Harmon
The Lasombra wrote:
> In article <3A32C279...@vtesinla.org>,
> Chris Shorb <chr...@vtesinla.org> wrote:
> > An interesting side note - as you will see, Alex won without one (1)
> > intercept card. Wild stuff.
>
> Not counting the 5 cards that give intercept in the deck,
> Telepathic Misdirection. Although he may certainly never
> have played them for the intercept. I will leave that for
> him to say.
Actually, I did use TM a few times during the tournament to stop some
naughty political actions.
Chris Shorb
>
> In article <3A32C279...@vtesinla.org>,
> Chris Shorb <chr...@vtesinla.org> wrote:
> > An interesting side note - as you will see, Alex won without one (1)
> > intercept card. Wild stuff.
>
> Not counting the 5 cards that give intercept in the deck,
> Telepathic Misdirection. Although he may certainly never
> have played them for the intercept. I will leave that for
> him to say.
Right, not 1 card, but 5. I was hoping someone was smart enough to
figure out my little puzzle... OK, I forgot about the Tele Misds...
>
> > Alex Harmon's game winning Deck:
[snip deck]