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Ahrimanes Newsletter #6 |
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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