Yes, now is as good time as ever. The Path of Blood.com has returned from it's nigh year long hiatus. Lords of the Night is to be released today. As good of a time as any.
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LORDS OF THE NIGHT - Clan tidings.
Lords of the Night, being a set designed for the Independent clans naturally holds a good number of new cards for clan Assamite. Infact, there's so many of them, that I'd rather save my ammo for future newsletter's and briefly handle only a couple of them this month, instead of prattling about all to no useful effect.
First I have chosen a card which introduces a new mechanism, Aim.
Target Vitals
Combat
Aim. Play when choosing a strike.
If any damage from this strike is successfully inflicted on the opposing minion, he or she takes an additional 2 damage from this strike, and he or she cannot press this round. The opposing minion may discard two combat cards to cancel this card. A minion may play only one aim each strike.
How does this help Assamites, then? Because, when playing the traditional Assamite combat, you're committing yourself to long range combat.
Ponder this; which will be better, hitting your opponent with Blood Sweat for 3, then playing Pursuit and another Blood Sweat totaling 6 unpreventable damage, 2 blood loss for yourself, and 3 cards, or playing a single Blood Sweat with Target Vitals for 5, also denying your opponent from pressing? The fact that your opponent can discard two combat cards to cancel your one is not a trifling matter. One cannot simply have it all. Even if they should do so, chances are they will discard cards that propably could help them in the future. Maybe not against your minions, maybe so.
Also notable is, that Aim cards are easily flushable from your hand. Also of note is, that if you get caught at short range, your strike will still inflict the 2 additional damage should you go to torpor.
There are other Aim cards as well in the set, namingly Target; Head, Hand and Leg, all of which contain the same basic principle. Opponent may discard cards to cancel your card. If your strike lands, it will have additional effects.
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Next, we'll take a look at a card which more support the traditional Assamite combat line, a unique retainer.
Omael Kuman
Assamite
Retainer
1 pool
Unique ghoul with 1 life.
Before range is determined on the first round of combat, the minion with this retainer may burn 1 blood to set the range for the round.
But we already have Selective Silence, I hear you thinking. So? Permaments will always be superior to transients, especially when it comes to combat. You will not always hold a Selective Silence when you need one. Sadly, this ghoul is unique, but we can work around that. After all, clan Assamite mostly deals in star-decks. Some people will claim that they'd rather play IR Goggles instead, IR goggles being free, not unique and supplying, to an extent, the same effect. I do not think so. It is not uncommon for other players to maneuver back to close range against Assamites, knowing that at long range they will propably be at the wrong end of a nasty strike. Sure, you could play a Pursuit after they do so. While Omael is not superhot, mainly because you need to burn a blood for his effect, he is not bad either. He doesnt prevent you from getting the IR Goggles, nor from playing that Flash either. He will however, provide you with more options. More options, by and far, is good. See above. You will not always hold a Selective Silence when you need one.
With the amount of Auspex Assamites have, it is not entirely unconceivable to start one's rushes with an inferior Aura Reading every now and then, especially when dealing with a dodgy opponent who you presume to hold tricks up his sleeve. Not a lot of course, but one Aura Reading can save you from a world of frustration, even if you play it but once during a game. There are also a good number of Assamites with Animalism, having access to Owl Retainer's and permament open handedness. But, I digress.
Omael shines when played with the best combat card long range Assamites have. Psyche! When you use Omael's special, you will pressure your opponent into playing his defense, mainly a Strike; Combat Ends, the achilles heel of Assamite long range combat. Playing a good chunk of Psyche! will mean they will run out of S:CE, leaving themselves open. This free's up deck space for other options, and also compacts your combat into a more permanent solution. Psyche! also works wonderfully with IR Goggles, provided your opponent does not have an inherent maneuver.
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With the inclusion of a good number of different Assamites with Auspex, I feel this card will play a good role in the future of Assamites.
Lesser Boon
Master: out-of-turn. Boon.
Only usable when a minion you control successfully blocks. The actions resolves as if unblocked. Put this card on the acting minion. This minion cannot block your minions. Burn this card if you block this minion again, or when this minion's controller has less than 6 pool.
Now, a crucial fact about Assamites has not changed with LoTN. We are still a clan of One. What I mean is, Assamite decks generally fall into the star-vampire category, and in that category, your support minions are very valuable. With the inclusion of this card, having your support minions be able to act without fear of blocking from your prey's possible block-a-tron minion, is pure dynamite. Admittedly, if you block a crucial vampire of your prey's, chances are he might do actions in the future as well that you'd like to block as well, thus possibly burning the pool. Overlooking that issue, which while certainly not trivial, the better part of this card is the latter clause when it is burned. It is burned when your prey is well within the lunging distance. Doing 5 pool damage is a simple matter of one well placed Fame and a bleed for 1. Simply awesome.
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And now, for a truely awesome card, which should find it's way into most Assamite decks, regardless of type.
Haqim's Law: Leadership
Assamite
Action
+1 stealth action.
Each Methuselah who controls any of the oldest ready Assamites gains 2 pool.
Assamite Scam. Should you find yourself the only player with Assamites in the table, a thought not entirely unconceivable, each of these puppies will net you 2 pool. What's not to like? I don't think there's a lot that can be said about this card, honestly. It's just pure good. See; Khabar; Glory. All Assamite decks should pack 'em.
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I feel we simply must discuss one of the new Assamites as well. And here he is.
Sajid al Misbah
Assamite
Group 5
Capacity 4.
Independent: Cards that require Quietus cost Sajid 1 less blood. Sajid cannot block older vampires. Blood cursed.
Surprised? Yeah, he's not star material. He is, however, the cheapest vampire in the game with a constant cost reducing effect. And he is a model of the traditional Assamite combat. Yes, he lacks other disciplines, which is a flaw, but nothing that cannot be worked around. Clearly, he is not the vampire you choose to go after that S:CE toting wacko to the left of you. Well, not the first one, at least. But he is a vampire on whom you can depend on numerous occasions. He is not only a cheap "enabler" vampire (who enables all Assamite cards) but also a danger to any vampire with merely 2 combat cards guaranteeing torpor.
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All in all, the set has been one of the best WW has released in a long time, and not just because it heavily influences the way Assamites are played, but most because it has great cards for the whole game.
In future issues, I will delve deeper into the new cards and vampires, as well as introduce some new decks. Lords of the Night brought so many new toys, that expounding my thoughts in a single newsletter would be demeaning to them.
Until next month, Alamut remains cloaked in restive silence.
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