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Wednesday 27 July 2011

Vaguely Rambling About PreCon Decks

The Wandering Counselor helpfully commented on one of my posted PreCon deck lists today about their equivalent being listed at The Lasombra's site and also over at extrala's blog which are well worth a look.

Note: Since adding this post I have now realised about the existence of the Secret Library's Preconstructed Deck Lists which are great in that they already allow them to be exported in many formats, including the 'ELD' format.

This made me realise something. I should possibly explain why I have been posting these PreCon decks when they are already listed else-where and am therefore seemingly just re-hashing over pre-existing material. It also provides me with a convenient vehicle to start toeing the waters of posting something more substantial than simple lists of cards and game attributes. To start musing upon what direction I want the blog to move in. I tend to do a lot of this, vaguely contemplating about the probably inconsequential...

Okay, so to a certain extent posting PreCon decks has admittedly been a means to ease me into the habit of posting on the blog, to which I am still new. Equally true is the fact that whilst I have several uncompleted posts and ideas sitting in the wings, my current content sources are still somewhat lacking, so listing the decks also makes for handy post material...

Further to this though, the lists have another dual purpose.

On one hand these lists initially serve as a sort of record of the decks I have started to acquire and play. As I catalogue and enter each one into the FELDB and ARDB I have also added a record of these to the blog. Having discovered that I couldn't easily find any FELDB and/or ARDB format copies of these PreCon decks available on-line, I consequently thought that rather than manually having to enter them, others might also find the links to these of use. The listed decks already contain links to the FELDB *.eldb format and I will be adding the ARDB versions in the near future. (I am currently liaising about the new beta version of the ARDB so might wait until that process is completed.)

On the other hand their primary purpose is that of precursors to a review of these decks, both in and of the decks themselves and also in terms of how suitable I have found them to be as potential introductory decks for use with newbies. Thus these lists will be used as an accompaniment to these reviews, allowing me to link to the decks in question as handy reference tools when I discuss them.

As to the introductory process itself, I have now found this to be diverging along two distinct paths.

Firstly it has become geared towards introducing the game to my girlfriend, who was already familiar with it from when we first met but had never actually played it - she so far seems to have really taken to it and enjoying the game, which has been heartening to experience. :)

Secondly in the direction of introducing the game to some friends when hosting a regular gaming day that seems to be becoming established between the group of us on a rotational hosting basis.

I guess thirdly, I have subsequently found that the starter decks have also been a good way to re-introduce myself to the game, to re-familiarise myself with many of the cards I used to play with and as the basis for an introduction to many of the new cards.

Once I find sufficient time to collate and assess my steadily burgeoning new card collection I'll hopefully progress to once again creating my own decks and will then seek to list all of those on here as well. Well maybe not all of them... One or two of the decks I may well hold back from public viewing in perhaps slightly deluded hopes of a tournament win or two at some point. Plenty of time for those to be listed after that... >;-)


Tuesday 26 July 2011

KoT PreCon Ventrue Deck


The following lists the details for the 'Ventrue' pre-constructed Deck from the 'Keepers of Tradition' expansion.

I have also stored the details for this deck in a format loadable by the Fragment of Elder Library Deck Builder (F)ELDB software.

Download 'Keepers of Tradition - Ventrue PreCon Deck.eld'.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Deck Name: Keepers of Tradition Ventrue PreCon Deck
Created By: L. Scott Johnson
-------------------------------------------------------------
Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 14, Max: 42, Avg: 7.66)
-------------------------------------------------------------
2  Gotsdam              ani AUS DOM FOR PRE      9   Ventrue  
2  Gustav Breidenstein  aus cel pot DOM FOR PRE  10  Ventrue  
2  Hardestadt           cel pro DOM FOR POT PRE  11  Ventrue  
2  Jackson Asher        dom                      2   Ventrue  
2  Johannes Castelein   DEM DOM FOR PRE          9   Ventrue  
2  Joáo Bilé            pre DOM FOR              5   Ventrue  
-------------------------------------------------------------
 
Library: (77 cards)
 
Master (14 cards)
  1 Dominate
  2 Esgrima
  1 Fortitude
  1 Golconda: Inner Peace
  2 Instability
  1 Powerbase: Montreal
  1 Presence
  1 Social Ladder
  2 Special Report
  2 Vessel
 
Action (4 cards)
  1 Dominate Kine
  3 Fourth Tradition: The Accounting, The
 
Action Modifier (15 cards)
  3 Aura of Invincibility
  5 Conditioning
  3 Freak Drive
  4 Seduction
 
Political Action (19 cards)
  3 Can't Take it with You
  5 Honor the Elders
  6 Kine Resources Contested
  2 National Guard Support
  1 Praxis Seizure: Atlanta
  1 Praxis Seizure: Miami
  1 Reins of Power
 
Reaction (3 cards)
  3 Second Tradition: Domain, The
 
Combat (16 cards)
  4 Armor of Vitality
  2 Haymaker
  4 Majesty
  6 Soak
 
Equipment (1 cards)
  1 Martinelli's Ring
 
Combo (5 cards)
  5 Murmur of the False Will
-------------------------------------------------------------

KoT PreCon Toreador Deck

The following lists the details for the 'Toreador' pre-constructed Deck from the 'Keepers of Tradition' expansion.

I have also stored the details for this deck in a format loadable by the Fragment of Elder Library Deck Builder (F)ELDB software.

Download 'Keepers of Tradition - Toreador PreCon Deck.eld'.

--------------------------------------------------------
Deck Name: Keepers of Tradition Toreador PreCon Deck
Created By: L. Scott Johnson
--------------------------------------------------------
Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 12, Max: 38, Avg: 6.66)
--------------------------------------------------------
2  Epikasta Rigatos   cel AUS DOM PRE      8   Toreador  
2  Eugene             AUS CEL FOR PRE      8   Toreador  
2  Kateline Nadasdy   AUS CEL PRE          7   Toreador  
2  Rafael de Corazon  AUS CEL DOM OBF PRE  11  Toreador  
2  Sean Andrews       cel                  2   Toreador  
2  Thomas De Lutrius  aus cel pre          4   Toreador  
--------------------------------------------------------
Library: (77 cards)
 
Master (10 cards)
  1 Auspex
  1 Celerity
  2 Contingency Planning
  2 Fame
  1 Presence
  1 Rack, The
  2 Vessel
 
Action (7 cards)
  1 Entrancement
  6 Public Trust
 
Action Modifier (11 cards)
  4 Approximation of Loyalty
  4 Crocodile`s Tongue
  3 Suppressing Fire
 
Political Action (6 cards)
  4 Kine Resources Contested
  1 Praxis Seizure: Houston
  1 Praxis Seizure: Washington, D.C.
 
Reaction (13 cards)
  3 Eagle`s Sight
  4 Minor Irritation
  2 On the Qui Vive
  4 Telepathic Misdirection
 
Combat (14 cards)
  2 Concealed Weapon
  3 Psyche!
  6 Pursuit
  3 Taste of Vitae
 
Equipment (16 cards)
  5 Beretta 9mm
  1 Bowl of Convergence
  3 Desert Eagle
  2 IR Goggles
  1 Ivory Bow
  1 Mark V
  3 Sniper Rifle
--------------------------------------------------------

KoT PreCon Malkavian Deck


The following lists the details for the 'Malkavian' pre-constructed Deck from the 'Keepers of Tradition' expansion.

I have also stored the details for this deck in a format loadable by the Fragment of Elder Library Deck Builder (F)ELDB software.

Download 'Keepers of Tradition - Malkavian PreCon Deck.eld'.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Deck Name: Keepers of Tradition Malkavian PreCon Deck
Created By: L. Scott Johnson
--------------------------------------------------------------
Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 12, Max: 42, Avg: 6.66)
--------------------------------------------------------------
2  Aleister Crowley       aus obf DEM PRE THA  7   Malkavian  
2  Cassandra Langely      dem                  2   Malkavian  
2  Florentina Lengauer    aus OBF              4   Malkavian  
2  Lutz Von Hohenzollern  pot AUS DEM OBF PRE  11  Malkavian  
2  Morel                  AUS DEM OBF          6   Malkavian  
2  Tryphosa               AUS DEM DOM OBF POT  10  Malkavian  
--------------------------------------------------------------
Library: (77 cards)
 
Master (17 cards)
  1 Auspex
  1 Bleeding the Vine
  1 Coven, The
  1 Dementation
  2 Effective Management
  1 Elysium: The Arboretum
  1 Giant's Blood
  1 High Museum of Art, Atlanta
  4 Life in the City
  2 Obfuscate
  2 Vessel
 
Action (13 cards)
  5 Forgery
  6 Kindred Spirits
  2 Sleep of Reason
 
Action Modifier (23 cards)
  3 Change of Target
  6 Eyes of Chaos
  6 Into Thin Air
  4 Spying Mission
  4 Veil the Legions
 
Political Action (1 cards)
  1 Praxis Seizure: Chicago
 
Reaction (12 cards)
  3 On the Qui Vive
  2 Poison Pill
  2 Shattered Mirror
  3 Spirit's Touch
  2 Voice of Madness
 
Combat (4 cards)
  4 Glancing Blow
 
Equipment (5 cards)
  3 Cooler
  2 Learjet
 
Combo (2 cards)
  2 Deny
--------------------------------------------------------------

KoT PreCon Brujah Deck


The following lists the details for the 'Brujah' pre-constructed Deck from the 'Keepers of Tradition' expansion.

I have also stored the details for this deck in a format loadable by the Fragment of Elder Library Deck Builder (F)ELDB software.

Download 'Keepers of Tradition - Brujah PreCon Deck.eld'.

--------------------------------------------------------
Deck Name: Keepers of Tradition Brujah PreCon Deck
Created By: L. Scott Johnson
--------------------------------------------------------
Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 14, Max: 42, Avg: 6.5)
--------------------------------------------------------
2  Adana de Sforza  aus CEL OBF POT PRE PRO  11  Brujah  
2  Garret           pot pre                  3   Brujah  
2  Herbert Westin   pot OBF PRE              5   Brujah  
2  Jann Berger      dem for CEL POT PRE      10  Brujah  
2  Reginald Moore   PRE                      4   Brujah  
2  Tomaine          CEL POT PRE              6   Brujah  
--------------------------------------------------------
Library: (77 cards)
 
Master (10 cards)
  1 Celerity
  1 KRCG News Radio
  2 Major Boon
  1 Nod
  1 Potence
  1 Presence
  1 Tension in the Ranks
  2 Vessel
 
Action (14 cards)
  4 Enrage
  2 Entrenching
  5 Harass
  3 Public Trust
 
Political Action (4 cards)
  2 Finding the Path
  2 Year of Fortune
 
Reaction (3 cards)
  3 On the Qui Vive
 
Combat (32 cards)
  6 Brute Force
  3 Immortal Grapple
  3 Psyche!
  3 Relentless Pursuit
  4 Slam
  4 Stutter-Step
  3 Taste of Vitae
  3 Torn Signpost
  3 Weighted Walking Stick
 
Equipment (9 cards)
  4 Bang Nakh -- Tiger's Claws
  2 Bundi
  1 Drum of Xipe Totec
  1 Phased Motion Detector
  1 Sengir Dagger
 
Combo (5 cards)
  5 Resist Earth's Grasp
--------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 17 July 2011

Expanding the Collection

The first few games pottering about playing some test games with the 'Lords of the Night' pre-constructed decks were fun and provided a good taster of how much I still love this game. Still, whilst some of the available pre-con decks will possibly do the trick for introducing some others to the game, they don't really compare to properly constructed decks of course, and for that I was going to need more cards.

On the basis that I really want to get playing properly again, I decided to expand the collection a little.

I searched about for some cards and found that there didn't seem to currently be that many suitable sellers in the UK with the sort of stock I was after. There seemed to be better deals available in the USA but my fear was that whilst I wanted to try to take advantage of some bulk-purchase deals, I may well get hit with a large customs charge if I shipped over too many to the UK at once.

Credit must therefore go to the girlfriend who found a sale going on over at www.vtes.de in Germany where they had started selling off their V:TES stock and had bulk quantities of boosters and starter decks.

Being in Europe, I wouldn't get hit with any nasty customs charges so that was a relief. They had a deal where you basically get 2 booster boxes for free if you are buying a batch of ten booster boxes. (there was also a smaller deal with 5 booster boxes) They also only seemed to charge €10 for shipping no matter how many boxes, so that sounded like a reasonable deal to me. :)

In the end I decided on going with the 10 x booster deal, along with a selection of some of the half starter boxes, seeking to gain knowledge of the different expansions that have been released since I stopped playing. Not all the expansions were still available but the ones I acquired should provide a reasonably good introduction to many of the latest expansions and drag me into the modern game perhaps, albeit kicking and screaming a little.

So, I have now expanded the collection with the following:


  • 1 x V:TES Black Hand Booster Display
  • 1 x V:TES Ebony Kingdom Booster Display
  • 2 x V:TES Gehenna Booster Display
  • 2 x V:TES KMW Booster Display
  • 1 x V:TES Lords of the Nights Booster Display
  • 1 x V:TES Nights of Reckoning Booster Display
  • 1 x V:TES Sword of Caine Booster Display
  • 1 x V:TES 3rd Edition Booster Display
  • 1 x V:TES Lords of the Nights Starter Display (4 different starters)
  • 1 x V:TES Legacies of Blood Starter Display (4 different starters)
  • 1 x V:TES KMW Starter Starter Display (4 different starters)
  • 1 x V:TES Keepers of Tradition Starter Display (4 different starters)
  • 1 x V:TES Black Hand Starter Display (4 different starters)
  • 1 x V:TES 3rd Edition Starter Display (4 different starters)
  • 2 x V:TES Blood Shadowed Court Collector Deck


Tuesday 12 July 2011

Ascii art

Wading through my old V:TES files I came across these old ascii-art pictures I did years ago, from back in the days when was on alt.ascii.art as well as rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad, so thought I'd post them here >;-)

                              ______  
                         ,-~~~,^.___~~-,
                      _-'.-~~/   \  `,  `,
                    ,' ,'    \   /    `,  `-,
                  ,'_-'       | |       `,   `, 
                 /-'           \_~~--_    `,   ; 
                                 ~>   )    ;    ;  
                ,--~~~,      __--~  _/`     ;   ;    \ 
             _-~      ;   ,-~   _--~        ;   ;     ;\ 
            ;    ,-,  `; (    <~    _--~~~--'   ;     ; ;  
           ;   ,'  `,  `-_`-_  `-.~~  _-----___-'      ; ; 
          ;   ,'    `-_   ~-.~-.  `-,'         _--.    ; `,
         ;   ;    ,---_~-, ,'   ;-,  `\  __---~    |    ; ;
         ;_--~-_,'     ~-_;   ,`-__;  _;~    _-,  /_-~--_ ;
        <`        _--_       ;_    ~~~   ,--~,'          `,
         ;~-__.--'    ~-_    ; ~-_   _,-;    ;__--~~-.__-';
          ;   ;          ~~--'    ~~~  ,'           _.'  ; 
           `,  ;_                ,'   ,'        __-~   ,' 
            `-,  ~-_            ;    ',  __--~~~     ,' 
               ~--_ ~-__ spb    `,     ~~       __--~ 
                   ~----~~~       ~~--_____---~~ 
        
                            V:TES Symbol



                     __,-----,,,,  ,,,--------,__ 
                  _-/|\\/|\\/|\\\|\//\\\//|/|//|\\_ 
                 /|\/\//\\\\\\\\\\//////////////\\\\ 
               //|//           \\\///            |\\|\ 
              ///|\/             \/               \|\|\ 
             |/|//                                 |\\|\  
            |/|/                                    \|\|\
            ///;    ,,=====,,,  ~~-~~  ,,,=====,,    ;|\|\
           |/|/   '"          `'     '"          "'   ;|\|
           ||/`;   _--~~~~--__         __--~~~~--_   ;/|\|
           /|||;  :  /       \~~-___-~~/       \  :  ;|\| 
           /\|;    -_\  (o)  / ,'; ;', \  (o)  /_-    ;|| 
           |\|;      ~-____--~'  ; ;  '~--____-~      ;\| 
            ||;            ,`   ;   ;   ',            ;||
          __|\ ;        ,'`    (  _  )    `',        ;/|__ 
      _,-~   \|/;    ,'`        ~~ ~~        `',    ;|\   ~-,_ 
    ,'         ||;  '                           '  ;\|/       `, 
   , _          ; ,         _--~~-~~--_           ;            _',
  ,-' `;-,        ;        ,; |_| | |_| ;,       ;;        ,-;' `-,
        ; `,      ;       ;_| : `~'~' : |_;       ;      ,' ;
         ;  `,     ;     :  `\/       \/   :     ;     ,'  ;
          ;   `,    ;     :               ;     ;    ,'   ;
           ;    `,_  ;     ;./\_     _/\.;     ;   _,    ;
  spb   _-'        ;  ;     ~~--|~|~|--~~     ;   ;       '-_
    _,-'            ;  ;        ~~~~~        ;   ;           `-,_
  ,~                 ;  \`~--__         __--~/  ;                ~,            
                      ;   \   ~~-----~~    /   ;                   
                       ~-_  \  /  |  \   /  _-~                    
                          ~~-\/   |   \/ -~~                       
                         (=)=;==========;=(=)
  
                     Old-school cliche vampire :P
 
  

Sunday 10 July 2011

Glossary

Glossary of common V:TES terms

In-Game Terms Meta-Game Terms Sects Clans Disciplines

Much of the original content for this list was taken from the rulebooks that come with the starter decks.

This post will be an ongoing process as I adjust and add to the list but its initial purpose will be as a starting point reference for some players new to the game that will playing a local once-off game at my place in a couple of weeks time. It seems to have taken a surprisingly long time to compile and may well still require corrections that will form part of this aforementioned ongoing process.


In-Game Terms
  • Acting Minion:
    The minion performing the current action.
  • Action Card:
    A card that a minion can play to perform a special action. Includes equipment, retainer, ally and political action cards.
  • Action Modifier:
    A card that the acting minion can play to modify the action he is performing.
  • Additional Strike:
    Allows a minion to strike an additional time in the same round of combat (at the same range as the initial strike).
  • Aggravated Damage:
    Type of damage that vampires cannot heal. It can even burn a wounded vampire.
  • Ally:
    A non-vampire minion. Brought into play by a "recruit ally" action, he acts independently of the minion who recruited him.
  • Ash Heap:
    The discard pile. Cards that are burned are returned to their owner's ash heap.
  • Bleed:
    An action that attempts to burn another player's pool. By default, it can only be attempted against a player's prey.
  • Block:
    The successful attempt of a minion to prevent the action of another minion. Typically concluded with combat.
  • Blocking Minion:
    The minion currently attempting to block an action, or the minion who has successfully blocked the current action.
  • Blood (also Blood Counter):
    A token representing a vampire's capability to heal himself or to perform certain feats.
  • Blood Bank:
    Repository of blood counters not in use.
  • Blood Cursed:
    A vampire with Blood Curse cannot commit diablerie.
  • Blood Hunt:
    The act of burning a vampire that committed diablerie. A referendum is conducted to see if a blood hunt is called.
  • Bounce:
    To redirect a bleed action aimed at you on to another player.
  • Burn:
    Discard. A burned card goes to its owner's ash heap. A burned counter or token is returned to the blood bank.
  • Cainite(s):
    Another term for vampire(s).
  • Capacity:
    The maximum number of blood counters a vampire can have. It is also a relative measure of the vampire's age.
  • Circle:
    Each Blood Brother is identified with a particular circle. A vampire without a circle designation is his own circle.
  • Combat Card:
    A card that a minion can play in combat.
  • Combat Ends:
    A strike that ends combat before any damage or other strike effects happen.
  • Contest(ed):
    The struggle for control of a unique card or title.
  • Controlled Region:
    Area containing a Methuselah's controlled cards.
  • Crypt:
    The deck of cards containing a player's vampires.
  • Deflect:
    To redirect a bleed action aimed at you on to another player.
  • Diablerie:
    The act of burning a torporous vampire. Can be used to gain a Discipline.
  • Diablerist:
    A vampire who commits diablerie. A blood hunt can be called to burn a diablerist.
  • Directed Action:
    An action of one Methuselah's minion that targets one or more other Methuselahs (or the minions or cards they control).
  • Dodge:
    A strike that protects a minion and the cards on him from an opposing minion's strike. Retainers are not protected.
  • Draft:
    A card effect that can only be used in a draft or sealed deck tournament.
  • Edge:
    A token symbolizing who has the upper hand at the moment.
  • Equipment:
    An object a minion uses for a special bonus or ability.
  • Event:
    Event cards represent events that affect the World of Darkness as a whole. Each discard phase, a Methuselah may use a discard phase action to put an event card in play. Each unque event can only be played once in a game.
  • First Strike:
    An offensive strike done faster than normal, so that the strike resolves before a normal offensive strike would.
  • Hunt:
    The action that a vampire takes to regain blood.
  • Infernal:
    An infernal minion doesn't untap as normal in the untap phase. During the controller's untap phase, the player may burn a pool to untap him.
  • Influence Phase:
    The phase of a turn in which a Methuselah may make transfers to her uncontrolled vampires and during which vampires are moved from the uncontrolled region to the ready region.
  • Intercept:
    A measure of how well a minion can block the action of another minion. If it equals or exceeds the acting minion's stealth, the minion's block is successful.
  • Kinred:
    Another term for vampires.
  • Library:
    The deck containing a player's minion and master cards from which her hand is drawn.
  • Life (also Life Counter):
    A token representing a retainer's or an ally's health.
  • Maneuver:
    The efforts of a minion in combat to move away from or to close in on the opposing minion.
  • Master Card:
    A library card that can be used as a master phase action.
  • Master Phase Action:
    The Methuselah's personal activity for the turn.
  • Methuselah
    Each player represents one of these, an ancient vampire, mostly influencing the world through younger minions. The term is generally interchange-able with player.
  • Minion:
    A vampire or ally.
  • Minion Card:
    Any library card that is not a master card -- a card that a minion can play.
  • Out-of-Turn Master Card:
    A type of master card that can only be played during another player's turn, using the next master phase action of the player playing it.
  • Phase(s):
    The sequence which each player follows each round, made up of the Untap, Master, Minion, Influence and Discard phases.
  • Polling:
    The step of a referendum during which votes are cast.
  • Pool:
    A token representing a Methuselah's status. Also, a collection of such tokens. A Methuselah is ousted if she loses all of her pool.
  • Predator:
    The player to a Methuselah's right.
  • Press:
    The efforts of a minion in combat to escape from or to give chase to the opposing minion.
  • Prey:
    The player to a Methuselah's left. A player receives a victory point and 6 pool when her prey is ousted.
  • Reaction Card:
    A card played by a Methuselah's ready, untapped minion in response to an action taken by a minion controlled by another Methuselah.
  • Ready Region:
    Area containing a Methuselah's minions that are not in torpor.
  • Red List:
    Any player may use a master phase action to mark a Red List minion for the current turn. Once per turn any ready vampire controlled by that player may take a a +1 stealth (D) action that costs 1 blood to enter combat with a marked Red List minion. If a vampire burns a Red List minion in combat or as a (D) action, including diablerie, the controller may go through their library, ash heap and/or hand to get a master trophy card to put on that vampire and then reshuffle her library or draw back up to her hand size as necessary. This is done before the blood hunt referendum is called, if any.
  • Referendum:
    The part of a political action (or a blood hunt referendum) during which the terms are set, the votes are cast and the effects are applied (if it passes).
  • Research Area:
    Some cards can be moved to a special area called the research area. The cards in the research area are face down and out of play; they can be affected only by cards and effects that say so explicitly. A player may look at the cards in their research area at any time.
  • Retainer:
    A mortal creature or being that serves a minion. Brought into play by an employ retainer action, he remains with the minion who employed him and cannot act independently.
  • Scarce:
    When a Methuselah moves a scarce vampire from the uncontrolled region to the ready region during the influence phase, they must burn 3 pool for every other vampire of the same clan already in play.
  • Stealth:
    A measure of how well a minion evades other minions' attempts to block his action. If it exceeds the blocking minion's intercept, the block fails.
  • Slave:
    Some minions are identified as slaves of a specified clan. A slave cannot take a directed action if unless the controller controls a ready member of the specified clan. If a member of the specified clan is blocked, the controller can tap the slave and untap the acting vampire and to have the slave enter combat instead.
  • Sterile:
    A vampire that cannot take an action to create a vampire.
  • Strength:
    The amount of damage a minion inflicts with a normal hand strike.
  • Strike:
    The effort of a minion in combat to harm his opponent or to avoid being struck by his opponent.
  • Tap:
    Turn (a card) sideways. Typically done to indicate that the card has been activated for some purpose.
  • Torpor Region:
    Area where vampires are placed when they cannot heal damage done to them. A vampire in torpor is vulnerable to diablerie attempts. A vampire in torpor is not ready but is still considered controlled.
  • Transfer:
    Influence phase action used to move pool to or from an uncontrolled vampire or to move a card from the crypt to the uncontrolled region.
  • Trifle Master Card:
    A special 'lesser' master card that allows up a single extra master phase after being played.
  • Uncontrolled Region:
    Area containing a Methuselah's uncontrolled vampires. Allies are also placed here when they are recruited to indicate that they cannot act, although they are controlled.
  • Undirected Action:
    An action that is not directed.
  • Untap:
    Restore a card to the normal, upright, position. See Tap.
  • Victory Point:
    The measure of a player's ranking. A player receives a victory point when her prey is ousted and for being the last player in the game. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.
  • Withdraw:
    An attempt to leave the game by a player who has run out of cards in her library.
  • World of Darkness:
    A fictional dark alternative world to our own in which the game takes place.
  • Wounded:
    A vampire who has received damage that he has not healed or a vampire in torpor or on his way to torpor is said to be wounded.

More info:: The Lasombra's V:TES Abbreviations List


Meta-Game Terms
  • ARDB:
    Anarch Revolt Deck Builder - software that allowed you browse all the cards, create/record decks and inventory
  • As the name suggests, a deck constructed to focus on bleeding their prey.
  • Bleed deck:
    As the name suggests, a deck constructed to focus on bleeding their prey.
  • CCG:
    Collectable Card Game.
  • Combat deck:
    As the name suggests, a deck constructed to focus on combat.
  • ELDB:
    Elder Library Deck Builder - software that allowed you browse all the cards, create/record decks and inventory. Deprecated, mostly replaced by ARDB and FELDB.
  • FELDB:
    Fragment of Elder Library Deck Builder - software that allowed you browse all the cards, create/record decks and inventory
  • Intercept deck:
    As the name suggests, a deck constructed to focus on intercepting other players actions.
  • Jyhad
    The original name of the game and often now used to refer to that base set of cards.
  • TCC:
    Trading Card Central - an online card trading site.
  • TCG:
    Trading Card Game.
  • Toolbox:
    A diverse deck style that rather than focusing on bleeding, voting or intercept and combat, does mixture of all of them.
  • Vote deck:
    As the name suggests, a deck constructed to focus on political actions.

More info:: extrala's V:TES colloquial dictionary
The Lasombra's V:TES Deck Terminology List


Sects And Titles
  • Anarch:
    Not a sect as such, the Anarchs are independent but with a special attribute. More info: section 10.5 at the V:EKN
  • Antitribu:
    The 'anti-clans' made up of members of a former Camarilla clan that have joined the Sabbat which oppose the Camarilla.
  • Black Hand:
    Not an actual sect as such, but an elite sub-sect of the Sabbat that essentially comprise the Sabbat assassins.
  • Camarilla:
    The traditional sect that enforces the Traditions and Masquerade, composed of six to seven clans (dependent upon chronology) Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere and Ventrue, plus to an extent the clanless Caitiff. Refer section 10.1 at the V:EKN
  • Indepedent:
    All clans not aligned with the other major sects are termed Independent. More info: section 10.4 at the V:EKN
  • Laibon:
    The third major sect, the "Laibon" compsoed of the four clans Akunanse, Guruhi, Ishtarri and Osebo. More info: section 10.3 at the V:EKN
  • Sabbat:
    The vampire sect that rejects the Camarilla Traditions and Masquerade, composed of the Ahrimanes, Blood Brothers, Brujah antitribu, Gangrel antitribu, Harbingers of Skulls, Kiasyd, Lasombra, Malkavian antitribu, Pander, Nosferatu antitribu, Salubri antitribu, Toreador antitribu, Tremere antitribu, Tzimisce and Ventrue antitribu. More info: section 10.2 at the V:EKN
  • Votes:

    Title: Sect: Votes:
    Archbishop: Sabbat 2
    Baron: Anarch 2
    Bishop: Sabbat 1
    Cardinal: Sabbat 3
    Inner Circle: Camarilla 4
    Justicar: Camarilla 3
    Kholo: Laibon 2
    Magaji: Laibon 2
    Primogen: Camarilla 1
    Prince: Camarilla 2
    Prisci: Sabbat 3
    The prisci as a group have 3 votes. During a referendum, the prisci block of 3 votes is cast "for" or "against" the referendum according to the prisci subreferendum.
    Priscus: Sabbat 1
    This vote is only usable for the Prisci sub-referendum, the result of which then decides the Prisci vote of 3 votes for, against or abstain (if the sub-referendum is tied) from the main referendum.
    Regent: Sabbat 4




Clans:
Name: Main Sect: Notes: Common Disciplines:
Abomination Abomination: Independent   ? ? ?
Ahrimanes Ahrimanes Sabbat Scarce. Animalism Presence Spiritus
Akunanse Akunanse Laibon   Abombwe Animalism Fortitude
Assamite Assamite Independent Blood cursed. Celerity Obfuscate Quietus
Baali Baali Independent Infernal. Daimoinon Obfuscate Presence
Blood Brothers Blood Brothers Sabbat Sterile. Fortitude Potence Sanguinus
Brujah Brujah Camarilla   Celerity Potence Presence
Brujah antitribu Brujah antitribu Sabbat   Celerity Potence Presence
Caitiff Caitiff Camarilla Clanless ? ? ?
Daughters of Cacophony Daughters of Cacophony Independent   Fortitude Melpominee Presence
Followers of Set Followers of Set Independent   Obfuscate Presence Serpentis
Gangrel Gangrel Camarilla   Animalism Fortitude Protean
Gangrel antitribu Gangrel antitribu Sabbat   Animalism Fortitude Protean
Gargoyles Gargoyles Independent Slave. Flight. Fortitude Potence Visceratika
Giovanni Giovanni Independent   Dominate Necromancy Potence
Guhuri Guruhi Laibon   Animalism Potence Presence
Harbingers of Skulls Harbingers of Skulls Sabbat   Auspex Fortitude Necromancy
Ishtarri Ishtarri Laibon   Celerity Fortitude Presence
Kiasyd Kiasyd Sabbat Cold iron vulnerability. Dominate Mytherceria Obtenebration
Lasombra Lasombra Sabbat   Dominate Obtenebration Potence
Malkavian Malkavian Camarilla   Auspex Dementation Obfuscate
Malkavian antitribu Malkavian antitribu Sabbat   Auspex Dementation Obfuscate
Nagaraja Nagaraja Independent Scarce. Auspex Dominate Necromancy
Nosferatu Nosferatu Camarilla   Animalism Obfuscate Potence
Nosferatu antitribu Nosferatu antitribu Sabbat   Animalism Obfuscate Potence
Osebo Osebo Laibon   Auspex Celerity Potence
Pander Pander Sabbat   ? ? ?
Ravnos Ravnos Independent   Animalism Chimerstry Fortitude
Salubri Salubri Independent Scarce. Auspex Fortitude Obeah
Salubri antitribu Salubri antitribu Sabbat   Auspex Fortitude Valeren
Samedi Samedi Independent   Obfuscate Necromancy Thanatosis
Toreador Toreador Camarilla   Auspex Celerity Presence
Toreador antitribu Toreador antitribu Sabbat   Auspex Celerity Presence
Tremere Tremere Camarilla   Auspex Dominate Thaumaturgy
Tremere antitribu Tremere antitribu Sabbat   Auspex Dominate Thaumaturgy
True Brujah True Brujah Independent Scarce. Potence Presence Temporis
Tzimisce Tzimisce Sabbat   Animalism Auspex Vicissitude
Ventrue Ventrue Camarilla   Dominate Fortitude Presence
Ventrue antitribu Ventrue antitribu Sabbat   Auspex Dominate Fortitude


Discplines:
Abombwe Abombwe: cancelling and/or activating frenzy effects
Animalism Animalism: retainers, animal themed damage, maneuver, press, combat-based familiars
Auspex Auspex: intercept, tapping/untapping, dodge, card reveals, forced discard, strength increase, minion find,block cancellation, vote cancellation, bleed reduction, strike cancellation
Celerity Celerity: dodge, additional strikes, maneuver, weapon theft, ranged damage, undodgeable strikes, stealth, intercept, card cycling, direct combat, stealth bleed and continued combat
Chimerstry Chimerstry: minion swaps, weapon aquisition, blood gain, pool gain, specialised blood theft, stealth
Daimoinon Daimoinon: aggravated damage, aggravated damage immunity, corruption, pacts, negative effects on minions/methuselahs
Dementation Dementation: increased bleeds, bleed-based pool gain, forced tap, untap restriction, forced combat, discpline restriction, reduced intercept, direct torporisation
Dominate Dominate: increased bleeds, action-based influence, block cancellation, vote cancellation, action cancellation, minion control, untap restriction
Fortitude Fortitude: damage prevention, blood gain, torpor rescue, untap, unblockable actions, press, aggravated damage conversion, temporary fortitude, delayed torpor
Melpominee Melpominee: forced tap, vote gain, block prevention, stealth, intercept, bleed increase, aggravated damage, stackable pool burn
Mytherceria Mytherceria: forced tap, location burn/find, card cycling/recycling, grapple cancellation, ranged damage, blood/discpline theft, bleed reduction, stealth, intercept
Necromancy Necromancy: card recycling, allies & retainers, intercept, stealth, blood gain, location/torpor protection
Obeah Obeah: ally life gain, blood gain, blood transfer, recycling retainers/allies, untap, increased bleed, minion lockdowns, minion control
Obfuscate Obfuscate: stealth/block cancellation, increased bleed, acting minion swap, vote gain, dodge, end combat, maneuver, press, mid-combat weapon equip
Obtenebration Obtenebration: stealth, intercept reduction, block cancelling, strike:torpor, end combat, aggravated damage, dodge, ranged damage, maneuver, set range, press, blood burn, demon allies & retainers
Potence Potence: strength increase, weapon destruction, press, location burn, direct minion damage, bleed increase, weapon damage increase, card cycling, grapples
Presence Presence: vote increase, vote benefits, increased bleed, bleed-based pool gain, block cancellation, end combat, dodge, forced tap, action restriction, ally/retainer find
Protean Protean: aggravated damage, torpor rescue, press, maneuver, end combat, strength increase, damage prevention, unblockable actions
Quietus Quietus: ranged damage, aggravated damage, maneuver, rang set, first strike, combat reducers, location burn, forced tap, untap, block cancellation, ally life gain
Sanguinus Sanguinus: strength increase, blood transfers, blood gain, combat cancellation, card recycling, stealth, intercept, bleed increase, additional strikes, damage prevention, combat transfer, equipment transfer
Serpentis Serpentis: blood theft, edge-based pool burn, blood burn, bleed increase, corruption, phobia, minion control, stealth, maneuver, end combat, dodge, damage prevention, bleed reduction
Spiritus Spiritus: directed combat, blood gain, untap, retainer find, maneuver, press, hunt increase, aggravated damage, stealth, intercept decrease, minion control
Temporis Temporis: untap, card recycling, influence, unpreventable damage, minion burn/find, aggravated damage, card cancellation, action cancellation, unblockable action, vote gain, strength increase, set range
Thanatosis Thanatosis: aggravated damage, damage prevention, block cancellation, bleed increase, dodge, maneuver, incremental stength damage, additional strike cancellation, stealth, minion control, retainer transfer/boost
Thaumaturgy Thaumaturgy: aggravated damage, blood theft, press, maneuver, strength increase, damage prevention, reaction restricters, blood burn, equipment find, untap, increased action cost, stealth, action cancellation
Valeren Valeren: block cost, bleed increase, aggravated damage, direct combat, blood gain, torpor rescue, blood hunt restriction, hand increase, damage prevention, unpreventable damage, end combat, bleed reduction
Vicissitude Vicissitude: bleed increase, stealth increase, stealth decrease, ally protection, mirrored damage, end combat, aggravated damage, maneuver, grapple cancellation, torpor rescue, burn prevention
Visceratika Visceratika: gargoyle protection, location protection, stealth increase, maneuver, press, end combat, set range, ranged damage, first strike, damage increase, damage prevention, intercept

The above table is by no means an exhaustive list of the effects that any given discpline has available to it, so much as simply providing a rough idea of the sort of effects some of the cards for each discpline are capable of.

More info:: James Coupe's General Discipline Explanations