Mastering the Shadows

Mastering the Shadows: Strategy and Tactics for a Malkavian Dominate/Obfuscate Stealth Bleed Deck in Vampire: The Eternal Struggle

Introduction:

Vampire: The Eternal Struggle is an engrossing collectible card game that transports players into a dark world of ancient vampires vying for power and dominance. Among the diverse vampire clans, the Malkavians stand out as enigmatic and unpredictable creatures, wielding powers of madness and deception. In this article, we will delve into the strategy and tactics required to build and play a Malkavian Dominate/Obfuscate Stealth Bleed deck, combining potent stealth, bleed, and mind-controlling abilities to outmaneuver and manipulate opponents.

I. Deck Construction:

• The foundation of any successful Vampire: The Eternal Struggle deck lies in careful deck construction. When building a Malkavian Dominate/Obfuscate Stealth Bleed deck, consider the following key components:
• Clan Composition: As a Malkavian, your deck should primarily consist of Malkavian vampires. Their unique combination of Dominate and Obfuscate disciplines provides the backbone for your strategy. Select vampires with varying capacities for stealth, bleed, and mind control, balancing their blood capacities to maintain flexibility in your actions.
• Disciplines and Card Selection: Emphasize cards that complement your deck’s central theme of stealth and bleed. Prioritize cards that enhance your Dominate and Obfuscate powers, such as Conditionings, Govern the Unaligned, and Lost in Crowds. Include cards that inflict damage through bleed actions, like Kindred Spirits and Enchant Kindred. Additionally, include equipment and retainers that bolster your vampires’ survivability and efficiency.
• Crypt and Library Sizes: Strive for a well-balanced crypt and library size. Aim for a crypt size of around 12-16 vampires, ensuring a diverse and flexible roster. As for the library, maintain a balance between stealth, bleed, combat, and defensive cards, ensuring you have options for different scenarios.

II. Gameplay Strategy:

• Establish Early Game Advantage: As a Malkavian Dominate/Obfuscate Stealth Bleed player, your primary objective is to gain a strong early game advantage. Utilize your stealth abilities to maintain secrecy while bleeding your prey. Prioritize taking control of the game, employing cards like Conditioning and Lost in Crowds to redirect your prey’s actions and minimize their ability to mount a defense.
• Bleed and Stealth Synergy: Combine your bleed actions with stealth to maximize your impact. Employing stealth early on allows you to bleed your prey unhindered, forcing them to expend resources defending against unseen attacks. Cards like Cloak the Gathering and Forgotten Labyrinth provide you with additional stealth options, amplifying your potential to inflict damage.
• Manipulate Your Prey’s Actions: Utilize Dominate powers to manipulate your prey’s actions to your advantage. Cards like Govern the Unaligned and Command of the Beast allow you to control your prey’s actions, redirecting their efforts away from your vampires and disrupting their game plan. This not only protects your vampires from potential harm but also weakens your prey’s position.
• Defensive Measures: While aggression is a crucial aspect of your deck, you must also prioritize defense to protect your vampires and maintain longevity. Include cards like Deflection and On the Qui Vive to nullify incoming threats. Equipment such as Ivory Bow and Sporting Rifle can provide additional protection and serve as deterrents against potential attackers.

III. Tactical Considerations:

• Assess the Table: Constantly evaluate the state of the game and the threats posed by your opponents. Identify the most vulnerable prey and focus your efforts on bleeding them out while defending against counterattacks. Analyze the actions of your predators as well, adjusting your strategy to anticipate and neutralize their threats.
• Timing is Key: Choose your actions and timing wisely. Wait for the opportune moment to strike, ensuring your prey’s defenses are weakened, and your predators are distracted. Coordinate your actions with allies, forming temporary alliances when beneficial and exploiting moments of chaos and confusion.
• Resource Management: Efficiently manage your resources, including blood, pool, and cards. Plan your actions to optimize your blood pool usage and minimize wasteful actions. Preserve your pool whenever possible, as it represents your overall influence and survivability in the game.
• Adaptability: Remain adaptable throughout the game. Evaluate the changing dynamics of the table and adjust your strategy accordingly. Be prepared to switch targets, form new alliances, or alter your approach if the situation demands it. Flexibility is key to staying one step ahead of your opponents.
• Card Interactions: Familiarize yourself with the synergies and interactions between your cards. Understanding how different cards can enhance each other’s effects or create powerful combos can give you a significant advantage. Experiment with different card combinations to discover hidden strategies and maximize the efficiency of your deck.

Conclusion

Playing a Malkavian Dominate/Obfuscate Stealth Bleed deck in Vampire: The Eternal Struggle requires careful planning, calculated decision-making, and a deep understanding of your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. By skillfully blending stealth, bleed, and mind control, you can weave a web of intrigue, manipulating the game to your advantage. Remember, the Malkavians are the masters of shadows and madness, and with the right strategy, you can assert your dominance over the eternal struggle.

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Editors Remarks: When you read the article and you have some basic understanding on VTES, you’ll quickly notice that something is “off”. While at first glance it seems that the article is somewhat well written, it lacks substance and worse a fundamental understanding of the topic. For example, look at the phrase “(use) cards like Conditioning and Lost in Crowds to redirect your prey’s actions”. What does this mean? Conditioning and Lost in Crowds are used to damage your prey’s pool, not “redirect your prey’s actions”. Other examples are the crypt size of 12-16 cards, the inclusion of Ivory Bow and Sport’s Bike, or naming Forgotten Labyrinth as stealth options for this deck (it cannot be used on bleed actions).

As you might have guessed, this article was written by ChatGPT when asked to write a post with 1000 words on the topic (by the way it’s less than 800 words). I personally find the current hype about artificial intelligence is just that, a hype. While ChatGPT generates very readable texts, it’s not a strong AI. It can paraphrase what it has “learned” from other sources, but lacks a fundamental understanding of the topic (and also quite often is factually wrong).

tldr: Leave the VTES deckbuilding to the human intelligence. At least for the moment.

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Post Scriptum: Here’s the hillarious deck list when  ChatGPT was asked for Malkavian Stealth Bleed deck:

Crypt (12 cards):
Anatole x2
Antoinette DuChamp x2
Emily Carson x2
Evan Klein x2
Gilbert Duane x2
Greger Anderssen x2

Library (60 cards):
Master Cards:
Dreams of the Sphinx x3
Minion Tap x3
Information Highway x2

Action Modifier Cards:
Cloak the Gathering x4

Lost in Crowds x4
Confusion x3
Forgotten Labyrinth x3
Freak Drive x2

Reaction Cards:
On the Qui Vive x3
Deflection x3
Wake with Evening’s Freshness x2
Telepathic Misdirection x2

Combat Cards:
Majesty x4
Indomitability x2
Rolling with the Punches x2

Action Cards:
Kindred Spirits x4
Enchant Kindred x4
Govern the Unaligned x4
Conditioning x3
Command of the Beast x2

Equipment Cards:
Ivory Bow x2
Sporting Rifle x2

Ally Cards:
Carlton Van Wyk x2
Underbridge Stray x2

Retainer Cards:
Mr. Winthrop x2

Event Cards:
Scouting Mission x3
The Rumor Mill x2