This fascinating newsletter was posted by Emmit Svenson two years ago. Since it offers such astounding insight to the world of VtES, I thought it would be worth a repost.
Introduction
Welcome, everyone, to the first official State the Obvious newsletter. Previous newsletters have stated the obvious, but this is the first newsletter dedicated to this vital service for the online V:tES community. This month’s issue is an extremely superficial look at that most simple of disciplines, Obfuscate.
Fiction
The two werewolves stared at the pile of ash steaming in the noonday sun.
“Gosh, Speaks-with-Sarcasm!” said Holly States-the-Obvious, “That guy who tried to suck my blood disintegrated in the sunlight! He must have been a vampire!”
“Your powers of observation amaze me,” growled Speaks-with-Sarcasm.
Library Card of the Month: Lost in Crowds
Lost in Crowds
Type: Action Modifier
Requires: Obfuscate
[obf] +1 stealth
[OBF] +2 stealth
Lost in Crowds is an Obfuscate card that gives an acting minion extra stealth if someone with enough intercept is trying to block them. It isn’t the only obfuscate card that gives stealth, but it can be played along with other stealth cards if you need more stealth. So can the other stealth cards.
At the basic level, Lost in Crowds gives you +1 stealth. This may not be enough stealth. So it’s good to be able to play it at the advanced level, which gives you +2 stealth.
Lost in Crowds is handy because if someone tries to block you when you take a zero stealth action, you might be able to avoid their block by increasing your stealth. The same if someone tries to block you with +1 intercept when you are taking a +1 stealth action. Assuming you don’t want to be blocked.
Now to answer a few of your questions:
Q: If I play Lost in Crowds at the inferior, does that increase my stealth?
A: Yes, by +1.
Q: If I play Lost in Crowds at the superior, does that increase my stealth?
A: Yes, by +2.
Q: My playgroup is too small to be really considered a crowd. Can I still play Lost in Crowds?
A: Yes, unless your group is really, really small. If you are too small to lift the card, you cannot play it.
Q: I have an older printing of Lost in Crowds, and it doesn’t have [obf] and [OBF]. It has a little black square and triangle by mistake. Is it legal to play with this old card in tournaments?
A: No, because that card is clearly a fake. White Wolf’s online text for Lost in Crowds has always read [obf] and [OBF]. If anyone tries to play with counterfeit cards in a tournament, you should demand that the judge confiscate and destroy them as a service to the company that brought us the game.
Crypt Card of the Month: Agrippina
Agrippina
Assamite, G2, 4 cap
OBF cel
Independent. {Blood Cursed: Agrippina may not commit diablerie.}
Agrippina is a 4-cap vampire with superior obfuscate. This means she can play obfuscate cards (like Lost in Crowds) at the superior level. It also means she can play obfuscate cards (like Lost in Crowds) at the inferior level. There aren’t many situations where you’d want to play Lost in Crowds at the inferior, but there are some that aren’t obvious enough to discuss in this newsletter.
Agrippina also has inferior Celerity. This does not allow her to play Obfuscate cards, but since she has superior obfuscate, that’s all right. It does allow her to play Celerity cards, but only at the inferior level. As a result, Agrippina can play both Obfuscate and Celerity cards.
One problem with Agrippina is that she is Blood Cursed, meaning she can’t commit diablerie. If you want to commit diablerie, you’ll have to use a different vampire. She can, however, bleed, hunt, equip, recruit, employ, rescue from torpor, and take card-based actions that don’t have requirements she doesn’t meet. Also, if you have Agrippina in your ready region, you will get an additional pool from Consanguineous Boon votes that name Assamites.
Q: How much blood must be on Agrippina at the end of the influence phase to move her to the ready region?
A: Four or more.
Q: Can Agrippina play Lost in Crowds at the superior?
A: Yes, for +2 stealth.
Q: Is Agrippina the only 4-cap with superior Obfuscate?
A: No. She’s the only 4-cap with superior Obfuscate and Celerity, however.
Q: Can Agrippina diablerize Dr. Jest?
A: No. Not ever. Not even if he begs her to. Assamites got screwed.
State the Obvious Deck Concept of the Month
This deck is called a “weenie stealth-bleed” deck, because it uses weenies that bleed and play stealth if blocked. You could also call it a “stealth-hunt” deck, because when you don’t have a bleed card handy you can gain pool by hunting at stealth. Or bleed anyway. It’s crazy, but it just might work.
Crypt
1 x Agrippina
12 x a bunch of other small vampires with obfuscate
Master:
6 x Blood Doll (for blood gain)
6 x Effective Management (for weenies)
4 x Misdirection (to tap vampires)
1 x Anachronism (so you can say “I built an Anachronism deck!” No one will worry about your Anachronism deck until it is too late.)
Minion:
30 x Computer Hacking (for bleed)
59 x Lost in Crowds (for stealth)
1 x The Deadliest Sin (so you can say, “My Anachronism deck uses The Deadliest Sin!”)
Poll
What topics would you like to see future State the Obvious newsletters focus on?
- Counting to four: How many transfers to I get on my first turn, again?
- Protecting your pool is important because when you’re out, you’re out of the game.
- Dominate: You can use it to bleed!
- Gaining pool from the edge during your untap phase.
Thanks for reading. This is the end of the State the Obvious newsletter.
VTES ONE 