VEKN: Danse Macabre Survey

Today the VEKN has published a survey for the latest VtES expansion “Danse Macabre”:

Dear fellow Methuselahs,

It is 5 months after release of Vampire: Elder Kindred Network‘s first expansion for Vampire: the Eternal Struggle — Danse Macabre.
We believe it is enough time for the community to provide feedback regarding this set.

By answering this survey you are helping us to create even better expansions in the future, especially in situation that the next expansion is in progress.

Please answer the questions if possible. Please send information about this survey to all your friends that play VTES.

You can find the survey here:
moje-ankiety.pl/respond-59207.html

Thank you.

Michal Kazmierczak “Migalart”
VEKN Marketing CoDirector

“Danse Macabre” Preview Notes

This verbatim from the VEKN forum by Ben Peal (design team leader) regarding information on some specific cards in the new VtES expansion “Danse Macabre“. I found it noteworthy, so that more players will read/know this:

Some notes on the cards previewed thus far:

• Dark Selina is first (and most extensively) mentioned in the book Dark Colony, which covers the struggle for power amongst kindred in New England in the late 1800’s. She’s a Cardinal working behind the scenes from Zurich, using her pawn Roman Pendragon in her attempt to gain control of New England. She also has a brief mention in Los Angeles by Night, where she has sent her agent Christopher to Los Angeles to use it as a staging point for an incursion into Asia.
  She has no stats or physical description apart from being the sire of Roman Pendragon, so we used his stats for the basis of her disciplines and generation. There was also a need for a Brujah antitribu Cardinal in Group 5, so she was a nice find. Her special was derived from her political maneuvering from behind the scenes.
• Under Siege comes from Ben Swainbank’s old notes from his time as Storyline Coordinator. He had plans for a Sabbat vs. Camarilla clash for his next storyline event, but that was not meant to be. However, we were looking for help for the Sabbat as a sect in Danse Macabre. After some modification and after being forged in the savage fires of the playtesters, we have the final version.
• Synner-G‘s only canon reference is in the flavor text of the Sabbat version of Computer Hacking, where he’s mentioned as a Gangrel antitribu hacker. There was a need for a 5-cap City Gangrel in Group 5, as well as a desire to have a deeper selection of mid-caps with core City Gangrel disciplines. He has the standard 5 levels of disciplines for a 5-cap, but given that the disciplines are Celerity, Obfuscate, and Protean, we figured he could use a minor special. Going with the hacker idea and wanting to improve the toolbox potential for the Gangrel antitribu, we went with a special about electronic equipment.
• Instantaneous Transformation comes from the book Archons & Templars. It’s described as being a rapid version of Shape of the Beast or Mist Form (and there’s also a Celerity + Obtenebration version for Tenebrous Form). Rather than make yet another “combat ends” card for Protean, we opted for a multi-function card.

“Danse Macabre” PDF expansion is online!

The checklist for the new VtES expansion “Danse Macabre” is out plus (even more importantly) the whole PDF files can be found on VEKN.net! The set will be tournament legal on November 4th, 2013.
Crypt

Karif al Numair — Assamite
Dark Selina — Brujah antitribu
Gold Pan Dan — Brujah abtitribu
Alex Camille — Gangrel antitribu
Mimir — Gangrel antitribu
Synner-G — Gangrel antitribu
Badr, Shadow of Granada — Lasombra
Carolina Valez — Lasombra
Claudia — Lasombra
Drozodny — Malkavian antitribu
Pearl — Malkavian antitribu
Skulk — Nosferatu antitribu
Strohmann — Nosferatu antitribu
Amber — Toreador antitribu
Mélusine d’Anjou — Toreador antitribu
Gerald FitzGerald — Tremere antitribu
Johannes Worringen — Tremere antitribu
Ludmijla Rakoczy — Tzimisce
Righteous Endeavor — Tzimisce
Xipe Totec — Tzimisce
Aimery Methuin — Ventrue antitribu
De Sade — Ventrue antitribu

Library

Dark Steel — Combat
Esprit de Corps — Action
Inside Dirt — Action
Instantaneous Transformation — Action Modifier
Marked Territory — Action
Public Vilification — Political Action
Recruitment Exercise — Action
Shadow Boxing — Action Modifier/Combat
Shakar: the Hunt — Master
Show of Force — Action
Spoils of War — Action Modifier
Under Siege — Action

“Danse Macabre”: Third/Fourth Preview

Because of the ongoing EC 2013, I am little behind on the “Danse Macabre” previews. So here’s the third and fourth preview for the expansion:

Name: De Sade
[DM:V]
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Ventrue antitribu
Group: 5
Capacity: 9
Discipline: AUS DOM FOR PRE
Sabbat Archbishop of Paris. Vampires controlled by other Methuselahs must burn 1 blood to cast votes and ballots against referendums called by De Sade.

Name: Public Vilification
[DM:L]
Cardtype: Political Action
Requires a titled Sabbat vampire. Choose a younger ready vampire controlled by another Methuselah. Successful referendum means this vampire steals 3 blood from the chosen vampire.

Name: Badr, Shadow of Granada
[DM:V]
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Lasombra
Group: 5
Capacity: 7
Discipline: DOM OBT POT
Independent. Cards requiring Obtenebration cost Badr 1 less blood.

Name: Esprit de Corps
[DM:L]
Cardtype: Action
+1 stealth action. Unique.
[pot][pre]: Put this card in play and untap this vampire. Minions you control get +1 strength. Burn this card during your untap phase.
[POT][PRE]: As above, and you can burn this card to cancel an action card requiring Dementation, Dominate or Presence that would target you or a card you control as it is played, and its cost is not paid.

See also the full preview with pictures on vekn.net.

Third Preview for “Danse Macabre”

The third preview of the upcoming VtES expansion “Danse Macabre“. The plot thickens ..

[DM:V]
Name: Skulk
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Nosferatu antitribu
Group: 5
Capacity: 4
Discipline: ani OBF
Sabbat.

[DM:L]
Name: Shadow Boxing
Cardtype: Action Modifier/Combat
[obf][pot]: Maneuver, only usable to go to close range, or press, only usable to continue combat.
[OBF][POT]: Only usable after a combat resulting from a block. Not usable if the blocking minion is ready. This vampire burns 1 blood to continue the action as if unblocked.

Second Preview for “Danse Macabre”

Almost like the old times, here’s the second preview for the upcoming VtES expansion “Danse Macabre“:

Name: Synner-G
[DM:V]
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Gangrel antitribu
Group: 5
Capacity: 5
Discipline: pro CEL OBF
Sabbat: Synner-G can untap after successfully equipping with an electronic equipment from your hand.

Name: Instantaneous Transformation
[DM:L]
Cardtype: Action Modifier
[pro][cel]: +1 stealth
[PRO][CEL]: Only usable at the end of the successful action (after the action resolution). This vampire untaps. A vampire can only play one Instantaneous Transformation at superior each turn.

All of the previews can be found on vekn.net.

First Official Preview for “Danse Macabre”

As announced earlier today, the VEKN has published the first two official previews of the upcoming PDF expansion “Danse Macabre” for VtES:

Name: Dark Selina
[DM:V]
Cardtype: Vampire
Clan: Brujah antitribu
Group: 5
Capacity: 9
Discipline: dom for CEL POT PRE
Sabbat cardinal: Selina gets +1 stealth on political actions.

Name: Under Siege
[DM:L]
Cardtype: Action
Cost: 1 pool
+1 stealth action. Unique. Requires a titled Sabbat vampire.
Put this card in play with three counters. Once each action a Sabbat vampire you control can burn 1 counter from this card to untap and attempt to block with +1 intercept even if the intercept is not yet needed. Burn this card when it has no counters.

You find the actual card previews on vekn.net.

Preview “Danse Macabre” this week?

According to the VEKN, the previews for upcoming (for quite some time now) next expansion “Danse Macabre” will start this week (maybe even today!).

Stay tuned ..

VEKN: “Print Program News and Danse Macabre”

On September 21st, 2013, the VEKN published the following regarding the fate of the Print-on-Demand program and the next VtES expansion named “Danse Macabre”. But read for yourself:

Fellow V:TES Enthusiasts,

the V:EKN has now been working together with onebookshelf inc. for about a year to bring you a print-on-demand program for V:TES. Despite our best effort and a positive outlook for many months we were finally not able to seal a deal with all involved parties. So for the time being there will be no print-on-demand program. I am very sad about this development, but rest assured all humanly possible has been done to make this work. There might be a different situation in the future, but I am sure there will be no update before middle of 2014.

With this perspective we need to do something to inject this game with fresh material and keep it alive and kicking as much as possible so the V:EKN Inner Circle has decided to release Danse Macabre as a fan-created, free set in PDF format, which will be legal for constructed tournament play. The set is actually complete and we are doing the last steps of post-production so it should be ready for the EC. Pascal will make a more detailed announcement on when the cards will be legal. The Design Team will start previewing the cards early next week.

I also would like to personally ask the community to not show any outrage towards any involved party you might think is responsible for this. It will not help our cause. Feel free to express your polite disappointment, but keep it in line. You will be doing me and the game a huge favor.

Thanks and see you at the EC in Stockholm,
Johannes Walch
V:EKN Chairman

VEKN Designer Diary (Update June 2013)

V:EKN Design Team has released new information on the Danse Macabre expansion in the latest Designer Diary. Here’s the full information:

The Week of Nightmares is underway in Columbus, Ohio, and the North American Championship is happening this weekend at Origins. Mike Nudd and I will be in town for Origins, and as we did last year, we’ll have a meeting with the playtesters in attendance to go over playtest of the next set after Danse Macabre. We got a lot of great feedback doing this last year, and we look forward to doing it again! I’ve also spoken with the organizers of the European Championships in Stockholm, and we’d like to do a preview/question & answer panel with the Design Team.

As for the next set, I figured I’d update you on its progress. It is an as-yet-unnamed Independent-clan themed set, slated to be 36 cards in size. The clans will be the classic Independent clans: Assamites, Followers of Set, Giovanni, and Ravnos. We have more than 70 cards designed already and more are being designed. We’ll be paring the set down to 44 cards or so for playtest. Depending on how cards fare in playtest, cuts will be made and each clan will end up with 5-6 vampires and 3-4 library cards.

The main limiting factor on the size of the set is artwork. We are thrilled to report that the great majority of artists from Danse Macabre will be returning for the next set. We’re also looking for more artists, so if you’d like to contribute or if you know an artist who would like to help, please send contact info and portfolios to Gines Quinonero at damnansvtes (/at/) ono (/dot/) com.

Given that it’s an Independent-themed set, some of you may be wondering whether we’ll be including Gangrel. At the present time we’re not. Again, we’re limited by how much artwork we can get, so we’re going to focus on the “classic four” for now. However, if print-on-demand goes online and if we can get the resources we need from OneBookshelf.com, we’ll consider expanding the scope of the set to include Gangrel. Under those circumstances, we’d also be likely to increase the amount of crypt and library cards each clan would get.

The first wave of art descriptions to be sent to the Art Director is due at the end of the month, and we’ll be starting playtest then, as well. As Johannes mentioned in the forums, the print-on-demand project continues to progress with no major roadblocks. However, without final validation from all parties involved, there are no announcements to be made at the present time.

That’s the news for now! See you at Origins

— Ben Peal, V:EKN Design Team Lead

VEKN Designer Diary (Update Jan. 2013)

V:EKN Design Team has released new information on the Danse Macabre expansion (or lack therefore). Here’s the full information:

Hey, everyone!

We figured we’d give you all an update and explain the lack of sneak previews and lack of release information for Danse Macabre. As you’ve probably expected, it’s related to the ongoing negotiations amongst OneBookShelf, Hasbro, and CCP. Because the respective licenses have not yet been signed, we are under advisement to not publicly post the Danse Macabre material. This means no sneak previews and no .pdf release until we’re given the green light by the parties involved.

Danse Macabre Preview (EC 2012)

Here’s the consolidated list of VtES library & crypt cards for the upcoming VtES expansion Danse Macbre as they were shown during the EC 2012 (in Budapest, Hungary) on October 25th, 2012:

• Crypt Cards:
  • A Tzimisce (capacity 9). Archbishop of Guatemala with all superior in-clan disciplines plus superior Protean and a additional inferior discipline. An ability to steal retainers/allies as +1 stealth.
  • A Brujah antitribu (capacity 9) Cardinal with all in-clan superior plus dom and for, and she has +1 stealth on political actions.
  • A independent Lasombra (capacity 8)  with in-clan superior (plus one or two inferior disciplines?). And the ability that she pays 1 less blood for Obtenebration cards.
  • A Gangrel antitribu (“Synner-G“) (capacity 5-6) with two disciplines on superior and one inferior(?). An ability to untap after equipping with electronic equipment.
• Library Cards:
  • An Obtenebration/Potence combat card, that is similar to Carrion Crows/Groaning Corpse, dealing “environmental” damage at short range. The card also provides a maneuver (only usable to maneuver to short).
  • A Black Hand action card that fetches vampires from the crypt and (if the vampire is another Black Hand) also moves a blood from the blood bank to it.
  • A Celerity/Protean action modifier. At inferior it provides +1 stealth. At superior it untaps the acting vampire after a successful action. No cost!
  • A political action requiring a titled Sabbat that steals 3 blood from a younger vampire to the vampire who called the vote.

The cards were fully done, i.e beside the game text they also contained finished artworks! Sorry, still no pictures or exact information.