BRUJAH ANTITRIBU NEWSLETTER
Volume 2, Issue 3
February 2001
Author: Andrew 'Wes' Weston
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
General Tactics
!Brujah Tactics
Vampire Analysis
Fiction
Sign Off
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INTRODUCTION
Prompted by the excellent Brujah newsletter by my worthy associate Skaffen,
I have decided to discuss and in some ways refute some of the points he made
in his most recent effort. He believes that using equipment, specifically
weapons is a tactic that the Brujah (and by extension ourselves) should be
using. In general I disagree. I will spend this particular newsletter
discussing equipment and the various pros and cons involved.
By the way Skaffen... it is not too late! Join the Sabbat. Throw off the
yoke of the elders and fight the rising Antedilluveans with us. Surely you
grow tired of licking Ventrue boots and associating with the thrice-cursed
Warlocks. In these Final Nights with entire clans being decimated and the
eldest among us rising with their eternal and insatiable hungers, the Sword
of Caine is the ONLY option.
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GENERAL TACTICS
Equipment offers us ways to improve the abilities of our vampires. They cost
a variable amount of pool equivalent to their usefulness. By default,
equipping a minion with these cards is a +1 Stealth action and therefore
equipping an item is usually able to be successfully performed. I generally
look at equipment with an eye for the utility of the item in a given deck
and whether the cost is prohibitive to the effect given. For the most part,
equipment is well-balanced as far as the cost-to-utility ratio. Consider
this:
.44 Magnum - costs 2 pool but offers the ability to maneuver (and usually
not be hit) and strike for 2 damage at long
Saturday Night Special - costs 1 pool with a maneuver but only does 1 damage
at long
IR Goggles - is free, provides a maneuver but does not give any damage (it
is also not a weapon obviously)
While all three provide a potentially life-saving maneuver, the more we
invest, the better effect we get. In some ways IR Goggles is more versatile
than the guns because it does not 'lock' you into a strike that you may want
to change later.
For many minions, having a gun in play can immediately increase
survivability and also provides an incentive for the opponent to avoid
combat with the wielder, thus providing the potential to pass actions
successfully.
Most equipment is not unique and while there are many cards that can destroy
equipment, these cards are rarely seen in play. In general, it is rare to
see equipment played that is more expensive than 2 pool. Flamethrowers, as
effective as they sound in theory, are too fragile and expensive for the
effect. Of the many types of guns available, most experienced players would
agree that 44 Magnums are the best bang for the buck.
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!BRUJAH TACTICS
Most of the equipment available to our clan (and our deluded Camarilla
cousins) is useless to us. Why invest in a gun when we can throw a gate at
you? Why invest in a Hawg and IR Goggles when we can use Flash for the same
effect? However, some equipment is very useful, regardless of the type of
deck played.
Sport Bike
http://whitestar.ddg.com/vtes/monger/showcard.html?ID=752
Considering it's cost of only 1 pool, this card can allow a minion to
effectively block any basic action in the game. Unless the minion adds
stealth to the action, we can catch them and then get down to what we do
best. Since most decks seem to rely only on light stealth, this card will
give us a way to hose many of their most important actions. Combined with
cards like Wake with Evening's Freshness or Forced Awakening, the effect can
be duplicated again and again. A dedicated stealth deck will easily get past
a minion with a Sport Bike, but a deck that relies on votes can easily be
stopped. Rescues from torpor and hunting are also potential opportunities to
block.
Flak Jacket
http://whitestar.ddg.com/vtes/monger/showcard.html?ID=300
Not seen nearly as often as it used to be, the Flak Jacket is usually
replaced with Leather Jacket in these violent times. Flak Jacket is useful
to us because we will most definitely be getting our hands dirty in combat,
and therefore we know we will be hit at least once. Those opponents most
likely to hose our Immortal Grapple are the Gangrel and Tzimisce. Their
aggravated hand damage will not hit us for much, but one poke will make our
vampire much less effective. Wearing this item does not completely prevent
this, but since most Gangrel and Tzimisce will usually only be striking for
a measly 1 Strength, we can be sure to keep out of torpor by preventing that
blow. Against anyone else, it helps us by keeping a consistent amount of
blood on the vampire. Taste of vitae is generally a better way to do this,
but sometimes a bit of added protection doesn't hurt.
Leather Jacket
http://whitestar.ddg.com/vtes/monger/showcard.html?ID=430
Often preferrable due to it's cost (free) and the untap ability at the end
of the turn it was equipped on, this popular card is also very useful. It's
flaw is that it is only usable once before it is destroyed. However, since
we have the option to choose WHEN the prevent damage effect is played, it
can be a lifesaver. Whether a Gangrel attempts to play Wolf Claws or an
Assault Rifle is fired at us, we can usually walk away without a scratch.
The untap ability may not seem like much but depending on the strength of
your predator, having an extra blocker at the end of your turn is always a
good thing.
Laptop Computer
http://whitestar.ddg.com/vtes/monger/showcard.html?ID=429
I don't usually play this card in a !Brujah deck. With access to Presence,
our transient bleed cards often offer better for bleeding effects. Equipping
a laptop and bleeding requires 1 pool and two actions. Playing Legal
Manipulations requires one blood and one action and does a lot more. It is
useful as an incentive for your prey to block though and therefore it can
often find its way into a combat deck. If you are not planning to take
advantage of the Presence of our clan, you may as well throw one or two
laptops in for a permanent bleed ability.
Hawg/IR Goggles
http://whitestar.ddg.com/vtes/monger/showcard.html?ID=361
http://whitestar.ddg.com/vtes/monger/showcard.html?ID=401
I avoid these cards. The ability to press or maneuver is extremely useful to
us, but not so useful as a permanent ability. The card Flash offers the
ability to use BOTH press and/or maneuver and since most of our clan has
access to Celerity this should definitely be preferred. Also, having a
maneuver or a press is often better as a surprise than as something people
will know about. Playing a Flash when your opponent thinks they are safely
at long range is much more satisfying than using an inherent ability. Never
underestimate the surprise factor.
Guns
Personally, I find that guns have no place in a !Brujah deck. By committing
yourself to using a gun's strike you are forsaking the benefit of having
Potence. Let the pretentious Toreador 'artistes' or wimpy Malkavians use
guns. If you are relying on Celerity more than Potence, it is possible that
guns might find a use in your deck and some of our traitorous Camarilla
cousins have useful abilities for procuring them. Note also that Potence
offers a few combat cards that duplicate the effect of guns, albeit in a
transient way. Thrown Gate at superior is basically like having a 44 Magnum
for one shot complete with the maneuver. Blur, a useful Celerity card can
also make guns much more attractive but again this requires completely
avoiding the Potence inherent to our clan.
There is one thing about equipment which actually makes them much more
attractive to us than to other clans. They are permanent. A dedicated combat
deck of 90 cards cycles cards fast enough that it will often run out of
library cards to play. By placing permanents on our vampires, they become
much more capable of surviving an extended game. However, this does not
happen so often that it should always be a consideration. A good way to
decide is to look at the number of players in the game. With 5 or 6 players,
each with vampires we want to kill, it might be worth throwing in an extra
Sport Bike or Laptop Computer.
Melee weapons like Meat Cleaver or Bang Nakh Tiger Claws can be used with
most Potence strike cards, however they do not work with one notable Potence
card, Immortal Grapple. Since most Potence decks rely on this one card to
ensure that strikes do manage to hit the opposing vampire, often the melee
weapons are better left out of these decks.
As always, each player will need to decide if a particular item is worth
adding to a deck. I have generally found that !Brujah decks work better
without most equipment cards. The Sword of Judgement is always a fun weapon
to use but guns rarely find their way into my Potence/Celerity decks. All of
my decks include at least two Sport Bikes and one or two Leather Jackets but
most items I am content to leave out.
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VAMPIRE ANALYSIS
Name: Beast, the Leather Face of Detroit
http://whitestar.ddg.com/vtes/monger/showvamp.html?ID=233
Clan: Nosferatu Antitribu
Capacity: 7
POT OBF cel ani
Beast cannot perform action-card actions or recruit allies. He cannot have
or use equipment or retainers. As a (D) action, Beast may enter combat with
any ready minion controlled by another Methuselah. +1 strength.
What's that you say? He isn't a Brujah Antitribu? Hmmm... I hadn't noticed.
You see, Beast is so close to the ideal !Brujah that he shows up in any
devoted !Brujah combat deck. He has superior Obfuscate and inferior
Animalism, but who cares? He also has superior Potence, inferior Celerity
and comes with an inherent +1 Strength. The fact that he has a built-in rush
ability ensures that he can enter combat every turn. In fact, his weakness
is not even a problem given that we will be using his inherent rush ability
rather than waste actions equipping. Since equipment and retainers are
unlikely to show up in a !Brujah deck, his weakness is unlikely to affect
us. If he has any true weakness, it is the same as Sela before him... he is
too popular. Don't be surprised if he shows up in a competitor's deck and
you find yourself caught in a useless struggle to contest him. Don't bother
looking at Obfuscate or Animalism as additional disciplines for any !Brujah
deck that includes Beast. It generally is not worth it. Obfuscate might help
in directing the rush towards the victim that deserves it the most, but for
the most part it does not help us. Animalism offers some blocking ability
and some somewhat useful combat cards, but in Beast's case it's not that
important to have either. Most turns he will be tapped and unable to block
and he hardly needs any Aid from Bats or Carrion Crows to help him. Since he
is unable to use the most useful cards, such as Disguised Weapon or the
Animalism retainers, we might as well avoid both disciplines altogether.
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FICTION
Sela wiped the blood from her lip and looked around for the vampire that had
struck her. He was gone. From the corner of her eye she saw movement. This
time she was more prepared. As her opponent ran toward her, she ducked and
watched as it tripped over her and smacked head-first into a dumpster.
Whatever it was, it was damn ugly and laughing hideously. Probably Nosferatu
she thought, but they usually looked remotely human. This one was wearing
some kind of full leather helmet that made him look like a bondage
afficianado. Multiple rows of teeth protruded from the opening in the mask.
Sela reached into her leather jacket and produced a pistol. She pointed and
aimed at the hideous creature and quickly fired a succession of bullets into
his chest.
The beast was thrown back by the force of the impact but quickly jumped to
his feet, apparently unaffected. He ripped a parking meter out of the
sidewalk and swung it at Sela. He was fast but Sela was faster. Knowing she
had no time to reload the pistol she quickly ducked to avoid the high swing
and then threw her gun right at his face. The creature growled as the
now-useless weapon struck him.
It was no use. She knew that however strong she was, this one was stronger.
It was time to rely on other tactics. While they paced in a circle around
each other, she focused her will and attempted to call upon her less martial
powers. Her fangs showing, she channeled the beast into a visage that would
frighten anything. Backed up by her unnatural charisma, the effect was
exactly as she anticipated. The creature tried to turn away and attempted to
make a break for it. Unfortunately, the closed alley he had chosen as the
perfect location for an ambush was now preventing him from escape.
Sela felt the rage bubbling inside her but some logical part of her mind
retained control. She concentrated and channeled her anger into the 'Dread
Gaze' effect. Most kindred were so accustomed to witnessing the other, more
combat-oriented disciplines inherent to her clan that they forgot the Brujah
had access to more subtle powers.
The ugly creature cowered into a corner of the alley, knocking aside bins of
garbage in irrational fear. He was sobbing uncontrollably now, helpless to
the effect of her gaze. He tried to make a break for it by running past
Sela, but she was too quick for him. As he ran past, she deftly pulled a
sharp piece of wood from the littered ground and thrust it into his back.
Her opponent paused in mid-flight and collapsed to the ground paralyzed.
Sela looked up to see that the sky was growing lighter in colour. Frowning,
she realized that she would not have time to question the nosferatu... if
that was what it was. With a grunt of disgust, she spat blood on the prone
figure and then left him there to return to her motorcycle. If the creature
was still in the alley when the sun came up, he would be helpless while he
burned to a cinder. If a mortal happened to find the creature before the sun
did... well, fuck it, what did she care about the Masquerade?
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SIGN OFF
Once again I come to the end of a newsletter and don't want to stop writing.
Expect to see another 'part 2' installment of the newsletter in a few days.
Once again, I'd love to hear any feedback, especially from newer players.
Feel free to send me questions, comments or decks for analysis.
You can contact me at ghost@mnsi.net
NAVIGATION
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