{% extends "strategy/articles/_layout.html" %} {% import "strategy/articles/tupdog-nephandus.json" as deck_json %} {% block meta %} {% endblock %} {% block scripts %} {% endblock %} {% block content %}
{% trans trimmed %} I have never been much of a deck builder but I've always greatly enjoyed playing. When I was younger, I used considerably more time on this hobby by tinkering with decks of my own. However, I didn't do particularly well with my own designs. That's why these days, I practically always play decks created by way more talented deck builders than myself, only fine-tuning them to better fit my hand. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed %} This particular deck won the Tour de Chauffe tournament for Martin Weinmayer in 2019. I have used it in multiple tournaments and occasionally made slight adjustments based on the metagame. My best results with this deck are the final of EC 2019 and winning the Garou Rim: Antediluvian Awakening tournament. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed %} I consider one of the most important lessons of V:TES I've learnt along the years to be: always play for the GW, not for the VP. This is especially true for combat decks such as this one that aim at controlling the table instead of quickly reducing pool. This principle will occasionally lead you to miss out on a VP that you would have gotten had you gone for it. This is a small price to pay for winning tables more often than if you were simply trying to get one VP after another. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed %} With this deck, your goal is to get 1 GW and from 2.5 to 4 VP. 1GW5 is certainly fine as well, but there's no point in forcing it. As long as 1 or 2 players are out of the game fast enough, you can typically be happy with the situation, even if it wasn't you who eliminated them. What does this mean in practice when playing this deck? {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed antonio=card("Antonio d'Erlette", "Antonio"), tupdog=card("Tupdog"), tupdogs=card("Tupdog", "Tupdogs") %} First bring out {{ antonio }}, preferably accompanied by at least one {{ tupdog }}, depending on the situation. The probability to find an {{ antonio }} in your starting crypt is 61,7%. If there's no {{ antonio }} but some other Tremere antitribu {{ tremere_antitribu }}, bring them first instead. There's a 14,4% probability to start your game with four {{ tupdogs }} in your starting crypt. In this case, you'll have to dig for the missing Tremere antitribu {{ tremere_antitribu }} by influencing {{ tupdogs }} just to recycle them because they can't do anything without a Tremere antitribu {{ tremere_antitribu }} in this deck. {% endtrans %}
{{_("Tupdogs recycled")}} | {{_("Chance of a Tremere")}} |
1 | 42.9% |
2 | 68.6% |
3 | 83.4% |
4 | 91.7% |
{% trans trimmed tupdog=card("Tupdog"), tupdogs=card("Tupdog", "Tupdogs") %} Under these circumstances, I recommend to bring out 2 or 3 {{ tupdogs }}. I usually bring two. Just one makes no sense for recycling purposes if you have four or more transfers. Paying one to see one costs the same as a {{ tupdog }}, and you don't lose the recycled vampire. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed parthenon=card("The Parthenon", "Parthenon"), dreams_of_the_sphinx=card("Dreams of the Sphinx"), ashur_tablets=card("Ashur Tablets") %} In V:TES, one of the most important qualities of a deck is good card flow. Without it, your hand stagnates easily and both the deck's power and your play options drop dramatically. In this deck, the large master module (~35% of the deck) poses the greatest single hand jam risk. That's why it's vital to always play a {{ parthenon }} as quickly as possible. Always use your discard phase action. Any cards you discard can be brought back several times over with {{ ashur_tablets }}. {{ dreams_of_the_sphinx }} also helps in looking for a {{ parthenon }}. {% endtrans %}
{{_("Cards drawn")}} | {{_("Chance of a Parthenon")}} |
7 | 35% |
11 | 50% |
15 | 62% |
20 | 74% |
25 | 82% |
{% trans trimmed tupdogs=card("Tupdog", "Tupdogs") %} Your deck is very aggressive but it doesn't mean you need to be. Try to avoid situations where you spew threats all over the table without being able to follow up on them. This will only make unnecessarily many players gang up against you. On the other hand, never accept any superfluous damage from the crosstable. Try to offer your crosstable other options instead, and if they do not like your options, you can threaten them with your torpedoes ({{ tupdogs }}). If you make a threat, don't go back on it, or you'll soon run out of credibility. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed %} Listen to what the other players have to say to you. If they offer you a deal that will even just partially advance your goal, accept it. Generally, the faster the number of players drops from five to three, the better you're doing. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed delaying_tactics=card("Delaying Tactics"), yawp_court=card("Yawp Court") %} This deck quickly accumulates 5+ minions, making these votes nasty. You have 2x {{ delaying_tactics }} and 1x {{ yawp_court }} to use against them. Add or subtract according to your local meta. In my experience, {{ yawp_court }} is very good anti-vote tech. I have increased their number to two for future games. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed unmaskings=card("The Unmasking", "Unmaskings"), uncoilings=card("The Uncoiling", "Uncoilings"), scourge=card("Scourge of the Enochians", "Scourge") %} Switching the {{ unmaskings }} out for {{ uncoilings }} is one option to consider. I wouldn't personally recommend it, though, because the lack of {{ unmaskings }} considerably weakens the deck's defense. When a {{ scourge }} is played, I typically start thinking how I could contribute to ousting the player controlling it to get rid of it. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed di=card("Direct Intervention", "DI"), tupdogs=card("Tupdog", "Tupdogs"), nephandi=card("Nephandus", "Nephandi"), haven_uncovered=card("Haven Uncovered") %} Rarely played but very problematic if played by your neighbor. Absolutely {{ di }} this one if you can. If you cannot, immediately use your {{ tupdogs }} to rush the minion it's on and {{ nephandi }} to burn it from torpor. Should you fail, a {{ haven_uncovered }} and a herd of {{ nephandi }} will do the trick later on. As long as this card remains in your neighborhood (on a 2+ cap vampire), there's no point in bringing out new {{ tupdogs }}, and a big part of your deck is equally useless. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed trochomancy=card("Trochomancy") %} A real poison for this deck. There's no good way around this card as any vampire with inferior Necromancy {{ nec }} can use it. If you get to play one against this deck, you can do the most damage by removing combat cards. Just one {{ trochomancy }} hurts a lot, and surviving two is basically impossible. {% endtrans %}
{% trans trimmed deck_search=link("/deck-search"), tournament_winning_decks=link("/deck-search", _("tournament winning decks"), cards="Tupdog|Nephandus|Yawp Court"), tupdog=card("Tupdog"), nephandus=card("Nephandus"), yawp_court=card("Yawp Court") %} If you're like me in that you find deckbuilding a challenge, and it's holding you back in the game, I recommend studying other people's designs using the TWDA or Codex of the Damned. Try the Codex's {{ deck_search }}. It will show you for example all {{ tournament_winning_decks }} with {{ tupdog }}, {{ nephandus }} and {{ yawp_court }}. {% endtrans %}
{% endblock %}