The Art of Losing (and why I keep coming back)

Let me start with a confession: I lose. Quite a lot, actually. Not in a dramatic, table-flipping, "this game is clearly broken" kind of way, but in a much more subtle, almost educational fashion. The kind where you confidently execute a plan, lean back slightly, and then (over the course of the next two turns) watch that plan quietly fall apart while everyone else carries on as if this was always going to happen.

The funny thing is, I haven't even had the chance to play much recently. Life has been busy, schedules misaligned and my decks have mostly been sitting idle. But that hasn't stopped me from thinking about the game. Quite the opposite. I find myself replaying past games in my head, analyzing decisions, wondering what I could have done differently. It's like a Tremere apprentice leaning over dusty notes, trying to understand which part of the ritual went wrong, except in my case, the ritual is "why did I get ousted in turn five."

When I first started playing VTES, I had a fairly straightforward expectation: build something cool, play it and eventually win a few games. That seemed reasonable enough. Instead, what I got was a steady stream of lessons disguised as defeats. My early games followed a familiar pattern. I would feel confident, execute "the plan" and then slowly realize that everyone else at the table also had a plan... and theirs actually worked.

At first, I didn't fully understand what was happening. Why was my action blocked? Why did that combat go so badly? Why did my predator suddenly decide that I was the most interesting person at the table? Over time, though, things started to make more sense. Not because I suddenly became good, but because I began to see the patterns. Timing matters. Table perception matters. And perhaps most importantly, people matter.

There was a moment in one of my games where I felt particularly proud of a political action I was about to play. I had what I thought was a solid argument, enough votes and a clear outcome in mind. I presented my case with all the confidence of a Ventrue who has already decided how the meeting will end. And then, quite calmly, the table dismantled my plan, redistributed the damage and left me wondering how I had managed to negotiate myself into a worse position than when I started. That was the moment it truly clicked: this game isn't just about playing cards, it's about navigating people.

What keeps me engaged, even when I'm not actively playing, is how differently each clan feels. When I think about my Tremere games, I remember trying to carefully manage resources and timing, only to be dragged into situations I wasn't fully prepared for. With Ventrue, there's always that expectation of control (of being the one setting the pace) until something slips, and suddenly you're negotiating for survival instead of dominance. Lasombra feel like they're always on the edge of something powerful, one good turn away from taking over the table. And Gangrel, well, Gangrel feel like they're playing a different game entirely: patient, reactive and quietly effective.

Despite all this, the outcome is often the same: someone else plays better. But instead of being discouraging, that's what makes the game interesting. Every loss carries something with it. A better understanding of when to act. A clearer sense of who the real threat is. A growing awareness that sometimes the best move is simply to do nothing and wait.

Progress in VTES doesn't feel like a sudden breakthrough (although it is entirely possible, that I am just a bad player and others improve faster). It feels more like gradually becoming less confused. You start to recognize patterns, anticipate reactions and occasionally avoid making the same mistake twice. And every now and then, something works. A well-timed action goes through. A deal holds. A plan comes together just enough to make a difference.

That's why I keep coming back to it, even when I'm not actively playing. It's not just about winning. It's about understanding. About slowly piecing together how this strange, social, strategic puzzle works. Every game leaves behind questions and for some reason, I find that incredibly satisfying. So yes, I lose. But I also think, reflect and occasionally improve. And I have a feeling that when the next game finally happens, I'll make entirely new mistakes... just slightly better ones than before.

The game never ends, only pauses. I'll see you at the next move.

Custodian Hargrave

Intercept, vanish, repeat: A Gangrel story

The Gangrel in the tabletop RPG are wild survivors: nomadic, instinctive, and fiercely independent Kindred who feel closer to beasts and wilderness than to courts and etiquette. Known for their shapeshifting powers, feral resilience and tendency to outlast enemies through grit rather than intrigue, they embody the raw, predatory side of vampirism. Yet beneath that savage reputation lies a clan defined by freedom, adaptability and a deep suspicion of authority, making them as likely to disappear into the countryside as to haunt a city's forgotten edges. Over the years, I met many Gangrel in tabletop games. Some of those encounters were distant, others genuinely unnerving, but all of them were memorable. One of my best friends was a dedicated Gangrel player, so my Tremere characters often ended up face to face with his wildlings.

During the early 2000s (when I spent many nights playing VTM) the Gangrels were dedicated members of the Camarilla. However as the metaplot progressed, they left the Camarilla because, in the end, the clan grew tired of being treated as the sect's expendable hunters and watchdogs; after Xaviar's return and his rupture with the Inner Circle, their resentment toward Camarilla authority finally turned into open departure.  

I'll admit it: I never fully bought into that decision. One day they're loyal(ish) watchdogs of the Camarilla, the next they collectively grab their coats, mutter something about "freedom" and vanish into the night. It always felt a bit like a group chat where one person says "I'm leaving" and suddenly everyone else replies "same" and disappears. The Brujah leaving? That made perfect sense: rage, rebellion, dramatic exits. The Gangrel? I expected at least a bit more… growling beforehand.

From a VTES perspective though, this created a rather fun situation. You can either go full nostalgia with G1–2 Camarilla Gangrel, or embrace the modern, slightly more feral lifestyle with G6 Anarch Gangrel. And if the tournament results are anything to go by, the latter clearly packed their bags better: 32 wins for Anarchs in 2025 versus 3 for their Camarilla cousins. Turns out freedom, claws, and a disregard for authority are a winning combination. Who knew?

When I first got into VTES, I followed the Codex of the Damned buying advice like a disciplined Tremere apprentice. I already had the V5 Gangrel precon, so naturally I added the Stanislava 25th Anniversary deck to my collection. And while I was at it, I grabbed a Gangrel New Blood as well. You know… for "options".

Those options then sat quietly in their boxes for quite some time.

Every now and then I would look at them, consider building something… and then get distracted by shinier toys. Banu Haqim with their precision. Lasombra with their shadowy politics. Path of Power whispering promises of influence. Meanwhile, the Gangrel decks just sat there, patiently, like wolves watching from the tree line. Not complaining. Not asking. Just waiting.

Eventually, curiosity (or perhaps instinct) won.

My plan was simple: go low-cap, go wide, and let the pack do the work.

The first vampire that caught my attention was Kuyen. Superior Animalism and Protean? Yes please. In my head, I immediately imagined her surrounded by Raven Spies, turning her into a feathery surveillance system. Less "vampire aristocrat", more "Hitchcock documentary gone wrong". Intercept everything, see everything, and when something actually does happen, just vanish. Because that’s the beauty of Gangrel. Someone blocks you? Fine. Combat starts? Also fine. Things look dangerous? Earth Meld, goodbye.

From the opponent's perspective, it must feel like trying to argue with someone who just walks into the woods mid-sentence. One moment you're mid-conflict, the next you're alone, confused and slightly embarrassed. And if Earth Meld isn't enough, there's Form of Mist, which is even better. Not only do you escape combat, you just… keep going. It's the VTES equivalent of stepping out of a bar fight, dusting off your coat and continuing your errands like nothing happened. Peak Gangrel energy.

Of course, not everything is perfect in the wilderness.

One thing I'm still adjusting to is the lack of explosive bleed. Coming from Dominate-heavy decks, I'm used to bleeding for 5 like it's a casual Monday morning. With Gangrel, it's different. You don't overwhelm your prey with a single decisive strike. You wear them down. Slowly. Patiently. Like nature itself. It's less "political assassination" and more "you wandered into the wrong forest and now something is following you". A thousand small cuts instead of one grand gesture. I'm not saying it's worse, it's just a different mindset. One that requires patience, positioning and a certain appreciation for inevitability.

As for the deck itself, I'm still very much in the planning phase. No polished list to share yet, just ideas, instincts, and a growing appreciation for life outside the ivory tower.

Also, real life has been a bit intrusive lately. The past couple of months haven't offered many opportunities to play, which is also why things have been a bit quieter on the blog since Cambridge. But the pack is forming. And sooner or later, it will hunt.

The game never ends, only pauses. I'll see you at the next move.

Custodian Hargrave

 

Whispers of the Third Eye

When the New Blood releases were announced, I'll admit it: I got hyped. Not the polite, "oh that's interesting" kind of hyped either. No, this was the "start planning decks before the cards even arrive" type of excitement. But if I'm being honest, it wasn't the whole release that had me excited. It was one clan in particular: the Salubri.

Now, on the tabletop I've never really been drawn to Tzimisce or Ravnos. I respect what they bring to the game and they absolutely have cool cards, but they never quite clicked with me. For me, deckbuilding is a bit like picking a football team: you don't always choose the objectively best one, you choose the one that feels right. Humans are emotional creatures after all, and apparently my emotions say: “Not today, Tzimisce.”

The Salubri, however, are a different story.

Yes, their lore involves that rather awkward centuries-long feud with the Tremere, but honestly, that just adds flavor. Conflict builds character. And besides, this is actually the first clan that grabbed my attention not because of lore, but because of their discipline combination.

Let's look at that trio: Auspex, Dominate, Fortitude.

That is a very spicy combination.

• Auspex: the undisputed king of intercept. If someone tries something sneaky at your table, chances are you'll be the one saying: "Ah yes, I'll block that."

• Dominate:  a personal favorite. Want to bloat with Govern the Unaligned? Done. Want to bleed harder with Conditioning? Also done. Want to send someone else's bleed back where it came from with Deflection? Absolutely done.

• Fortitude:  the discipline I initially underestimated. My experience with it mostly revolved around Freak Drive (because taking multiple actions is always fun) and Rolling with the Punches (because surviving combat is even more fun). My exposure might not be extensive, but what I've seen, I liked.

And the Salubri bring some additional cards that make them hit harder in combat, which never hurts. So when the New Blood: Salubri decks were announced, my reaction was immediate: Preorder three. Think later.

The plan is simple in theory: combine the New Blood cards with the V5 Salubri deck and hopefully produce something functional… or at least something entertaining.

As usual, the first step was building the crypt:

Djeneba

She has all clan disciplines at superior, which is already fantastic. Yes, she also has Animalism and Obfuscate, but for now I'm resisting the temptation to build around out-of-clan disciplines. That kind of deckbuilding wizardry I leave to players with far more experience than me. Her ability makes strikes more costly for opponents, which is funny and annoying. Add some stealth and you have a vampire that's both dangerous and frustrating to deal with.

Verdict: all three copies go in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abaddon

First of all, his name messes with my brain. Every time I see it, my brain immediately jumps to Warhammer 40K and the Warmaster of Chaos. I keep expecting him to arrive with a Black Legion. Setting that aside, he's a very solid vampire. His ability to get to close range and continue combat is exactly the kind of thing a combat-leaning deck appreciates.

Verdict: two copies.

Barachiel

His ability to start a fight without playing an action card is extremely useful. Sometimes you just want combat to happen without all the formal paperwork.

Verdict: two copies again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To round things up, I would definitely include Sakhar, Opikun, Ilonka and Dominica. They give me a nice spread of higher and lower capacity vampires and with the exception of Dominica, everyone has superior Fortitude, which should keep things nice and durable.

The Library (a.k.a. the hard part)

And then came the library.

If choosing vampires felt straightforward, choosing library cards felt like wandering into a massive supermarket while being extremely hungry. Everything looks good. Everything seems useful. And somehow you still don’t know what to put in your basket.

As a relative neonate player, I find it much easier to identify strong vampires than to construct a balanced library from a sea of good cards. Still, there are some cards that will definitely make the cut:

Anticipation: I love this card. Cancelling an opponent's strike is already great, but the alternative (simply hitting them harder) is also appealing. If I understand the rules correctly, this can even cancel combat ends strikes like Majesty. Imagine the look on a Ventrue aristocrat's face when you politely inform them that their elegant escape plan has been… anticipated.

Feast of the Soul's Secrets: More bleed and faster influence? Yes please. That sounds like the dream of any combat deck that also wants to keep the pressure up.

Righteous Blade: This equipment feels like the bread and butter of improving strike damage. Also (and this is an important scientific deckbuilding metric) I really like the artwork.

Touch of Valeren: A lovely multi-purpose card. It can cancel damage or feed hungry vampires. A defensive trick and a snack in one neat package.

Do I have a deck list?

Of course not.

Right now the deck is still in the cooking phase and like any good recipe it might take a few attempts before it tastes right. But I wanted to share the thought process so far. The next step will be to actually assemble something playable and convince people to sit down for a test game. I’m especially curious how this deck will perform against other combat-heavy decks. (Yes, Banu Haqim, I am absolutely looking at you.) 

And, of course, I will need to prepare a very convincing explanation for my Tremere superiors about why I am suddenly spending so much time around the Salubri.

The game never ends, only pauses. I'll see you at the next move.

Custodian Hargrave

Cardinals, Cold Wars and questionable budgeting

Ever since I bought the Path of Power Sabbat decks, they've been staring at me from the shelf like a pair of very judgmental bishops. "Upgrade us," they whisper. "We were not meant to remain precons." As always, I went to VDB in search of wisdom. I found a few winning decks, admired them from a respectful distance, and immediately noticed a problem: Aaradhya. She is everywhere. Four copies. Sometimes five. Tournament winners treat her like oxygen. I, on the other hand, own… two. Two dignified, slightly lonely copies. And while I do enjoy cardboard, I couldn't justify buying additional decks just to secure one more Callous Tyrant. I am secretly hoping the upcoming Sabbat New Blood decks smuggle in another Aaradhya so I can expand my cardinal empire without needing to sell a kidney (or soul). She is absurdly good. A Sabbat cardinal gives you three votes, which is already delicious. But Aaradhya's ability to untap after a successful political action? That's just rude. It doesn't even matter whether you had the votes at the end, if the action resolves successfully, she stands up again like, "Oh, we're not done sweetheart."

While browsing VDB (as one does at unreasonable hours), I noticed another recurring name: Dark Selina from Group 5. My neonate brain tingled. +1 stealth on political actions and a cardinal? That's not a vampire, that's a legislative weapon. And why do I love that hair? What is wrong with me? Anyways, this discovery led me to try print-on-demand for the first time. I marched into Gamepod's website like a determined Lasombra and ordered copies of the 2019 Anthology decks. Now I own two Dark Selinas and two Aaradhyas. My cardinal collection is slowly forming into something that looks less like "hopeful experiment" and more like "structured ambition."

The Anthology decks also came with a delightful pile of other cards. Some of them I recognize.
Ashur Tablets: apparently important. I now own six, which makes me feel powerful even though I'm not entirely sure what ritual I'm supposed to perform with them.
Heart of Nizchetus: excellent for cycling and filtering, like emotional support for your draw phase.
Carlton Van Wyk: shows up in many decks, so I assume he’s either extremely useful or extremely good at surviving.

The rest? Especially the crypt cards? They currently sit in my binder looking mysterious and slightly smug. I'm sure one day I'll build something around them. For now, they serve an equally important function: being admired and occasionally shown to friends like, "Look, shiny vampires! No, I don't know what they do yet."

So What's Next for Path of Power?

Here's what my current crypt draft looks like:

2x Aaradhya, The Callous Tyrant
2x Dark Selina
2x Věnceslava, The Implacable
2x Üresség
1x Damian
1x Rexton “Savage” Abernathy
1x Khin Aye
1x Concordia

It's shaping up nicely. Enough cardinals to make the table uncomfortable, enough presence to matter.

Library-wise, I'm leaning heavily into politics. Cold War, Banishment and the ever-reliable Kine Resources Contested feel mandatory. With Dominate in the crypt, Govern is practically automatic. Action modifiers are still a blur, I'll need test games to figure out the right balance, but there is one certainty in this world: Unthinkable Humiliation is going in the deck. A card with that name simply demands inclusion. It feels less like a card choice and more like a life philosophy.

The weak spot, as always, is the master module. I still lack some of the staple cards everyone else seems to casually own in triplicate. But that's fine. Every Tremere apprentice starts with borrowed tomes and big ambitions. Every Ventrue neonate starts without a domain.

I am patient.

And somewhere in those shadows, the Path of Power is waiting to become something properly terrifying. 

The game never ends, only pauses. I'll see you at the next move.

Custodian Hargrave

Explosives, paperwork and academic murder

Malifaux has been whispering to me for months.

Unfortunately, life (mundane, daylight, alarm-clock life) kept interfering. The friend who first pulled me through the Breach lives many hours away, which means our battles are rare and carefully planned like secret rituals. My local friend has also been busy, which left my crews gathering dust and giving me accusatory stares from the shelf.

So when James from the local club casually mentioned he might be getting a Malifaux crew, I felt two things at once: excitement… and responsibility. Because when someone steps through the Breach for the first time, you want their first experience to be magical, mysterious and just dangerous enough to make them want more. We need fresh souls in this hobby after all.

We scheduled a game to coincide with the long-awaited faction card release. And then, in true Malifaux fashion, the release was delayed. Again. I had preordered the Guild and Neverborn faction packs back in November, when January seemed certain. Since then, that date has moved more times than a Gremlin with sticky fingers.

With no physical cards in hand, I relied on the official app to track my crew. In hindsight, I should have printed the cards. Using the app felt a bit like trying to conduct a duel while reading the rulebook on your phone mid-swing. Functional, but not elegant. Lessons were learned.

On the day of the game, I arrived early at the club to prepare the battlefield. I laid out my western-themed terrain (the only set I currently own) wooden buildings, dusty streets and the gallows casting long shadows. In my mind, it was no longer MDF and paint, it was a frontier town on the edge of something unnatural.

Choosing a crew was its own dilemma.

My first instinct was to bring Dashel and the Guards. They've been my reliable enforcers for years. In third edition they were my pride and joy, and in fourth they've lost none of their bite. But that was precisely the problem. Bringing a crew I know inside and out against someone playing their first game felt… unfair.

Instead, I chose Lucius and the Elite.

Lucius, the silver-tongued schemer, master manipulator, surrounded by lawyers, investigators and professional liars. I adore the theme of this keyword. They don't just fight, they rearrange reality with paperwork and polite authority. I haven't played them much, so this was the perfect opportunity for them to leave the shelves.

James brought Transmortis, led by Von Schtook: the professor of unpleasant subjects, accompanied by his academic horrors. I had no idea how the crew worked. I didn't even read up on them. In Malifaux, ignorance is often the first step toward enlightenment or dismemberment.

Since this was James' first game, we opted for 30 soulstones instead of the usual 50. Fewer models. Fewer abilities. Slightly less cognitive chaos.

We flipped for strategy and deployment: Informants with Corner Deployment. James was the defender. I was the attacker.

Our schemes were Detonate Charges, Frame Job and Grave Robbing. I secretly chose Detonate Charges. Because if you're going to introduce someone to Malifaux, you might as well start with explosives.

The first turn was already thick with tension.

 

Lucius advanced toward the center like a man who owns the place, quietly directing Agent 44 and an Investigator to flank the enemy from opposite sides. Von Schtook and Anna Lovelace pushed up the middle, while Students drifted toward my flank like eager interns looking for credit.

Lucius used his authority to reposition enemies away from key areas, because why fight when you can simply tell people to stand somewhere less useful? A False Witness secured one Strategy Marker. A Guild Lawyer climbed onto the gallows to claim another. (There's something poetic about a lawyer on the gallows in Malifaux.)

The professor secured the marker closest to his deployment zone but couldn't quite lock down a second. End of turn: I scored the first point. I also managed to complete Detonate Charges, while James positioned carefully for turn two.

So far, so good. The town still stood.

Turn two escalated quickly.

An Undergraduate "finished his studies" and was upgraded into a Student of Viscera, killing a False Witness in the process. Apparently, graduation in Transmortis involves murder. Efficient curriculum. Agent 44 leapt into the fray, whispering blades doing what whispering blades do best, removing inconvenient people. My Guild Lawyer was challenged on the gallows and nearly paid the ultimate fee for his services.

I lost control of one Strategy Marker, but held onto two, securing another victory point. The board was shifting. The dust was settling in strange patterns.

Turn three became a whirlwind of ability exploration. We were checking triggers, reading cards, discovering interactions. It dawned on me that perhaps running a full strategy-and-schemes game for someone's very first Malifaux match might be ambitious, but James handled it remarkably well. The cognitive load was heavy, yet he stayed composed, asked smart questions, and adapted quickly. Transmortis proved dangerous, once Agent 44 was identified as a threat, he was removed with academic precision. The Undergraduates, with their upgrade flexibility, gave Von Schtook a toolkit for almost any situation.

Unfortunately, time ran out before we could begin turn four. The battle ended unfinished, but satisfying nonetheless.

My first impression of Transmortis? They hit hard, and they scale intelligently. Von Schtook doesn't just teach anatomy, he demonstrates it. More importantly, James played extremely well for a first game. Whether that's credit to him, to the elegance of fourth edition design or both, I'm not sure, but it was impressive.

Malifaux is strange, layered, and occasionally overwhelming. But when it works, it feels like stepping into a gothic western novel where every decision matters and every model has a secret.

The game never ends, only pauses. I'll see you at the next move.

Custodian Hargrave

Why not both? Punching and politics with Lasombra

I'm still not entirely sure which archetype I love the most. On some nights, I'm all about political decks: making grand speeches, pulling strings, passing laws that somehow only hurt everyone else and generally acting like the aristocrat at the table who absolutely deserves to win. I've played political decks with Ventrue and Toreador and I enjoy both. If Ventrue had something like Grand Ball, I'd probably never look back. Sadly, without a reliable way to crank up stealth, my blue bloods tend to get stopped at the door, asked for credentials and politely punched into torpor.

Then there are rush decks, which I also enjoy for entirely different reasons. There's something deeply satisfying about pointing at another vampire and saying, "You. Outside. Now." Rush decks go toe to toe with the table, beating vampires down until they're out of blood. My problem with them is practical: once you've removed all your prey's blockers, you often just… stand there. Menacingly. Punching people is fun, but it doesn't automatically win games. At some point, someone still needs to bleed.

That's when the pieces finally aligned. A clan that rules the table not just with words but with bruises.
Lasombra stepped out of the shadows. 

Before getting into mechanics, let's talk theme. Lasombra are cool in that "corporate takeover at midnight" kind of way. They don't just rule from thrones, they rule from boardrooms, shadows and places you didn't even realize were important. If Ventrue are the CEOs giving interviews, Lasombra are the ones quietly buying the company while you're still reading the press release. Their whole thing (control through darkness, intimidation and selective violence) fits perfectly with both politics and combat. They don't ask for permission, they don't explain themselves and when the lights go out, you suddenly realize you should have agreed with them earlier.

 

How to Rush with Lasombra?

Lasombra rush is as direct as it can be. The bread and butter is Umbrous Clutch, which lets you pick a minion and say, "We're fighting now." No small talk. No pleasantries. And then there's Dafina, who can do this without even needing a card. That's not a vampire but rather a standing appointment for violence.

Combat-wise, Lasombra are stacked. Potence gives them access to classics like Immortal Grapple, Torn Signpost and Roundhouse, the holy trinity of "this is going to hurt." After the fight, Taste of Vitae acts like the instant recovery snack of VTES: quick, effective, sweet.

Then there's Oblivion, which adds even more spice. Arms of Ahriman is particularly nasty, letting you either throw out an extra strike or dodge and still hit back. It's like having both a shield and a crowbar in the same hand. Blocking Lasombra actions is always risky, because the resulting combat often feels less like an exchange and more like a strongly worded lesson.

Once the blockers are gone, Dominate steps in and suddenly the bleeding starts. Hard. Turns out people are much worse at defending themselves when they're already face-down.

 

How to do politics with Lasombra?

While I enjoyed Lasombra rush, I had more success when I leaned into their shady nature. So when I think about political decks, I always boil it down to two questions.

First: can I make the action succeed?
That means stealth or block denial. Begging the table not to block your political action is technically an option, but in my experience it's about as reliable as promising to "just look" at one more card on VDB.

Lasombra do this well. Shadow Cast, Shadow Cloak and Where the Veil Thins all provide stealth at inferior, with tasty bonuses at superior. If stealth isn't enough, you can go the "don't even try" route with Stygian Shroud or Seduction. It's hard to block someone when your vampire is too intimidated (or too distracted) to care.

Second: do I have the votes?
Unless you've achieved vote lock (the political equivalent of flipping the table and declaring yourself the Senate), you'll need help. And this is where politics really shines. Deals get made. Promises get broken. Someone inevitably realizes too late that they argued themselves into a corner.

Lasombra politics feel especially good because the threat is always there. "You can vote against me," they seem to say, "but remember what happened to the last vampire who blocked my action." Thrilling, isn't it?

Getting votes can be tricky. Group 2 has cardinals (one of whom is affectionately nicknamed Potato, which is both hilarious and somehow accurate) but since my collection leans heavily toward Group 6, I usually work with what I've got. It's more negotiation, more table talk, more shadowy influence.

That feels exactly right for Lasombra.

In the end, Lasombra scratch a very specific itch. They let me play politics and/or apply pressure. They punish blockers, manipulate votes and operate with an ever-present aura of menace. They're the clan that doesn't just participate in the game, they loom over it. Which, now that I think about it, might explain why I keep coming back to them.

The game never ends, only pauses. I'll see you at the next move.

Custodian Hargrave

Cambridge, cards and blood magic

On Saturday I attended my very first VTES tournament and I can safely say this: it exceeded my expectations in every possible way. I went in excited, slightly nervous and armed with far too many internal monologues, but what I found was a room full of welcoming players, sharp gameplay, and exactly the kind of atmosphere that makes you fall in love with a game all over again.

This was my first real chance to meet and play with people who have been in the Eternal Struggle for a decade or more. I'd spoken online with some of them before (Antonio from Bedford, James from Norwich) but meeting in person felt different. Real tables, real cards, real political tension. I also managed to convince my friend Aaron to join me. He'd only played a single game before, but like me, he was drawn in by the artwork and the social side of VTES. Watching him jump straight into a tournament and genuinely have fun was a perfect reminder of why this community is so special.

We arrived just before the venue opened and immediately found ourselves chatting with other players outside, like vampires politely waiting for the doors of Elysium to open. Inside, James and David (our tournament organizers) had everything prepared. Food was ordered (eternal hunger addressed, very on-theme), registration sorted, and we waited to see which fates the seating algorithm would assign us.

From the moment I picked up VTES, I knew one thing for certain: my first tournament deck would be Tremere or Ventrue. These clans are home to me, structured, authoritative, scholarly… with Lasombra lurking temptingly close behind. In the end, playtesting convinced me that my Tremere were a bit more resilient, so my aristocratic Ventrue politicians were regretfully benched in favor of blood magic and defensive rigor.

Aaron took my Malkavian deck (yes, the one my wife loves killing me with), drawn in by stealth and bleed. Wisely spared from learning combat timing windows on his first tournament day. 

 

Round One: Baptism by Elder Fire

My first table had me seated as Player 1 with Tremere. James (our national coordinator) sat next to me with Banu Haqim, Aaron followed with the sneaky Malkavians, and Niki rounded things out with Giovanni.

I'd prepared diligently, Discord discussions, meta reading, theoretical matchups. I knew what my prey, the assassins, might try. I knew what the Malkavians would attempt. But my predator, the Giovanni? A mystery wrapped in necromancy. This made me… cautious. In hindsight, perhaps too cautious.

The game was balanced early on, but over time it became clear that this Tremere neonate was being outmaneuvered by two very experienced elders. Still, the table was fantastic. Rules explanations were given freely, mistakes corrected kindly, and the atmosphere never stopped being fun. Aaron's Malkavians fell first, followed by my Tremere, awarding victory points to the Banu Haqim and Giovanni. Eventually, James emerged victorious, claiming the table with well-earned authority. Excellent play all around.

 

Round Two: Politics, Panic, and Partial Glory

Somehow, the second game was even better.

David led with a Path of Death deck, Antonio followed with Path of Power, Manuel brought his ever-reliable assassins, and I took the fourth seat. The banter started immediately, before the first blood counter even moved. It was quickly established that my Spanish is good enough to ask for some water, but not good enough to survive VTES table talk, so we stuck to English. Problem solved.

This time, I made the classic neonate error: I got greedy. My crypt lineup was perfect, Govern did its job beautifully, and I pushed hard for a VP. I even managed to punch through David's zombies with some hefty bleeds. But momentum is a fickle thing, and eventually my deck ran out of steam. The table rebalanced, deals were made, hints were dropped, and I witnessed true table politics in action: subtle, elegant, and terrifying. After two hours, we all walked away with half a victory point. Special thanks to Hugh for helping me untangle a rules question mid-game.

Bonus Round: Out-of-Tournament Triumph

With only half a VP after two rounds, I didn't make the finals, but while the elders battled for ultimate supremacy, I was invited to play one more casual game. Obviously, I said yes.

This table was glorious chaos: Path of Death, Lasombra voting, Path of Caine, my Tremere, and a Toreador antitribu deck. The banter was nonstop, the mood light, and the plays bold. This time, things clicked. I ousted the Toreador antitribu first, gained precious pool, and suddenly the possibilities opened up. One by one, I managed to oust the Path of Death and the Lasombra as well. When time was called, I had three victory points, my best performance of my entire VTES carreer. I was thrilled, and I truly hope my tablemates had as much fun as I did.

Loot, Gifts, and Gratitude

The generosity didn't stop at gameplay. I was gifted staples by James, received a signed copy of Damian from Antonio, collected tournament promos, and (perhaps most exciting of all) this neonate is now the proud owner of a Carna.

More than anything, this event reinforced why I love this game and this community. Knowledge shared freely, competition without ego, and a welcoming atmosphere that makes even a first-time tournament player feel at home. 2026 has only just begun, but this was already the best event I've attended in a long while. The bar is set very high now.

 Finalists table (Niki winning the tournament):

Some other photos:

The game never ends, only pauses. I'll see you at the next move.

Custodian Hargrave