Dream big, bleed hard: prepping for my first tournament

I've been officially a VTES neonate for about four months now. My journey started with the V5 box set and its five decks, the perfect starter kit for someone who enjoys the lore and the Camarilla. I'm fairly confident with the rules at this point, though I'm sure I still mess up a timing window or two. Thankfully, the official VTES Discord has a neonate channel, a safe haven where fledglings like me can ask what might objectively be ridiculous questions without being immediately staked. The community there has been wonderful: patient, funny, and endlessly helpful.

If there's one thing I've noticed, though, it’s that I'm miles behind when it comes to custom deckbuilding. It turns out you need more than enthusiasm and an Excel sheet to make something brilliant. You need dozens of games, bruises, and a little healthy trauma first.

And now, the big news: I've registered for my first VTES tournament, happening in Cambridge, UK in January. My kids are excited for Santa in December; I'm equally excited for my own personal Christmas in January.

Here's the problem: I really, really don't want to embarrass myself. Up until now, all my games have been with friends, you know,  low-stakes, high-chaos affairs where the only real rule was "have fun and always blame bad luck". Not once have I actually won a game, but apparently that's part of the neonate experience.

I've built a few decks I might bring to the tournament, and I'm hoping to secure a few more test games before the big day. I haven't decided which one I'll play yet, though I'm already leaning toward two potential candidates. I'll share my final choice after the tournament, not because I think my deck will terrify the competition, but because it's less awkward to post your list once the losing is out of the way. Still, who knows? Maybe I'll even score a VP or two. (Who am I kidding? But hey, dream big, right?)

As any good Tremere/Ventrue hybrid would, I have a plan.
Step one: Study. I've been reading tournament reports, watching videos, and listening to experienced players discuss the new Sabbat meta. I didn't understand half of what they said, but they sounded very confident and that's enough for me.

Step two: Tweak my decks. I want to make sure I can respond to common threats, though that's easier said than done when you've only played a handful of matchups and don't even own an Anarch deck. I'll keep the adjustments modest. After all, part of the fun is sitting down across from a deck you don't understand and pretending you do.

Step three: Organization. I've started my own card database, cataloging what I have and what I desperately want. I'm also making a wishlist of cards to hunt down at the event, ideally through trading, although that might be challenging, since my current collection mostly consists of "commons and optimism". Still, the thought of card trading in person thrills me.

I don't really know what to expect on the big day. I don't have a mentor or a friend guiding me into the scene, so this feels less like "joining a tournament" and more like being a Tremere neonate transferred to a new chantry, nervously trying to figure out who's in charge and where the fire exits are. My main goals? Have fun, make friends, and not accidentally call a Prince "Baron".

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

Custodian Hargrave