The Saturday I graduated from kitchen-table VTES

This Saturday was a big one. For the first time, I finally got to play VTES with experienced players. I've mentioned before that I'm heading to my first tournament in January, and honestly, my nervous system has been doing warm-ups ever since. Until now, my VTES life has mostly been me teaching friends who knew less than I did, which is fun, but also a bit like training for a marathon by running laps around your living room. Great cardio, not much real-world action.

So Saturday afternoon I hopped in the car to meet my fellow Methuselahs: David, Manuel, and Cristina. We'd never met in person, but they kindly invited me over for a friendly game. David and Manuel started playing about twenty years ago and have stuck with the Eternal Struggle through most of its phases, basically the kind of veterans who remember when Dominate was printed on stone tablets. Cristina is a neonate like me, though with more games under her belt, meaning she's at that terrifying stage where she's learned confidence and consequences.

I brought my Ventrue and Tremere decks, but I wasn't sure which to run. I usually play into my own decks, so I know their habits like family members. This time I had no idea what I'd be facing. As much as I love my aristocrats, I decided the Tremere had better odds. When you're walking into the unknown, bringing the clan with magic for every occasion feels sensible.

The table lineup was delightfully ominous. David had a Lasombra/Nosferatu deck (which sounds exactly like it plays: shadows, sewer claws, and no personal space). Cristina brought a Brujah rush deck, the kind that doesn't just start fights, it schedules them and shows up early. Manuel's was an Assamite/Tremere concoction full of mystery and sharp objects. We randomized seating and got Manuel > David > Cristina > me. Translation: my predator was a Brujah who treats combat like a hobby and a lifestyle, and my prey was Manuel's Assamites: a deck I knew as well as I know the last page of a book I haven't read. Both directions: danger. And fun!

The game was epic in that "everyone is one bad turn away from disaster" sort of way. I spent a lot of time trying to keep my wall intact while the Brujah applied pressure like a hydraulic press with opinions. Cristina Famed, then torpored my strongest Tremere in the same round,  the VTES equivalent of putting a neon sign on your best minion and then immediately throwing them into a ditch. Manuel's Al-Ashrad was geared up like an action-movie final boss, so I was very cautious about picking fights I couldn't finish.

I did get a beautiful moment, though: one round where everything lined up and I yanked seven pool off my prey. For a brief, shining second I felt like a Warlock with a plan and not just a guy frantically flipping cards and thinking "please don't block". Meanwhile, David's Lasombra politely "borrowed" my Power Base: Montreal and then squatted in it for the rest of the game like a shadow landlord. What an elegant move!

When we hit the two-hour mark, nobody had been ousted, so we extended the game by thirty minutes. During that stretch, my torpored Abraham's Fame kept draining pools like a slow-leaking pipe none of us could find. I also managed to land Camarilla Segregation, and since I was the only one not affected, I figured time was now my ally. If the game dragged, I'd win by bureaucratic attrition, the most Tremere/Ventrue victory condition imaginable.

At the end of the extension we were still all alive, so everyone got half a Victory Point. Not the clean ending you write poetry about, but very much the kind of ending VTES enjoys: nobody actually wins, but everyone has a great story.

I learned a ton. The biggest rule catch: you can only play Arcane Library if you already control a Tremere (which is one of those perfectly logical rules you still forget the first time you try it). Also, thanks to David narrating combat windows like a very polite combat instructor ("this is your Immortal Grapple window", "now we set range", "here's where maneuvers happen") the whole combat sequence is much clearer in my head now. It was like getting a live tutorial, but with more vampires and less mercy.

Cambridge in January can't come fast enough! I'm excited in that slightly unhealthy way where you start playtesting imaginary tables in your head while brushing your teeth, and every random shuffle feels like destiny.

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

Custodian Hargrave

From dusty tomes to table fights: Library stats

I really enjoyed the whole crypt-analysis rabbit hole… right up until the moment I hit "publish" and immediately felt that familiar Tremere chill: something was missing. Of course it was. I'd only studied the crypt, and completely ignored the library which, in VTES terms, is like evaluating a vampire solely by their portrait and never asking what they actually do.

So consider this post my belated correction ritual. The one where I stride back into the chantry with extra scrolls, nod gravely, and pretend this was the plan all along. Honestly, if my next Tremere evaluation ever comes up, I'm bringing these charts like they're sacred tablets. You know, to show results.

For this round I looked at all tournament-submitted decks again from the last two years (not just winners). That's 870 decks across 30 tournaments. A proper sample big enough to feel like a census of the damned. You find the results of my analysis below:

 

Most-played cards per type

First, I ranked the top 20 most-played cards within each type (multiplied by num of copies).

This is basically the game's "greatest hits album". The cards people reach for automatically, like a Ventrue reaching for a title or a Nosferatu reaching for… something you really don't want to know about. If a card sits at the top here, it's not just popular, it's a pillar of how people think the game should be played (how silly of me, mere neonate to assume I understand the strategies of the Elders).

Action (top 20)
   1. Govern the Unaligned: 2347
   2. Platinum Protocol, The: 569
   3. Break the Bonds: 510
   4. Kindred Spirits: 510
   5. Thing: 455
   6. Enchant Kindred: 392
   7. Deep Song: 356
   8. Magic of the Smith: 245
   9. Embrace, The: 232
  10. Computer Hacking: 228
  11. Entrancement: 223
  12. Bum's Rush: 209
  13. Shroud of Decay: 198
  14. Hunter's Mark: 162
  15. Line Brawl: 154
  16. Childe of the Revolution: 146
  17. Scouting Mission: 106
  18. Unleash Hell's Fury: 103
  19. Flurry of Action: 90
  20. Graverobbing: 88


Action Modifier (top 20)
   1. Lost in Crowds: 849
   2. Conditioning: 775
   3. Freak Drive: 692
   4. Elder Impersonation: 535
   5. Earth Control: 483
   6. Faceless Night: 482
   7. Voter Captivation: 452
   8. Revelation of the Serpent: 367
   9. Spying Mission: 352
  10. Mirror Walk: 331
  11. Cloak the Gathering: 319
  12. Bonding: 290
  13. Forgotten Labyrinth: 286
  14. Memory Rift: 285
  15. Seduction: 276
  16. Forced March: 265
  17. Confusion: 254
  18. Instantaneous Transformation: 254
  19. Foreshadowing Destruction: 234
  20. Visions of Gehenna: 231


Action Modifier/Combat (top 20)
   1. Swallowed by the Night: 631
   2. Resist Earth's Grasp: 242
   3. Deny: 99
   4. Rapid Change: 68
   5. Plasmic Form: 65
   6. Obedient Flesh: 56
   7. Fae Contortion: 45
   8. Force of Personality: 39
   9. Form of the Cobra: 38
  10. Hide the Mind: 31
  11. Shadow Boxing: 26
  12. Breath of Thanatos: 19
  13. Swiftness of the Stag: 17
  14. Slake the Thirst: 14
  15. Form of the Serpent: 11
  16. Mirror Image: 7
  17. Occlusion: 4
  18. Predator's Transformation: 4
  19. Taking the Skin: Minion: 2

Action Modifier/Reaction (top 20)
   1. Form of the Bat: 398
   2. Murmur of the False Will: 141
   3. Sense the Sin: 79
   4. Scalpel Tongue: 75
   5. Touch of Clarity: 72
   6. Eldest Are Kholo, The: 70
   7. Aura Absorption: 43
   8. Ominous Chorus: 41
   9. Spectral Divination: 35
  10. Random Patterns: 17
  11. Blood Awakening: 11
  12. Gift of Sleep: 11
  13. Provision of the Silsila: 9
  14. Quicksilver Contemplation: 9
  15. Unexpected Coalition: 9
  16. Ishtarri Kholo: 1

Action/Combat (top 20)
   1. Touch of Valeren: 43
   2. Monstrous Form: 28
   3. Steely Tenacity: 11
   4. Elemental Stoicism: 4

Action/Reaction (top 20)
   1. Ensconced: 1

Ally (top 20)
   1. Nephandus: 238
   2. Spectral Servitor: 215
   3. Carlton Van Wyk: 102
   4. Nocturn: 94
   5. Rock Cat: 70
   6. Aggressive Corpse: 61
   7. Bone Shambler: 55
   8. Infernal Servitor: 40
   9. Shambling Hordes: 37
  10. Mylan Horseed: 36
  11. War Ghoul: 36
  12. Emerald Legionnaire: 35
  13. Renegade Garou: 33
  14. Ponticulus: 32
  15. Reanimated Corpse: 31
  16. Asanbonsam Ghoul: 25
  17. Saatet-ta: 24
  18. Ossian: 22
  19. Underbridge Stray: 19
  20. Veneficti: 19


Combat (top 20)
   1. Form of Mist: 893
   2. Earth Meld: 803
   3. Majesty: 725
   4. Taste of Vitae: 635
   5. Immortal Grapple: 582
   6. Hunger of Marduk: 423
   7. Pursuit: 406
   8. Psyche!: 350
   9. Concealed Weapon: 320
  10. Carrion Crows: 275
  11. Torn Signpost: 213
  12. Disarm: 203
  13. Aid from Bats: 201
  14. Blur: 189
  15. Target Vitals: 179
  16. Roundhouse: 165
  17. Rego Motum: 163
  18. Donnybrook: 157
  19. Dust Up: 157
  20. Diversion: 154


Combat/Reaction (top 20)
   1. Evil Eye: 8

Conviction (top 20)
   1. Strike with Conviction: 17
   2. React with Conviction: 14
   3. Second Sight: 13

Equipment (top 20)
   1. Heart of Nizchetus: 378
   2. .44 Magnum: 304
   3. Living Manse: 168
   4. Bowl of Convergence: 119
   5. Ivory Bow: 95
   6. Sniper Rifle: 82
   7. Cooler: 55
   8. Saturday-Night Special: 54
   9. Kevlar Vest: 45
  10. Signet of King Saul, The: 40
  11. Assault Rifle: 38
  12. Camera Phone: 36
  13. Blood Tears of Kephran: 34
  14. Codex of the Edenic Groundskeepers: 32
  15. Learjet: 32
  16. Sargon Fragment, The: 31
  17. Sport Bike: 29
  18. Flash Grenade: 28
  19. Blade of Bellona: 26
  20. Gran Madre di Dio, Italy: 26


Event (top 20)
   1. Unmasking, The: 162
   2. Scourge of the Enochians: 99
   3. Narrow Minds: 95
   4. Dragonbound: 62
   5. FBI Special Affairs Division: 44
   6. NRA PAC: 41
   7. Bitter and Sweet Story, The: 38
   8. Uncoiling, The: 29
   9. Nightmares upon Nightmares: 21
  10. Slow Withering, The: 12
  11. NSA Trio: 8
  12. Waiting Game: 8
  13. Fourth Cycle, The: 7
  14. Veil of Darkness: 6
  15. Blood Weakens: 4
  16. Break the Code: 4
  17. Hunger Moon: 3
  18. Inconnu Tutelage: 2
  19. Rising, The: 2
  20. Dr. Marisa Fletcher, CDC: 1


Master (top 20)
   1. Villein: 2189
   2. Ashur Tablets: 1013
   3. Dreams of the Sphinx: 941
   4. Vessel: 690
   5. Direct Intervention: 455
   6. Wider View: 452
   7. Zillah's Valley: 450
   8. Information Highway: 395
   9. Giant's Blood: 335
  10. Parthenon, The: 261
  11. Dabbler: 232
  12. Pentex(TM) Subversion: 226
  13. Garibaldi-Meucci Museum: 206
  14. Blood Doll: 195
  15. Archon Investigation: 193
  16. Perfectionist: 192
  17. Wash: 191
  18. Effective Management: 187
  19. Coven, The: 183
  20. Powerbase: Montreal: 181


Political Action (top 20)
   1. Kine Resources Contested: 630
   2. Camarilla's Iron Fist: 405
   3. Parity Shift: 377
   4. Banishment: 228
   5. Consanguineous Boon: 152
   6. Anarchist Uprising: 125
   7. Ancilla Empowerment: 123
   8. Reckless Agitation: 107
   9. Revolutionary Council: 79
  10. Reins of Power: 69
  11. Ancient Influence: 62
  12. Political Stranglehold: 60
  13. Eat the Rich: 46
  14. Autarkis Persecution: 39
  15. Neonate Breach: 37
  16. Anathema: 34
  17. Alastor: 31
  18. Rumors of Gehenna: 25
  19. Conservative Agitation: 23
  20. Disputed Territory: 20


Power (top 20)
   1. Vigilance: 10
   2. Rejuvenate: 5
   3. Champion: 4
   4. Discern: 4
   5. Inspire: 2
   6. Hide: 1

Reaction (top 20)
   1. Deflection: 1966
   2. On the Qui Vive: 1437
   3. Telepathic Misdirection: 1289
   4. Eyes of Argus: 1070
   5. Organized Resistance: 1045
   6. Bait and Switch: 822
   7. Second Tradition: Domain: 592
   8. Delaying Tactics: 477
   9. Deep Ecology: 359
  10. My Enemy's Enemy: 342
  11. Visions of Zapathasura: 277
  12. Obedience: 224
  13. Eagle's Sight: 197
  14. Party Out Of Bounds: 191
  15. Protection Racket: 153
  16. Enhanced Senses: 145
  17. Eyes of the Wild: 140
  18. Cats' Guidance: 123
  19. Guard Dogs: 120
  20. Sense the Savage Way: 116


Retainer (top 20)
   1. Raven Spy: 158
   2. Mr. Winthrop: 53
   3. Homunculus: 42
   4. D'habi Revenant: 34
   5. Feral Hound: 24
   6. Crypt's Sons: 18
   7. Dog Pack: 16
   8. J. S. Simmons, Esq.: 16
   9. Tasha Morgan: 12
  10. Hatch the Viper: 11
  11. Owl Companion: 10
  12. Revenant: 7
  13. Razor Bat: 6
  14. Jackie Therman: 5
  15. Marijava Ghoul: 4
  16. Omael Kuman: 4
  17. Childling Muse: 3
  18. Robert Carter: 3
  19. Charnas the Imp: 2
  20. Masquer: 2

Deck penetration

Next I looked at deck penetration: how many decks include at least one copy of a given card.

This view answers a different question. The first list is about volume, this one is about reach. Some cards are like pop stars: tons of copies in fewer decks. Others are like elevator music: they're everywhere, quietly shaping your evening whether you notice them or not.

Action (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Govern the Unaligned: 255/870 decks (29.3%)
   2. Entrancement: 126/870 decks (14.5%)
   3. Magic of the Smith: 78/870 decks (9.0%)
   4. Enchant Kindred: 68/870 decks (7.8%)
   5. Aranthebes, The Immortal: 57/870 decks (6.6%)
   6. Deep Song: 56/870 decks (6.4%)
   7. Platinum Protocol, The: 49/870 decks (5.6%)
   8. Bum's Rush: 48/870 decks (5.5%)
   9. Thing: 48/870 decks (5.5%)
  10. Constant Revolution: 42/870 decks (4.8%)
  11. Unleash Hell's Fury: 40/870 decks (4.6%)
  12. Break the Bonds: 38/870 decks (4.4%)
  13. Under Siege: 37/870 decks (4.3%)
  14. Judgment: Camarilla Segregation: 34/870 decks (3.9%)
  15. Army of Rats: 32/870 decks (3.7%)
  16. Kindred Spirits: 31/870 decks (3.6%)
  17. Rewilding: 31/870 decks (3.6%)
  18. Shroud of Decay: 31/870 decks (3.6%)
  19. Hunter's Mark: 30/870 decks (3.4%)
  20. Field Training: 29/870 decks (3.3%)


Action Modifier (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Conditioning: 222/870 decks (25.5%)
   2. Lost in Crowds: 213/870 decks (24.5%)
   3. Elder Impersonation: 189/870 decks (21.7%)
   4. Faceless Night: 181/870 decks (20.8%)
   5. Spying Mission: 131/870 decks (15.1%)
   6. Cloak the Gathering: 122/870 decks (14.0%)
   7. Earth Control: 122/870 decks (14.0%)
   8. Foreshadowing Destruction: 121/870 decks (13.9%)
   9. Freak Drive: 119/870 decks (13.7%)
  10. Enkil Cog: 118/870 decks (13.6%)
  11. Bonding: 92/870 decks (10.6%)
  12. Voter Captivation: 92/870 decks (10.6%)
  13. Seduction: 87/870 decks (10.0%)
  14. Forgotten Labyrinth: 80/870 decks (9.2%)
  15. Veil the Legions: 69/870 decks (7.9%)
  16. Forced March: 63/870 decks (7.2%)
  17. Perfect Paragon: 61/870 decks (7.0%)
  18. Mirror Walk: 60/870 decks (6.9%)
  19. Aire of Elation: 59/870 decks (6.8%)
  20. Monkey Wrench: 58/870 decks (6.7%)


Action Modifier/Combat (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Swallowed by the Night: 187/870 decks (21.5%)
   2. Resist Earth's Grasp: 65/870 decks (7.5%)
   3. Rapid Change: 34/870 decks (3.9%)
   4. Deny: 24/870 decks (2.8%)
   5. Force of Personality: 20/870 decks (2.3%)
   6. Hide the Mind: 18/870 decks (2.1%)
   7. Obedient Flesh: 18/870 decks (2.1%)
   8. Plasmic Form: 17/870 decks (2.0%)
   9. Form of the Cobra: 14/870 decks (1.6%)
  10. Fae Contortion: 9/870 decks (1.0%)
  11. Breath of Thanatos: 6/870 decks (0.7%)
  12. Shadow Boxing: 6/870 decks (0.7%)
  13. Slake the Thirst: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
  14. Form of the Serpent: 3/870 decks (0.3%)
  15. Swiftness of the Stag: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  16. Mirror Image: 1/870 decks (0.1%)
  17. Occlusion: 1/870 decks (0.1%)
  18. Predator's Transformation: 1/870 decks (0.1%)
  19. Taking the Skin: Minion: 1/870 decks (0.1%)

Action Modifier/Reaction (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Form of the Bat: 119/870 decks (13.7%)
   2. Murmur of the False Will: 63/870 decks (7.2%)
   3. Scalpel Tongue: 29/870 decks (3.3%)
   4. Touch of Clarity: 23/870 decks (2.6%)
   5. Sense the Sin: 22/870 decks (2.5%)
   6. Ominous Chorus: 12/870 decks (1.4%)
   7. Aura Absorption: 8/870 decks (0.9%)
   8. Spectral Divination: 8/870 decks (0.9%)
   9. Eldest Are Kholo, The: 7/870 decks (0.8%)
  10. Gift of Sleep: 7/870 decks (0.8%)
  11. Random Patterns: 6/870 decks (0.7%)
  12. Blood Awakening: 3/870 decks (0.3%)
  13. Provision of the Silsila: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  14. Quicksilver Contemplation: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  15. Unexpected Coalition: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  16. Ishtarri Kholo: 1/870 decks (0.1%)

Action/Combat (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Touch of Valeren: 11/870 decks (1.3%)
   2. Steely Tenacity: 7/870 decks (0.8%)
   3. Monstrous Form: 6/870 decks (0.7%)
   4. Elemental Stoicism: 2/870 decks (0.2%)

Action/Reaction (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Ensconced: 1/870 decks (0.1%)

Ally (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Carlton Van Wyk: 100/870 decks (11.5%)
   2. Mylan Horseed: 36/870 decks (4.1%)
   3. Nephandus: 31/870 decks (3.6%)
   4. Ponticulus: 27/870 decks (3.1%)
   5. Spectral Servitor: 26/870 decks (3.0%)
   6. Saatet-ta: 23/870 decks (2.6%)
   7. Ossian: 22/870 decks (2.5%)
   8. Veneficti: 19/870 decks (2.2%)
   9. Tye Cooper: 16/870 decks (1.8%)
  10. Vagabond Mystic: 14/870 decks (1.6%)
  11. Infernal Servitor: 13/870 decks (1.5%)
  12. Nocturn: 12/870 decks (1.4%)
  13. Double Deuce: 10/870 decks (1.1%)
  14. Muddled Vampire Hunter: 9/870 decks (1.0%)
  15. Aggressive Corpse: 8/870 decks (0.9%)
  16. Rock Cat: 8/870 decks (0.9%)
  17. Renegade Garou: 7/870 decks (0.8%)
  18. Underbridge Stray: 7/870 decks (0.8%)
  19. War Ghoul: 7/870 decks (0.8%)
  20. Asanbonsam Ghoul: 6/870 decks (0.7%)


Combat (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Form of Mist: 167/870 decks (19.2%)
   2. Earth Meld: 150/870 decks (17.2%)
   3. Taste of Vitae: 146/870 decks (16.8%)
   4. Majesty: 135/870 decks (15.5%)
   5. Immortal Grapple: 76/870 decks (8.7%)
   6. Pursuit: 75/870 decks (8.6%)
   7. Psyche!: 64/870 decks (7.4%)
   8. Donnybrook: 63/870 decks (7.2%)
   9. Blur: 51/870 decks (5.9%)
  10. Concealed Weapon: 51/870 decks (5.9%)
  11. Disarm: 51/870 decks (5.9%)
  12. Rego Motum: 50/870 decks (5.7%)
  13. Claws of the Dead: 42/870 decks (4.8%)
  14. Target Vitals: 42/870 decks (4.8%)
  15. Quickness: 41/870 decks (4.7%)
  16. Carrion Crows: 40/870 decks (4.6%)
  17. No Trace: 39/870 decks (4.5%)
  18. Hidden Strength: 36/870 decks (4.1%)
  19. Hunger of Marduk: 35/870 decks (4.0%)
  20. Sideslip: 35/870 decks (4.0%)


Combat/Reaction (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Evil Eye: 1/870 decks (0.1%)

Conviction (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Strike with Conviction: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
   2. React with Conviction: 3/870 decks (0.3%)
   3. Second Sight: 3/870 decks (0.3%)

Equipment (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Heart of Nizchetus: 297/870 decks (34.1%)
   2. Bowl of Convergence: 116/870 decks (13.3%)
   3. Ivory Bow: 92/870 decks (10.6%)
   4. .44 Magnum: 80/870 decks (9.2%)
   5. Sniper Rifle: 62/870 decks (7.1%)
   6. Kevlar Vest: 40/870 decks (4.6%)
   7. Signet of King Saul, The: 40/870 decks (4.6%)
   8. Living Manse: 32/870 decks (3.7%)
   9. Sargon Fragment, The: 31/870 decks (3.6%)
  10. Gran Madre di Dio, Italy: 26/870 decks (3.0%)
  11. Codex of the Edenic Groundskeepers: 25/870 decks (2.9%)
  12. Blood Tears of Kephran: 24/870 decks (2.8%)
  13. Palatial Estate: 24/870 decks (2.8%)
  14. Sport Bike: 23/870 decks (2.6%)
  15. Cooler: 22/870 decks (2.5%)
  16. Shilmulo Tarot: 22/870 decks (2.5%)
  17. Treasured Samadji: 18/870 decks (2.1%)
  18. Camera Phone: 16/870 decks (1.8%)
  19. Leather Jacket: 16/870 decks (1.8%)
  20. Helicopter: 15/870 decks (1.7%)


Event (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Scourge of the Enochians: 97/870 decks (11.1%)
   2. Narrow Minds: 89/870 decks (10.2%)
   3. Unmasking, The: 82/870 decks (9.4%)
   4. Dragonbound: 62/870 decks (7.1%)
   5. FBI Special Affairs Division: 44/870 decks (5.1%)
   6. Bitter and Sweet Story, The: 37/870 decks (4.3%)
   7. NRA PAC: 32/870 decks (3.7%)
   8. Uncoiling, The: 27/870 decks (3.1%)
   9. Nightmares upon Nightmares: 21/870 decks (2.4%)
  10. Slow Withering, The: 12/870 decks (1.4%)
  11. NSA Trio: 8/870 decks (0.9%)
  12. Waiting Game: 8/870 decks (0.9%)
  13. Fourth Cycle, The: 7/870 decks (0.8%)
  14. Veil of Darkness: 5/870 decks (0.6%)
  15. Blood Weakens: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
  16. Break the Code: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
  17. Hunger Moon: 3/870 decks (0.3%)
  18. Inconnu Tutelage: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  19. Rising, The: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  20. Dr. Marisa Fletcher, CDC: 1/870 decks (0.1%)


Master (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Villein: 523/870 decks (60.1%)
   2. Dreams of the Sphinx: 506/870 decks (58.2%)
   3. Wider View: 352/870 decks (40.5%)
   4. Direct Intervention: 343/870 decks (39.4%)
   5. Giant's Blood: 334/870 decks (38.4%)
   6. Vessel: 263/870 decks (30.2%)
   7. Information Highway: 235/870 decks (27.0%)
   8. Pentex(TM) Subversion: 203/870 decks (23.3%)
   9. Coven, The: 179/870 decks (20.6%)
  10. Powerbase: Montreal: 170/870 decks (19.5%)
  11. Archon Investigation: 159/870 decks (18.3%)
  12. Garibaldi-Meucci Museum: 159/870 decks (18.3%)
  13. Carfax Abbey: 154/870 decks (17.7%)
  14. Fame: 142/870 decks (16.3%)
  15. Secure Haven: 136/870 decks (15.6%)
  16. Ashur Tablets: 135/870 decks (15.5%)
  17. Anarch Railroad: 133/870 decks (15.3%)
  18. Club Illusion: 129/870 decks (14.8%)
  19. Wash: 120/870 decks (13.8%)
  20. Monastery of Shadows: 119/870 decks (13.7%)


Political Action (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Kine Resources Contested: 142/870 decks (16.3%)
   2. Camarilla's Iron Fist: 118/870 decks (13.6%)
   3. Ancilla Empowerment: 116/870 decks (13.3%)
   4. Anarchist Uprising: 112/870 decks (12.9%)
   5. Parity Shift: 109/870 decks (12.5%)
   6. Banishment: 97/870 decks (11.1%)
   7. Reins of Power: 69/870 decks (7.9%)
   8. Ancient Influence: 62/870 decks (7.1%)
   9. Political Stranglehold: 60/870 decks (6.9%)
  10. Revolutionary Council: 52/870 decks (6.0%)
  11. Reckless Agitation: 44/870 decks (5.1%)
  12. Consanguineous Boon: 33/870 decks (3.8%)
  13. Neonate Breach: 32/870 decks (3.7%)
  14. Eat the Rich: 31/870 decks (3.6%)
  15. Rumors of Gehenna: 22/870 decks (2.5%)
  16. Disputed Territory: 19/870 decks (2.2%)
  17. Anathema: 17/870 decks (2.0%)
  18. Autarkis Persecution: 12/870 decks (1.4%)
  19. Conservative Agitation: 12/870 decks (1.4%)
  20. Alastor: 10/870 decks (1.1%)


Power (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Champion: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
   2. Discern: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
   3. Rejuvenate: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
   4. Vigilance: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
   5. Hide: 1/870 decks (0.1%)
   6. Inspire: 1/870 decks (0.1%)

Reaction (top 20 by penetration)
   1. On the Qui Vive: 470/870 decks (54.0%)
   2. Deflection: 327/870 decks (37.6%)
   3. Delaying Tactics: 270/870 decks (31.0%)
   4. Telepathic Misdirection: 258/870 decks (29.7%)
   5. Eyes of Argus: 222/870 decks (25.5%)
   6. My Enemy's Enemy: 161/870 decks (18.5%)
   7. Bait and Switch: 159/870 decks (18.3%)
   8. Organized Resistance: 136/870 decks (15.6%)
   9. Second Tradition: Domain: 108/870 decks (12.4%)
  10. Deep Ecology: 84/870 decks (9.7%)
  11. Visions of Zapathasura: 67/870 decks (7.7%)
  12. Eagle's Sight: 60/870 decks (6.9%)
  13. Protection Racket: 57/870 decks (6.6%)
  14. Obedience: 46/870 decks (5.3%)
  15. Enhanced Senses: 45/870 decks (5.2%)
  16. Guard Dogs: 44/870 decks (5.1%)
  17. Party Out Of Bounds: 40/870 decks (4.6%)
  18. Redirection: 40/870 decks (4.6%)
  19. Cats' Guidance: 38/870 decks (4.4%)
  20. Eyes of the Wild: 33/870 decks (3.8%)


Retainer (top 20 by penetration)
   1. Mr. Winthrop: 53/870 decks (6.1%)
   2. Raven Spy: 51/870 decks (5.9%)
   3. Homunculus: 22/870 decks (2.5%)
   4. Crypt's Sons: 17/870 decks (2.0%)
   5. J. S. Simmons, Esq.: 16/870 decks (1.8%)
   6. Tasha Morgan: 12/870 decks (1.4%)
   7. Dog Pack: 7/870 decks (0.8%)
   8. D'habi Revenant: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
   9. Feral Hound: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
  10. Jackie Therman: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
  11. Omael Kuman: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
  12. Owl Companion: 4/870 decks (0.5%)
  13. Childling Muse: 3/870 decks (0.3%)
  14. Marijava Ghoul: 3/870 decks (0.3%)
  15. Revenant: 3/870 decks (0.3%)
  16. Charnas the Imp: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  17. Murder of Crows: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  18. Robert Carter: 2/870 decks (0.2%)
  19. Ghoul Retainer: 1/870 decks (0.1%)
  20. Giuseppe, Gravedigger: 1/870 decks (0.1%)

Distinct cards per type

Finally, I wanted to understand how much of the card pool is actually alive in competitive decks (cards found / total cards in type).

So I counted the number of distinct cards per type that appear across the dataset. This shows which types are sprawling forests of variety, and which ones are more like a small Camarilla council meeting where the same faces show up every time.

  Action: 215/467
  Action Modifier: 127/267
  Action Modifier/Combat: 19
  Action Modifier/Reaction: 16
  Action/Combat: 4
  Action/Reaction: 1
  Ally: 66/116
  Combat: 192/406
  Combat/Reaction: 1
  Conviction: 3/3
  Equipment: 100/163
  Event: 24/40
  Master: 318/523
  Political Action: 89/177
  Power: 6/14
  Reaction: 81/201
  Retainer: 27/52

Looking at the numbers above, it seems that for most card types, roughly half of the available pool is seeing play. That strikes me as both intriguing and genuinely healthy for the game. It suggests VTES isn't trapped in a tiny "best-in-slot" bubble, there's real variety within each type, and meaningful choices to be made when building decks. In short: the library is big, but it's not a museum, a lot of it actually gets used.

And that's where I'll leave this little library autopsy for now. I'm curious what you make of these patterns. Do they confirm what you expected, or did anything surprise you? If you spot trends I missed, have theories about why certain types are deeper or narrower, or just want to yell "you forgot that card!", drop a comment or reach out on discord. I'd love to hear your take.

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

Custodian Hargrave 

The Crypt doesn’t lie (but I counted wrong): Popularity revisited

My previous post about clan popularity sparked a really fun discussion on the VTES Discord and it made me realize I had committed the ultimate Tremere neonate mistake: I rushed to publish shiny results before properly triple-checking them, cross-referencing them, and performing at least one unnecessary ritual over a spreadsheet. Classic.

The community pointed out something obvious in hindsight: counting how many different clan cards appear in decks tells you about diversity, but it doesn't tell you your real odds of running into a given clan or vampire. If one deck runs a clan with 1-of vampires scattered everywhere, and another runs 6 copies of the same monster, those "occurrence counts" aren't the same kind of threat. So I went back to the data, did the responsible Warlock thing (transformations, lookups, and mildly suspicious muttering), and cooked up a few new angles that actually answer the question I thought I was answering.

Result 1: Clan presence by total copies

Same pool of decks: all submitted tournament lists from the last two years. This time, instead of just counting whether a clan appears, I sum all crypt cards by clan and multiply by the number of copies. In other words, this ranks clans not just by "how often they show up", but by how likely you are to see them across tables. If a clan is popular and people run many copies of their key vamps, they'll jump up here and your odds of meeting them in the wild go way up.

2024
  Tzimisce: 498
  Gangrel: 443
  Malkavian: 422
  Ministry: 376
  Toreador: 347
  Brujah: 326
  Banu Haqim: 316
  Ravnos: 280
  Tremere: 244
  Tremere antitribu: 203
  Lasombra: 177
  Baali: 139
  Nosferatu: 131
  Malkavian antitribu: 122
  Giovanni: 114
  Gargoyle: 105
  Salubri: 104
  Ventrue: 94
  Ventrue antitribu: 87
  Toreador antitribu: 78
  Samedi: 57
  Nosferatu antitribu: 54
  Gangrel antitribu: 51
  Brujah antitribu: 49
  Osebo: 44
  Harbinger of Skulls: 42
  Caitiff: 41
  Kiasyd: 39
  True Brujah: 32
  Nagaraja: 31
  Blood Brother: 24
  Salubri antitribu: 19
  Guruhi: 17
  Daughter of Cacophony: 15
  Ishtarri: 14
  Ahrimane: 13
  Pander: 10
  Innocent: 4
  Visionary: 4
  Defender: 3
  Abomination: 2
  Martyr: 2
  Avenger: 1
  Judge: 1
  Redeemer: 1

2025
  Gangrel: 465
  Lasombra: 437
  Tzimisce: 425
  Malkavian: 400
  Ministry: 384
  Toreador: 368
  Banu Haqim: 313
  Ravnos: 277
  Tremere antitribu: 258
  Hecata: 231
  Brujah: 194
  Gargoyle: 191
  Baali: 152
  Tremere: 137
  Ventrue: 126
  Nosferatu: 115
  Salubri: 89
  Malkavian antitribu: 82
  Kiasyd: 80
  Toreador antitribu: 80
  Caitiff: 69
  Gangrel antitribu: 48
  Harbinger of Skulls: 46
  Samedi: 46
  Ventrue antitribu: 40
  True Brujah: 38
  Pander: 32
  Nosferatu antitribu: 27
  Salubri antitribu: 24
  Blood Brother: 23
  Brujah antitribu: 22
  Guruhi: 14
  Giovanni: 13
  Nagaraja: 11
  Ahrimane: 10
  Ishtarri: 7
  Osebo: 4
  Visionary: 4
  Defender: 3
  Innocent: 3
  Martyr: 3
  Daughter of Cacophony: 2
  Judge: 1

Result 2: Most-played individual vampires

Next, I zoomed in on the crypt itself. I wanted to know which specific vampires are showing up most often, so I summed copies by vampire across all those decks. This answers the real horror question: “Which faces am I statistically doomed to see?”

2024 (top 50)
  Adrino Manauara: 97
  Ángel Guerrero: 92
  Tupdog: 91
  Kuyén: 59
  unnamed, The: 53
  Branimira: 49
  Vivian VI: 49
  Aline Gädeke: 47
  Casey Snyder: 45
  Stanislava: 44
  Sergio Bueno: 43
  Antonio d'Erlette: 42
  Diana Iadanza: 42
  Kassandra Tassaki: 40
  Clara Hjortshøj: 39
  Elisha Tucker: 39
  Kamile Paukstys: 38
  Sreelekha: 37
  Malgorzata: 36
  Marialena: 35
  Theo Bell: 35
  Roberto Rivamonte: 34
  Atiena: 33
  Gathii: 33
  Valeriya Zinovieva: 33
  Phaibun: 32
  Leumeah: 31
  Massimiliano: 31
  Ingrid Rossler: 30
  Kasim Bayar: 30
  Lord Tremere: 30
  Lutz von Hohenzollern: 29
  Gilbert Duane: 28
  Mistress Fanchon: 28
  Warmaksan: 28
  Catalina Vega: 27
  Farah Sarroub: 27
  Doc Martina: 26
  Saku Pihlajamäki: 26
  Annabelle Triabell: 25
  Alexander Silverson: 24
  Andi Liu: 24
  Arishat: 24
  Nonu Dis: 24
  Anson: 23
  Crystal Lynn: 23
  Shalmath: 23
  Abraham Mellon: 22
  Elen Kamjian: 22
  Gabrielle di Righetti: 22

2025 (top 50)
  Tupdog: 165
  Antonio d'Erlette: 100
  Ángel Guerrero: 73
  Adrino Manauara: 63
  Kuyén: 62
  Casey Snyder: 57
  Diana Iadanza: 57
  Yewon Ong: 50
  Vivian VI: 47
  Kassandra Tassaki: 44
  Massimiliano: 43
  Warmaksan: 43
  unnamed, The: 43
  Juliet Parr: 42
  Sergio Bueno: 42
  María del Toro: 41
  Alexander Silverson: 40
  Branimira: 40
  Kamaluddin: 37
  Oluwafunmilayo: 37
  Elisha Tucker: 36
  Gnaeus Aemilius Augustinus: 36
  Alek König: 35
  Gathii: 35
  Kasim Bayar: 35
  Farah Sarroub: 34
  Stanislava: 34
  Phaibun: 33
  Andi Liu: 32
  Arishat: 31
  Keith Moody: 31
  Azucena: 30
  Roberto Rivamonte: 30
  Sreelekha: 30
  Nergal: 29
  Crystal Lynn: 28
  Gebeyehu Abdu: 28
  Indira: 27
  Kamile Paukstys: 27
  Lutz von Hohenzollern: 27
  Mora, the Death Seer: 27
  Abraham Mellon: 26
  Marialena: 26
  Aintzane Arriaga: 25
  Khadija Al-Kindi: 25
  Marcel: 25
  Rinaldo Albizzi: 25
  Anneke: 24
  Anson: 24
  Dafina Hanganu: 24

 

Result 3: Top 3 vampires per clan

Finally, because my inner researcher wasn't done and my inner Tremere refuses to stop once the chalk circle is drawn, I pulled the top three most played vampires for each clan. This is the "signature roster" view, aka. the vamps each clan seems to be leaning on as their go-to stars.

 2024
  Abomination: Lorrie Dunsirn (2)
  Ahrimane: Howler (4), Cynthia Ingold (3), Siamese, The (3)
  Avenger: John "Cop90" O'Malley (1)
  Baali: unnamed, The (53), Arishat (24), Horde, The (17)
  Banu Haqim: Kassandra Tassaki (40), Kasim Bayar (30), Warmaksan (28)
  Blood Brother: Ági (6), Dorka (4), Gabi (4)
  Brujah: Aline Gädeke (47), Theo Bell (35), Atiena (33)
  Brujah antitribu: Armin Brenner (6), Hektor (5), Fairuza (4)
  Caitiff: Count Zaroff (6), Eddie Gaines (6), Maldavis (ADV) (5)
  Daughter of Cacophony: Scout Youngwood (9), Harlan Graves (2), Hillanvale (2)
  Defender: Jack "Hannibal137" Harmon (2), Xian "DziDzat155" Quan (1)
  Gangrel: Kuyén (59), Casey Snyder (45), Stanislava (44)
  Gangrel antitribu: Hartmut Stover (14), Enkidu, The Noah (10), Aksinya Daclau (9)
  Gargoyle: Tupdog (91), Alabástrom (5), Verbruch (3)
  Giovanni: Guillaume Giovanni (14), Rudolfo Giovanni (7), Bez Dunsirn (6)
  Guruhi: Nana Buruku (7), Lucian, the Perfect (5), Nangila Were (4)
  Harbinger of Skulls: Capuchin, The (20), Agaitas, The Scholar of Antiquities (9), Egothha (4)
  Innocent: Béatrice "Oracle171" Tremblay (4)
  Ishtarri: Undele (9), Ayo Igoli (3), Shasa Abu Badr (1)
  Judge: François "Warden" Loehr (1)
  Kiasyd: Arcadian, The (9), Isanwayen (8), Pherydima (6)
  Lasombra: Ambrosio Luis Monçada, Plenipotentiary (17), Montano (16), Ermenegildo, The Rake (10)
  Malkavian: Lutz von Hohenzollern (29), Gilbert Duane (28), Alexander Silverson (24)
  Malkavian antitribu: Dolphin Black (11), Jackie (10), Korah (10)
  Martyr: Travis "Traveler72" Miller (2)
  Ministry: Vivian VI (49), Sergio Bueno (43), Elisha Tucker (39)
  Nagaraja: Anu Diptinatpa (11), Asguresh (9), Veejay Vinod (7)
  Nosferatu: Alonso Petrodon (10), Jacques Rouge (10), Nikolaus Vermeulen (10)
  Nosferatu antitribu: Cailean (8), Beast, The Leatherface of Detroit (6), Julio Martinez (5)
  Osebo: Massassi (18), Homa (5), Khalu (4)
  Pander: Christine Boscacci (3), Royce (3), Feo Ramos (2)
  Ravnos: Sreelekha (37), Roberto Rivamonte (34), Gathii (33)
  Redeemer: Leaf "Potter116" Pankowski (1)
  Salubri: Saulot, The Wanderer (19), Abaddon (17), Ilonka (10)
  Salubri antitribu: Nuriel (8), Ariel (3), Michaela (3)
  Samedi: Mambo Jeanne (13), Angel Chavarria (10), Baroque (8)
  Toreador: Diana Iadanza (42), Catalina Vega (27), Annabelle Triabell (25)
  Toreador antitribu: Jost Werner (10), Sheila Mezarin (7), Greta Kircher (6)
  Tremere: Lord Tremere (30), Mistress Fanchon (28), Gabrielle di Righetti (22)
  Tremere antitribu: Antonio d'Erlette (42), Malgorzata (36), Orlando Oriundus (14)
  True Brujah: Shalmath (23), Al-Muntathir, God's Witness (5), Nehemiah (4)
  Tzimisce: Adrino Manauara (97), Ángel Guerrero (92), Branimira (49)
  Ventrue: Arika (14), Marcus Vitel (14), Alice Chen (8)
  Ventrue antitribu: Neighbor John (14), Owain Evans, The Wanderer (14), Blackhorse Tanner (8)
  Visionary: Jennie "Cassie247" Orne (3), Paul "Sixofswords29" Moreton (1)

2025
  Ahrimane: Effie Lowery (4), Muricia (3), Darlene Killian (1)
  Baali: unnamed, The (43), Arishat (31), Nergal (29)
  Banu Haqim: Kassandra Tassaki (44), Warmaksan (43), Oluwafunmilayo (37)
  Blood Brother: Karl (3), Mark (3), Ági (3)
  Brujah: Dmitra Ilyanova (24), Adana de Sforza (16), Aline Gädeke (15)
  Brujah antitribu: Amelia (3), Sarah Brando (3), Frederick the Weak (2)
  Caitiff: Eddie Gaines (7), Antoinette DuChamp (6), Franciscus (6)
  Daughter of Cacophony: Aimee Laroux (1), Rosemarie (1)
  Defender: Jack "Hannibal137" Harmon (2), Xian "DziDzat155" Quan (1)
  Gangrel: Kuyén (62), Casey Snyder (57), Massimiliano (43)
  Gangrel antitribu: Hartmut Stover (12), Enkidu, The Noah (10), Xendil Charmer (6)
  Gargoyle: Tupdog (165), Alabástrom (8), Verbruch (6)
  Giovanni: Guillaume Giovanni (4), Ignazio Giovanni (2), Accorri Giovanni (1)
  Guruhi: Lucian, the Perfect (6), Nana Buruku (5), Nangila Were (2)
  Harbinger of Skulls: Erlik (9), Angelique (5), Capuchin, The (5)
  Hecata: Alek König (35), Gebeyehu Abdu (28), Mora, the Death Seer (27)
  Innocent: Béatrice "Oracle171" Tremblay (2), Inez "Nurse216" Villagrande (1)
  Ishtarri: Undele (7)
  Judge: Erick "Shophet125" Franco (1)
  Kiasyd: Isanwayen (23), Arcadian, The (17), Dame Hollerton (11)
  Lasombra: Yewon Ong (50), María del Toro (41), Kamaluddin (37)
  Malkavian: Juliet Parr (42), Alexander Silverson (40), Andi Liu (32)
  Malkavian antitribu: Jackie (12), Apache Jones (10), Midget (9)
  Martyr: Travis "Traveler72" Miller (3)
  Ministry: Vivian VI (47), Sergio Bueno (42), Elisha Tucker (36)
  Nagaraja: Sennadurek (6), Anu Diptinatpa (2), Asguresh (2)
  Nosferatu: Alonso Petrodon (15), Belinde (12), Dowager, The (8)
  Nosferatu antitribu: Julio Martinez (4), Raphael Catarari (4), Stick (4)
  Osebo: Abiku (1), Homa (1), Kamaria (1)
  Pander: Huang, Blood Cultist (5), March Halcyon (5), Royce (5)
  Ravnos: Gathii (35), Phaibun (33), Roberto Rivamonte (30)
  Salubri: Abaddon (17), Saulot, The Wanderer (14), Ilonka (9)
  Salubri antitribu: Qawiyya el-Ghaduba (4), Uriel (4), Nuriel (3)
  Samedi: Angel Chavarria (16), Mambo Jeanne (9), Marie-Pierre (7)
  Toreador: Diana Iadanza (57), Anneke (24), Anson (24)
  Toreador antitribu: Jost Werner (11), Greta Kircher (9), Miller Delmardigan, Teacher of Bahari (5)
  Tremere: Lord Tremere (14), Carna, The Princess Witch (13), Mistress Fanchon (11)
  Tremere antitribu: Antonio d'Erlette (100), Keith Moody (31), Jacob, The Glitch (19)
  True Brujah: Shalmath (21), Nehemiah (7), Al-Muntathir, God's Witness (5)
  Tzimisce: Ángel Guerrero (73), Adrino Manauara (63), Branimira (40)
  Ventrue: Lodin (Olaf Holte) (18), Graham Gottesman (17), Alice Chen (11)
  Ventrue antitribu: Neighbor John (8), Owain Evans, The Wanderer (6), Blackhorse Tanner (5)
  Visionary: Jennie "Cassie247" Orne (3), Paul "Sixofswords29" Moreton (1)

These new angles make the picture a lot sharper and the results are not quite the story I was telling myself before. Once we count actual copies, 2024 turns into a distinctly Tzimisce-shaped year. If you attended tournaments last year, odds are you saw more fleshcrafting than you bargained for, with Gangrel close behind and Malkavians still very present, just not wearing the crown. It's like I showed up expecting a clown parade and instead found a biotech conference run by feral survivalists.

Then 2025 comes along and says, "hold my shadow". Gangrel take the lead, Lasombra rocket up into second, and the Tzimisce remain stubbornly glued to the top tier which feels very on-brand for a clan that refuses to die, literally or statistically. The Ministry and Toreador sit right behind the big four, quietly reminding everyone that snakes and silk shirts are still excellent tools in the Eternal Struggle. And the Malkavians? Still everywhere, still dangerous, just no longer the automatic headline act in this particular view.

To me, the biggest revelation is how much this shifts "expected opponents". If you're prepping for tournament play, you're not just planning for chaos and cleverness, you're planning for claws, shadows, and questionable anatomy projects as the most likely tablemates. Which, honestly, feels like a very 2025 meta mood. So take these datasets, squint at them like a Tremere reading bad omens in someone else's blood, and see what you conclude: are these rankings about raw clan power, about a few superstar vampires skewing the numbers, or about players chasing the newest toys? Either way, the crypt is speaking and it's definitely not whispering.

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

Custodian Hargrave