Report + TWD: Ropecon 2018 Finnish Grand Prix

• Tournament: Ropecon 2018 Finnish Grand Prix
• Date: Saturday July 28th, 2018
• Place: Ropecon 2018 gaming convention, Messukeskus, Helsinki, Finland
• Players: 49
• Format: Constructed, 3R+F
• Organizer/judge: Petri Wessman
• Winner: Mika Nurmikolu (see below for deck list)

This year, the big Ropecon tournament was also a Grand Prix event, which was nice in that we got a lot of foreign visitors (other than our dear friends the Swedes, that is ). We also moved the tournament to Saturday daytime, instead of the traditional Friday-until-3am slot. The reasoning was that the Saturday slot is a lot easier for people, especially those coming form abroad, and it also allows us to have a lunch break. The small downsides (people will miss the rest of Saturday's programming) don't really compete. Which means that the tournament will most likely switch to Saturday from now on.

This year, we had 49 players which is a nice jump up from last year's 37 -- in fact it's the first jump up we've had in a very long time. Probably a combo of this being a Grand Prix and the fact that the game is now back in print (yay!).

Everything went smootly and we got the rounds started more or less on time. Thanks to everyone for that!

Once again, lots of deck types. From the "Lost Kindred" set, I saw multiple Harbinger decks and at least one !Salubri one, but do not remember seeing the other clans there represented. I got the impression that this year featured a bit less vote decks than previously, but it's hard to say for sure.

This year, the guys at Starbacon outdid themselves with the video streaming of the finals; the venue was even better than last time, sound + video worked better, and we had Janne Lönnqvist & Ginés Quiñonero Santiago doing a running commentary during the whole of the final round (not audible to players, of course ).

The final round ended in a timeout with no full VPs awarded, so the tournament win went to Mika Nurmikolu with his Goratrix + Omaya wall.

You can view the whole final round here:

I also have a separate text transcript of the finals (see below).

There are also some interviews with various people available here:

Thanks, everyone!

-Petri "Orava" Wessman

Results

Rank	Name	Prelim GW	Prelim VP	Final VP	TP	Deck/comment
1	Mika Nurmikolu	2	8.5	0.5	156	(see below)
2	Jyri Puhakka	1	7	0.5	150	(see below)
2	Orian Gissler	2	6.5	0.5	168	(see below)
2	Esa-Matti Smolander	1	6	0.5	132	(see below)
2	Henrik Klippström	2	7.5	0.5	156	(see below)
6	Aki Puolakka	1	5.5		180	Big Guys Do Big Things
7	Lasse Pöyry	1	5		150	Temporis temporalis
8	Ari-Pekka Alestalo	1	5		120	!Brujah potence combat
9	Tuomas Vuokko	1	5		114	Louhi & Rachel toolbox
10	Alain Greiner	1	4		132	Event-heavy Nephandus
10	Miika Karmitsa	1	4		132	Ventrue obf + Olando "Bittersweet Farewell"
12	Akseli Jalava	1	3.5		120	Stanislava
13	Vincent Ripoll	1	3.5		114	Giotto
14	Jani Malmi	1	3		108	Lucian's Perfect Bleed
15	Ginés Quiñonero Santiago	1	2.5		120	Toreador antitribu Entrancements
16	Otso Saariluoma	1	2.5		102	Rebekka & Jost pre bleed
17	Magnus Söder	0	4.5		156	Harbringer grinder
18	Juho Linna	0	4		132
19	Janne Lönnqvist	0	3.5		132	Guillaume anti-recursion
20	Peetu Makkonen	0	3		114	Sodoma Solicitors
21	Petro Hirvonen	0	2.5		126	Nightmare Curse + Trapportation
22	Marko Saari	0	2		120	Cats & dogs / Lolcats (Tupdog + Rock Cat + Graverob)
23	Mathias Olsson	0	2		114	Mimir/Aksinya Under Siege toolbox
23	Teemu Pulkkinen	0	2		114	Imbued bleed with Flash Grenades
23	Katja Jauhiainen	0	2		114	Anisombra (Nahir ani/pot/obt combat/bleed toolbox)
26	Kalle Blomgren	0	2		102	Cybelletron 2018 (cred to E.Torstensson)
26	Niina Lindroos	0	2		102
28	Emma Takkunen	0	2		90	Madness and stupidity (midcap !Malk toolbox)
29	Juha Laukkanen	0	1.5		114	Matasuntha wall
30	Kim Nilsson	0	1.5		108	FoS Velvet Tongue vote
31	Matti Palomäki	0	1.5		102
31	Antti Penttilä	0	1.5		102	Haamujengi - always the right answer
33	Teemu Sainomaa	0	1.5		96	"Temporary Grand Ball", Toreador Summon History allies
33	Noora Hirvonen	0	1.5		96	No bloating! (have a cappucino)
35	Marko Lindroos	0	1.5		90	Love Hurts (!Salubri)
36	Juha Nyholm	0	1		96	Lasombra G2/3 bleed vote
37	Karri Malm	0	1		90	Xipe Totec
38	Tom Lindberg	0	1		78	Ondine Sinclair anarch multirush wall
39	Tero Aalto	0	1		72	Doglessshitra
40	Héctor Javier Ordóñez	0	0.5		90	Big cap MMPA
41	Veijo Fiskaali	0	0.5		78	Nadima + Omaya "Wall of Gangs"
42	Mikko Moisander	0	0.5		72	419 Spam, aka "Project Table Hate"
42	Petr Muller	0	0.5		72	Brunhilde + Valkyrie vote/Undue Influence
44	Jaakko Nurro	0	0		72
45	Martin Weinmayer	0	0		66	G4/5 Grand Ball
45	Jonas Ståhle	0	0		66	Dem vote+bleed
47	Jonathan Van der Smissen	0	0		54	Anson guns + magazines
47	Tatu Rajala	0	0		54	Tzimisce combat
47	Raymond Mäkeläinen	0	0		54	Crappy FoS Temptation + Tongue of the Serpent

Decklists

Tournament Winner (Mika Nurmikolu)

Deck Name: Ennustaja

Based on Goratrix EC 2015 Day 2: Goratrix Anarch build by Marcin
Watras (wargrim) which in turn is based on Goratrix builds created by
Tomasz Kowalewski and Alain Greiner.

Slight modifications were made to suit the Ropecon tournament
environment, mainly some combat added

Devin Bisley was replaced by Anton because of +1 intercept and the
ability to play Sense the Savage Way.

Also, why 88 cards? Well, I bought 100 lucky shields from Mallorca ->
put 12 to a crypt -> lost the crypt somewhere -> still, they are lucky
shields so..

And finally, thanks to Tuukka for borrowing some cards for me! Go V:tES!!


Crypt (12)
4 Anarch Convert Caitiff G*
1 Anastasz di Zagreb Tremere [ani] [cel] [dom] [AUS] [THA]
1 Anton Tzimisce [cel] [obf] [vic] [ANI] [AUS]
4 Goratrix Tremere antitribu [vic] [ANI] [AUS] [DOM] [THA]
2 Omaya Gangrel antitribu [pro] [ANI] [AUS] [FOR]

Library (90)

Master (20, 5 trifles)
4 Anarch Revolt
2 Dreams of the Sphinx
1 Erciyes Fragments, The
1 Giant's Blood
1 Guardian Angel
2 Pentex(TM) Subversion
1 Powerbase: Montreal
1 Rack, The
1 Smiling Jack, The Anarch
2 Vessel
3 Villein
1 Sudden Reversal

Action (11)
1 Army of Rats
3 Magic of the Smith
1 Rutor's Hand
1 Aranthebes
1 Deep Song
1 Grave Robbing
1 Murder of Crows
2 Nose of the Hound

Equipment (5)
1 Bowl of Convergence
1 Heart of Nizchetus
1 Ivory Bow
1 Kevlar Vest
1 Ruins of Ceoris

Ally (3)
1 Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)
1 Mylan Horseed (Goblin)
1 Neighborhood Watch Commander (Hunter)

Action Modifier (2)
2 Enkil Cog

Reaction (38)
6 Cats' Guidance
5 Eagle's Sight
2 Enhanced Senses
6 Eyes of Argus
2 My Enemy's Enemy
2 On the Qui Vive
2 Read the Winds
6 Sense the Savage Way
2 Deflection
5 Telepathic Misdirection

Combat (9)
1 Canine Horde
1 Breath of the Dragon
7 Carrion Crows


Other Finalists

Jyri Puhakka

Deck Name: *midcap !tremere
Author: Jyri Puhakka

Crypt (12 cards; Capacity min=1 max=7 avg=5.58)
===============================================
4x Antonio d'Erlette 5 dom for pot THA !Tremere:4
3x Carna, The Princess Witch 7 AUS DOM THA Tremere:3
1x Ladislas Toth, The Torch 7 for AUS DOM THA !Tremere:3
3x Selena 6 AUS DOM THA !Tremere:3
1x Tupdog 1 POT VIS Gargoyle:3

Library (81 cards)
==================
Master (14)
1x Anarch Troublemaker
2x Blood Doll
1x Channel 10
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x KRCG News Radio
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Retribution
2x Villein
1x WMRH Talk Radio
2x Wider View

Event (1)
1x Unmasking, The

Action (9)
1x Abbot
8x Govern the Unaligned

Equipment (2)
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Heart of Nizchetus

Ally (5)
5x Nephandus (Mage)

Action Modifier (10)
2x Bonding
4x Conditioning
4x Mirror Walk

Reaction (23)
3x Deflection
1x Eagle's Sight
5x Enhanced Senses
5x Eyes of Argus
1x My Enemy's Enemy
4x On the Qui Vive
4x Telepathic Misdirection

Combat (17)
7x Apportation
2x Rego Motus
8x Theft of Vitae


Orian Gissler

Deck Name: We are legion

Crypt (12 cards; Capacity min=5 max=10 avg=6.75)
==================
1x Mina Grotius 6 cel FOR NEC Harbinger of Skulls:3
2x Nicomedes 5 aus for nec vic Harbinger of Skulls:4
1x Phagian 8 dom for AUS NEC THA Harbinger of Skulls:4
1x Babalawo Alafin 7 ani AUS FOR NEC Harbinger of Skulls:4
1x Solomon Batanea 5 nec AUS FOR Harbinger of Skulls:4
1x Zygodat 6 pot AUS NEC Harbinger of Skulls:4
4x Erlik 10 AUS CEL FOR NEC THN Harbinger of Skulls:3
1x Erebus 7 dem AUS FOR NEC Harbinger of Skulls:3

Library: 80 cards

Master (15 cards)
==================
1x Erciyes Fragments, The
1x Life Boon
2x Liquidation
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Luanda
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Rack, The
1x Smiling Jack, The Anarch
5x Villein
1x Dark Influences

Action (8 cards)
==================
8x Disciple of Lazarus

Action Modifier (3 cards)
==================
1x Strange Day
2x Trochomancy

Action Modifier/Combat (3 cards)
==================
3x Breath of Thanatos

Action Modifier/Reaction (1 cards)
==================
1x Spectral Divination

Combat (22 cards)
==================
5x Hidden Strength
4x Rolling with the Punches
3x Target Vitals
4x Taste of Vitae
6x Weighted Walking Stick

Ally (8 cards)
==================
8x Emerald Legionnaire

Equipment (2 cards)
==================
1x Shaal Fragment
1x Bowl of Convergence

Reaction (16 cards)
==================
5x Eyes of Argus
2x My Enemy's Enemy
3x On the Qui Vive
4x Telepathic Misdirection
2x Delaying Tactics

Event (2 cards)
==================
1x FBI Special Affairs Division
1x Unmasking, The


Esa-Matti Smolander

Deck Name: BLOODLINES BAALI BLEED v3.2 for Ropecon 2018
Author: Esa-Matti Soplander

Crypt (13):
5x Huitzilopochtli 10 DAI, OBF, PRE, POT, DOM, AUS
1x Anson 8 aus, CEL, PRE, dom
4x Giotto Verducci 7 DAI, OBF, pre, pot, for
1x Mary the Black 7 DAI, obf, PRE, pot, cel
2x Anarch Convert 1

Library (77):

Master (34):
6x Ashur Tablets
5x Tend the Flock
3x The Parthenon
2x Zillah’s Valley
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
2x Metro Underground
2x Villein
1x Heidelberg Castle, Germany
1x Jake Washington (Hunter)
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Golconda: Inner Peace
1x Monastery of Shadows
1x Information Highway
1x Direct Intervention
1x Giant’s Blood
1x Secure Haven
1x Wider View
1x The Coven
1x Wash

Action (10):
3x Legal Manipulations
3x Unleash Hell’s Fury
2x Mind Rape
1x Entrancement
1x Intimidation

Action Modifier (18):
4x Lost in Crowds
3x Enkil Coq
2x Cloak the Gathering
2x Faceless Night
2x Conditioning
1x Elder Impersonation
1x Spying Mission
1x Hide the Mind
1x Psychomachia
1x I am Legion

Reaction (7):
3x Deflection
2x On the Qui Vive
1x Eluding the Arms of Morpheus
1x Delaying Tactics

Combat (2):
2x Majesty

Ally (2):
1x Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)
1x Veneficti (Mage)

Combo (4):
3x Sense the Sin
1x Murmur of the False Will


Henrik Klippström

(Ventrue princes with sticks, decklist coming soon)

Final Round Transcript

This is based on my personal notes, scribbled down during the game. Some detail is missing and there may be mistakes here and there.

Play started around 19:38 and ended two hours later (timed out)

The players were (in seating order):

1. Esa-Matti Smolander (5th seed)
2. Henrik Klippström (2nd seed)
3. Jyri Puhakka (4th seed)
4. Orian Gissler (3rd seed)
5. Mika Nurmikolu (1st seed)

Turn 1

Esa-Matti:

• Parthenon
• Ashur Tablets

Henrik: -

Jyri: Dreams of the Sphinx

Orian:

• PB: Montreal
• Unmasking

Mika: bring out Anarch Convert

Turn 2

Esa-Matti: -

Henrik: -

Jyri:

• Anarch Troublemaker
• bring out Carna

Orian:

• bring out Erlik
• bring out Solomon Batanea

Mika: AC bleeds

Turn 3

Esa-Matti: -

Henrik: bring out Lodin

Jyri:

• Carna plays superior GtU, Erlik blocks
• bring out Antonio d'Erlette

Orian:

• Solomon recruits Emerald Legionnaire
• Erlik bleeds for 2
• bring out Nicomedes

Mika:

• AC bleeds for 1
• bring out Goratrix

Turn 4

Esa-Matti:

• Dreams of the Sphinx
• Ashur Tablets
• bring out Huitzilopochtli

Henrik:

• Blood Doll on Lodin
• Lodin recruits Carlton
• bring out Victor Donaldson

Jyri:

• uses Anarch Troublemaker to tap Solomon and Nicomedes
• Carna bleeds for 3 (with stealth)
• bring out Nephandus (Antonio's special)

Orian:

• Use Nicomedes special
• Solomon gets Shaal Fragment, Goratrix tries to block but fails
• Nicomedes plays Disciple of Lazarus, Carna blocks
• Erlik plays Disciple of Lazarus, Goratrix blocks, Erlik goes to torpor

Mika:

• Rack on Goratrix
• Goratrix fetches Bowl via Magic of the Smith
• AC bleeds, gets bounced to Henrik, Victor blocks

Turn 5

Esa-Matti:

• Villein Huitzilopochtli for 2
• Tend the Flock
• Ashur Tablets
• Tend the Flock (via Huitzilopochtli special)
• Huitzilopochtli Entrances Carlton, Carlton tries to block but fails
• bring out Giotto Verducci

Henrik: Lodin bleeds, gets bounced to Orian, bleed of 1

Jyri:

• Villein Antonio for 2
• Carna bleeds, Nicomedes wakes and blocks
• bring out Nephandus (Antonio's special)

Orian:

• Use Nicomedes special
• Villein Solomon for 3
• Pentex on Goratrix
• Nicomedes steals Rack, puts it on Solomon
• bring out Phagian

Mika:

• Giant's Blood on AC
• AC plays Aranthebes, Phagian blocks, AC into torpor
• bring out Omaya, make her Anarch (via AC)

Turn 6

Esa-Matti:

• Villein Giotto for 3
• Metro Undeground
• Ashur Tablets
• Huitzilopochtli bleeds, Victor blocks, Faceless Night + Conditioning, bounced to Jyri, Naphandus blocks
• Giotto bleeds with Legal Manipulation, Lodin tries to block with 2nd Tradition but fails, bounce to Jyri, bleed of 3
• bring out Mary the Black

Henrik:

• Victor steals Montreal
• bring out Emily Carson

Jyri:

• Carna plays GtU superior
• bring out Nephandus (Antonio's special)

Orian:

• bring out Legionnaire from ash heap
• PB Luanda on Phagian
• Nicomedes steals Montreal
• Solomon plays Disciple of Lazarus, Omaya blocks
• Phagian bleeds, Omaya blocks

Mika: Omaya tries to remove Pentex, Phagian wakes and blocks

Turn 7

Esa-Matti:

• Tend the Flock
• Huitzilopochtli bleeds, Lodin blocks, Huitzilopochtli Majesty
• Huitzilopochtli plays Mind Rape on Emily, Lodin wakes (2nd Trad) and blocks, Huitzilopochtli Majesty
• Giotto bleeds for 1
• Mary bleeds for 1

Henrik: Victor steals Montreal

Jyri:

• Wider View
• Carna tries to remove Pentex, Phagian wakes and blocks
• Nephandus tries to remove Pentex, Solomon wakes and blocks
• Nephandus tries to remove Pentex, EL blocks
• Nephandus tries to remove Pentex, EL blocks
• bring out Nephandus (Antonio's special)

Orian:

• bring out 2 EL from ash heap
• Liquidation
• PB Luanda on Solomon
• Phagian plays Disciple of Lazarus
• Nicomedes hunts
• EL bleeds, bounced to Esa-Matti, bleed of 1
• EL bleeds, Omaya blocks, EL dies
• Solomon recruits EL
• bring out Erebus
• use Nicomedes special

Mika:

• Dreams of the Sphinx

Turn 8

Esa-Matti:

• Giotto plays Unleash Hell's Fury
• Huitzilopochtli bleeds, gets bounced to Jyri, Nephandus blocks
• Huitzilopochtli untaps via Metro Undeground

Henrik:

• Victor bleeds, Antonio blocks
• Emily bleeds for 1
• Emily untaps with her special

Jyri: -

Orian:

• bring out EL from ash heap
• Erciyes Fragments
• PB Luanda on Solomon
• EL bleeds for 1
• EL bleeds for 1
• EL bleeds for 1
• Nicomedes bleeds for 1, bounced to Esa-Matti, blocked by Unleash, Nicomedes goes to torpor
• EL bleeds, Omaya blocks
• Solomon bleeds, Omaya blocks
• EL bleeds for 1
• Phagian bleeds for 1
• Erebus bleeds for 1, bounced to Esa-Matti, Carlton blocks

Mika:

• Montreal (contest)
• Omaya hunts

Turn 9

Esa-Matti:

• Monastery of Shadows
• Wider View
• Ashur Tablets
• Heidelberg Castle (via Huitzilopochtli special)
• Giotto recruits Veneficti Mage
• Mary bleeds with Intimidation, bounced to Jyri, Nephandus blocks
• Huitzilopochtli bleeds with Mind Rape for 4, Enkil Cog on Huitzilopochtli
• burn Wider View
• untap Huitzilopochtli with Metro

Henrik:

• give up contest on Montreal
• Lodin plays GtU superior, Carlton blocks (and dies)

Jyri:

• Nephandus bleeds for 1
• Nephandus bleeds for 1
• Carna bleeds with GtU, bounced to Mika, Omaya blocks
• Nephandus bleeds for 1
• Nephandus bleeds for 1
• Antonio bleeds, Solomon wakes and blocks

Orian:

• bring out EL from ash heap
• tap Goratrix with Anarch Troublemaker
• Phagian bleeds for 1
• Game TIMES OUT, Mika is winner due to first seed.

Event / Archon approved quite some time ago

PetriWessman wrote:

This year, we had 49 players which is a nice jump up from last year's 37 -- in fact it's the first jump up we've had in a very long time. Probably a combo of this being a Grand Prix and the fact that the game is now back in print (yay!).

And that the tournament was now on saturday instead of friday night probably also was a big factor. Saturday tourney feels like a proper big tournament instead of a niche tradition of some old beards in the middle of the night, no disrespect intended

Thank you for the work with the report. I think most that people wanted to see were the decklists, although transcript is nice to have too.

Bloodartist wrote:

And that the tournament was now on saturday instead of friday night probably also was a big factor.

When we polled Finnish players (easily the vast majority of attendees) about the preferred day the votes were tied IIRC and just a handful of people had a hard preference.

Bloodartist wrote:

Saturday tourney feels like a proper big tournament instead of a niche tradition of some old beards in the middle of the night, no disrespect intended

Perhaps for you.
I'm indifferent myself, but for quite some time I've wanted to see if moving the tournament to Saturday would help getting a bigger international crowd as obviously you need to take fewer days off in order to attend.