Rathpex wins Grand Prix Sydney 2025!

This tournament was held at Good Games Town Hall on May 18. 17 players attended. Report by the winner Rathpex:

My day started very early, I was up at 5:30 am for a 7:30 am flight from Melbourne to Sydney (about 800km/500miles). I landed at about 9 am and made it to a café to get some good food before round 1 kicked off.

Deck Name: Cockroaches mkii
Author: Rathpex

Crypt (12 cards)
1x Massimiliano   7 ANI FOR pro  baron Gangrel:6
2x André the Manipulator 6 FOR PRO   Gangrel:5
2x Casey Snyder   6 PRO ani cel for baron Gangrel:6
2x Kuyén   6 ANI PRO   baron Gangrel:6
1x Martina Srnankova  6 FOR PRO ani    Gangrel:6
2x Kamile Paukstys   5 PRO ani for    Gangrel:6
1x Nathan Turner   4 PRO ani   Gangrel:6
1x Indira   3 PRO    Gangrel:6

Library (90 cards)
Master (22; 7 trifle)
1x Anarch Free Press, The
1x Anarch Railroad
1x Backways
1x Bleeding the Vine
2x Carfax Abbey
1x Club Illusion
1x Erciyes Fragments, The
1x Gangrel Revel
2x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
3x Sudden Reversal
5x Vessel
2x Wash
1x Zoo Hunting Ground

Action (17)
1x Constant Revolution
2x Rewilding
2x Status Perfectus, The
12x Thing

Equipment (4)
1x Heart of Nizchetus
1x Sniper Rifle
2x Sport Bike

Retainer (4)
4x Raven Spy

Action Modifier (11)
7x Earth Control
4x Monkey Wrench

Combat (18)
3x Donnybrook
12x Earth Meld
3x Form of Mist

Reaction (14)
6x Bait and Switch
8x Organized Resistance

Round 1
This was a 4 player game, I was bleeding into some kind of Malkavian who was bleeding into a Dmitra deck who was bleeding into Ministry. Exact details are little bit sketchy on this one given my early morning flight. I was able to fend off my Ministry Predator, back ousting him with a Rewilding when he was low on pool. I was able to set up with all the toys in play – yes all of them and defend a constant rev which got to 7 counters. 1 GW 3 VP

Round 2
This was a 5 player game. I was bleeding into a Montano Baltimore Purge deck who was bleeding into Samedi, bleeding a different Dmitra player (yes 2 in the tournament!!!) bleeding into dementation Malk and Malk!. 2 games in a row with stealth bleed on my back, the difference this time was that the Malks were running something like 12 sudden reversals. The game was tough, I was unable to get out a lot of my masters but I did manage to get 2 vessels and 1 hunting ground. With a couple of Raven Spy’s and Martina. I had enough intercept to keep Montano in check from doing his purge, enough votes to help keep pressure on my predator and enough intercept and/or flicks to survive the stealth bleed. Dmitra got the Malks and Samedi got Dmitra leaving me, Montano and Samedi surviving. 0.5 VP

Round 3
Another 4 player game. I was bleeding into the Samedi this time who was bleeding Call The Great Beast Unnamed who was bleeding an Arishat vote deck. Ironically, the Arishat player didn’t draw Arishat and unfortunately for me, I drew no permanent intercept and only drew Massimiliano. The Arishat player tried to convince me and Samedi to eliminate The Unnamed but ultimately he was gunning for me. At this stage it was all about me making calculated decisions on how to best maximise my chance to make the final, as Arishat was on the same VP’s and GWs as me and Unnamed on half a vp less. Arishat had 4 vamps with 2 votes out before the Beast arrived and I contemplated transferring out. But the beast then deleted one of the barons and I got a slight reprieve, I was able to get the Samedi player with 2 Monkey Wrenches who didn’t have a wake or flick. Then the beast got me. 1 VP

Standings before finals:
1. Ke Carlton 2 GW 9 VP
2. Tim Clarkson 2 GW 7.5 VP
3. Steve Wedd 1 GW 5.0 VP
4. Rathpex 1 GW 4.5 VP
5. Andrew Stott 1 GW 4.5 VP 

Final
There was a possibility that 5th place would have actually been a tie for 5th and 6th at which stage we presumed there would be a coin toss or something, we didn’t consult the official rules but we figured it would be a coin toss. However it didn’t end up that way and we were instead tied for 4th and 5th.

I drew a pretty decent opening hand something like, 1 Bait and Switch, a Sudden Reversal, Monkey Wrench 2 Earth Melds, Organised Resistance and Raven Spy. My crypt was quite strong too: Kamile, Casey, Massimiliano and Indira.

Unnamed drew player 1, with a lot of banter about how it was the worst possible position for him. He did 1 transfer discarded something. I pitched an earth melds, getting another Organised Resistance. Not a lot happened from anyone else, the Malks were playing Suddened a Family Gathering and there may have been a lowbie Hecata out.

Turn 2 it starts off pretty strongly when Unnamed shows that he had topdecked a Dreams from his prior discard. Unanmed was now upto 6 blood and would make an appearance the next turn. Montano goes to 6 blood and all his temo is severely impacted as he wouldn’t be coming out until turn 4. Meanwhile I’ve transferred out Kamile. My gets out Dolphin with her very pointy fangs and Hecata produced a pretty decent vamp.

Turn 3 unnamed hits the table, Montano goes to 10 blood, not having any minions on my back I bleed for a couple with Kamile and bring out Casey. Im glad to have a Baron, it will allow me to flick Montano’s bleeds and I can also block some stuff if necessary. Dolphin starts laying into Hecata, who in turn get out a Spectral Servitor and do some bleeding of their own.

Turn 4, the whole game changes... Abombwe drops on The Unnamed. Unnamed equips a Soul Gem, Instantaneously Transforms (LITERALLY), Calls the Great Beast, gets out a further The Unnamed. This couldn’t have gone better for The Unnamed. Combo went off in as little time as possible. Why does this make it so interesting? Because of the discipline spread on the Beast was Abombwe, Protean and Celerity. This makes the beast capable of doing massive amounts of aggravated damage. I am just hoping that Montano will survive long enough to be a bit of a meat shield and I can try and get through the Malks. Talking of Montano, he and The Unnamed have both travelled from NZ and Montano decides that he will not come out. Instead a second vampire gets a couple of transfers in the hope that the beast can be taken out by the Hecata.

My turn 4 – great literally no predator. But I know that there will be one soon. I have to get my setup, I bleed for a lowly 2 with Kamile and get a Raven Spy on Casey, drawing into a Vessel. I do want to put the pressure onto the Malks but I don’t want to overplay my Monkey Wrench’s too early. I want the Malks to get out a third minion then I will start my bleeding fiasco! I load 4 up on Massimiliano.

It goes to plan. Malks have been taking my pesky bleeds for 2 and regaining some pool with Kindred Spirits, they bleed a lot some get reduced others get through. They don’t quite get out a third minion but have used all 16 of their transfers. Hecata is sitting there with a couple of vamps and keeps the Servitor at the cost of a precious pool he has more masters Suddened. He does manage to get some bleeds into The Unnamed. 

Turn 5. The Unnamed does some bleeding so does the Beast who unlocks with Instantaneous Transformation. Then, not having a delicious prey to beat up decides to go backwards into a Hecata, who survives the combat but is beaten up pretty badly. Montano meanwhile, transfers back. I play my Vessel and my hand is something ridiculous like: Earth Meld (I´m saving this for the Beast), 3 Organised Resistance, Bait and Switch, Sudden Reversal, Monkey Wrench and Earth Control. I decide now is the time, Kamile bleeds for 2 no blocks – Just 2. Casey bleeds, no block – bam 4. Go big or go home, I’m safe from Archon Investigation as the Sudden was played. Malks: wake – flick – Sorry Hecata… Hecata are in really bad shape and I pull out Massimiliano. Malks must have jammed on Suddens as they don’t have the goods to finish off the hecata either being blocked or flicked. Hecata Shroud of Decay at superior and The Unnamed gets hurt a bit. Hecata gets out a 3rd vamp.

Turn 6. Unnamed gets out an Unleash Hell´s Fury and bleeds a bit but doesn’t have enough the beast goes backwards again. This time combat ends. Montano transfers back again, this time from his 2nd vamp. He still has 7 on Montano. My go again… I like my hand too much. I think it will help me once the beast comes for me. Bleed for 2, bleed and bleed. Then transfer out Indira.

Okay so at this stage it sounds like “I’m having a free run”. Yes I am, BUT the Malks are doing really well they are faster than me and its looking like I’m going no where.

Malks have another go, this time, Dolphin gets flicked into the Hell´s Fury… and boy is there furn. Dolphin goes down. One then bleeds Hecata, getting him quite low. The other tries to rescue Dolphin, malks are out of bleed cards. I’m not letting the rescue happen! Block and hands for 2 with Massimiliano. But Malks do bring out a 4th minion. 3 ready and one in the bin. Hecata are low on pool, they won´t survive another turn. Hecata – Tribute to the Master to get back 3 pool – Malks – Sudden – ME SUDDEN THE SUDDEN! Turning point of the game I replace with a Monkey Wrench. Hecata get some more bleeds into The Unnamed.

Its kinda a blur from here to the end. It wraps up something like this, Unnamed has jammed on stuff and burns one of the Hecata, Casey gobbles up Dolphin and I bleed some. Malks never recover their tempo from the combo of the diablerie and the pool gain from the Tribute. Hecata takes out The Unnamed/Beast, Montano comes out and I get Malks with a successful Monkey Wrench. Montano must know I´m sitting on flick and he´s hopeing to draw into something but all he can do is superior govern, fine – not my problem. He transfers back. Hecata look like they will get Montano at one stage but he survives. I get the Hecata and then Montano. My favourite game of the day, thanks to my opponents: Steve (Malks), Ke (Hecata), Andrew (Unnamed/Beast), Tim (Montano).

1 GW 4 VP 

We thank eachother and then, I head to the airport to fly back to Melbourne in the same day – I eventually make it home at about 11 pm – yikes what a fun and crazy day.

Post note: for those who may have followed my write up from the OCC last year, the Malk player was the person who I choked on and didn’t eat his Unnamed and I was very excited to take him out in the final. We are now 1 and 1, is this how friendships or rivalries are born :)

Thanks for this report, and thanks to organisers, sponsors and all players!

Martin Weinmayer is the 2025 champion of Serbia!

This tournament was played on May 3 in Lub Groot, Belgrade. Reported by Milan Popović, VEKN Prince of Belgrade, with comment from the champion:

Starting off I am happy for all who managed to come. We had 23 players in this event, 4 from Osjek, 4 From Austria. This time we had no entry from Hungary. In general the event was a lot of fun, as we did a good diversity of playstyles.

Rough breakdown of decks played:
4 Brujah V5
3 Ravnos
2 Gangrel
2 Banu Haqim V5
1 Hecata
1 Harbingers of Skulls
1 G4 Lasombra politics
1 Imbued
1 Baali Great Beast
1 Laibon Nana Buruku
1 Malkavian
1 Kiasyd
1 True Brujah
1 Saulot

Results of the preliminary rounds:
1. Milos Krstic 3 GW, 9.0 VP
2. Goran Damjanic 2 GW 6.0 VP
3. Goran Ivanovic 1 GW 7.0 VP
4. Martin Weinmayer 1 GW 6.0 VP
5. Florian Koller 1 GW 5.5 VP

Final result: Martin Weinmayer 4 VP, Goran Ivanovic 1 VP.

Commentary by the champion: The seating spelled doom, and the game began with a Fortschrtitt Library into an Unmasking of my Imbued prey. Fighting two intercepts would significantly slow me down, and I see no winning strategy going forward, just to be smashed into the waiting arms of the Brujah Combat deck should I succeed in ousting my prey. Instead, I play as much against my predator as possible, hoping to weaken the Gangrel Anarch so that the table has a chance later. Unfortunately, The Unnamed is unexpectedly caught by the blocking Brujah, sent to Topor, and diablerised by Milos Gangrel. His game essentially ended there. With an easy VP in his pocket, the Brujah went backwards on the Imbued, burning three of their minions. My efforts to keep the Gangrel under pressure paid off, and the Brujah Anarch lunge forward, eager to secure their second Victory Point. That was my time to act, and i oust the Imbued in their weakend state, keeping my pool out of Milos' ousting Range. I rescue Kuyen out of torpor in exchange for the contest yield on Heart of Nizchetus. Milos is forced to backoust Goran with a DI play on his last Organised Resistance, otherwise he would die to the Brujah next. Now in the heads-up against the Topseed Gangrel Anarch, I have the Pentex ready for Kuyen with Raven Spy, barely able to stealth past Milos' defense with three Earth Meld jamming his hand. It was an epic final, where I narrowly emerged victorious and Milos once again demonstrated his superiority as a Gangrel Anarch player.

The tournament winning deck:

Crypt (12 cards)
1x Mora, the Death Seer 7 AUS FOR OBL ani Hecata:6
1x Parijat, the Dark Oracle 7 AUS DOM FOR OBL Hecata:6
1x Lenelle, Mambo of Birmingham 6 FOR OBL aus Hecata:6
1x Monica Giovanni 6 AUS FOR OBL Hecata:6
2x Gebeyehu Abdu 5 AUS OBL for Hecata:6
1x Holliday "Burgundy" Hall 5 FOR OBL aus Hecata:6
1x Hiromitsu Asano 4 aus for obl Hecata:6
3x Alek König 3 OBL Hecata:6
1x Peter St. John 2 obl Hecata:6

Library (90 cards)
Master (16; 6 trifle)
2x Charisma
2x Direct Intervention
6x Family Gathering
1x Jake Washington
3x Pentex(TM) Subversion
2x Perfectionist

Event (2)
2x Unmasking, The

Action (10)
10x Shroud of Decay

Ally (16)
16x Spectral Servitor

Equipment (2)
2x Heart of Nizchetus

Action Modifier (30)
10x Shadow Cast
10x Shadow Cloak
6x Stygian Shroud
4x Where the Veil Thins

Reaction (14)
3x Delaying Tactics
4x Shadow Sentinel
7x Telepathic Misdirection

We handed out BCP promos and Ultra Pro from the last batch that we got: tube for playmat with Direct Intervention playmats we got from Black Chantry as a reward, deck box Ultra Pro  and card protectors. Other rewards were BCP starters that were financed from entry fee.

Thanks for the report, thanks to all players for attending!