Marc Álvarez is the 2025 Spanish champion! 123 players!
The finalists: Fréderic, Perrine, Marc (champion), Iván and Alberto.
This event was played in the Wow Club in Manresa on June 28 with 123 players in attendance. Reported by Ginés Quiñonero.
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The top seed was Alberto Lozano with 3 GW, 13 VP
Second seed = Frédéric Pin 3 GW, 11 VP
Third seed = Marc Álvarez 3 GW, 10 VP
Fourth seed = Perrine Ketlas 2 GW, 10 VP
Fifth seed = Iván Bernal 2 GW, 9 VP
Final score: Marc 4 VP, Iván 1 VP. Congratulations Marc!
Marc's tournament winning deck: "Gangrel Montecristo" by KRCG
Crypt (12 cards)
4x Matasuntha 10 ANI AUS CEL FOR PRO Gangrel:5
2x André the Manipulator 6 FOR PRO Gangrel:5
1x Andre LeRoux 3 aus Toreador:5
1x T.J. 3 cel for Gangrel:4
4x Anarch Convert 1 Caitiff:ANY
Library (90 cards)
Master (12; 5 trifle)
1x Carver's Meat Packing and Storage
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
2x Fame
1x Secure Haven
1x Tension in the Ranks
5x Villein
Event (1)
1x Dragonbound
Action (18)
2x Ambush
2x Big Game
2x Bum's Rush
3x Deep Song
2x Fleetness
2x Make the Misere
2x Nose of the Hound
3x Taunt the Caged Beast
Action Modifier (14)
3x Forced March
8x Freak Drive
3x Instantaneous Transformation
Combat (45)
2x Claws of the Dead
12x Diversion
4x Drawing Out the Beast
4x Flesh of Marble
10x Psyche!
6x Pursuit
7x Taste of Vitae
Ivan´s finalist deck: "New Tzimi" by Woodytron
Crypt (12 cards)
3x Adrino Manauara 8 ANI DOM PRO pot baron Tzimisce:6
3x Ángel Guerrero 7 ANI DOM PRO baron Tzimisce:6
1x Branimira 6 ANI dom pre pro baron Tzimisce:6
1x Kuyén 6 ANI PRO baron Gangrel:6
1x Clara Hjortshøj 5 PRO ani aus dom Tzimisce:6
1x Kamile Paukstys 5 PRO ani for Gangrel:6
1x Marialena 5 DOM PRO ani Tzimisce:6
1x Whisper 5 ANI DOM pro Tzimisce:6
Library (90 cards)
Master (10)
1x Anarch Railroad
1x Anarch Troublemaker
1x Carfax Abbey
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Giant's Blood
1x Jake Washington
1x Libertas
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Perfectionist
Action (22)
8x Deep Song
14x Govern the Unaligned
Political Action (2)
2x Eat the Rich
Equipment (1)
1x Heart of Nizchetus
Retainer (1)
1x Crypt's Sons
Action Modifier (10)
4x Conditioning
4x Earth Control
2x Foreshadowing Destruction
Action Modifier/Reaction (6)
4x Form of the Bat
2x Murmur of the False Will
Combat (20)
14x Earth Meld
6x Form of Mist
Reaction (18)
4x Bait and Switch
4x Deflection
2x Guard Dogs
2x On the Qui Vive
4x Organized Resistance
2x Redirection
Alberto's finalist deck: "Hecata Spectral Bleed" by Vere
Crypt (12 cards)
2x Tommaso Sforza 7 AUS OBL THA dom for Hecata:6
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
2x Alek König 3 OBL Hecata:6
1x Peter St. John 2 obl Hecata:6
Library (90 cards)
Master (8; 1 trifle)
1x Anarch Troublemaker
1x Cappadocian Crypt
1x Charisma
1x Coven, The
1x Dark Influences
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
2x Perfectionist
Event (1)
1x Bitter and Sweet Story, The
Action (22)
18x Computer Hacking
4x Shroud of Decay
Ally (14)
14x Spectral Servitor
Action Modifier (33)
4x Leverage
10x Shadow Cast
8x Shadow Cloak
5x Stygian Shroud
6x Where the Veil Thins
Reaction (12)
2x Delaying Tactics
2x On the Qui Vive
2x Shadow Sentinel
6x Telepathic Misdirection
Fréderics finalist deck: "ALASTOR"
Crypt (12 cards)
3x Gwendolyn 11 CEL FOR POT PRE aus tha inner circle Brujah:2
3x Jaroslav Pascek 10 CEL POT PRE for obf justicar Brujah:3
2x Lucinde, Alastor 10 DOM FOR PRE obf pot tha justicar Ventrue:3
2x Madame Guil 10 AUS CEL PRE for pot ser justicar Toreador:3
1x Mark Decker 8 CEL PRO ani for obf pot prince Gangrel:3
1x Volker, The Puppet Prince 5 CEL pot prince Brujah:2
Library (75 cards)
Master (19; 4 trifle)
1x Camarilla Conclave
1x Giant's Blood
3x Information Highway
1x New Carthage
1x Rack, The
4x Villein
8x Zillah's Valley
Political Action (12)
3x Alastor
1x Ancient Influence
2x Banishment
4x Parity Shift
1x Political Stranglehold
1x Reins of Power
Equipment (5)
4x Assault Rifle
1x Flamethrower
Action Modifier (10)
4x Forced March
5x Freak Drive
1x Voter Captivation
Combat (16)
3x Acrobatics
3x Disarm
3x Disguised Weapon
2x Pursuit
4x Skin of Steel
1x Taste of Vitae
Reaction (13)
2x Lost in Translation
11x Second Tradition: Domain
Perrine´s finalist deck: "Alonso" by Niniel
Crypt (12 cards)
4x Alonso Petrodon 10 ANI DOM OBF POT for tha justicar Nosferatu:5
2x Nikolaus Vermeulen 7 ANI POT for obf prince Nosferatu:6
2x Belinde 6 OBF ani aus pot prince Nosferatu:6
2x Benedito, a Lanterna 6 POT ani aus obf baron Nosferatu:6
2x Jacques Rouge 6 OBF ani pot pre baron Nosferatu:6
Library (75 cards)
Master (16; 3 trifle)
1x Dominate
3x Dreams of the Sphinx
5x Information Highway
1x Labyrinth, The
1x Secure Haven
2x Warsaw Station
1x Wash
2x Wider View
Action (5)
4x Govern the Unaligned
1x SchreckNET
Political Action (16)
1x Anarchist Uprising
3x Camarilla's Iron Fist
4x Kine Resources Contested
1x Neonate Breach
4x Parity Shift
3x Reckless Agitation
Action Modifier (21)
2x Cloak the Gathering
4x Elder Impersonation
1x Enkil Cog
1x Faceless Night
1x Foreshadowing Destruction
3x Forgotten Labyrinth
5x Freak Drive
3x Lost in Crowds
1x Spying Mission
Action Modifier/Combat (3)
3x Swallowed by the Night
Action Modifier/Reaction (2)
2x Murmur of the False Will
Reaction (12)
3x Bait and Switch
5x Deflection
3x On the Qui Vive
1x Wake with Evening's Freshness
Thanks to all organisers, sponsors and players!
Martin Weinmayer is the 2025 North American champion!
This event was played at the Origins game fair in Columbus, Ohio on June 21 with 62 players. Reported by Ben Peal:
Finalists after Round 3:
1. Mark Figuerola (2 GW 8.5 VP)
2. Adrian Ruiz (2 GW 7 VP)
3. Martin Weinmayer (2 GW 6.5 VP)
4. Marcus Acevedo, Sr. (2 GW 6 VP)
5. Kelly Shultz (2 GW 5.5 VP, won die roll)
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Finalists: Mark, Adrian, Martin, Marcus and Kelly.
Final table seating order and deck types:
Read all about the exiting final in the interview below!
Final result: Martin Weinmayer 1 GW 4 VP, Marcus Acevedo, Sr. 1 VP. Congratulations Martin!
Tournament winning deck: “Gangrel Death Star” by Martin Weinmayer
Crypt (12 cards)
1x Massimiliano 7 ANI FOR pro baron Gangrel:6
2x Casey Snyder 6 PRO ani cel for baron Gangrel:6
2x Kuyén 6 ANI PRO baron Gangrel:6
1x André the Manipulator 6 FOR PRO Gangrel:5
1x Martina Srnankova 6 FOR PRO ani Gangrel:6
1x Kamile Paukstys 5 PRO ani for Gangrel:6
1x Nathan Turner 4 PRO ani Gangrel:6
1x Indira 3 PRO Gangrel:6
1x Joaquín de Cádiz 3 for pro Gangrel:6
1x Ruslan Fedorenko 2 pro Gangrel:6
Library (90 cards)
Master (22; 4 trifle)
1x Anarch Free Press, The
1x Anarch Railroad
1x Backways
1x Carfax Abbey
2x Club Illusion
2x Direct Intervention
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Ecoterrorists
2x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
1x Life Boon
1x Papillon
1x Powerbase: Los Angeles
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Rack, The
4x Villein
Action (9)
1x Fee Stake: Seattle
8x Thing
Political Action (2)
2x Revolutionary Council
Equipment (2)
2x Heart of Nizchetus
Retainer (5)
1x Crypt's Sons
1x Mr. Winthrop
3x Raven Spy
Action Modifier (4)
1x Daring the Dawn
2x Earth Control
1x Monkey Wrench
Action Modifier/Reaction (4)
4x Form of the Bat
Combat (18)
12x Earth Meld
6x Form of Mist
Reaction (24)
6x Bait and Switch
9x Deep Ecology
9x Organized Resistance
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Thanks to all organisers, sponsors and players!
Player interview: Martin Weinmayer, North American champion 2025
Congratulations Martin! And thanks for agreeing to answer some questions.
Let’s start with the Week of Nightmares. Did you get a chance to play any of those side events this year?
- I played all of them. I flew in on Sunday and started playing Monday morning—there was no way I was going to miss a single event. I came here to play :D
How did they go for you?
- At first, I used the events to experiment with different deck types. The American meta was very bleed-heavy—around 60% of the decks I saw were some form of stealth-bleed. I tried Lutz von Hohenzollern vote and a Diana vote deck, but I got ousted quickly. In my first 9 games, 8 were against bleed decks. It was wild.
And—be honest—isn’t it exhausting to play VTES for that many days in a row?
- It is. Especially at my advanced age of 48! I was staying in a ten-player house with Karl Schaefer, Darby Keeney, and the rest of the crew. Those crazy guys even had energy left at night to play Battlestar Galactica after a full day of VTES. I was honestly a little sad I didn’t join them, but my mind was all in on VTES—I wanted to conserve every bit of focus for the next day.
Do you treat these events more like warmups or serious testing grounds?
- Very serious. I’d been chasing Darby Keeney on the world rankings for almost a year. Every win in the Week of Nightmares events brought me closer to my goal of reaching World Rank #1. So while the atmosphere is fun, I took each tournament with full focus.
You picked a Gangrel “Death Star” deck for the NAC main event this time (see deck list above). You’ve piloted everything from Tremere walls to Stanislava legends—so what drew you to this archetype?
- The Gangrel Anarch deck is one of the most versatile decks you can play right now. I still consider it god-tier—just a little bit ahead of anything else competitively viable.
Honestly, I also left my Nephandus wall deck back in Austria by mistake. Once I saw how bleed-heavy the American meta was, the Gangrel deck felt like the natural choice. It was absolutely a meta call.
Have you played this build a lot before?
- Yes, I’ve played it in several European tournaments. But it’s usually a highly contested archetype. In one event in Hungary, four out of five finalists were on some version of this deck. Needless to say, the one person not playing it ended up winning :D
What were you expecting in the metagame—and did that line up with what actually showed up?
- I didn’t expect quite so much bleed. That definitely caught me by surprise. But then again, it’s been seven years since I last played in the U.S., so I had to re-learn the meta a bit.
I think the prevalence of two-round formats in the U.S. pushes the environment to be more aggressive. When you only have two chances to make the final, it's better to bring a deck that can sweep a table than one that just survives.
What are core strengths of this Gangrel deck? What gives it trouble?
- Its biggest strength is consistency. It’s very hard to oust and performs well against most archetypes. But it has a serious risk of running into timeouts, especially at slower tables. It also struggles against dedicated block decks or the right kind of combat-heavy predator.
Who’s the ideal prey? Worst predator?
- Ideal prey is any kind of bleed deck—its comparable easy to oust and creates cross-table pressure. Worst predator is efficient combat. You don’t have great answers to consistent Immortal Grapple rush.
What do you think is most misunderstood about playing it well?
- People think it’s just a powerful bleed machine, but it really requires smart tempo management. Timeout is a very real threat, especially if your table is slow.
You can also get jammed on masters or actions early on—so your discard phase decisions are critical. You need to sculpt your hand carefully from the first turn.
What was your experience during the prelims? You’re no stranger to big tournament tables—how did these ones treat you?
- The usual pattern held true. In most major tournaments, you can expect something like: one table you should win, one where you really have to fight for it, and one where winning is unlikely. That was exactly my experience here.
Any tough matchups or wild moments that stood out?
- My toughest table was definitely Round 2—Darby Keeney, the world’s #1 ranked player, was sitting directly as my prey. That matchup essentially decided which of us would make the finals.
Fortunately, I found an ally in my grandpredator, and after a brutal mid-game struggle, we managed to get Darby ousted. I won the resulting 1v1 to secure the game win. It was a high-pressure table—exactly the kind of challenge you remember.
Was there a table where things went completely off-script?
- Yes—my first table was a disaster. I had a Cock Robin multi-rush deck coming straight for me, with Immortal Grapples and Carrion Crows. I was inches away from getting ousted early but managed to hold on just long enough to scrape out 0.5 VP on a timeout.
Not pretty—but surviving those kinds of tables is what keeps you alive in the tournament.
Walk us through the final. The lineup was
Martin Weinmayer (3rd Seed): Gangrel Anarch toolbox >
Mark Figuerola (Top Seed): Ministry Anarch bleed >
Kelly Schultz (5th Seed): Lutz von Hohenzollern vote >
Marcus Sr. Acevedo (4th Seed): Malkavian G6 bleed >
Adrian Ruiz (2nd Seed): Tremere G6 bleed >
Did you get a say in seating, and what was your thinking behind your spot?
- As the 3rd seed, I had the opportunity to choose my spot after Kelly and Adrian were placed. I chose to have Kelly's vote deck as my prey, hoping the two top-seeded bleed decks would end up sitting as my prey. That setup gave me the best odds of staying alive long enough to position myself for the win.
Were there any players or decks that worried you in that setup?
- The biggest potential threat was Mark’s Ministry bleed deck—as top seed, if he got momentum early, he could oust three players before anyone could stop him.
On the other side, Kelly’s Lutz deck had the tools to bloat hard and lock the table down if left unchecked. If he managed to set up comfortably with Protected Resources or heavy voting power, things could spiral fast.
So I had to keep both of them in check without drawing too much heat myself.
How was the early game shaping up?
- Honestly, everything was going according to plan. Mark (Ministry bleed) couldn’t quite oust Kelly (Lutz vote), but he got him low enough that Kelly was willing to strike a deal with me to take Mark out. That gave me my first VP—and control of the pacing from that point forward.
What was your sense of the table mid-game?
- With one VP from Mark already secured, and Kelly’s vote engine never really kicking in, I was feeling super confident. It became a matter of staying calm and not making any unforced errors. The pieces were in place—I just had to execute cleanly.
Did you feel confident early on—or was there a turning point where you thought, “Okay, I can take this”?
- I felt confident from the start. And by mid-game, I thought: I can only lose this if something completely insane happens.
Of course, this is VTES we’re talking about—the game where insane things do happen :D So I kept reminding myself: stay focused, don’t get cocky, and don’t get caught off-guard by something weird.
Stepping back—how did you get into VTES? You’ve been part of the game since the mid-90s, right?
- Yeah—back in 1993, a friend introduced me to Magic: The Gathering. About a year later, that same group of friends started playing VTES. It was brand new at the time, and we were totally hooked—just 4 or 5 of us, exploring all the crazy cards and combinations together. It was something special right from the start.
Was it love at first play, or did it grow on you?
- Definitely love at first sight. It’s hard to describe what makes the game so compelling—it’s the whole package.
What really sets VTES apart is how emotionally engaging it is. You’re constantly navigating tension, risk, politics, betrayal… it feels like more than a card game. That emotional rollercoaster is what’s kept me coming back for decades.
Do you have a regular local group, or do you mostly play online these days?
- I’m very proud of our local group in Vienna. Our prince, Richard Stefan Utner, has done an amazing job growing and organizing the community. And his father, Richard Utner, has been around as long as I have—he’s guided the Austrian VTES scene for nearly three decades as National Coordinator.
In addition to local games, I also play a lot of online VTES to stay sharp and expose myself to different metas. It’s been great for training and refining strategies beyond the local environment. One of my long-term goals is to travel and play in Brazil, Asia, and Australia over the next decade. I’ve already learned a few tricks from those regions just by playing with them online.
Are there any strong local meta trends in Austria?
- Like in many local scenes, combat is a big factor—no surprise there. But when we’re training for major tournaments, we’ll often set up practice tables tailored to competitive deck archetypes, to simulate real tournament conditions. It’s a great way to prepare and evolve.
But you’re famous everywhere. You’ve played (and won!) tournaments across Europe, North America, and online. People always wonder: how do you manage that?
- The short answer? I’m single.
Freedom has always been important to me—but I’ll be honest, I never really found it in the few relationships I’ve had. I’m a fan of Taoist philosophy: no light without darkness, no joy without sorrow. So if someone envies the freedom I have to travel and play VTES nonstop, they should also know—it can be lonely at times, too.
What keeps you traveling and playing so consistently?
- It’s simple: passion and competition. Even after more than 30 years, I’m still hungry to play and improve. The game still excites me.
Is it the competition, the community, or something else?
- It’s definitely both. I love the challenge, but I also deeply enjoy the community. One thing I’ve especially cherished is traveling with my mother to tournaments. While I’m playing cards, she’s exploring the city. Afterward, we usually take a day to enjoy it together—it’s a perfect balance of fun, family, and travel.
How do you balance that with life outside the game?
- There is no balance :D
You won NAC back in 2017 as well—how has VTES evolved since then? Let’s start with the U.S. scene—what’s different now?
- One big change is the rise of net decking. Top players are sharing their decklists more often, and social media spreads them fast.
VTES still has an insane amount of diversity—that’s one of its core strengths—but you can definitely see more people playing “templates” rather than building and innovating from scratch. It’s made the scene a bit more streamlined, especially in Europe but U.S. is not far behind.
Globally, do you think players are stronger? Are metas tighter?
- In some ways, yes—veteran players are stronger than ever, with more tools and experience at their disposal.
But at the same time, we’ve seen a huge influx of new players, which is great for the game’s future. They still have a lot to learn, and that gap in experience can really show at big events—but the energy they bring is refreshing.
And with Black Chantry in charge now, how has deck diversity or game tempo changed?
- I’m honestly very happy with what Black Chantry has done. Getting the game back in print was a massive achievement—and having five dedicated, passionate VTES players running things is probably the best thing that could’ve happened. They've managed to modernize the game without losing its soul, and that’s not easy.
Looking ahead: what do you see in VTES’s future? You’ve seen eras rise and fall. Do you think VTES is still growing?
- Absolutely. I think we’re in a great spot, with a very bright future ahead. Everywhere I go—whether in Europe, the U.S., or online—I see returning veterans and new players sitting down at the same tables. Tournament attendance is up across the board. That’s a sign of a healthy, growing game.
What can Black Chantry or VEKN do better?
- I’d love to see more support for the game’s volunteers—especially Princes, National Coordinators, and tournament organizers. These are the people who keep the game alive at the grassroots level. More recognition or product support could really help them feel appreciated and stay motivated.
I’d also like to see closer ties with the World of Darkness community. The vampire theme is such a powerful hook—it’s a great way to get new people curious about VTES.
What role should players take to help grow the game?
- It’s simple: bring a friend. Introduce someone to the game. And if you’ve got a local Prince, help them out—organizing events takes a lot of energy, and a little support goes a long way.
Are there specific formats or innovations you think could help?
- I’m really curious to see what the 1v1 format brings. It probably won’t appeal as much to us veteran players, but it could be a great entry point for new folks who want to learn the game in a more accessible way.
If someone wants to get really good at VTES—what’s one habit or mindset that makes the difference?
- That’s not just a VTES lesson—it’s a life lesson: Motivation and passion are the keys to success. If you love the game, and you care enough to improve, everything else will follow.
Thanks for the interview Martin, and good luck in the future!
Joab Rogério is the 2025 champion of Brazil - best of 114 players!
Reported by José Fontenele, VTES Baron of Rio de Janeiro:
With the presence of 114 Methuselahs, Joab Rogério wins the biggest Brazilian VTES championship
On June 7th, the largest Brazilian VTES championship was held at the CSN Foundation Cultural Center in Volta Redonda, in the Paraíba Valley of Rio de Janeiro. The industrial city, gray due to the winter in the state, welcomed 114 excited players from all regions of Brazil to compete for the title of Brazilian VTES Champion in 2025.
But the story of this great championship, which in the memories of the participants will become a reference for the next ones, began earlier, with the princes of Volta Redonda, Júlio Leal, and of Barra Mansa, Aylton Joe. Both had already partnered in CariocAÇO, the 2023 Rio de Janeiro Championship, the first major event in Volta Redonda, held with great success.
About this successful partnership, Aylton reflects: “Since we held CariocAÇO, it was clear to all of us that it was possible to go even further. Motivated by this feeling, Júlio signed up Volta Redonda to host the next Brazilian Championship, with a new challenge: to break the record for participants in a VTES tournament in Brazil.”
The initial goal, according to him, was bold: to gather 80 players, which would already be a record, given that the 2024 Brazilian championship had 48 people, an already impressive number. However, the community's engagement was so broad that the number of registrations and attendance in Volta Redonda was much higher than they imagined.
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Of the 125 registered, 114 players attended the national championship in Volta Redonda. For comparison, in 2005, when the first VTES championship was held in Brazil, there were only 8 players. Twenty years later, this massive participation shows us how much the game has conquered Brazil, the country that plays the most VTES in the world.
Partnerships and ready competitors
Júlio Leal, Prince of Volta Redonda, credits much of the success to the partnerships established. “I had the essential partnership of Aylton Joe — unbeatable in organization, cost calculations, spreadsheets and all practical details — and the fundamental support of the CSN Foundation. We began planning that lasted almost a year, resulting in the event that would become a landmark for VTES in Brazil. During this period, there were months of contacts, exchanges of information, search for support and building a group of sponsors who were fundamental to the extraordinary prize money we were able to offer”.
He also recalls that, on the eve of the championship, several local players helped them set up the tables and the event structure. “And the result was exciting. We had more than 100 participants — an impressive number for the reality of VTES in the country. Players from all corners of Brazil, passionate about the game, came to represent their playgroups and celebrate the community we built together”.
To accommodate so many Methuselahs in dispute, the championship had three preliminary rounds and more than twenty tables to distribute all the players. And as they say in Brazil, there is no meta, no dominant deck, but always a mystery: which deck should I take to the championship? Thus, what was noticed was a great diversity of decks, with many players having fun and meeting friends during the various tables.
In the competition between the participants, Aylton says that another objective was to observe the results of the players from the South Fluminense region. “As Archbishop of Barra Mansa, my main objective was to ensure that the players from the South Fluminense region had an outstanding performance, even when facing some of the biggest names in VTES in the country. And they exceeded expectations: they led the standings at several points in the tournament, and one of them reached the final table, losing only to our already renowned Joab”.
Standings after round 3:
1. Vinicius Costalonga 3 GW, 10.0 VP, 180
2. Eduardo “Dudu” Victor de Souza Cibrao 2 GW, 10.0 VP, 174 TP
3. Leonardo Villela 2 GW, 9.0 VP, 138 TP
4. Giuseppe "Kela" Sciortino 2 GW, 8.5 VP, 174 TP
5. Joab Rogerio Barbosa da Silva 2 GW, 8.5 VP, 168 TP
After three rounds and many GWs in dispute, the final table was composed like this:
The winner of the tournament, Joab Rogério, will tell us about the final table: “Since I was last to go, I didn’t have the privilege of choosing the order, so I sat down first. Giuseppe wanted to hunt me, Léo wanted to be hunted by me, then Dudu wanted to be hunted by me too, and lastly, Vinícius Costalonga also wanted to be hunted by me. So, I was left hunting the Tzimisce, the Tzimisce hunting the Ravnos, the Ravnos hunting the Lasombra, who was Léo, and Léo hunting Giuseppe. I was also unlucky to be last of the five and also start the table. I couldn’t play a vampire on the first turn, only on the second. I played Lillian, one of the only vampires in my non-anarch deck.
After her, I played Thing and played Maximiliano. Since I had the bleed deck behind me, I didn’t have a passer, but I came out with 3 Villein in my first hand. So, in all the vampires I played, I played Villein 5. Guisepe was very aggressive in bleeding and I had to take it without being able to pass in the first instant. I noticed that Tzim also didn't attack at the beginning of the game on Ravnos. Ravnos was very aggressive with Leo. And Leo called the Spectral Servitor, which pays and untaps, and bleeds Giusepe too.
With that, I waited for the right moment, wasting my reactions, letting Tzim stop me, and then I untapped. He kept waking up and wasting his reactions. I realized that whenever he took an action, Vinicius didn't stop with the vampires standing. He wanted to spend his reactions to get the bleeds and kill Ravnos.
Then there came a point at the table where Giuseppe was reducing Léo's bleeds with the firstborn card, so Ravnos made a mistake, in my opinion, by using Anarch Troublemaker to cover Léo's vampires and pass the card to Léo. And he bleed Léo too hard and Léo didn't pass the bleed. So he thought the prey didn't have a passer and bleeded again. And Léo woke up and passed it to Giuseppe. And Giuseppe had to take that bleed. And when it was Leo's turn, Leo used Troublemaker and covered Giuseppe's standing vampire, and made the VP. Giuseppe was the first to leave the game.
At that point, I had about 25 points in the pool and Leo preferred not to attack me quickly because he knew he wouldn't be able to kill me, so he preferred to try to get past Ravnos' bleeds. He couldn't resist either and ended up losing to Ravnos. But before that, I had realized something: when Vinícius Costalonga risked his move, he wanted to kill both Ravnos and Leo in one turn, which would have made him win the tournament in a draw, since he had been the best placed in the previous rounds. So I played waiting for Costalonga to make a mistake. When he made a mistake trying to kill Ravnos, since I had already wasted a lot of his reaction time, he had no way of waking up and so I managed to kill my prey with just one bleed. In fact, it wasn't such a difficult VP to make because I waited for his mistake and when he made a mistake, I took him out of the game.
After that, Ravnos had killed Leo and it was up to me against Dudu. I had 23 pool, he managed to take 12 of my pool in one turn. And I kept bleeding them one by one until he had 4 pool and I had 6 minions. And then he reduced 2 of my bleeds, but still had two vampires. When he tried to block one, I had stealth. Here I think he also made a mistake because he should have tried to stop me before to make me spend stealth at the beginning. Because maybe I wouldn't have the card for the final bleed. I think he should have risked it earlier. But, in any case, I still had a Form of Mist in case he blocked me.
In the end, it was a really fun match to play. It was easy, because there were a lot of bleed decks and I only had to worry about pooling. Pooling, pooling. It wasn't the kind of table where I had to worry about rushing or walling decks. That was less of a concern. I was able to do all my actions, always passing down. Everything my vampires could do, I was able to do, so I only had to worry about bleed. In the end, I came out on top. I planned my strategy from the beginning. When I saw my position, I thought about attacking little by little without drawing too much attention. And it worked”.
The tournament winning deck: “Wolves of Winterfell 0.0”
Crypt (12 cards)
1x André the Manipulator 6 FOR PRO Gangrel:5
1x Ángel Guerrero 7 ANI DOM PRO baron Tzimisce:6
1x Casey Snyder 6 PRO ani cel for baron Gangrel:6
1x Hanna Nokelainen 4 ani for pro Gangrel:6
1x Indira 3 PRO Gangrel:6
1x Joaquín de Cádiz 3 for pro Gangrel:6
1x Kamile Paukstys 5 PRO ani for Gangrel:6
1x Kuyén 6 ANI PRO baron Gangrel:6
1x Lillian 3 ani pro Gangrel:5
1x Massimiliano 7 ANI FOR pro baron Gangrel:6
1x Nathan Turner 4 PRO ani Gangrel:6
1x Ruslan Fedorenko 2 pro Gangrel:6
Library (90 cards)
Master (23; 7 trifle)
1x Anarch Railroad
1x Backways
1x Carfax Abbey
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Ecoterrorists
4x Effective Management
1x Ennoia's Theater
1x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
1x Giant's Blood
1x Information Highway
2x Parthenon, The
1x Powerbase: Montreal
7x Villein
Action (14)
1x Rewilding
13x Thing
Political Action (5)
2x Consanguineous Boon
3x Revolutionary Council
Action Modifier (12)
1x Daring the Dawn
4x Earth Control
2x Monkey Wrench
5x Propaganda of the Deed
Action Modifier/Reaction (4)
4x Form of the Bat
Combat (15)
2x Claws of the Dead
9x Earth Meld
4x Form of Mist
Reaction (17)
7x Bait and Switch
2x Deep Ecology
6x Organized Resistance
2x Poison Pill
Celebrations and the 2026 Brazilian Championship
It was already night when Joab lifted the Brazilian VTES champion trophy. One of the biggest winners of the Brazilian VTES, Joab said that other players from Campina Grande had raised money so that he could leave Paraíba and come play in the championship. He thanked everyone who helped him and lifted the trophy that crowned the most competitive championship in recent times.
In parallel, it is worth mentioning that there was an important round table with the presence of the 5 best female players in the championship. The winner went to Dayane Tenório, from Rio de Janeiro, who played Lasombra Vote G4 with Bruce de Guy.
The celebration among the participants extended beyond the event. Many there knew each other from online gaming groups from different states and met for the first time in Volta Redonda. Regarding the success of the championship, Aylton tells us how proud he was to organize everything. “More than breaking records, BR 2025 showed the strength of our community and the ability to organize and unite around something we love.”
Júlio echoes this viewpoint. “We held a beautiful event, with everything a major championship deserves: a food court, an arcade with retro games, social areas, halls with dozens of gaming tables, and a beautiful auditorium with an impeccable stage for the grand final. Yes, it was hard work. It was exhausting. But I would do it all over again, without hesitation.”
The prince of Volta Redonda also emphasizes that an event held like this raises the level of future championships. “Our main goal — to present a professional-level event, raise the standard of championships in Brazil, and show that VTES can indeed have events as organized and grand as any other card game — was fully achieved.”
In closing, we would like to thank everyone who participated, supported, and contributed to making the 2025 Brazilian VTES Championship happen. As Júlio says, “this success is not mine, nor the organizing team’s — it belongs to the entire VTES community in Brazil.” Special thanks to the CSN Foundation and the event’s sponsors:
- Kléber Bertazzo, da Editora Conclave;
- Bruno Meleiro, da Dark Phoenix;
- Tiago Honorato, da Tiago VTES Store;
- Jean Corrêa, da Jean VTES Store;
- Yuri Waki, da Elísio VTES.
We would also like to thank the national coordinator, Márcio Pinheiro, for his representation with the BCP. In fact, before the final table, Márcio Pinheiro, following the policy of alternating the regions of the national championships, revealed that the city that will host the national championship in 2026 will be Campina Grande, in Paraíba, land of Joab. The 2025 champion will defend his second championship title at home. Will he be able to do so? We will find out next year. Until then, let's play VTES!
A HUGE thanks to José for this fantastic report, and thanks to all other organisers, sponsors and lovely players!
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