Please Ban The Unmasking

Exactly how is it different if there is random ally with +1 intercept blocking you than say Neighbour John or Carna with a sniper rifle?

Klaital wrote:

Exactly how is it different if there is random ally with +1 intercept blocking you than say Neighbour John or Carna with a sniper rifle?

Ally are not alway unique and sometime are disposable, so the counter are differents.

For example, Nocturn spam with the Unmasking, while not broken by any mean, don't care that you blur an Assault Rifle in the face, while Carna certainly do.

Neigbor john with abbot and atonement is a much bigger problem for some low stealth decks than allies. Again, nocturns are always expendable, but tension makes it hard for them to remain an issue. Freak drive at superior also hurts decks that try blocking everything without no secrets or other nonsense.

Hey guys ! there are anti event techs, anti allies techs (and even in the form of excellent crypt cards) that you could use but actually do not because you want to optimize your deck. When was the last time you saw Pieterzoon advance hit a table ? Funny cause he's a really decent vamp and protects you 100% against the gehenna that would screw your deck. If some cards annoy you, why not build in consequence ?

Try that, and if it does not work for some consecutive months, then we can talk about banning. Please feel free to use this thread to share your experience using cards like Fourth cycle or Black hand ritual !

Reyda wrote:

Hey guys ! there are anti event techs, anti allies techs (and even excellent crypt cards) that you could use but actually do not. When was the last time I saw Pieterzoon advance hit a table ? Funny cause he's a really decent vamp and protects you 100% against the gehenna that would screw your deck. If some cards annoy you, why not build in consequence ?

Try that, and if it does not work for some consecutive months, then we can talk about banning.

Oh, and if unmasking gets out of the game, I'd then ask for Edge explosion to make a comeback.

I agree with you until that last line. Clearly, memories of mortality needs unbanned

(In all seriousness, if MoM was erratad to ghoul or non-imbued mortal ally, and made unique, it would be potentially ok. But as long as unmasking is around, ally decks are viable. If its gone, they arent, and the game becomes less dynamic. Dynamic=good. Static=screwed.)

brandonsantacruz wrote:

I am ok with Giant's Blood, Villein, Lilith's Blessing, Golconda, etc. What I really want to see banned is The Unmasking. Why? Turning every ally into a +1 intercept minion is a HUGE change to the game state, one that can not be countered without a LOT of effort. Add that to Carlton's +1 intercept, Imbued convictions, etc and it can too easily shut a lot of decks down cold. This card shows up in just about every tournament, if not every tournament round, that I play in.

Would you be similarly shut down or frustrated when playing against:

- a weenie Auspex wall
- an aus/for grinder, with a strong wall element
- a well put together No Secrets from the Magaji blocker
- a Camarilla wall with a lot of Second Tradition
- a good Howler wall

?

There are strong examples of each in the TWDA, all of which tend to demonstrate exceptional good table control and longevity in the hands of a skilled player.

The weenier decks tend to be more frustrating, as block denial/block fails tech (e.g. Seduction, Elder Impersonation) is typically less useful. You may at least be able to ram a few actions by an Anneke deck with a careful use of Pentex Subversion and Call of the Hungry Dead, or whatever.


(Obviously, it's not the case that the wall deck needs to be able to block everything for you to be considered shut down. Though the best played walls I've seen don't want to block everything - if I'm the wall and you're my prey, I want you to do some damage to your prey; if you're my predator, I don't want my grand-predator completely destabilised. This is a tricky balance to master, but some players do it very, very well indeed.)