Using the Advantage

How do you intend to oust?

Stealthy bleeds of 2-3 on my predator's turn, along with choice votes.

How do you intend to keep from being ousted?

Abbot, Raven Spy, Sport Bike, on an Eternally Vigilant Cailean.

What do you want your ready region to look like (ie, how many guys are you planning on getting out)?

Cailean first, then Beast, when necessary, then others.

What do you want your average turn to look like?

Once the Eternal Vigilance is in play, I'd like an archbishop or cardinal to call a vote and have it pass. Then other minions can rush (if they're Beast) or bleed. On my predator's turn, block something with the Eternally Vigilant titled vampire and untap afterwards with Cat's Guidance to enable an Enkil Cog based bleed to get lots of pool from Using The Advantage.

What's your metagame like? How do your opponents play?

Wildly varied. Anything from Horde Scobax to Anson/Anneke/Alexandra.

What problems have you observed with the deck in play?

Haven't played it yet. Opened some boxes of Third Edition and got inspired by Using the Advantage. The original vote deck that is based on has won many local games but hasn't yet won a tournament.


Deck Name : Using the Advantage
Author : Lasombra
Description : 2011 version of the older vote deck, slightly tool-boxed

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 6 max: 10 average: 8.5

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3x Cailean 10 archbishop G:2
1x Yong-Sun, Harmonist Adv 10 cardinal G:2
1x Yong-Sun, Harmonist 10 cardinal G:2
1x Aeron 9 archbishop G:3
1x Julio Martinez 9 bishop G:3
2x Beast, The Leather 7 G:2
1x Kendrick 7 priscus G:2
1x Teresita, The Godmother 7 G:3
1x Christanius Lionel 6 G:2

Library [90 cards]

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Action [13]
1x Abbot
3x Eternal Vigilance
9x Vermin Channel

Action Modifier [17]
2x Animal Magnetism
3x Enkil Cog
4x Faceless Night
4x Old Friends
4x Private Audience

Combat [22]
7x Canine Horde
7x Carrion Crows
3x Pushing the Limit
5x Taste of Vitae

Equipment [1]
1x Sport Bike

Master [19]
1x Giant's Blood
1x Information Network
1x Legendary Vampire
1x Lilith's Blessing
1x Nosferatu Kingdom
1x Papillon
1x Shanty Town Hunting Ground
4x Using the Advantage
8x Villein

Political Action [7]
1x Anarchist Uprising
1x Ancient Influence
1x Ancilla Empowerment
1x Cardinal Benediction
1x Kine Resources Contested
1x Neonate Breach
1x Reins of Power

Reaction [10]
6x Cats' Guidance
4x Sense the Savage Way

Retainer [1]
1x Raven Spy

I really think this deck has potential.
Pentex Subversion seems to be a major weakness because you have no acceleration like Dreams of the Sphinx, Zillah's Valley, or Information Highway.
A major strength of this deck is its abilty to get game wins with only two VP's.
Once the deck sets up a wall and gets the edge that your predator just cant get you before timeout (Using the Advantage).

Deck Name : Using the Advantage
Author : Lasombra
Description : 2011 version of the older vote deck, slightly tool-boxed

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 6 max: 10 average: 8.5

---

3x Cailean 10 archbishop G:2
1x Yong-Sun, Harmonist Adv 10 cardinal G:2
1x Yong-Sun, Harmonist 10 cardinal G:2
1x Aeron 9 archbishop G:3
1x Julio Martinez 9 bishop G:3
2x Beast, The Leather 7 G:2
1x Kendrick 7 priscus G:2
1x Teresita, The Godmother 7 G:3
1x Christanius Lionel 6 G:2

I am taking for granted that the above vampires are the best choice.

Library [90 cards]

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Action [13]
1x Abbot
3x Eternal Vigilance
9x Vermin Channel //This is too many -2
Since you haven't play tested this I feel that 9
action cards without major untap is a mistake.

Action Modifier [17]
2x Animal Magnetism //Good card.
3x Enkil Cog //I prefer this number as well for the combo.
4x Faceless Night //A natural pick
4x Old Friends //Exceptional card
4x Private Audience //Too many here as well.
However I cannot argue against there usefulness.
Just -2 here for the exceptional toolbox
effect.



Combat [22]
7x Canine Horde
7x Carrion Crows
3x Pushing the Limit //Im thinking Target Vitals as a replacement.
//Cailien finds this card useless.

5x Taste of Vitae

Equipment [1]
1x Sport Bike

Master [19]

1x Giant's Blood
1x Information Network
1x Legendary Vampire
1x Lilith's Blessing
1x Nosferatu Kingdom
1x Papillon
1x Shanty Town Hunting Ground //-1 here because your star only needs
Papillion.
//+2 Information Highway because it just
speeds things up.
4x Using the Advantage
8x Villein

Political Action [7]
1x Anarchist Uprising
1x Ancient Influence
1x Ancilla Empowerment
1x Cardinal Benediction //Just an idea but Sabbat Inquistor may be far better
here because of the +1 bleed and the synergy with
Yong-Sun.
1x Kine Resources Contested
1x Neonate Breach
1x Reins of Power

Reaction [10]
6x Cats' Guidance
4x Sense the Savage Way
//+2 Lost in Translation Use your 10 caps for the bounce.
Retainer [1]
1x Raven Spy //+1 Raven Spy is too good here.

How do you intend to keep from being ousted?

Abbot, Raven Spy, Sport Bike, on an Eternally Vigilant Cailean.

90 cards, 1 Abbot, 1 Raven Spy, 1 Sport Bike and 3 Eternal Vigilance with slow card cycling and without transfer acceleration. I think fast decks very easy kill you espescially with any Sudden Reversal. Very slow setup, very slow deck cycling.

Exposer wrote:

I think fast decks very easy kill you espescially with any Sudden Reversal. Very slow setup, very slow deck cycling.

I find your lack of useful information unhelpful.

If you see problems, you need to point out the solutions to those problems or you have simply wasted your time, and the time of everyone that reads the thread after you have posted.

Adonai wrote:

Exposer wrote:

I think fast decks very easy kill you espescially with any Sudden Reversal. Very slow setup, very slow deck cycling.

I find your lack of useful information unhelpful.

If you see problems, you need to point out the solutions to those problems or you have simply wasted your time, and the time of everyone that reads the thread after you have posted.

I think this part of his post

Exposer wrote:

90 cards, 1 Abbot, 1 Raven Spy, 1 Sport Bike and 3 Eternal Vigilance with slow card cycling and without transfer acceleration.

gives a strong clue of his suggested solution to this problem.
It really doesn't need to be couched in a +X / -Y format to be useful.

Mael wrote:

It really doesn't need to be couched in a +X / -Y format to be useful.

As already stated, I disagree.

This isn't a thread for general deck building theory and hand waving.

This is a thread for discussion of this specific already successful deck.

The only changes from the existing deck that has already won multiple games:

Villein for Minion Tap
Vermin Channel for Night Moves
Papillon for Gurchon Hall
Old Friends for duplicate votes
Using the Advantage for duplicate votes

Each change is targeted to making the deck better. So far, I think they will.