TWD - Dortmunder (Columbus OH on 20 June 2023)

Dortmunder: Columbus
Columbus OH, USA
June 20th, 2023
2R+F
28 players
Darby Keeney
www.vekn.net/event-calendar/event/10660

Deck Name: The Shape of Things to Come (MesoAmerican Wing Build)
Created by: Darby Keeney
Collaboration/Consultation from: Karl Schaefer

Description: A modification of "Flay the Game" (www.vekn.fr/decks/twd.htm#2019rmdc). This is a proof of concept for a module that many are likely to bolt on to V5 Tzimisce. It also scratches the itch of my obsession with British Museum.

-- 1GW+4, 2VP in finals, win on seeding

Overview: I played most of the first round with an open hand of 9 cards. Having 5-7 stealth and 2-3 combat ends visible at all times was mildly disheartening for the 3 ally-based decks at the table so I didn't bother to remove it.

The second round was less favorable, I barely missed my prey who was tossing 4 point Kindred Spirits in my direction until his prey over-transferred....almost like he didn't consider the possibility of 7 bleed coming his way. I still squeak into the final on a roll-off.

Final Table:
Jamie: Laz bleed/block (2 VP)
Matt: Banu Haqium irresponsible bleed
Paul: D'erlette Nephanus Tablets
Darby: Xipe BM Manse (2 VP)
Logan: unnamed Protocol bleed (1 VP)

The Nephandus deck stalled the Banu and Jamie gets back-to-back ousts. He's sitting as 5th seed so it's either engineer his demise or try to blast out 3 VP in a hurry. That first option seemed easier, and if the unnamed misfires, that other option remains viable. But the plan works.

Heads-up with the unnamed was a near thing, compounded by a Weißbier-inspired error on my part. Still managed to barely get the heads-up oust for the 2 VP win on seeding.

Crypt (12 cards, min=23 max=36 avg=7.58)

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5x Xipe Totec 9 ANI AUS PRO VIC archbishop Tzimisce:5
2x Darvag, The Butcher of Rus 8 ANI VIC aus pot pro Tzimisce:4
2x Stephen Bateson 6 ani aus tha vic Tzimisce:5
1x Dr. Morrow, The Skindoctor 5 AUS VIC for Tzimisce:5
1x Duality 6 AUS VIC ani Tzimisce:4
1x Ludmijla Rakoczy 7 ANI AUS VIC bishop Tzimisce:5

-- The crypt screws with the meta. Steal allies, burn locations, profit.
-- Bateson's disciplines blow but standing +1 stealth is too good to pass up.

Library (78 cards)
Master (24; 7 trifles)
5x British Museum, London, The
1x Coven, The
3x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Giant's Blood
2x Grooming the Protégé -- one of the few decks where this works
2x Information Highway
1x Jake Washington
1x Monastery of Shadows
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Perfectionist - could be a Direct Intervention?
5x Villein
1x Wider View

-- The library is 50% to hit a Museum within the first 10 cards and 67% within the first 15 cards, so yes there's math behind these ratios.
-- It seems like a lot of Masters, but realistically only about 10 non-trifles get played in a normal game. The rest are buried by the Heart or discarded.

Action (8)
1x Abbot
2x Deep Song -- could be Fiendish if the Femur gets removed, but the lock effect is good.
3x Fiendish Tongue
2x Under Siege -- a little harder to pull off in this build, but still worth duplication.

-- Reduced transient bleed actions are easily offset by 7 copies of Living Manse.

Ally (1)
1x War Ghoul -- upgrade something randomly stolen.

Equipment (15)
1x Blood Tears of Kephran
1x Bowl of Convergence
2x Cooler -- finances Xipe's special
1x Femur of Toomler -- Weirding Stone or Sargon Fragment would be better.
2x Heart of Nizchetus
7x Living Manse
1x Palatial Estate

-- Prerange combat ends was instrumental against Laz in Round 1 and the final.

Action Modifier (9)
4x Changeling
2x Earth Control
3x Mind of the Wilds

Action Modifier/Combat (3)
2x Plasmic Form
1x Rapid Change

-- Both of these are underplayed stealth/defensive combo cards.

Action Modifier/Reaction (2)
2x Form of the Bat -- another reason the Femur isn't helpful.

Reaction (11)
3x Eyes of Argus
1x My Enemy's Enemy
2x On the Qui Vive
5x Telepathic Misdirection

Combat (3)
3x Form of Mist

Event (2)
1x NRA PAC -- multiple unlocks with standing combat ends can't be bad.
1x Scourge of the Enochians -- Aranthebes might be better?