TWD - Abomination 7

Abomination 7
Gap (PA), USA
August 3rd, 2024
2R+F
10 players
Karl Schaefer
www.vekn.net/event-calendar/event/11565

Deck Name: Fix the Problem at the Source (Safety-Net Version)
Description: Arishat + Barons + Protected Resources

Jan Bjørndalen and I were discussing how to make Arishat + Barons work in the current bleed-heavy meta. I had previously tried a Protected Resource version of the deck, but thought it would be worthwhile since the last go. I had previously cut the deck down to 66 cards from 73, so I had some room to alter this a bit. Also thanks to Sérgio Martins for feedback and suggestions.

Notes:
No Arishat in the opening draw in round 2 or the finals. Managed to find her in the finals. Wider View needs to be added back to the deck. Not sure why I dropped it.

Recursion is still broken. I don't win any of these games today without recycling cards via Garibaldi-Meucci Museum.

Jacques Rouge's lack of PRE did hurt in the final, but his OBF made the deck much more efficient. Probably good that there's no 6- or 7-cap Barons with OBF/PRE in this grouping.

Crypt (13 cards, min=24 max=26 avg=6.15)

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5x Arishat 6 DAI OBF PRE 1 vote Baali:6
2x Atiena 6 CEL obf pot pre baron Brujah:6
2x Elisha Tucker 6 PRE cel obf pro baron Ministry:6
2x Jacques Rouge 6 OBF ani pot pre baron Nosferatu:6
2x Vivian VI 7 PRE PRO obf tha baron Ministry:6

Library (67 cards)
Master (14; 6 trifle)
1x Coven, The
1x Direct Intervention
1x Ferraille
1x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum -- recursion is still broken
1x Giant's Blood
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
3x Protected Resources
5x Villein -- don't be afraid double-Villein your vampires

Action (7)
4x Condemnation: Mute -- all I needed today, but will show faster with another copy
3x Unleash Hell's Fury

Political Action (15)
1x Anarchist Uprising
1x Ancilla Empowerment
1x Conservative Agitation -- nice change up vote, discard late
1x Domain Challenge
2x Eat the Rich -- so good in today's meta in the heads-up
5x Kine Resources Contested
4x Reckless Agitation

Action Modifier (21)
2x Bewitching Oration
2x Cloak the Gathering
2x Faceless Night
5x Forgotten Labyrinth
3x Lost in Crowds
2x Perfect Paragon
5x Voter Captivation

Action Modifier/Combat (2)
2x Swallowed by the Night

Reaction (4)
2x Bait and Switch
2x On the Qui Vive

Combat (4)
4x Majesty

Play notes from the day:
As expected there were titles on the table. In game 1, I was able to make friends, but not so much the rest of the day.

Game 1: Grand-prey drops Week of Nightmares with 5 people still in the game. Tries to get a single VP because things are looking dire. He manages to do so, ousting my cross-table vote buddy. I manage to put Condemnation: Mute on Mistress Fanchon and oust both my prey and grand-prey with Anarchist Uprising, leaving me in the heads-up with a fully operational Malgorzata, Mistress Fanchon, and Lord Tremere enemy. Protected Resource and Unleash Hell's Fury meant that I knew exactly how many bleeds I could take and the stealth required to them to get by. That gave me the tiniest bit of breathing room. Recycled Eat the Rich a few times. Key Pentex Subversion on Lord Tremere with a Bowl of Convergence allowed me to seal the deal on a stealth bleed of 1 to win the game. 0 cards in library, 5 in hand.

Game 2: I was looking to grab at least 1 VP here to ensure that I was top-seed. I was having less luck getting vote assistance and the seemingly unlimited Second Traditions by my prey were problematic. I negotiate to oust my grand-predator to get support on my votes (I didn't want Kuyen Raptor to end up next to me either). It took me much longer to get my half of that deal, but I did seal my VP. Lost the heads-up with Banu Haqim, but snagged the important VP to obtain first seed.

Finals:
Albert (2nd seed) Banu Haqim with Anathema 2 VP ->
Peter (5th seed) Ravnos toolbox 0 VP ->
John (4th seed) Nos/!Nos wall 0 VP ->
me (1st seed) 3 VP ->
Erik (3rd seed) Old-school Tzim War Ghoul 0 VP

No Arishat in the opening crypt draw. With 4 initial transfers, it was going to be the B-team (Atiena and Jaqcues Rouge), as I did not want to wait to get Vivian VI just for PRE. Albert was reticent to give me too much assistance cross-table. I call and early KRC that he allows to pass, but my Conservative Agitation fails after a misunderstanding on deal terms. My two Barons losing to his 2 Princes and my predator's Calebros. I am taking persistent bleed pressure, death of a 1000 cuts style. 2-4 bleeds of one each turn. I as able to Villein deep on both Atienna and Jacques Rouge. After the mishap with the votes, I was holding a lot of stealth and no votes. I hunted for the next three turns with both vampires, decrypting once to get Arishat, and then spending 6 pool to bring her out. Arishat plays Condemnation: Mute on one of my cross-table's Princes. I still don't have votes; hunt once and leave a blocker. He spends 2 pool on a War Ghoul and ends the turn at 6 pool. Peter's Ravnos are getting abused on both ends. I take even more bleeds of 1. Villein Arishat for 4 and Mute a second vampire. I draw into a KRC, which I play, hitting 4 stealth with Forgotten Labyrinth. Holindg the Anarchist Uprising, I decide I need to take out my prey while I can. This also gives a VP to Albert by ousting Peter. I gain 3 pool from the oust because of the damage to myself, but importantly hurt my predator, which slowed his bleeds a bit. Arishat is rushed into torpor and emptied. The Banu end up being less effect in combat with the Nos/!Nos because of Song of Serenity and multiple hunting grounds to keep those vampires ready for the next turn. Giant's Blood in hand, I get Arishat back out on my next turn. The game slowed for a little bit as I called a few votes and got an Unleash in play. I start my turn with 4 pool and decide that I have to get John off the table because I don't have infinite stealth and because the Mutes can leave Albert's vampires empty when my turn ends. I needed to play The Coven, which I knew could hurt me in the long run. I do so. Villein Arishat for 4 and call Reckless Agitation. If only I had known what I'd draw on the Voter Cap (another Reckless)...but I put the vote 3-3, predator-prey, to oust John and go heads-up with Albert. I Voter Cap for 2 pool and begin the heads-up way down in pool 19 pool for Albert and 9 for me. I call Eat the Rich and KRC. The Coven gives Albert and active vampire every turn, but also means I can Villein Atiena a second time for 5, gaining 4. My Protected Resources negating the possible big bleeds. Recycling Eat the Rich and using Domain Challenge, KRC, and Ancilla, I am able to finish Albert off over two more turns while being able to manage my pool loses. It was a quite tight final. The game ended with 2 cards left in my library.

Recursion is INDEED broken.

It used to be a VERY rare a thing but now everybody and their grandma can do it.

Remember when people fine-honed the card ratios in their decks so that they worked without a problem WITHOUT recursion? I REALLY admired that skill! (Not saying that using recursion doesn't need skill, but it IS an easier method and way more boring an approach!)

I've been banging that drum about Garibaldi (and recursion in general) every time's that I've won with it. This makes 4 finals that I've won with Garibaldi recycling being the key. It's been in two other TWDs of mine and in those instances recursion in an earlier round got me to the final.

Each of the decks is good, but being able to pick the card I need for the game state is worth more than 1 pool and it has proven to me through just my repeated usages of it that it greatly sways the outcome of the end game.

I will also note that I was first seed for the event on the night before and lost to a deck recycling Eat the Rich via Garibaldi. So, the weekend certainly had a theme. smh