TWD - Gulf Coast Roast Grand Prix - Leg 4, New Orleans (USA) (12-OCT-24)

Gulf Coast Roast Grand Prix 2024 - New Orleans - Leg 4
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
October 12th, 2024
3R+F
18 players
www.vekn.net/event-calendar/event/11672

Kelly Lyons
-- 1GW+2.5VP + 4 VP in final

Deck Name: Water Dog - Flower Power
Author: Kelly Lyons and Randal Rudstam
Description: This is the same deck I ran in Mississippi and got to the Final Table. I did make a few modifications from that deck to suit the current meta I was seeing. You can see the original deck on my YouTube Channel, READING BETWEEN THE LYONS:

RBTL - VTES - Episode 0044 - 30th Anniversary Toreador (TWEAKED)

Here are the modifications:

Dropped the following MASTERS:
1 X Anarch Troublemaker
1 X Camarilla Conclave
1 X Dreams of the Sphinx
1 X Elysium: The Palace of Versailles

Added the following MASTERS:
1 X Protected Resources (3 Copies)
1 X Secret Passage
2 X Secure Haven

Dropped the following POLITICAL ACTIONS:
1 X Anarchist Uprising
1 X Ancilla Empowerment

Added the following POLITICAL ACTIONS:
1 X Camarilla's Iron Fist (7 Copies)
1 X Kine Resources Contested (3 Copies)

First of all, it was a miracle just to get to the final table. I was ousted in Round 1 in about twenty minutes. Round 2 was just luck. I was sandwiched between two wall combat decks; Tremere predator and Brujah prey. My ally helped me out with a banishment on my Brujah prey. I followed it up with a banishment on him as well. All of sudden I had prey I could handle. Got my game win when the table timed out. Round 3 was like Round 1. I was the first one out. So, I was lucky to have a game win and be in 5th place after Round 3.

Second, the seating for the final was not in my favor. When I looked at it I felt I would be the first one out. Not to mention, I drew the short straw and played first.

TABLE SEATING:
Playing 1st: Water Dog – Toreador Vote Bleed (Ranked 5th)
Playing 2nd: Mark Figuerola – Ministry Anarch Bleed (Ranked 2nd)
Playing 3rd: Andy Smith – Tzimisce Anarch Bleed (Ranked 1st)
Playing 4th: Brad Cashdollar – Toreador Vote (Ranked 4th)
Playing 5th: Norm Brown – Tupdog Trophy Progeny (Ranked 3rd)

Third, Brad and I were essentially playing the same deck. So, contesting was another hurdle.

Fourth, the only real chance for me to win was to back oust Norm. Easier said than done.

When it comes to a Tupdog Deck being my predator I have had plenty of experience over the last two years to develop a strategy.

Don’t bring out vampires!!!

They have to hunt someone else.

Now, in this tournament I did bring out a 2-capacity vampire, Mateo Garcia, just to have some sort of presence on the table. Norm topored him immediately. So, I spent the next four turns just influencing enough to bring out two vampires at the same time with another one ready to go. I also, set-up my hand to get ready for the onslaught.

Meanwhile, Norm was busy killing the board. He crippled Brad immediately when he burned Diana Iadanza. He then diablerized one of Mark’s vampires and got three Trophy Progenies into play. However, he was down to 10-pool and I had my board and hand set.

I influenced out Catalina Vega and Flavio Goncalves. Flavio has a built in dodge which will come into play. My hand was the following:

1 X Majesty
1 X Charismatic Aura
1 X Resist Earth's Grasp
1 X Forced March
1 X Voter Captivation
1 X Camarilla's Iron Fist
1 X Kine Resources Contested

Norm sent three rushes at Flavio. Using the built-in dodge and my combat cards, Flavio, was still in the ready region. He didn’t have blood but he was still there. Flavio hunted, then Forced Marched. I hit Norm for 4-pool damage with Camarilla's Iron Fist. Then followed it up with 3-pool damage with Kine Resources Contested. Norm was left with 3-pool. I let Brad do the rest. Norm was gone and Brad was crippled.

Next, I ousted Mark pretty quick. But, it took over an hour to get rid of Andy. I got Victoria Ash and Mkhokheli into play. With the extra votes and Catalina’s and Victoria’s +1bleed ability I slowly whittled away at Andy. Andy had plenty of Delaying Tactics. I want to say he used four of them against me. He bounced most of my bleeds into Brad. But, over time I got him. Brad surrendered after that.

Andy is a really good player. He won the other two tournaments this weekend. He made all three final tables. I call him my arch-enemy. He says to me, ”How am I your arch-enemy?”

He knows why. LOL

He’s always at the final table. I have played Andy at the final table more than any other player I have played against. Especially, all the tournaments and games over 30 years of casual play in Dallas. Andy is one of the best players in the game. He doesn’t get enough credit.

Thanks to Devin Villegas the Prince of New Orleans for hosting. Michelle (my wife) and I had great luncheon with Devin and his family. What a great host.

Thanks to Go 4 Games. Great store. Wonderful atmosphere. Thanks for having us.

Crypt (12 cards, min=16 max=34 avg=6.33)
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2x Diana Iadanza 9 AUS CEL FOR PRE justicar Toreador:7
2x Catalina Vega 8 AUS CEL PRE for prince Toreador:6
2x Flávio Gonçalves 7 CEL PRE aus for prince Toreador:6
2x Mkhokheli 6 PRE aus cel for prince Toreador:6
1x Maila 6 AUS PRE cel primogen Toreador:6
1x Victoria Ash 6 PRE aus cel dom Toreador:7
1x Kazuki Hanabira 2 aus Toreador:7
1x Mateo García 2 pre Toreador:6

Library (90 cards)
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Master (20; 4 trifle)

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1x Art Museum
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Giant's Blood
3x Protected Resources
1x Secret Passage
2x Secure Haven
6x Toreador Grand Ball
3x Villein
1x Wider View

Action (8)

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2x Embrace, The
2x Entrancement
2x Heart of the City
2x Third Tradition: Progeny

Political Action (15)

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2x Banishment
7x Camarilla's Iron Fist
3x Kine Resources Contested
3x Parity Shift

Action Modifier (25)

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2x Aire of Elation
4x Awe
2x Bewitching Oration
4x Forced March
3x Freak Drive
2x Loup
2x Perfect Paragon
6x Voter Captivation

Action Modifier/Combat (2)

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2x Resist Earth's Grasp

Action Modifier/Reaction (2)

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2x Scalpel Tongue

Reaction (10)

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2x Eyes of Argus
2x On the Qui Vive
2x Second Tradition: Domain
4x Telepathic Misdirection

Combat (8)

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2x Charismatic Aura
4x Majesty
2x Torrent