TWD - Path of Death and the Soul Los Angeles

Path of Death and the Soul Los Angeles
Los Angeles (CA), USA
February 14th 2026
2R+F
14 players
Karl Schaefer
www.vekn.net/event-calendar/event/12826

-- 1GW4.5 + 4vp in final

Deck Name: Diana's Demise
Description:
You have to go back to 2021 to find a AAA vote deck in the TWDA. The time for these
decks was diminished when Parity Shift was nerfed, but I felt that Camarilla's Iron Fist
might be able to give them a resurgence. The goal is to reach the heads-up and bolster
your success rate by using the native +bleed vampires. This is also why the core of the
deck includes Marcellus, who rarely gets used in this style and serves better than Tatiana
Romanov because he's a Zillah's target. The deck focuses on stealth over Toreador Grand
Ball, which is useful in those bleeding situations and frees up an action taken by the Ball.
All of the stealth is also free-flowing except for the Resist Earth's Grasp, which doubles as
combat defense. On top of that, there are multiple Banishment to help solve all kinds of
problems, especially endgame problems.

The finals was particularly interesting:
Jason playing Anarch Tzim toolbox 1 VP ->
Billy playing unnamed rush combat 0 VP ->
Jeff playing Ira Rivers gun-wall 0 VP ->
Me playing AAA 4 VP ->
Marcos playing Malk V5 0 VP

Billy's deck was rightfully feared as his combat was the strongest at the table. He had
some ill-luck with his first rush, a back-rush at Jason. Jason ended up playing Rötschreck
and sending the unnamed to torpor. Lacking any follow-up actions and with no one willing
to rescue, Billy was dead two turns later, but not before Jason Graverobbed the unnamed
and then received 10 pool for it via Golconda, played by Billy, who proceeded to transfer
out, figuring Jason earned it. I eat some bleeds, but Jeff is a little concerned about
Marcos ending up on his doorstep as Jason is recycling Bait and Switch via Garibaldi.
Marcos, however, blew through all 16 newfound pool in one turn.

I eat a few more small bleeds and manage to finally hit a large Villein, followed up by Info
Highway. I bled Marcos for 1 to move the Edge, leaving Marcos at 5. I use my extra
transfers and pool to bring up Anneke and AAA is complete. I'm now contesting the
Justicar title with my predator's Madame Guile, which is useful for me as that's one less
vampire that can play Second Tradition. Having not hit a second Villein Jeff only has her
and Ira Rivers at this point.

Jason survives another barrage by Marcos and is at 5 pool. Jason is pleading for help, but
also knows he's probably not going to survive the help. Jeff bleeds me and I bounce the
bleed of 2, leaving Marcos at 3.

On my next turn I play Camarilla Conclave. I'm sitting on two Camarilla's Iron Fist and
have vote lock thanks to the title contestation. I call the first Fist with Anson. Ira plays
Second Tradition to unlock and attempt to block. I use Alexandra's special to lock him
again and fail the block. He's not holding a wake and I am able to oust Marcos while
leaving Jason at 3 pool, gaining 7 pool in the process. I decided to wait lest Ira do
something untoward to my vampires if I take any further actions.

Jason sets up for defense. I eat a bleed for 2 from Jeff's Guile and he leaves Ira unlocked
to prevent the lock effect from failing his block as he could follow up with a Second
Tradition. I play my third Ashur and a Monastery of Shadows. I managed to get to 5
stealth, bypassing Ira's intercept with titleless Anneke (still contesting), calling Banishment
to removes Jason's only remaining vampire. Jeff has more intercept, but it was a Second
Tradition, which, if he plays, just gets Ira locked. I follow up with an ousting bleed and the
game is mine at that point because of seeding. We finish it formally next turn when I
Banish Ira, at which point Jeff concedes.

Crypt (13 cards, min=30 max=43 avg=9)

---

5x Anson 8 CEL PRE aus dom prince Toreador:1
3x Alexandra 11 ANI AUS CEL PRE dom inner circle Toreador:2
2x Anneke 10 AUS CEL PRE dom justicar Toreador:1
1x François Villon 10 AUS CEL PRE chi obf pot prince Toreador:2
1x Marcellus 8 AUS CEL pro prince Toreador:2 -- you don't want this guy early, vamp 3
1x Victoria Ash 6 PRE aus cel dom primogen Toreador:2 -- cheap titled bouncer that can Fist and Cap at superior

Library (82 cards)
Master (32; 7 trifle)
6x Ashur Tablets
2x Camarilla Conclave
1x Direct Intervention
1x Giant's Blood
1x Golconda: Inner Peace
1x Information Highway
1x Monastery of Shadows
1x Papillon
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion -- still good
1x Toreador Grand Ball -- in case of emergency, was useful in round 2
6x Villein
1x Wider View
9x Zillah's Valley

Political Action (17)
1x Anarchist Uprising
1x Ancient Influence
1x Ancilla Empowerment
3x Banishment
6x Camarilla's Iron Fist
4x Parity Shift
1x Political Stranglehold -- less valuable post-Sabbat, still necessary

Action Modifier (16)
5x Loup
5x Perfect Paragon
6x Voter Captivation

Action Modifier/Combat (4)
4x Resist Earth's Grasp

Reaction (7)
5x Deflection -- seemed like enough today, better than AUS, which Anson cannot use
2x On the Qui Vive -- could possibly be removed only used one for wake-and-bounce

Combat (6)
6x Majesty -- could possibly add 1-2 more copies depending the meta