Brand spanking new player has questions

Hey all,

I very very recently decided that I am going to try to get into VTES. I have an unhealthy love of VTM, thanks to the PC games when they were released. In 2015 I got into MTG and fell in love with card games. While going to the game shops, I saw people playing D&D. Long story short, this is also the time frame I learned that VTM was a tabletop game, that was originally made back in the very early 90's, long before the PC games came out. This is when I fell down the rabbit hole and discovered how deep VTM actually is. Pretty overwhelming, but loved drowning myself in the lore. This is also when I discovered that VTM's cult following made my passion for the game seem like a childish crush.

I truly love MTG and discovered that I love collecting the cards and organizing them and taking care of them as much as I love playing the game.I collect playsets (4 of each card) of entire sets of MTG. When I discovered that VTES made a comeback, it sparked something in me to branch out. I have decided that I am going to attempt to get into the game, despite how extremely complicated it seems (based of reading the rulebook and watching videos of people explaining the game). In the event I do not like playing the game or I can't find people where I live to actually play the game, I am at the very least going to start collecting it.

Where to begin? I have absolutely no clue. I have been sending emails out to some people who are involved with TCG's and CCG's. I've been getting some good information, but I'm still feeling overwhelmed and a bit confused. As far as collecting goes, I would prefer to start in order and work my way from Jyhad to the newest printed set. I purchased every Crypt Card from a guy on ebay from the 1994 Jyhad set for about $10 (including shipping). When I asked him how much he would charge me for the rest of the set (the library cards), he told me he would charge me $325 to put together a complete set, $200 if I bought one of this $115 booster boxes first. That seemed like quite a jump. So I've been putting my feelers out trying to get an idea of prices for sets, which I know will vary. I don't want to jump onto the first offer someone makes me, at this point, it would be extremely easy for people to take advantage of me. I don't mind spending $300+ per set if that is, in fact, a proper amount for an entire set. I spend $400+ for a playset of an entire set of magic cards and I get 4 of every card in the set. But when I see people on ebay selling an entire set for a starting bid of $40... $325 seems fishy. So if anyone can help me out with information on this particular issue, I would greatly appreciate it.

The other thing I have issues on is where to start as far as playing goes. I have contacted a guy who runs this website "www.sites.google.com/site/rosetatuproductions/home/playgroup-support-kits-1". He seems like he might be my best bet. I have also printed up proxes of the Malkavian' 94 deck. But that seems a bit more advanced. I am toying with the idea of printing up proxies of 4 standard starter decks and trying to get 4 people together to try out and learn the game. Unfortunately, the town I live in extremely sucks and so do most people in it. Getting anyone to do anything feels like a lost cause. I understand that if you play, the cards must be within consecutive numbers as far as the sets go. I don't want to buy starter decks that are not legally allowed to be played against each other. I have a real lost in the woods sensation when it comes to my first actual purchase of a deck to play.

Thanks,
Steve

There's a guy on ebay that sells "starter decks". Probably a good place to start. They're like 12-15 bucks a piece and have cards that cross the spectrum of play to give you a good taste of the game and rules.

The cards don't have to be in "consecutive" order. There is a grouping rule for vampires only that limit the vampires you can play in a deck. Don't worry about this aspect of things for just starting out. It's meant more for competitive deck building and if you're gearing up for tournaments then look at the grouping rules.

Jyhad is probably the best place to start if you want physical cards. There's tons of it out there and it's relatively cheap. Basically everything else is really hard to get at this point. Low print levels combined with a limited secondary market means you're going to be hard pressed to make full sets of most of the editions without spending a life savings or getting lucky. I know that's not an easy thing to hear from a collector's point of view but it's the state of the game currently.

Black Chantry Productions have started making new sets and releasing them on drive thru rpg. They don't contain all the cards printed for each set and the numbers aren't consistent. That being said, it's the best way to get cards for the game and they are LCG style sets that aren't randomized.

Another place to start before you get into buying a bumnch of cards is to use something like amaranth.vtes.co.nz/ to build decks/ view cards / print proxies.

Then when you have a feel for the cards you want - you can go and buy those specific ones intead of accumulating a bunch of wallpaper.

(that is, unless youre also just wanting to collect)

Amaranth also has a lot of 'starter decks' to try.

Where are you located? Local players make life way easier. They often give you cards.

It's often harder to initially learn to play than any other part of the game, and playing with people who already play is the fastest way to learn.

Many vtes players were in similar situations as you, played mtg, background of some kind in vtm. I stopped mtg for vtes to have more fun.

The notable reasons at the time were I spent way less getting into vtes than I did staying competitive at type 2 magic, and I could have MANY viable decks together at once, without only being able to afford 1-3 like mtg.

These things are both still true, but getting started is a small hurdle.

Good luck, my biggest advice is pick one thing you loved from vtm, then learn to play with a hidden goal in your head to try bringing that thing into the card game.
For me, it was simple: catch people off guard because they assumed they knew what Malkavians do. In vtes, they essentially just bleed at stealth, the mono-red of vtes. So, my malks would look like that, then abruptly wouldn't.
I brought out Anatole. Then I bled for 2, then it became 3 at stealth. Preys turn, they entered combat with Anatole. He pulled out a flamethrower, went to long range and cooked them.
Not great, but it let's you play interesting things and not always lose.
What are your favorite parts of VTM?

Welcome aboard.

Collecting-wise it doesn't matter which sets you purchase in which order. If the price for a "factory set" is right, go for it and don't mind if it is not the "next set" you've have been wanting to purchase.

Also bear in mind that while MtG or some other games have restrictions on the number of copies of cards you are allowed to include in your deck VtES has none (barring the 60-90 card Library and 12+ card Crypt).

Also like ReverendRevolver just said, finding some old hands would probably ease up the learning of the game A LOT!

I'm in Evansville, IN. I have talked to a handful of people at the shops. Some are willing to try it out. None actually play.