{% extends "archetypes/_layout.html" %} {% import "archetypes/_layout-erratum.html" as erratum with context %} {% import "archetypes/neonate/malkavian-dementation.json" as deck_json %} {% block meta %} {% endblock %} {% block archetype_name %}

{{ malkavian }} Malkavian Dementation

{% endblock %} {% block archetype %} {% trans trimmed blood_doll=card("Blood Doll"), confusion=card("Confusion"), deny=card("Deny"), dreams_of_the_sphinx=card("Dreams of the Sphinx"), eyes_of_chaos=card("Eyes of Chaos"), kindred_spirits=card("Kindred Spirits"), no_trace=card("No Trace"), restructure=card("Restructure"), sudden_reversal=card("Sudden Reversal"), telepathic_misdirection=card("Telepathic Misdirection"), the_barrens=card("The Barrens"), the_call=card("The Call"), villein=card("Villein"), wash=card("Wash"), bloat=link("/strategy/bloat", _("bloat")), main_article=link("/archetypes/dementation-bleed", _("main article")), v5_malkavian=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/vampire-the-eternal-struggle-fifth-edition/fifth-edition-malkavian/", _("V5 Malkavian")), fb_malkavian=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/first-blood/first-blood-malkavian/", _("First Blood: Malkavian")), keepers_of_tradition_1=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/product-keepers-of-tradition-reprint-bundle-1/", _("Keepers of Tradition 1")), sabbat_precons=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/preconstructed-decks/", _("Sabbat Precons")), anniversary=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/preconstructed-decks/product-25th-anniversary/", _("25th Anniversary")) %}

Highlights

This is a brutal stealth & bleed deck using Malkavian {{ malkavian }} and their legacy {{ dem }}.

The plan is to bleed hard, with stealth. {{ kindred_spirits }} provides a bit of {{ bloat }} and {{ dem }} has great modifiers like {{ confusion }} and {{ eyes_of_chaos }}. The Master module provides a bit of bloat with {{ blood_doll }} and {{ villein }}, as well as card cycling tools like {{ dreams_of_the_sphinx }} and {{ the_barrens }}. But, most importantly, it includes counters against Master cards with {{ sudden_reversal }} and {{ wash }}: they're used to prevent bloat on the prey's side.

{{ OBF }} is used for stealth, with a wide range of different modifiers so as to be able to stack them. It also provides {{ no_trace }}, the only combat defence of the deck. {{ AUS }} provides a bit of defence, with {{ telepathic_misdirection }} for bounces. Hand management is key: if a prey has only low intercept they might decide to never try to block to jam the hand with stealth.

An interesting point about the deck is that {{ kindred_spirits }} allows to bleed any Methuselah, so one can even use it strategically against someone else, like their predator. Obviously though, it's best used on the prey as a rule of thumb.

Tweaks and variants

A few {{ dem }} legacy cards are excellent additions to this deck, like {{ deny }}, {{ restructure }} and {{ the_call }}. On the other hand, a few additional counters against Master cards can help too if you can trade for more {{ sudden_reversal }} and {{ wash }}. Some variations play a dozen of those to completely bar the prey from their Master module. Depending on the cases, you might find the library a bit short. If this is the case, adding a few {{ kindred_spirits }} and half that amount of {{ confusion }} is an easy way to increase it.

This is not the fastest crypt one can use for this build. The {{ main_article }} about the archetype presents alternatives if you have access to a few legacy cards. With a fast enough crypt, one can focuse completely on bleeding and forego bounces and bloat Masters altogether.

What to buy

The bulk of the cards come from two {{ fb_malkavian }} and {{ v5_malkavian }}, with a few additions from {{ keepers_of_tradition_1 }}. The Master counters {{ sudden_reversal }} and {{ wash }} are the trickiest to come by: they can be found in the {{ sabbat_precons }} or should be traded for. {{ dreams_of_the_sphinx }} can be found in the {{ anniversary }}.

{% endtrans %} {% endblock %}