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codex_of_the_damned/templates/strategy/articles/basic/combat-primer.html
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| Original file line number | Diff line number | Diff line change |
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| {% extends "strategy/articles/_layout.html" %} | ||
|
|
||
| {% block content %} | ||
| <h1> | ||
| {{ _('Combat Primer') }}<br /> | ||
| <span class="subtitle">{{ _('by X') }}</span> | ||
| </h1> | ||
| <div class="insert author"> | ||
| <img src="{{ url_for('static', filename='img/paul_jones.png') }}" alt="Paul Jones"> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed %} | ||
| X has been playing V:tES for 15 years, playing primarily combat decks | ||
| and exploring all the angles and possibilities they offer. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <div class="clear"></div> | ||
| </div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed %} | ||
| As soon as I started writing this article I realized that the topic is so broad and complex | ||
| that it would take forever to explore all its facets. | ||
| Thus, in this primer, I will focus on the basics and cover only the most common combat doctrines you can encounter, | ||
| so no bloodline or niche discipline. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h2>{{ _('Why and how to play combat?') }}</h2> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed %} | ||
| The common misconception about combat among newer players is that combat is a goal in itself, | ||
| focusing on eliminating minions and little else. | ||
| This is a wrong approach, even though it can be fun to tear off limbs and see everything burn, | ||
| at least for the one doing the tearing and burning, it does not bring you any closer to victory in and of itself. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| rush=link("/strategy/combat", _("rush")) | ||
| %} | ||
| When thinking about combat in VTES you must first and foremost think of it as a tool of control. | ||
| No other type of deck can reach all across the table and control the distribution of resources. | ||
| If someone (primarily your prey and predator) gets too strong at the table you can always visit them | ||
| and take some of their blood for yourself, or reduce their headcount to slow them down. | ||
| Most commonly, combat decks will make their predator the target of their first {{ rush }}, | ||
| to reduce pressure on their back and be able to focus all of their attention on their prey. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed %} | ||
| It is of utmost importance to remember that combat is just a tool to help you win, not a win condition. | ||
| When building a combat deck, you must think of how your deck will oust the prey first and foremost. | ||
| Quite often fledgling combat aspirants forget about this | ||
| and focus all of their efforts on sending vampires to torpor only to discover too late that | ||
| then they have no way of reducing their pool fast enough: they get left behind in the race for victory points. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <div class="column-2"> | ||
| {{ card_image("Fame", false) }} | ||
| {{ _("Ties in directly into your strategy by allowing you to take pool at the same time as you fight.") }} | ||
| </div> | ||
| <div class="column-2"> | ||
| {{ card_image("Tension in the Ranks", false) }} | ||
| {{ _("Similar purpose but has the downside of you not being in full control of who will lose pool at all times.") }} | ||
| </div> | ||
| <div class="column-2"> | ||
| {{ card_image("Dragonbound", false) }} | ||
| {{ _("Capitalizes on minions already being in torpor.") }} | ||
| </div> | ||
| <div class="column-2"> | ||
| {{ card_image("Codex of the Edenic Groundskeepers", false) }} | ||
| {{ _("Speeds up your bleeding when there are no defenders left.") }} | ||
| </div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| deep_song=card("Deep Song"), | ||
| line_brawl=card("Line Brawl") | ||
| %} | ||
| Any dual-purpose cards that let you take pool or enter combat like {{ deep_song }} or {{ line_brawl }} | ||
| are also very good additions since you will most likely need all the deck space you can get for efficient combat. | ||
| Once you have solved the question of ousting power, you will also have to think about the challenges you might face. | ||
| For combat decks, those typically boil down to: | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <ul> | ||
| <li>{% trans trimmed %} | ||
| <strong>Maneuvers</strong>: if you fight at close range, you must be able to beat at least one maneuver. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </li> | ||
| <li>{% trans trimmed %} | ||
| <strong>Dodge & Combat ends</strong>: nothing is more frustrating than having all your damage whiff so having an | ||
| answer to that is top priority. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </li> | ||
| <li>{% trans trimmed %} | ||
| <strong>Damage prevention</strong>: unfortunately outside of a few specialist choices there is very little you | ||
| can do about it. Some presses can help to continue combat. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </li> | ||
| <li>{% trans trimmed %} | ||
| <strong>Enemy combat</strong>: again, little you can do about it, a fight between two combat decks often boils | ||
| down to a coin toss and there are just too many permutations to be ready for everything. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </li> | ||
| </ul> | ||
| <div class="insert tip"> | ||
| <h3>{{ _('How to play against combat?') }}</h3> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed %} | ||
| Being on the receiving end of a combat deck is rarely fun, some even find it the worst experience in VTES that | ||
| saps their will to play. Do not despair though as all is not lost even if you are being hurt badly, there are | ||
| ways of dealing with combat that most decks can do. In general, you will want to make yourself an undesirable | ||
| prey for the combat deck to discourage rushes. Combat decks have limited resources and spending them can be a | ||
| tough decision. Here are some simple ways to stimmy the predations of a rush-happy deck: | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h4>{{ _('Delay') }}</h4> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed %} | ||
| In the beginning, if you know that your prey or predator is a combat deck, you can delay your start a bit to | ||
| bring out 2 vampires at the same time. There is little direct threat to your pool early on from the combat deck, | ||
| so delaying your start should not be a problem, whereas having more than one target now means they need to | ||
| expend more actions to take you offline completely. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h4>{{ _('Talk') }}</h4> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed %} | ||
| Talk to people. This is often the simplest but most forgotten way of dealing with combat. If you are being | ||
| slaughtered just ask around the table for others to help rescue your vampires from torpor or — in case you are | ||
| the predator of a combat deck and have been rushed to oblivion — slow down their advances toward you so you can | ||
| rebuild and pose a threat to combat again. Most people should be happy to do so because this brings you back as | ||
| the primary target and takes this burden off of them. At some point, a combat deck will run out of resources or | ||
| decide to focus them elsewhere and let you play your game. Patience is a virtue. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h4>{{ _('Rescue') }}</h4> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed %} | ||
| Rescue, rescue, rescue. Rescue your vampires, rescue other people vampires. | ||
| It is a war of attrition after all and if you just do nothing you have already lost. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h4>{{ _('Remove blood') }}</h4> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| villein=card("Villein") | ||
| %} | ||
| Remove blood from your vampires. If you are facing combat and you know you cannot get away then make yourself a | ||
| less desirable target. {{ Villein }} down your vampires as much as you can, this helps build your pool and also | ||
| reduces the effectiveness of combat. If you do not have blood they cannot take it from you and they may | ||
| overspend resources without need. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h4>{{ _('Block') }}</h4> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| embrace=card("The Embrace", "Embrace"), | ||
| jake_washington=card("Jake Washington") | ||
| %} | ||
| Have some chump blockers. Small minions are typically undesirable targets for combat decks. Having to waste an | ||
| action and potentially some combat cards to send an {{ embrace }} with no blood to torpor or fight | ||
| {{ jake_washington }} is not something a combat deck wants to do. Smaller vampires can protect your more | ||
| important ones. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| </div> | ||
| <h2>{{ _('Common combat modules') }}</h2> | ||
| <h3>{{ _('Allies') }}</h3> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Nephandus", false) }}</div> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("War Ghoul", false) }}</div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| nephandus=card("Nephandus"), | ||
| war_ghoul=card("War Ghoul"), | ||
| trap=card("Trap"), | ||
| molotov_cocktail=card("Molotov Cocktail"), | ||
| target_vitals=card("Target Vitals"), | ||
| pulled_fangs=card("Pulled Fangs"), | ||
| the_unmasking=card("The Unmasking") | ||
| %} | ||
| those decks typically bring allies to fight for them. The most common examples here would be {{ nephandus }}, | ||
| who can both bleed and fight as well as scary {{ war_ghoul }}. Those decks do not pack a very large combat package, | ||
| but they are extremely efficient with it. {{ nephandus }} playing {{ trap }} does 5 damage while taking none itself | ||
| (assuming fighting a vampire that does nothing in combat), {{ war_ghoul }} with {{ trap }} can do a whopping | ||
| 16 damage in one combat. They will sometimes also add low quantities of other combat cards that might help them | ||
| dish out damage a bit faster or provide extra effects. | ||
| {{ molotov_cocktail }}, {{ target_vitals }}, and {{ pulled_fangs }} are such cards. | ||
| They will also use {{ the_unmasking }} to help protect their pool. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h3>{{ _('Guns') }}</h3> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image(".44 Magnum", false) }}</div> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Concealed Weapon", false) }}</div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| concealed_weapon=card("Concealed Weapon"), | ||
| magnum=card(".44 Magnum"), | ||
| saturday_night_special=card("Saturday Night Special"), | ||
| dragon_s_breath_rounds=card("Dragon’s Breath Rounds") | ||
| %} | ||
| Guns are used quite often because of the high efficiency they provide. | ||
| Having a built-in maneuver and strike is extremely useful throughout the game. | ||
| Everyone can use them and with the help of {{ concealed_weapon }}, you can equip them in combat | ||
| and not risk getting your equip action blocked. The most common gun you will see is the {{ magnum }}, | ||
| but there are a few decks that run the cheaper {{ saturday_night_special }} in combination with | ||
| {{ dragon_s_breath_rounds }}, sacrificing the long-term efficiency of guns for short-term bursts | ||
| of aggravated damage at long range. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h3>{{ _('Sticks') }}</h3> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Weighted Walking Stick", false) }}</div> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Target Vitals", false) }}</div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| weighted_walking_stick=card("Weighted Walking Stick"), | ||
| target_vitals=card("Target Vitals"), | ||
| target_head=card("Target Head") | ||
| %} | ||
| Some decks do not use disciplines but like to fight anyway. If they are not using guns, | ||
| they might be using {{ weighted_walking_stick }} for some extra damage and an assortment of aim cards to boost it. | ||
| {{ target_vitals }}, {{ target_head }}, etc. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
|
|
||
| <h3>{{ani}} {{ _('Animalism') }}</h3> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Aid From Bats", false) }}</div> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Carrion Crows", false) }}</div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| aid_from_bats=card("Aid From Bats"), | ||
| carrion_crows=card("Carrion Crows"), | ||
| canine_horde=card("Canine Horde"), | ||
| voracious_vermin=card("Voracious Vermin"), | ||
| terror_frenzy=card("Terror Frenzy"), | ||
| drawing_out_the_beast=card("Drawing Out the Beast") | ||
| %} | ||
| Animalism {{ ani }} has long been one of the premier combat disciplines due to its efficiency. | ||
| Deep Song provides both extra bleeding and a rush, {{ aid_from_bats }} provides damage coupled with | ||
| maneuver <em>and</em> a press while {{ carrion_crows }} provides extra environmental damage. | ||
| This is a very neat and easy-to-use combat package that also has access to some bonus effects | ||
| like weapon destruction ({{ canine_horde }}, {{ voracious_vermin }}) or denying your opponent’s presses | ||
| and maneuvers with {{ terror_frenzy }} or {{ drawing_out_the_beast }}. Its only downside is the lack of an answer to | ||
| Combat Ends effects, making it unreliable when fighting against decks that have a lot of them. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h3>{{cel}} {{ _('Celerity') }}</h3> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Pursuit", false) }}</div> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Psyche!", false) }}</div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| psyche=card("Psyche!"), | ||
| magnum=card(".44 Magnum") | ||
| %} | ||
| Most commonly paired with guns but can also be used as a supplementary discipline for other types of combat. | ||
| Best known for providing plenty of maneuvers, dodges, and additional strikes, | ||
| letting you deal a lot of damage in a single round of combat. | ||
| Also provides one of the best ways of dealing with Combat Ends in the form of {{ psyche }}, | ||
| which is also wonderful with {{ magnum }} as it resets the fight and thus allows you to use the maneuver | ||
| from the gun again. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h3>{{for}} {{ _('Fortitude') }}</h3> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Rolling with the Punches", false) }}</div> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Hidden Strength", false) }}</div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| freak_drive=card("Freak Drive") | ||
| %} | ||
| Not much to say here. Having access to damage prevention is always good in combat. | ||
| Additionally, it provides decks with {{ freak_drive }} for multi-acting so you can either rush multiple times | ||
| in a single turn or do a combination of rushing and bleeding. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h3>{{pot}} {{ _('Potence') }}</h3> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Roundhouse", false) }}</div> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Immortal Grapple", false) }}</div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| torn_signpost=card("Torn Signpost"), | ||
| roundhouse=card("Roundhouse"), | ||
| immortal_grapple=card("Immortal Grapple"), | ||
| disarm=card("Disarm"), | ||
| decapitate=card("Decapitate") | ||
| %} | ||
| This is <em>the</em> combat discipline, seeing how there are very few cards for it outside of combat cards. | ||
| Being able to do high damage thanks to cards like {{ torn_signpost }} and {{ roundhouse }}, | ||
| dealing with dodges and combat ends thanks to {{ immortal_grapple }} as well as sending people straight to torpor | ||
| with {{ disarm }} or burning them outright with {{ decapitate }}. It does not come without its downsides though. | ||
| Most of it only works at close range with very few options for maneuvering, | ||
| and it also puts your vampire at risk of getting hit back. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| <h3>{{tha}} {{ _('Blood Sorcery') }}</h3> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Theft of Vitae", false) }}</div> | ||
| <div class="column-2">{{ card_image("Rego Motum", false) }}</div> | ||
| <p> | ||
| {% trans trimmed | ||
| theft_of_vitae=card("Theft of Vitae"), | ||
| apportation=card("Apportation"), | ||
| rego_motum=card("Rego Motum"), | ||
| walk_of_flame=card("Walk of Flame") | ||
| %} | ||
| Pretty light combat but worth mentioning. Famously used for life-stealing effects which bypass damage prevention | ||
| and help you come out on top with resources thanks to cards like {{ theft_of_vitae }}, | ||
| as well as access to maneuvers thanks to {{ apportation }}, limited damage prevention with {{ rego_motum }}, | ||
| and aggravated damage like {{ walk_of_flame }}. Thaumaturgy is not known for being a scary combat, | ||
| but it definitely can pose trouble for some decks and help ensure you are pulling ahead. | ||
| {% endtrans %} | ||
| </p> | ||
| {% endblock %} |
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