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

{{ malkavian }} Malkavian Dominate

{% endblock %} {% block archetype %} {% trans trimmed asylum_hunting_ground=card("Asylum Hunting Ground"), blood_doll=card("Blood Doll"), bonding=card("Bonding"), bowl_of_convergence=card("Bowl of Convergence"), carlton_van_wyk=card("Carlton Van Wyk"), cedric_calhoun=card("Cedric Calhoun"), cloak_the_gathering=card("Cloak the Gathering"), conceal=card("Conceal"), dreams_of_the_sphinx=card("Dreams of the Sphinx"), gilbert_duane_g6=card("Gilbert Duane G6", "Gilbert Duane"), govern_the_unaligned=card("Govern the Unaligned"), haven_uncovered=card("Haven Uncovered"), jake_washington=card("Jake Washington"), krcg_news_radio=card("KRCG News Radio"), nathaniel_bordruff=card("Nathaniel Bordruff"), no_trace=card("No Trace"), papillon=card("Papillon"), seduction=card("Seduction"), sudden_reversal=card("Sudden Reversal"), the_barrens=card("The Barrens"), the_coven=card("The Coven"), villein=card("Villein"), meta=link("/strategy/articles/advanced/the-game-of-the-game", _("meta")), information_highway_blog_article=external("https://vtesinformationhighway.wordpress.com/2022/09/12/old-blood-new-blood-malkavian-v5/", _("Information Highway blog article")), nb_malkavian=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/vampire-the-eternal-struggle-fifth-edition/new-blood-malkavian/", _("New Blood: Malkavian")), pact_with_nephandi=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/preconstructed-decks/product-pact-with-nephandi/", _("Pact with Nephandi")), 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")), v5_tremere=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/vampire-the-eternal-struggle-fifth-edition/fifth-edition-tremere/", _("V5 Tremere")), fb_ventrue=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/first-blood/first-blood-ventrue/", _("First Blood: Ventrue")), anthology=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/bundles/product-anthology-1/", _("Anthology 1")), parliament_of_shadows=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/preconstructed-decks/product-parliament-of-shadows/", _("Parliament of Shadows")), promo_pack_3=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/vampire-the-eternal-struggle-fifth-edition/product-promo-pack-3/", _("Promo Pack 3")) %}

Highlights

This is a brutal stealth & bleed deck using V5 Malkavian {{ malkavian }} and their newly regained {{ DOM }}.

The plan is to bleed hard, with stealth. {{ govern_the_unaligned }} is probably the best available action card in the game. Used at superior after getting the oldest vampire out first, it provides fast and cheap vampires in the early game. Once at least three vampires are out and ready, it can then be used to bleed. {{ obf }} modifiers provide the required stealth.

The Master module provides some cycling tools like {{ dreams_of_the_sphinx }} and {{ the_barrens }}. It also uses a good number of {{ sudden_reversal }}, since they amount to a good bleed when they counter a {{ villein }}, a {{ blood_doll }} or a {{ liquidation }}. Moreover, they can be used to counter other painful Master: permanent intercept locations like {{ krcg_news_radio }} and {{ haven_uncovered }}. One {{ conceal }} is included too, since it can be used to destroy either a burdensome location or even an equipment like {{ bowl_of_convergence }}.

The deck is fragile when it comes down to combat defence: only {{ no_trace }} can help there, and only a few vampires can play it at superior. To try and compensate for that, {{ secure_haven }}, {{ carlton_van_wyk }} and {{ jake_washington }} are included as dispensable blockers against rushes.

Tweaks and variants

There are a lot of ways to tweak this deck. {{ seduction }} is an option that might be worth including, since it's a good block denial card and it does not jam the hand. The balance between stealth, bleed and reactions is a delicate thing you might want to tinker with to adapt to your local {{ meta }}. A bit more blood generation is another possibility, with {{ papillon }} and {{ asylum_hunting_ground }}, and maybe a couple of {{ blood_doll }} to go with. It would be a bit slower but maybe more resilient depending on the meta.

If you do not have access to him, {{ gilbert_duane_g6 }} can be replace by the Nosferatu {{ nosferatu }} {{ nathaniel_bordruff }} and {{ cedric_calhoun }}.

Fall of London is coming up, and in it two new Malkavian vampires you will probably want to include here: Abraham Mellon and Darius Shirazi. You can read more about those tweaks as well as other variants on the {{ information_highway_blog_article }} about the V5 Malkavian builds.

What to buy

The bulk of the cards come from {{ v5_malkavian }} and two {{ nb_malkavian }}. {{ carlton_van_wyk }} and {{ sudden_reversal }} can be found in {{ pact_with_nephandi }}, although you will need two to get enough {{ sudden_reversal }} - maybe just trade or buy the missing two. {{ anniversary }} for {{ the_coven }} and the second {{ dreams_of_the_sphinx }} and, finally, {{ jake_washington }} can be found in {{parliament_of_shadows }}.

{% endtrans %} {% endblock %}