How are the Vampires working out?

Count Zappa · Post by **Count Zappa** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 6:50 pm

Just about to start a team in my league. Should be interesting since we still use 3rd edition rules.

Anyway... is anyone playtesting the Vamps? I'm a little concerned they won't be that useful in 3rd edition since we don't freeboot Star Players, they're full team members. Meaning some teams will outgun the Vamps greatly on strength.

And one more thing... is a Vampire team allowed to hire Count Luthor as a Star Player on top of having a Vampire Lord?

Post by **GalakStarscraper** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 9:33 pm

So many changes to Vamps since 3rd ... I have no idea how to answer your questions.

If you are playing the 3rd edition vampires with the original OFAB. In the hands of a good coach they will CRUSH your league. I took first out of 28 teams in my tabletop league's regular season. My Vampire Lord scored 51!!! touchdowns in 13 games. (that's just one player ... the others had a decent amount of TDs as well)

Galak

Count Zappa · Post by **Count Zappa** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 4:48 am

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

We're using the new experimental team with the new OFAB in 3rd edition. One Vampire Lord, six Vampires and the balance is Thralls. No Star Players, especially since the Vamp Lord is the same as Count Luthor.

Just wondering how the new Vamps are working out in the LRB playtesting, and whether there's something about them that would make them a no-go for 3rd edition.

darthnoir · Post by **darthnoir** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 5:08 pm

With the 3rd ed version of Hypnotic Gaze a Vampire team can be quite competitive. Which version of the lord are you using? Is it the Block/Dodge version? If so, the team will still be dominant just on the power of the Vampire Lord alone (unless he's freebooted only).

However, with the new LRB 3.0 version of Hypnotic Gaze the Vamps have really been neutered to the point we're they're simply not fun to play. In fact, in the seven matches I've played with my vampire team, I have yet to use Hypnotic Gaze once.

Furelli · Post by **Furelli** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 5:57 pm

The new Hypno Gaze is shocking. It should be loosened slightly to use it as the Block part of a Block or Blitz. Still may not help much.

Furelli

plasmoid · Post by **plasmoid** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 6:09 pm

Eh?
I thought that it can be used as the block part of a block or a blitz....
And as such, it is so weak that we need little or no OFAB to get a balanced vampire team.
Martin

darthnoir · Post by **darthnoir** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 6:36 am

Unless I'm understanding the rules review incorrectly, the new Gaze is treated exactly like a Block. Thus, if you want to move and use Hypnotic Gaze, it counts as your Blitz for the turn.

Other than Drakenborg dominating tournaments, is there a reason this Racial Ability needed to be toned down?

I really felt they were close with the COFAB on the team. Granted, I would still like to see a way for the Lord to be an official rostered player rather than a Freebooter. But the roster was close. Powerful, but with a serious achilles heel to keep them in check.

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 9:32 am

darthnoir wrote:Other than Drakenborg dominating tournaments, is there a reason this Racial Ability needed to be toned down?

I really felt they were close with the COFAB on the team. Granted, I would still like to see a way for the Lord to be an official rostered player rather than a Freebooter. But the roster was close. Powerful, but with a serious achilles heel to keep them in check.

I think the logic goes like this:

COFAB is too nasty, but the previous versions were too weak. So how about changing vampires fundamentally to give new options on the negative trait?

plasmoid · Post by **plasmoid** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 3:41 pm

Hi Ian and all,
I like gaze as a blitz/block - in that it un-breaks the team.
It is a completely different team now though.
Still, with the team seriously toned down, I hope we can get an OFAB that is much less slapstick/game breaking.
Martin

Mestari · Post by **Mestari** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:48 pm

I still like the COFAB skill - the team ought to be penalised heavily for the ST4/AG4 combo, but on the other hand, they really should have that combo, so that's pretty much the only way to go. Well, it could be made slightly more penalising