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

Hidden Royalty

{% endblock %} {% block archetype %} {% trans trimmed govern_the_unaligned=card("Govern the Unaligned"), deflection=card("Deflection"), information_highway=card("Information Highway"), parity_shift=card("Parity Shift"), kine_resources_contested=card("Kine Resources Contested"), perfect_paragon=card("Perfect Paragon"), voter_captivation=card("Voter Captivation"), conditioning=card("Conditioning"), foreshadowing_destruction=card("Foreshadowing Destruction"), elysium_the_palace_of_versailles=card("Elysium: The Palace of Versailles"), ventrue_headquarters=card("Ventrue Headquarters"), fear_of_mekhet=card("Fear of Mekhet"), villein=card("Villein"), majesty=card("Majesty"), second_tradition_domain=card("Second Tradition: Domain"), forgotten_labyrinth=card("Forgotten Labyrinth"), reckless_agitation=card("Reckless Agitation"), arishat=card("Arishat"), jacques_rouge=card("Jacques Rouge"), ashur_tablets=card("Ashur Tablets"), elder_impersonation=card("Elder Impersonation"), veil_the_legions=card("Veil the Legions"), meta=link("/strategy/articles/advanced/the-game-of-the-game", _("meta")), infernal_princes_of_anarchy=external("https://www.vekn.net/forum/event-reports-and-twd/79467-twd-belgian-national-championship-2021-brussels-6-11-2021", "Infernal Princes of Anarchy"), v5_precons=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/vampire-the-eternal-struggle-fifth-edition/", _("V5 Precons")), fb_malkavian=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/first-blood/first-blood-malkavian/", _("First Blood: Malkavian")), anniversary=external("https://www.blackchantry.com/products/legacy/preconstructed-decks/product-25th-anniversary/", _("25th Anniversary")) %}

Highlights

This is an vote deck relying on Princes with {{ obf }}.

There are multiple ways to approach this build given the variety of good Princes in the {{ v5_precons }}. This example focuses on getting a bit of {{ dom }} in the mix alongside {{ pre }}, to give access to great cards like {{ govern_the_unaligned }} for faster setup and {{ deflection }} for defence.

The plan is to get Princes in play fast with {{ information_highway }} and {{ govern_the_unaligned }} for the vote lock, then use {{ parity_shift }} to bloat and {{ kine_resources_contested }} for additional damage. {{ obf }} provides a welcome support with stealth modifiers to ensure the votes do not get blocked easily.

{{ pre }} provides useful vote-oriented support like {{ perfect_paragon }} and {{ voter_captivation }}, while {{ dom }} gives access to a bit of bleed to complement the votes if necessary, with {{ conditioning }} and {{ foreshadowing_destruction }}.

A few Master cards help with the vote lock: {{ elysium_the_palace_of_versailles }} and {{ ventrue_headquarters }}, but also {{ fear_of_mekhet }}, an excellent card to get rid of a cumbersome Inner Circle or Justicar.

Tweaks and variants

This specific build includes neither combat defense not intercept, like {{ majesty }} or {{ second_tradition_domain }}. Depending on the {{ meta }} you expect, both are options to consider. Although not yet reprinted, {{ forgotten_labyrinth }} is an excellent fit.

An interesting variant, if you have access to legacy cards, is to use some {{ reckless_agitation }} for more damage. {{ arishat }} can play it and, since her ability is already great, you will want to triple her. At her side, a pair of Barons to help, like {{ jacques_rouge }} and either another Nosferatu {{ nosferatu }}, or a Ministry {{ ministry }}. Going this way means the vampires will need their blood, so less {{ villein }}. More importantly, the crypt loses {{ dom }} so the bleed defence with {{ deflection }} goes out, and needs to be compensated with more {{ parity_shift }}. Bram Van Stappen's deck {{ infernal_princes_of_anarchy }}, played by Emiliano Imeroni, won the 2021 Belgian National Tournament using this kind of variation, with the adjunction of {{ ashur_tablets }}.

What to buy

Most of the cards are from {{ v5_precons }}, Malkavian {{ malkavian }}, Ventrue {{ ventrue }} and Toreador {{ toreador }}, plus {{ fb_malkavian }} for stealth cards {{ elder_impersonation }} and {{ veil_the_legions }}, and the {{ anniversary }} for a few cards. The rest of the deck might be adapted to fit what you have available. The crypt is especially tricky to compose, with vampires from many different bundles, so don't hesitate to trade for them. Finally, the trickiest part might be to come up with enough {{ information_highway }} for the deck: alternatively, you can try only 4 and reduce the cards count under 70.

{% endtrans %} {% endblock %}