Open Dossier: Ferenc "Frankie" Vasadi

Hi folks!

Here is the third interview translation from shilmulotarot.blogspot.com:

Player Profile:

Name: Ferenc Vasadi

Nickname: Frankie

Year of Birth: 1978

Occupation: IT security specialist

City: Budapest

Questions and answers:

1. When did you start to play v:tes and where did you met it? 

I started to play at the end of the year 2000 when Sabbat War was released. A friend of mine (Talmi) has shown me the game. I was looking for a new board/card game since my other hobby (dancing) was overshadowed a little and so I had more free time after work. At that time there was a regular game night on Wednesday at Kumi's place. Kumi, Talmi, Tibó, Bank Tomi, sipi, Daneel and Balázs Gábor were all showing up there. The first time Sipi gave me a bruise and vote Nosferatu deck to play. I didn't really understand much at that time, but during that game Sipi said something that I will always remember and I think that is something very important to become a good player: "Don't help him, let him figure it out himself". So I learned the game as an autodidact.  

2. What was your biggest success as a tournament player? 

Winning an EC and being 2nd place at two NAC events. The NAC's annoy me a little bit since I lost them both in a face 2 face situation. My favorite memory is the NAC 2009 since besides making 9 GW's out of the possible 12 and playing the finals every day I made many good friendships. 

3. What is your favorite deck, favorite deck type and why?

I am a big cap vampire fetishist. I don't even remember how to play with vampires below 10 capacity. I have always a different favorite deck, currently it is my Shatter the Gate deck. Many people try to play with it, but I haven't seen any other viable version. I love big cap vampire Enkil Cog decks, no matter who the vampire is. :) I see more opportunities and fantasy in big cap decks and they are less predictable.

4. What motivates you during play? Why do you think it is worth to play this game?

This is still the best multi player card game ever and I don't think that this will change in the future. After all these years there is still something new to discover in it. A motivation for me is to achieve good results with an own idea.

5. How do you prepare for tournaments?

Recently I don't. Otherwise we test a deck an infinite amount of times. A good tournament decks has 20-40 games played before I say that is sort of the final version. Of course it is very important to have fun with that deck.

6. What is the "perfect" v:tes player like?

Patient and can think in the long term. Reputation is also an important factor. You have to be polite and sportsmanlike especially in international tournaments. In the end this is still a game!

7. What is your favorite crypt card?

Currently the big cap baali vampires like Annazir, but also Lucian the Perfect.

8. What is your favorite library card?

Enkil Cog, Monastery of Shadows.

9. What is your favorite set?

Bloodlines, HttB.

10. What is your favorite illustration?

I am Legion.

11. What other games do you play?

Board Games (Chaos in the Old World, 7 Wonders, Game of Thrones, Smallworld, etc.)

12. What is your message to new players?

Patience, patience and patience. In this game you will loose more often than you will win. Look at the tables and try to figure out what will happen and how the decks have an impact on each other. 

13. What do you think about the future of v:tes?

As long as there are players there will be nothing to take its place.

Thanks a lot to Ferenc Vasadi for answering the questions and for shilmulotarot for the interview! 

by: Mephistopheles

Opend Dossier: Csaba ""Mr_Toreador" Greguss

Hi folks!

Here is the second interview translation from shilmulotarot.blogspot.com:

Player Profile:

Name: Csaba Greguss

Nickname: Mr_Toreador

Year of Birth: 1982

Occupation: Recruitment Consultant

City: Budapest

Questions and answers:

1. When did you start to play v:tes and where did you met it? 

It all started in 2004. I have played other card games before (Mythos, Magus) and stumbled into a shop near the Kodály Körönd. Even though they had these games I naively asked if they have some other card game as well. I left as the happy owner of 3 Toreador starter decks, since I was looking for something versatile to play and something that can influence the entire game as well. This is were my nickname is from. That week on Wednesday I played my first game at a club in Budapest (Fanyűvő) where I made my first 2 victory points.    

2. What was your biggest success as a tournament player? 

Last year at the EC in Paris. I won the tournament with the largest attendance ever, the 172 player Last Chance Qualifier with 4 Game Wins. I finished 9th place at the Day 2.  

3. What is your favorite deck, favorite deck type and why?

I always like to play with Toreador decks, but I love the Cybeletron and everything that bleeds. I leave combat decks to the other players. I like to play bleed/vote/combo decks mainly. I am testing some turbo decks currently, but I also like to build alternative decks for tournament play, like a Choir based deck. My play style favors aggressive decks, but I have learned to play them patiently.

4. What motivates you during play? Why do you think it is worth to play this game?

Friends, Tournaments, Game Wins. And the feeling when you can solve a very though situation, especially in a final. I still remember when I won a final sitting between two tupdog decks with only minimal combat in my deck.

5. How do you prepare for tournaments?

I have 3 main points: play well rested, with tested decks after a few days without playing if possible. So you feel the "hunger" to play a good game. Otherwise I think there are 3 factors to achieve good results:

1) Play very strong and well tested decks.
2) You have to play that deck very good.
3) Good seating and a bit of luck.

If you 2 of these than you can achieve 1-2 Game Wins.

6. What is the "perfect" v:tes player like?

He has to know his own strength and weaknesses in the first place. He understands the dynamics of the game and the given table. He can manipulate his environment. He plays technically flawlessly. 

7. What is your favorite crypt card?

Currently Thucimia.

8. What is your favorite library card?

Life Boon, it made me some Game Wins. It is unexpected and unforeseeable. Also fitting to my play style: Antediluvian Awakening and Curse of Nitocris.

9. What is your favorite set?

I don't have one.

10. What is your favorite illustration?

I don't have one.

11. What other games do you play?

Board Games (7 Wonders, Chaos in the Old World), Total War games on PC.

12. What is your message to new players?

Play a lot and analyse your mistakes and moves after the game. Think of what you should have done differently. Don't try to play for the vp's but for the gw's. And the more the old players try to convince you to do something else the better choice you have made.

13. What do you think about the future of v:tes?

As long as there are regular games and the players stick to the game there will be no problem. I think it will last for many years. It won't fail on me!

Thanks a lot to Csaba Greguss for answering the questions and for shilmulotarot for the interview! 

by: Mephistopheles

Open Dossier: Péter "Superlame" Botos

Hi folks!

Recently shilmulotarot.blogspot.com has posted some interviews with Hungarian v:tes players. I have asked for the permission to translate them into English and received it, so here you go:

Player Profile:

Name: Péter Botos

Nickname: Superlame on the forums or Boti

Year of Birth: 1981

Occupation: Business Intelligence Analyst

City: Budapest

Questions and answers:

1. When did you start to play v:tes and where did you met it? 

I have played other card games before (Magic, Guardians, Star Wars, Middle Earth) so I tried to resist v:tes for a long time even though my friends desperately tried to convince me. My experience was that such games consume a lot of money and since I was a University Student at that time I had not enough of that resource. Then my friends decided to buy me my first deck and I fell for the trick. I started to play with a Camarilla Brujah starter deck around 2003. 

2. What was your biggest success as a tournament player? 

The tournament win at the 2010 National Championship (HNC). This win is really next my heart because I won with deck that I designed alone. It is a True Brujah deck which never counted as a Tier1 deck type before. Also it was my first tournament win (I had achieved good results with this deck before) and I won it with 4 Game Wins total. 

3. What is your favorite deck, favorite deck type and why?

I have no favorite deck. I like decks that have an unusual twist in them. Of course I have played "regular" decks before but those are never so funny to play and I often discard them pretty fast.

4. What motivates you during play? Why do you think it is worth to play this game?

Naturally winning is a main motivation., but there are other things as well: pulling of a good combo, proving a decks viability, etc.

5. How do you prepare for tournaments?

I don't really prepare for tournaments. I don't actually take them any more serious than casual games. Preparation is more a by-product. I like to play a lot and visit friends to join play test games.

6. What is the "perfect" v:tes player like?

He oversees the game, knows who is in what kind of a situation. He can predict other players moves. It is of course important that he knows all cards and rules. He has to be able to manipulate others if necessary, but can also stall around. He has to be patient and be able to wait for the right moment, even if this means to pass his turns for awhile. He loves the game.

7. What is your favorite crypt card?

Nakhthorheb.

8. What is your favorite library card?

Codex of the Edenic Groundskeepers.

9. What is your favorite set?

LoB and HttB.

10. What is your favorite illustration?

Gem Ghastly.

11. What other games do you play?

Chess, Warcraft III, Civ. V.

12. What is your message to new players?

Test many different deck types, if possible build them yourself, or at least tweak the TWD deck yourself.

13. What do you think about the future of v:tes?

I think people will be playing the game for several years, but if no company shows up to support it and print new cards than I think it has chance in the long term. Even printable fan sets can't change this. Let's hope I am wrong!

Thanks a lot to Péter Botos for answering the questions and for shilmulotarot for the interview! 

by: Mephistopheles

Open Dossier: Gergő "Flekk" Gyarmati

Hi folks!

Here is the second interview given on HUN FRAGMENT. Gergő Gyarmati is well known for his creativity and his unique approach to build decks and playing v:tes. He recently won the storyline event with his wonderful Karsh deck. He is a player you better be aware off!

How did you get to know v:tes?

When I was in high school, we played several types of TCGs, and also we used to roleplay a lot that time.
VtM was always one of my favourite RPGs, so when I saw VtES for the first time, it was evident to try it. Back then, I never realized it was such a good and complex game.

What was your first own deck?

I had preconstructed decks, with some additional boosts. One was a Goivanni precon, the other was Follower of set, which contained extra cards like Synesios, and some other crap that made not too much sense at all. :D
The first deck I constructed on my own, was a low-cap/weenie vote deck, with praxis seizures and KRCs.

What is your favourite memory?

The Storyline events are always memorable, but my favorite is the Reverend Adams Storyline, where I won the finals with one of the weirdest card in VtES: The Diamond Thunderbolt. :D It was quite a show!

What is your favourite clan (why)?

My all time favorite is Pander, I always liked playing weenie, Pander voter was pretty powerful in "the old days". Unfortunately they are less playable nowadays, but I still like them. The other reason, is that in VtM I played a lot with catiff/pander. But aside from them, I like the bloodlines very much.

What is your favourite deck type (why)?

I like block+combat decks, you can control the table around you with a good wall, and they are hard to oust. But I always add some trick cards, since my experience is, that lots of players can think only in patterns, they aren't prepared for some less playable or unexpected cards, which can give you more edge during a game.

How would you describe your playstyle?

I'm pretty much an all-around player, but recently I don't to too mush table-talk, even though I used to be a harsh agitator. :D
Thats the reason, I don't really play vote decks.

Do you have an all time favourite a) vampire, b) library card, c) deck (describe)?


a) Saulot
b) Baltimore Purge
c) Cybeletron, Black Hand aus wall

How do you like the recent expansions?

They're Ok, but WW should slow down with them. You never have enough time to play all your ideas from an expansion. :D

What would you like to see in further expansions?

More bloodlines, and no reprints :D Actually WW could make reprint sets, and not insert any reprints in the new expansions.

What do you think about the future of v:tes?

VtES needs more new players! Even though it is mostly for adults, there should be a new generation as well. Thats the thing
VtES community/WW should learn from other TCGs.


Thank you Flekk for the interview!

by: Mephistopheles

Open Dossier: Ferenc "Frankie" Vasadi

The first player to give an interview on HUN FRAGMENT is possibly the most notorious hungarian v:tes player. Not only did he win the EC in 2007, he also won the LCQ at the NAC in 2009 and played both of the other finals, too. He is also a member of the v:tes Hall of Fame. If you want to know more about him read on!


How did you get to know v:tes?

Through a friend of mine, with whom we used to play other card games. I wanted to try out some new stuff.

What was your first own deck?

In my very first game I played with a Sheldon & princes bruise deck. My first deck which I constructed from lended cards was a Giovanni bleed deck. Then I made a !Ventrue vote deck with obt from my own cards.

What is your favourite memory?

There are several good ones, but the NAC 2009 was something special for me. Got to know very nice people, played excellent games and enjoyed every minute of it.

What is your favourite clan?

I rather like deck types not specific clans. If it can vote then it is a good clan :) From V:tM I like the Nosfratu very much. I also love the bloodlines, especially HoS, Salubri and Samedi.

What is your favourite deck type?

Somehow I always end up playing some big cap voter or bleeder. The last two years I always built decks around a 10 or 11 cap vampire. Vote gives versatility.

How would you describe your play style?

Robyn once said I'm a builder. Which is 100% true. I'm starting very slow and it takes around 5-6 rounds until I start doing anything. I can't remember the last times I played weenies or a rush deck.

Do you have an all time favourite a) vampire, b) library card, c) deck?




a: Gabrin, Nergal

b: Crocodile's Tongue

c: Gabrin block, Tor vote





How do you like the recent expansions?

HttB is excellent, but I was always a BL fan. I rarely play Laibon, so EK was not my type, but KoT was one of th best expansions so far.

Thank you Frankie for answering my questions! If you, dearest reader, want to see other questions asked here on HUN FRAGMENT feel free to e-mail me!

by: Mephistopheles