Florence After Dark

Vampire: The Eternal Struggle is a trading card game in which two or more players take on the roles of ancient vampires known as Methuselahs. Methuselahs are considered mere legend by younger vampires. Younger vampires think that they pursue their own ends... even as they are being used by one Methuselah to undercut the influence of another. Throughout the world, Methuselahs manipulate their minions to frustrate the designs of the other Methuselahs, just as they have for as long as they can remember. These eternal struggles, sometimes covert and subtle, sometimes open and spectacular, are collectively known as the Jyhad.

VTES Rules

The game is ideally played by a group of four or five players, but it can be played by any number of players from two up. Group play with more than six players is rare, as an individual's turn can easily take two to three minutes, causing a slow game for all. Two-player games (and to some extent three-player games) also suffer from lack of opportunity for the kind of inter-player alliances and treachery that are a large part of the game.

As in most other collectable card games each player designs his or her own deck. Each deck is built with two components: Crypt - containing cards representing vampires (and in some cases mortal allies) that the player may control during the game, and Library - containing cards generally representing assets or actions to be taken during the game.

Most cards in the library can only be used in conjunction with vampires. Some cards have no cost in resources to play, in other cases to put a card in play it must be paid for using 'pool' or the blood on his vampires. Pool represents the player's influence, and if it is reduced to zero the player is out of the game (each player starts the game with 30 pool). Therefore, players continually have to make decisions based on how much they want to invest into assets in play and how much to retain to stay alive, especially against other players capable of sudden dangerous 'bleeds' (direct attacks on the players pool).

Each turn one player directs his minions to perform a number of actions and attacks, which other players' minions may intercept or interrupt. Each player attempts to 'oust' (remove from game) his 'prey' (the player to his left) while defending himself from his 'predator (the player to his right). This continues until only one player is left on the table. Ousting one's prey is worth one victory point, and being the last person left at the table is worth an additional victory point. However, ousting one's prey also nets the player 6 pool, and thus makes him stronger and more dangerous to the next prey. This is one of the reasons why other players may suddenly start helping a player in a weak situation, or even gang up on a player who seems to be going for a 'table sweep', making shifting alliances part and parcel of the game.

Gameplay offers many options for alliance or betrayal. Short-term deals and trade-offs (with very fluid terms) are typical. Bluffing (appearing stronger or weaker) is also often used.

Games can take anything from half an hour to three or more hours (for a 5-player game). In tournament play and in some informal games, a time limit may be imposed, after which all remaining players receive half a victory point in addition to any they may have already received. Standard time limit for a tournament game is 2 hours. Game time varies greatly depending on the number of players and the style of decks played.

Camarilla Clans: Brujah, Caitff, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue

Indepenant Clans: Assasmite, Baali, Daughters of Cacophony, Followers of Set, Gangrel, Gargoyles, Giovanni, Nagaragi, Ravnos, Salubri, Samedi, True Brujah

Laibon: Akunanse, Guruhi, Ishtarri, Osebo

Sabbat: Ahrimanes, Blood Brothers, Brujah Antitribu, Gangrel Antitribu, Harbingers of Skulls, Kiaysd, Lasombra, Malkavian Antitribu, Nosferatu Antitribu, Pander, Salubri Antitribu, Toreador Antitribu, Tremere Antitribu, Tzimsce, Ventrue Antitribu