¤ The Giovanni Options (by Orpheus)

Often enough, players have asked me "What are the Giovanni good for" ? True, they don't seem to have the best discipline combination. True, Necromancy seems too toolboxy for its own good. But still, many things can be done. I'll try to summarize them here, so that nobody will ever doubt that the Giovanni have numerous interesting options available.

¤ The "No Block" Bleeders

    At first sight, the Giovanni don't look like great bleeders to the unexperienced eye : Necromancy only has ONE stealth card (which costs a blood), Dominate has two (one of which only in superior, the other costing 2 blood), and they don't have enough resisting weenie (like, for example, the Ventrue or !Ventrue) to be able to swarm and resist to the first blows. But since Final Nights, they CAN bleed, thanks to the "shut up" or "no block" combo : Seduction (dom) / Call of the Hungry Dead (at sup). The usual tactic is this : you declare a bleed (say, in Govern the Unaligned) and seduce an untapped vampire. Another one will probably try to block, if he is untapped or can react "as if". If you suspect (or know) that he is able to add intercept, make him spit it out by playing a Spectral Divination. When he HAS spit it out (or untapped the guy with the Sport Bike, or tapped his KRCG), than play Call : "No, you don't block either" ! This combo usually works out quite well, as it prevents two minions from blocking and can end up at 1, 2 or 3 stealth (with Bondings and eventually Kine Dominance). And if you don't have to add stealth, all the better : if redirected, your "no block" cards won't prevent your ally from gently blocking you (great combo with Krassimir or Change of Target), and the Spectral Divination won't jam your hand, as you can also use it for intercept... So, yes, the Giovanni can be played as discreet bleeders.

¤ The Suicide Commandos.

    One of the main problems with the Giovanni is that, contrarily to any really fighting Clan, they have only one fighting discipline (Necromancy has only one lousy, if sometimes useful, strike card), and it's not the ideal one for resisting : no Cel, no For, means that you'll take everything in your face. What's the use in being able to torporize your opponents if you go down the same way ? Or, worse : are destroyed ?!
    The answer lies in the "resurrection" aspect of Necromancy : you can bring your guys back from Beyond with Possession or Augustus' Power. The worst thing for a Giovanni isn't death, it's torpor. but then, you can diablerize your own (if you have the votes or many possessions and some available minions...), or if adding Obfuscate use Sacrificial Lamb. That's a risky strategy, but it can work...

¤ The Zombie Masters

    Another new card from Final Nights is the Shambling Hordes, the "poorman's Warghoul" as it's come to be known. Many winning decks have been built using lots of this great (if bio-degradable) ally.

¤ The Spirit Masters

    Did I tell you that many great new Giovanni and Necro cards came up with Final Nights ? ;-)
    Among these, we count 3 new wraith allies : Brigitte Gebauer, Felix "The Fix" Hessian and the non-unique Puppeeteers, to add to our beloved Ambrosius. Brigitte is a great bleeder, Felix can bleed some and destroy locations (he's a bit expensive, though), the Puppeteers can capture weenies and eventually be equipped (to bleed and / or fight), or be sacrificed for small blocks, and Ambrosius is a great blocker against most adversaries. Another Wraith, the Masquer, is a retainer who's not only able to give permanent intercept, but can also give one-time intercept to anybody, including an ally...
    Of course, the Wraiths wouldn't be what they are without Shroud Mastery (another Final Nights card, would you believe it ?), which will allow the vampire recruiting them to untap, or to give a wraith +1 stealth on an action. Great combos to dig here, I'm telling you !

¤ The Occult Financers

    Everyone knows the Ventrue or the can gain pool. Well, the Giovanni can do so too, even if it's less obvious. As a matter of fact, they can gain blood, and the Blood Dolls can turn that into pool. They, of course, have a Hunting Ground ; then, the ally Leonardo can make for another "hunting ground" (sure, his actions can be blocked, but if you're a real threat your prey will much prefer to concentrate on blocking your bleeds, and your predator will probably also have better things to do ; anyway, if he succeeds twice in giving blood, Leonardo will have been worth his pool and recruit action). Let's not forget the Acquired Ventrue Assets, which can be used without using Master Phase actions, and therefore can be used in conjonction with another Investment card (and when the cards are done, Carlotta or anybody using the Sargon Fragment or Whispers from the Dead can go fetch them back). Last but not least, our friend Matthias can use the best substitute to the old 5th Tradition you'll ever get (Renewed Vigor, of course) ; Matt isn't exactly mixeable with the Giovanni, but some Giovanni are useable with him and their Harbingers cousins. So : yes, the Giovanni can bloat. And once they're in big enough numbers, everything can happen !!!

¤ The Perfect Toolboxers

    It is hard, in this game, to hope for marginal combinations. You'll seldom put just a few cards "just in case" if they have to be used in conjonction with others, or in particular situations. Well, you can do it if you know that you'll be able to discard the card and still get it back when needed. Once more, Carlotta will prove to be the great vampire that we've always known she was. The Sargon Fragment and Whispers from the Dead can be useful complements or substitutes, but if you have the choice : play Carlotta. A lot. Some people use her even when they don't play her disciplines !!!

    These are, of course, only small and rather focused aspects of what the Clan can do. But it will be enough, I think, to show the non-believers that the Giovanni can handle themselves in may ways, and fare well on quite various grounds.

Now, your turn to find the way you want to Necromance...

Orpheus