u/RunicKrause

Hi everyone!

As people have seemed to appreciate my spoiler collection pages before (especially during the Sabbat spoiler season), I've set up the New York and Brazil expansion pages well in time in anticipation of the spoiler season, that should begin any day now.

New York

https://garourimgazette.wordpress.com/2026-new-york-spoiler-page/

Brazil

https://garourimgazette.wordpress.com/2026-brazil-expansion-spoiler-page/

Please let me know if I've missed anything!

Come back every now and then to take a look at the spoilers as they come. I'm usually pretty quick to update the sites (within 12 hours of the spoiler landing).

Two months of work and we're finally here!

At the end of May I published the first "designer diary" entries for my New York trilogy exercise. Back then I was still thinking it'd probably be a few cards here and there I might have ideas for, but the more I worked on it, the more I knew I had enough ideas (and probably even competence) to finish up a whole expansion, that resembles an official product. Which this of course isn't, let's make this abundantly clear from the start. It's a fan project, from a fan.

There are still some follow-up updates incoming, but if you follow the links in the Part VII blog post, you can find pictures of all the "cards".

My philosophies:

- Respect current trends of the existing game

- Try to push power reasonably, but avoid power creep

- Steer clear of existing options and try to invent new avenues

- Bolster existing strategies that are missing puzzle pieces

- Silver bullets are bad design

- Forward momentum leads to resolved games, leads to better VTES

You can find the full card lists with pictures from the link and follow further links to the designer diary entries.

Please, I'd love to hear what you think overall of the outcome, what cards are your favorite and which sorts of ideas here do you think might have actual legs!

And, especially, if anyone who's played the New York games can identify the characters through the cards here. That's, besides not pushing power levels, the main goal.

In this penultimate part VI of my New York design exercise we explore the two Nosferatu in the setting, Tamika the Gangrel, as well as a few plot-inspired cards. The next one will be the last one! Exciting!

I'll admit I've had even more fun with the exercise than I thought I would. I hope you've had fun following me as well!

Did you hear BCP are already finished with their designs? They're in printers now and products should roll out in October! Exciting!

Note! These have nothing to do with BCP designs, and I know nothing of the process.

These cards are only little brain children of mine that I couldn't help but write down. I can argue for their power and design, but obviously they aren't play tested.

My philosophies:

- Respect current trends of the existing game

- Try to push power reasonably, but avoid power creep

- Steer clear of existing options and try to invent new avenues

- Bolster existing strategies that are missing puzzle pieces

- Silver bullets are bad design

- Forward momentum leads to resolved games, leads to better VTES

In part 5 of my New York expansion design exercise, I finally take on the protagonist designs. Kali, Pádraic and Julia are all wonderful characters and VTES is not normally a medium where protag-energy is easily portrayed - nor should it be! It's an interesting challenge, especially in V5 where the protagonists are often very young vampires, not ancillae and elders VTES so often portrays (intentionally).

Did you hear BCP are already finished with their designs? They're in printers now and products should roll out in October! Exciting!

Note! These have nothing to do with BCP designs, and I know nothing of the process. I know there's play testing going on, but that's practically all.

These cards are only little brain children of mine that I couldn't help but write down. I can argue for their power and design, but obviously they aren't play tested.

My philosophies:

- Respect current trends of the existing game

- Try to push power reasonably, but avoid power creep

- Steer clear of existing options and try to invent new avenues

- Bolster existing strategies that are missing puzzle pieces

- Silver bullets are bad design

- Forward momentum leads to resolved games, leads to better VTES

Take a look at how I think a few of the cards might look from the games, and let me know what you think!

Hello!

In part 4 of my New York design exercise we explore hunters and mortals as both a narrative tool and something to resemble "events" without being events (as BCP designs don't like those in V5), while tackling some more nefarious tournament meta developments.

Note! These have nothing to do with BCP designs, and I know nothing of the process. I know there's play testing going on, but that's practically all.

My philosophies:

- Respect current trends of the existing game

- Try to push power reasonably, but avoid power creep

- Steer clear of existing options and try to invent new avenues

- Bolster existing strategies that are missing puzzle pieces

- Silver bullets are bad design

- Forward momentum leads to resolved games, leads to better VTES

Take a look at how I think a few of the cards might look from the games, and let me know what you think!

Ill quickly premise this by saying I'm happy you got yours. Locke looks like something very specific for a specific audience and they'll enjoy him enormously. Riot did a very clean job with him, referencing a lot of material to form appeal to fans of JuJutsu Kaisen to Critical Role.

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A clean, well executed champion.

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And recognising this, I'll say this only once and then leave you to enjoy your boi.

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He isnt Cithria of Cloudfield.

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I - WE - didn't get Cithria of Cloudfield.

​

After this statement, I leave you good people to your exorcism business.

The title. That's the post, essentially.

I've been aching again for something more in-depth, more SF, and listening to Deus Ex soundtracks at work hasn't been helping.

So I installed Xcom 2 again. War of the Chosen, with just a few choice QoL mods and a handful of the best rated apparel packs.

And as such, I'm time and time again awed by how polished and fill with stuff the game is. And all the while not feeling like the amount of content bogs the experience down. Everything works fast, the mechanics mostly all funnel toward the core game play experience, the action is just as chaotic as it's ever been, dancing on the knife's edge of being uncontrollable and the player having the final say in the end...

It's just, gnfhgng, Xcom2 with just WotC is a GOOD GAME. Period.

Hi all!

Here's part two of my thought exercise of what I'd think the upcoming New York set might look like. Or, rather a wish listing in a sense.

Anyway, I'm trying to rationalize why I'd make the design decisions I've done, so that it's not just paint on the wall. I hope you enjoy the card ideas, despite the fact the actual product will not probably look anything alike.

As a reminder, my design philosophies include:

- Respect current trends of the existing game
- Try to push power reasonably, but avoid power creep
- Steer clear of existing options and try to invent new avenues
- Bolster existing strategies that are missing puzzle pieces
- Silver bullets are bad design
- Forward momentum leads to resolved games, leads to better VTES

Take a look at how I think a few of the cards might look from the games, and let me know what you think!

Thanks in advance for any ideas! I'll always cook something up, but I'm enjoying the concept here a bit and wouldn't mind second opinions or brain storming.

BACKGROUND

Our level 8-9 group is infiltrating a remote castle with a demonically infested host. The setting is basically a ball infiltration, where different sects are gathering to present their expertise on what is basically magical weapons development and weaponizing demonic possession on warfare.

Enter Mila Wintersoul (halfling female wizard), second in command to her grand wizard, there to represent his interests. A seasoned veteran, strategist and commander - but while savagely efficient in warfare, also an enjoyer of fine silks, expensive jewerly and good entertainment. She's there to network and enjoy herself, but also very much on business.

She's also one of the main antagonists in the story.

PREMISE

Players eventually, in the nick of time, get to infiltrate the lowest levels of the keep and finally meet, by accident basically, Mila and others (including an Aboleth controlling much of the show) and get a jump on them. A tricky fight, but the players prevail (as is D&D).

Mila is there not in combat attire, but prepared to a meeting with other general peers of hers. She's coming straight from the party, but quickly sobering up for emergency negotiations (because they got a sniff of the player party).

She never goes practically anywhere without her bodyguard (and his watch dog), who operates in full attire in all situations. That's just military wizard basics.

QUESTION

What are the (magic) items a competent wizard general would

a) keep with her at all times, even on party business

b) would maybe leave behind to her rooms, and not bring to an after party

c) would take in preparation with her when there's no immediate risk, but she knows there's some trouble afoot after all

Can be 5e items, can be -26 items, can be home brew items, can be anything. I'm more about getting into that head space. I know I had written a whole attire for her, but the scenario has dragged on a bit and there's been a move and change of jobs and all sorts, so I have, eh, misplaced my notes on this. 😃

Thanks in advance for some brain storm exercises!