The Ahrimane is my favourite clan, and is the first deck that had given me tournament wins. I think it fits pretty well into my toolboxy playstyle and sort of agree with how I play. The Ahrimane is quite a flexible clan, given their discipline spread of SPIRITUS, ANIMALISM and PRESENCE, they can bleed well, fight reasonably well, and block well. So for any Methuselahs who like to have a clan that can turn up every week with a different focus, Ahrimane will definitely be a contender. The Ahrimanes' bloodline unique discipline is SPIRITUS, which is quite an interesting discipline. In essence it is a very support-based discipline that, if I may say so, absolutely no focus. It allows good blood-gain tech, gives good untap and intercept ability, allows for some unpredictable stuff such as searching for retainers and also some other combat support ability. Not nearly enough Ahrimane comes with superior SPIRITUS for this discipline to be useful, but even the inferior SPIRITUS ability is reasonably functional.
SPIRITUS supply the Ahrimanes with 3 main options -
1. Blocking - Besides Eagle's Sight, SPIRITUS's Falcon's Eye is the only other discipline that provides a blocking option that bypass the standard blocking restriction, allowing the Ahrimane to block anybody on the table (usually the prey), to be exact, it is Eagle's Sight in every way. Add in the Speak with Spirits, which is a superior Forced Awakening, an Ahrimane with superior SPIRITUS with these 2 cards can untap and block with 1 Intercept at the cost of 1 blood. Given the fact that ANIMALISM has good permanent intercepts, it makes the Ahrimanes superior blockers even when compared to Gangrels and Nosferatus.
2. Which brings me to combat - the SPIRITUS combat cards are no big deal, but it did add some options to them. Leapfrog is a good free combat end cards that ANIMALISM lacks, while Swiftness of the Stag is a good multi-purpose combat card that can also add stealth to the much needed discipline spread, and it is again, free, making it a very efficient card. SPIRITUS also has what I think is the best enter combat card in Vtes, to the degree that Nose of the Hound is used by any combat deck that has AUSPEX, which is already an inferior function of the SPIRITUS ability. Think about it, a +1 stealth enter combat card with absolutely no restriction, AND a free TWO manouevers given in that combat, FREE. If you think that this is not a bargain you should go back to play MTG.
3. Blood-Gain - Engling Fury is one of the most expensive card for SPIRITUS to acquire. But it is a great card to use. It basically gives a free 2 blood hunt action for your Vampire if your Vampire has SPIRITUS, which at the superior version, is practically a free action. Vulture's Buffet extend this a little by giving you the option of removing retainers or minions in any ash heap to gain blood and pool - not a bad deal if your deck is capable of burning minions. (not that easy given that Ahrimanes have no aggravated damage capability unless you really want to build around the few that has PROTEAN.
SPIRITUS does give other random ability such as Muricia's call's ability to "summon" ANIMALISM retainer and provide an untap after the action. They also have one of the best stealth card in the game - Squirrel's Balance, which instead of adding stealth, reduces the blocker's intercepts and can bypass exotic defenses of things like Draba.
The other supportive discipline of ANIMALISM usually serves as combat options and intercepts retainers for the Ahrimane. You'll probably see many Raven Spies or even Raptors in Ahrimane decks, some Murder of Crows, and perhaps an occasional Owl Companion. An Ahrimane wall deck (or even toolbox deck) will also see many Cat's Guidance and an assortment of ANIMALISM untap cards if needed (which is required for those Ahrimanes with no superior SPIRITUS). Environmental combat cards are also popular, with Carrion Crows being one of the most commonly seen addition to the deck. The Ahrimanes are not that fantastic in preventing damage, so their combat are generally fought at range, though Howler can easily prove just as deadly at close. For that the standard Aid from Bats + Carrion Crows combo is a common sight. Other effective ANIMALISM combat cards are also frequently added - Drawing out the Beast and Terror Frenzy, and definitely a Canine Horde or two. And as with all wall decks, Army of Rats is another popular member of the Ahrimanes.
The mighty PRESENCE added the power of bleeding to the Ahrimanes, which is something that other ANIMALISM clans normally lack. Powerful bleed cards such as Enchant Kindred and Legal Manipulations are great addition to the Ahrimane, and they make excellent bruise bleeders, and have the option to stealth through when the right cards are in hand - a most flexible toolbox deck. PRESENCE also add to the Ahrimane more flexibility in combat, so that even the Vampires without superior SPIRITUS to make use of Leapfrog can combat end with PRESENCE combat cards. In fact, I've once manage to put a Heart of the City and a Tier of Souls at superior on a Siamese, you can smell the fear of my prey everytime I touch her card.
A good Ahrimane draw can really allow a Vampire with superior SPIRITUS to multi-action in a single round. For example, Howler could bleed with Legal Manipulations, and prepared to be blocked, (if not, you just bled for 3 and gained 1 pool) fight a round or 2 with Carrion Crows/Aid from Bats combo, and then Majesty to end combat and untap; hunt with Engling Fury to replenish some blood, hunt again with Vulture's Buffet and untap; and then recruit a Raven Spy with Muricia's Call and be ready to block. Next Vampire will follow.
The Ahrimanes also have some good friends to recruit. High Top is one of the better werewolf ally in the game. He is expensive, but has additional strike, optional manouever, may enter combat, and has a +1 Intercept. The CELERITY thing for him is generally not used in most typical Ahrimane decks though. Ohoyo Hopoksia is a little more exotic, but is still a deadly fighter that is good for a wall deck.
Don't bother with the other Ahrimane clan cards, they are hardly worth the effort. You can maybe find a way to make Wildebeest useable, but with so many safer ways to fight I don't see why you would want to risk the Ahrimane in close combat. And no, Strength of the Bear with Wildebeest is not a combo worth writing home about.
The Ahrimane has a reasonably deep crypt for a pure clan, and IMHO, the Group 2 Ahrimanes seems to have a better mix than the Group 4s. Maria Stone of Group 3 is kinda weird, and is generally not used extensively despite her allegiance. Howler is definitely the star of the Ahrimane, with excellent combat capabilities and the required discipline spread. Remeber to throw in ANIMALISM master discipline cards in every Ahrimane deck that you build, almost every Group 2 Ahrimane would have need of 1 to make them effective. The Group 4s have no such need, and they seem to be more ANIMALSIM friendly, but there are less viable Ahrimane in that group.
Ahrimane is not a fast clan. It'll take a while for your Vampires to be in position to be efficient in what they do. You'll need the more powerful Vampires with superior SPIRITUS to be on table quickly, slap a Raven Spy or 2 on them and then you're safe. Prior to that you might need some luck to keep your predator pre-occupied, maybe with a few Nose or two to damage or torpor his main attacker. Once you're fully set-up, it is a common sight to see pretty Ahrimane Chicks just sitting there and making everybody else pay. Do be careful with your library though, you may have a good number of on-table resource, but is generally card-intensive. You just might run out of gas before you kill enough preys to give you the table.
By the way, name me one good reason you don't want to play with a clan of wild pretty things.
(o.o)y
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