At Your Disposal : Infernal Servitor

There are several good allies in HttB (In fact, I don't think there are bad allies in this set, even though I did have too many members in my entourage at the moment...), but I think that the Infernal Servitor really stands out as the cream of the lot.

Let's look at how much utility is packed into this one little thing that cost only 1 pool.

First, you get a demon that can bleed for 3, read this again and repeat after me, BLEED FOR 3, without playing any card, without any restrictions, without any other random problems, just BLEED FOR 3.

Now that we have that bullet, let's look at the delivery system. At basic DAI, this little Servitor is no big deal, though I do see a good number of DAI-abled Vampires with Superior OBF to do all the cloaking and (remember this) Veil the Legion for the Infernal Servitors to put them at the right place to do the most damage. But if brought into play with superior DAI, the Servitor herself can use OBF for the stealth that is needed to do what she needs to do. You put one and one together, you get a 3 bleed with stealth function.

And how strong is this stealth? Maybe not a lot, but easily 1 or 2 is achievable given the power and efficiency of OBF. But the superior Servitor also comes with the ability to use DAI, and suddenly your Servitor is no longer a weak, meowing sneaky kitten trying to get some scraps off your plates, but a minion capable of using aggravated damage given by a myriad of DAI cards. Conflagration is useable since the Servitor has 2 life, or Flames of the Netherworld if the opponent isn't going to go to long range to fight this battle. Even if all else fails, this minion can strike for 1 damage afterall.

The downside of this Servitor is that it burns after a successful action. Meaning it can ever only do 1 thing for you before she goes holiday in the ash heap. This is not necessarily a bad thing. First, you will not have a second thought in maximizing her in using any actions since she's not going to stay around anyway. What can those life be used for you may ask? Well in combat she has more options, she can Conflagration for a start, or maneuver with Fear of the Void Below if you want to go close to use Flames of the Netherworld. Or you can use her life to power up more stealth, like Masca, or cancel those Enhanced Senses with I am Legion. And don't get me started with Greater Curse. Now I wonder if the Servitor can actually use Greater Curse AND Old Friends in a single action...ok, now I'm being greedy.

The Servitor comes into play ready to act, so there's no "cool down" period before you can start bleeding your prey for many many. If you have multiple Infernal Vampires, you can actually stack multiple Servitors in a single round, and send waves of them against your prey. The fact that they burned after a successful action can then be played to your advantage.

There are many interesting ways that I can see to enhance the Servitor's performance. The Khazar's Dairy for example, can get a healthy number counters with lots of Servitors working for you (but I shudder at the thoughts of facing a predator with Khazar's Diary...). The Servitors can then be Compelled back into service by your hordes of little Giovannis if you chose to work the Baalis with them (Or Valerius, for that matter).

Charisma makes these Servitors free of charge, Maureen with Charisma allows you to gain 1 pool with every single of these that you called, and if all of them bleed successfully with Greater Curse you get 1 more pool for every one bleed of 3. (with a bonus 1 stealth to start with) Don't forget to enhance their bleeds with The Horde if you feel like it. (A bit of an overkill here)

But is that all the Servitor can do? Stealth Bleed? No, not really, go read those Condemnation cards my friends - some of them are worth your Servitors' miserable lives. (Though it is likely that the Servitor cannot play those cards since she is not an infernal Vampire, but even so, she is good enough as a 5-star ally bleeder.) Oh, at times of true hardship, you can even consider leaving her untapped to block an attack or 2 as an extra ally.

All of these, at the cost of 1 pool and your soul?

I will have my Servitor deck up and running in no time!

(o.o)y