Bloody Disciplines - FORtitude

Picking up from where I've left off almost a year ago, my journey with the disciplines now come to the one most resilient combat discipline of all, and unquestionably one of the most powerful disciplines in the game - Fortitude.

This is the one discipline that all combat decks must think of defeating, and every single deck with access to it will probably think of using it in some way. Much like DOM, it is one of the defining disciplines in the game.

Action

That said, FOR is quite lacking in rewarding action cards. Pretty much all of the FOR actions revolves around damage prevention, blood gain or healing (rescuing), it is also one of the few disciplines that allow torpored vampires to take action (like Regeneration). Not that it is of much help in most decks (except those who specialized in going torpor, perhaps a Baltimore deck variant).

However, FOR does have a surprise action that often catch preys unaware - Force of Will. A +2 Bleed action that a TAPPED vampire can take is quite a surprise sometimes. The vampire will have to pay dearly for the action of course, and besides the Gargoyles very few vampires have the ability to come out from this action in one piece. Of course, for the benefit of ousting a prey, all is worth it~

Modifiers

This is where FOR shines. And in fact many believes that Modifiers is where the true power of FOR lies, even more impressive than their combat capability. FOR has very few modifiers, but pretty much all of them are powerhouses -let's look at these impressive cards -

1. Freak Drive

Multi-action. Period. Think of how many decks need this card to be effective, and think of what the world will be like without the Freaks Driving. Number 1 Modifier card in Vtes - case closed.

2. Dawn Operations

Best stealth in the world - vampires cannot block - finished.

3. Daring the Dawn

You blocked? Better ensure that you can handle aggravated damage. We who have FOR enjoys fighting in the sun anyway.

4. Kiss of Ra

You no FOR you block me? Me got 3 blood. If I have 5 blood I Freak Drive and Diablerize you.

Combat

FOR abled vampires are extremely difficult to eliminate in combat. Most combat cards centered around dealing damage to vampires, and when are dealt send them to torpor. Combat decks usually categorized themselves into either a. High damage count with POT or weapons or Strength. b. Aggravated damage.

And even common FOR decks will be able to deal with these combat decks with impunity. There are a variety of FOR cards to be used in combat to prevent damage, making combat decks look very bored most of the time. Moreover, it is not easy to overcome this defense - combat ends can be dealt with Immortal Grapples, Dodges you can attack again and again, Maneuvers you can shoot down. FOR, aha, you have to hope he has less cards than you have - and unfortunately many of the FOR prevention cards are extremely efficient in preventing damage.

For example, Superior Mettle. Even Enkidu with Heroic Might can only cause this vampire to burn 1 blood a turn, and if combined with Rolling with the Punches, 2 blood a turn regardless of what Enkidu does. In time, the FOR vampire can be torpored, but with great effort.

A aggravated damage deck without high damage intensity is most afraid of FOR decks. A single Indomitability will be able to handle a 1 point aggravated damage all the time. To complete the FOR vampire's combat array, Unflinching Persistence provides maneuvers with damage prevention in a great package and stuff like Soak and Armor of Vitality are incredible damage prevention cards.

Also beware the Undead Persistence [Undying Tenacity]/Trap combo that will just refuse to let your vampire go - enough poking and even the largest vampire will die, especially if this is a combat in a Daring the Dawn situation.

One thing is for sure, FOR is probably the best combat defense for vampires, and many decks rely on it to keep their vampires alive. It is also one discipline that almost all combat decks will have to measure against. This alone speaks the power of FOR.

Reaction

Again, FOR has quality over quantity here. Forced Vigilance is a great wake card - kinda a mix between Cat's Guidance and a superior Guard Dog. Hard Case is an interesting clone for Obedience with a very deadly application - excellent if used with old vampires such as Saulot. Steadfastness is a very flexible card as well, providing Intercept or bleed reduction - always a good card to throw in a deck with FOR.

Crypt

Being one of the earliest disciplines in the game, FOR has no lack of vampires - both the big ones and the small ones, the good ones and the not-so-impressive ones. Interestingly, the Freak Drive's presence kinda divide expensive vampires into 2 camps - those with FOR and those without. Most often than not, a vampire with FOR provides the Methuselah the ability to use it multiple times in a turn, making the vampire a lot more "worth it" - and in fact increase it's versatility by a hundred fold. Many decks rely on Freak Drives to make it efficient, especially those who work with Star vampires. It is pretty common for an old vampire to be measured with "he's got FOR or not?".

That said, superior FOR is not common for vampires of 4 cap and below, and none available for Groups 1-3. Even those with superior FOR at 3-4 cap have disadvantages that you might want to look at (Rico for example, is almost un-useable in most decks~)

That said, FOR is useful even at the basic level, so not missing much here~

(o.o)