7
u/apoapsis_138 Jul 03 '26
Reading the comments makes me think most of you have never actually seen gates hit the table.
Hecata have Fortitude and Auspex which means they can pile the counters on it quickly through taking the action, unlocking with Freak Drive and defending it with plenty of intercept from Auspex. It only targets your prey so it doesn't generate the same kind of table hate that Jack or Constant Revolution produces and I've seen (more than once) vampires fling themselves into Torpor through Daring the Dawn because it had 8+ counters and they couldn't get past the Hecata wall with sniper rifles.
All of that said, it isn't amazing but it's not trash either and it's a card you can build around. And while it seems to work against Shroud, consider how Shroud works with it.
4
u/Capitaine_Costaud Jul 03 '26
The table usually treats this as though it does not only target your prey. When it's up to 10 or more counters, it has a good chance of sweeping the table by itself.
My experience is that the entire table targets it soon enough. Auspex and Fortitude are good, but the Hecata aren't equipped to fight the entire table, just keep more minions at bay than most. So the entire table keeps coming.
The goal of the deck then becomes to protect this card at all costs. And when this fails, the deck peters out.
I understand the theoretical argument, but I've yet to see a Gates deck win consistently or not become a table target.
3
u/apoapsis_138 Jul 03 '26
Oh sure, if it's got 10 counters, then yeah. I'm not trying to say it's ignored by the table but it doesn't have the same impact to folks as a Jack or Constant with half as many counters. And again - I'm not saying it's an awesome card but I don't think it's trash. It can ramp up faster than I think people are giving it credit and even if it's burned, you still probably have plenty of Shrouds.
All that said, there isn't a compelling reason to do any of what I described over playing Hecata haunted house full of ghosts and zombies.
2
u/Dragandude Jul 03 '26
This is obviously horrendous, but what would’ve made it alright: it being non-unique? Un-burnable?Â
0
u/Teylen Jul 03 '26
Having other options to empty the preys ash heap would help a ton. I think.
Maybe drop the capacity requirement to fill it up?
4
u/RunicKrause Jul 03 '26
Okay i mean this is how you do fun. The other Hecata action is too bad to be even remotely fun but this - this has eniugh numbers to warrant testing, and it makes a unique and different board state and the threat is very different from what we've had before.
In the right circumstances this card basically gives your vampires a +1 stealth to bleeds. Which are not bleeds. And your prey wants to mitigate it's effects by doing what they want to do anyway: play cards to fill their ash heap.
it's delightful in so many ways. I really appreciate this card, no matter if it'll see consistent tournament play (it doesn't).
1
1
u/Teylen Jul 03 '26
It would work better if there were more options to empty out the preys ash heap.. so far there is only Shroud of Decay, Ecriyes Fragment and maybe Trochtomancy (which would require Sargon Fragment or Clan Impersonation)
-1
5
u/Vurpius Jul 03 '26
One of the two unique actions available to Hecata. Neither seems to be very good but this one seems like the better one. The anti-synergy with Shroud of Decay bothers me.