It´s time! The upcoming Fifth Edition Hecata preconstructed deck for Vampire: The Eternal Struggle is now available for preorders. The official release date is February 28, so now is when you talk to your favourite store about stocking up.
Above you see preview art by Anastasiia Horbunova for the card Spectral Sentinel – for the actual card preview, more previews and the full decklist, check out the Fifth Edition Hecata product page.
Words by Vincent Ripoll, rules director of Black Chantry Productions:
It has been 30 years of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle (VTES), and we want to dwell a bit on how the rules of the game have changed in this time. A good way to look at this is by the “eras” of the three main contributors:
L. Scott Johnson (“LSJ”) played a pivotal role in establishing the rules of VTES as we know them today through various rulings and errata. His work spanned from 1998 to the end of the White Wolf era in 2010, starting with collecting answers from the official net.rep of Wizard of the Coast at that time as well as house rules, then becoming the official net.rep himself and releasing the quite legendary RTR 7-7 which paved the way for the game we know today.
Pascal Bertrand contributed greatly to the rules between 2010 and 2016, especially focusing on naming concepts and fixing typos. His rulings defined the finer aspects of card interactions, such as the “impulse” as well as redefining official formats for tournaments when the game was no longer published. His clarifications greatly influenced the official VTES rulings, helping streamline game design and card effects.
Vincent Ripoll’s rule changes, particularly from 2018 onward, focused on consistency in the wording, defining some of the most technical parts in a logical way, as well as simplifying or making certain mechanics more intuitive.
Original version.
Original version.
Banned from tournament play.
Changes by L. Scott Johnson
Back in 1998, VTES rules were a mess. It was the early days of CCG, and although the game mechanics were sound, many interactions were ill-defined, and many cards were not clear enough or consistent enough. There were a lot of house rules back then, because it was much harder for players to find information about games. The Internet was very different, and players had only USENET servers to communicate, so messages could be easily lost based on their retention policy.
LSJ “started with a small dusting of corner-tidying cases” (such as restricting the duration of combat effects to the round – Immortal Grapple used to last the whole combat) before releasing one of the first “Rule Team Rulings”, but undoubtedly the most influential: the 7-7 RTR. It defined what (D) actions were (before that, you could have (D) actions directed at yourself that no one could block), limiting vote cards one could discard during a vote, the way aggravated damage worked, but also errata such as Fame’s current card text. It also included some changes that would later on be reversed (such as not being able to play combat cards after a combat ends). The third RTR that year gave the general targeting rule (basically: targets must be appropriate) that would lead to “you cannot attempt what you cannot do”.
In 1999, most changes were card errata (such as the first errata on the VTES version of Parity Shift that allowed you to reallocate the pool after the referendum passed) or bans (Return to Innocence was broken beyond repair), cleaning up card text and answering what would appear as weird questions today such as: “what happens if a vampire banishes themselves in Daring the Dawn”, but clarifications were also made about where Embraces end up when they get banished, or the first definition of block-induced combats (leading later on to the “block resolution”).
In 2000, combat steps were reworked, and it became possible again to play end-of-round cards after a combat ends. Many things were not clear yet in Scott’s mind, with a lot of back-and-forth changes on cards (for instance the Tomb of Ramses III), but the general direction was becoming clearer. Cancellation was clarified (you could cancel cards brought in play through exotic means such as Disguised Weapon). Self-contest was clarified in 2001; in 2002, Eagle’s Sight as well as “play as if” effects were properly defined. Note that the NRA rule was only added to the rulebook in the Camarilla Edition, even though it was already effective as a tournament rule years before (because players were complaining of bleed / Earth Meld decks already).
In 2003, how costs of cancelled cards would be paid (or not) was defined as it is today, leading to many “(no cost is paid)” errata, and the use of non-reminder text between parentheses.
In 2004, Seeds of Corruption was errated a last time (before being banned years later – sometimes clarifying a card as best as possible isn’t enough). More interestingly, any effect could now be used during damage prevention step (but not during the “as played” window). It started with The Barrens (because it’s quite natural to try to draw cards to prevent damage) and ended up years later into being able to reciprocate to before-range-is-determined damage from an Outside the Hourglass with another Outside the Hourglass. Oh, and dodge would now protect from Catatonic Fear, whereas two Catatonic Fear would both inflict damage.
In 2007, LSJ would teach us a good math lesson by defining which mathematical operations should be done first when doubling or halving costs, and increasing or decreasing it by a fixed amount.
Of course, Mask of the Thousand Faces would be changed in 1998, 2003 and 2004, but never banned because it’s a cool card 😊
Banned from tournament play.
Latest printed version.
Banned from tournament play.
Changes by Pascal Bertrand
After White Wolf ceased publishing the game, the player organisation VEKN took matters into its own hands and appointed a new Rules Director. Pascal was keen to dust off some old concepts, removing some oddities (such as combat cards played outside combat) and fixing some cards released in Keepers of Tradition (the last “core” set published by WW).
In December 2011, the RTR encompassed ballots, how multiple actions introduced by the same cards were handled, some templates such as “During X do Y”, early stages of replacement effects, how Villein would no longer penalize the whole table, as well as the legality of VEKN cards and what PTW meant in the final round. Pascal started working on the complete rules reference, an unfinished work.
In 2013, the concept of “impulse” was introduced, Lilith’s Blessing was banned and clarifications about additional strikes were made, and tournament rules were changed to accommodate the player base slump.
In 2014, the “finish the action or phase upon time limit” was introduced in tournaments, and in 2016, proxies were officially allowed in some tournaments “as long as the game is not under production” (but still stands today as all cards have not been reprinted yet).
Much of Pascal’s work was not made visible until years later, especially the overhaul of the card texts, thanks to subsequent reprints.
2018 was as busy as 1998, with three RTR released. The first one focused on removing some unnecessary quirks such as the influence phase leading to suicidal self-contests and not matching the intuitive way of playing cards, controlled allies in the uncontrolled region, or Caitiff not being a clan. The second one defined Anarch as its own sect, introduced the hunt value, and moved the non-cumulative bleed modifiers (“limited”) from the card to make it the default rule (and making the analogy with additional strike sources). Templating started to be also more consistent with some terms (such as immune) no longer being used for different things. Villein was also errated a second time to limit it to 5 pool. The third RTR focused on some niche concepts such as “cold iron vulnerability” or the research area which were moved from the rulebook to the few cards that were using it or removed from some cards, scarce penalty which was lightened and introduction of the block resolution definition. Many cards were changed with tournament rules in mind, such as making blood or pool gain optional (reducing the need of rollback in tournaments) or revealing “fetched” cards.
Many cards were reworded for consistency following guidelines, and all these changes were made possible by the various reprints done throughout that year, and the print-on-demand that allows us to bring updated cards to the market with greater flexibility.
In 2020, some cards that were on the watch list for being associated with real world racist caricatures were banned and replacement cards were later issued. The November RTR of that year coincided with the release of the Fifth Edition rulebook and got rid of default sect for clans (that was forcing players to keep up to date with the latest sect associations). The Fifth Edition rulebook also contained some name changes (Assamites, Followers of Set, Thaumaturgy) to align with Fifth Edition terminology.
There hasn’t been any RTR release since then, but various projects are gathering all the rulings (including those from after 2020) to make them easy to find.
We hope you enjoyed this little trip in time and the effort put in over the years to ensure the game remains fun, balanced, and as easy to play as possible.
At the top of this article you see some preview art by Raquel Cornejo from a brand new card that will be made available in the upcoming Fifth Edition Hecata preconstructed deck.
Word by Ginés Quiñonero, art director of Black Chantry Productions:
The artwork of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle (VTES) has captivated players for three decades with a unique and alluring characteristic: its eclecticism. This diversity of styles has been present since the game’s first edition, evolving with each new release and attracting players from all backgrounds. Each has found a style they resonate with among the game’s illustrations. As VTES expanded over the years — especially during the White Wolf era — its artistic range broadened to include influences from comics, manga, fairy tales, and medieval fantasy. Today, although some variety remains, VTES artwork has crystallized into a signature dark horror atmosphere that is both dramatic and mature.
Throughout the history of VTES, two artists stand out for their near-continuous contributions from 1994 to 2024: Ken Meyer, Jr. and Lawrence Snelly. In their works, iconic characters like Zebulon and Anneke, capture the distinct styles of these illustrators.
In addition to this stylistic evolution, the game also experienced a technical transformation. In its early days, such as with the original edition and Dark Sovereigns, illustrations were created using traditional techniques like watercolors, acrylics, and oils. However, with the Ancient Hearts expansion, digitally modified photographs made their debut, thanks to pioneers like Lawrence Snelly and Max “Shade” Fellwalker, who added a new dimension to the game’s visuals with works like Bindusara and Praxis Seizure: Monaco.
In 2000, VTES took a further step into the digital age with Christopher Shy’s work in Sabbat War and later Chad Michael Ward in Gehenna (2004). These artists introduced photo-based illustrations with painterly finishes, creating eerie atmospheres that became the dominant style in Bloodlines (2001). Their contributions shifted the game’s art towards a haunting, cinematic aesthetic.
Another milestone arrived in 2013 with Danse Macabre, the first fan-made expansion, which brought fully digital 3D-modeled illustrations into VTES. Artists like Javier Santos and Martín de Diego Sábada left their unmistakable mark on this new phase, contributing to the ongoing visual evolution of the game. This type of art has become the dominant style in VTES today, with Carmen Cornet being its foremost representative.
In 2006, the Player’s Kit introduced cards featuring preliminary sketches — a technique that wouldn’t reappear until Direct Intervention was released with its sketched versions years later. More recently, in 2022, the first full-art card, Maila, illustrated by Noora Hirvonen, made its debut. Then, in 2024, Mythic Form became the first library card with a full-art design specifically conceived for VTES’s vertical card format. These innovations highlight VTES’s constant drive to explore new presentation forms and breathe life into its characters and settings.
Beyond these technical and stylistic developments, VTES artwork has also served as a way to honor key figures associated with the game—designers, illustrators, and even players. For many fans, the idea of being immortalized as a vampire has become an achievable dream, particularly for those who have won continental championships and other major tournaments. With Black Chantry Productions now at the helm, this tradition has been extended to a wider variety of players, allowing the community to see itself reflected in this unique game.
Anson – Anson Maddocks depicted.
Leon – Jason Carl depicted.
Paulo de Castille – Oscar J Garza.
Xaviar – Steve Wieck depicted.
Byzar – Hugh Anseesing depicted.
At the top of this article and on the card above you see a preview of Monica Giovanni by Mark Kelly from the upcoming Fifth Edition Hecata preconstructed deck, He started to contribute to VTES in The Unaligned set in 2014, and has so far illustrated 37 cards.
And so, as Vampire: The Eternal Struggle enters its fourth decade, one thing remains certain: its artwork continues to evolve, surprising and inspiring players with its boundless creativity.
The card Puppet Master appears in the upcoming Vampire: The Eternal StruggleFifth Edition Lasombra preconstructed deck. This is to be considered as the same card as the previously printed card Mind Rape. The old card is still legal for tournament play.
We love our artists and love to spotlight them. Above you can see new fantastic art by Randy Gallegosfor the 30th Anniversary version of the classic Vampire: The Eternal Struggle card Third Tradition: Progeny. Randy has been illustrating for the game since the very beginning, back in 1994, so wefelt it was a must to ask him if he would like to return and contribute for the 30 year celebration.He said yes, and he also agreed to a interview:
Hello Randy, thanks for taking your time to talk to us. How are you today?
I am a bit stressed as I am leaving today for an event in Washington state for the weekend. However I hit some hard deadlines I had to meet before leaving, so that’s good. I had to clear the schedule so my wife and I could take a vacation for our 26th anniversary straight after the event – illustration deadlines don’t really move for those kinds of things, so you have to work around them!
Randy Gallegos.
9 x 12″ figure study for Third Tradition: Progeny, acrylic and pencil on paper.
Tell us a bit about your background as an artist? Are you educated or self-taught?
I studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland 1991–1994. I was a Drawing major. With regards to painting however I had to teach myself that since the painting department there was full of abstract and other gallery artists who couldn’t draw or paint very well.
You have been illustrating for games a long time now. What kind of assignments do you prefer these days?
In recent years, owing to a series of traditional landscapes I’ve worked on, I’ve been commissioned a good number of fantasy landscapes as assignments. That’s fine, but I prefer figurative, contemplative or moody/surreal types of work. But I like imaginative art generally, so it’s pretty much all fine. I tend to shy away from aggro violence, dark/occultic imagery or highly sexualized themes, though.
Wake with Evening’s Freshness.
Atonement.
What artistic techniques do you prefer? It seems your style has changed since the 1990s.
Most of my work is still painted traditionally, although in recent years there have been times I’ve worked entirely digitally or a mix, depending on a client’s requirements or deadline since digital is much faster than paint. While I began my career as an acrylic painter, in the late 90s I transitioned to oils. Most of my painted work starts in acrylic and then is completed in oil.
For my Vampire: The Eternal Struggle 30th Anniversary illustrations, I painted the figure for “Business Pressure”, in acrylic, then scanned it and put it into the digital composition and finished it there.
For “Third Tradition: Progeny” I rendered it out in pencil and acrylic, scanned that and then overpainted it digitally.
6 x 9″ figure study for Business Pressure, acrylic and pencil on paper.
Business Pressure – Art on card.
When I was just starting out, working on Vampire: The Eternal Struggle as my first project at the age of 19, and for the first few years of my career, there was a wide disparity in the quality of my work – there were stretches where I produced illustrations from thumbnail to finish every two workdays. That was bad practice, but also fees were much lower then for the many card games back in the 90s, so that was certainly one strategy to earn a living back then. So sit was evident which pieces caught my interest particularly, as I tended to slow down for them.
Over time I took the hit of scheduling less work and focusing more on quality, and hoping it would eventually get me out of the pit that that practice was digging for me as well as the financial hit that stopping that practice meant for a few years while I got back to creating the kind of work I wanted to do when I was in art school – back then paintings were typically larger, more highly referenced and with more time spent. There were professional pieces in that early era that embodied the kind of artist I knew I was and could be, and I knew I was short-changing myself by not giving every piece that kind of effort.
“Spring 1994. Cloak the Gathering is complete and visible and I am working on a piece for a card that was cut from the set before release and thus unused.
How do you work with models and photos?
When appropriate and schedule/fee allows, I’ll use models. If there’s a good amount of time and I know a friend I can rope in, I’ll do that. If time/fee allows and I need a look outside of what I can get from my immediate circle, I’ll hire a model. Particularly within my circle, often I’ll use a model for the general body type and pose/lighting, while changing the look/features.
We guess many who read this have seen your art for Vampire: The Eternal Struggle. What else have you worked with?
Certainly my 30-year association with Magic: The Gathering is my best-known and largest body of work. While I tended to devote more time to early Magic work than other projects – and this showed – I also had to redouble my efforts to stay relevant there, among a growing and quickly improving stable of fellow artists who moved the quality in that game forward aggressively. So in terms of what I am most proud of, it has been making the changes and improvements necessary to stay relevant to that game over the entirety of my career.
Outside of Magic, I’ve worked with a slew of games that have come and gone, some children’s book stuff, YA covers and the like. Outside of illustration, my series “Hearts for Hardware” is an ongoing series of traditional still life paintings dedicated to the history of video game hardware. Of my personal work, it’s the work that I am most excited about.
Body Flare.
Alicia Barrows.
What other work do you have upcoming?
The vast majority of my illustration is in Magic: The Gathering these days, so that’s the main place you’ll find me. It’s unusual now for me to take on work with other clients, but the 30th anniversary of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle was special to me as it was the game I started this career on and Black Chantry was great to work with. I also have some art in Brotherwise Games’ upcoming The Stormlight Archive RPG series of books which will Kickstart this summer.
Big thanks to Randy Gallegos for this chat, and thanks for your lovely art!
