Some anonymous person wrote:
"As for the "So many subtle variation cards"; I would like to refute this
statement. The only cards that were varied were the ones that seemed to be
unbroken and needed to help counter previously broken strategies."
As for "Subtle Variations", I mean cards that are just like another card, just a little different. They have nothing to do with "Broken" cards. The bulk of the new cards in Sabbat are "Subtle Variation" cards. I like the "Subtle Variation" cards, and think they are the best cards in the set, but that is what they are, "Subtle Variations". For instance, "Pushing the Limit" vs. "Undead Strength", "Redirection" vs "Deflection", and "Superior Mettle" vs "Skin of Steel", "Pursuit" vs "Nimble Feet". These cards are very similar, but have enough difference to make you want to use one over the other for a subtle reason.
Under 4CL, having a choice between PtL and US means "Oh good! Now I can have 8 first round POT strikes." Undr NL, having a choice between PtL and US means "Ok, now which do I want to use? US does less damage but costs no blood. PtL Costs blood. Maybe I'll use 8 of one or 6 and 2..." The "Subtle Variation" cards under NL allow for slight deck modifications but have no overwhelming effect on the play environment. Under 4CL, the "Subtle Variation" cards greatly affect the play environment ("Hey! Now I can have eight deflections!"), and the subtle differences have little meaning. For instance, where in NL it may be significant to have 8 "Superior Mettle" rather than 8 "Skin of Steel" (because you like to Press, for instance...), in 4CL, you just are happy cause you now can have 4 of each, effectively just having 8 "Skin of Steel".
He then wrote:
"1: certain cards are no longer broken (with a 4CL, 1 CL Uniques - as we
play). Examples - ToR, Blood to Water, Art Meseum etc."
Regardless of the debatability of the brokenness of the above mantioned cards, having only 4 of them does not make them any less broken, it just makes it less likely that they will be drawn. This does limit their effect on the game slightly, but when they come up, they are still just as busted.
And then he wrote:
"Well you seem to have found the second argument in favour of 4CL for me.
The challenge and skill required in deck building and in game play is
greater in CL."
Now mind you, my group played 4CL for a year or so, so I fully understand what is involved in making 4CL decks, and all of the arguments in favor, as I made them all (before I decided that I was wrong...:-). The main skill and challange in building 4CL decks is figuring out how to get around the card limit. Once you have exausted 4 of every useful card you need, you spend the rest of the time trying to figure out how to make other cards do what you want circumvent the limit. For instance, everybody who has tried to build a Rush Combat deck under 4CL put in 4 Bum Rush, 4 Haven Uncovered, and then when faced with "How do I get in combat more often when I can only use 4 of each of these cards?" put in 4 Rampages, reasoning "Well, they'll have to block me if I go to Rampage on their Art Museum..." (Cumon. Admit it . You all have :-). Show me a 4CL deck that does not have simply 4 of every useful card for the deck, and I'll show you a 4CL deck that is fairly inefective. My deck example (4 of every good POT card) is fairly similar to most 4CL POT combat decks, just plug in the seasoning cards (CEL or OBF or DOM or whatever)
He still wrote:
"The third point in favour of CL is that we don't have to change the rules
with GT or anything else. There is no problem with Vote pushing in CL,
there is no problem with multiple actions in CL."
4CL is as just an arbitrary rules change as GT/SPTR, and has a far greater effect on the intended rules of the game (i.e. the ones in the rule book). Under 4CL it is still easy to build a Weenie Vote Push deck that will be extremely potent, if not overly so, due to the vote push rules (start with 4 KRC, 4 CA, 4 Parity Shift, 4 Sabbat Threat, 4 Ancillae Empowerment, 4 Anarch Revolt. Season with Praxis Seizures and other vote cards just to ditch as votes. Then sweep the table...). Multiple actions are just as much of a problem, but again, like broken cards, won't come up as much. It becomes more of a crap shoot. It is still wack to be killed by some Ventrue who taps you out (by trying to bleed you and then Majestying 4 times), and then bleeds you 4 times for 5 points each just because he happened to draw all 4 Freak Drives. Just lucky, I guess.
And finally he wrote (regarding the Brujah thrown objects deck):
"You always could, now its just better."
I think James hit this nail on the head. 4 Lids, 4 Gates, 4 Sacrament of Carnage, and 4 Well Aimed Cars does not a good combat deck make. You will, assuming you manage to draw them all, run out of Strikes after 3 combats. Then?