Vampire: the Eternal Struggle (or VTES for short) is a multi-player collectable card game based on the award-winning Vampire: the Masquerade role playing game in which players take on the role of ancient vampires known as a Methuselahs. Considered mere legend by many, Methuselahs rule everything from the shadows, engaging in a eons-long Machiavellian conflict that encompasses political, social, and even physical warfare. The struggle is won or lost based on the actions taken by your minions – younger vampires who unknowingly do your bidding. In this way, the game can allow for deep and immersive storytelling as your minions purchase equipment, hire retainers, even suggest legislative changes to vampiric society, all in the service of your dark plots.

VTES was the second card game designed by Richard Garfield (designer of Magic the Gathering, Netrunner, and other games). It was designed to avoid some of the flaws that Garfield found in Magic: VTES does not require you to include resource or mana cards in your deck, and cards are instantly replaced when played, meaning that card draw isn’t as important as knowing when to discard a card to sculpt a better hand. It also has a gameplay experience more in keeping with a boardgame than a traditional card game – VTES is usually played by 4 or 5 players and games can last up to 2 hours.

Unlike most multi-player games, players in VTES do not engage in a free-for-all. Each player directs their attacks to the player on their left (their “prey”) and defends against the player on their right (their “predator”). You gain victory points by eliminating or “ousting” your prey from the game, in which case the next player to the left becomes your new prey. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins (even if they have been ousted!). This arrangement makes the game a very social one – you and the player two seats to the left and right have common enemies. But if you help these allies too much, you may find that you’ve made one of them too strong, and when they suddenly become your new predator, your help has transformed that ally into a deadly threat.

VTES is also a resource management game. Each player begins with 30 points of influence called “pool” that Methuselahs hold dearer than unlife itself. If you run out of pool, you are ousted from the game. But this pool is also the way that you sway vampires to your cause. Each turn you have the opportunity to spend your pool to seduce a vampire. Weak fledgling vampire are easily swayed, but the older more powerful ones require convincing, which may require multiple turns to accomplish. Once a vampire is converted to your side, all the pool you spent on them becomes blood possessed by this vampire, which can be spent to play cards that allow them to activate their unique vampiric powers. Each minion must manage their blood and you must manage your pool – spending more provides you with additional minions, but brings you one step closer to being ousted. Under- or over- investing in your minions may well cost you the game.

The Dice Cup Shipping, Delivery & Collection Terms: 

We post to the UK only.  We also offer collection from the store.

We aim to post all orders received before 12 noon on the following day.

New releases will be shipped, at latest, one day after we have received them into our stock.

During the run up to Christmas and during other busy periods (including when we have a sale) there may be short delays in dispatching goods due to the volume of orders.

Games are sent by Royal Mail or DPD Local Courier for heavier orders.

All orders over 2 Kilos will be sent by DPD. DPD is a next working day delivery service (i.e. Monday to Friday). The charge is based on the rate for the weight of the games. We will confirm that the games have been shipped by email.

In most cases deliveries should arrive one working day after the order is placed (during the Christmas period deliveries may take longer to arrive). If there are postal strikes or severe weather these times can be significantly longer. We reserve the right to substitute one mail service for another if it is equivalent and will result in the games being delivered faster than by Royal Mail. Please note that all orders for large quantities of games will ship by courier.

The collection option is only available for those that are able to come to the store during our opening hours.

Please check Facebook for what these are as they will change as Covid restrictions change. Currently we are open AT LEAST from 11am-6pm each day. Please bring some ID as well as proof of purchase when picking up your games.

We reserve the right to change the method of shipment and there may be a surcharge if the actual delivery cost is great than the amount charged.