"Special Ability" Revisited

Haven't seen one of these threads since Bloodlines or so, so I figure it might be a good time to revisit exactly what constitutes a "special ability" for the purpose of Seeds of Corruption. Seeds of Corruption [AH:U5, CE:PTr2] Cardtype: Action Cost: 2 blood Discipline: Thaumaturgy +1 stealth action. [tha] (D) Put this card on one of your prey's vampires. If the vampire is a Follower of Set, he or she burns 2 additional blood for each action he or she attempts; otherwise, he or she burns 1 additional blood for each action he or she attempts. The vampire with this card cannot use his or her special abilities. Any vampire(s) may burn this card with two +1 stealth actions. [THA] As above, but the vampire burns 2 additional blood for each action; Followers of Set burn 3 additional blood. "Special ability" includes all non-term (Clan, Sect, Title, Unique (or not), Blood Cursed, Circle, Flight, Infernal, Scarce, Slave, Sterile, Vulnerability) text . (note that this only means that the affected vampire cannot do anything that he is allowed to do only by special ability - not that he can now overcome some special restriction.) [LSJ 19970801 LSJ 20011211] [1] [2] #1. Is inherent Anarch-ness considered a special ability? (Though it only applies to Advanced Jeremy and Advanced Dominique, it may be especially important if any future vampires are inherently Anarch). #2. Are Merging abilities considered a special ability? If so, would this also apply to changes in sect and title due to merging? #3. Is inherent Black Hand membership considered a special ability? #4. Is inherent Seraph status considered a special ability? Halcyan 2

Halcyan 2 wrote: > Haven't seen one of these threads since Bloodlines or so, so I figure it might > be a good time to revisit exactly what constitutes a "special ability" for the > purpose of Seeds of Corruption. > > #1. Is inherent Anarch-ness considered a special ability? (Though it only > applies to Advanced Jeremy and Advanced Dominique, it may be especially > important if any future vampires are inherently Anarch). No. "Anarch" is a term. > #2. Are Merging abilities considered a special ability? If so, would this also > apply to changes in sect and title due to merging? In as far as the merged text is not a term, yes. > #3. Is inherent Black Hand membership considered a special ability? No. Term. > #4. Is inherent Seraph status considered a special ability? No. Term. -- LSJ (vte...@white-wolf.com) V:TES Net.Rep for White Wolf, Inc. Links to V:TES news, rules, cards, utilities, and tournament calendar: http://www.white-wolf.com/vtes/

LSJ expounded: > > #2. Are Merging abilities considered a special ability? If so, would this also > > apply to changes in sect and title due to merging? > > In as far as the merged text is not a term, yes. As I understand it... The ability to merge is a rule not a special ability. The abilities granted by merging may be special abilities. Titles and sect-changes are not special abilities. Is this correct? (not quite clear what the question or the answer above mean)

[ quoted text not captured ] The ability to merge a base vampire with his advanced version is not a special ability of either card, correct. Titles, sect, and other terms are never special abilities, even when they appear in the "when merged" portion of the advanced vampire's card text, correct. [ quoted text not captured ]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 11:28:16 -0500, LSJ <vte...@white-wolf.com> scrawled: >Timlagor wrote: >> LSJ expounded: >> >>>>#2. Are Merging abilities considered a special ability? If so, would this also >>>>apply to changes in sect and title due to merging? >>> >>>In as far as the merged text is not a term, yes. >> >> >> As I understand it... >> The ability to merge is a rule not a special ability. The abilities >> granted by merging may be special abilities. Titles and sect-changes are >> not special abilities. >> >> Is this correct? >> (not quite clear what the question or the answer above mean) > >The ability to merge a base vampire with his advanced version is not a >special ability of either card, correct. > >Titles, sect, and other terms are never special abilities, even when they >appear in the "when merged" portion of the advanced vampire's card text, >correct. for example, Lazarus's merged text (the maneuver or the press, i forget which) is an abilty. Dominique's merged text (Anarch Baron) is not a special ability, it is a term and a title. salem domain:canberra http://www.geocities.com/salem_christ.geo/vtes.htm