rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad

Stealth and Intercept (Gaurd Duty) - LSJ

18 messages from 9 participants · 08 March 2002 – 11 March 2002
original thread on Google Groups

martijn

I was shocked and apalled by the ruling made by LSJ in the earlier post on Gaurd Duty http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&threadm=3C889EB3.1E6F254F%40white-wolf.com&prev=/groups%3Foi%3Ddjq%26as_ugroup%3Drec.games.trading-cards.jyhad This basically makes Guard Duty useless (as if there aren't enough useless cards already!!) However, I also think the reasoning behind the ruling is faulty. 6.2.2.2 says: "Stealth can be added to an action only when needed (that is, only if the action is currently being blocked and the blocking minion has enough intercept to block the acting minion). Likewise, intercept can be added during an action only when needed (that is, only by a blocking minion when the acting minion's stealth exceeds his intercept)." So you can only ADD intercept is you need it. However, does Guard Duty really add intercept? If GD is used you automatically HAVE the intercept no choise there. IMO this is similar in effect to say inherent intercept on vampires such as Anton or a Salubri with SBS. These are not prevented from blocking actions eventhough they don't need the intercept to do so, are they? The vampire with GD HAS the +1 intercept only when using the ability granted by the GD. He doen't GAIN it per se. The closest equivalent to GD is the Second Tradition which also allows a vampire to untap and block at increased intercept. Second Tradition hsa been erratad so you can use it eventhough the intercept is not yet needed. Why can't you do the same for GD? Please change your earlies ruling. If not for the arguments presented here, then to prevent yet another card from sinking into obscurity or ending up used as coasters or bookmarks... yours, MW

LSJ

martijn wrote: > I was shocked and apalled by the ruling made by LSJ in the earlier > post on Gaurd Duty > However, I also think the reasoning behind the ruling is faulty. > > 6.2.2.2 says: > "intercept can be added during an action only when needed" > > So you can only ADD intercept is you need it. However, does Guard Duty ... during an action ... > really add intercept? If GD is used you automatically HAVE the Yes. (card text). > intercept no choise there. IMO this is similar in effect to say You didn't have it and now you have it. Ergo, it was added. > inherent intercept on vampires such as Anton or a Salubri with SBS. > These are not prevented from blocking actions eventhough they don't > need the intercept to do so, are they? They had it and they still have it. It was not added during the action. > The vampire with GD HAS the +1 intercept only when using the ability > granted by the GD. He doen't GAIN it per se. He does. per se, even. > The closest equivalent to GD is the Second Tradition which also allows > a vampire to untap and block at increased intercept. Second Tradition > hsa been erratad so you can use it eventhough the intercept is not yet > needed. Why can't you do the same for GD? "Can't"? No reason. Errata "can" be issued to do anything. That's its nature. Errata hasn't been issued for GD, as yet at any rate, so GD functions per card text and the rules. > Please change your earlies ruling. Sorry. There's nothing to change, barring errata from the RT. The card and rules are not ambiguous on this point. -- LSJ (vte...@white-wolf.com) V:TES Net.Rep for White Wolf, Inc. Links to revised rulebook, rulings, errata, and tournament rules: http://www.white-wolf.com/vtes/

J Bond

On Fri, 08 Mar 2002 10:43:50 -0500, LSJ <vte...@white-wolf.com> wrote: > >> The closest equivalent to GD is the Second Tradition which also allows >> a vampire to untap and block at increased intercept. Second Tradition >> hsa been erratad so you can use it eventhough the intercept is not yet >> needed. Why can't you do the same for GD? > >"Can't"? No reason. >Errata "can" be issued to do anything. That's its nature. > >Errata hasn't been issued for GD, as yet at any rate, so GD functions >per card text and the rules. Its Second tradition and GD same Game mechanic? If not, how so?

LSJ

J Bond wrote: > Its Second tradition and GD same Game mechanic? Would be, except for the errata (and the inherent differences between reaction cards and cards in play, of course). > If not, how so? Errata to Second Tradition allows it to be played "even if the intercept is not yet needed" by a tapped prince. [ quoted text not captured ]

Sorrow

> > If not, how so? > Errata to Second Tradition allows it to be played "even if the intercept > is not yet needed" by a tapped prince. Guard Duty only works against 1 kind of action whereas Read the Winds and 2ndTrad work against all actions. How is this card any more powerful than RtW and 2ndTrad where the possiblity of errata shouldn't be considered? Sorrow --- "I am Jack's inflamed sense of rejection." - Narrator

LSJ

Sorrow wrote: > > > > If not, how so? > > Errata to Second Tradition allows it to be played "even if the intercept > > is not yet needed" by a tapped prince. > > Guard Duty only works against 1 kind of action whereas Read the Winds > and 2ndTrad work against all actions. > How is this card any more powerful than RtW and 2ndTrad where the > possiblity of errata shouldn't be considered? ??? Where do you get "shouldn't be considered"? [ quoted text not captured ]

Sten During

LSJ wrote: > J Bond wrote: > >>Its Second tradition and GD same Game mechanic? >> > > Would be, except for the errata (and the inherent differences > between reaction cards and cards in play, of course). > Within the scope of the current ruling, let's assume Matthias succesfully did play Guard Duty. Am I correct in my assumption that in order to be allowed to use the ability given by Guard Duty the (D) -action against the location must now be at 2 stealth higher than Matthias current intercept? If so, Matthias with a Sports Bike would require the action to be at 3 stealth higher than his intercept? Sten During

LSJ

Sten During wrote: > Within the scope of the current ruling, let's assume Matthias > succesfully did play Guard Duty. Am I correct in my assumption > that in order to be allowed to use the ability given by > Guard Duty the (D) -action against the location must now be > at 2 stealth higher than Matthias current intercept? Matthias' ability is part of his "current intercept", so the action need be only 1 higher stealth than his current intercept, as for anyone else. > If so, Matthias with a Sports Bike would require the action > to be at 3 stealth higher than his intercept? The sport bike is part of his "current intercept", so the action still need be only 1 higher. [ quoted text not captured ]

Sorrow

> > Guard Duty only works against 1 kind of action whereas Read the Winds > > and 2ndTrad work against all actions. > > How is this card any more powerful than RtW and 2ndTrad where the > > possiblity of errata shouldn't be considered? > ??? > Where do you get "shouldn't be considered"? The tone of your responses seem to indicate that the possiblity of errata (to bring it in line with 2ndTrad/RtW) won't even be considered. If I misinterpreted that tone, then my apologies. That's just what it seemd like to me. Sorrow --- I keep telling them that I think they're out to get me. They ask me if I feel remorse and I answer, "Why of course! There's so much more I could have done if they'd let me!" So it's Rorschach and Prozac and everything is groovy

LSJ

Sorrow wrote: > > > > Guard Duty only works against 1 kind of action whereas Read the Winds > > > and 2ndTrad work against all actions. > > > How is this card any more powerful than RtW and 2ndTrad where the > > > possiblity of errata shouldn't be considered? > > ??? > > Where do you get "shouldn't be considered"? > > The tone of your responses seem to indicate that the possiblity of errata > (to bring it in line with 2ndTrad/RtW) won't even be considered. If I > misinterpreted that tone, then my apologies. That's just what it seemd like > to me. It should have indicated that the RT hasn't issued any errata for it and therefore it plays as printed. Second message in this thread: LSJ wrote: > Errata hasn't been issued for GD, as yet at any rate, so GD functions > per card text and the rules. Note the "as yet at any rate". [ quoted text not captured ]

Sorrow

> Second message in this thread: > LSJ wrote: > > Errata hasn't been issued for GD, as yet at any rate, so GD functions > > per card text and the rules. > Note the "as yet at any rate". My newsserver didn't get that post. My apologies, then. Sorrow --- "...but you know, evil is an exact science..."

Jon Stahler

"LSJ" <vte...@white-wolf.com> wrote in message news:3C88F236...@white-wolf.com... > Sten During wrote: > > Within the scope of the current ruling, let's assume Matthias > > succesfully did play Guard Duty. Am I correct in my assumption > > that in order to be allowed to use the ability given by > > Guard Duty the (D) -action against the location must now be > > at 2 stealth higher than Matthias current intercept? > > Matthias' ability is part of his "current intercept", so the > action need be only 1 higher stealth than his current intercept, > as for anyone else. > > > If so, Matthias with a Sports Bike would require the action > > to be at 3 stealth higher than his intercept? > > The sport bike is part of his "current intercept", so the action > still need be only 1 higher. Isn't his Intercept a bit of a moot point in regards to Guard Duty as his +1 intercept isn't useful until he attempts to block? In other words, do you need to consider a minion with a sport bike or other permanent intercept as counting toward the intercept needed to block even though they cannot attempt to block the (D) action until untapped? I know this isn't the clearest way of explaining, so here's more a more detailed question. Let's assume Matthias has guard duty on the Rack. A minion is somehow attempting to steal the Rack for his controller at +1 stealth. Matthias is tapped and currently cannot block the action. The question I have is whether or not he can burn the blood for Guard Duty. Technically, he cannot block any other way at this point, so he needs: 1. To be untapped or able to play a card which allows him to untap or play reaction cards/block as if untapped and 2. Intercept to block the action which is currently at +1 stealth. Granted, his special gives him intercept, but that won't come into play until he is untapped and able to block. So, as currently defined, the conditions under which Guard Duty works have been met (sort of as his permanent intercept can't count against the stealth until he untaps and attempts to block), but once he is untapped and able to block, they no longer are. How does this resolve? I'm guessing that the action would need to be at a total of 2 stealth before he can untap and block by current card text, but just want to be sure.

Andrew S. Davidson

On 8 Mar 2002 07:37:35 -0800, martijn wrote: >6.2.2.2 says: > >"Stealth can be added to an action only when needed (that is, only if >the action is currently being blocked and the blocking minion has >enough intercept to block the acting minion). Likewise, intercept can >be added during an action only when needed (that is, only by a >blocking minion when the acting minion's stealth exceeds his >intercept)." So the addition of stealth only becomes an issue once a minion is attempting to block. Until the Guard Duty has been triggered, the minion isn't in this state and so the restriction above doesn't yet apply. The converse situation is the intrinsic stealth provided by an action such as hunting. This is adding more stealth than may be needed but that's ok as the minion hasn't started acting yet. You're only considered to be adding stealth/intercept once you have commenced acting or blocking. No errata is needed. Andrew

LSJ

Jon Stahler wrote: > "LSJ" <vte...@white-wolf.com> wrote in message > > Sten During wrote: > > > Within the scope of the current ruling, let's assume Matthias > > > succesfully did play Guard Duty. Am I correct in my assumption > > > that in order to be allowed to use the ability given by > > > Guard Duty the (D) -action against the location must now be > > > at 2 stealth higher than Matthias current intercept? > > > > Matthias' ability is part of his "current intercept", so the > > action need be only 1 higher stealth than his current intercept, > > as for anyone else. > > > > > If so, Matthias with a Sports Bike would require the action > > > to be at 3 stealth higher than his intercept? > > > > The sport bike is part of his "current intercept", so the action > > still need be only 1 higher. > > Isn't his Intercept a bit of a moot point in regards to Guard Duty as his +1 > intercept isn't useful until he attempts to block? Sure, if you like. > In other words, do you > need to consider a minion with a sport bike or other permanent intercept as > counting toward the intercept needed to block even though they cannot > attempt to block the (D) action until untapped? Intercept is only interesting when considering a block. > I know this isn't the > clearest way of explaining, so here's more a more detailed question. > > Let's assume Matthias has guard duty on the Rack. A minion is somehow > attempting to steal the Rack for his controller at +1 stealth. Matthias is > tapped and currently cannot block the action. > > The question I have is whether or not he can burn the blood for Guard Duty. > Technically, he cannot block any other way at this point, so he needs: > > 1. To be untapped or able to play a card which allows him to untap or play > reaction cards/block as if untapped and > 2. Intercept to block the action which is currently at +1 stealth. > > Granted, his special gives him intercept, but that won't come into play > until he is untapped and able to block. So, as currently defined, the No. It's "in play". > conditions under which Guard Duty works have been met (sort of as his > permanent intercept can't count against the stealth until he untaps and > attempts to block), but once he is untapped and able to block, they no > longer are. How does this resolve? I'm guessing that the action would need > to be at a total of 2 stealth before he can untap and block by current card > text, but just want to be sure. [ quoted text not captured ]

Chris Berger

"LSJ" <vte...@white-wolf.com> wrote in message news:3C891BAF...@white-wolf.com... > > Intercept is only interesting when considering a block. > This thread is starting to look a lot like the Great 2nd Tradition Debate of old. It goes something like this: 1) A minion cannot add intercept unless it is needed. 2) A minion cannot need intercept unless it is attempting to block. 3 a) A minion uses the Guard Duty at a time when it is impossible to need intercept. Either it cannot be used ever, at all, or it must be usable even if intercept is not needed. 3 b) A minion who uses Guard Duty will, after using it, be attempting to block. If it won't be needing the intercept by the time it needs to block, then it can't use the Guard Duty. To me, 3 b) seems like a mistake, as you are worrying about future events when you play the effect. It's almost like a time travel paradox. If you can use the Guard Duty to untap, then you have to flash forward and check if you will need its intercept. If you won't be needing the intercept, you can't untap or block. But if you can't block, you don't have to check intercept (you can only need intercept if you are attempting to block, which you are not), so you should be able to use it, but then you won't need the intercept, so you can't use it... and so forth. LSJ has rejected such arguments in the past, and likely will continue to do so. The 2nd Tradition debate was only ended because errata was issued.

James Coupe

In message <63A199DAA767995A.15A5AAB9...@lp.airnew s.net>, Andrew S. Davidson <a...@csi.com> writes: >The converse situation is the intrinsic stealth provided by an action >such as hunting. This is adding more stealth than may be needed but >that's ok as the minion hasn't started acting yet. You're only >considered to be adding stealth/intercept once you have commenced >acting or blocking. > >No errata is needed. Incorrect. See previous mirror rulings on Second Tradition, V:TES printed text. -- James Coupe Oh, the poor folks hate the rich folks, PGP 0x5D623D5D And the rich folks hate the poor folks. EBD690ECD7A1FB457CA2 All of my folks hate all of your folks, 13D7E668C3695D623D5D It's American as apple pie.

Sten During

LSJ wrote: > Sten During wrote: > >>Within the scope of the current ruling, let's assume Matthias >>succesfully did play Guard Duty. Am I correct in my assumption >>that in order to be allowed to use the ability given by >>Guard Duty the (D) -action against the location must now be >>at 2 stealth higher than Matthias current intercept? >> > > Matthias' ability is part of his "current intercept", so the > action need be only 1 higher stealth than his current intercept, > as for anyone else. > > >>If so, Matthias with a Sports Bike would require the action >>to be at 3 stealth higher than his intercept? >> > > The sport bike is part of his "current intercept", so the action > still need be only 1 higher. > > *groan* I seem to be needing a course in english :) Ok, let's assume noone plays an effect that lowers Matthias intercept. In case one above the action against a location needs to be at 2 stealth, and in case two needs to be at 3 stealth in order for Matthias to be allowed to use the effect granted by Guard Duty. Is this a correct assumption? Sten During

LSJ

[ quoted text not captured ] Yes, since in case on Matthias has 1 intercept and in case two he has 2 intercept. [ quoted text not captured ]