rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad

[LSJ] Protected Resources

14 messages from 5 participants · 27 April 1999 – 28 April 1999
original thread on Google Groups

Sorrow

Card Text: Card Title: Protected Resources Pool: 2 pool Clan/Discip.: n/a Card Type: Master Card Text: Master If this card is in play, another Methuselah may not bleed you for more than 2 pool. Burn this card if you successfully bleed another Methuselah. Artist: Richard Thomas Rarity: Rare Standing Errata/Rulings/Clarifications: All cards which modify the bleed amount (Telepathic Counter, Threats, etc.) are applied before Protected Resources' effect. [TOM 960413] --------- Now let me get to my point - I've read it several times in several posts, a few of those by you I'm pretty sure, that this card is interpreted that each bleed (action) is reduced to 2 after all modifications/reactions are played. For example, using the above interpretation, a minion bleeds for 6, it's prey's minion reduces by 2 by whatever means then the PR kicks in making it a bleed of 2 in the end. Is this correct in how the card is interpreted and my example of that interpretation? If so, I'm very curious how that interpretation was made. The card says: "another Methuselah may not bleed you for more than 2 pool". It doesn't say "another _*minion*_ may not bleed you for more than 2 pool". However, a methuselah cannot bleed, only his minions can. Since it does not reference a minon as an individual but instead references a methuselah, who again, cannot bleed, it must mean the bleed actions available to the methuselah as a collective. hmmm, re-reading the above, I'm not sure it came out right. What I'm trying to say is this: I as a methuselah, through my minions, bleed my prey who has PR in play. Each of my bleeds, through my minions, are for 2. If I have 3 minions, then I, another methuselah, bled my prey for 6 on that one turn. However, the card text of PR strictly prohibits me, another methuselah, for bleeding for more than 2. So either I should not have been allowed to perform those other 2 bleeding actions or they should have been reduced to 0. Since PR does not say "another minion" or "each minion", then I don't see how it could have been interpreted that 'each minion's bleed is reduced to 2'. Because a meth controls all his minions and because the card text specifically says 'another methuselah' it's pretty clear that *all* a meth's minions can't bleed for more than 2 and not just *each* of a meth's minions. I hope I made sense. Sleep dep sucks in a big way. Sorrow --- I don't want to be alone | I hurt, therefore I am anymore |-------------------------------- I don't want to be anyone | "What are you looking at...? anymore | you never seen anyone try to I don't need a reason to kill myself | commit suicide before?" - Anon ------------------------------------------------------------------------

LSJ

"Sorrow" <cbo...@apdi.net> wrote: > Card Text: Protected Resources > Card Text: Master - 2 pool > If this card is in play, another Methuselah may not > bleed you for more than 2 pool. Burn this card if you > successfully bleed another Methuselah. > > Standing Errata/Rulings/Clarifications: > All cards which modify the bleed amount (Telepathic Counter, > Threats, etc.) are applied before Protected Resources' effect. > [TOM 960413] > > --------- > Now let me get to my point - I've read it several times in several > posts, a few of those by you I'm pretty sure, that this card is > interpreted that each bleed (action) is reduced to 2 after all > modifications/reactions are played. For example, using the above > interpretation, a minion bleeds for 6, it's prey's minion reduces > by 2 by whatever means then the PR kicks in making it a bleed of 2 > in the end. Is this correct in how the card is interpreted and my > example of that interpretation? Well, the bleed is still for the regular amount (4, in this case), but only 2 pool is burned for that bleed. > If so, I'm very curious how that interpretation was made. The card > says: "another Methuselah may not bleed you for more than 2 pool". > It doesn't say "another _*minion*_ may not bleed you for more than > 2 pool". However, a methuselah cannot bleed, only his minions can. > Since it does not reference a minon as an individual but instead > references a methuselah, who again, cannot bleed, it must mean the > bleed actions available to the methuselah as a collective. hmmm, > re-reading the above, I'm not sure it came out right. Right. It is possible to read it as the following: * Each other Methuselah, indiviually, cannot have her minions bleed you for more than 2 pool for the rest of the game (that is, you will lose no more than 2 pool, total, for all of the bleeds from each given Methuselah's minions' actions combined for the rest of the game). Burn this card if one of your minions successfully bleeds any Methuselah. > What I'm trying to say is this: > I as a methuselah, through my minions, bleed my prey who has PR in > play. Each of my bleeds, through my minions, are for 2. If I have > 3 minions, then I, another methuselah, bled my prey for 6 on that > one turn. However, the card text of PR strictly prohibits me, > another methuselah, for bleeding for more than 2. So either I > should not have been allowed to perform those other 2 bleeding > actions or they should have been reduced to 0. Since PR does not > say "another minion" or "each minion", then I don't see how it > could have been interpreted that 'each minion's bleed is reduced to > 2'. Because a meth controls all his minions and because the card > text specifically says 'another methuselah' it's pretty clear that > *all* a meth's minions can't bleed for more than 2 and not just > *each* of a meth's minions. It seems as if you're wondering why "per turn" isn't part of the official interpretation. That's easy: the card makes no reference to any turn. The only two options available for interpretation (as opposed to errata) are "for the rest of the game" (as above) and "for each bleed" (as the official interpretation goes). "For each bleed", besides being the "reasonable" option when compared to "for the rest of the game", is used in the official interepretaion as part of the idea of "bleeding for more than 2". That phrase carries the idea of the bleed action. See Archon Investigation (that is, you cannot play Archon Investigation on a minion who has bled you successfully thrice before and is now bleeding you again. This stems from the concept of a single actiong in "bleed for X.") Also, I suspect, the ruling/clarification came to explain what the card designers had intended when they wrote the card, even if the card failed to adequately describe the concept. Like the old "who is the prey of a minion?" question (Jyhad Fame) - sometimes the card writers introduce notation without realizing it (thinking that the notation is clear and unambiguous). -- LSJ (vte...@wizards.com) VTES Net.Rep for Wizards of the Coast. Links to revised rulebook, rulings, errata, and DCI (tournament) rules: http://www.wizards.com/VTES/VTES_Rules.html -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==---------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own

Sorrow

> It seems as if you're wondering why "per turn" isn't part of the official > interpretation. Kind of, but not really. >That's easy: the card makes no reference to any turn. and this is why 'not really'. > "For each bleed", besides being the "reasonable" option when compared > to "for the rest of the game", is used in the official interepretaion > as part of the idea of "bleeding for more than 2". That phrase carries > the idea of the bleed action. See Archon Investigation (that is, you > cannot play Archon Investigation on a minion who has bled you > successfully thrice before and is now bleeding you again. This stems from > the concept of a single actiong in "bleed for X.") You put forth a really good argument. However, in using your own example, Archon Investigation says: 'Only usable when a minion attempts to bleed you for more than 3 pool', specifically referrencing a minion while PR states '...another methuselah may not bleed you...'. specifically referrencing a methuselah. If the original intent was meant to be 'each bleed action' it would have instead had 'minion' in the text. (see Archon Investigation, as you pointed out, released in the same set) Now, since it does say 'methuselah' as opposed to 'minion', it's not that far a stretch to interpret that to mean the set of actions performed by the meths minion for either that turn or the rest of the game. As you point out, the 'rest of the game' option is clearly broken. However, I don't believe that the 'rest of the turn' option is and it seems to me that this is/was part of the original intent based on the fact that they used 'methuselah' instead of 'minion'. A methuselah is the player, yes, but moreso is really the sum of all that s/he controls. If a meth is ousted, all that s/he currently controls is gone as well. Taking that one step further - when a minion bleeds, it is just the bleed action but when a methuselah bleeds (which s/he really can't perform the physical action) it is the sum of all the bleeding actions peformed by his/her minions. Is my logic faulty in any way? > Also, I suspect, the ruling/clarification came to explain what the > card designers had intended when they wrote the card, even if the card > failed to adequately describe the concept. The interpretation/clarification I included in my original post was one made from memory. I did not see it on your site anywhere. [ quoted text not captured ]

Patrick Harris

> Right. It is possible to read it as the following: > > * Each other Methuselah, indiviually, cannot have her minions bleed you > for more than 2 pool for the rest of the game (that is, you will lose > no more than 2 pool, total, for all of the bleeds from each given > Methuselah's minions' actions combined for the rest of the game). > Burn this card if one of your minions successfully bleeds any Methuselah. This card becomes *very* valuable in combat decks, if I'm reading this correctly. Wow. Wow. I can see the Gangrel/Army of Rats deck now. p. Note: Sorry about the message to your e-mail, LSJ; fingers moving too fast - clicked the wrong button.

LSJ

"Sorrow" <cbo...@apdi.net> wrote: > > "For each bleed", besides being the "reasonable" option when compared > > to "for the rest of the game", is used in the official interepretaion > > as part of the idea of "bleeding for more than 2". That phrase carries > > the idea of the bleed action. See Archon Investigation (that is, you > > cannot play Archon Investigation on a minion who has bled you > > successfully thrice before and is now bleeding you again. This stems from > > the concept of a single actiong in "bleed for X.") > > You put forth a really good argument. However, in using your own > example, Archon Investigation says: 'Only usable when a minion > attempts to bleed you for more than 3 pool', specifically referrencing > a minion while PR states '...another methuselah may not bleed you...'. > specifically referrencing a methuselah. If the original intent was meant > to be 'each bleed action' it would have instead had 'minion' in the text. In a perfect world, maybe. But here and now, it "should" have instead had 'minion' in the text. > (see Archon Investigation, as you pointed out, released in the same set) > Now, since it does say 'methuselah' as opposed to 'minion', it's not that > far a stretch to interpret that to mean the set of actions performed by the > meths minion for either that turn or the rest of the game. As you point > out, the 'rest of the game' option is clearly broken. However, I don't > believe that the 'rest of the turn' option is and it seems to me that this > is/was part of the original intent based on the fact that they used > 'methuselah' instead of 'minion'. Sure. But they said it wasn't. The used Methuselah instead of Minion for "No Good Reason" (I said that - not them). For the same reason that the templates for cards with similar effect differ. > A methuselah is the player, yes, but moreso is really the sum of all that > s/he controls. If a meth is ousted, all that s/he currently controls is > gone > as well. Taking that one step further - when a minion bleeds, it is just > the bleed action but when a methuselah bleeds (which s/he really can't > perform the physical action) it is the sum of all the bleeding actions > peformed by his/her minions. > Is my logic faulty in any way? No. But it is not the only logic available: A minion can bleed more than once. A Methuselah can bleed more than once. Each bleed is for some amount. The effect of each bleed is limited by Protected Resources. Is that logic inherently flawed? > > Also, I suspect, the ruling/clarification came to explain what the > > card designers had intended when they wrote the card, even if the card > > failed to adequately describe the concept. > > The interpretation/clarification I included in my original post was one made > from memory. I did not see it on your site anywhere. Well, you did a fine job remembering it. [ quoted text not captured ]

LSJ

Patrick Harris <alp...@alpinetaxi.com> wrote: > > Right. It is possible to read it as the following: > [snip misleading quote] > > This card becomes *very* valuable in combat decks, if I'm reading this > correctly. Wow. Wow. > I can see the Gangrel/Army of Rats deck now. The section you quoted was taken out of context and it not official. [ quoted text not captured ]

Richard Zopf

Sorrow wrote in message <7g50jr$inm$1...@fir.prod.itd.earthlink.net>... >> It seems as if you're wondering why "per turn" isn't part of the official >> interpretation. > >Kind of, but not really. > >>That's easy: the card makes no reference to any turn. > >and this is why 'not really'. > >> "For each bleed", besides being the "reasonable" option when compared >> to "for the rest of the game", is used in the official interepretaion >> as part of the idea of "bleeding for more than 2". That phrase carries >> the idea of the bleed action. See Archon Investigation (that is, you >> cannot play Archon Investigation on a minion who has bled you >> successfully thrice before and is now bleeding you again. This stems from >> the concept of a single actiong in "bleed for X.") > >You put forth a really good argument. However, in using your own >example, Archon Investigation says: 'Only usable when a minion >attempts to bleed you for more than 3 pool', specifically referrencing >a minion while PR states '...another methuselah may not bleed you...'. >specifically referrencing a methuselah. If the original intent was meant >to be 'each bleed action' it would have instead had 'minion' in the text. That assumes a lot on the part of WotC in the Dept. of Quality Control. If you really want to split hairs like this, then you can probably do it with each card. Strict wording templates aren't even a part of V:TES yet, you know (if they ever will be). >(see Archon Investigation, as you pointed out, released in the same set) >Now, since it does say 'methuselah' as opposed to 'minion', it's not that >far a stretch to interpret that to mean the set of actions performed by the >meths minion for either that turn or the rest of the game. By your own words, that is an interpretation (and a stretch). I think we can all see that the likelihood of the intent of PR being to reduce all the bleed actions for the game to a total of 2 pool can also be classified as a non-sensical interpretation, and discarded promptly. >As you point >out, the 'rest of the game' option is clearly broken. However, I don't >believe that the 'rest of the turn' option is and it seems to me that this >is/was part of the original intent based on the fact that they used >'methuselah' instead of 'minion'. >A methuselah is the player, yes, but moreso is really the sum of all that >s/he controls. If a meth is ousted, all that s/he currently controls is >gone >as well. Taking that one step further - when a minion bleeds, it is just >the bleed action but when a methuselah bleeds (which s/he really can't >perform the physical action) it is the sum of all the bleeding actions >peformed by his/her minions. >Is my logic faulty in any way? > Your logic falls over in the interpretation of "when a methuselah bleeds". You add up all of the individual minion bleeds and call it the "methuselah's bleed for the turn". It's arbitrary to decide whether to equate it to the set of all actions, or to each individual action. Just as easy to interpret is that a "methuselah's bleed" is any individual minion's bleed action that _originates_ from a methuselah. Since, for now, this encompasses all bleeds, "minon bleed" and "methuselah bleed" are equivalent. 1 = 1. Regards, R. David Zopf Atom Weaver (& V:EKN Prince of Charlotte, NC)

Sorrow

> Your logic falls over in the interpretation of "when a methuselah bleeds". > You add up all of the individual minion bleeds and call it the "methuselah's > bleed for the turn". It's arbitrary to decide whether to equate it to the > set of all actions, or to each individual action. Just as easy to interpret > is that a "methuselah's bleed" is any individual minion's bleed action that > _originates_ from a methuselah. Since, for now, this encompasses all > bleeds, "minon bleed" and "methuselah bleed" are equivalent. > 1 = 1. Except that again, they used "methuselah" instead of "minion". This is the crux of my argument. The design team clearly new the difference between the two. Just look at all the cards that reference both in the text. Sorrow -- [ quoted text not captured ]

James Coupe

In article <37260D95...@alpinetaxi.com>, Patrick Harris <alp...@alpinetaxi.com> writes > >This card becomes *very* valuable in combat decks, if I'm reading this >correctly. Wow. Wow. >I can see the Gangrel/Army of Rats deck now. Perhaps, but not overly so. How do you propose to oust them when you've got rid of all their vampires? Can you afford all those actions on Army of Rats? Can you afford the slots for the Army of Rats? If you're not playing an Animalism/Gangrel deck, what do you do? It would not be of so much use to the Brujah, say. What if you needed to get rid of Sabbat Threats? Or Curse of Nitocris? It's a neat card, but not as powerful as people imagine. -- James Coupe (Prince of Mercia, England) Vampire: Elder Kindred Network http://madnessnetwork.hexagon.net http://www.obeah.demon.co.uk

Patrick Harris

> Perhaps, but not overly so. How do you propose to oust them when you've > got rid of all their vampires? Can you afford all those actions on Army > of Rats? Can you afford the slots for the Army of Rats? I already have the Army of Rats cards in. And I'm not sure what you mean by all those actions on Army of Rats. Put it out there and let it kill off your prey since they have no minions to remove it. You have the animalism untaps and retainers, plus some Wakes, to block your predator and any other attempts to get rid of the Rats. Sure it's slow, but you can attack other minions and not worry about your prey so much. I can see it working well for the Tzimisce as well. They wouldn't have to concentrate so much on bleeding/rush actions and could concentrate singly on blocking. It would make for a strange deck, but I think an effective one could be built. > If you're not playing an Animalism/Gangrel deck, what do you do? It would > not be of so much use to the Brujah, say. What if you needed to get rid > of Sabbat Threats? Or Curse of Nitocris? Those are good examples. The only answers I can come up with for those two examples are that I haven't seen either of those two cards in a tournament ever. And while it's true that the Brujah wouldn't be able to use it in the same way, they could use it until they had accomplished a few things: keep the pool loss to a minimum to afford an intercept location or two (I don't use 'em, but some people do), or keep it out until their prey had no minions, then lay into him/her. Then you could put another out once you had a new prey. A clan that would be weird, but possibly effective, would be a Setite Corruption deck. I know. Setites, not bleed?! But you could use the same technique I think: get PR out until you had a few new minions, then bleed away at your prey once you're set. Put another in place once he's ousted. These ideas may be too slow for tourney play, but I'm sure there's a combo out there that would clean up with it. Hell, I'll bet no one thought a Malkavian OOT combat deck would be a good idea for a long time either. And that thing is crazy now. p. [ quoted text not captured ]

Patrick Harris

> The section you quoted was taken out of context and it not official. Ahh. Gotcha. Confused there. Thanks. p.

Patrick Harris

All my points, if you can call them that, are moot anyway, as I misunderstood the original posts. p.

LSJ

"Sorrow" <cbo...@apdi.net> wrote: > Except that again, they used "methuselah" instead of "minion". This is the > crux of my argument. The design team clearly new the difference between > the two. Just look at all the cards that reference both in the text. To sum up the crux of your argument: Protected Resources uses the concept of a Methuselah bleeding. Because it says Methuselah instead of Minion, you claim that it must mean something different than a minion's bleed. But this is not so. Elder Kindred Network refers to the Methuselah calling the vote. By your standards, this is not possible - only minions (vampires, in this case) can call a vote to which EKN could react. But, in the usage of the card writers, they mean "Controller of the minion who called the vote". Similarly: Enzo Giovanni can block political action attempted by any Methuselah. Donatien can bleed Methuselahs who have attempted unsuccessful bleeding actions. In these cases (as in the case of Protected Resources) the "action of" another Methuselah is another way of saying the "action of a minion controlled by" another Methuselah. [ quoted text not captured ]

Richard Zopf

Sorrow wrote in message <7g55ti$pc5$1...@fir.prod.itd.earthlink.net>... >> Your logic falls over in the interpretation of "when a methuselah bleeds". >> You add up all of the individual minion bleeds and call it the >"methuselah's >> bleed for the turn". It's arbitrary to decide whether to equate it to the >> set of all actions, or to each individual action. Just as easy to >interpret >> is that a "methuselah's bleed" is any individual minion's bleed action >that >> _originates_ from a methuselah. Since, for now, this encompasses all >> bleeds, "minon bleed" and "methuselah bleed" are equivalent. >> 1 = 1. > >Except that again, they used "methuselah" instead of "minion". This is the >crux of my argument. The design team clearly new the difference between >the two. Just look at all the cards that reference both in the text. > The problem is that methuselah bleed has been left undefined. As such, you've decided on a particular interpretation. It's wrong. (See LSJ's post re: Methuselah votes and EKN). Your argument is based on a definition of your own creation, that being; Methuselah bleed = set of all bleeds by a Meth for a round. By comparison to terminology referencing votes "called by a Methuselah" your definition is flawed... [ quoted text not captured ]