aa...@cats.ucsc.edu#
/*
** This is the rulebook for V:TES as it appears in the initial printing.
** Attached at the end are two sections: one listing the rules changes
** between Jyhad and V:TES, and one listing the inevitable errata.
*/
Vampire 3.1
Overview of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
Vampire: The Eternal Struggle is a trading card game in which two or more
players take on the roles of ancient vampires. These ancient vampires,
known as Methuselahs, are considered mere legend by younger vampires.
Younger vampires think that they pursue their own ends... even as they're
used by one Methuselah to destroy the influence of another. Throughout the
world, Methuselahs manipulate their minions to frustrate the designs of
their enemies. These battles, sometimes covert and subtle, sometimes open
and spectacular, are collectively known as the Jyhad. Caught in the throes
of this never-ending war, the Methuselahs fight skirmish after skirmish in
their eternal struggle.
Overview of Deckmaster Card Games
The Object of the Game
Your goal is to destroy the influence held by rival Methuselahs. Influence
is symbolized by blood counters, the primary currency in the game. When a
player's blood pool is out of blood counters, that Methuselah is bereft of
influence and ousted from the game. As Methuselahs are ousted, players earn
victory points; the winner is the player with the most victory points at
the end of the game.
SECTION ONE: Elements of the Game
1. Equipment Needed
Cards: Each player has two decks: a crypt and a library. The cards in your
crypt represent the vampires you hope to control; the cards in your library
represent the tools you need to wage war against other Methuselahs. Each
player must have at least twelve cards in her crypt and forty cards in her
library. Each player may add up to ten cards to her library for each player
in the game. Thus, in a six-player game, each player may have a minimum of
forty library cards and a maximum of one hundred; in a two-player game,
each player can have from forty to sixty library cards.
Blood Counters: Blood counters are an integral part of the game. You'll
need at least forty of them. Your personal blood pool consists of thirty
counters, and you'll need at least ten to help fill the communal "blood
bank". Any convenient items, such as pennies, glass beads, or stones, can
be used as blood counters. When you burn one of your blood counters, you
return it to the blood bank. (Technically, you can also "pay" or "spend"
blood counters, but counters that are thrown into the blood bank are still
considered "burned".)
The blood counters in a Methuselah's blood pool are referred to as pool;
the blood counters on a vampire card are referred to as blood.
The Edge Counter: The Edge is a symbol showing that your vampires have
seized enough power for you to have an advantage over other Methuselahs.
Choose an object to represent the Edge-any small object, such as a coin or
an ankh, will do. A player who successfully "bleeds" another Methuselah and
reduces his victim's blood pool gets the Edge. (For more details, see
Minion Phase, Section 4.4; for further rules on this, see Section 6.3.)
2. Important Terms in the Game
Tapping and Untapping Cards: The concept of tapping and untapping is a
unique feature in Deckmaster games. During the course of play, you tap
cards by turning them 90 degrees. This procedure indicates that the card
has been activated to perform a particular action and cannot be used again
until it is untapped. Untapping a card restores it to its original
position; this indicates that the card is reset and can be tapped again to
take another action at a later time. Your untapped minions may block, take
actions, or play reaction cards.
Burn: When a card is burned, it's removed from the play area and thrown in
your discard pile. This pile is also known as the ash heap. Blood counters
can also be burned: they're returned to the blood bank. Burned cards or
counters are no longer considered to be "in play".
3. Overview of the Cards.
Each amber-backed vampire card has numbers, words, and symbols that
describe that vampire. These elements reveal the vampire's name, blood
capacity, clan, vampiric powers (called "Disciplines"), and any political
positions the vampire may hold. All of these terms are defined in the
Glossary. Sometimes a vampire also has one or more special abilities; these
are listed in a box on the bottom of the card. The vampires you use with
your deck are the minions you hope to eventually control.
Blood Capacity: The blood capacity symbol can be found centered on a red
blood drop on the lower-right corner of a card. A number between one and
ten appears on the symbol. The capacity reflects:
- the relative age of the vampire,
- the number of blood counters you must invest in order to "control" the
vampire, and
- the maximum strength the vampire has to heal wounds or perform other
actions.
A vampire with a larger capacity than another vampire is said to be older,
and one with a smaller capacity is said to be younger. The number of blood
counters a vampire has can't exceed the vampire's blood capacity.
Clan: Vampires belong to different "clans". A vampire's clan symbol can be
found on the upper-left corner of his or her vampire card. Some library
cards can't be played unless you control a member of a particular vampire
clan, and some library cards only affect vampires of a particular clan.
Appendix B has more information about the various clans.
Disciplines: These are the supernatural powers possessed by vampires. The
lower-right corner of a vampire card has a group of symbols representing
the Disciplines known by that vampire. These symbols determine which minion
cards a vampire is able to use. When you want to play a minion card,
compare the Discipline symbol on your vampire to the symbol on the card. If
they're the same, the vampire can use that card.
Note: The following Disciplines will be included in future Vampire
expansion sets.
[Necromancy, Chimerstry, Serpentis, and Quietus.]
3.1.1. Squares and Diamonds
Each Discipline symbol is in the shape of a square or a diamond. A square-
shaped symbol means that you can use the plain-type (Roman) text at the top
of a minion card requiring that Discipline; you can also use any other text
that appears at the top of the card. A diamond-shaped symbol means that a
vampire has the superior version of that Discipline. A vampire with a
superior Discipline can use either the plain-type or boldfaced text on a
minion card requiring that Discipline.
3.2. Library Cards
There are two types of library cards: master cards and minion cards. Master
cards are played by Methuselahs. Minion cards are used by the vampires and
allies you control. (Both vampires and allies are minions.) Master cards
have a gray stone background; different types of minion cards in Vampire
have different backgrounds to help you tell them apart.
Playing the Cards: You play a card by placing it anywhere in the playing
area (described in Section 4.1) or on one of your minions. The card is then
considered to be in play. Some cards have an immediate effect and are
burned after they're used, while other cards require either you or a
vampire you control to burn blood counters when you play the card.
Important rule: Unless a card says otherwise, whenever you play a library
card, you immediately draw another library card and place it in your hand.
Cost of Playing Cards: Each library card has one or more symbols on its
left side. There might be a symbol for the card type, a Discipline symbol,
a drop of blood surrounding a number, or a clan symbol.
A drop of blood on a card will have a number on it letting you know how
much blood must be burned when you play that card.
Solid black blood drop: If the blood drop is solid black, the Methuselah
pays that number of blood counters to the blood bank to play the card. The
Methuselah must "burn" pool.
Black blood drop with a white circle: If the card has a black blood drop
with a white circle, the vampire using the card pays the blood counters to
the blood bank. The vampire must "burn" blood. (There's also another way to
tell the symbols apart: the Methuselah's symbol is in the lower-left
corner, while the vampire's symbol is halfway up the left-hand side.)
Discipline symbols: A minion card may include a Discipline symbol. (See
Section 3 for a list of Disciplines and their symbols.) If there's a
Discipline symbol on the card, the vampire playing the card must have the
same Discipline. Obviously, if the card doesn't have a Discipline symbol,
then using the card doesn't require one.
Clan symbols: Sometimes a card has a clan symbol. (See Appendix B for a
description of the clans and their symbols.) If it's a master card, you may
only use the card if you have a "ready" vampire of that clan. (A ready
vampire is one who is controlled and in your active area.) If the card is a
minion card, only vampires of that clan may use the card.
3.2.1. Master Cards
Master cards are cards played by a Methuselah. These cards represent some
of the awesome powers you can bestow upon your minions or unleash upon the
world. Master cards are played during your "master phase" and take effect
the moment they're put into play. (The master phase is described in Section
6.2.) There are many different types of master cards, but the three most
common ones are location cards, Discipline cards, and out-of-turn cards.
Locations: A location is a place controlled by you and your minions.
Location cards give your vampires long-term advantages in play. Locations
stay in play and may be used repeatedly. Some library cards (such as Arson)
can eliminate locations from play.
Disciplines: Discipline cards are played on a vampire to give her new
Disciplines or enhance the Disciplines she already knows, increasing the
level of a Discipline from "basic" to "superior". In addition, a Discipline
card increases a vampire's blood capacity by one. You may not play a
Discipline card on a vampire who already has a superior level in that
Discipline. A vampire doesn't immediately fill the extra blood capacity-she
must still hunt before she can gain the extra blood. Discipline cards
remain on your vampire until the vampire is burned.
Out-of-turn: Out-of-turn cards can only be played when it is not your turn.
If you play this type of card, you lose your "master phase action" during
the master phase of your next turn. (The phases of a turn are described in
Section 6.3.) Once you've played an out-of-turn master card, you can't play
another one until after your next turn.
3.2.2. Minion Cards
As a Methuselah, you use intrigue, worldly political maneuvers, and the
exercise of supernatural abilities to influence less-powerful vampires,
ignorant mortals, and other creatures. These minions are pawns in the
eternal struggle.
Minion cards represent the actions and intrigue your minions use to destroy
the pawns of your fellow Methuselahs and drain your enemy's influence.
They're used during your "minion phase" (described in Section 6.3.),
although reaction cards (a type of minion card) can be played when it isn't
your turn.
Some types of minion cards can only be used by vampires. These include
cards that require a minion to have a particular Discipline, cards that
require a vampire from a particular clan, and cards that begin a political
action. Other minion cards can be used by any minion, including allies.
The general types of minion cards are listed below.
Action cards: Action cards describe specific actions your untapped minions
may take. On your turn, you can play one action card for each minion who
takes an action. There are other minion phase actions a minion can take
without playing an action card.
Note: An action card taps the minion using it.
Action modifier cards: These cards are played after your minion takes an
action. They enhance an action. For instance, if your minion is taking a
"bleed" action to drain the blood pool of another Methuselah, you could
play an action modifier card designed to increase the amount of pool you
drain. Action modifier cards may only be used when it is your turn.
Important rule: A minion cannot use two identical action modifier cards to
affect the same action.
Equipment cards: These are tools you give your minions to aid them when
they engage in combat. There isn't a limit to the number of equipment cards
a minion can have. A minion attempts to take control of equipment by
performing an "equip" action during the minion phase.
Political cards: These are action cards that represent the political
intrigue inherent in vampire society. Vampires may use these to cause
events in the game that may benefit or harm Methuselahs or their minions. A
"voting action" occurs when a vampire "calls" a vote by playing this type
of card. (This is described under Vampire Politics in Section 7).
Retainer cards: Minions employ retainers to protect themselves and maintain
their worldly interests. Retainers cannot take actions, use equipment, or
deal damage. A retainer is linked to the minion who has "employed" him. He
assists that minion by lending her special abilities. A minion controls a
retainer after she has performed an "employ retainer" action; there is no
limit to the number of retainers a minion may employ.
Ally cards: Vampires are not the only creatures you may influence to do
your bidding. Allies are mortals (or supernatural beings) who also serve
you. Unlike retainers, allies can act independently of vampires, use
equipment, and inflict damage. They must, however, be brought into play by
a vampire performing a "recruit ally" action. (See Minion Actions, Section 6.4)
Combat cards: These are used by minions during the combat sequence of the
game (see Combat, Section 8).
Reaction cards: Your untapped minions may use these cards to counter
actions taken by the minions of other Methuselahs. You may only play
reaction cards when it is not your turn. A minion cannot use two identical
reaction cards to react to an action.
Note: A reaction card does not tap the minion using it.
SECTION TWO: The Basic Game
All of the Kindred hid from one another
And from the humans that surrounded them.
In hiding we remain today,
For the Jyhad continues still.
-The Book of Nod
The Basic Game is designed to introduce you to the world of Vampire while
teaching you a simplified set of rules. Once you've mastered the Basic
Game, feel free to move on to the Advanced Game, which includes additional
provisions for Advanced Combat Rules, diablerie, contested cards, and other
devious complications. Although the Basic Game is a complete game in and of
itself, only the Advanced Game has the full version of the rules.
4. Game Environment and Terminology
4.1. The Playing Area
There are two regions in front of each player in which cards are played:
the active region and the inactive region.
Your vampires and allies are collectively referred to as minions. A minion
in the active region is said to be ready and is also considered controlled.
A vampire in the inactive region is said to be uncontrolled.
4.2. Setting Up the Game
Step 1. Decide who is the Predator and Prey of each player: In The Eternal
Struggle, each Methuselah is both hunting and hunted. After you've sat down
to play, look at the player to your left. This is the player you hope to
oust from the game: your prey. Next, look to the player on your right. This
is the player who hopes to oust you: your predator. In a two-player game,
your opponent is both your predator and prey.
Step 2. Organize your pool: Take the thirty counters you're using as blood
counters and place them in an area you can easily reach. These counters
make up your blood pool. Your pool represents the resources and influence
you have available for carrying out your manipulations. Take the counters
you have left over, preferably at least ten, and place them in an area
where everyone can reach them. The excess counters collectively serve as
the blood bank. Be sure there is an ample supply-the bank cannot run out of
counters. Blood counters that are burned are returned to the blood bank.
Step 3. Prepare your deck: Before the game begins, you'll have a chance to
look through your deck. Some players prepare their decks more than other
players, but as long as your deck has the right number of cards, it's
playable. Eventually, you'll learn to adjust your deck to make it work more
efficiently.
For the Basic Game, there's another step you should go through when you
prepare your deck. There are some words and phrases that are used in the
Advanced Game that do not apply to the Basic Game. Remove cards that use
these words or phrases: intercept, maneuver, additional strike, press,
torpor, diablerie, paralyze, and ante. You should also remove any cards
that say "Only usable at long range" or "Not usable in the first round of
combat."
When you play under the basic rules, if you draw a library card that has
one of these words or phrases, you may set it aside and draw to replace it.
If a card from your crypt has any of these words or phrases, you can still
use the card-just ignore the text that includes those words or phrases.
The basic rules for inflicting damage have been simplified as well. All
cards do standard ("non-aggravated") damage. Treat all instances of
"aggravated damage" as "normal damage" and remove any cards that affect or
inflict aggravated damage. If an amount of damage includes the letter "R",
ignore that letter (1R becomes "1", 2R becomes "2", and so on). The letter
"R" refers to ranged damage, a concept that isn't used in the Basic Game.
Disregard the word "ranged" on strike cards.
In addition, if you encounter any cards that do not seem to work under this
set of rules or seem overly confusing, remove them as well. If you
encounter one of these cards during play, you may discard it and draw a new
card. Your objective should be gaining fluency with the basic rules; later,
after you've read the rules for the Advanced Game, you can look at these
cards again to make sure you understand them.
Now you're ready to begin playing. Separate your crypt cards from your
library cards. Shuffle both sets of cards and allow the player to your
right to cut the two decks. Place your library and your crypt in front of you.
Once your decks have been prepared, your two decks have been shuffled, the
blood bank is ready, and your blood pool is within reach, you can begin to
draw cards.
Step 4. Place four vampires in the inactive region: Take the top four
vampires from your crypt and place them face down in front of you. This
becomes the "inactive region". You may look at these cards. These are the
initial vampires you will attempt to control during your "influence phase".
During the game, you'll have the opportunity to move more vampires out of
your crypt and into your inactive region. (This is described under
Influence, Section 9).
Step 5. Draw seven library cards into your hand: Take the top seven cards
from your library and place them in your hand. Remember, whenever you play
or discard a library card, you immediately draw another library card and
place it in your hand. However, if your library runs out of cards, you have
to continue with just the cards you're holding and ignore any cards that
allow you to draw additional cards.
Step 6. Begin the game: The players decide who goes first. If more than two
people are playing, turns proceed clockwise around the playing area. (The
Breakdown of the Phases of the Game appears in Section 5.)
4.3. The Ash Heap-The Discard Pile
Cards that are burned or discarded are placed face up next to the library.
This pile of cards is known as the ash heap. Your ash heap may be examined
by any player.
4.4. The Edge
Whenever a player successfully bleeds another Methuselah (see Minion Phase,
Section 6.3), that player "gets the Edge". There is only one Edge counter,
so if one player gets it while another player has it, the second player has
to forfeit it. During his or her untap phase, the player who has the Edge
takes one counter from the blood bank and places it in his or her pool (see
Untap Phase, Section 6.1). The Edge can also be useful during political
actions.
5. Breakdown of the Phases of the Game
Each turn has five phases in the game: untap, master, minion, influence,
and discard.
1) Untap Phase: Untap any minions and/or master cards you have in the
playing area. There are two other events that may occur during this phase:
- If you have the Edge, take a blood counter from the blood bank and place
it in your pool.
- Certain master cards may take effect during this phase.
2) Master Phase: This is the phase when you play your master cards.
Technically, you receive one master phase action during this phase, which
you can then use to play a single master card.
3) Minion Phase: Each untapped minion in your active region may take a
minion phase action. When a minion takes an action, you tap it. The action
might involve playing one or more minion cards.
4) Influence Phase: This is the phase when you may exert your power as a
Methuselah upon vampires in your inactive region. Your influence phase
actions are known as transfers. By spending your transfers, you may:
- transfer pool to the vampires in your inactive region,
- transfer blood counters from your inactive vampires to your pool, or
- spend all your transfers to move a vampire from your crypt to your
inactive region.
These three options are described in Section 9.
5) Discard Phase: Under the Basic Rules, you may discard up to two cards
from your hand and draw to replace them. (If you have to discard cards that
don't apply under these rules, that doesn't count against your two discards
at the end of your turn.)
6. Descriptions of the Phases
6.1 The Untap Phase
At the beginning of your turn, untap any tapped cards. Once the cards are
untapped, they can be used during your turn.
Some cards in play may cause some or all players to perform actions during
your untap phase. Any cards requiring you to take an action or actions
during your untap phase take effect after you've untapped your cards. If
more than one card requires you to take an action, you may choose the order
in which these actions take place.
If you have the Edge, you may take one blood counter from the blood bank
and place it in your pool.
Note: Untapping is mandatory. You must untap all of your tapped cards
during this phase.
6.2. The Master Phase
During your master phase, you receive one master phase action, which you
may use to play a master card. If you do not use this master phase action
by the end of the master phase, you lose it. If you play a master card that
permits you to do something during the master phase, you can take that
action as soon as you play the card.
6.3. The Minion Phase
The minion phase is the most involved part of the game. Each of your ready
vampires and allies may take one action. The procedure is as follows:
1) To show that you want one of your minions to take an action, tap it.
This minion is called the acting minion.
2) Announce to the other players the action your minion is taking. You may
have to play an action card to reveal your minion's action.
3) You may decide to modify the action. Other Methuselahs may have an
opportunity to block the action.
4) If the action isn't blocked, resolve it. You may have to burn blood at
this time.
A minion may take one of the following actions without playing an action card:
- bleeding,
- hunting,
- employing a retainer,
- recruiting an ally, or
- equipping.
Employing a retainer, recruiting an ally, or equipping a minion does not
require an action card, but it does require the use of a retainer, ally, or
equipment card. (This is explained further in Minion Actions, Section 6.4.).
A minion of another player may attempt to block your minion's action.
(Detailed rules on blocking are in Section 6.3.2.)
Action modifier cards enhance, alter, or embellish actions. This type of
card can be played before or after a block is declared. If you're directing
this action against another Methuselah, and he's declared that he won't
block, he can't decide to block it later, even if you play an action
modifier card.
Important rule: In the Basic Game, the only standard minion phase action
that can be blocked is bleeding. However, many of the actions that result
from playing action cards can be blocked. If an action your minion takes is
blocked by an opponent's minion, the action doesn't occur-combat
automatically begins between them.
6.3.1. Directed and Nondirected Actions
There are two types of actions minions can perform: directed and
nondirected.
Directed Actions: These are actions that directly affect another
Methuselah, one of her minions, or a card a Methuselah controls. An action
directed against another Methuselah may only be blocked by the minions of
that Methuselah. Cards that involve directed actions have a "D" in the card
text. The only directed action in the Basic Game that does not require a
card is bleeding.
Nondirected Actions: These are actions that are not directed against a
Methuselah or one of his minions. Hunting, equipping a minion, recruiting
an ally, and employing a retainer are examples of nondirected actions.
These actions cannot be blocked in the Basic Game.
6.3.2. Blocking an Action
During a Methuselah's turn, you may have the opportunity to block one of
her minions. For instance, if your predator uses a minion to attempt to
bleed you (and reduce the size of your blood pool), you can try to block
that minion's action. Remember, in the Basic Game, you may only block
directed actions targeted at you or one of your cards.
To block an action, you simply tap one of your untapped minions and declare
that he is blocking the action. You cannot block actions that are targeted
at another player or one of his minions.
Note: If an action requires you to burn blood or pool, the blood counters
are not burned until the actions succeeds without being blocked. If you
cannot burn blood counters for the action at that point, the action fails.
Stealth: Stealth is the ability of vampires to avoid being blocked when
they perform actions. In the Basic Game, an action card with the phrase "+1
stealth" (or, technically, "+X stealth") cannot be blocked. (If the top of
a Jyhad card has the phrase +1 stealth or the top of a Vampire card has the
phrase +1 stealth action, both the basic and superior versions of that
action are at +1 stealth). Also, there are some action modifier cards that
can be used to give your minion stealth. If you play any of these during
the action, the action becomes unblockable.
Rules of Thumb for Blocking:
1) If an action is blocked, any cards used by the acting minion are burned,
and the cost in blood or pool for playing the cards is ignored.
2) Once a Methuselah has passed up the opportunity to block an action, he
cannot attempt to block it later, regardless of whether other blocking
attempts have been made or whether the action has been modified with an
action modifier card.
6.4. Minion Actions
Possible minion phase actions in the Basic Game are described below.
Bleed (no card required): Bleeding is one of the most fundamental directed
actions in the game. A minion controlled by a Methuselah attempts to reduce
the blood pool of another Methuselah. The term "bleed" is actually a
metaphor. It describes meddling in the affairs of Methuselahs by paying
bribes, burning down property, spreading rumors, and so on. To have one of
your minions commit a bleed action:
1) Tap the minion and announce to your prey that your minion is attempting
to bleed.
2) If your prey's minions cannot block, or are unsuccessful in their
attempts to stop you, your prey burns one pool. There are also cards that
allow your minions to bleed your prey for more than one pool.
Your predator will attempt to bleed you out of the game. She will try to
send her minions past yours and reduce your blood pool; your minions can
block these actions to defend you. You then have the opportunity to attempt
to send your remaining minions past your prey's minions. If you succeed in
getting through, you can then bleed your prey. You may do damage to your
opponent's minions, but you want to ultimately bleed other Methuselahs out
of the game.
Important rule: Whenever a minion successfully bleeds a Methuselah, the
controller of that minion "gets the Edge".
Hunt (no card required): The hunger for blood is the horrid price of
immortality each vampire must endure, and a vampire must hunt to appease
that hunger. Hunting is the action a vampire takes to replenish part of his
blood supply.
To have one of your vampires hunt:
1) Tap the vampire and announce that he is hunting. This is a +1 stealth
action: It cannot be blocked in the Basic Game.
2) The vampire gains one blood counter from the blood bank.
Note: An untapped vampire in the active region with no blood must hunt as
his next action. This action must occur before any of your other minions
take minion phase actions. If more than one of your vampires needs to hunt,
you may choose the order in which they hunt, as long as they all hunt.
Also, a vampire with a number of blood counters equal to his maximum
capacity cannot hunt.
Employ Retainer (retainer card required): Retainers are the helpers of your
minions. A retainer grants additional abilities to a single minion and
cannot act independently. For the Basic Game, ignore the life points on a
minion card-they are only important in the Advanced Game.
For a minion to employ a retainer:
1) Tap a vampire and announce that she is employing a retainer. This is a
+1 stealth action: It cannot be blocked in the Basic Game.
2) Put the retainer card you have chosen from your hand on the vampire.
Both vampires and allies can recruit retainers.
Recruit Ally (ally card required): This action allows you to bring an ally
into play. Allies should be treated as vampires in most ways. Unlike
retainers, allies may take independent actions, such as blocking and
bleeding. They also have life points, which are roughly equivalent to a
vampire's blood counters, save for the fact that an ally cannot burn them
to use Disciplines or hunt to replace them.
To bring an ally into play:
1) Tap the vampire and announce that she is recruiting an ally. This is a
+1 stealth action: It cannot be blocked in the Basic Game.
2) Place the ally card in the inactive region.
An ally cannot take an action on the turn he is recruited. When the ally is
brought into play, he is placed in your inactive region to indicate that he
cannot act. At the end of your turn, allies in your inactive region are
moved to your active region.
If an ally is burned during the course of play, any other cards placed on
it are burned as well.
Equip (equipment card required): You may give your minions equipment to aid
and protect them. There is no limit to the number of equipment cards a
minion can have. To equip a minion:
1) Tap the minion and announce that you are equipping him. This is a +1
stealth action: It cannot be blocked in the Basic Game.
2) Take the equipment card you have chosen from your hand and put it on the
minion.
One of your minions can take equipment from another minion you control. To
transfer equipment:
1) Tap the minion and announce that she wants to take equipment from one of
your other minions. More than one equipment card can be transferred, but
all of the equipment cards must be transferred from the same minion. This
is a +1 stealth action: It cannot be blocked in the Basic Game.
2) Take the desired equipment card and place it on the acting minion. If
you're transferring more than one piece of equipment, move the applicable
cards.
7.Vampire Politics
Politics and intrigue are as critical to vampires as hunting and feeding.
Like mortal society, vampire society has its own laws, creeds, and customs.
Politics come into play when one of your vampires uses a political card.
To play a political card:
1) Tap a vampire and announce that she is calling a vote. Any political
cards called at +1 stealth (or +X stealth) are unblockable in the Basic Game.
2) Read aloud what the vote will be about (as printed on the card) and
place it on the vampire who called the vote. If any choices need to be made
by the player whose minion called the vote, they must be made now.
3) Players vote for or against the terms of the vote. The players use votes
available to them through their minions and cards. Once a vote has been
cast, it cannot be changed.
4) Each player declares his or her votes (see below). Any vampire may
abstain from voting. A player may vote both for and against the terms of
the vote by using different minions and/or cards. (If you absolutely need a
time limit for voting in your games, the players can agree to wait fifteen
seconds after the last vote has been cast before tallying the results of
the vote.)
5) If the vote passes, the effects of the card take place.
Tallying the Votes: If your vampire called the political action, you
automatically receive one vote. For each Primogen, Prince, and Justicar you
have in the active region, you receive extra votes. You can cast:
- 1 vote for each ready Primogen,
- 2 votes for each ready Prince, and
- 3 votes for each ready Justicar.
A vampire may hold only one political position at time; thus, a vampire
cannot be a Justicar and a Prince. However, a vampire may yield, or be
forced to yield, her current position for another as a result of a
political card.
Example: Tatiana Romanova of Clan Toreador is the Prince of Houston. The
player controlling her plays the Toreador Justicar political card on her,
and voting begins. The vote is successful. Tatiana is no longer the Prince
of Houston, but now holds the position of Toreador Justicar!
If you have the Edge, you can receive a vote by burning the Edge. If this
happens, the Edge is uncontrolled.
Any Methuselah can burn extra political cards for extra votes. Each burned
political card is worth one vote. If you burn an extra political card,
ignore the effects printed on the card and throw it into your ash heap. You
can't, however, draw new cards until the political action is finished.
There are other cards you can use to cast more votes. Remember, though,
that you can only play action modifiers if one of your vampires is the
acting minion, and you can only play reaction cards if another Methuselah's
vampire is the acting minion.
8. Combat
If one of your minions is blocked, that minion's action is considered
unsuccessful. Any cost in blood or pool to take the action is ignored; if
you were required to burn blood to take the action, you don't lose the
blood. Any cards you used to take the action are burned. The blocking
minion is tapped, and combat begins between the two "opposing" minions.
8.1. Basic Combat Sequence
Each round of combat has the following phases:
1) Choose your strike. Each player chooses how her minion will strike: with
one of her weapons, with her bare hands, or with a special attack listed on
a combat card.
2) Check damage. This is a three-step process. During each of the steps
listed below, the player controlling the acting minion always goes first.
- Figure out the amount of damage you're inflicting, adding in damage
modifiers,
- announce the amount of damage you're inflicting, and then
- play any applicable damage reduction cards.
Once a player makes a choice during a phase (even if the choice is to not
play a card), that player may not alter his choice.
8.1.1. Strikes and Damage
Choose your strike: Each minion has one strike each round of combat. That
strike can be an attack from a combat card, a strike with a weapon, or a
bare-handed attack.
The player with the acting minion decides how he strikes first. Then the
blocking minion decides what his strike will be. In the Basic Game, there
is only one round of combat, and only one strike card may be used each
round of combat.
Note: Some strike cards have the words "dodge" or "combat ends" on them.
While this may seem like a contradiction in terms, the word "strike" is
used to describe a particular card type. It's a type of card that explains
what your minion does in a round of combat.
Hand damage: When a minion strikes with his hands, he does an amount of
damage equal to the total hand damage from equipment, combat cards, and
other modifiers.
Important rule: Once you've committed a minion to performing a particular
strike, you cannot change your mind. The minion executes the strike.
Announce the amount of damage inflicted: Damage is simultaneously dealt
between the two minions engaged in combat. A normal unaided hand attack
causes one point of damage. For each point of damage your minion takes,
burn a blood counter (or "life" counter, in the case of an ally). If a
vampire has suffered more damage than he can take (that is, if he received
an amount of damage in excess of the amount of blood on his card), he is
burned. An ally who loses all of his life counters is burned.
Note: In the Basic Game, treat aggravated damage exactly like regular
damage.
Play damage prevention cards: During the Check Damage phase, you may play
damage prevention cards (like Skin of Rock) if you are able to do so. You
may play these cards one at a time until all the damage is prevented or you
have no more damage prevention cards in your hand. You cannot play more
damage prevention cards if all of the damage has been prevented. Extra
damage prevention is lost, and it can't be applied against future strikes.
Example: If a vampire is dealt three points of damage, you can play one
card that prevents two points of damage and immediately play another card
that prevents one point of damage. You could not play any more damage
prevention cards-all of the damage has been prevented. The extra points of
damage prevention would be lost.
8.2. Allies and Combat
Allies are allowed to use strike cards in combat. Of course, the ally
performing the strike must meet the requirements listed on the strike card.
Strike cards include "dodge" cards, "combat ends" cards, and cards that
inflict damage (such as Lucky Blow). This rule reflects the way some
vampires regard the allies they control-they're deadly in combat, but
they're also expendable...
8.3. Special Combat Effects
Here's a list of special combat effects you'll find on a number of vampire
and library cards.
+N Hand Damage: Add N points of damage to a minion's hand or melee weapon
damage.
Destroy Equipment: This effect will burn a minion's equipment card. If
there is more than one piece of equipment on a minion, the player
controlling the destroying minion chooses which one is affected. However,
the equipment can still be used on the turn it's destroyed... unless the
equipment was destroyed before it could be used (see First Strike, listed
below). Sometimes the effect may specify a weapon, in which case a
particular weapon must be burned.
Steal Equipment: This effect is like "destroy equipment" except that it
forces a piece of equipment out of the hands of one minion and into the
hands of the minion who used this effect. The equipment can still be used
on the turn it is stolen... unless the equipment was stolen with First
Strike (see below) before it could be used. The stolen equipment may not be
used by the minion stealing it until the next round of combat. The minion
using this effect keeps the equipment at the end of combat.
First Strike: The damage inflicted by a minion with First Strike is
resolved before the strike of the opposing minion begins. (Thus, if an
opposing minion is burned by First Strike, he will not get a strike.) If
both minions have First Strike, the effect is canceled and damage is
resolved normally.
Example: Cassandra is attacking Andreas with First Strike. Cassandra is
using a Potence card and has +1 damage; Andreas has no extra damage and
only 1 blood point left. Before Andreas can damage Cassandra, Cassandra
does 2 points of damage to Andreas, burning him. Cassandra therefore
receives no damage.
Dodge: A "dodge" deals no damage, but it prevents the effect of the
opponent's strike that round, even if the opponent's strike was delivered
with First Strike.
Combat Ends: This effect ends combat immediately before any damage is dealt
or a strike card's effects take place. If the acting minion's strike is
"combat ends", the blocking minion may still use a strike card, but this
strike will have no effect. Note that "combat ends" is not affected by a
dodge and cancels a First Strike.
Steal Blood: This effect is like "steal equipment" except that it forces
blood (or life, in the case of allies) from another minion and feeds the
vampire who used this effect. This is not considered damage, so the effect
cannot be prevented with damage prevention cards. If the stolen blood
exceeds the capacity of the vampire stealing it, the excess is moved to the
blood bank. If all of the vampire's blood is stolen, the vampire is burned.
If an ally loses all his life points, the ally card is burned. A vampire
cannot steal more blood than the opposing minion has at that time.
Example: Later in the game, Cassandra attempts to bleed and is blocked by
Eliza of Clan Tremere. Eliza vows to avenge Andreas' demise. Cassandra is
attacking with her bare hands and has 3 blood points. Eliza plays a
Thaumaturgy card that allows her to steal 3 points of blood. Cassandra does
1 point of damage to the Tremere, but Eliza steals 3 points of blood from
Cassandra. Cassandra has no blood left, so she'll have to hunt next turn.
Eliza was at full blood capacity, so the excess blood goes to the blood bank.
The stolen blood will also heal the vampire immediately. This blood can be
burned by damage that is not dealt with First Strike.
Example: Eliza and Cassandra meet again. This time Eliza has 1 blood and
Cassandra has 4. Eliza strikes using a Thaumaturgy card that allows her to
steal 3 blood. Cassandra strikes with her hands and plays a combat card to
increase her hand damage to 2. Eliza takes 2 damage and steals 3 blood from
Cassandra. Eliza can use the stolen blood to absorb the damage and is not
burned.
9. Influence
Methuselahs vehemently seek to dominate vampire society, but most younger
vampires are reluctant to defer to the whims of the ancients. The
Methuselahs must exert their extraordinary command of Disciplines and
resources to entice their younger brethren to do their bidding.
The influence phase allows you to move vampires into your inactive region
and place them under your control. During the influence phase, you use a
type of "influence phase action" known as a transfer. Transfers are not
represented by tangible markers, like blood counters, but they do usually
translate into blood counters from your pool.
When you move blood counters from your pool to a vampire, they become blood
points for that vampire. When you move blood counters from a vampire to
your pool, they become pool.
During your influence phase, you may:
1) move blood counters from your pool to your uncontrolled vampires,
2) take blood back from uncontrolled vampires who already have blood on
them, or
3) move the next vampire card in your crypt to your uncontrolled region.
The cost for these actions is listed below.
1) At the cost of one transfer, you may move one blood counter from your
blood pool to an uncontrolled vampire in your inactive region.
2) For two transfers, you may move one blood counter from an uncontrolled
vampire in your inactive region back to your blood pool.
3) By spending all four transfers, you may take a vampire off your crypt
and place her in your uncontrolled region. If you do this, you must also
burn one pool.
Putting Vampires into Play: At the end of your influence phase, any vampire
in your inactive region with a number of blood counters equal to his or her
blood capacity is now considered controlled. The vampire is turned face up
and placed in your active region. The blood counters are kept on the ready
vampire. These blood counters are a measure of the vampire's present
strength, which may increase and decrease throughout the game.
At the beginning of the game, players do not receive the usual four
transfers. Instead, the player who goes first may only spend one transfer
during her influence phase. The second player may spend up to two
transfers, the third player may spend up to three, and the fourth player
may spend the usual four transfers. Of course, if there are only two or
three players, the number of transfers allowed increases by one each turn
until a player is allowed to spend four.
10. Ending the Game
In a two-player game, the last Methuselah with pool remaining wins. As soon
as a Methuselah is out of blood counters, the game is over.
If more than two Methuselahs are playing, the game continues after the
first Methuselah is out of pool. A Methuselah is ousted as soon as she no
longer has pool. When this occurs, her predator earns a victory point and
gains six pool. If a predator is ousted the same turn her prey is ousted,
the predator gets the victory point, but does not get six blood points. The
last Methuselah remaining in the game also gains an additional victory
point. The winner of the game is the player with the most victory points at
the end of the game.
10.1. Running Out of Cards and Withdrawing from the Game
If you've exhausted your library and begin your turn with less than a full
hand, you have the option of withdrawing from the game. To exercise this
option, you must announce your intent to withdraw during your untap phase.
For the withdrawal to succeed, you have to meet two conditions:
- your minions can't enter combat until your next untap phase, and
- you and your minions can't lose or burn blood before your next untap phase.
If you survive until your next untap phase while meeting these conditions,
you successfully withdraw. If you lose a single blood point (even if you
regain it later), your withdrawal fails.
If you successfully withdraw, you receive one victory point to add to any
victory points you've already gained. Your predator does not get a victory
point or pool for your withdrawal.
11. The Golden Rule of Card Ownership
Your cards are never transferred to another player permanently as a result
of card play. If you are ousted from the game, the cards you began the game
with are immediately returned to you. If you have any of your opponents'
cards, they are returned to their respective owners and placed in the
appropriate ash heaps.
12. The Golden Rule for Cards
Whenever the cards contradict the rules, the cards take precedence.
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