Tom: Can you prevent damage before you take any?

Greater Skin of Steel will prevent all damage from opponents strikes for the round. I usually play it against an opponent who has celerity when I fear more stikes are coming so I wait until I recieve damage from the first strike and then play it. But what about the following situation: Camille is in combat with a tremere with celerity and thaumaturgy. Range is determined at close and Camille only has one blood left. Can she play Greater skin of steel to prevent all damage that round even if damage has been inflicted? What if she choses hand strike and the Tremere plays Theft of the Vitae. Can she spend that blood to prevent damage for the rest of the round, and does that take place before the blood is stolen? I assume that all the answers are no. But the wording of the card already allows you to prevent damage you haven't even taken yet, so I was just curious :-) ~Biomechanoid

Both versions of Skin of Steel prevent all damage from a given strike, so can only be played if you're taking damage from a strike. While the superior version has a lasting effect, you still can't play it without having been damaged in the first place. Tom Wylie rec.games.trading-cards.* Network Representative for aa...@cats.ucsc.edu Wizards of the Coast, Inc.