[LSJ] Cards costing 'X blood'

Hello all. A very knowledgeable player and myself were discussing in particular about both Hidden Strength and Awe. Both cards allow you to choose X and burn blood equal to X to play the card. The answer on Google was not clear so I ask again: Can X = 0 for cards that cost X blood? I say it can so it's playable by vampires with zero blood. He says X can never be zero. Mark Allen Prince of Ottawa

Mark Allen wrote: > Can X = 0 for cards that cost X blood? X can be zero, yes. -- 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 <vte...@white-wolf.com> wrote in message news:<3EB289D5...@white-wolf.com>... > Mark Allen wrote: > > Can X = 0 for cards that cost X blood? > > X can be zero, yes. I thought there had to be damage to be prevented first? If not, can you really play Hidden Strength after receiving 0 hand damage (due to Song of Serenity, for instance), just to gain an optional press (or just cycle). At a tournament late last year it was ruled I could not, but of course the judge may have been wrong. Also, can you play such cards for X<0? Not necessarily to gain blood, but to play the card (preventing negative hand damage and gain a press, for instance). In the same tournament, it was ruled that one cannot pay a negative amount of blood or pool. I'm sure this was done to defuse blood gain via Hidden Strength, but I suddenly see an alternative reason to do so. Regards and blessings, Patrick Columbus, OH

As hidden strength says X+1, you can play it to prevent 1 damege without paying any blood but for the press >If not, can > you really play Hidden Strength after receiving 0 hand damage > Also, can you play such cards for X<0? Not necessarily to gain blood, > but to play the card (preventing negative hand damage and gain a > press, for instance). > In the same tournament, it was ruled that one cannot pay a negative > amount of blood or pool. Sounds about right to me - never tried though.... -- Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

John Keech wrote: > As hidden strength says X+1, you can play it to prevent 1 damege without > paying any blood but for the press >>If not, can >>you really play Hidden Strength after receiving 0 hand damage No. X=0 means Hidden Strength prevents one (X+1 = 1) damage. It cannot be used when there's no damage to prevent. >>Also, can you play such cards for X<0? Not necessarily to gain blood, >>but to play the card (preventing negative hand damage and gain a >>press, for instance). >>In the same tournament, it was ruled that one cannot pay a negative >>amount of blood or pool. > > Sounds about right to me - never tried though.... Correct. You cannot set the X cost of a card to negative. [ quoted text not captured ]

Patrick van der Reest wrote: || Also, can you play such cards for X<0? Not necessarily to gain || blood, but to play the card (preventing negative hand damage and || gain a press, for instance). No, you cant play Hidden Strength for Zero, since you can't play a prevention card when there's nothing to prevent.