a few questions re: dir. actions (Jyhad)

Could someone kindly explain the concept of directed actions to me? I am a little unclear on whether they are directed to any Methuselah though a particular minion, or how this is restricted. Also, what cards are required to steal blood from someone's unique location, say, Powerbase:Washington D.C.. I have a very limited number of cards as I am just starting to really play, so I don't know if perhaps I just don't own the correct cards to perform certain actions. Thanks! Renee (new player)

Renee Mo (r...@elaine32.Stanford.EDU) wrote: : Could someone kindly explain the concept of directed actions to me? I am a [ quoted text not captured ] A directed action is one made by one of your minions against the resources of another Methusaleh (minions, locations, etc.). ONLY this Methusaleh may block this action. It is generally accepted that you may NOT make directed actions against yourself. One thing to ALWAYS remember: card text may circumvent the rules! (in other words, someone with "Eagle's Sight" has the opportunity to block ANY action, directed or not). Directed actions are either defined as directed actions (i.e. bleeding) or card text will state that they are directed (either with the (D) symbol, or with text stating that it is directed). Bleeding your prey is the simplest directed action. Only your prey may block. The directed action to steal blood from PowerBase-D.C. is given on the text of the card! If someone has this in play, and you want to steal the blood, simply state that one of your minions is taking the directed action to bleed steal the blood. The fact that the action is directed means that the person owning the powerbase is the only person with the opportunity to block. You do not need another card to take this action. To sum up: There are three ways to initiate an action: 1) Some actions (bleeding and hunting come to mind) do not require a card of any kind to make an action. 2) Some actions (like stealing blood from the Powerbase or attacking someone with a Talbot's Chainsaw) are made because cards that are already in play allow them to be made -- without the need to play another card to initiate the action. 3) Some actions (like equipping a vampire, or making "Night Moves") are made by playing a card from your hand. If you wish to make actions belonging to either of the first two groups, you merely need to state your intention to make the action. If it's from 2, the card (of course) must actually be in play when you take the action. If it so happens that the action you take is directed (this has nothing to do with HOW you initiate the action) this simply indicates _who_ is allowed to block the action, namely the Meth. that you are acting against. -James

> > Could someone kindly explain the concept of directed actions to me? I am a > little unclear on whether they are directed to any Methuselah though a > particular minion, or how this is restricted. > Also, what cards are required to steal blood from someone's unique > location, say, Powerbase:Washington D.C.. I have a very limited number of > cards as I am just starting to really play, so I don't know if perhaps I > just don't own the correct cards to perform certain actions. > Thanks! > Renee > (new player) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All actions are directed or undirected. The difference is that directed actions are targeted and can only be blocked by the targeted Methuslah (except for some effects such as Eagles sight and Anneke, that overide the normal blocking procedure). Undirected actions are more general in nature and are things like rescuing your own vampire from Torpor, equiping or getting retainers. Also calling a vote. Thease can be blocked by your Prey and then your predator (in that order, so prey has first choice) Again with the exception of cards like Eagles sight and Anneke. If a card says an effect can be done to it then no other card is needed (unless specifically said). Thus anyone can steal the blood from Powerbase DC or Chicago and ordinarily the owning Meth is the only one who can block. Also see cards such as Cultivated blood Shortage, The rack, or Mob connections which _on the card_ state they can be targeted by a vamp as a D action. REF Enjoy the game!

hsm...@garfield.msms.doe.k12.ms.us (Harry Smith) writes: >James Puzzo (jam...@gw.digibd.com) wrote: >We had a conflict recently over directed actions being directed against >one's self. The situation was: another Methuslah had Darius Styx >(Ravnos) and tried to use his special power ("As a (D) action, Darius >may pick one card at random from a Methuselah's hand. If it is an >equipment or retainer card, place it on Darius at no cost; otherwise, >return it to the Methuselah's hand.") on himself, thus getting free >equipment. Would the card override the rules about D actions (it does >say 'A Methuselah's hand'), or would this just be a case of errata? >Another question also came up, does Darius's controler get to look at the >card picked? Otherwise, the other player might just lie and say that it >was not an equipment card when it actually was. However, if it was not, >the controller just got a free peek. Yet a third question >comes to mind. What if the card picked IS a retainer or equipment, but >Darius does not qualify to get it (say, it requires Giovanni)? Does he >get it anyway, since his card makes no mention of anything like that? 1. (D) actins cannot be self-directed unless card text indicates otherwise. 2. Even if Darius could pull from his controller's hand (which he cannot), he would still pull "at random" - let some other Methuselah pull the card if no seven-sided die is handy. 3. Darius' controller looks at the card pulled, regardless of type. 4. Darius may be equipped or may employ without regard to qualifications such as skill or clan. -- L. Scott Johnson (sjoh...@math.sc.edu) | These opinions are mine and http://www.math.sc.edu/~sjohnson | are subject to card text. Graphics Specialist and V:tES Rulemonger. |

James Puzzo (jam...@gw.digibd.com) wrote: : A directed action is one made by one of your minions against the resources : of another Methusaleh (minions, locations, etc.). ONLY this Methusaleh may : block this action. It is generally accepted that you may NOT make directed : actions against yourself. : One thing to ALWAYS remember: card text may circumvent the rules! (in other : words, someone with "Eagle's Sight" has the opportunity to block ANY action, : directed or not). We had a conflict recently over directed actions being directed against one's self. The situation was: another Methuslah had Darius Styx (Ravnos) and tried to use his special power ("As a (D) action, Darius may pick one card at random from a Methuselah's hand. If it is an equipment or retainer card, place it on Darius at no cost; otherwise, return it to the Methuselah's hand.") on himself, thus getting free equipment. Would the card override the rules about D actions (it does say 'A Methuselah's hand'), or would this just be a case of errata? Another question also came up, does Darius's controler get to look at the card picked? Otherwise, the other player might just lie and say that it was not an equipment card when it actually was. However, if it was not, the controller just got a free peek. Yet a third question comes to mind. What if the card picked IS a retainer or equipment, but Darius does not qualify to get it (say, it requires Giovanni)? Does he get it anyway, since his card makes no mention of anything like that? -- You don't get what you deserve, | The world is as ugly as sin, You get what you take. | And nearly as delightful. -------------------------------------+----------------------------------------- Conflicts between right and wrong | Good people are good because they are a sickness of the mind. | are not strong enough to be evil.