After Extrala's post on VTES One about the Shadow Court Satyr, I went looking for a possible ruling by LSJ which would explain why Shadow Court Satyr cannot play a Taste of Vitae "as a vampire" but can play other cards "as a vampire".
The link I found with LSJs ruling was here .
> LSJ wrote:
> > Card text:
> > Changeling with 3 life. 1 strength, 1 bleed. When Shadow Court Satyr
> > comes into play, you may put a combat card from your hand on him. Once
> > each combat, Satyr may use the ability of that card as if that card had
> > been played from your hand. If the card has a cost, he pays its cost in
> > life to use its ability. If the card requires a Discipline, he may only
> > use the basic ability of that card as a vampire with a capacity of 1. If
> > the ability would give him blood, give him life instead.
> >
> > Can I play Taste of Vitae on SCS?
>
> Yes. It is a combat card.
>
> > I shoot with Magnum on a vampire. Do I get 2 blood since Taste was
> > played on him?
>
> No. He doesn't get the ability to use it "as a vampire", and it offers
> no utility to a non-vampire.
>
Current text of Shadow Court Satyr (as found from ARDB)
Shadow Court Satyr (Changeling)
Type: Ally
Requires: Gangrel antitribu
Cost: 3 pool
Changeling with 3 life. 1 strength, 1 bleed.
When the Satyr enters play, you may put a combat card from your hand on him. Once each combat, the Satyr may use the ability of that card as if played from your hand. If the card requires a vampire (e.g., costs blood or requires a Discipline), he may use it as a vampire with the basic level of the Discipline (if any).
Taste of Vitae
Type: Combat
Only usable at the end of a round of combat. Not usable by a vampire being burned or going to torpor.
This vampire gains an amount of blood equal to the amount lost by the opposing vampire to damage during this round. A vampire may play only one Taste of Vitae each round.
So, why is it that the Shadow Court Satyr can "use the ability of that card... as a vampire with the basic level of the Discipline (if any)" but cannot play a Taste of Vitae "as a vampire". Taste of Vitae is a combat card which requires a vampire ("This vampire...") and does not require a discipline ("the basic level of the discipline (if any)"). The usual rules for allies is that effects that would give them blood, give them life instead, and so the Satyr should be able to gain additional life from a Taste of Vitae. (Based on the card texts presented and the rules).
Can PB please explain why the Shadow Court Satyr should be prohibited from gaining the effects of a Taste of Vitae?
Retired Baron of Sydney, Australia, 418
I would recommend using this ruling: [LSJ 20080717] which was made *after* Shadow Court Satyr's revamp.
Text pre-3rd Ed: "If the card requires a Discipline, he may only use the basic ability of that card"
Text post-3rd Ed: "If the card requires a vampire (e.g., costs blood or requires a Discipline), he may use it as a vampire with the basic level of the Discipline (if any)."
Long story short: Shadow Court Satyr can play Taste of Vitae.
> Juggernaut1981 wrote:
> After Extrala's post on VTES One about the Shadow Court Satyr, I went looking for a possible ruling by LSJ which would explain why Shadow Court Satyr cannot play a Taste of Vitae "as a vampire" but can play other cards "as a vampire".
>
Putting any combat card on a Shadow Court Satyr that is not an Earth Meld is a violation of play to win and thus prohibited by the tournament rules.
I dunno... I like the idea of a Shadow Court Satyr with a Sports Bike, Sniper Rifle, Flak Jacket and a Taste of Vitae... put the Unmasking into play and that's one irritating little changeling.
Retired Baron of Sydney, Australia, 418
> Juggernaut1981 wrote:
> I dunno... I like the idea of a Shadow Court Satyr with a Sports Bike, Sniper Rifle, Flak Jacket and a Taste of Vitae... put the Unmasking into play and that's one irritating little changeling.
>
Stanislava plays Far Mastery on your turn with Enkil Cog , so no Direct Intervention / Dark Influences . (Still a valid concern with SCS/EM, but not so much pool investment lost.)
An asteroid is disturbed from its orbit by Mars and ends up crashing into my opponent leaving me unharmed. Seems about equal realistically.
Retired Baron of Sydney, Australia, 418
> Juggernaut1981 wrote:
> An asteroid is disturbed from its orbit by Mars and ends up crashing into my opponent leaving me unharmed. Seems about equal realistically.
>
Enkil cog+far mastery may not be as "realistic" because Enkil Cog is not owned by many players. But Toreadors with Toreador grand ball + entrancement is quite common.
Now, another question.
If Taste of vitae can be played by a Shadow Court Satyr, can Amaranth be ?
The condition to diablerize is to be a ready vampire that is not blood cursed. I don't know whether the "can play as a vampire" clause of the satyr extent to rule-based restriction or if it's strictly limited to card-based restriction.
The fact that the satyr text allow him to pay blood cost with life seem to imply he can diablerize too, but the idea that he cannot diablerize because out of combat he is not considered a ready vampire may stand too.
> Ohlmann wrote:
> If Taste of vitae can be played by a Shadow Court Satyr, can Amaranth be ?
>
No.
Name: Amaranth
[Jyhad:U, VTES:U, CE:U, Anarchs:PAG, BH:PTo2, Third:PTz, KoT:U]
Cardtype: Combat
Only usable by a vampire who can commit diablerie. Only usable when the opposing vampire should go to torpor. Diablerize the opposing vampire instead. Not usable by a vampire being burned or going to torpor.
Even if the SCS can play the card and is considered a vampire while playing it, he's not a vampire who can commit diablerie because allies can't diablerize (and the card doesn't allow him to bypass this restriction).
Prince of Paris, France
Ratings Coordinator, Rules Director