inm8#
There have been a few discussions around the workings of the different cards that have "burn counters to gain control of/steal a minion" (from here-on referred to as the "ability").
1) Is the "ability" of Contagion tied to the strike it provides (i.e. the strike must be used and be effective "close range" to be able to use the "ability" and cannot be used if the opposing minion dodges or S:CE)?
My conclusion is that it is tied to the strike. Looking for explicit confirmation as it isn't provided in earlier rulings.
[LSJ 20040130]
[ANK 20200909]
2) Can the "ability" of Contagion be used if the opposing minion has been sent to torpor as part of the strike resolution?
My conclusion is that it can be used as there is no mention of the minion needing to be ready/not wounded.
3) Can the below cards' "ability" be used even though the action is blocked and goes through normal block resolution?
Corruption, Reformation and Revelation of Ecstasy
My conclusion is that the "ability" cannot be used as the card is burned when the action is blocked and therefore is tied to the success of the action (i.e. the action not being blocked)
same as Cave of Apples which explicitly has it in its text but the reason for that is that it is a card in play providing an action and therefore doesn´t burn if blocked.
4) Can the "ability" while having Form of Corruption in play only be used during one´s master phase immediately after (since one´s last turn) when and if one´s prey gets the Edge anew (i.e. gets the Edge from someone else or while it was uncontrolled)?
My conclusion is that it is an "ability" provided by a card in play that one can trigger to use independently/separately from the conditioned ability that allows one to add counters to it and thereby the "ability" can be used at any time during one´s master phase regardless of who has the Edge and when they got it.
5) When playing Revelation of Despair or Venenation and the "ability" is used to steal the opposing minion does it:
a) immediately end the action or can further modifiers and reactions be played?
b) in the case of RoD lock the minion using it after taking control of the opposing minion?
c) in the case of Venenation lock the blocking minion being stolen after taking control of him/her?
My conclusion for
a) is that it does not end the action because it doesn´t explicitly says so and the player now controlling both of the minions is free to play further modifiers or reactions with both the minions.
b & c) is that based on the ruling [LSJ 20010803] the minion playing RoD and the minion being stolen by Venenation is locked because the process still moves forward to block resolution which locks the blocking minion and the combat is prevented since the combatants now share the same controller.
Cave of Apples
Name: Cave of Apples
Cardtype: Master
Clan: Ministry
Cost: 3 pool
Unique location.
Any Minister you control can put 1 corruption counter on an ally or younger vampire controlled by your prey as a action. If the action is successful and the number of your corruption counters on the minion equals or exceeds their capacity or cost, you can burn those counters to steal that minion.
Contagion
Name: Contagion
Cardtype: Action
Discipline: Daimoinon
+1 stealth action. Requires an Infernal vampire. Unique.
Put this card on the acting vampire. During each other Methuselah's unlock phase, he or she burns 1 pool if this vampire is ready.
As [dai] above, and once per combat, this vampire can put a corruption counter on the opposing minion as a strike. If the number of your corruption counters on the minion equals or exceeds the capacity of that vampire or the cost of that ally, you may burn all of your corruption counters on that minion to gain control of him or her after strike resolution (ending combat).
Corruption
Name: Corruption
Cardtype: Action
Clan: Ministry
+1 stealth action.
Put 1 corruption counter on a minion controlled by your prey. If the number of your corruption counters on the minion equals or exceeds their capacity or cost, you can burn those counters to steal the target minion.
Form of Corruption
Name: Form of Corruption
Cardtype: Action
Discipline: Serpentis
Put this card in play. If your prey gets the Edge anew, you can add 1 counter to this card. If the number of counters on this card equals or exceeds the amount of blood on a vampire controlled by your prey during your master phase, you can burn this card to steal that vampire. A Methuselah can have only one Form of Corruption.
As above, and your prey burns 1 pool after you burn this card.
Reformation
Name: Reformation
Cardtype: Action
Discipline: Chimerstry/Dominate/Serpentis
+1 stealth action. Requires an Anarch.
Steal an equipment from your predator or prey.
Burn 1 blood to steal a hunting ground.
Put 1 corruption counter on any vampire. If the number of your corruption counters on the vampire equals or exceeds their capacity, you can burn those counters to steal the target vampire.
Revelation of Despair
Name: Revelation of Despair
Cardtype: Reaction
Discipline: Serpentis
Only usable if this vampire blocks, before block resolution.
The acting minion burns 1 blood or life.
Put 1 corruption counter on the acting minion. If the number of your corruption counters on the minion equals or exceeds their capacity or cost, you can burn those counters to steal the target minion.
Revelation of Ecstasy
Name: Revelation of Ecstasy
Cardtype: Action
Discipline: Serpentis
+1 stealth action.
Lock a ready minion controlled by your prey.
As above, and put 1 corruption counter on the target minion. If the number of your corruption counters on the minion equals or exceeds their capacity or cost, you can burn those counters to steal the target minion.
Venenation
Name: Venenation
Cardtype: Action Modifier
Cost: 1 blood
Discipline: Serpentis
Only usable if this minion is blocked, before block resolution.
Put 1 corruption counter on the blocking minion. If the number of your corruption counters on the minion equals or exceeds their capacity or cost, you can burn those counters to steal the blocking minion (combat does not occur).
As above, but this card costs 1 fewer blood.