Card Idea: Descent

Why don't we have more master cards that deal pool damage? Think about sitting next to Kindred Spirits, DOM/OBF or a pile of KRCs. Now think about that same deck doing an additional pool damage every turn.

Pascal!

All the master cards you listed have a way to defend against the pool damage:
- you either sacrifice a vampire
- or you guess right
- or you go anarch

The problem with Descent it that it is unpreventable.

also available: Curse of Nitocris, Gambit Accepted, Smiling Jack, Betrayer

there's a ton of master cards that lower your prey's pool! I don't understand what everyone's talking about in this thread. I think there's something different going on here than "unbalanced"

There's a potential side effect for losing pool: it can oust you. There is no equivalent possible side effect for gaining pool. Therefore, gaining pool is not an equivalent effect to losing pool.

See also That Other Game, where most analysis ranks Lightning Bolt as a better card than Healing Salve.

the potential side effects for gaining pool: you can get new vampires, equipment, allies, or master cards. you can improve your own position, or withstand more bleeds before you get ousted. not getting ousted in VTES is a pretty big priority, since you could have as many as 4 potential predators.

the lightning bolt vs healing salve comparison has nothing to do with this. partly because it's a completely different game. but the bolt was mainly useful because it could kill almost any MtG creature that costs 4 or less mana. you could suddenly change the game state back in your favor. the healing salve nicely cancels it out, but all it does for you is keep the game position the exact same. in other words, you have to already be winning when you play it. neither card was ever used for life points unless it meant winning/losing the game right that instant.

in VTES, a master card to gain a little pool can afford you more permanents, improving your position. get a vampire who could potentially bleed your prey for 1 every turn! or you can survive longer, and wait for your buddies (or enemies) to change the gamestate back to your favor. on the other hand, pinging your prey for 1 doesn't do much good, unless you're lunging for the oust that turn. for example, your prey could change strategies and start turtling earlier than you'd like, and now you have to bleed through 8 more pool that they would otherwise have spent on vampires.

gaining pool is so broken. that's why we love it so much more.