Card idea - Test of the sword

Melee weapons combat suffer some drawbacks, namely :
* need actions or concealed weapons to setup
* few specifics cards worth going for it

This card is intended to help with the first problems. Concealed weapon have no melee incentive and require to have both the card, the weapon, and a combat, meaning it often lead to card jam problems.

Two versions :

The rush one :

Name: Test of the sword
Cardtype: Action
Enter combat with a ready tapped minion controlled by another methuselah. Immedialty before the combat, you can equip a melee weapon from your hand.

The bleed one :

Name: Test of the sword
Cardtype: Action
Bleed. You can equip a melee weapon from your hand, paying cost as normal. If you have or equip a melee weapon, this bleed is at +1 bleed.

The basic idea is that the vampire want to go test its new shiny toy against some random dude. I have written these in the simplest way possible ; unlike a concealed weapon you can play a lot of them for few weapon, since it's a useable rush without weapon.

The main weakness is that it's a +0 stealth equip action, so will often be blocked.

Since you don't discard the weapon and still get a combat, this may be feasible, but it's not too sexy since you don't have a weapon.

Both giving +1 stealth or allowing to equip a weapon before block are really powerful ; the second one would be more powerful than an existing valeren card

A third way would be :

Name: Test of the sword
Cardtype: Action
Blood cost : 1
To play this card you must reveal a melee weapon from your hand.
+1 Bleed. If you are blocked, you can equip a melee weapon from your hand to this vampire.

But my experience show me that giving the choice to the ennemy lead to either very weak card or overpowered one.

Ashur wrote:

(As a side note, I have proposed something like this:
Swift strike
Cardtype: Combat
Only usable at close range before strikes are chosen. Only usable with
a melee weapon.
[cel] This minion has first strike.
[CEL] Opposing minion cannot play any strike cards for the duration of
this round. A vampire may play only one Swift strike each round.)

I believe you should do your own thread if you want opinion on that. Mine would be "you forgot to add 'blood cost : 2'".

Thoughts Betrayed do this for 2 blood at any range, regardless if you have melee weapon or not AND for entire combat. 2 blood ? Really?

How about a high-stealth action?

Haste
Type: Action
Requires: Celerity
Cost: 1 blood
+2 stealth action.
Enter combat with an ally or tapped vampire with capacity 6 or lower.
Equip with the first melee weapon you find in your library (working down from the top). Requirements and cost apply as normal). Shuffle afterward.