Submission: Anarch Black Market

Name: Anarch Black Market
Cardtype: Master
Cost: 2 pool
Capacity: NA
Discipline: NA
Clan: NA
Master: unique location
You may lock this card after an Anarch vampire uses an equip action to unlock the acting vampire. As a discard phase action, you may exchange a card in your hand for an equipment card in your ash heap.

World of Darkness reference: page 55 of The Anarch Cookbook, explains that every Anarch Conclave as access to the Anarch Black Market and that is their primary method to smuggle illegal gear.

How does this card address a compelling game need?: Primarily this card reduces the lock cost of an equip action. Equipment is extremely nice for decks that may not cross over exactly on disciplines and this card is especially nice for Anarch which typically run lower capacity vampires. Also this card provides adds a new discard phase action which allows several interesting equipment tricks with equipment that can be burned, example: Blood Tears of Kephran. This means that less card slots in a deck need to be devoted to equipment and if equipment is drawn, there is less tempo loss for using the equip action. If an equip action is blocked then the discard phase action becomes another way to draw the equipment again.

Created by: Justin Lacey

Update: September 2nd 2017
Updated after testing and suggestions. I am still working on the others. It is clear that the recursion mechanic needs a narrow target on all the cards. The card that seems to pair the best with the Anarch Black Market is Leather Jacket. Specifically if you do use the burn effect, you can redraw it with your next discard phase action.

Thematically, the deck is amazing. It feels like all the Anarchs are a part of one large biker gang and you are just handing out leather jackets so they can wear the Anarch "colors".

Anarch Black Market
Master
2 pool
Master: unique location
You may lock this card after an Anarch vampire successfully uses an equip action to unlock the acting vampire. As a discard phase action, you may exchange a card in your hand for a non-unique equipment card in your ash heap.

Update: October 1st 2017

Forgot the flavor text and art notes

Flavor text: "Overkill? There's no such thing."
Art Notes: A room full of gun cases, assorted weapons and ammo.

Very thematic, and for theme fits the game probably the best out of these 'sect recursion' devices. Great synergy with the new Anarch master that can be used to pay for equipment.

As I said in the Sabbat Binding thread, I'd rather have the recursion effect target only non-unique equipment. It's not like it's the black market for all gadzillion Eyes of Hazimel that fill the world.

...as there's only one unique thing in existence.

Anyways, I'd have that. It also reinforces the theme somewhat, don't it? It's a street market, not the national museum of doomsday artefacts.

Same goes here as well that I suggested in Sabbat Binding; I wouldn't be against a blood or pool cost for the recursion effect, because they're few and far between for a good reason.

I think this is rather fine.

"target only non-unique equipment."

Seems reasonable.

"I wouldn't be against a blood or pool cost for the recursion effect, because they're few and far between for a good reason."

Well the idea is that the discard phase action can be used to draw a card. One of the major advantages of this card is meant to be that you can now draw a card from your ash heap instead of your library if it means a narrow condition, a blood cost or pool cost on top of that would be too much... this doesn't put a card in play... just allows you to draw it again. And the idea is that these should be less powerful cards that are affected by recursion.

jblacey wrote:

"I wouldn't be against a blood or pool cost for the recursion effect, because they're few and far between for a good reason."

Well the idea is that the discard phase action can be used to draw a card. One of the major advantages of this card is meant to be that you can now draw a card from your ash heap instead of your library if it means a narrow condition, a blood cost or pool cost on top of that would be too much... this doesn't put a card in play... just allows you to draw it again. And the idea is that these should be less powerful cards that are affected by recursion.

This probably needs to be checked with playtesting, and I see your point. Mine is that the design philosophy with recursion is strict for a reason.

To be fair the discard phase action replacement is effectively just a superior discard phase action in case you really need that whatever thing you need. It eventually does cycle you a card as well, not just instantly.

But I do agree that the non-unique equipment clause is already a major deterrent, and most likely not overpowered. A blood cost from a ready anarch vampire you control would be just to make sure it will never become overpowered.

Just saying, is all. Either might be fine, and that would be up to play testing.

I'm really enjoying this design.

Kraus wrote:

To be fair the discard phase action replacement is effectively just a superior discard phase action in case you really need that whatever thing you need. It eventually does cycle you a card as well, not just instantly.

Agreed, for a cost is effectively giving you an upgraded discard phase action.

A blood cost from a ready anarch vampire you control would be just to make sure it will never become overpowered.

For Sabbat this would probably be fine as they have multiple ways to fill up but for Anarchs which go through blood so fast this would be extremely difficult.

I'm really enjoying this design.

Thanks, I will be going through a quick playtest cycle and then post an update.

Updated. I am still working on the others. It is clear that the recursion mechanic needs a narrow target on all the cards. The card that seems to pair the best with the Anarch Black Market is Leather Jacket. Specifically if you do use the burn effect, you can redraw it with your next discard phase action. Thematically, the deck is amazing. It feels like all the Anarchs are a part of one large biker gang and you are just handing out leather jackets so they can wear the Anarch "colors".

Anarch Black Market
Master
2 pool
Master: unique location
You may lock this card after an Anarch vampire uses an equip action to unlock the acting vampire. As a discard phase action, you may exchange a card in your hand for a non-unique equipment card in your ash heap.