Submission: Bike Chain

Bike Chain

Put this card on this minion and put 3 counters on this card. While in play, this card represents a melee weapon (equipment) that does strength+1 damage each strike with First Strike. For each point of damage inflicted by this strike (even if prevented), remove a counter from this card. Burn this card when it has no counters. A minion can have only one Bike Chain.

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Compelling game need: Giving options for WWS, and boosting some 'flaming melee' strategies.

Or, well, basically I'd just love to see some more street thug, punk and gang style combat options just to roughen the feel of melee combat somewhat. Baseball Bat is almost there, but shouldn't cost , and the rest of the melee weapons are just horrible. Chainsaw is super cool, but once again shouldn't cost pool.

Anyways, back to the card.

-Any disciplines that light weapons on fire benefit from First Strike here. It breaks more easily so fortitude grinders will not like it as much. Thus, there is competition. Assamites should love it in particular, while !Salubri wouldn't mind, probably. Baal's Bloody Talons and Sword of the Righteous are the obvious synergies.
-I could think it could be a saving grace for an obscure and small amount of otherwise weak allies (1 life or so), where they could survive a rare encounter with a weakened opponent.

It's cool, is all I think it'd be, and combat in VtES should be portrayed with a brutalist approach. The art of the latest Target Vitals is a step in the right direction for sure. Gore and down-to-earth brutality.

Kraus wrote:

Bike Chain

Put this card on this minion and put 3 counters on this card. While in play, this card represents a melee weapon (equipment) that does strength+1 damage each strike with First Strike. For each point of damage inflicted by this strike (even if prevented), remove a counter from this card. Burn this card when it has no counters. A minion can have only one Bike Chain.

The possible downside that jumps to mind is allies like War Ghoul or Shamblers, who get to hit people with fewer downsides - even if they have to play one of these most combats (or most combats where they want the advantage anyway).

I'm not particularly averse to it with regular vampires, though. Perhaps if it said "Put this card on this vampire or mortal ally" or some such. The only non-Imbued mortal ally it particularly interacts with would probably be Wendell. Others could obviously play it, but he would probably actually like it.

Solid points, but I wouldn't worry about them.

War Ghouls won't care for this anyways, since they work with their built-in prevents. It's a boost to them, but it's ever so slight. The actual effect is minimal.

Same goes to Shamblers. This would be a Lucky Blow + Glancing Blow for them in one card. I don't feel it's problematic levels of synergy. And hey, if it's goth zombies swinging steel, it falls within the rule of cool...

I can't remember a time when I saw Wendell played, but now with an actual print of Carolina Valez I'm inclined to try him out. You can't boost him enough though.

In a world where we don't have a clause in the rulebook saying "Animals cannot use equipment", I wouldn't worry about silliness. Within power levels, I don't know if restriction clauses you propose are really needed. I don't mind Shamblers gaining a minor boost to be honest.

Krausedit\\ If someone finds a way to use this actually effectively with Brute Force , then by all means. People have been asking for synergy for potence strikes, haven't they?

I'm not sure it is a good idea to give another boost to !Salubri which have at the moment one of the strongest combat package.

Kraus, you confuse me. Is the weapon for punks and thugs Or is it for holy warriors and deadly assassins ?

Weird to imagine the !Salubri and Assamites using a bike chain as a weapon.

Melee weapons as a whole are pretty unimpressive. I don't get why Blade of Bellona isn't unique. Is there a Grapple-esque card for melee weapons? Maybe a Valeren card I haven't seen?

Timo wrote:

I'm not sure it is a good idea to give another boost to !Salubri which have at the moment one of the strongest combat package.

I'll really have to read that comprehensive report of Jani's !salubri win from two weeks back. It's incredible he got that win. If !salubri combat is actually that much better than .44 or animalism, I doubt it. It's certainly strong. It's fine if it's strong.

!Salubri are something to look out for, for sure, so I'm not saying you're wrong.

Weird to imagine the !Salubri and Assamites using a bike chain as a weapon.

It is not tailor made for them, nor should we resort to tropes only. This makes as much sense as Neighbour John whacking about with walking sticks (in this day and age) even though his art highlights guns blazing.

It shouldn't break immersion. On other cases, it could spark inspiration.

Vampire combat has been originally about all sorts of improvisational weapons. Thrown Sewer Lid, anyone? I'd enjoy that practical brutality brought back somewhat. If you would, entertain yourself with this scenario: Castiel, the truck driving contemporary street knight, lost his blessed ritual blade in a fight, and snatches chains off of the closest bicycle. He dips it into a car's gas tank, and lights it with his ancient salubri powers (or a match, your pick).

I mean, if you're big for narrative. I know I am.

Is there a Grapple-esque card for melee weapons?

Death Seeker is what you're looking for.

Name: Death Seeker
[HttB:C/PSal2]
Cardtype: Combat
Clan: Salubri antitribu
Cost: 1 blood
Cancel a combat card played by the opposing minion as it is played (no cost is paid). A vampire can play only one Death Seeker each round.
Artist: Erica Danell