Impulse, The As Played Window and You...

EDIT FROM ANKHA: This topic contains erroneous information.

This is based on my own understanding, but I am more than happy to edit this with feedback from Pascal Bertrand. (Please keep a close eye on the thread and feel free to make comments).

This post will be all about Impulse, the "As Played" or "As announced" window and you!

So far it includes:

• Impulse & As Announced
• Impulse & Enkil Cog
• Impulse & Madness Network

I will include more scenarios as people request since I would like this to basically become a FAQ for Impulse.
Impulse & "As Announced"

The "As Announced" Window are cards that have the text: "Only usable as the action is announced" (see: Approximation of Loyalty, Seduction, Day Operation, Loose Cannon). I'm going to refer to that as "As Announced" or "is Announced"

When you declare an action:

1. All cards you must play when an action "is Announced" are also played before drawing cards back to your hand size (in the game's terms they were played simultaneously)
2. You cannot play any other cards than those "Only usable Only usable as the action is announced"
3. Other players cannot play cards until you are done playing cards "As Announced"
4. You should wait for players to respond before asking for block attempts.

Example:
Methuselah X has tapped Banjoko and wants to play a Govern the Unaligned at and also play Seduction at targeting Cock Robin. Methuselah X needs to play both cards from their hand at the same time. After playing these cards, Methuselah X draws two cards to replace the Govern the Unaligned and the Seduction. Now Methuselah X waits for anyone to declare they would want to play a card in the "As Announced" window of the action; this is effectively passing the Impulse around the table. When nobody responds, Methuselah X asks Methuselah Y to declare any blockers. This passes the Impulse to Methuselah Y. Methuselah Y declares a block attempt with Casino Reeds; this passes the Impulse back to Methuselah X so they can play stealth or declare Banjoko to be blocked.

Impulse & Malkavian Madness Network/Enkil Cog

Both of these cards allow a Methuselah to have their minions acting in someone else's Minion Phase. However, you can't declare an Action without first having the Impulse. You can be given the Impulse by the Methuselah that is currently having their turn; they aren't ending their minion phase by doing this.

Impulse & Enkil Cog
During your turn, you may ask a player who controls a minion with Enkil Cog if they wish to use the Enkil Cog. When you ask that question, or explicitly give them the opportunity you are giving them the Impulse. This gives them the chance to declare an action, they don't have to take an action at that time. If they decline to declare an action then you may continue to declare actions or end your Minion Phase. At the end of your Minion Phase, the Impulse automatically is passed to each Methuselah giving them the opportunity to use effects like Enkil Cog. Even at this stage, you may still declare an action when the Impulse has returned to you.

Example:
Methuselah X has Cock Robin ready with an Enkil Cog. It is currently Methuselah Y's Minion Phase (Y is the prey of X). Methuselah Y has declared a number of actions and now has finished declaring actions or effects in their Minion Phase. The Impulse then passes to Methuselah Z (who is the prey of Y) and continues around the table until it comes to Methuselah X (Y's predator). Methuselah X declines to tap the Enkil Cog so that Cock Robin can declare an action. The impulse passes to Methuselah Y who ends their Minion Phase. Methuselah X cannot declare an action with Enkil Cog until they gain the Impulse during Methuselah Z's Minion Phase.

Impulse & Malkavian Madness Network
This works similarly to the Enkil Cog scenario with this exception: A player may declare any number of actions using the Malkavian Madness Network before passing the Impulse to the next player.

Some notes:

in [LSJ 15032003] Scott makes the distinction between "As card is played" and "as action is announced".

Funny how they use the same example that I used in the other thread.
Must of been residual memory from reading this in the past...

In [LSJ 13022004] Scott explains that you can draw a Seduction from playing an action and use it IF nobody uses DI on the action.


So, in Impulse terms:

Acting Player plays an action. He gives Impulse so players can use "As card is played" effects. Like DI. Everybody passes Impulse.

Acting Player plays an action modifier "as action is announced".
He gives Impulse so players can use "As card is played" (like DI the Action Modifier) or ""as action is announced" effects (for the action itself).
Because now we actually have an action resolving.

I put this in a different post because I think that it is a different subject (but not topic).

I also disagree with something you said about the Madness / Cog.
Sorry, mate.

In [LSJ 25112008] Scott clarifies that the Acting Player declares all the action that he wishes to do.
Then he gives away impulse.
If nobody uses it, the Acting Player proceeds to Influence Phase even if he still had actions he could do.

Think of it as combat:

Player A: Carrion Crows (he has a Torn Signpost in hand, but doesn't know if Players B will play Flesh of Marble, so he chooses not to play it yet).
He gives the Impulse away (yes there was the "as card was played" thing, but we are ignoring that part here).

Player B: Declines to use "before range" cards.

Player A must proceed for Maneuver stage.

Brum's answers are correct.

This post (and the following) explicit rule 1.6.1.5 (Sequencing) of the Rulebook .


When playing an action card

Here's a list of steps we go through when playing an action card:

1. Play the action card and declare terms (if any). ("play" means "move the card from your hand to the limbo").
2. "as played" window. Players get the opportunity to use "as played" cards. (Nota: except from "as played" cards, Wake-likes can be played in this window, as they allow "as played" cards to be played - Rulebook 1.6.1 ). If the action is canceled, do not continue (but replace the action card). Note that cards are NOT replaced in this window.
3. Tap the acting minion and replace the action card. This means he isn't tapped if the action card was DI'd.
4. Play Approximation of Loyalty [inf], announce targets.
5. "As played" window for Approximation of Loyalty.
6. Pay for the action modifier.
7. Replace Approximation of Loyalty
8. if Approximation of Loyalty wasn't canceled, it's effect triggers.
9. Rinse and repeat 4-8 for each "as announced" action modifier you have.

Note that sequencing is used in three places in this list:
In step 2: targets get the first opportunity to play DI (or prey/pred if action is undirected).
In step 5: targets get the first opportunity to play DI (or prey/pred, if action is undirected).
In step 9: if you don't pass [the impulse], you can still play "as announced" action modifiers.

Resolving block attempts

Here, we suppose the acting Methuselah has the impulse. There is an undirected action ongoing, currently at 0 stealth.
I'm not going to describe the fact that, after each card is played, there is an äs played" window that follows steps 5-8 above.

1. Acting Methuselah may play action modifiers as desired (sup' I am Legion, for instance). Stealth can't be added unless necessary ( Rulebook 6.2.2.2 ).
2. Acting Methuselah passes.
3. Prey either declares a block attempt [goto step 4] or passes. If prey passes, predator either declares a block attempt [goto step 4] or passes. If predator passes, grand prey either declares a block attempt [goto step 4] or passes. If grand prey passes, grand predator either declares a block attempt [goto step 4] or passes [goto step 9]. If a player declines to block, their decision is final [unless the target of the action changes]
4. A block attempt was made. The acting Methuselah gets the Impulse back.
5. Acting Methuselah may play action modifiers (loop on step 5). If stealth > intercept, Acting Methuselah can't play stealth cards (but could play "block attempt fails" cards). If acting Methuselah passes on using the impulse, blocking methuselah gets the impulse (rather than prey/pred/grand prey/grand pred).
6. Reacting Methuselahs can't gain intercept if their attempt to block has at least the same amount of intercept than the action has stealth. If blocking Methuselah declines using the impulse (for doing things such as tapping the KRCG, playing Enhanced Senses, ...) then we follow the usual path (prey / pred / grand prey / grand pred). If one of these players uses the Impulse (taps KRCG, plays Babble, uses Maris' special ability, plays a Wake, ...), the Impulse goes back to the acting Methuselah [goto step 5]. Otherwise, when everyone has passed, if stealth > intercept, block attampt fails [goto step 3], or if stealth <= intercept, block attempt is successful [goto step 7].
7. Block attempt is successful. Acting Methuselah gets the Impulse. She may played "when blocked" // "about to enter combat" cards. When she's done with these, blocking Methuselah gets the Impulse [goto step 8].
8. Blocking Methuselah may play 1 "when blocks" / "about to enter combat" effect / card. If she passes, follow the usual prey/pred/grand prey/grand pred flow. If one of these players uses "when blocks" / "about to enter combat" effects, Impulse goes back to the acting Methuselah [goto step 7]. If all pass, continue with combat [which will be another section, it would be a complete mess if I try to integrate it here ]
9. All players declined to declare block attempts. Acting Methuselah gets the Impulse. She may play action modifiers at will (Conditioning, ..). When she passes the impulse, targets get the Impulse [goto step 10].
10. Prey gets the impulse to play reaction cards / use effects. If she uses the impulse (plays a card, uses an effect, ..), acting methuselah gets it [goto step 9]. Otherwise, pred gets the impulse. If she uses it, Acting gets it back [got step 9]. Otherwise, grand prey gets the impulse. If she uses it, acting gets it back [goto step 9]. Else, grand pred gets the impulse. If she uses it, acting gets it back [goto step 9]. Else, everyone has passed, and we're about to resolve the action: [goto step 11]. Note that, if the impulse is used to change the target(s) of the action, we go back to step 1)
11. Resolve action (finally!)

It would probably be easier for me to write the FSM...