Ghoul Retainer and Immortal Grapple / Club Illusion question

Hi,

As the title says. Can ghoul retainer use a weapon when the employer is under the effects of Immortal Grapple?

My guess is that he can. But, I'd rather get official clarification on this point.

Regarding Club Illusion: does the act of burning a blood when declaring the bleed, make that bleed an action that requires an anarch? (since the vampire needs to be anarch to use the effect) Or does it count as an "action modifier"

Thanks kindly.

IG limits available strikes for both combatants, but Ghoul using a weapon is not making a strike (and he's not a combatant anyway).

CI provides an effect. It does not change properties of the action (if the action wasn't requiring an anarch, it still doesn't require one) and it's not an action modifier - although it is similar to typical bleed-boosting action modifiers when it comes to the effect provided.

Always worth pasting card text BTW

1.) Short answer: yes. Ghoul retainer is not actually doing a strike, therefore he is unaffected by immortal grapple. The word "use" in his text is very unfortunate. I would personally errata him, although Black Chantry has a policy of giving errata only to cards that are being reprinted.

2.)

Name: Club Illusion
[TR:R, V5A:PMin1]
Cardtype: Master
Cost: 1 pool
Unique location.
An Anarch can burn 1 blood once as they announce a bleed action to get +1 bleed for that action.
Artist: Tom Biondillo

No. A bleed does not require a sect and Club illusion ability is not an action.