CRYPT CARDS
Each crypt card has a set of elements that define the vampire as described below.
Name: Each crypt card is unique, so only one copy of each can be in play at a time.
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ADVANCED RULES A second Methuselah could contest control of the vampire (see Contested Cards), which means that the Methuselahs are struggling for control of them. |
Blood Capacity: The number in the red circle in the lower right corner of the card is the vampire’s capacity.
This number represents many things: the vampire’s relative age, the amount of pool a Methuselah must invest in the vampire in order to bring them under their control, and the maximum ability they have to mend wounds or play cards (some cards cost blood to play). A vampire with a larger capacity than another is said to be older, and one with a smaller capacity is younger. A vampire cannot have more blood than their capacity; if an effect puts more blood on them than their capacity allows, the excess is always moved to the blood bank immediately.
An uncontrolled vampire will have blood counters stacked on them representing the amount of pool that has been invested in them. During the influence phase, if that stack equals or exceeds their blood capacity, you can reveal the vampire and place them in the ready region. They retain the pool counters used to influence them on their card to serve as their blood, any blood counters in excess of the capacity drain back to the blood bank (see Influence Phase).
Clan: Each vampire belongs to a clan, identified by the symbol at the top of the attribute bar (the marble stripe on the left side of the card).
See the Quick Reference page for a list of the clan symbols. Some library cards require a member of a particular vampire clan to play, while other library cards may affect only vampires of a particular clan.
Disciplines: These are supernatural powers that vampires possess. The Disciplines possessed by the vampire are represented by the group of symbols at the bottom of the attribute bar.
The vampire’s Disciplines determine which library cards they can play. If a library card requires a Discipline (noted by a Discipline symbol on the attribute bar of the library card), then only vampires who have that Discipline can play it.
Each of a vampire’s Discipline symbols is in the shape of either a square or a diamond. A square-shaped Discipline symbol means that the vampire has the basic level of that Discipline and they can use only the basic (plain text) effect listed on a card that requires that Discipline.
A Discipline symbol within a diamond signifies that the vampire has the superior level, and therefore may opt to use either the basic (plain text) or the superior (bold) effect listed on the card (but not both).
Some library cards have multiple Discipline symbols on the attribute bar (see Requirements for Playing Cards).
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DECK CONSTRUCTION Group: Each vampire belongs to a specific group, identified by a number above the upper left corner of the text box. A Methuselah’s crypt must be built using vampires from a single group or from two consecutive groups. This does not restrict a Methuselah from stealing vampires from other groups through play, however.
ADVANCED RULES Advanced: An advanced card is a type of vampire card for your crypt. An advanced card looks just like a regular crypt card except that it has an Advanced icon under the clan icon. The advanced card is a vampire card in all respects, so it can be influenced in the normal manner (see Advanced).
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Text box: The area containing a vampire’s sect (Camarilla in this case), title, special abilities or other attributes.
Expansion symbol: This symbol indicates the expansion set in which the crypt card was released, and has no impact on the game.
Illustration: Denotes the artist who produced the artwork for this card.
Copyright: Denotes the copyright of the game which belongs to Paradox Interactive AB (publ).
Note: Some advanced expansions include other types of crypt cards — to learn about those, check the Appendix.
LIBRARY CARDS
Card Types
There are two main types of library cards:
Master Cards: Master cards are played by Methuselahs. Master cards have no icon at the top of the attribute bar while the other cards have an icon there that indicates what type of card they are.
Minion Cards: Minion cards are played by the minions (vampires and allies) the Methuselah controls.
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ADVANCED RULES Event Cards: Event cards are put into play during the discard phase to represent events that affect the World of Darkness as a whole (see Event Card). |
A card is played by announcing its effects, showing the card and placing it from the hand in the ash heap upon resolution. Sometimes a card will state to put it into play, you should announce its effects and place the card in the play area upon resolution. Some cards such as action cards are not resolved immediately; in that case, they are temporarily out of play between the moment they are played and the moment they reach resolution.
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ADVANCED RULES Some effects can cancel a card “as it is played.” These effects, as well as wake effects, are the only effects allowed during the “as played” time period of another card. Even drawing to replace cards, comes after this time period. |
Whenever you play a card from your hand, you draw another from your library to replace it (unless card text says otherwise). If your library is empty, then you do not draw to replenish your hand, but you do continue to play. The number of cards in your hand should always match your hand size (cards that are replaced later reduce your hand size for the duration of the effect). The starting default hand size is seven cards in hand. Whenever an effect changes your hand size or adds or removes cards from your hand, immediately discard down to or draw up to match your hand size.
Requirements for Playing Cards
Each library card has symbols on the attribute bar (the marble stripe on the left side) for the card type (except for master cards), the clan, or Discipline (if any) required to play the card, and the cost (if any) of playing that card.
Some cards will have other requirements (such as capacity or title) stated in the card text. Only a minion who meets the requirements given on a minion card can play it, whereas only a Methuselah who controls a ready minion who meets the requirements of a master card can play it.
Some of the effects listed on cards may require one of the Disciplines listed, while other effects require another listed Discipline, and some effects may require the vampire to possess several Disciplines. Each effect shows the icon(s) of the Discipline(s) required.
A number in a red drop represents blood cost (the amount of blood the vampire must burn). Only a vampire with enough blood on them can play a card with a blood cost. A number in a white diamond with a skull represents pool cost (the amount of pool the Methuselah must burn). Only a Methuselah with enough pool can play a card with a pool cost.
Costs may only be paid with the Methuselah's or the minion's own resources. For instance, some cards or effects have an alternative cost such as burning the Edge or discarding a card; the Methuselah must control the Edge to burn it for a cost, or discard one of their own cards in hand. Minions controlled by a Methuselah have access to that Methuselah's resources in order to pay costs: for instance, a minion can discard a card from their controller's hand.
Optional cost reducers can be used when the card is played (in order to play the card) or upon resolution (you may wait until you know the action is successful). If the card is cancelled, then the effect is not used.
If a card is played on another card, or targets another card, the target card must be in play (that is, controlled). Vampires in the torpor region are eligible targets by default, but vampires in the uncontrolled region and contested cards are not.
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ADVANCED RULES If two or more Methuselahs want to play a card or effect, the acting Methuselah plays first. At every stage, the acting Methuselah always has the opportunity (called "impulse") to play the next card or effect. So after playing one effect, they may play another and another. Once they are finished, the impulse passes to the next Methuselah in the following order: during combat or an action directed at a single Methuselah, the defending Methuselah first; during an action directed at a set of Methuselahs, those Methuselahs in clockwise order; during an undirected action, the prey first and the predator second. Then every other Methuselah in clockwise order gets the impulse until everyone passes. Note that if at any point any Methuselah uses a card or effect, the acting Methuselah again gets the impulse back. |
Master Cards
Master cards are cards you play in your role as a Methuselah. There are two categories of master cards: regular and out-of-turn master cards.
Regular master cards are played during your master phase as master phase actions. At the start of each of your master phases, you get one master phase action, which you can use to play a regular master card. Out-of-turn master cards can only be played during other Methuselahs’ turns. By playing an out-of-turn master card, you are using a master phase action from your next master phase, playing the card now instead of waiting until your next master phase.
A master card in play is controlled by the Methuselah who played it, even if it is played on a card controlled by another Methuselah.
The general types of master cards are as follows:
Locations: A location card represents a place (that is a building, a city, or a designated gathering place) that a Methuselah or their minions control. A location card stays in play and may be used repeatedly, even on the turn it is played. Some game effects can burn them.
Trifle: Some master cards are identified as trifles. When a Methuselah successfully plays a trifle, they gain an additional master phase action. For an out-of-turn trifle, they gain a master phase action in their next master phase. A Methuselah can gain only one master phase action from trifles in a given master phase; any subsequent trifles act like regular master cards.
Other master cards: Any master cards not explained here have their effects described on them.
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ADVANCED RULES Disciplines: A Discipline card is played on a controlled vampire to give them an additional level of a Discipline, either giving a vampire the basic level of a new Discipline or increasing the level of a Discipline from basic to superior. Most of them also increase the capacity of the vampire by 1 (the “+1” in the red circle in the bottom right corner of the card indicates this in that case) along with the Discipline granted, but they do not automatically gain an extra blood to fill the new capacity. Trophy: A trophy may be put into play using a master phase action (or can be retrieved as described in traits: Red List). It has no effect until it is moved to a vampire. Once placed on a vampire, a trophy is controlled by the controller of the vampire it is on, and it cannot be awarded again. Out-of-turn: You may play an out-of-turn master card whenever appropriate during another Methuselah’s turn. Doing so counts against the allotted number of master phase actions you receive in your next master phase, even if the out-of-turn master card is cancelled (see Master Phase). Regardless of the number of master phase actions you normally have, you cannot play a second out-of-turn master card before your next master phase. You cannot play an out-of-turn master card on your own turn. |
Minion Cards
Minion cards are cards that your vampires and allies (collectively referred to as “minions”) play.
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ADVANCED RULES A minion card in play is controlled by the controller of the minion it is on. If a minion card is just in play and not on another controlled card, then it is controlled by the Methuselah who played it. |
In many cases, a minion card will have a Discipline symbol, a clan symbol and/or a blood cost; in these cases, the card can only be played by a vampire who meets the requirements.
The general types of minion cards are as follows. It is possible for a minion card to be of multiple types.
Action cards: A ready unlocked (see Important Terms of the Game) minion can play an action card to perform an action other than the default actions. Only one action card can be played for the action. Action cards cannot be used to modify other actions.
Ally cards: These cards are put into play with their starting life from the blood bank, and remain independent from the acting minion.
Equipment cards: These cards are put into play on the acting minion. Equipment cards are burned when the minion they are played on (usually referred to as “the bearer”) is burned.
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ADVANCED RULES Allies are minions other than vampires that you as a Methuselah can control. Some allies have the ability to play certain cards “as a vampire.” In these cases, the ally is treated as a vampire for all effects generated by the play of the card, including duration effects (like “for the remainder of combat”). The ally’s life represents their blood (to pay costs etc.). Any blood they gain or lose as a vampire equates to a gain or loss of life for the ally. For purposes of that card, the ally has a capacity of 1 for use if the card requires an older vampire or a vampire of a given capacity. If the ally gains life in excess of their capacity, it does not drain off, and if the effect inflicts aggravated damage on the ally, they burn life as normal. However, if the effect would send the ally to torpor, then they are burned instead. The ally is treated as a vampire only for the effect generated from playing the card. In particular, the ally is not treated as a vampire for effects the card has from being in play (like “the vampire with this card” effects). |
Retainer cards: These cards are put into play on the acting minion, with their starting life from the blood bank. Retainer cards are burned when their last life is burned, or when the minion they are played on (usually referred to as “the employer”) is burned.
Political action cards: A political action card can be played to call a referendum as an action, or it can be burned during a referendum to gain a vote. Only vampires can play political action cards.
Action modifier cards: The acting minion can play these cards to modify their action at any time before action resolution. A minion cannot play the same action modifier card more than once during a single action (even if using a different Discipline level).
Some action modifier cards are played by minions “other than the acting minion”. Only minions controlled by the same Methuselah can play those cards.
Combat cards: These are played by minions when in combat (see Combat).
Reaction cards: A ready unlocked minion can play a reaction card in response to an action taken by a minion controlled by another Methuselah.
A minion cannot play the same reaction card more than once during a single action (even if using a different Discipline level). A reaction card does not lock the minion playing it.
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ADVANCED RULES A minion can play a reflex card to cancel a specified kind of card played against them as it is played (see Playing a Card).
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ADVANCED RULES Event cards are played to represent events that affect the World of Darkness as a whole. Once each discard phase, a Methuselah may use a discard phase action to put an event card in play. Each event can only be played once in a game. An event card is controlled by the Methuselah who played it.
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