Designers' Diary entry for August 24
Hey, everyone!
We're in the home stretch of work on the new set! We are giving the cards one last review before considering them final. Artwork continues to come in, and we now have 54 completed pieces with work on the rest underway. We remain on target for launch at the 2014 European Championship in Mannheim! We're also deciding on the name of the set and the expansion symbol for it, and we'll announce those soon.
We'll start doing previews about two weeks before the EC, showing a pair of cards every other day or so. We'll also have a Design Team presentation at the EC like we did last year, covering design concepts, goals, and challenges.
The art preview this time is from Ari Targownik of California:
- Ben Peal and the VEKN Design Team
Designers' Diary entry for August 24
Hey, everyone!
We're in the home stretch of work on the new set! We are giving the cards one last review before considering them final. Artwork continues to come in, and we now have 54 completed pieces with work on the rest underway. We remain on target for launch at the 2014 European Championship in Mannheim! We're also deciding on the name of the set and the expansion symbol for it, and we'll announce those soon.
We'll start doing previews about two weeks before the EC, showing a pair of cards every other day or so. We'll also have a Design Team presentation at the EC like we did last year, covering design concepts, goals, and challenges.
The art preview this time is from Ari Targownik of California:
- Ben Peal and the VEKN Design Team
Output Changes
OK
DOUBTS
MERGED
DISCARDED
DOUBTS
MERGED
DISCARDED
WORKING
Back to topR0551 : after the resolution of this strike / after strike resolution
- Use “after the resolution of this strike” so that first strike is properly handled.
- Comment:
R0550 : X can equip|recruit with a Y card from your hand
- Use “Y card from your hand”, not “Y from your hand”
- Comment:
R0549 : Do X, and this Y does Z
- Avoid mixing imperative mood with indicative mood. Either use the same mood for all parts, or separate them with semicolon. For instance: “Put this card on this card; this vampire gains 2 blood” or “Put this card in play and add 2 counters on it”.
- Comment:
R0548 : during X, Y or Z
- Replace with “during X, Z unless Y”. For instance, “during your unlock phase, burn 1 pool or burn this card” becomes “during your unlock phase, burn this card unless you burn 1 pool”. It makes the choice clearer.
- Comment:
R0547 : during X, any Y can...
- Replace with “during X, each Y can” to make clear that all Y are allowed to do something once each.
- Comment:
R0546 : after any Methuselah plays a X
- Use “after a X is played” (there should be no ambiguity on the fact that only a Methuselah can play a X, e.g., an event card). Keep if we refer to “that” Methuselah in another clause.
- Comment:
R0563 : Strikes in combat with/Strikes against
- “Strikes in combat with” means that if the vampire strikes a retainer employed by the opposing vampire, it still works.
- Comment:
R0562 : Strikes with first strike/Gets first strike
- Use “strikes with first strike” whenever possible (see Ruth McGinley)
- Comment:
R0561 : After the X phase ends/After the end of the X phase
- Use “After the X phase ends” to enforce the idea that the X phase must have ended before triggering the effect (Tupdog)
- Comment:
R0560 : Cards named /X/
- Use this pattern when refering to an another library card by name. If the card referred to is unique and in play, use “*the* card named”, otherwise “*a* card named”. When referring to vampires, use /X/, eg. “If /Lucita/ is in play”. When refering to the card itself, either use its name, or “copy” (eg. “Put this card in play. If you control three copies”).
- Comment:
R0559 : To have/to make
- Use “to have” with active verbs (to have the action fail, to have the minion enter combat, to have the vampire gain...) and “to make” to change the nature of something (to make the damage aggravated, to make this action unblockable). “to make” = “to have X become”. If the effect is not part of a infinitival complement, introduce the subject with “choose”. Eg., “Choose a vampire. The chosen vampire gains…” (rather than “Have a vampire gain…”
- Comment:
R0559.1 : To have the action fail/To have that attempt fail
- Use “the” action and “that” attempt (since there can be more than one attempt, but only one action during the duration of the effect)
- Comment:
R0558 : Directed at / against
- Use “against” for “bleed against”, otherwise use “directed at” (eg. “action directed at you (or something you control”). “directed at” means that it applies only on directed actions, so it doesn't apply when you perform an action against yourself (not to be confused with targeting)
- Comment:
R0557 : Add a (X) counter to/Put a (X) counter on
- TBD. Add would be better, but consider corruption counters.
- Comment:
R0555 : X cannot be the target of / X cannot be targeted by / Y cannot target X
- Use “X cannot be the target of”
- Comment:
R0554 : directed action / (D) action
- Keep (D) for typically directed action (eg. (D) Burn a location.) and directed when refering to an action that is with all certainty directed (eg. He gets +1 intercept during directed actions, or He cannot be the target of directed actions.)
- Comment:
R0553 : X happens after combat ends/X happens after combat
- Use “after combat ends”
- Comment:
R0552 : Each time
- For action modifiers or reaction cards (or any effects that has a limited duration), indicate the duration, eg. “each time this action”. This does not apply to cards that are put into play (even if they can be burned) because they don't have a limited duration per se.
- Comment:
R0551 : Each time/whenever
- Use “each time” instead of “whenever”. They mean the same thing, but “each time” has fewer constraints on the text layout.
- Comment:
R0550 : This/that
- “This” always refers to the minion playing the card. “That” usually refers to another minion. Considering the translation in foreign languages where that distinction is not necessarily easy, consider adding an adjective to identify “that” minion (only for minion cards, master cards should be unambiguous anyway), and replace “that” by “the”
E.g., “Only usable if a minion attempts to block. That attempt fails and that vampire cannot attempt to block this action again.” = “the blocking minion…”
- the blocking minion
- the target minion (for directed actions)
- the chosen minion
- the burning minion
- the attached minion
- the opposing vampire
- the acting vampire
- the rescued vampire
- the hunting vampire
Etc. - Comment:
R0549 : an ally or younger vampire / an ally or a younger vampire / a younger vampire or an ally
- Put the ally first. Repeat “a” to mark a stop with the preceding term, for instance “an ally or a vampire with capacity…”, not “an ally or vampire with capacity” since “with capacity” would apply to both terms, but it doesn't make any sense with an ally.
- an ally or younger vampire
- an ally or older vampire
- an ally or a vampire with …
- a ready ally or vampire (ready apply to both)
- a wraith, zombie, or mage - Comment:
R0545.2 : Changing votes/ballots when tallying
- If an effect changes the votes/ballots when tallying the results (Astrid Thomas), use “When tallying results”. For effects happening once the results have been tallied, use “Once results are tallied”
- Comment:
R0545.1 : When results are tallied / When votes are tallied / When results are tallied during a referendum
- Use “Once results are tallied” and “Once results of a referendum are tallied, …” for effects that must trigger only once
- Comment:
R0545 : Polling step
- Action modifiers and reactions as well as effects only usable during the referendum of a political action must state “Only usable during the polling step of a political action”. Effects that can be played during the referendum of a blood hunt referendum as well must state “Only usable during the polling step of any referendum” (“any” to emphasize it works both during a blood hunt or a regular referendum). If the referendum has a specific requirement, write “Only usable during the polling step of a referendum called by a Camarilla vampire” for instance.
- Comment:
R0544 : Cancelling referendums
- Change “Only usable during a referendum.” to “Only usable during the polling step of (any referendum|a political action).”
- Comment:
R0533 : Referendum that is passing automatically / automatically passing
- Use “passing automatically” and the referendum “passes automatically (skip the polling step)”. Do not use “Not usable during a referendum that is passing automatically.”: all the cards should say “during the polling step of (any referendum|a political action)”
- Comment:
R0531 : During each Methuselah's X phase, that Methuselah… they
- Use “that Methuselah” the first time, because “they” could be ambiguous (= all the Methuselahs)
- Comment:
R0530 : Strike: combat ends...
- Follow one of these patterns:
Strike: combat ends, and unlock this vampire before combat ends.
Strike: combat ends. After combat ends, inflict 1 unpreventable damage on the opposing minion (at any range).
Strike: combat ends. If the range is close, inflict 1 unpreventable damage on the opposing minion after combat ends. (we prefer to check the range before stating 'after combat ends')
Strike: combat ends. After combat ends, if this vampire was blocked while performing a X action, the action continues as if unblocked. - Comment:
R0529 : Only usable during an action against… / Only usable if an ally of younger vampire is taking an action…
- Use “X is taking an action” when X needs to be specified; otherwise use the first pattern
- Comment:
R0528 : Action ends / action fails
- All actions that should end unsuccessfully before resolution now fail; actions that have resolved (e.g., that are blocked) end unsuccessfully.
If an action ends after a block, but before combat, it must use the pattern: “Lock the [blocking|acting] minion and end the action before block resolution” (because lock+enter combat are canonical, and to be able to play a reaction card, you must be unlocked. So playing the card must happen before lock+enter combat, and the minion must be locked explicitely.)
Some cards just cancel combat (Phantom Speaker, Canopic Jar). - Comment:
R0525 : Path burn clause
- Use “Minions can burn this card as a (D) action that inflicts 1 unpreventable environmental damage on acting vampires.”
- Comment:
R0524 : Frenzy: Frenzy cards cannot be played on X / Frenzy cards played on X have no effect on X (= X is immune to Frenzy cards)
- Use “Frenzy cards cannot be played on X” to stick to the ruling “the frenzy cards resolve when played. If the target is not immune, the target gets frenzied and suffers the effect for the duration stated. Acquiring the Finger in the middle of the frenzy will not snap one out of it.” [https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad/FWzKVXDEJ5k/ITxevWshkYIJ]This change a little cards that could before target a minion that is immune, with no effect.
- Comment:
R0523 : After +gerund,
- If possible, use gerund to avoid repeating the subject. E.g., “Once each turn, Blanche unlocks after successfully hunting.”
- Comment:
R0522 : of the same / who belongs to the same
- Use “of the same” (clan, circle, sect, etc.)
- Comment:
R0521 : same circle as
- Use one of the following patterns:
- A Blood Brother of the same circle as this Blood Brother.
- A Blood Brother of the same circle as another Blood Brother.
- from a Blood Brother of the same circle to this Blood Brother
- Only usable by a Blood Brother not involved in the combat involving another Blood Brother of the same circle. - Comment:
R0520 : Requires / Only usable
- Use “Requires” only if it's followed by a trait, title, clan, sect, type (vampire/imbued), or other Gehenna cards. Optional informations such as “unlocked”, “ready”, “with capacity…” are allowed. A reaction can't use “Requires a locked vampire” because it must be “usable” by a locked vampire, and “requires” doesn't imply that.
Use “Only usable” in the other cases, especially when a time window is indicated (that's why mainly master, action and event cards use “requires” as there is no timing).
Use “Only usable” for equipment that require X AND that are only usable by X (e.g., Agate Talisman)
Use “Only usable by X”/“Not usable by X”/“Usable by X” in two cases:
- if X wouldn't have been able to play the card otherwise, e.g., “Only usable by a ready unlocked vampire other than the acting minion.” or “Usable by a locked vampire.” for a reaction card
- if X *is* something, e.g.,
- “Only usable by a vampire with capacity 4 or more.” for an equipment (Agate Talisman)
- “Only usable by a blocking vampire during the first round of combat.” for a combat card (Agate Talisman)
Otherwise, use “Only usable if”, e.g., “Only usable if this vampire would be burned.” (not “Only usable by a vampire who would be burned.”)
Some examples:
- Requires a vampire.
- Requires a ready imbued.
- Requires a vampire with capacity 7 or more.
- Requires a prince or justicar.
- Requires a Sabbat vampire.
- Requires an anarch.
- Requires a non-Anarch, titled vampire.
- Requires a non-sterile vampire.
- Requires a Black Hand vampire.
- Requires a non-sterile Laibon with capacity 4 or more.
- Requires at least 1 other Gehenna card in play.
- Requires a minion with a Kerrie.
- Only usable by a locked vampire.
- Only usable by a vampire in torpor.
- Only usable if this vampire would be burned.
- Only usable by a ready vampire other than the acting minion
- Only usable by an unlocked vampire not involved in the combat.
- Only usable if this vampire has been chosen for a contract on the acting minion
- Only usable during a bleed action.
- Only usable at long range.
- Only usable before range is determined
- Only usable by a vampire who can commit diablerie when the opposing vampire would go to torpor.
- Only usable when …
- Only usable as the action is announced.
- Only usable after resolution …
- Requires an Independent or Anarch vampire. Only usable when a Camarilla or Sabbat vampire is bleeding you. - Comment:
R0519 : The X's controller / The controller of the X
- Use “the X's controller” whenever applicable.
- Comment:
R0518.4 : Burn this card after this vampire goes to torpor / Burn this card if this vampire goes to torpor
- Use if
- Comment:
R0518.3 : Burn this card if X is about to leave the region region / …if X is leaving the ready region / … if X is not ready
- Technically, it's odd to use “if X is not ready” for a card that is attached to X because in the event where X is in the uncontrolled region, the card is no longer in play and should not activate. We can't use “after” for the same reason. So we use “is about to” that is the same as “right before” something happens
- Comment:
R0518.2 : If this card leaves play, burn <something else> / Burn this card if <something else> is not in play
- Using a state-based effect is not possible in the first case because the card is no longer in play, that's why we must trigger something to happen after the card leaves play
- Comment:
R0518.1 : If X would happen / if X is about to happen
- Replacement effects happen before the thing “is about to” happen. “is about to” is the same as “right before” something happens
- Comment:
R0518 : ORDER OF EFFECTS: when, if, each time, as, is about, would, after
- The order is:
1/ if X would happen… instead Y happens: replacement effects take place when X is going to happen, but before it happens. X does not happen at all, and Y happens instead. E.g., “if X would enter combat, instead X burns 1 blood”: X never entered combat. Only one replacement effect can be used for a given condition: for instance, once the replacement effect “if X would enter combat, instead X burns 1 blood” has been used, X is no longer entering combat so another “if X would enter combat” cannot take place. Replacement effects can be used one after the other if the new condition is met, for instance “if X burns 1 blood” replacement effect could now be used in the previous example.
2/ if X is about to happen: it happens right before X happens (but X is certain to happen, it cannot be replaced anymore), e.g., if X is about to enter combat…, if combat is about to end…
3/ as it is played / as it enters play: typically used for cancellation effects, or enter play effects such as an Anarch Convert who enters play, then removes itself from play before the contest begins. “As it enters play” happens right after “is about to enter play”, but before any state-based effects such as contesting (see 4/)
4/ if <state-based condition>: happens right after the effect that changed the state, e.g. “if it has no counter” (either because the last counter was removed, or because it entered play without any counter). Contesting is a state-based effect. Use “if” rather than “when” or “whenever” or “each time”.
5/ if <trigger>, <effect> / <effect> after <trigger>: happens right after X happens. For actions, this is during the “after resolution” step of the action. “Each time” can be used to emphasize a condition that can be met more than once, for instance “+1 intercept, and each time this vampire blocks this action, they get X during the resulting combat.”
5.1/ E.g., Baba Yaga (“Baba Yaga can unlock after successfully recruiting an ally or employing a retainer”) unlocks “after” the retainer is employed. If it is an employ action, it is after resolution of the action, otherwise (in combat for instance) it is right after the retainer has been employed. “Synner-G can unlock after successfully equipping with an electronic equipment card from your hand.” works the same way.
5.2/ E.g., Hecate (“If Hecate successfully bleeds, you can burn the top card of the target Methuselah's library.”) burns the top card after resolution of the bleed action, or after resolution of an hypothetical Piper-like instant bleed card.
5.3/ E.g., The unnamed (“If it successfully bleeds, you can gain 2 pool.”) gives you pool after the resolution (that means after gaining the Edge if the Rising is in play)
5.4/ E.g., The Capuchin (“If The Capuchin is burned, move him to your uncontrolled region…”) is moved to the uncontrolled region “after” all the cards and counters on him has been burned. [Tension in the ranks vs Underbridge Stray burned to unlock another minion] works the same way (“If a ready minion is burned, their controller burns 1 pool.”): the controller burns 1 pool after the Stray is burned, but this is before the resolution of the action. - Comment:
R0517 : If X blocks, before block resolution / Only usable by a locked vampire who has blocked, after block resolution / After X blocks (before combat, if any) / After X blocks, after combat (if any)
- Do not use “after X blocks” which is a vague timeframe (could be before or after combat). Use before/after the block resolution.
- Comment:
R0515.2 : after the votes are tallied / when the votes are tallied
- Use “when” if the vote count is altered by the effect (see Astrid Thomas), otherwise use “after”, which is before the applying the effects of the referendum “when” would be ambiguous if a vampire had as many votes as blood and votes against a referendum called by Aren for instance (meaning he would burn blood, and therefore lose 1 vote… which one do you resolve first?)
- Comment:
R0515.1 : the votes are tallied / the results are tallied / the results of the referendum are tallied
- Use “the votes are tallied”. It should have its own step in the vote resolution.
- Comment:
R0514 : who bled you since your last turn/who has bled you since your last turn
- Use “who has bled you since your last turn” (When the main verb in a sentence with a since clause (since you arrived) or a since phrase (since Tuesday) refers to a period of time including the present, a present perfect tense is necessary.)
- Comment:
R0513 : Bleed target
- Use “target Methuselah” whenever possible to make conditional bleed, bleed redirection etc. use the same patterns. “the Methuselah you are bleeding” => “the target Methuselah”
- Comment:
R0512 : a vampire the same age/a vampire of the same age
- Use “the same age” (without “of”)
- Comment:
R0511.3 : Examples for R0471.1 and R0471.2
- Eg.
Choose a Red List minion. The chosen minion is no longer Red List.
[aus] (D) Choose a Methuselah. The chosen Methuselah chooses all but one of the cards in his or her hand and shows them to you.
Choose a Methuselah, and put this card in play. The chosen Methuselah gets -1 hand size. Vampires can burn this card as a (D) action.
Choose this acting vampire and up to two other minions you control, put this card in play, and unlock the chosen minions. The chosen minions get +1 intercept and inflict +1 damage with melee weapons. During your unlock phase, burn this card and lock the chosen minions. A Methuselah can have only one Blessing of the Name.
Choose a ready Camarilla vampire. Successful referendum means you search your library (shuffle afterward) for an equipment card and put this card and the equipment on the chosen vampire (ignore requirements); pay half the cost rounded down of the equipment. The attached vampire can enter combat with a vampire as a +1 stealth (D) action. The attached vampire cannot commit diablerie. A vampire can have only one Alastor.
Choose an Osebo in combat. The chosen Osebo gets 1 additional strike each round this combat that does not count against the limit. During the press step each round this combat, the chosen Osebo burns 1 blood.
(Master location)+1 hand size. Lock to give a vampire with capacity 8 or more +1 stealth.
(change of mood)[pre] Only usable as the action is announced. Choose a vampire with capacity 6 or less or an ally; the chosen minion cannot block this action. (because we don't know how to write this in one effect without choosing the minion first)
Put this card in play. If you control three copies, remove all copies in play (even controlled by other Methuselahs) from the game to gain 3 pool and choose up to thirteen library cards from your ash heap; move one of the chosen cards to your hand and shuffle the others in your library. - Comment:
R0511.3 : Oxford comma
- Apply a comma before “and”, “or”… only for lists of 3 or more items (including sentences), e.g., “Unlock this vampire, choose a Discipline they have at superior, and put this card on another ready non-titled vampire you control.”. Please note that we keep a comma after “As above”.
- Comment:
R0511.2 : Usage of comma, semi-colons and full stop.
- There are four cases:
1. the card has only “happens once when the card is played” effects (instantaneous: “I”)
2. the card has only “while in play” effects (permanent: “P”)
3. the card has a mix of both
4. political actions
In case 1 and 2, use full stops as separator between sentences.
In case 3, use full stop as separator betwen the two sequences of effects. The first sequence must be one sentence. Inside the sequence, use comma as long as the elements are in an imperative mood. If the mood changes, use a semi-colon as a separation. The second sequence can use commas, semi-colons and full stops.
For political actions, there's an additional sequence which is the terms sequence (“T”). Inside the sequence, use comma and semi-colons as described above. The terms sequence is separated from the other sequences by a full stop.
So we have:
1: I¹. I². … In.
2: P¹. P². … Pn.
3: I¹[,|;] I²[,|;] … In. P¹[,|;|.] P²[,|;|.] … Pn.
4: T¹[,|;] T²[,|;] … Tn. <1, 2 or 3> - Comment:
R0510 : At the start of the X phase / At the end of the X phase
- Use “During the Y phase” if possible, where Y is the phase before or after
- Comment:
R0509 : During each of your … phase
- Use “During your … phase”. “During each Methuselah's … phase” is still valid.
- Comment:
R0508.2 : <adjective> (allies and retainers) / <adjective> allies and retainers / <adjective> allies and <adjective> retainers
- Eg. “Mages (allies and retainers)” or “Gargoyle creatures (allies and retainers)”…
- Comment:
R0508.1 : Relative clause and multiple referent
- The sentence “[Allies and retainers] requiring [Necromancy or Giovanny]…” must be parsed as indicated with the brackets. Otherwise, the sentence would have to be: “Retainers requiring Necromancy or Giovanny and allies cost…”
- Comment:
R0507 : Blocking minion / blocker
- Use “blocking minion”, except for “eligible blockers”
- Comment:
R0506 : Minion controlled by your prey/your prey's minion
- Use “Minion controlled by your prey”
- Comment:
R0504 : Imperative mood
- Use the imperative mood when :
- the verb matches exclusively a Methuselah
- the verb matches exclusively a vampire and is the effect of an action, and only in the first sentence
- it doesn't matter (unexclusive, eg. Search your library)
Oherwise, use a subject when it can be ambiguous.
Eg. Anonymous Freight is a minion card: “Equip this minion with …” instead of “This minion equips with…”
Angel of Berlin is a master card: “equip a ready imbued you control with…”
Minion cards are tricky, a few examples:
Restoration: Gain 2 blood.
Soul Feasting: Gain 1 blood, or burn a wraith to gain 4 blood… As above, and gain {1} additional blood.
Ashes to Ashes (combat card): Prevent all damage. This vampire unlocks…
Consume the Dead (reaction): … This Nagaraja gains 1 blood…
Cull the Herd: (D) Look at another Methuselah's hand and discard all ally or retainer cards from it. This vampire gains 1 blood for each card…
or: (D) Look at another Methuselah's hand, discard all ally or retainer cards from it, and gain 1 blood for each card… (same sentence)
Engling Fury: This vampire gains 2 blood and unlocks. (because of “this vampire unlocks”, we must use “this vampire gains 2 blood”)
Entrenching: If this vampire has 4 or more blood, they gain 4 blood. (we can't write “Gain 4 blood if you/this vampire”)
Forgery: (D) Bleed. If the bleed is successful, this vampire gains 1 blood. (second sentence)
Sheepdog: This vampire gains 4 blood and put this card on him or her.
Exclusive to a Methuselah:
**You get
**Gain X pool
Equip a X with Y
Lock a X
Unlock a X
Exclusive to a Vampire:
**This ~ gets
**This vampire gains X blood
Enter combat with
Bleed
Diablerize
Go to torpor
Hunt
Employ
Recruit
This ~ locks
This ~ unlocks
Call (a referendum)
(combat)
Prevent
Press
Maneuver
Dodge
Strike
Unexclusive
Move
Lock
Unlock
Put this card on
Burn X to
Burn a X
Steal
Inflict
Remove a X
Send X to torpor
Discard
Look at
Choose
Search
Turn… face down/up - Comment:
R0503 : Being bled
- Replace “Methuselah being bled” by “target Methuselah” and “when you are being bled” by “when a minion is bleeding you”
- Comment:
R0502 : Action modifier: Only usable during a referendum / Only usable during the referendum of a political action
- Use “Only usable during a referendum”
- Comment:
R0501 : Retainer with additional life
- If the superior level of the retainer has a different amount of life, use “As above, but X has Y life.” (not “the X”)
- Comment:
R0500.1 : In combat with / If X is in combat
- Always indicate whether an effect applies if the vampire is in combat, because it could be ambiguous otherwise (can he use his ability during the combat that doesn't involve him?)
Eg. In combat with a monster, Peter can burn one conviction [1 CONVICTION] to get 1 maneuver.
Eg. Rake gets +1 strength in combat with a Ventrue.
Eg. Once each turn, when a vampire in combat with Sascha goes to torpor,…
Eg. Once each minion phase, Randall can burn 1 blood to prevent 1 non-aggravated damage inflicted on another minion in combat.
Eg. The controller of the minion in combat with Uriel plays with an open hand.
Eg. Once each combat, Christopher can burn 1 blood before range is determined to strike with first strike that round. (only vampires involved in combat can strike)
but If Ryder is in combat, before range is determined during the first round, you can look at the opposing minion's controller's hand. (otherwise we could maybe use the ability in a combat that doesn't involve Ryder)
=> could be written as (but it's longer): Before range is determined during the first round, you can look at the hand of the controller of the minion in combat with Ryder. - Comment:
R0500 : in combat / in that combat / during combat / during that combat
- Ponctual bonuses/maluses (such as a free maneuver) use “during”, effects that last the whole combat use “in”
- Comment:
R0499 : this combat / that combat
- Actions typically refers to “that combat” since the action itself is not a combat (even if it's an action whose resolution leads to combat). Combat cards typically refers to “this combat” (the combat during which they are played)
- Comment:
R0498 : Ally (Subtype)
- Remove the subtype from the name and use the subtype listed in the cardtext instead
- Comment:
R0497 : [other] ready locked|unlocked younger|older X
- Use terms in that order “ready unlocked” (more frequent)
- Comment:
R0496 : [ACTION MODIFIER] Vampires|The blocking minion get|gets -1 intercept
- For action modifiers, the “during this action” part can be dropped. For actions, keep it (eg. “-1 intercept during this action”)
- Comment:
R0495 : Only usable by a X other than the acting minion / Only usable by a X other than the acting minion you control
- for action modifiers, the “you control” part is redundant
- Comment:
R0494 : {clan} vampires get +1 bleed
- The “vampires” word is redundant. Eg. “Brujah get +1 bleed”, not “Brujah vampires get +1 bleed”
- Comment:
R0493 : unlock this X / this X unlocks
- When it doesn't contradict rule R0523, use “unlock this X” except for “this X unlocks and does Y” (eg. “This vampire unlocks and attempts to block”), or for passive forms such as “No blood hunt can be called, and this vampire unlocks” or “Successful referendum means… this vampire unlocks”.
- Comment:
R0492 : Anarch tridisciplines
- Use the new template for Keystone-Kine like cards.
- Comment:
R0491 : Sensory Deprivation
- Burn the card instead of having it linger around uselessly.
- Comment: CHANGE
R0489.1 : Sub-traits
- “Black Hand Seraph” to be used over “Black Hand. Seraph”.
- Comment:
R0488 : During his or her X phase / During his or her controller's X phase
- Use “During his or her X phase”
- Comment:
R0487 : Each/every
- Use “each” when appropriate (“Each other Methuselah”, “Each Ventrue”…)
- Comment:
R0486 : unlock as normal
- use “unlock as normal” without “during your/his or her controller's unlock phase”. Exception: “unlock during … next unlock phase” for cards that aren't put on the minion (eg. Faerie Wards). Do not use “unlock on … next” but “during”.
- Comment:
R0485 : reorder / rearrange
- Use “reorder” for cards of the library / crypt. Also use “look at and reorder the top X cards…”
- Comment:
R0484 : top card of / top card in / top card from
- Use “top card of” or “top of”
- Comment:
R0482 : Vampire name
- Use the vampire name the first time he or she is mentionned, then use “he/she/his/her/him” as much as possible. Some exceptions:
- non-unique vampire
- for clarity when multiple minions are involved (eg. “Each time Aziz burns a vampire in combat, put 1 status counter on Aziz.” or “Once each turn when combat involving Dan ends and the opposing minion is not ready, Dan can burn 1 blood to unlock.” or “If Ubende is ready, you gain 1 pool each time Ganhuru successfully bleeds your prey.”)
- for clarity in related long sentences (eg. “When Andrew plays a card requiring Thaumaturgy [tha], reveal the top card of your library (before drawing to replace). If it also requires Thaumaturgy, the card is canceled and Andrew burns 1 blood.” or “If Egothha is ready during your unlock phase, your prey burns the top card of his or her library, and if that card is a master card, Egothha gains 1 blood.”)
- if the name is as short or shorter than the pronoun (eg. “Ayo”)
- when the vampire has no known gender (eg. Céleste, the Voice of a Secret) - Comment:
R0481 : with any X counters / with X counters / with any X counter / with at least 1 X counter
- Use “with any X counters”
- Comment:
R0480 : X can enter combat with Y and gets Z during that combat
- Use this one sentence-template rather than separate sentences (eg. Massassi: “Massassi can enter combat with a ready vampire as a (D) action. If that action is successful, she gets an optional maneuver during the first round of the resulting combat.” => “Massassi can enter combat with any vampire as a (D) action and gets 1 optional maneuver during the first round of that combat.”)
- Comment:
R0479 : give Y X / give X to Y
- Use “give Y X” (eg. “can lock to give an ally +1 stealth”)
- Comment:
R0478 : X can do Y to Z / you can do Y to Z X
- Use as much as possible the target of the effect as subject. Eg. “You can burn the Edge to unlock Emily” => “Emily can burn the Edge to unlock”, or “You can discard a political action card to give Foo +1 intercept” => “Foo can discard a political action card to get +1 intercept”
- Comment:
R0477 : you can use a X phase action to / As a X phase action, you can
- Use “you can use a X phase action to”
- Comment:
R0476.1 : blood or pool/pool or blood
- use “blood or pool” (based on frequency)
- Comment:
R0476 : you can burn X blood/pool to… / you can pay X blood/pool to…
- Use “burn” (which allows to burn something else than blood or pool, eg. a retainer); “pay” is only used with the word “cost” (or to repay a debt)
- Comment:
R0475 : X gets +1 stealth on recruit and employ actions / X gets +1 stealth when recruiting allies and employing retainers
- Use “X gets +1 stealth on recruit and employ actions” (eg. “Guillaume gets +1 stealth on recruit and employ actions.”). If it's only one of them, use “when recruiting allies” or “when employing retainers” for clarity, rather than just “on recruit actions” or “on employ actions” (eg. “Dovey gets +1 stealth when employing retainers.”).
- Comment:
R0475.1 : Allies and retainers cost X 1 fewer Y / Allies and retainers cost X 1 fewer Y to recruit / Recruiting allies and employing retainers cost X 1 fewer Y /
- Use the first pattern: “Allies and retainers cost X 1 less”. “to recruit / to employ” can be dropped. Be careful to keep the word “action” if it is used (eg. Charisma: “Recruit ally actions cost this vampire…”) because it affects Piper for instance. Contrary to Black Cat, there's no currently no interaction between the cost paid for an ally/retainer and the cost announced or printed. See also R0195.
- Comment:
R0475.2 : Recruit or employ / employ or recruit
- Use the order “Recruit or employ”
- Comment:
R0475.3 : +1 stealth when bleeding / on bleed actions
- Use “when bleeding”. More generally, use “on X actions” only when X = equip actions (to avoid any confusion with Concealed Weapon), political actions, diablerie actions, actions to put vampires into play, actions to enter combat with a minion, directed/undirected/non-Y actions, actions requiring…, or when “when doing X” refers to other vampires (eg. “Non-Camarilla vampires you control get +1 stealth during equip actions.”)
“when X-ing” bonus applies only on actions. If a minion equips a gun during combat, it doesn't get any stealth bonus at all (for instance), not even briefly (to avoid any 'you can't play that card because Stanislava doesn't need stealth during combat' shenanigans). This is different from a “after X does Y” (eg. after equiping) that can trigger during combat or after resolution (see R0215). - Comment:
R0473 : as if unlocked/even though locked
- Use “even though locked” to avoid ambiguities with “lock .. to” effects
- Comment:
R0471.1 : put this card with X counters on it on Y / put this card on Y and put X counters on this card
- Use the first wording: “put this card with X counters on it on Y”
- Comment:
R0471.2 : put X counters on this card / put X counters on this card when it is played
- Remove “when it is played” for cards that are inherently put in play (location, event…)
- Comment:
R0471.3 : Put this card in play with X counters / Put this card in play with X counters on it
- Remove “on it”
- Comment:
R0471.4 : when this card has X counters / when this card has X counters on it
- Use the first wording, remove “on it”
- Comment:
R0470 : cancel a X as it is played by a Y / cancel a X a Y plays as it is played / cancel a X played by Y as it is played
- Use the first wording: “cancel a X as it is played by a Y” (eg. Denial of Aphrodite's Favor)
- Comment:
R0469 : gets +X votes / gets +X votes on each referendum
- Use the first wording, remove “on each referendum.”
- Comment:
R0468 : Master Usable during your turn. / Usable during your own turn.
- Use “Usable during your turn.”
- Comment:
R0467 : Put this card… ; you still control this card
- Use “;” between “put this card…” and “you still control this card”.
- Comment:
R0466 : referendum action modifier requirement
- “Ready” can be removed from “Requires a ready X” for action modifiers that are played during a referendum, because it can't happen (and otherwise would require to add “ready” on every other card played during a referendum that have currently no non-Discipline non-clan requirement, such as Bewitching Oration)
- Comment:
R0465 : anarch counters
- Remove use of anarch counters. use “This vampire becomes Anarch.” instead.
- Comment: CHANGE
R0464 : Put this card on an uncontrolled X. This card remains in play
- Use “Put this card *in play* on…” instead. Eg. Brainwash, Cadet, Descent into Darkness, Founders of the Ebony Kingdom
- Comment:
R0463 : Choose X and put Y in play / Put X in play and choose Y
- Put the choice first: “Choose X and put Y in play”
- Comment:
R0462 : In play
- In play is required for:
A/ “put X in play” (eg. “put this card in play”, “action to put vampires in play”, “put that ally in play”)
B/ “put X in play on [sthing that is out of play]” (eg. Brainwash: “Put this card in play on a crypt card in your prey's uncontrolled region”)
C/ “for each X in play” (eg. “+1 bleed for each Gehenna in play”)
D/ “if there is X in play” / “if X is in play” (eg. “if there are any Gehenna cards in play…”, or “if a card named /Society of Leopold/ is in play”)
E/ “requires X in play” (eg. “Requires a ready imbued in play”: without in play, you would have to control that imbued)
F/ “There can be only one X in play.”
G/ “Do not replace as long as this card is in play”
H/ locquipments (“…does not count as equipment while in play”)
I/ if “X” is a “card” or “copy” / “copies” (eg. “remove all copies in play”)
Otherwise, remove “in play” (it's unnecessary):
- “choose a X” (= “whoever controls it”)
- “steal/burn a X” (eg. “Bulscu can steal an equipment”)
- “have”: “A Methuselah can have only one X.” + replace “Methuselah has” by “Methuselah controls” when applicable.
- “controlled/ready” (except for E/ above) (eg. “Requires at least two other Gehenna cards controlled by other Methuselahs”: “controlled” implies “in play”)
- “do something to a/all X” if X is not “card” or “copy” (eg. “burn all boons”, “burn all Gehenna cards”) - Comment:
R0462.1 : Clarification
- “A vampire can have only one X” implies “on him/her”. “A Methuselah can have only one X” implies “in play”
- Comment:
R0462.2 : as/when(ever) X enters play / is put in play / was moved into
- Use “as X enters play” for minions, “is put in play” otherwise.
- Comment:
R0462.3 : As X enters play / When you move X from your uncontrolled region to your ready region
- Use “As X enters play”
- Comment:
R0461.1 : steal an ally/minion/location / steal an ally/minion/location for him or her / steal an ally/minion/location for his or her controller
- Use “steal an ally/minion/location” (drop “for…”). Requires a clarification in the rulebook for “steal”
- Comment:
R0461.2 : steal an equipment/steal equipment
- Use “steal an equipment”, except for “strike: steal equipment” with is described in the rulebook (it should be updated)
- Comment:
R0461.3 : steal a retainer/equipment / steal a retainer/equipment from a minion
- Drop “from a minion” (changes Kostantin, Baro of Carnaval and Xeper, Sultan of Lepers)
- Comment:
R0460 : he/she a counter/Aye/Orun / there is a counter/Aye/Orun on him/her
- use “he/she has a counter” which is shorter, eg. Byzar: “When he has 3 burn counters, remove him from the game.” or Gwen Brand: “While she has 4 or more founder counters,…”. Otherwise use “on him/her”, eg. “lock X Aye on him to…”, “Aziz gets +1 vote for each status counter on him.”
- Comment:
R0459.1 : when attempting to perform an action / when taking an action.
- Still unclear, the timing is very vague. Currently, it happens right after the minion has announced the action, but before the 'as the action is announced' step.
- Comment:
R0459 : Action performed by… / Action attempted by… / take an action / attempt an action
- Use perform. Add “(successful or not)” when necessary, eg. “if any minion has already performed an action (successful or not) this turn”
- Comment:
R0458 : Additional blood
- Use only “additional blood” if the blood is related to the blood gained/lost. Eg. “cards cost 1 additional blood” (the cost is increased), “…successfully hunts, he gains 1 additional blood” (the blood comes from the same source), but not Cavalier: “when this vampire successfully performs an action that costs 1 or more blood, he or she can burn 1 blood” (the blood burned has nothing to do with the cost of the action)
- Comment:
R0457 : In combat/ while in combat / while X is in combat
- Use “In combat”, eg. Amelia, The Blood Red Tears: “After *combat* with Amelia, the opposing minion burns 1 blood or life.”, Andy: “An older vampire in combat with Andy gets 1 optional press *each combat*.”, Count Germaine: “Minions in combat with Germaine cannot use weapons.” Applies mostly to crypt cards because Owl Companion: “While *employer* is in combat, the opposing minion's controller plays with an open hand.” can't be shortened to “In combat, …”
- Comment:
R0456.2 : opposing X… in combat
- “in combat” must appear somewhere on the card. Eg. Claudio Severino: “Combat cards cost an opposing vampire an additional blood.” => “Combat cards cost vampires in combat with *Claudio*…”
Exception: “Rabbat can strike: send the opposing vampire to torpor or burn the opposing ally.” - Comment:
R0456.1 : Minions opposing X
- X must appear somewhere on the card. Eg. Claudio Severino: “Combat cards cost an opposing vampire an additional blood.” => “Combat cards cost vampires in combat with *Claudio*…”
- Comment:
R0455 : Look at another Methuselah's hand / look at the hand of another Methuselah
- Use “another Methuselah's hand” which is shorter.
- Comment:
R0454 : card played on uncontrolled minions
- The “This card remains in play.” part is not a reminder.
- Comment:
R0453 : crypt card in X's uncontrolled region/uncontrolled minion in X's uncontrolled region
- Use “crypt card…”
- Comment:
R0451 : Either… or / and X or Y
- Use “either…or” to avoid regroup “or” terms, eg. Anarch Troublemaker: “During your unlock phase, you can give control of the Anarch Troublemaker to your prey and either X or Y.”
- Comment: ?
R0330 : Burn equipment/destroy equipment
- Use burn (rulebook should be updated).
- Comment:
R0215 : after resolution
- Action modifiers that are played after resolution must use the following wording (note the past simple tense):
Todo: each time a referendum passes
For action modifiers/reactions:
- Only usable after action resolution.
- Only usable after resolution of a successful action.
- Only usable after resolution of an unsuccessful action.
- Only usable after resolution of a successful hunt action.
- Only usable after resolution of a political action, if the referendum passed.
- Only usable after resolution of a political action, if the referendum failed.
- Only usable after action resolution if a bleed against you was successful or a referendum passed.
- Only usable after resolution of a successful bleed against your prey. (rechercher Successfully bleeds pour corriger)
- Only usable after action resolution by a ready Seraph other than the acting non-Seraph Black Hand vampire.
For other effects played in the same window, a clarification in the rulebook is required to explain that:
1/ it happens after resolution for actions (eg. Baba Yaga performs a Raven Spy employ action)
2/ it happens immediately afterwards otherwise (eg. Baba Yaga unlocks immediately after playing Pack Alpha)
and the wording is:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| NO SUBJECT REPETITION | SUBJECT REPETITION | COMMENT |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| Y happens after a referendum called by X passes | Since the subject is the referendum, repeat X | 1 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| Y happens after X successfully bleeds, | X gains… after succesfully bleeding | |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| Y happens after X successfully hunts | X gains… after successfully hunting | 2 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| Y happens after X successfully recruits a … | X gains… after successfully recruiting a … | |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| Y happens after X successfully recruits or employs a … | X gains… after successfully recruiting or employing a … | 5 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| Z happens after X performs a successful [Y] action [requiring…] | X gains… after performing a successful [Y] action [requiring…] | 3, 4 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| Z happens after X performs a [Y] action (successful or not) | X gains… after performing a [Y] action (successful or not) | |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
1: rather than “if a referendum X called passes” or “after resolution of a political action whose referendum called by X passed”
2: The hunt is not successful if no blood is gained. https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad/1vbIkgvKDJ0/3ErIIMXFgPIJ
3: NOT “…after an action performed by X is successful”
4: NOT “successfully performs an action”
5: it's the reason why we put successfully before the verb(s)
when there is no subject:
- after resolution of any political action … (if it works for actions not performed by the vampire itself, eg. Alvaro)
- after resolution of a successful action directed at you
- after resolution of a successful action
- unlock this blocking vampire after action resolution --- no “after combat”, combat (if any) is part of the resolution of a blocked action
- after action resolution, if the bleed resolved for 0 (or less), <effect>
- after resolution of an action during which …<past simple>" - Comment:
R0207.1 : does not lock for blocking / does not lock when blocking
- Use “for blocking”. R0207 is obsolete (use of when)
- Comment:
R0205.1 : during a bleed action, X can Y to give the acting Z +1 bleed
- Use this pattern, with “during” and “acting”
- Comment:
R0187 : Search your… for a X and move it to / Search your… for a X TO move to
- Use “and move it to”, not “TO move” or “TO put”. Use “move” if the target is a region (hand, ready region, ash heap, library…) or “put” if the target is a card the X is put onto.
- Comment:
R0135.1 : Cannot block/cannot attempt to block
- Use “cannot attempt to block” when it is followed by “again” (see R0135). Otherwise, “cannot block”.
- Comment:
R0133.1 : can [be|gain|have] only one / can only [be|gain|have] one
- Use “can [be|gain|have] only one”
- Comment:
R0100.2 : When a minion dodges or ends combat as a strike
- Use “when a minion strikes: dodge, or strikes: combat ends”
- Comment:
R0100.1 : Minions in combat with X cannot Y as a strike
- Use “Minions in combat with X cannot strike: Y”
- Comment:
R0097.1 : Strike: hand strike / Strike: strength damage
- Use “hand strike” for strikes that are not forbidden by Immortal Grapple. Pattern: “Strike: hand strike [at +X damage][, aggravated].”
Use “strength damage” for damage based on strength that don't work under Immortal Grapple (eg. Weapon strike, or ranged damage.) - Comment:
R0089.1 : Move X counters from X to Y
- “Move” must always use “from” and “to” (for counters. It is acceptable to have: “Move this card to…”) Exception: Azrael “When Azrael hunts, he can move 1 of the blood he would gain to another vampire you control instead.”
- Comment:
R0077.2 : Burn this card if X. / If X, burn this card.
- Use “Burn this card if X”. Doesn't apply to complex effects such as “If X, burn this card and do Y.”
- Comment:
R0077.1 : Burn this card during your X phase. / During your X phase, burn this card.
- Use “Burn this card during your X phase.” (it emphasizes the fact that the card has a limited duration). Doesn't apply to complex effects such as “During your X phase, burn this card and do Y.”
- Comment:
R0074.1 : The attached X / this X / the X with this card
- Use “this X” when the card is a master card or when the card is put by X on X. If the card is put on another X (eg. Mind Numb), use “the attached X” unless X is clearly incompatible with the acting vampire (eg. a card requiring a Tremere that is put on a slave Gargoyle), to avoid confusion with the acting minion (“this acting minion”) and the target.
- Comment:
R0055.1 : At the start of the Y phase, you get +X master phase actions / discard phase actions / transfers
- MPA, DPA and transfers are now gained by default at the start of the phase, but use “during X phase, do Y to get +X MPA/DPA/transfers”
- Comment:
R0051.1 : that + verb / verb+ing
- Use verb+ing, except for “as an action that costs…” or if there's something between the subject and that: “locations you control that…”, or for weapons "that inflicts damage" (= as a regular strike), or with negations “that does not …”
- Comment:
R0033.1 : Basic / basic level / superior / superior level
- Use basic / superior with a Discipline name (“basic Temporis [tem]”) and level with unnamed Disciplines (“a Discipline they have at the basic level”)
- Comment:
R0028.1 : Steal X blood or life (becoming blood)
- Always use “or life (becoming blood)” if the target can be a minion with life (ally, retainer) and the stealer is a vampire
- Comment:
R0028.1 : Steal X life (becoming blood)
- Apply this pattern if a vampire steals life from an ally or retainer (eg. Call the Lamprey)
- Comment:
R0015.2 : Any
- Use any for:
- (if any)
- if there are any
- cannot use any
- any referendum (see R0545)
- as above, but any... (when inferior set a condition that is overriden by the superior effect)
- at any time
- by any means
- any minion currently attempting to block (to indicate 1 or less)
- any currently-resolving strike
- bleed any Methuselah (to override the default bleed target)
- after resolution of any action (for crypt cards, to emphasize the fact that it also works for other vampire's actions. See Alvaro, Amenophobis, or Sutekh)
- any amount (of blood etc.)
- any number
- any blood they would gain
- in any order
- any Methuselah's <> phase
- any existing slave status
- on any round of combat after the first (replace with each round whenever possible)
- as if... were of any circle - Comment:
R0015.1 : Any/a/each plural/singular
- Use the plural whenever possible:
- “Camarilla vampires can enter combat with X as a (D) action.” rather than “Any Camarilla vampire can...” / “Methuselahs get +2 hand size for each victory point they have.” / “Sabbat vampires get -1 stealth when hunting.”
- Add “Any” to a plural to indicate 1 or more: “A minion with any clot counters”; “you can pay ... from any investment cards you control”
- If there is no plural form, use any: “Any Lasombra can enter combat with X as a (D) action.”, “Each Laibon Ravnos gets +2 votes.”
- If it's a singular, use “a/an”. - Comment:
OK
Back to topR0505 : Environmental damage
- Damage that is not inflicted by a weapon, minion, or retainer is “environmental” and must be explicitly qualified as such. The order is “unpreventable environmental aggravated damage”
- Comment:
R0465.1 : Anarch/anarch
- Before V5, lowercase anarch was used for a vampire, and capitalized for the sect. This is no longer the case. Always use the capitalized version.
- Comment:
R0461.4 : steal / take control
- Use “steal” if the change of controller is permanent, or “take control” if it's temporary (“until…”)
- Comment:
R0452 : Next
- Use “next”:
- for “Do not replace until your next X phase”
- for one-time only effects of cards that are not put into play (Fiendish Tongue for instance)
- for “If..., X can do Y during the next Z phase” because we want to make clear that the “during” part does not apply to the “if” condition (since we want to be able to move the during clause around without changing the meaning)
The reason is that since the rest of the turn can be skipped with Last Stand, it's useful to avoid any ambiguity about the skipped phases.
Use “during the X phase of the same turn” for cards that provide an effect during the same turn it is triggered, not played (“next” could be understood as the X phase following the play of the card, see NRA PAC or Tapestry of Blood).
Do not use “next” for "Burn during your X phase" to mark the fact that you cannot try to keep it in play by skipping the next X phase. - Comment:
R0450.2 : cannot block/cannot block actions
- Use “cannot block”. Exception: “She cannot take directed actions or block directed actions that aren't {against} her or {}a card on her.”
- Comment:
R0449 : A Methuselah must burn/lock
- Avoid “must” if there is no counterpart (such as “he must hunt or X happens”): “Each Methuselah must burn 2 pool during…” => “Each Methuselah burns 2 pool…”
- Comment:
R0448 : Cannot X, cannot Y…
- Use as much as possible “cannot X or Y” instead, unless this can lead to some confusion, or unless X and Y are not at the same level. Some examples of exceptions:
- “cannot perform actions except to hunt, cannot cast votes or ballots and cannot have equipment” because “except to hunt or cast…” is ambiguous
- “cannot be the target of directed actions, cannot perform actions” because “cannot be” and “cannot” are not the same
- “cannot play action cards and cannot have or use equipment or retainers” because “or have or use equipment or retainers” contains too many “or” - Comment:
R0447 : The opposing X/Opposing X
- Always use “the opposing X”. The following are still correct: “Opposing minions…”, “an opposing X”
- Comment:
R0445 : Maneuver to close range/Maneuver to close
- Use “Maneuver to close range”
- Comment:
R0443 : in a game/each game
- Use “in a game”, eg. “Only one Giant's Blood can be played in a game.” and “Each Methuselah can play only one Vox Domini in a game.”
- Comment:
R0440 : cannot maneuver|press|strike / cannot use maneuvers|presses|strikes
- Use the first pattern, “cannot maneuver”/“cannot maneuver to close|long range” and “cannot press”/“cannot press to continue|end combat” and “cannot strike”. Caution: “cannot gain strikes” and “cannot use additionnal strikes” are different and valid.
- Comment: Cf. [R0445]
R0339 : a non-bleed action/an action other than bleeding
- Use “non-bleed action”, “non-political action”, “non-diablerie action”. In case there is more than one type of action, use for instance “a non-bleed, non-political action”.
- Comment:
R0337 : Press to continue combat/Press to end combat
- Use this pattern (the word “combat” is required)
- Comment:
R0336 : Set the range for this round [to close|long range]
- Use this pattern. No need for reminder about skipping the determine range step this round. The reminder is used when range is automatically “something”, see R0144.2
- Comment:
R0334 : Amount of blood lost to damage/Amount of blood lost due to damage
- Use the first one, “Amount of blood lost to damage”
- Comment:
R0333 : No more than one ammo card can be used on a gun each combat.
- Use this pattern.
- Comment:
R0332 : prevent X damage / prevent up to X damage
- Use “prevent X damage” (they both mean the same, per ruling https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad/WUWh7AdooDU/vojisZMCSnsJ)
- Comment:
R0229 : This round/this combat
- The duration of lingering effects in combat must always be written (even though “this round” is the default), including in “as above” effect, except for “each round this combat” (see dedicated rule R0157):
Strength of the Bear:
[ani] This vampire gets +1 strength this round.
[spi] This vampire gets +1 strength this combat.
Strike at the True Flesh
[qui] Non-aggravated damage from this weapon's strikes cannot be prevented except by equipment or by other strikes this round.
[QUI] As above, and this weapon's strikes inflict +1 damage this round. - Comment:
R0228 : (Weapons) Only usable at long range, only usable once each …
- Use this pattern (order matters, do not use “AND only once”)
- Comment:
R0227 : Only usable during a referendum before votes and ballots are cast
- Use this wording (no “any votes or ballots”, “ballots” must not be omitted, no comma before “before”)
- Comment: BREAKING CHANGE: Could be replaced by “Before polling”.
Yep. Sounds cool.
R0225 : Reveal the card/Show the card to all Methuselahs/Show the card to the other Methuselahs
- Use “Reveal the card”
- Comment:
R0224 : X gets Y each combat|Once each combat, X can strike: Y|Once each combat, X gets Y
- Use “X gets Y each combat” but when the effect in a “can Y to Z”, use “Once each combat, X can Y to Z”.
Use also “Once each combat, X can strike:Y” (because “X can strike:Y” is a shortcut for “Each round, X can strike: Y”) - Comment:
R0222 : Ally abilities
- Ally abilities are, in order: [Unique] <Type> with X life. Y strength, Z bleed.[ Flight [FLIGHT].][ Red List.][ Requires W.]
Then (only abilities that pertain to exactly the same window may be merged using “and”, eg. “X can strike: 1R damage and gets {1} optional maneuver each combat” is not allowed since the strike is not “each combat”. Sentences related to each other must be be kept together (eg. Pathos counters, Repo Man))
- A has +1 stealth|intercept.
- If the action to recruit A is blocked, do Y.
- When X enters play, do Y. | Move A to the ready region when recruited.
- Combat Damage from A's hand strike is aggravated / Damage A inflicts is aggravated.
- Combat A can strike: X. | Once each combat, A can strike: X.
- Combat A gets 1 optional maneuver|press each round|combat [with a X]. | Once each ((round this combat)|combat) [with a X], A gets Y.
- Combat A can X each round|combat. | Once each ((round this combat)|combat), A can Y.
- [Once each X] A can play cards requiring X [as Y].
Once each action, A can X.
- Combat Damage from A's hand strike is aggravated against Y./ Damage A inflicts is aggravated against Y.
- Combat X blocking A are burned after the combat (if any).
- A gets +1/-1 intercept against X.
- A can do X [as an action].
Passive effects
- Actions directed at her cost 1 additional pool.
- Cards requiring X cannot target him nor be played while he is acting, blocking or in combat.
- Combat A is immune to non-aggravated damage.
- Combat Each strike or damaging effect made against X by the opposing minion during combat inflicts 1 less damage.
- Combat This combat, X gains 1 life at the end of each round for each blood the opposing vampire used to heal damage or prevent destruction that round.
- A cannot X.
- During [If Z] During X, do Y.
- He does not unlock as normal during your unlock phase.
- If X, do Y.
- If A is burned, shuffle him|her|it in his|her|it's owner's library. - Comment:
R0221 : X and Y enter combat/Combat begins between X and Y/X enters combat with Y
- Use “X and Y enter combat” which triggers the “When Z enters combat” effects and doesn't make assumptions on who the acting vampire is during combat
- Comment:
R0220 : as if/as though
- Use “as if” (more frequent, shorter, even though m:tg uses only “as though”)
- Comment:
R0219 : wake effect
- Use “This vampire wakes (they ignore the requirement to be unlocked for playing reaction cards and attempting to block until the end of the action).” (or “This minion”, but not “This reacting X”)
- Comment:
R0218 : combat involving/combat between
- Always use “involving”, in both wordings : “only usable when a combat involving this minion ends” and “… a combat involving X and Y”
- Comment:
R0214 : cancel combat/(combat does not occur)
- Use “cancel combat” with active tense, “(combat does not occur)” is only used for reminders (eg. “End the action (combat does not occur)”)
- Comment:
R0211 : when X attempts to block / when X is attempting to block
- use “when X attempts to block”
- Comment:
R0208 : +X intercept during an action directed at Y
- Use this wording rather than “+X intercept against a directed action against Y.” (to avoid repetitions)
- Comment:
R0207 : when X blocks / when X blocks an action / when X succesfully blocks / when blocking
- Use “when X blocks” + “instead of locking for the block”. Don't hesitate to add “, before combat (if any)”
- Comment: some players usually declare “I block” instead of “I attempt to block” ..
R0206 : announce/declare
- Use “announce” (an action). “Declare” is only used in “declare a Prince” (1 reference)
- Comment: we should get rid of “declare”.
R0205 : during a bleed action/once each action/once each time she bleeds…burn blood to get +1 bleed
- Use “during a bleed action”
- Comment: maybe “once each bleed action” ? => OK
R0203 : an action directed at X / a (D) action against X/a (D) action directed at X/a (D) action directed against X
- Use “an action directed at X” (changed 2020/08/27). Cf. [R0208].
- Comment:
R0202.1 : During a referendum/during any referendum
- Use “during a referendum”. (Exception: see R0015.2)
- Comment:
R0201 : During X do Y / Once each X, do Y
- Use “once” for “once each turn/action/combat”. Use “during” for phases “during the unlock phase/master phase/minion phase/discard phase”. Use also during for “during YOUR x” or “during EACH METHUSELAH'S x”.
- Comment:
R0200 : Do not replace X card Y plays until Z. / X cards Y plays are not replaced until Z.
- Use the first wording, eg. “Do not replace combat cards Nedal plays until your next unlock phase.”
If the effect is on another Methuselah: “The chosen Methuselah does not replace cards…” - Comment:
R0199 : When you would replace… instead / When you would draw to replace… instead / When drawing to replace… instead
- Use the first wording “When you would replace”.
- Comment:
R0198 : Replace / Draw to replace
- Use “replace”, eg. “When a Methuselah uses a discard phase action to discard a card, he or she does not replace that card until his or her next unlock phase.”
- Comment:
R0197 : When you replace a X card Y played, you can draw 1 additional card (discard down afterward) / When you draw to replace a X card Y played, you can draw 1 additional card (discard down afterward) / When Y plays a X card, you can draw …
- Use the first templace instead of “When you draw to replace a X card Y plays” and “When X plays a Y card”
- Comment:
R0196.1 : This card cost X fewer blood|pool / the cost of this card is reduced by X blood|pool.
- Use “This card cost X fewer blood|pool”.
- Comment:
R0196 : cost 1 fewer blood / cost 1 fewer blood to play
- Write “cost 1 fewer blood”.
- Comment:
R0195 : cost 1 fewer blood/pool / cost 1 fewer blood/pool to [recruit / employ / equip]
- Write “cost 1 fewer blood/pool”.
- Comment:
R0194 : Numbers/Letters
- If there is a choice for the target, and we can say “among others”, use words:
- choose a (ready/younger etc.) vampire
- burn an ally
- discard a card (we choose the card we discard)
If there is no choice, use numbers:
- 2 damage
- gain 1 pool
- get +1 master phase action / get 2 master phase actions (instead of 1)
- 1 maneuver / 1 press / 1 additional strike
- look at the Methuselah's hand and discard two cards of your choice (the cards are “chosen amongst others” BY YOU)
- burn the top 2 cards from the library (no choice, the cards are clearly defined)
- steal 2 blood (we don't choose these, and blood is considered a single entity - this is a special case)
- requires at least 1 other Gehenna card in play
- add up to 2 blood (or pool/life/counters/conviction…)
- draw up to 3 cards
Exceptions:
- Obviously, we keep the “A Methuselah can play only one…” “A vampire can have only one…”, “A vampire can have no more than two X”
- Do not use a number before a number, ex : “with two +1 stealth actions”
- We use letters about the two minions in combat (Haven Hunting: “you can burn this card to have the two combatants begin another combat.”), or if we are referring to objects previously chosen (Coterie Tactics : “These two vampires attempt to block”)
Other examples :
- [tem] Draw 4 cards then put four cards from your hand on top of your library in any order and unlock this vampire. (the first 4 cards aren't chosen, but the last four are.)
- move up to three cards from your hand … (same reason)
- Requires at least one Gehenna card (one amongst others)
- Lock three of his Aye (amongst those on the vampire -- it's a bit different for blood and counters, which are all the same and that you can count)
- Burn an/one Aye
- Exchange a/one card from … for a/one card (amongst those in hand / in hash heap / wherever)
- Move a card played (amongst others)
- use a master phase action
- Ashur Tablet: Put this card in play. If you have three copies in play, remove all copies in play (even controlled by other Methuselahs) from the game to gain 3 pool and choose up to thirteen cards from your ash heap. Move one of those cards to your hand and shuffle the others in your library.
- Each other Methuselah discards 1 card at random (no choice).
- You can use a master phase action
- Move one card from your
- Exchange one card from … for one card …
- Choose one or more Methuselah
- ante 1 additional card (the card isn't chosen)
- Lock one of your prey's ready minions
- Requires at least one/two/three other Gehenna card (I'm also ditching the “other”)
- 1 victory point
- “one conviction” to match Aye, Orun and Ashur Tablets' “three copies”
- lock up to two vampires / choose up to thirteen library cards / Choose this acting vampire and up to two other minions - Comment:
R0193 : Face down / face up
- “Face up” is a reminder when the card is put in play.
“Face down” is never a reminder.
“You can look at the cards at any time” is always a reminder (related to face down cards). - Comment:
R0192 : X, with 1 optional Y / X, with an optional Y / X with an optional Y
- Use the first pattern (comma, and number).
- Comment:
R0191 : involved in the combat / involved in the current combat / involved in combat
- Use “involved in the combat”.
- Comment:
R0190 : Merge action
- Use the “merge” word and following pattern:
“Unlock this vampire, search your crypt (shuffle afterward), uncontrolled region and/or ash heap for his or her advanced version and merge him or her with it.”
“Choose and lock an unlocked vampire you control, search your crypt for his or her advanced version (or his or her base version if an advancement is chosen) and merge the chosen vampire with it.”
This will explicitly trigger “merge” effects such as Valerius Major. - Comment:
R0187.4 : Search your uncontrolled region, ash heap, and/or crypt (shuffle afterward) for…
- In that order, using and/or, with the reminder after crypt.
- Comment:
R0187.3 : Search your hand, ash heap, and/or library (shuffle afterward) for…
- In that order, using and/or, with the reminder after library.
- Comment:
R0187.2 : Search your ash heap and/or library (shuffle afterward) for…
- In that order, using and/or, with the reminder after library.
- Comment:
R0187.2 : Search your hand and/or library (shuffle afterward) for…
- In that order, using and/or, with the reminder after library.
- Comment:
R0187.1 : Search your [library|crypt] for… (shuffle afterward)
- The reminder “(shuffle afterward)” goes at the end and is merged with other reminders such as “(discard down afterward)”: “(shuffle and discard down afterward)”
- Comment:
R0186.2 : once each turn,… get +X Z for the current action/get +X Z for the action
- Cf. [R0186]. By default, a bleed/intercept/stealth/Vote modifier lasts till the end of the action, but since the “once each turn” could introduce some misleading thoughts, the duration is required (and this is the only exception where a reminder is not between parenthesis).
- Comment:
R0186.1 : During X do Y / Once each X, do Y
- Cf. [R0186]. With “during”, these effects usually last till X's end. (Eg. Amaravati: “during a political action… +1 vote” or Samuel Haight: “During an action… +1 bleed”). If the duration is different, use something else, such as “Once each turn, X can burn 1 blood to get +1 bleed for the current action.”
- Comment: I never thought of Amaravati + blood hunt referendum during a political action.
I think Amaravati should only be able to burn blood during the referendum of a political action.
VR: why? Ventrue Headquarters is usable during a blood hunt referendum.
R0186 : Once each turn, X can Y for the current action / Once each combat, X can Y for the current round
- Always specify the length of the effect if it's different from the window, even though it the same as described in the rulebook (this is the only exception where a reminder is not between parenthesis). But write “Once each action, X can Y” et “Once each round this combat, X can Y.” (without the “for the current action|round” which is redundant). Cf. [R0229]
- Comment:
R0184 : Choose X. Successful referendum means the chosen X…
- If there is a “choose”, always use “the chosen X”. Also, do not write “means that” but “means”.
- Comment:
R0183 : damage from this X's hand strikes is aggravated / this X's hand damage is aggravated
- Use “damage from this X's hand strikes is aggravated”.
- Comment:
R0182 : cannot use / becomes unable to use
- Use “cannot use” (eg. Sympathetic Agony)
- Comment:
R0180 : This vampire gets|can X each round of combat|this combat.
- The “of combat” shouldn't be there if something else mentions the combat. Otherwise, we put it to acknowledge the fact that the effect only triggers during combat (as a matter of fact, “of combat” has nothing to do with “round”).
The “this combat” is mandatory (it's not linked to “round”. We could have written : “This combat, … each round”.)
Eg. “Once each round of combat, Jean can burn 1 blood to make the damage from his hand strikes aggravated that round.” because otherwise the combat wouldn't be explicitely quoted.
But “Minions in combat with Aeron take 1 damage each round during normal strike resolution if range is close” because there is “in combat” written in the sentence. - Comment:
R0179 : This round|combat, X and|or Y happens. / X happens this round|combat
- Put “this round|combat” first when the X effect is complex and in several sentences.
Eg. “This combat, frenzy cards played on this Laibon have no effect on him or her and the opposing minion takes 1R damage each round during normal strike resolution if the retainer is ready.”
But “Damage from this vampire's hand strikes is aggravated this round”
Replace “during this round|combat” with “this round|combat”. - Comment:
R0178 : Gain|Burn X blood / This vampire gains|burns X blood
- Use “Gain|Burn X blood”.
Eg. Loki's Gift etc. - Comment:
R0177 : This vampire gets +X votes / Get +X votes / (Z) gain(s) X votes.
- Use “This vampire gets +X votes” to avoid ambiguity on the fact that it's the vampire you gets the votes, and not the Methuselah.
Affected : Final Loosening / Madrigal - Comment:
R0176 : Burn X blood to… / This vampire burns X blood to
- Use “Burn X blood to…”.
Eg. Martyr's Resilience, Revelation of Desire…
Affected : Aura Absorption “This vampire burns 1 blood to get +1 intercept.” => “Burn 1 blood to get +1 intercept.” etc. - Comment:
R0175 : non-aggravated damage / damage that is not aggravated
- Use “non-aggravated damage” (eg. Ambrosius, The Ferryman (Wraith), Masquer (Wraith), Spiritual Protector)
- Comment:
R0174 : X is immune to Y cards
- Replace with “Y cards played on X have no effect on him or her”. Ex : X = vampire, Y = frenzy. “Immune” is reserved to damage.
Same for “When another minion plays X, this vampire can burn 1 blood to be immune to the effects of that card.” => “… this vampire can burn 1 blood. If he or she does so, that card have no effect on him or her.” (Resilient Mind) - Comment:
R0173 : Frenzy (this vampire) / Frenzy (played on this acting vampire)
- Replace with “Frenzy, played on this vampire.”
- Comment:
R0172 : Charnas / Ilomba / Bloodstone / Swarm
- Put X on a Y (this is a +1 stealth (D) action if that Y is controlled by another Methuselah).
- Comment:
R0170 : Of the X circle / in the X circle
- Use “of the X circle”. “circle” is always in small-cap (this isn't about Inner Circle).
- Comment:
R0168 : +1 stealth action / This is a +1 stealth action
- Use “+1 stealth action”.
- Comment:
R0167 : Action with: As above, with +1 stealth. / As above, but with +1 stealth. / As above, but this is a +1 stealth action. / As above, but this action is at +1 stealth. / As above, but playing this card is a +1 stealth action.
- Use “As above, and this is a +1 stealth action.”
We could write “+1 stealth action. As above.” but we're so used to “As above, …” that it sounds strange. - Comment:
R0166 : If this vampire successfully blocks / if the block succeeds
- We use the first wording “If this vampire successfully blocks”. The other one would be OK (and shorter).
- Comment:
R0165 : X happens each time this vampire blocks / is blocked
- Use these patterns:
- +X intercept, with an optional Y during the resulting combat each time this vampire blocks.
- +X intercept, with an optional Y during the first round of the resulting combat each time this vampire blocks.
- If this vampire blocks/is blocked, this vampire can X during the resulting combat.
The bonus applies each time the minion blocks the action. https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad/7DtobPljhxU/_hCPrwt8gc4J
For reaction, use “each time this vampire blocks” rather than “each time this action is blocked” (who may carry the idea that the bonus is granted to anyone who blocks). - Comment:
R0164 : Only usable when an action is blocked
- Use “Only usable when this vampire|minion is blocked.”
- Comment:
R0163 : Only usable after resolution of a successful action / Only usable after a successful action / Only usable when an action is successful
- Use “Only usable after resolution of a successful action.”
Notably :
As the Crow : “Only usable after resolution of a successful action” OK
Domain of Evernight : “Only usable when an action is successful. Usable after resolution.” => “Only usable after resolution of a successful action.”
Forced March : “Only usable when an action is successful (after resolving the action).” => “Only usable after resolution of a successful action.” - Comment:
R0161 : Combat does not occur / Combat is canceled.
- Use “Combat does not occur”.
- Comment:
R0160 : If X is blocked… before combat begins / (before combat occurs, if any)/(before combat begins, if any)
- Use “If X is blocked, … before combat (if any).” (no “begins”, no “occurs”, no parentheses, except around “if any”
Same rule for “after combat”. - Comment:
R0159 : Force X to abstain (this can cancel that X's votes and ballots).
- Use the reminder formulation.
- Comment:
R0158 : Only one X can be played in a game / Only one X can be played per game
- Use “Only one X can be played in a game”.
- Comment:
R0157 : Each round / each round this combat / each round of combat
- For combat cards, use “each round this combat” (or “This combat, … each round” for complex effects). For other cards, (damage-dealing retainers etc.), use “each round” and write “of combat” only if nothing else in the sentence mentions the combat. If it's an “only one… each round” effect, or if it's an effect related to a strike, we should drop “of combat”. (eg. “A vampire can play only one Wave of Lethargy each round.” or Combat Shotgun : “Strike: 3R damage, only usable once each round.”)
- Comment:
R0155 : Get +1 Z for each / Get +X Z, where X is…
- Use the first wording as much as possible.
Sometimes, it's not better, for instance “This Ishtarri gets +X bleed, where X is the number of counters on this card. This Ishtarri can add {1} counter to this card as a +1 stealth action that costs X blood.” The first sentence could be written “gains +1 bleed for each counter on this card”, but we re-use the X later on. - Comment:
R0154 : Blood hunt called on X / Blood hunt called against X
- Use “Blood hunt called on X”.
- Comment:
R0153 : Until the action is ended / Until the action is complete
- Use “ended”. -> Concoction of Vitality, Frozen Object
- Comment:
R0152 : Do X. Put this card in play|on Y…
- Instantaneous effects or related to instantaneous effects must be written in the same sentence, semicolons can be used if necessary.
Ex: “He can move a retainer from your ash heap to a ready vampire you control as an action. Put 3 pathos counters on the retainer. During your unlock phase, burn 1 pathos counter.”
- “He can move a retainer from your ash heap to a ready vampire you control {and put 3 pathos counters on the retainer as an action.”…
Ex: “[vic] Strike: 1 damage. Put this card on the opposing minion. This minion gets -1 strength (after the current strike resolution step). He or she can burn this card by paying 2 blood as a +1 stealth action.”
- “[vic] Strike: 1 damage and put this card on the opposing minion”. …
Ex: “[obt] Turn this vampire and any cards on him or her face down, out of play (breaking any temporary control effects). Put this card on him or her (in play). During your influence phase,”…
- “[obt] Turn this vampire and any cards on him or her face down, out of play (breaking any temporary control effects) and put this card on him or her (in play).”…
Ex: “[nec] (D) Choose a minion. Put this card on this acting minion and unlock him or her. This minion gets +2 intercept against the chosen minion.”…
- “[nec] (D) Choose a minion, put this card on this acting minion and unlock him or her.”… - Comment:
R0151 : Lock to / you can lock this card to / X can lock to
- For allies, use “X can lock to…” (eg. “Draeven can lock to prevent…”) or “This ally can lock to” if the ally's name is too long (eg. Neighborhood Watch Commander)
Otherwise, use “you can lock this card to”. - Comment:
R0150 : Move equipment / Transfer equipment
- Use “move” and save the “transfer” for transfers during the influence phase.
- Comment:
R0149 : Minion can draw X cards / Minion can allow you to draw X cards
- Use the first wording “minion can draw X cards” (similarly, “Minion can discard …”)
- Comment:
R0148 : Have you do X / cause you to do X / make you do X / force you to do X
- Use “have you do X”.
- Comment:
R0146 : Once each X, Y can burn 1 blood to make the damage from his|her hand strikes aggravated for the current round.
- Use this pattern (caution: “the damage…” is mandatory). “For the current round” is a reminder, as all combat effects last, by default, for a round, but this is the only exception where a reminder is not between parenthesis
- Comment:
R0145 : Ranged strike: X / Strike: ranged. X
- Use the first wording, but “he can strike, ranged: X”.
- Comment:
R0144.2 : If another round of combat occurs, that round is at close range (skip the determine range step for that round)
- Use this pattern.
- Comment:
R0144.1 : If another round of combat occurs, X gets Y that round.
- Use this pattern (rather than “during that round”, or something else than “that”)
- Comment:
R0144 : Only usable during the first round of combat / Only usable on the first round / Only usable on the first round of combat / Not usable first round of combat.
- Use “Only usable during the first round of combat”. Same goes for “Not usable…” and for actions
- Comment:
R0143 : Frenzy… Requires… Only usable … Usable… Not usable… Do not replace until…
- List effects in this order.
- Comment:
R0142 : X can do Y to cancel this card as it is played. / X can cancel this card by doing Y / X can cancel this card by doing Y as it is played
- Use “X can do Y to cancel this card as it is played”. Must be at the end of cardtext.
- Comment:
R0141 : Cancel X as it is played. No cost is paid.
- Replace by “Cancel X as it is played, and its cost is not paid.”
If the effect should still be paid, write “Cancel X as it is played (cost is still be paid).” if (and only if) we are sure it's not an action card. Otherwise (if it can be an action card) say nothing.
the Complete Rule Reference
B. Declare the effect.
1. Fully announce the effect (as applicable: the minion playing/using it, targets, cost, and so on). If the effect is a card, play the card to the playing area.
2. You cannot play a card or use an effect whose cost cannot be paid.
3. For cards, this step (II.B) is the “as played” window.
a. Cards that can cancel a card “as it is played” can be played at this time, as can Wake-style cards whose effects grant the ability to play those effects.
b. Other cards and effects cannot be used at this time.
c. If the card is canceled, skip to step D.
4. For cards, your hand size is reduced by 1 until you replace the card. (D)
C. Pay cost and resolve effect (unless canceled in step B). - Comment:
R0140 : Another/ any other
- Use “another X” when we could write “an X”.
Eg. “Move a non-unique, non-location equipment from another Methuselah's ash heap to this minion”
Use “any other X” when “any X” would be OK
Eg. “Any other Samedi can move this card...” - Comment:
R0139 : Referendum / political action / call
- We use “Take political actions…”, “call a referendum as a +1 stealth political action”
But we shouldn't use “call a political action” - Comment:
R0138 : Being burned… X instead
- Replace with “that would be burned…. X instead”
- Comment:
R0136 : X can burn this card as a (D) action; Y get -1 stealth on that action / X can burn this card as a (D) action; Y get -1 stealth when attempting that action.
- Use “on that action”.
- Comment:
R0135 : Block fails
- Pattern: “Only usable when X attempts to block. That attempt fails and X cannot attempt to block this action again.”
- Comment:
R0134 : Treats aggravated damage as normal damage. / Treats aggravated damage inflicted on him as normal damage.
- Use “Treats aggravated damage as normal damage”
- Comment:
R0133 : A X can play only one Y each combat.
- Must be moved to the first line (except “only one Y at superior each combat” because it doesn't apply to the inferior effect).
- Comment:
R0132 : A X can play only one Y each combat. / Only one X can be played [at a given Discipline] each combat.
- The second wording forbids the opponent to play the same card, not sure it's intended.
- Comment:
R0131 : Only usable in combat with / Only usable when in combat with / Only usable against
- Use “only usable in combat with”
- Comment:
R0130 : Only usable before range is determined / Play before range is determined / Only usable before range is chosen.
- Use the first pattern: “Only usable before range is determined”.
If there are several conditions, group them in a single sentence (when possible): “Only usable before range is determined. Only usable in combat with an ally.” => “Only usable before range is determined in combat with an ally.” If there are two logical condition, they may not be grouped: “only usable at long range, only usable once each round” != “only usable at long range once each round” (which may be understood as usable more than once at close range).
If possible, write the condition on the first line.
I'd like to use the “Only usable before the determine range step.” wording, which is more accurate (since we can use these effects even after someone sets the range). - Comment:
R0129 : Do X as a (D) action / Can take a (D) action to do X
- Use “do X as a (D) action”.
- Comment:
R0128 : Can use a master phase action to X / X as a master phase action
- Use the first wording, eg. “Methuselahs can burn this card by discarding {2} master cards as a master phase action.” -> “Methuselahs can use a master phase action to discard {2} master cards to burn this card.”
- Comment:
R0127 : Exchange one X card from your hand for 1|the Y card in your ash heap
- Pattern: use one. Start with the hand. Don't use “exchange X with Y”
Eg. Garibaldi Museum: “to exchange {one} card from your hand for {one} card in your ash heap requiring an anarch” - Comment:
R0126 : Use / Spend
- Use “use”: “use 1 discard phase action to…”, “use 4 transfers to…”
- Comment:
R0125 : Discard X cards / Discard X cards from your hand
- “Discard” implies “from hand”. Use “discard X cards”.
- Comment:
R0124 : Put X counters on this card when it is played / Put X counters on this card when you play it
- Use “Put X counters on this card when it is played”
- Comment:
R0123 : Burn counters from a card / burn counters on a card
- We use “from” for the pool (from a Methuselah), blood (from a minion/vampire), life (from an ally/retainer) as we consider the counters are part of the card (for the same reason, stealing/burning blood off of a vampire targets the vampire and not the tokens)
For all the rest: “burn an equipment on…” - Comment:
R0120 : Equipment|Ally|Retainer card / Equipment|Ally|Retainer
- Use “card” when the card is in the library/hand/ash heap/ …
Don't use “card” when the card is in play.
“Burn an equipment.”
“Search your library for an equipment card…” - Comment:
R0119 : Requirements and cost apply as normal / Requirements and cost apply as usual
- Use “(requirements and cost apply as normal)”
- Comment:
R0118 : X or less / X or fewer / X fewer
- Use “less” for capacity. Use “fewer” for life, blood, pool (they are considered countable in VTES), votes, counters etc.
- Comment:
R0117 : Y cost X 1 fewer blood. / X's Y cost 1 fewer blood or pool / When X do Y, the cost is reduced by one blood or pool.
- Use the pattern “Y cost X 1 fewer blood” / “Y cost X 1 fewer blood or pool” / “Y cost X 1 additional blood”
Do not write “(but never fewer than 1…)” - Comment:
R0116 : gets +X strength in combat with / gets +X strength when in combat with / gets +X strength if in combat with
- Use “gets +X strength in combat with”
- Comment:
R0115 : In combat with a X / in combat with Xs / in combat when opposing X / in combat against X
- Use “in combat with a X”.
- Comment:
R0114 : Carrion Crows / Groaning Corpse / Blissful agony
- During normal strike resolution / during strike resolution
Use “during normal strike resolution” (except if done with first strike, of course).
Subtle difference with Murder of Crows etc. (detailed below), this damage is environmental (whereas Murder of Crows is a retainer, and the damage it causes are from itself).
Pattern: “The opposing minion takes X damage each round this combat during normal strike resolution at close range.” / “The opposing minion takes XR damage each round this combat during normal strike resolution.” The “each round” part is important to avoid reactivation during additional strikes. ( ?)
Reminder: we use “of combat” on non-combat cards only if nothing else says the effect only happens during combat (e.g. Damage-dealing retainers) Also, we should write “*that* combat”, for instance, on an action card that gives a bonus inside a combat, and “*this* combat” for combat cards (regular combat cards only last till the end of the round)
If the effect only works at close range, this must be explicit (default is that it works at both close and long range). - Comment:
R0113 : Murder of Crows / Elephant Guardian / Razor Bat / Wolf Companion / Hatch the Viper / Zombie / Crypt's Sons / Shade (damage-dealing retainers)
- Use “X inflicts YR damage each round of combat during normal strike resolution.” Or “X inflicts Y damage each round of combat during normal strike resolution at close range.”
- Comment:
R0112 : Requires…
- Always on the first line, in bold, if
- The requirement applies to all the cardtext.
Up to now, we had some kind of an exception if the requirement wasn't for the acting minion (Alia) or on Gehenna cards. On Gehenna cards, it's a bit anoying as they are often incorrectly played - when the requirement isn't met. And we have incoherences on stuff such as Watchtower: The Wolves Feed, that has a “Requires at least one Gehenna card in play and a ready Seraph” requirement. - Comment:
R0111 : X can play cards requiring basic Y as a vampire / X can play cards requiring basic Y as a vampire with capacity Z
- Use this pattern.
- Comment:
R0110 : X cannot gain blood (any blood he or she would gain goes to the blood bank instead)
- Use this pattern (reminder + “would gain”)
- Comment:
R0107 : If the ally is burned, it is removed from the game. / If he is burned, shuffle him in your library.
- Consider using “after” instead of “if”.
- Comment:
R0106 : If X is Y, Z instead
- Use conditional “would be Y” instead of “is Y” (replacement effect). Replace “should” with “would”.
Except in “Only usable by a X being Y.”
Except in “instead of Xing…” - Comment:
R0105 : You cannot play this card if you have a X in play
- Replace with: “A Methuselah can have only one X{}.” (at the end of cardtext).
- Comment:
R0104 : You cannot play this card if another X is in play.
- Replace with: “There can be only one X in play.” (at the end of cardtext).
- Comment:
R0103 : This is not considered diablerie / This does not constitute diablerie / This action is not considered diablerie
- Use “(this is not considered diablerie)”, and always as a reminder.
- Comment:
R0102 : While this card is in play…
- To remove, as cards out of play have no effect.
- Comment:
R0100 : X can strike: Y / X can do Y as a strike
- Use “X can strike: Y”. Some strikes require some blood burning “X can burn Z blood to strike: Y” (Juggler). Some strikes cost blood “X can strike: Y as a strike {with first strike} that costs Z blood” (Pentweret).
- Everything is uniformized as “X can {burn N blood to} strike: Y {with first strike}”. - Comment:
R0099 : +1 hunt / When this vampire successfully hunts, he or she gains 1 additional blood.
- Use +1 hunt.
- Comment:
R0097 : Hand strike / hand strike at +X damage
- Use this pattern.
And
“As above, but at +Y damage” if “strike: hand strike +X damage”
“As above, and this strike is at +Y damage” if “strike: hand strike.”
And
“Strike: hand strike or use a melee weapon strike. This strike is at +X damage.” - Comment:
R0096 : Arcane Library / Art Museum / Ecoterrorists/Gang Territory…
- Use the pattern:
“Lock during your influence phase to add 1 blood to a X in your uncontrolled region.” - Comment:
R0095 : Summon the Serpent / Recruitment / Clotho's Gift / Effective management / Kindred Intelligence / Mozambique Allure / Soul Scan / Mesu Bedshet/ Soul Gem / Wider View / Illusions of the Kindred
- Use the pattern:
“Draw 1 card from your crypt” or “Search your crypt for X, {reveal} them{} and move them to your uncontrolled region (shuffle afterward).” or “Search your Y for X, and move them…” - Comment:
R0094 : Move a card to your hand / Move a card to the top of your library
- Move to {a region}.
But “put a card on a/any minion” except “move from the ash heap to this card”
Also use “move” if from + to: “Move 2 blood from this vampire to another vampire.” - Comment:
R0093 : This card can be burned by X as a (D) action
- Use active tense and plural: “X can burn this card as a (D) action”. See also R0015.2
- Comment:
R0092 : Search your library for X / you can go through your library for X
- Use “Search your library for X (shuffle afterwards)”.
- Comment:
R0091 : Shuffle cards in your library / Move … to your library then shuffle
- Use the first wording.
- Comment:
R0090 : If X is ready during Y, do Z / During Y, if X is ready, do Z
- Use “If X is ready during Y, do Z”, as it's smoother, except in “During each…”
- Comment:
R0089 : Add/give/move X blood from the blood bank
- Use “add X blood” (without “from the blook bank”).
The “Distribute” from Dmitra can be interesting to apply when we have several targets(Gird Minion, Rave, Sermon of Caine) -> TODO.
Move X counter from your pool to - Comment:
R0088 : Pathos counters
- Template : “X can move Y from … ash heap to … and put X pathos counters on Y as an action. During your unlock phase, burn 1 pathos counter. Remove Y from the game when it has no pathos counters.”
- Comment:
R0087 : Discipline / discipline card
- “Discipline” has a capital, but “discipline card” or “master discipline card” doesn't (just like “location”).
Eg. Spontaneous Power: “Put this card on a vampire and choose a Discipline. This vampire gains 1 level of the chosen Discipline. While in play, this card counts as a master discipline card.” - Comment:
R0086 : Once each turn / Once per turn / Once per combat
- Use “once each turn” / “once each combat”
- Comment:
R0085 : Draw X cards / draw X cards from your library
- Use “draw X card”. Remove “from your library” when unnecessary.
- Comment:
R0084 : +X intercept against Y / +X intercept during Y
- Use “against” if Y is a minion/vampire/clan member (eg., +1 intercept against Followers of Set), and “during” if Y is an action (eg. +1 intercept during bleed actions). Also “This vampire gets +1 intercept during bleed actions against you.” See R0208.
Exception : “Z can burn 1 blood to get +X intercept when attempting to block Y” - Comment:
R0083 : +X bleed against Y / +X bleed when bleeding Y
- Use “+X bleed against Y”, more simple and concise, even if the second form is more frequent.
- Comment:
R0082 : Hunting ground / Hunting Ground
- No capital.
Pattern: “Unique location. Hunting ground.
During your unlock phase, a ready vampire you control can gain 1 blood. A vampire can gain blood from only one hunting ground each turn.” - Comment:
R0081 : Gain X blood|pool from the blood bank / from the bank
- Remove “from the blood bank” when there is no ambiguity (ex: hunt)
Ex: Anarch Salon “Successful referendum means each ready anarch gains 1 blood{}, and each Methuselah who controls at least one anarch gains 1 pool{}”. - Comment:
R0080 : Put this card in play and move X blood from the bank…
- Use “Put this card in play with X blood.”
- Comment:
R0078 : When / if / after
- “After” is used when a condition A triggers an effect B.
“When” is used for states (eg. “when it has no blood”) and “guaranteed-to-happen” events (a card with 4 counters that somehow burn will end up with no counter)
“If” is used for actions (eg. “if X goes to torpor”) and uncertain events (going to torpor isn't guaranteed, except on Baltimore's Purge, for instance)). - Comment:
R0077 : Burn this card when it has no counters / Burn this card when the last counter has been removed/ Burn this card when there is no counter left on this card / Burn this card if it has no counters
- Use “Burn this card when it has no counters” (except PB: New York that would immediately burn)
- Comment:
R0074.2 : Employer/Bearer/Recruiter
- Always use these words if possible (= “this minion with this card”). For vehicle equipments, use “this minion”.
But : “this vampire” / “this Gargoyle” / “this Sabbat vampire” / “this vampire with Auspex”.
If the card has several effects that do not concern the same category of minions, we can/must mix “This X” / “Bearer” / “This Y”. Ex : Kaymakli Fragment
(rather than “if bearer is, then…” ) - Comment:
R0074 : This acting vampire
- If possible, remove or replace with “this X”, eg. Praxis, Engling Fury etc. Caution - give particular attention to cards that remain in play. Only applies to non-master, non-reaction, non-event cards.
- Comment:
R0073 : This reacting X
- If possible, remove or replace with “This X”. Keep it in “The acting vampire gains 1 fewer blood and takes 1 damage. Lock this reacting vampire.”
- Comment:
R0072 : in this referendum / during this referendum + continuous effect / for this political action
- Replace with “In this referendum…”
Caution with the “during this referendum” that sometimes is of the “during X, do Y” pattern - Comment:
R0071 : Praxis Seizure: Venice, Praxis Seizure: Istanbul
- Template : “Successful referendum means this card is put on this vampire to represent the unique Camarilla title of Prince of X and if this vampire is not Y, all Y are locked. In this referendum, each Y gets +1 vote.”
- Comment:
R0070 : Praxis / Crusade / Fee Stake
- “Title. Requires a Camarilla|Sabbat vampire.
Successful referendum means this card is put on the acting vampire to represent the unique Camarilla|Sabbat title of Prince|Archbishop of X.” - Comment:
R0068 : Successful referendum means / If this referendum is successful / If this referendum passes / If this referendum succeeds,
- Use “Successful referendum means” which is shorter and more frequent in the last sets. Eg. “Successful referendum means each Methuselah burn…”, “Successful referendum means this card is put in play” (passive tense in this case), “Successful referendum means you search your library…” (active tense)
- Comment:
R0067 : Get +X vote / get X additional vote
- Use “get +X vote” which would be homogenous with all the rest, and much shorter. Also for Condemnation: Mute . Caution - sometimes not exactly the same for “are worth X fewer votes” or for Rastacourere (a Justicar with Rastacourere still allows Monty to get a Priscus title), but are cumulative (so no change here), for instance a primogen with Rastacourere would have -1 vote during a FSR https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad/c/y8ywOLXdEmg/m/YmouHsdWr9oJ
- Comment:
R0066 : Put pool from his or her pool / Move
- Use “move” or “steal” when appropriate.
- Comment:
R0064 : Use the template of Banishment for Peace of Khetamon, Reality, Lay Low and Mistrust
- Comment:
R0062 : “+X stealth action. Requires Y”
- Use the pattern “+X stealth action. Requires Y” (in that order).
- Comment:
R0061 : Usable during your turn / This card is playable during your minion phase. / You may play this card during your turn.
- Use “Usable during your turn.”
- Comment:
R0059 : A master discipline card / A master: discipline card
- Use “master discipline”.
- Comment:
R0058 : As the action is announced / when the action is announced / as the vampire's action is announced / when the vampire's action is announced
- Use “as *the* action is announced” or “as *a X* action is announced” (X = any criteria)
- Comment:
R0057 : X can use these counters to pay some or all of the <blood|pool|blood or pool> cost of Y
- Use this pattern.
Masochism: “Each time this vampire plays a card, you may remove X rush counters from this card to reduce that card's blood cost by X.”
=> “This vampire can use these counters to pay some or all of the blood cost of cards he or she plays.”
Fatuus Mastery: “The counters on this card may be used to pay some or all of this vampire's blood cost to play cards that require Chimerstry.”
=> “This vampire can use these counters to pay some or all of the blood cost of cards he or she plays that require Chimerstry.”
Ravnos Cache: “you may … use the blood counters on it to pay some or all of the {blood or pool} cost of the equipment.”
=> “you can … use these counters to pay some or all of the blood or pool cost of the equipment.”
Trophy: Wealth: “The vampire with this card can use these counters to pay some or all of the blood or pool cost of equipment.”
=> “This vampire can use these counters to pay some or all of the blood or pool cost of equipment.” - Comment:
R0055 : Gain / get
- Gain: blood, pool, life, conviction (everything that is tokens, cards or tokens) and the Edge.
Get: +X strength / +X capacity / +X vote(s) / +X level of a discipline / master phase action / discard phase action / transfer / additional strike / press / maneuver.
Many duration indications are implicit: If Sarrasine is ready during your master phase, you can burn the Edge to get +1 master phase action.
Not to Be: “you get -1 discard phase action” - Comment:
R0053 : Burn after either use / Burn after use / Burn this card after use.
- Use “burn after use” (or “burn after either use” if more than one use is possible)
Ex : Bomb, Jar of Skin Eaters - Comment:
R0052 : on any action that requires Necromancy [nec] / when attempting an action that requires Presence [pre]
- Replace with “on actions requiring X”.
Caution with Maxwell who gets his bonus only for the duration of the action “Once each turn, Maxwell can burn a blood to get +1 stealth on an action requiring Presence [pre]” - Comment:
R0051 : action requiring / action that requires / that require / which require
- “that requires” : 48 occurrences, “requiring” : 21, mixed in all sets (including the most recent ones)
Use “requiring” as it's shorter. - Comment:
R0050 : A X can have only one / can have only 1
- Use the word “one”. Cf. [R0194].
- Comment:
R0049 : Can have no more than two / can never have more than two
- Use “Can have no more than two”.
- Comment:
R0046 : Master
- Do not write “Master” (cf. equipment). Master cards are the cards with no type symbol. Ex : “Hunting ground.”
If it doesn't have a subtype, leave the line empty.
If it has several subtypes, use “.” as a separator. Exception : Unique X.
Ex : Poacher's Hunting Ground : “Location. Hunting ground. Derivative.”
Hand Contract : “Contract. Trifle.”
Wash : “Out-of-turn. Trifle. Do not replace until your next unlock phase.” - Comment:
R0045 : Event
- Do not write “Event” (cf. equipment). Events are the cards with the red-colored background and the moonish symbol.
If it doesn't have a subytpe, leave the line empty. - Comment:
R0041 : Unique equipment.
- Do not write “equipment”. Just write “Unique.”
Subtypes should be written in a sequence: “Unique melee weapon.” - Comment:
R0040 : Damage … is reduced to zero.
- Use “inflicts no damage” :
The damage from that weapon is reduced to 0 -> That weapon inflicts no damage
Damage from this strike is reduced to zero. -> This strike inflicts no damage.
If the opposing X attempts to strike with a weapon this round, he or she {inflicts} no damage. -> The opposing X's strikes with weapons inflict no damage on this Y during this round.
Mayaparisatya is different because it affects all weapons - even those used by a Ghoul Retainer. - Comment:
R0036.1 : Reduce the bleed amount/Reduce the bleed
- Use “Reduce the bleed amount”
- Comment:
R0036 : Bleed action modifiers
- You cannot play another action modifier to further increase the bleed for this action.
You cannot play another action modifier to increase this bleed amount. (Only usable during a bleed action.)
After playing this card, you cannot play another action modifier to further increase the bleed for this action.
No other equipment can increase the bleed amount of this action.
; after playing this card, you cannot play another action modifier to further increase the bleed for this action.
You cannot play another action modifier to increase this bleed amount.
After playing this card, you cannot play another action modifier to further increase the bleed for this action. (Only usable on a bleed action.)
- if at the beginning of the text, use the pattern “Only usable during a bleed action. You cannot play another action modifier to increase this bleed amount.”
- otherwise “Only usable during a bleed action. +X bleed. You cannot play another action modifier to increase this bleed amount.” - Comment:
R0035 : Action/Reaction “Requires a ready…”
- A vampire in torpor cannot perform any other action than leave torpor, and cannot play reaction cards. The “ready” is redondant. (6.5.2 Leave Torpor Action)
- Comment:
R0034 : “-X capacity”
- The reminder is “(to a minimum of 1)” or “(minimum of 1)”.
- Comment:
R0033 : Basic level / inferior level / normal version
- Always use “basic level” (cf. rulebook)
- Comment:
R0032 : Creating a vampire
- Pattern:
“Put this card in play. It becomes a {X}-capacity {unique|(non-unique)} {Sect|<empty>} {Clan|of the same clan as the acting vampire} with {Discipline} and {other bonus} {, and {cannot perform actions|must hunt} this turn}. You can search your library (shuffle afterward), ash heap and/or hand for a master discipline card, and put it on this X|new vampire. Move up to X blood from the acting vampire to this X|new vampire.”
If the vampire has special abilities (such as Nosferatu Bestial), use semi-colon for comes-into-play effects, and full stop for other effects: “Put this card in play; it becomes a ... This vampire cannot ...”
- Reword Legion - Comment:
R0030 : Cannot have X
- Indicates that X cannot be played/placed/put on the card, and that any X is automatically retroactively burned. We can add the reminder text “(any of these are burned)” or “(any X are burned)”
Applies to : Anachronism, Nosferatu Bestial, Repulsion, Set's Curse, Wildebeest, Martinelli's Ring - Comment:
R0028 : Steal X blood (becoming life) / Steal 1 blood (it becomes a life) / Steal 1 blood (becoming a life) / (gaining a life)
- Always use the reminder “(becoming life)” on allies with a built-in steal blood ability: “steal 1 blood (becoming life) or life…”
- Comment:
R0027 : With capacity X (or more/or less) / With a capacity X (or more/or less) / With capacity of… / of capacity …
- Use “with capacity X” (without “a” nor “of”)
-> Cancel a reaction card played by a vampire with capacity 6 or less - Comment:
R0021 : Corruption counters
- Template is as follows :
“Put 1 corruption counter on {X}. If the number of your corruption counters on the minion equals or exceeds their capacity or cost, you can burn those counters to steal that minion.” - Comment:
R0020 : Skill cards
- Template is as follows :
“Put this card on a vampire. This vampire gets +1 level of Animalism [ani] and +1 capacity. Cannot be put on a vampire with superior Animalism [ANI].” - Comment:
R0019 : Level/version
- Don't use “version” about discipline. “Version” only applies to base/advanced/merged.
- Comment:
R0018 : Diablerie during a blocked action
- Pattern is : “If this action is blocked, there is no combat and if the blocking minion can commit diablerie, he or she can diablerize this acting vampire.”
This opens options for allies that could diablerize (currently, it doesn't change a thing). - Comment:
R0017 : unpreventable damage/(damage not preventable)
- All occurrences of “(damage not preventable)” that are very subtle reminder texts (all prevention effects happen during combat) are replaced with “unpreventable damage”.
- Comment:
R0017.1 : unpreventable damage
- If any damage is dealt outside combat, the damage must be labelled as “unpreventable” (even if it's a bit redundant)
- Comment:
R0016 : During the first round/On the first round/in the first round
- All occurrences of “on/in the first round” have been replaced with “during the first round”
- Comment:
R0013 : Continuous effect If/While
- Use “while” for continuous effects. For “instantaneous”, triggered or conditional effects, use “if”.
If X is ready, you get +1 hand size. -> While X is ready, you get +1 hand size.
If Sonja leaves play, remove her from the game. => triggered effect
If Gargoyle has 2 or fewer life, it can gain 1 life as a +1 stealth action. => keep “if” because the action is “instantaneous” and it is not a trigger but a conditional effect.
If the vampire with this retainer is in torpor, he or she gains 1 blood at the beginning of his or her minion phase. => same thing
If you have the Edge, Bulscu can steal a location or an equipment in play that costs 3 or fewer blood or pool as a (D) action. => Even though the ability granted by the Edge is continuous, we consider that the action is made available based on a condition. “If” isn't a trigger, but a condition.
Use “If” for “during” effects. -> If there are five Gehenna cards in play during your unlock phase, burn Mukhtar. - Comment:
R0012 : Hand size
- Always use +-X hand size instead of “one card larger” / “increased by one” / “increased by 1”
- Comment:
R0011 : Discard down to your hand size afterward/Discard down afterward/Discard afterward.
- Use “(discard down afterward)”. It's a reminder, hence the parentheses. If there's been searching done through the library, write “(shuffle and discard down afterward)”.
No need for “to your hand size”.
Using “down” can help avoiding ambiguities when a player cannot draw (empty library) or if handsize wasn't reached.
Update the rulebook to match this (long existing) behaviour. - Comment:
R0010 : Draw up to your hand size afterward
- Use “(draw up afterward)”.
Update Rulebook accordingly. - Comment:
R0009 : Have/get
- Have: something you possess. “Burn this card when it has no more ablative counters.”, “Arishat has 1 vote.” Note that “+1 stealth/strength/intercept.” = “This vampire has +1 stealth/strength/intercept” (this one is absolute, not conditional - see below “+1 intercept against…”).
Get: something you receive. “Vampires with Dementation [dem], mortals and mages get -1 intercept during this action.” , “You get +1 hand size.”, “This vampire gets +1 intercept during directed actions.”, “This vampire gets +1 stealth on political actions.” - Comment:
R0008 : until the end of/For the remainder of the…
- Use “until the end of …”
If we can remove “until the end of…”, remove it. Eg. Aura Reading “The opposing minion's controller plays with an open hand until the end of this combat.” => “The opposing minion's controller plays with an open hand this combat.” - Comment: Cf. R0181
R0007 : the end of the round|combat|turn (combat cards)
- Always use “this”.
Until the end of this combat / this round / this turn. - Comment:
R0006 : As if from your hand
- No need for “cost and requirement apply as normal” as it is implicit (Erciyes Fragments has been corrected)
- Comment:
R0005 : If the action is blocked / if the (acting) minion/vampire is blocked
- Always use “if this|that action is blocked” for actions.
Eg. : [Action] If this action is blocked, there is no combat.
But : Ghoul Escort : When this vampire is blocked, he or she {can} burn this retainer and unlock instead of entering combat. - Comment:
R0001 : Any / One or more / Cast one or more votes
- If “one” can be replaced with “any”, keep it written out in full (in letters). Eg. Sword of the Righteous “Choose one of this vampire's melee weapons.” or all the Blood Brothers effects.
“one of more” can sometimes be replaced with “any” : Goodnight, Sweet Prince “Only usable if you have {any} unlocked Ravnos in play.”
“cast one or more votes” => “cast votes”
“burns 1 or more blood” => “burns blood”
But keep “one of more” or “1 of more” when there is a choice involved: “Choose 1 or more Methuselahs…” - Comment: Cf. [R0194]
DOUBTS
Back to topR0548 : if X would happen, instead Y happens
- Put “instead” at the start of the clause to indicate that the replacement effect includes all that follows (and to match Magic's wording) except for “instead of …” and “you can instead…” (rather than “instead you can”
- Comment:
R0446 : Locquipment
- Use pattern “While in play, this equipment card represents a location and does not count as equipment.”. Appears before “Unique.” if any.
- Comment: See R0120
R0441 : damage successfully inflicted / damage inflicted … (even if it is prevented)
- Use these patterns, with the reminder in the second case.
Succesfully inflicted = not prevented.
Prevented damage is still inflicted, so the “(even if it is prevented)” must always be a reminder. - Comment:
R0338 : If another round of combat occurs, …/if another round of combat starts, …
- Use “occurs”
- Comment:
R0335 : Bleed reducer
- BREAKING CHANGE. Use “Only usable during a bleed action [against you]. The acting minion gets -? bleed.”
- Comment: Do we need “action” here?
R0226 : total number of/number of
- When adding numbers, use the word “total”, eg. Tomb of Rameses III: “if the total number of counters on the chosen vampire and on the Tomb equals…”. If no addition is involved, use “number”, eg. Cave of Apples: “and the number of your corruption counters on the minion equals…”
- Comment: Hugh: “total” seems pretty defunct as AND is a logic for addition
R0216 : before resolution of a successful/blocked action / before resolving the action
- Use the noun “resolution”:
- “before action resolution”
- “before resolution of a successful action”
- “before resolution of a blocked action”
- “when this action is resolved, before resolution” - Comment: I think we can make this cleaner. “Before resolution” should work.
- Before resolution
- if the action is successful, before resolution
- if the action is blocked, before resolution
- before resolution
R0213 : Crypt titles and traits
- Pattern: “{Sect}. {Title}: {Cardtext.} {Traits} {Bonus/Malus}”. If the sect and the title go together, no full stop to separate them : “Camarilla Prince of…”. For unnamed titles : “Independent. 1 vote (titled)”. Traits are listed at the end in alphabetic order: “Black Hand. Infernal. Seraph”. “xxx slave” is listed as if starting with “s”. “Non-unique” is a trait ordered alphabetically at 'u'. Bonus/malus are invariant modifiers such as “+1 strength”, “+1 bleed”, “+1 hand size”, or “+1 intercept”
- Comment: I think some traits should go together. More specifically: Black Hand / Seraph.
There is (currently) no example of a non-Black Hand, Seraph vampire. I don't think this should exist, which makes Seraph a qualifier of Black Hand; therefore we should be able to write “Black Hand Seraph”.
R0112.1 : First line order
- “Requires a X” is always immediately after “+X stealth action”. Otherwise, it is rejected to the end of the first line.
- +X stealth action. [Requires a X.] [Unique.] [Only usable…] (Ahrimane Protectorate, Unleash Hell's Fury)
- [Unique] X with Z life. [Requires a X.] (Ilomba, Malajit Chandramouli, Harzomatuili)
- [Unique] [Title|Contract|…] [Trifle] [Requires a X.] [Only usable…] (Enkil Cog, Shakar: the Hunt) - Comment: It should have a regular spot
R0108 : If a card would give X blood, give X life instead.
- This sentence on allies is redundant with the rulebook and should be deleted.
- Comment:
R0025 : Ignore the excess
- Use a replacement effect instead:
If more than 1 pool is bled with this action, ignore the excess. => If 2 pool or more would be bled with this action, 1 pool is bled instead.
If an effect does more than 2 damage to the Remnant, ignore the excess. => If an effect would do 3 or more damage to the Remnant, it does 2 damage instead. - Comment: NOT APPLIED
R0014 : May/Can
- All “may” are replaced by “can”. (“May” shows permission, “can” possibility & we need to use only one of them: unjustified alternances between “may” and “can” must be avoided).
- Comment: Hugh: This is horsepoo. We should use “may” it is way cooler
MERGED
Back to topR0210 : Arishat has 1 vote (titled).
- Votes awarded by titles are now considered property rather than bonus (use “has” instead of “get”), just like titles themselves.
- Comment: Merged into R0213
R0204 : once each turn,… get +X Z (for the current action)/get +X Z for the action
- Use the reminder “for the current action”. By default, stealth, intercept, bleed, vote modifiers last the duration of the action, but the “ once each turn” could lead to misunderstandings, which makes the reminder necessary.
- Comment: Merged into R0186.2
R0202 : During X do Y / Once each X, do Y
- With “during”, such effects usually last the duration of X. Eg. Amaravati “during a political action … +1 vote” or Samuel Haight: “during an action … +1 bleed”. If the duration is different, use for instance “Once each turn, X can burn 1 blood to get +1 bleed (for the current action).”
- Comment: Merged into R0186.1
R0162 : This card cost X fewer blood|pool / the cost of this card is reduced by X blood|pool.
- Use “This card cost X fewer blood|pool”.
- Comment: Merged into R0196.1
R0121 : Show it to all Methuselahs / Show it to the other Methuselahs
- Use “show it to all Methuselahs”
- Comment: Merged into R0225
R0026 : Numbers in letters
- Do not use a digits before a number - eg. “with two +1 stealth actions”
Do not use digits when writing “A minion can have only one” / “a vampire can have only one” (almost always in letters after “only”)
Do not use digits when the number couldn't be different (we could replace with “both”):
Coterie Tactics: “These two vampires attempt to block”
Haven Hunting: “you can burn this card to have the two combatants begin another combat” - Comment: Merged into R0194
DISCARDED
Back to topR0532 : Card type icons
- Add a card type icon when it explicitely mention the CARD. For instance:
- “Beast cannot play action cards [ACTION].”
- “If Sundown is ready during a referendum, you can discard a political action card [POLITICAL ACTION]”
BUT
- “She can steal an equipment as a (D) action.”
- “He cannot have or use equipment or retainers.” / Put this card with 5 counters on it on this minion; it becomes a melee weapon (equipment) that”
- “Allies cannot block her.” / “Put this card in play; it becomes a unique mortal ally with 1 life,”
- “If Herbert performs a successful equip action,” (no icon) because Anonymous Freight is an equip action, but not an equipment.
- “Vampires can call a referendum to burn this card as a +1 stealth political action.” because there is no political card involved - Comment:
R0181 : This vampire gets +X strength until the end of this round|this round|until the end of combat|for the remainder of combat
- Use “+X strength this round|this combat”
- Comment:
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