Tariq and merging

I would like to know if it is possible to play a merged Tariq without ever having triggered the reduced capacity.
Is it maybe possible to merge in uncontrolled or can I play a card that prevents a vampires effects from triggering that leaves as soon as I merge?

No. You need to get one version of him out first, only after that you have possibility to merge him.

And remember that you can't influence out one version and merge on same turn. This is because uncontrolled vampires that have enough blood on them to come out, becomes controlled in the end of influence phase and merging (burn one pool and spend four transfers) has to happen during influence phase before that.

rulebook wrote:

At the end of your influence phase, any vampire in your uncontrolled region with a number of blood counters on him equal to (or more than) his capacity becomes controlled. The vampire is turned face up and moved to the ready region, untapped. The counters are kept on him to represent his blood (counters in excess of his capacity drain off immediately as usual).

rulebook wrote:

if you already control the advancement or the associated regular "base" vampire and the other version of the vampire is in your uncontrolled region, then you can spend 4 transfers and 1 pool to move the vampire card from your uncontrolled region to the controlled vampire card

Thanks for clarifying that mass transfers (information highway, govern) also wouldn't be possible.
I suppose the effect triggers at the end of the influence step as soon as he joins the ready region.
Could I somehow inhibit the effect for a while until I can merge?

Was this designers intent of the advancement? The advancement seems rather pointless like this.

2wayspeaker wrote:

Thanks for clarifying that mass transfers (information highway, govern) also wouldn't be possible.
I suppose the effect triggers at the end of the influence step as soon as he joins the ready region.
Could I somehow inhibit the effect for a while until I can merge?

Was this designers intent of the advancement? The advancement seems rather pointless like this.

Best thing you could do with Tariq is play a Tomb of Rameses III and influence 4 pool on him (making it 8).
He'd still be out there with 3 blood, but you've won a turn of influence. And you've spent a grand total of 7 pool (same).

Ankha wrote:

It's not pointless as it allows Tariq to avoid a few unpleasant things based on the vampire capacity (such as Banishment, Obedience etc.)

Also, that when Tariq is 3 capacity, he's a little more vulnerable to - for example - his opponent Concealing a gun into play and causing some upset with an unexpected amount of damage, or the .44 Magnum owner throwing down one of their two copies of Caseless Rounds, and that sort of thing.

As a 7 cap, he may well be able to fill up with blood reasonably quickly (Taste of Vitae helps a lot), giving him a little more buffer space against such tricks.