Rotschreck

You can outplay Rotschreck. After all they can only play 1 per round of turns. It's also fairly easy to spot decks that are likely to play it and even those decks are likely to only play a few of them.

Madness Network with Rotschreck is a fun gimmick though!

Ke. wrote:

Madness Network with Rotschreck is a fun gimmick though!

It's fractionally less annoying than it used to be. Because there's no longer a separate "Madness Network+Enkil Cog" bit in the minion phase, the Methuselah whose turn it is has the priority to take the next action - it just uses the normal sequencing rules, so the Methuselah whose turn it is always gets the next opportunity. So if such a deck is looking like it's about to hose the entire table (very possible in a low-combat environment), it's possible to get your vampire rescued and/or have a vampire leave torpor by arranging to have vampires left untapped - either your own, or by striking a deal with other people, depending on whose turn the OOT rush is happening. So it's potentially to thwart a Madness Network rush followed up by a Madness Network diablerie. Not foolproof, by any means, but tangibly less annoying than it used to be.

Of course, my instinctive response to almost anyone playing Madness Network is to burn it with extreme prejudice. Leave aside Rotschreck, I don't want to be bled in my own turn, so my predator knows I can't play Archon Investigation. I don't want to be bled in my own turn, so my predator can DI my Wake or my bounce. I don't want to be bled repeatedly, by someone use Freak Drive at the end of each action and then bleeding again in the next Methuselah's turn.

Of course, it's still possible for - say - a Thaumaturgy Wall (Burst, Flames of the Netherworld), a Tzimisce Wall (Breath), or a gun wall (DBR) to use it effectively in small-ish quantities.

jamesatzephyr wrote:

mjvtes521 wrote:

Can you play Rotschreck against a vampire that treats aggravated damage as normal? For example, can you play it on Karsh or against a vampire with superior Elemental Stoicism or Armor of Terra on them? I think yes, but I'm not sure. Thanks!

Rotschreck only cares about what the damage is - not how the recipient will treat it.

[LSJ ]

LSJ wrote:

> - Of the following cards, which will protect from a Rötschrek and why :
> Elemental Stoicism, Chill of Oblivion, Skin of Night, Jalal's special ?
(Jalal has no special that could be misconstrued to protect against
Rötschrek. Perhaps you meant Jalan-Aajav).

...

none of them.

Rötschrek doesn't care how the target will treat incoming agg, only that
the agg is incoming.

Correct.
It's also good to know that all cards that /change/ the damage type from agg to normal have been reworded, and now cannot be used to avoid Rötschreck any longer.

There are some questions about Rotschreck:
1) Can it be played by player, whose minions don't involving in combat?
2) When can it be played?
For example, strike with aggravated damage. May Rotschreck be played:
a) when strike was declared
b) after opposing minion played cards (as prevent or combat ends)

@Keiran.
1. Yes can be played even by a Meth not involved in the combat.
2. As the strike is played.

Keiran wrote:

2) When can it be played?
For example, strike with aggravated damage. May Rotschreck be played:
a) when strike was declared
b) after opposing minion played cards (as prevent or combat ends)

blackday wrote:

2. As the strike is played.

No, it's more flexible than that.

vekn.net/card-rulings/card-rulings-p-to-z
[LSJ 19990217]

LSJ wrote:

If the agg damage is coming from a strike, Rotschreck can be played any
time during the "announce strike" phase in which that strike is announced,
yes.

Mostly this has no effect, since the acting minion declares first and
Rotschreck cannot be played on your own turn. But for MadNet actions,
Primal Instincts, and Rapid Thought could make this question more
interesting, of course (as can 3rd-party intervention).

And Rotschreck doesn't just deal with strikes - if the minion inflicts agg damage at other times, that can also work with Rotschreck. e.g. aggravated Outside the Hourglass, aggravated Pulled Fangs. (Imagine things like Dawn Operation in the mix.)