Reduce Intercept, even if not needed?

OK, so Intercept can't be added unless needed, but can it be reduced even if it's not needed? Honestly, it's never even occured to me.

Let's say I try to bleed, my prey declares a block attempt.

I play Call of the Hungry Dead at inferior and he has no Intercept to add.

Let's also say I want to cycle some reverse-stealth out of my hand, could I then also play Acheron Vortex to further reduce his intercept, even if it's not needed to get my action through?

Call of the Hungry Dead
Only usable when a minion attempts to block.
[nec] The blocking minion gets -1 intercept.
[NEC] Burn 1 blood to have that attempt fail; the blocking minion cannot attempt to block this action again.
Action modifer

Acheron Vortex
Minions without Necromancy [nec] or Obtenebration [obt] get -1 intercept.
Action Modifier
Requires: Harbinger of Skulls

Cat_in_Exile wrote:

OK, so Intercept can't be added unless needed, but can it be reduced even if it's not needed?

Yes.

[LSJ 20010723]

LSJ wrote:

> 2/ Say A bleeds, B tries to block. A plays a stealth card, B has no
> intercept. Can A plays inf. Call of the Hungry Dead even though the 'loss of
> intercept' is not needed?

Yes.

Do you need a blocking minion to use Call of the Hungry Dead on though? I'm guessing you can cycle Acheron Votrex whenever, but CotHD specifies a blocking minion.

Cool thing though. Never thought of that.

Kraus wrote:

Do you need a blocking minion to use Call of the Hungry Dead on though?

Yes. It applies an effect to the blocking minion (card text). With no blocking minion, you can't legally apply its effect.

You can play Squirrels Balance too, regardless of block attemps made or not. Most convenient for cycling and they cant even Draba it

Name: Squirrel Balance
[LoB:C]
Cardtype: Action Modifier
Cost: 1 blood
Discipline: Spiritus/Celerity
[cel] Only usable when the action is announced. If blocked, range in the first round of the resulting combat is automatically set to long.
[spi] Minions without flight [FLIGHT] or Spiritus [spi] get -1 intercept when attempting to block this action.
[SPI] As [spi] above, but those minions get -2 intercept.