Simple vampire special

Suoli wrote:

The difference is that with a regular DPA you can end up with a worse card then the one you discarded so you need to actually think about using or not using it.

As I have said twice, if you already have 6 good card in hand, you're likely to be able to withstand the risk of discarding. If not, you discard a bad card anyway.

Suoli wrote:

Drawing a card, on the other hand, will never make your hand worse. The only reason to ever not draw a card is that you either have the best theoretically possible hand or you're running out of library.

Well, discarding make your hand worse only if it was already very good.

The only reason not to discard normally is that you have the best hand or fear of running out of library anyway. If you can discard, you pretty much alway should.

Edit : to reiterate the point : the special is useful, but extremely far from being very good. Nicomedes special, for example, do the same kind of thing a lot better. Duality too. Here, put it for free on a not-too-perfect vampire, don't overprice it.

Ohlmann wrote:

The only reason not to discard normally is that you have the best hand or fear of running out of library anyway. If you can discard, you pretty much alway should.

That's not true. With a hand that is better than average but not as good as possible, probabilities dictate that you should keep that hand rather than try to get a better one. With a draw, there is no risk involved and you should always try to improve your hand.

Edit : to reiterate the point : the special is useful, but extremely far from being very good. Nicomedes special, for example, do the same kind of thing a lot better. Duality too. Here, put it for free on a not-too-perfect vampire, don't overprice it.

Agreed.

I quite like the idea, but am having trouble getting excited about it on a vampire. I'm reminded of some of the ideas that came out of the My first card idea discussion. Would, say, a Master: Trifle be a better option? e.g.

An Event might seem plausible, although you might then feel compelled to make the option available to everyone (so everyone would like it, but no-one would want to be the one to play it).

Louhi wrote:

The vampire itself can be anything that's needed, the special is the main focus. I find it simple yet nice.

Erkki Pihlak
Clan: Tzimisce (group 5)
Capacity: 6
Disciplines: ANI AUS vic
Sabbat: As a discard phase action, you may draw a card (discard down to handsize).

As long as the vampire was an otherwise useful addition to the grouping/clan, I think that the special would be good. Some quick applications:

a) I have too many freak drives for the number of actions I want to take. I don't like discarding freak drives just in case I find a use for them, so I want to see what card is next before tossing one.

b) I have a combo I need to pull off (this resembles the first case). I have part one, but need to either get part two or just forget about it for now. Draw one. Does it help?
1) Yes- keep both cards, toss something else
2) No- ditch the first card, it is dead weight

c) My hand is virtually perfect, but I know there are useless deflections I don't want to draw into later. I want to draw one and toss it.

I would prefer this ability to a lot of other garbage there is out there. +1 strength vs Followers of Set? No thanks. This is interesting and generally more useful.