chi dem card idea

Ohlmann wrote:

As a side note, the Jeff wording would need some additional words to avoid you being able to block yourself, no ?

No.

See also: you burning my Madness Network while you also control a Malkavian.

jamesatzephyr wrote:

See also: you burning my Madness Network while you also control a Malkavian.

Any minion can burn this card as an action that any untapped Malkavian (in addition to the normally eligible blockers) can attempt to block

I was under the believe that the bolded part was necessary to say what part of the block rule was overrided and avoid strange stuff, not just a reminder.

Ohlmann wrote:

Any minion can burn this card as an action that any untapped Malkavian (in addition to the normally eligible blockers) can attempt to block

I was under the believe that the bolded part was necessary to say what part of the block rule was overrided and avoid strange stuff, not just a reminder.

The bold text clarifies that they're extra blockers, not the only blockers. In its original printing , it implied that only the Malkavians could attempt to block it. And if I'd lost my last Malkavian but controlled, say, a Brujah, I'd be unable to block.

This, however, is a different question to being able to block your own action (which is what you asked about). Madness Network means that - by your interpretation - your Malkavian could block the action you yourself are taking against my Madness Network. You can't block yourself.

For example, even when a block attempt has been declared, you can use a Temptation to steal the would-be blocker, aborting the block attempt and allowing the action to continue normally (with other possible block attempts). Ordinarily, you cannot voluntarily fail a block attempt until you're out-stealthed.

groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad/KUQEznVQlOU/e_6GMg__zdMJ implies this - you can't block yourself. (Much like if you ever control both combatants, combat irrevocably and immediately ends.)

Ohlmann wrote:

So, for one action per turn plus one action per minion, I completely lock my prey, while burning throught its pool. Good thing is not seen with bounce-able discipline, because it could get ugly fast.

For me, it's too powerful a lock once it's running. It may be hard to put into place, because few vampire can play the superior version and all, but I find this dangerously close to Sensory Deprivation in that you don't need anything else (except stealth) to deal with your prey.

First, it's a soft lock. The minions untap as normal but blocking costs them a bit more.

Second, the card is burnable by any minion, including those of friendly Methuselahs. This card is more ugly in a two-player endgame than it is early on.

Third, the superior only burns pool from minions "tapped in this way." So, if you keep tapping out, you won't ever be hurt by the pool burn, much like you can avoid having your vampires stolen with a Spirit Marionette.

Fourth, the inferior (which I initially thought was a bit weak) now taps the minion as well. This provides an immediate impact--temporarily removing a blocker--but it also temporarily removes a target for the superior.

So, I don't see it breaking the power curve. In all probability, straight up DEM bleed is still better.

Jeff wrote:

Fixation

1
+1 stealth action
: Put this card on an ally or younger vampire controlled by your prey and tap that minion. The minion with this card must burn 1 blood or life to attempt to block. Any minion may burn this card as a action. A minion may have only one Fixation.
: Tap all minions with Fixation. Any minion with a Fixation may attempt to block this action. Your prey burns one pool for each minion tapped in this way.

The action to burn the card shouldn't be directed without some rewording, since the card will be controlled by the methuselah whose minion it's on.

The "blood or life" (instead of just "blood") change to the block penalty is good, I actually meant to have it say that.

I'm not sure you really made the inferior stronger. Probably you did, but the possibility of triggering the pool loss the same turn as the placing of the Fixations was worth something.

I heartily approve of making the superior a +1 stealth action. I may have been showing too much restraint.

"In all probability, straight up DEM bleed is still better."

Do you mean that in a deck that has 4 or 8 of these they'd be better replaced with Kindred Spirits and Confusion, or that a straight up DEM bleed deck (which wouldn't bother with mid- or high- cap Ravnos) will be a better deck than one built to use this?

Ohlmann wrote:

I have another question : in a pure lore sense, why Chimestry ? It seem an entirely dementation effect, I don't see too much link to illusions.

The idea was that minions with Fixation are being tricked into behaving against their interest. I was thinking that Chimerstry illusions could enhance or manipulate the confusion caused by Dementation. Also, I wanted to indulge the cluster of chi dem vampires that appeared in G4/5.