Proposal: Crypt = Pool

My thought is: This game does NOT any new rules. There is already a way too much of them. Especially a lot of cornercase rules like this one

Yeah, I think I'm changing my mind on this on the basis that we don't need to add more rules to the game, especially for marginal effects. If we were doing a Juggernaut-style reimagining of the rules, though, I'd be in favour of it.

I don't neccesarily agree that VTES has too many actual rules.

What it does have is a ton of cards that create exceptions in those rules and the rulings to handle those cards in some (cornercase) scenario's are in many cases counterintuitive, if not downright contradicting.

The fact that we're even discussing how additional strikes actually work is utterly silly. It should be crystal clear from the rulebook, no matter how many wacky additional additional additional extra bonus free additional strikes are thrown in.

This new rule doesn't really fill a direct need, nor does it actually make a lot of sense from a fluff point of view. What it does do is make decrypting in hopes you get that 2-cap instead of another copy of Enkidu slightly less risky. This may or may not eventually lead to people building slightly more diverse crypts, which may or may not cause various 2-3-4 caps to see more play and eventually maybe even speed up games (wishful thinking, I know, but you never know).

In the end, I can't see how the new rule could possibly harm the game, so surely it wouldn't be too bad for playgroups to try it and see how it plays out.

I feel this is more of an idea for design space than a rule. wider view, I tutelage , and Malgrazata all have stuff to utilize part of what I see as a decent idea. uncontrolled minions and transfers are resources that should have more importance late game than mummies for spell of life. I'd like to see some cards that emphasize this. but not a rule that makes kindred intelligence, info highway, and that g2 gangrel a viable bloat strategy.

Ankha wrote:

The rule seems balanced indeed.
Now, what does it add to the game? Does it make something more balanced? Does it open new strategies? I'm afraid it doesn't.

1) It adds a way to increase interaction between two fundamental building blocks of the game: crypt cards and pool.

2) It ever so slightly makes playing with more compact crypt selections, either with superstar vampires or limited choices, a touch better than they were before.

3) It lowers risk which therefore incentivizes risk-taking which would lead to more innovation with respect to deck design.

YES, on all three counts.