Submission [Assassins Blade]

Name: Assassins Blade
Cardtype: Combat
Cost: No cost.
Discipline: Quietus
Clan: Assamite
Strike: make a melee weapon strike at +1 damage.
As above, but you can equip the chosen melee weapon from your hand (pay the cost and fullfill requirements as normal).

Flavor text: Victory was at his grasp, when a hidden blade silently slashed him in half. He didnt even noticed the blade.

Art notes: A backview of an hurt assamite, who is silently drawing a hidden ninja-to away from the sight of his enemy. At the background, the enemy is seen from neck to below.

Created by: Alexandre Costa

World of Darkness reference: Quietus is the discipline of silence. Avoiding drawing attention, you can use your assamite training and quietus to draw and use melee weapons without anyone noticing.

WOD Canon: All assamites are trained in weapons use. Some are masters of blade combat. As assassins, they are trained to hidden their weapons and use them only at the best moment.

How does this card address a compelling game need?:

1.I found its horrible to use melee weapon with the all great group 2-3 assamites, because many dont have obfuscate to use disguised weapon to get the nice unique melee weapons. In fact, I reached the conclusion that Assamites should equip melee weapons on a more profitable way than disguised.

2. The two uses of this card make sure the card is great for assamite themed melee weapons decks. Note that equiping the blade with the card commits you to strike with it.

3. Cant equip guns, bomb, flamethrowers, ivorybow or others nasty stuff. So disguised could be better in ranged assamite combat decks.

5. Combos nicely with Strike at True Flesh. It wont hurt your hand if the weapons are already equipped. And yet it is not stronger than Torn + Immortal + blur.

6. Immortal grapple should not avoid the Silent Blade + Bundi combo. 2 pool for a +1 damaging weapon is not so easy to build.

7. You can trade the +1 damage clausule for First Strike, but then this card will become too strong with kali's fang, sengir dagger and black gloves.

8. Note that Charismatic aura can cancel the +1 damage strike though, but cant avoid the "equip" clausule, as per ruling of canceling disguised weapon.

Please, thoughts?

As written, the card is on the useless side, because melee weapon are weak to a lot of thing, including anything that work against guns and Immortal Grapple.

Melee weapon don't need a way to be easily equipped nor a way to do more damage, but a way to work without being hosed by everything.

First Strike is a nice idea. Unlike what you believe, it's pretty reasonable or even weak to first strike with melee weapon, and it give thoses weapon something unique. Still, it would be for thematic deck, since people will still S:CE / Immortal grapple / Draw out / Canine Horde / prevent / blood fury all your melee strike.

Ohlmann wrote:

As written, the card is on the useless side, because melee weapon are weak to a lot of thing, including anything that work against guns and Immortal Grapple.

Would that be the way to go?

I suppose it could do. I am certain I wouldn't play it for the inferior level, because I want to be actually able to use my weapon, not just making my opponent burn two blood.

That doesn't mean the idea can't work, just that it doesn't appeal to me.

Of course, having in-combat equipment, a really strong counter to immortal and maneuver, and +1 damage with the same card would be too much.

Name: Dance of Death
Cardtype: Combat
Cost: No cost.
Discipline: Quietus
Clan: Assamite
A Vampire can only play one dance of death each round
Opposing minion cant play grapple cards for the remainder of the round. This assamite gets first strike with melee weapons for the remainder of the round.
As above, but you can equip with a melee weapon from your hand (play the weapon before replacing, pay the cost and fullfill requirements as normal).

Flavor text: Victory was at his grasp, when a swift strike silently cut him in half. He didnt even noticed the blade.

Alt. Flavor text: When you're lying in your sleep, when you're lying in your bed
And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead - Iron Maiden, Dance of Dead

1. No counter to drawing/canine/prevent/bloodfury (cant do everything).

2. Maybe it should cost a blood.

3. Maybe it should be "this assamite can burn a blood to cancel a grapple card this combat."

4. Maybe it should have and . Its a dance. In this case, assamite requirement should be dropped.

5. Very good Iron Maiden quote IMHO!