Cards that affect/help other Methuselahs and their minions

When looking at card "categories", I always thought that something that was missing was cards, especially reactions, that affected/helped other Methuselahs and their minions. Perhaps it is my Magic heritage speaking, but I always thought this was a vacuum waiting to be filled, but never got filled.

There are a select few cards like this in the game, the most obvious being Folderol, and of course there are cards like Retribution, and the effect of some of the intercept locations, but I'd like to see more cards that are more directly geared to help other Methuselahs and their minions. Something like these:

Hired Trainer
Combat
Animalism
1 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current combat.
[ani] Give another minion/vampire/whatever a maneuver.
[ANI] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

Hired Bodyguard
Reaction
Auspex
1 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current action.
[aus] Give another minion/vampire/whatever +1 intercept.
[AUS] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

Hired Acrobat
Combat
Celerity
1 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current combat.
[cel] Give another minion/vampire/whatever a dodge.
[CEL] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

Hired Hacker
Action Modifier
Dominate
2 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current action.
This card may not be played if another action modifier to increase the bleed has been played, and a Methuselah cannot play another action modifier to increase this bleed amount.
[dom] Give another minion/vampire/whatever +1 bleed.
[DOM] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

Hired Mercenary
Combat
Fortitude
1 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current combat.
[for] Prevent 1 damage to a minion, ally or retainer in combat.
[FOR] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

Hired Hacker
Action Modifier
Obfuscate
2 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current action.
[obf] Give another minion/vampire/whatever +1 stealth.
[OBF] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

Hired Thug
Combat
Potence
1 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current combat.
[pot] For the remainder of this round, give another minion/vampire/whatever +1 strength.
[POT] As above, but for the duration of combat.

Hired Lobbyist
Action Modifier
Presence
1 blood
Only usable by an untapped, titled vampire during a referendum before votes are cast.

 Give another vampire 1 vote.

 Give another vampire 2 votes.



Hired Monster

Combat

Protean

2 blood

Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current combat.

[pro] For the remainder of this round, damage from another minion/vampire/whatever's hand strikes is aggravated.

[PRO] As above, but for the duration of combat.



Hired Acrobat

Combat

Thaumaturgy

1 blood

Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current combat.

[tha] Give another minion/vampire/whatever a press.

[THA] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

The greatest amount of vengeance in our playgroup is still reserved for Anneke, the ultimate 'help people cross table for my own benefit'.

I think the US-players wouldn't use them because of the apparent focus on 'kill prey only'. The Euros wouldn't use them because of their 'inefficiency'.

I think there are enough ways to interfere with someone elses oust (by helping others) using the Boons, Anneke, Eagle Sight and votes if you so wish.

One of my favorites of all time that i have only successfully used in draft is Frenzy. Too bad there are so many good masters that this card just doesn't make the cut. But what if it were a trifle?!?!?!

I've been partial to splashing in Minor Boon to save others' vampires from mean combat machines. the "no bleedy me" clause can also help in the long run. cards like that and Mariel Lady Thunder are more efficient than minor transient bonuses.

There's already a bit of a stigma against methuselahs who meddle cross-table too much. sometimes it's a brilliant strategic play, but often it's instead justified by "I JUST FELT LIKE RUSHING CROSS TABLE OK" or "bc i]M a KrAzY malkaVian!! lololcheese" so it could just add to the frustration when someone interrupts a combat with "by the way, your hands are now Agg and I'm playing Rotschreck. HOHOHO"

so I'm not much a fan of the combat cards suggested. I think minions should fight for themselves.

Hired Bodyguard
Reaction
Auspex
1 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current action.
[aus] Give another minion/vampire/whatever +1 intercept.
[AUS] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

this card already exists as Babble and Ignis Fatuus. and I'm okay with offensive disciplines like Dem and Chi having this ability. if weenie Auspex could do this, I think it would be a nightmare. they'd control the entire table from afar. the endless negotiations would time-out every game.

Hired Hacker
Action Modifier
Dominate
2 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current action.
This card may not be played if another action modifier to increase the bleed has been played, and a Methuselah cannot play another action modifier to increase this bleed amount.
[dom] Give another minion/vampire/whatever +1 bleed.
[DOM] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

this can have a similar psychological effect as random Kindred Spirits, there's already enough options in the game to kill someone cross-table. also this can be a crazy case for timing: increasing someone's bleed by 1 before they play Conditioning for 3.

Hired Hacker
Action Modifier
Obfuscate
2 blood
Only usable by an untapped vampire not involved in the current action.
[obf] Give another minion/vampire/whatever +1 stealth.
[OBF] As above, but the cost of this card is reduced by 1 blood (but never less than 0).

I like this one! It would be interesting in the game, since it's never been done before. Maybe limit it to once per action (nitpick: and change the wording so you can play it as a reaction)

Hired Lobbyist
Action Modifier
Presence
1 blood
Only usable by an untapped, titled vampire during a referendum before votes are cast.

 Give another vampire 1 vote.

 Give another vampire 2 votes.

Voting already involves the entire table, so this seems redundant. Might as well gain the votes for yourself with Bewitching / Dread Gaze.

It's funny you mention your MtG heritage (nothing wrong with that), because these cards seem exactly what to expect from a new themed MtG release.
I'll build my point with an example: A themed release with Artifacts:
Red card: Destroy an artifact and deal damage to it's owner
Blue card: Cancel an artifact as it is put into play
White card: Destroy an artifact and you gain life equal to it's cost
(etc).
Each card doing what is supposed by the theme generally attributed to it's color.

This type of design is not bad, but I think that all these cards launched in a row is not, in theory, good for a small set. If we live in the wonderland where we have a new set coming out next month. Or semester.
I don't think all of these are needed or would be an improvement to the game.
Specially those that help to stop something from actively happening.
Cross table intercept, cross table damage prevent, etc.

I'm more in favor of cards that enhance the chances of something actually succeeding.
And you say "Wait, Tiago! Are you giving an argument against Direct Intervention?"
Shut up, imaginary voice. That's a different discussion. I'm 100% in favor of cards that one can use to help oneself, both offensively and defensively.

To finish and to not take much more of your time, I think the cards are balanced and probably a bit sub-par. Nothing wrong with that.
My opinion has probably more to do with my playstyle than with any real issue with the cards themselves.
I don't find them unbalanced and they seem fun if one likes to mettle in other's business.

NOTE: Hired Monster IS overpowered. Hint: Red Fear.

Cheers!
Tiago,

I think there is plenty enough of borrowable intercept already in the game, like WMRH, KRCG, Rumor Mill, London Evening Star, Ignis Fatuus, Babble, Tourette's Voice, Maris Streck.