[Submission] Samedi retainer: Ghouled Serpent

Ghouled Serpent
Ghouled animal with 3 life
Samedi
Cost: 2
Ghouled Serpent may cancel an opposing minions' manoeuvre once per combat: if so, the opposing minions' strikes target this retainer instead.
Ghouled Serpent inflicts one damage to the opposing minion each round of combat, may play a basic Fortitude combat card once per combat as a vampire and, if it has less than three life during your untap phase, gains a life.

Flavour text
Alas, I find the serpent old
That, twining in his speckled breast,
About the flowers disguised does fold,
With wreaths of fame and interest.
Andrew Marvell (1621-1678), The Coronet .

Art notes
A large boa slithering towards the back of someone, tongue tasting the air.

World of Darkness reference
None.

How does this card address a compelling game need?
This may just be my perception of the Samedi, but they seem to be rather ruthless: this seems to be an well-matched retainer: useful for rituals, grows big on vitea and protects its owner. At a pinch, entangles the opposing minion while the owner legs it. Celerity/Potence decks would sadly make short work of this selfless companion however.

I'm terrified by figuring out the rulings for this card plus strikes that specifically target vampires or allies. Does the Ghouled Serpent's text allow me to target it with a basic Call the Lamprey?

Strike: steal 1 blood from the opposing ally.

Maybe rephrase it slightly as "if so, the opposing minion's strikes must target this retainer." Hopefully that sounds a little less like Ghouled Serpent is changing the target, and more like it's restricting the choice of strikes to ones that can target the Ghouled Serpent.

Thanks Miasmat - the idea being that the opposing minion is struggling to break free of the snake, stopping them from successfully manoeuvring (which is why they have to hit/shoot the snake to free themselves). Traditionally I believe retainers can only be targeted at long range, but this would realistically be an exception.

Just clocked - I stated "Retainer" in the title but not on the text suggestion. My apologies. That would mean Call of Lamprey wouldn't be viable as it targets an ally.

I think it's WAY too complicated. This card alone is just exception to so many standard rules that using it would creat a lot of confusion. I like the idea of GHouled Serpent for Samedi but I would make it more along the lines of other cards to make it clear.
f.e.
1. Grapple. When minion with Ghouled Snake is in combat, opposing minion can play only hand strikes.
This would make Samedi combat a lot better with access to anty strike:combat end and its thematic with haiti/ serpents.
2. Minion with Ghouled Serpent may cancel an opposing minions' manoeuvre once per combat.
If the range is close Ghouled Serpent inflicts one damage to the opposing minion during strike resolution.

Ghouled Serpent
Ghouled animal with 2 life (retainer)
Samedi
Cost: 2
When the minion with Ghouled Snake is in combat, the opposing minion can only play hand strikes if the range is close, and once per combat this minion has an optional press to continue. If another round of combat occurs, that round is at close range; skip the determine range step for that round.