Submission: Inherent knowledge

chrisn101 wrote:

The problem with this is that it is quite similar to Spontaneous Power . SP costs two pool but can be any discipline (even if the Vampire doesn't possess a level) and doesn't increase the vampire's capacity. Similarly, there's also a Trifle, Agent of Power , which is free and confers a temporary level. Given the costs of these two cards, it would suggest this card would be a Master action and cost a pool.

Ah this is where my limited knowledge of vtes raises its head - I'd never even heard of Spontaneous Power! Expensive, but even so - I'd likely put it into certain bloodlines decks just to give that extra permanent discipline boost.

'Blooding by the Code' is a great template to use too. If there is space in the set and art/playtest resources to provide a similar master for all of the weird bloodline disciplines that'd be a great solution to this issue.

But yeah I agree too that a more versatile top-up card, if costed right would be more appealing and could potentially see use outside of the bloodline clan decks.

It's a mean stretch to learn all the cards in VTES I only know because when I submitted some ideas last year, I had a look what was around and other VTES-ers have also commented. Secret Library or VTES Checklist are handy for checking card effects and standardising wording.

This was an early design for a Thanatosis Master Card that I tested locally. The feedback was that it was complicated, text-heavy, and too different to 'normal' Master Cards, so later versions focused on it being a standard Master Discipline card (although the final version on this post gave a blood to the Samedi or cost a pool if it was a different clan AFAIR). I'd originally modelled it on Blooding by the Code .

Get of the Ghedi
Master: Discipline.
Requirements: Samedi
Put this card on a Samedi vampire you control. Unless this Samedi already has superior Thanatosis , this vampire gains a level of Thanatosis and their capacity increases by 1: the vampire is one generation older.
Once per turn, you may tap this card to reduce the cost of a card requiring Thanatosis by one blood (but never less than zero).

Pros:

• grants a level of Thanatosis to Samedi with none or a basic level.
• designed so that can still be played on Samedi with superior Thanatosis and they just get the reduced blood bonus (I assume can be played on Lisandro Giovanni too).
• stackable so you could double/triple them up if desired.
• Thanatosis card blood reduction once per turn.
• Can't be destroyed like a Path - removing the vampire is the only way to get rid of them.

Cons:

• can't use it on non-Samedi like Smallpox so chances of superior THN only possible through more devious means (e.g. clan change) or Spontaneous power .
• have to remember to tap/untap them.
• a Path is one card, but you'd need several of these (and therefore several MC slots used) to get the same effect - personally I think this balances the 'dual use' power.

Not sure if a pro or a con:

• More powerful/effective when played on younger Samedi - may therefore encourage younger crypt.

If it were 'the way to go' (pro: dovetails nicely with Blooding by the Code so there's card consistency), then the Harbinger* version would presumably grant Necromancy cost reduction - but if you look at the crypts, they nearly all have Superior Necromancy, mostly missing superior Auspex, so that'd be slightly different (if it cost a pool, maybe it could grant a level of any of their in-clan disciplines). Blood Brothers and Gargoyles and Trujah are holes in my collection (think I must have traded them back in 2004 for Samedi/Harbinger cards) and I know less about them, my experience stemming from others playing them. Thoughts?

* Path of Bone already being snatched by the Giovanni....

Get of the Ghedi
Master: Discipline.
Requirements: Samedi
Put this card on a Samedi vampire you control. Unless this Samedi already has superior Thanatosis , this vampire gains a level of Thanatosis and their capacity increases by 1: the vampire is one generation older.
Once per turn, you may tap this card to reduce the cost of a card requiring Thanatosis by one blood (but never less than zero).

Simplified. Should add to the last line, though, "You may tap this card to reduce the cost of a Thanatosis card played by this vampire by one blood ..."