submission: Swift and Brutal Introduction

Cardname: Swift and Brutal Introduction
Disciplines:
Cardtype:
Cost: 1 blood
Cardtext:
Only usable at close range.
The opposing minion takes 2 damage (preventable) before strikes are chosen this round. This damage cannot be made aggravated. This minion has no initial strike this round (but can still additional strike). Can only be played once each round.
As above, but the opposing minion takes 3 damage.

Example design to deliver damage and circumvent S:CE (and dodge) without actually cancelling S:CE.
Celerity/protean seemed like a good fit for !Gangrel.

A means to actually "first strike" without changing "first strike" rules.
I pondered naming the card "First Strike" for irony effect, but would just be confusing.

Art notes:
A vampire bursting from the ground, blurry due to speed.


EDITS:
- Added: "Can only be played once each round."

GreyB wrote:

Cardname: Swift and Brutal Introduction
Disciplines:
Cardtype:
Cost: 1 blood
Cardtext:
Only usable at close range.
The opposing minion takes 2 damage (preventable) before strikes are chosen this round. This damage cannot be made aggravated. This minion has no initial strike this round (but can still additional strike).
As above, but the opposing minion takes 3 damage.

As written, you can play as many as you want, so - with the exception of damage prevention type effects - you're pretty much able to guarantee torpor. And while there is a blood cost, that's not that relevant when you're about to do 3, 6, 9, 12... damage, and Taste the blood back. Even Outside the Hourglass is limited to one per combatant per round.

Added limitation: "Can only be played once each round."

GreyB wrote:

(preventable)

As a rule of thumb, do not waste card text on repeating the rules.

This damage cannot be made aggravated.

This not being a hand strike, it takes Dawn Operation to make it aggravated. That is a 3 discipline combo with an extra situational requirement, for an effect that already available in . There is no reason to ban it, and even less reason to waste card space for banning it.

Since you are going for a first strike-like effect, it would be better as a card so that the Assamite get access to it too.

Non-existant user wrote:

Since you are going for a first strike-like effect, it would be better as a card so that the Assamite get access to it too.

As much as I love this idea; it's pretty brutal with Damn the Hearts River.