Submission: 3 cards

So, I was replying to another topic, went to edit, and in a stroke of pure brilliance hit delete.

Anyway, the premise is that guns universally are better in vtes than melee weapons. Cold hard fact. Also a fact is in VTM, blades do lethal on vamps, bullets do bashing, so blades are better against vamps. To attempt to show this, while lightly nerfing guns (my favorite card in the game is 44 magnum, by the way) , the first 2 cards are admittedly effects already on separate cards in the same discipline, with added resistance to gunfire. The third is an attempt to quell the periodic complaints about how utterly useless melee weapons are.

Sidewinding

Celerity
prevent 1 non-aggravated damage, or up to 2 non-aggravated damage from a guns strike. A minion can play only one Sidewinding at each combat.
Strike: dodge, and this vampire may burn a blood for an additional strike.

'Tis but a scratch

Fortitude
prevent 1 damage with an optional press, only usable to go to continue combat. If the damage is from a strike with a gun, prevent up to two additional damage from that strike.
Only usable when determining range. Maneuver, only usable to go to close range, and prevent up to 1 damage later this round, or up to 3 damage from a guns strike.

Surgical Precision

Aim.
Only usable when choosing a melee weapon strike at close range. Only one aim card can be played each strike. This melee weapon strike inflicts one additional point of damage. If the opposing minions initial strike this round would end combat, they get no strike instead. The opposing minions controller may discard 3 combat cards to cancel this card as it is played.
cancel a grapple card as it is played. This does not count as an aim card.

ReverendRevolver wrote:

Sidewinding

Celerity
prevent 1 non-aggravated damage, or up to 2 non-aggravated damage from a guns strike. A minion can play only one Sidewinding at each combat.
Strike: dodge, and this vampire may burn a blood for an additional strike.

I don't like having a easy access prevention card, and I don't feel the CEL prevention (which usually mean dodging) can be better against guns that against melee attacks.

ReverendRevolver wrote:

'Tis but a scratch

Fortitude
prevent 1 damage with an optional press, only usable to go to continue combat. If the damage is from a strike with a gun, prevent up to two additional damage from that strike.
Only usable when determining range. Maneuver, only usable to go to close range, and prevent up to 1 damage later this round, or up to 3 damage from a guns strike.

I like this card a lot. It gives maneuver or press and it gives prevention, a pretty good one against guns. Although, I gotta say that I feel this should only prevent non-agravated damage. Also, you don't need to specify that the version can only be used when determining range, as its main function is a maneuver, which can only be played when determining range.

ReverendRevolver wrote:

Surgical Precision

Aim.
Only usable when choosing a melee weapon strike at close range. Only one aim card can be played each strike. This melee weapon strike inflicts one additional point of damage. If the opposing minions initial strike this round would end combat, they get no strike instead. The opposing minions controller may discard 3 combat cards to cancel this card as it is played.
cancel a grapple card as it is played. This does not count as an aim card.

I like the idea, but it does too many things in one card, which I think makes this card too powerful, when it doesn't need to be, as the "cancel a combat end" clause is enough to give this card a meaning to exist.
In my opinion, it doesn't need the reflex effect, and it doesn't need to ask for 3 cards to discard to cancel the aim: if your enemy is having to use 3 combat ends to be able to end the combat, he has been harmed enough.
Finally, the wording on the "cancel" is a bit off, as it need to specify that it cancels the strike. Something like "If the opposing minon is ending the combat as a strike, cancel that strike (he or she cannot choose another strike)."

Anything that nerf guns, especially is welcome. Card is very good and balanced. Guns are way too efficient, and .44 magnum is prime candidate for removal from the game along with deflection and govern. I like how the card isn't strictly better than other celerity options.

When it comes to second card, it's superior to many other prevention options which isn't good. It's superior version on inferior level.