Pool Damage Boost for Nosferatu Antitribu

Two more ideas to boost !Nos ousting power, both technologically themed. The first is straightforward and powerful, but limited to once-per-turn. The second is a bit text-heavy because it features a novel triggering mechanism (ala Khazar’s Diary), but with a worthwhile payoff.

Both cards were made in the interests of being card efficient and not boxing you into designing a very specific deck. In fact, either one could be incorporated into a multi-clan deck (though the second one would be most powerful in a deck of pure or mostly !Nos).

Enjoy!

Name: Ransomware
Cardtype: Action
Clan: Nosferatu antitribu
Cost: 1
Only 1 Ransomware may be played in a turn. If the acting vampire has a Laptop, this action gets +2 stealth.
Name a target Methuselah. If the action is successful, the target Methuselah may give you three pool to burn this card; otherwise, put it in play. All vampires get +1 bleed against the target Methuselah. Burn this card during your unlock phase.

Name: Schrecknet Dossier
Cardtype: Action
Clan: Nosferatu antitribu
Cost: 1 Pool
+1 stealth action. Name a target Methuselah who is not named for a Schrecknet Dossier and put this card in play. When a card effect forces the named Methuselah to discard cards from their hand or from the top of their library, place one of those cards on the Dossier. If five different cards are attached to the Dossier, it burns and the named Methuselah gets an exposure counter. All Nosferatu antitribu get +1 bleed when bleeding a Methuselah with any exposure counters and may look at that Methuselah’s hand after any successful action against them (after combat, if any), regardless of whether there are Dossiers in play.

I think Ransomware is a cool name, but my immediate reaction is that it is too powerful. Don't misunderstand me, I think the power level of cards should be higher than what it has been - it helps speed the game up and having cards feel impactful is great for getting new players into the game - but Ransomware is a potential 6 pool swing putting it on par with Parity Shift, or a +bleed boost on par with Palla Grande for a single turn. Except the way it's worded means that any bleeds bounced to the Ransomwared Methuselah get +bleed, same with any Kindred Spirits should someone want to bleed your prey. Or alternatively, you can put it on a Methuselah you want out of the game just to give their predator a boost. I mean, I think there's enough here mechanically that you could split this into two different cards and still have each be powerful.

Also, the way it's worded requiring you to 'name' a Methuselah. Does any other card do that? What if I'm playing against a European player with a name that I pronounce wrong? Or if I mistakenly hear it? What if they introduced themselves using some alias, specifically as meta-game defense of this card?!

The Shrecknet Dossier has a cool idea behind it, but I'm starting to believe user 1uck is right. Are more +bleed really what the !Nos need? What about political options? Or intercept? Or Black Hand utility?

What if the Dossier gave a Nos/!Nos Auspex and intercept? Something like:

Equipment.
+1 stealth equip action.
Choose a Methuselah who is not chosen for a Schrecknet Dossier.
Once per turn, whenever one or more cards are put into the chosen Methuselah's ash heap, place one of those cards on the Dossier.
While this card has three or more cards with different names on it, the equipped vampire gets +1 intercept against actions that Methuselah's vampires take. If this card has five or more library cards with different names on it, this vampire gains one level of Auspex.

Killiam wrote:

Name: Ransomware
Cardtype: Action
Clan: Nosferatu antitribu
Cost: 1
Only 1 Ransomware may be played in a turn. If the acting vampire has a Laptop, this action gets +2 stealth.
Name a target Methuselah. If the action is successful, the target Methuselah may give you three pool to burn this card; otherwise, put it in play. All vampires get +1 bleed against the target Methuselah. Burn this card during your unlock phase.

As with LBP's comment above, I think there's a core of a potentially really good idea, but the execution is probably a little over the top, particularly with implications for making bounce even more useful. Also how it would play out with a !Nos (or Mata Hari) with weenie support - weenies, Panders, Embrace/Creation Rites etc. The three pool to burn option is quite an interesting balancing factor, though.

jamesatzephyr wrote:

Killiam wrote:

Name: Ransomware
Cardtype: Action
Clan: Nosferatu antitribu
Cost: 1
Only 1 Ransomware may be played in a turn. If the acting vampire has a Laptop, this action gets +2 stealth.
Name a target Methuselah. If the action is successful, the target Methuselah may give you three pool to burn this card; otherwise, put it in play. All vampires get +1 bleed against the target Methuselah. Burn this card during your unlock phase.

As with LBP's comment above, I think there's a core of a potentially really good idea, but the execution is probably a little over the top, particularly with implications for making bounce even more useful. Also how it would play out with a !Nos (or Mata Hari) with weenie support - weenies, Panders, Embrace/Creation Rites etc. The three pool to burn option is quite an interesting balancing factor, though.

I really like the basis of Ransomware:
I'd clean it up by dropping the laptop bit, and make it only benefit Sabbat and Anarch vampires, it adds balance and fits thematically. I'd need to see tests to say if 2or3 to cancel is better.

The Dossier.....

Less awesome, because:

1. Too wordy.
2. Too much work to make it happen.
3. Could be less work and just be unique and make the target play with an open hand when it reached target mass.
4. Hugely important, SHRECKNET has fallen, the second inquisition took it and used it against kindred in the thousands.
I'm not saying that we alter existing cards after metaplot advances, but that's a quite huge part of how the metaplot for V5 has shifted the status quo; essentially turning the whole of technology into probable liability and the Camarilla did it to its self.
I posted an elaborate metaplot analysis of what Paradox has made Canon with V5 and with BJD which leads up to V5 and Paradox specifically worked with OP on to make Canon.

Frankly I wonder if I should've posted a link in the card ideas thread to the summary in the off topic one. If you read it, I warn you, it's long. I'll edit as I bother trying to read the sloppy cursive on the opening fluff of V5, but thusly, I've only noticed one important character death that I've added.