Card idea: One with Nature

Mael wrote:

In this case I think you're forgetting that Raptors only give -1 handsize at [ani]

Even better then, it will limit Raptor "abuse".

Juggernaut1981 wrote:

Um, you use a 6cap and load it up with:
2x Raptor
4x Raven Spy

It's now able to block around 8 actions with between +1 and +6 intercept. The more it blocks, the less intercept it will have and then it will eventually die and leave you with a 6-cap in torpor.

I can't see the point playing Raptor over Raven Spy because there is no combat anyway.

Surreal wrote:

But I find card much more interesting when it is minion, it can do stuff and not just sit still to block.

So do I. Basically, Jug's suggestion only works with Raven Spies in the end, whereas a mixed setup of retainers doing different stuff was more what I had in mind.

Surreal wrote:

My suggestion was earlier:

Name: One with Nature
Cardtype: Action
Clan: Ahrimane
+1 stealth action.
2 blood
Remove this vampire from the game and put this card into play with X animal retainers from your hand or ash heap on it, where X is half the capacity of the vampire (round down). This card becomes clanless independent vampire with X capacity, 2 strength and 0 bleed. Move X blood to him from the blood bank. This vampire gets +1 bleed for every animal retainer it has. It cannot gain retainers and burn when it has no retainer. For each damage it takes, you may burn 1 life from any of its retainers instead. During your untap phase this vampire takes 2 damage. When this card is burned, put the vampire back into play, empty, in your torpor region.

Bigger problem of it being ally is that it dies to steal blood and burn life effects instantly. Not sure if my version is too strong, thinking it can be too weak. 6 cap could make 3cap 2 str, 3 bleed vampire with +2 intercept and one elephant guardian. That created vampire must have some kind of dmg/burn retainer during untap so it doesn't last too long.

I like my suggestion more b/c you don't have to plan your whole deck around it. If you are playing with raven spies and murders with ahrimanes, you could put couple of copies in your deck when you vampires are getting low on blood. Maybe blood cost should be only 1. Cannot use equipment could work too. Card text is just getting long.

Sorry, I didn't see it because I was posting at the same time. It could be an alternative, though there's some trouble with your cardtext because the "For each damage it takes, you may..." means it will never die, and gives him access to disciplines that can make it a little too tough. The 2 damage part tend to counterbalance it but make it too weak because you won't keep it more than 2 turns. Vampires are a bit harder to balance due to the huge amount of options they have (greater than allies).

BTW, there is only 1 retainer that has 3 life (apart of Wolf Companion, but only a superior), it's the Elephant Guardian, and it's limited to 1 per minion.

If I adjust the ally version, it gives:

Name: One with Nature
Cardtype: Action
Clan: Ahrimane
Cost: 2 blood
+1 stealth action.
Remove this vampire from the game and put this card into play with X animal retainers from your hand or ash heap on it, where X is the capacity of the vampire. This card represents an unique ally with 0 strength, 0 bleed, 1 life, 1 stealth. It cannot gain retainers nor life and burn when it has no retainer. You may burn a retainer on it to untap it. You may use life from any of its retainers as its life. When this card is burned, put the vampire back into play, empty, tapped, in your torpor region.