How I would re-launch V:TES. (audience participation is encouraged)

With the possibility of V:TES seeing print after it's second torpor, I've begun to collect my thoughts on how to best re-launch the game. I have a few specific axes to grind, and not a lot of time to do it with, so let's go.

First and foremost, I'd ditch the CCG sales model. I would use a sales model more similar to LCGs. To mollify collectors, there would be multiple artwork for some cards, and modest numbers of 'chase' cards distributed randomly.

I would do a total redesign of all of the card templates to showcase the 'New and Improved' version of the game, and keep the visual appeal new and fresh. It's been thirteen years since we've had an overhaul. L5R went through several iterations with regard to design; we can too.

Ruleswise, I would eliminate the following: Imbued, Red List, Research Area, and Vulnerability. None of these really add any appreciable depth and complexity to the game. We can all just agree that Nights of Reckoning never happened, we could probably keep Red List as a keyword and get some some non-shitty tech designed for it. Black Hand has done reasonably well for itself. As for Research Area and Vulnerability, consider the following sentence: “I was super happy to have a Poker stashed in my Research Area, I'd have lost the game otherwise.*”

I'd eliminate Anti-Tribu clans. Just smoosh all those motherfuckers right in with their Camarilla, Independent, and Laibon counterparts. I've got a long-standing grudge with the concept of Anti-Tribu dating back to when I first discovered they were a thing back in '96. Clan-specific cards can largely be put together on both sides of the fence and it eliminates some weirdness when vampires switch clans. There might be a handful of really gross things going on, but I don't think that bricks will be shat over having access to two Hunting Ground master cards. Scarce will have to be slightly modified to read “When a Methuselah moves a scarce vampire from her uncontrolled region to her ready region during her influence phase, she must burn 3 pool for every other Scarce vampire of the same clan already in play.” The change to Scarce also may open up some other design avenues by allowing 'Scarce' versions of common vampire clans.

Reflex gets its own card type and isn't just used to cancel other cards. The card template would be the inverse of the Reaction card, just like how Action Modifiers are the photo inverse of Action cards. Wake With Evening's Freshness and its ilk become Reflex cards. We get to throw out pages of rulings when we do this. Seriously, I read that thread in its entirety and I hated myself afterward for making my brain hurt that much.

Independent Vampires would get their own titles. Sorry fans of the novels, it's more consistent with the rules for them to just have their own titles. It's also less confusing to new players, which is a trope I loathe to invoke, but I had recently had the pleasure of explaining to a new player why Xaviar had a title, and that title bumps up Gerald Windham's ability, but Gerald didn't actually have a title. They can lose their titles like everyone else when they change sect, or not, I don't really give a shit, but I also have no emotional attachment to these characters outside of what happens during a game of V:TES. Maybe I'd include a way to indicate whether a title was contestable or not, while I'm at it (Actually, that sounds like something the design team should get on, anyway).

I would add 'Skills' or something else like that to the game so we can eliminate the weirdness of “Striga is not a discipline, but it totally does the same thing!” maybe they could have Flight over for brunch on the weekend where they could yearn for the days when they will have some worthwhile cards to use.

I think that's it. I'll check the thread to answer questions and respond to other people's equally brilliant ideas, and the delightfully florid critiques of my own.


* Taken from a list of things that have never been said by anyone, ever.

Sorry, I replied on another thread to this issue here.

The votes (and other card text) could be like this:

Arika
Camarilla: 4 Votes (Ventrue Inner Cirlce).
+2 Bleed.
If Arika is ready during your prey's untap phase, your prey chooses which locations he or she keeps in play. For each location he or she controls, your prey burns 1 pool or burns the location.

Hardestadt
Camarilla: 4 Votes (Ventrue Inner Cirlce).
+2 Strength. +1 Bleed
Any vampire contesting Hardestadt's title must yield during his or her untap phase.

Montano
Independent: 2 Votes.
+1 Bleed.
Cards requiring Obtenebration [obt] cost Montano 1 less blood. Once each action, he can burn 1 blood to give an acting minion you control +1 stealth.

Tyler:
Camarilla: 1 Vote.
When Tyler diablerizes a vampire, she untaps and gains a blood from the blood bank. Once per turn, she may burn a blood to get +1 bleed or an additional vote.

(I would drop Primogen, Priscus and Bishops from the rules - only complicates things).

Gerald Windham
Camarilla.
+1 Stealth.
If Gerald has no title, he gets an additional vote for each ready titled vampire controlled by other Methuselahs.

Might not be optimal, put makes things a bit better.
What do you think?

Personally I would ditch the whole concept of contesting votes entirely.

I'd also change princes/archbishops to either (eg)
Ladislas Toth
Sabbat. 2 Votes (titled)

or
Ladislas Toth
Sabbat. 2 Votes (titled, Archbishop)

The former option would also suggest changing all cards that say 'requires a Prince' to 'requires a titled Camarilla vampire'. So it may have balance issues with the current card pool.

On a similar note, if the game was to be relaunched as an LCG or with a limited card pool, I'd also ditch the concept of vampires contesting. Change uniqueness to instead be something that only applies per player. So two different players could have Nergal in play, but one player could not have two copies of Nergal in play.
Even if the game was relaunching with the full card pool, I'd consider this change.
I don't really think that contesting cards adds anything to the game, other than sometimes meaning one person loses before his game even gets started.

I forgot to put an example of a city title.

François Vilon
Camarilla: 2 Votes (Prince of Paris).
+1 Bleed.
François may steal up to 2 blood from a younger vampire as a +1 stealth action.

Mael wrote:

or
Ladislas Toth
Sabbat. 2 Votes (titled, Archbishop)

Problem is that you want to keep these as short as possible.
Sometimes there is some other text in the textbox too. Sometimes a LOT...