Defensive Mechanisms?

jblacey wrote:

The real problem is that Nosferatu can not reliably put good big vampires into play without dying to bleed. Even if they could, they then have no good way to bloat.

This comment got me thinking: what defensive mechanisms does the game have for surviving the primary ousting method i.e. bleeding?

We have:
--Intercept
--Bounce
--Bleed Reduction
--Back Rush / Torpor
--Bloat
--Lock Down? (Mind Numb? Unsure of other 'tap, can't untap next turn' examples. Maybe Banishment and Pentex Subversion fall into this category?)

Am I missing anything? What other ways can defense be done in VTES?

--What about defensive action cancelling cards? There's Rewind Time via Temporis , but what if (does?) that effect appeared in another Discipline(s)? Like imagine if Obfuscate or Protean got reactionary Change of Target, Tangle Atropos Hand, and Direct Intervention style effects.

--What about 'taxing' effects? Most that come to mind are proactive (hurting your prey) like Aching Beauty or Dominion punishing blockers. What about reactive taxing effects? Make them pay blood to bleed you?

--What about convert pool loss into card loss? Would you be willing to mill yourself for 6 instead of taking that bleed for 6?

--What about a 'Faustian Bargain' / 'Angel's Grace' type effect? Like, 'If you would be ousted, instead you are not. (You stay in the game at 0 pool.) At the end of your turn, if you did not oust your prey this turn, you are ousted and your predator gains 8 pool and +2 transfers (those transfers last for the remainder of the game.)'

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=46134&type=card
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=370545&type=card

The only realistic options are bounce and bloat. You can block as support to bounce but not the other way (you can play 12 deflection and no intercept but u cant play weenie auspex if you take out the 12 bounce). Thank you pentex, block fails, and stupid big dominate/presence bleeds.

Maybe this will get shaken up but its where we are.