Two-player format

I'm looking at the proposed two-player format and see a ton of card restrictions. I have many years of experience playing two-player VTES, and seeing a massive list of restricted cards seems counterproductive to me (why play the format if one can't use the cards?). In my experience, the only real change needed is unbinding the decks being used, and using (or building) two decks that will interact well in a 2-player setting. This works because while the decks and cards are known, the players still have to shuffle the decks and rely strictly on randomness for the fun of the format. It's definitely different than normal 4-5-player VTES with blinded decks, but it is still very fun. And quick. With this approach, only a few rule and card changes are needed to ensure almost every card can be used. Below is what I've been doing. I strongly suggest people give it a look.

Introduction

Vampire: the Eternal Struggle (VTES) is a collectable card game notable for its highly social multiplayer gameplay. A two-player format of VTES has not been developed. This two-player format of VTES highlights balanced head-to-head matchups to compensate for the lack of social interactions.

Deck construction
In this two-player format, two decks of 40 to 50 library cards and eight crypt cards are constructed as desired, but foremost for optimal interaction and a balanced power level. The players are not blinded to the decks until the cards are shuffled and dealt.

Playing the game

The players play the game with a 30-minute time limit and the following rule alterations:

1. The allotment of transfers at the beginning of the game is as follows: the side taking the first turn gets two transfers, the opposing side then gets three transfers, and then each side gets four transfers thereafter.

2. The Edge does not automatically give one pool during the untap phase. Instead, control of the Edge can be ceded at the start of the turn to gain one pool (this is not considered burning or losing control of the Edge, the Edge simply becomes uncontrolled). Ceding control of the Edge occurs before the untap phase.

3. Cards and effects that change the target of a bleed (“bleed target–changing cards”) instead reduce the bleed amount to one. No other card or effect can be used to further reduce or increase the bleed amount. All bleed target–changing minion cards cost one blood when used in this way or when using other effects granted by the card. All other effects resulting from playing the card, such as tapping minions, apply as normal. Any cards or effects that cancel bleed target–changing cards can be used to cancel cards used in this way.

4. Cards or effects that refer to any predator, any prey, and/or one or more other Methuselahs instead refer to the opposing side.

5. Cards or effects that allow one Methuselah to “save” another Methuselah from being ousted awards the “saving” side one additional victory point when the card is played (see Ending the game for a description of how victory points are handled in this two-player format).

6. Cards or effects that allow a minion to block ignoring normal predator, prey, or target restrictions instead force the controller of the reacting minion to perform a coin flip when the attempt to block is made (ignore any current stealth or intercept until after the coin flip). If tails, the action continues as if unblocked and the reacting minion may not attempt to block the action again. If heads, any stealth or intercept is lost, and proceed as if the acting player was blocked and played Change of Target (untap the acting minion, do not tap the blocking minion, and end the current action before combat, if any. The action is not successful. The acting minion cannot perform the same action again this turn).

Ending the game
The game ends when either side is ousted; if the ousting side has any pool counters remaining, that side receives two victory points. For games where both sides are simultaneously ousted, one side successfully withdraws from the game, or the game ends prematurely because an infinite loop is detected and/or an excessive amount of game time passes (>30 minutes), each side receives one victory point. The side with the most victory points at the end of the game is declared the winner. No winner is declared if the number of victory points possessed by each side after ending the game is equal.

Multiple games
If wishing to play more than one game, a best-of-five games series can be performed, with the sides competing to be the first to garner five victory points. Games within a best-of-five games series follow some additional guidelines, as follows: 1) victory points received after a game in the series are carried over to subsequent games, 2) a side receives three counters for each victory point received; six such counters can be spent to start the next game in the series with control of the edge. The series ends when a side garners five victory points; the first side to do so is declared the winner of the series. If both sides reach five victory points simultaneously, the first tiebreaker will be the highest number of game wins, and the second tiebreaker will be the highest number of victory points. No winner of the series is declared if each side reaches five victory points simultaneously and neither side has the highest number of game wins or victory points.

Card clarifications

The following is a list of card clarifications for all sets before V5 (this format was developed before V5). If the card being clarified includes effects that are not mentioned below, assume those effects occur as normal.

Aksinya Daclau: Special ability can be used to reduce bleed amount to 1. Does not cost 1 blood.
Anneke: Can use special ability to force coin flip.
Black Sunrise: Superior effect does not give the ability to force a coin flip.
Conniver: Move 1 blood from the blood bank to this vampire after opposing side’s discard phase only if opposing side’s pool total is lower than it was at the start of the turn.
Contingency Planning: Can cancel bleed target–changing cards used to reduce bleed amount to 1. If more than 1 pool is bled, do not ignore the excess.
Conservative Agitation: Can allocate 2 points to opposing side.
Deflection: Reduces bleed amount to 1.
Determine: First paragraph reduces bleed amount to 1. Costs 1 conviction.
Donatello Giovanni: Controller can choose one of its own vampires during opposing side’s untap phase.
Dreams of the Sphinx: Cannot tap to gain 1 pool if ceding control of the Edge.
Eagle’s Sight: If used at superior, forces a coin flip.
Edge Of The World: Only usable when receiving at least 1 victory point from ousting opposing side. Receive 12 counters instead of 6. Ignore all other card text.
Enzo Giovanni, Pentex Board Of Directors: Can tap to force coin flip when blocking opposing side’s current political action.
Extremis Boon: The opposing side can end their minion phase and give 1 pool to the side playing the card to keep them in the game. The opposing side receives 1 victory point if deciding to do so.
Falcon’s Eye: Superior forces a coin flip.
Gambit Accepted: Can be used if carrying over victory points from previous games in a series. The side playing the card receives 3 victory points at the end of the game if not ousted and the opposing side is ousted. The opposing side receives 3 victory points at the end of the game if not ousted and side playing card is ousted. If the game ends with neither side ousted, each side receives no more than 1 victory point.
Igoli’s Loyalty: The acting side gets the opportunity to accept/decline either after the opposing side declines or if the opposing side controls no minions with titles.
Intisar: Cannot use special ability if ceding control of the Edge at the start of the turn.
Khabar: Glory: If in play when ousting opposing side, receive 12 counters instead of 6.
Kine Resources Contested: Can allocate 4 points to opposing side.
King’s Rising: Card cannot be burned if control of the Edge is ceded at the start of the turn.
Last Stand: Side playing the card takes the first turn at the start of the next game in a series and receives 6 transfers (instead of 2).
Lextalionis: Can be used if a side received a victory point from cards that “save” a Methuselah from being ousted.
Life Boon: The “saving” side receives 1 victory point when the card is played. The “saved side” is exempt from giving 1 pool to the opposing side for their first turn after this card is played.
Lost In Translation: Reduces bleed amount to 1. Costs 1 blood.
Lucina: Cannot use special ability if ceding control of the Edge at the start of the turn.
Lucinde, Alastor: Cannot use special ability if ceding control of the Edge at the start of the turn.
Major Boon: Disregard text and replace with the following alternative text: Only usable when opposing side loses pool to the blood bank from paying the pool cost of a minion card. The side playing Major Boon pays the cost instead and puts the card in play. When the controller of Major Boon plays a minion card that has a pool cost, the controller of Major Boon can burn it to force the opposing side to pay the pool cost instead. Only 1 Major Boon can be played in a game.
Momentums’ Edge: Can be used if carrying over victory points from previous games in a series.
Murmur Of The False Will: Superior reduces bleed amount to 1. Costs 1 blood.
My Enemy’s Enemy: Superior reduces bleed amount to 1. Costs 1 blood.
Narrow Minds: Bleed target–changing cards used to reduce bleed amount to 1 cost an additional blood or life.
Orun: If this Laibon’s bleed amount is reduced to 1 via bleed target–changing cards, do not burn 1 Orun.
Political Flux: Receive the chosen number of counters upon opposing side being ousted.
Reckless Agitation: Can allocate 6 points to opposing side.
Redirection: Reduces bleed amount to 1. Costs 1 blood.
Sennadurek: Ceding control of the Edge does not activate special ability.
Sonja Blue: Opposing side may burn 1 pool to take control during their discard phase.
Suspension Of Disbelief: If superior is used, bleed target–changing minion cards used to reduce bleed amount to 1 cost an additional blood or life.
Taunt The Caged Beast: If used at superior, use the inferior text, and if only 1 minion is ready at the end of combat, that minion gains 4 blood. Disregard all other text at superior.
Telepathic Misdirection: Superior reduces bleed amount to 1.
Terra Incognita: Can burn 1 blood to cancel bleed target–changing cards used to reduce bleed amount to 1.
The Bitter And Sweet Story: Can be used if carrying over victory points from previous games in a series; maximum plus-2 hand size.
The Rising: Victory point condition is binding if carrying over victory points from previous games in a series.
Trochomancy: If bleed amount is reduced to 1 via bleed target–changing cards, the cards from the ash heap are still removed from the game.
Two Wrongs: Can be used to reduce the bleed amount to 1. Canceling effect cannot be used.
Uriah Winter: Ceding control of the Edge happens before comparing pool totals.
Using The Advantage: Cannot use if ceding control of the Edge at the start of the turn.