Monocle of Clarity (& questions about the deck contents)

Dorrinal wrote:

After determining that one's prey will never have AI in hand, one can ask other important questions. For example, whether they have a wake or bounce in hand.

Or you can ask every turn if they have either an AI or a wake/bounce in hand.

Right now you can ask questions with the Monocle that a player might legitimately not know the answer to, "such as how many of X do you have in your deck?" Pascal's solution is to say that the player should answer to the best of his ability, but that of course there is a possibility that he might be wrong since he can't check the content of his deck. That is not unreasonable, but it leads to the possibility of a person legally lying about the contents of his decks since he has a defense that cannot be verified: "I forgot that I didn't have a copy of Archon Investigation in my deck when you asked me." (Obviously if someone asks if you have any AIs in your deck, you want your answer to be yes )

The problem is with the Monocle. You can ask questions that a player might not be ABLE to answer 100% truthfully, although he is required to do so.

Limiting the scope of the Monocle's questions would clean things up quite a bit. Limiting the Monocle to ask about the player's hand and uncontrolled region seems reasonable and easy.

It is my belief that your decks contents does not pertain to to the game, though it could if you draw the card(s). Such questions are about the future and are in no way binding.

Shard wrote:

It is my belief that your decks contents does not pertain to to the game, though it could if you draw the card(s). Such questions are about the future and are in no way binding.

In what way does an essential game component not pertain to the game?

This isn't a question about beliefs. This is just a simple question of card text. Your library (and crypt) are both part of the game. Questions about them pertain to the game. That's simply what the words mean.


The point is that you're not allowed (as was possible with the original printing) to ask questions about things that are completely disconnected from the game. "Did you sleep with my wife?" is one of the usual examples.


"Is that the same deck you played on Tuesday?" is totally legitimate. ("No..." because I swapped Villein out for Blood Doll is also totally legitimate.) Because it pertains to the game.

Here are some questions that pertain to VtES, but are out of game considerations.

Did you build the deck you are playing now?

Have you ever won a tournament?

Have you spent 2000 or more on vtes cards?

Questions about library and crypt are about cards that you "might" draw are about the future, if you never draw a card can you really say it pertained to the game.

That's completely besides the point.

I'm not asking what you "might" draw. I'm asking if a card is in your deck RIGHT NOW. I'm not asking if you would swap that Smiling Jack for a Pentex if you would change the deck. The card is there, or it is not. This has NOTHING to do with any future whatsoever.