Rules Team Rulings - 22-APR-2013

As always, changes contained herein do not go into effect for sanctioned tournaments for 30 days. (So these become active on May 22nd, 2013.)


Rulebook

• Impulse

The notion of "impulse" has been added to the Rulebook. The "impulse" represents the next opportunity to play a card or use an effect. It respects the Sequencing Rule. Only the player with the impulse can play a card or use an effect.


• Additional Strikes

A minion may only gain additional strikes after the initial strike resolution, or after the resolution of one of his or her additional strikes. A minion with unresolved additional strikes cannot gain additional strikes. A minion is limited to gaining additional strikes only from one source each round. A minion cannot pass on using an additional strike.

Cardlist

• Some typos were corrected (Lilith’s Blessing reading "Duscipline").
• Names of artists were harmonised ("Larry Snelly" becoming "Lawrence Snelly")
• Incomplete cardtext was completed (The Summoning was missing some characters).
• No change in other text.

Banned Cards

• Lilith’s Blessing
Lilith's Blessing has been added to the banned list. An alternative effect to bring its mechanics back to the tournament game is being investigated, and the card will be reintroduced once a solution has been found and tested thouroughly.

Complete Rules Reference

Some clean-up (that was necessary) - removal of outdated references, alignment with the Rulebook.A complete list will be available soon.

General Rulings

I have started including all the valid rulings I encounter (either here on vekn.net or in the Newsgroup) to the Card Rulings page. My objective here is to have that page become more of a database than a simple page. The long-term goal is to have it integrated in tools such as the SecretLibrary or VampiDroid. This will require some changes in the tables, to properly cross-reference cards, rules, and rulings.

A "complete" (as far as the word applies to on-going processes) will be available soon.

Thanks for this update. But, ban Lilith's Blessing? Really?

Clearly the Rules Team operates independently from the forum, but some context for why this card is to be banned would be helpful.

In the latest poll, only 5 of 68 respondents said "Ban the thing, it's too bad for the game."

vekn.net/index.php/forum/40-polling-forum/16066-poll-liliths-blessing

From the TWDA since January 1, 2012:

255 Total Decks
76 had Lilith's Blessing
13 had Minion Tap
34 had Ashur Tablets
36 had Anthelios, The Red Star
40 had Parity Shift
58 had Blood Doll
73 had Vessel
102 had Villein
113 had Deflection
117 had Giant's Blood
178 had Pentex(TM) Subversion

Im inclined to agree. Especially when an alternate to the mechanic is being investigated.

Theres already a card that does this mechanic, and it had been a sought after promo card. Simply mandating the skill card makes it playable to the decks that neex the mechanic, and less playable to the decks abusing it.

Several decks now become weakened to the point of unplayable, because 2 liliths with 2-3 skill cards means you get the skill card, but 5 skill cards means you normally clump, if you draw them early.

Im not saying the game wont survive, but i said before a card that fetches disciplines was nescicary, and i also could have sworn the idea was if a card got banned not to make another nearly identical card that provides intended function without being broken.
I always assumed thats why therez no memories of mortality that cant go on imbued.

But, i will wait until a replacement is released, and be thrilled or irate depending on if it fetches masters or not.

My question is, why no Ashur errata? I assumed the word "minion" would be added between 13 and "cards", or it would be banned.

Jeff wrote:

Thanks for this update. But, ban Lilith's Blessing? Really? Clearly the Rules Team operates independently from the forum, but some context for why this card is to be banned would be helpful.

IANPB but since Villein is now an auto-include in 90% of tournament decks, a Lilith's Blessing is also a no-brainer auto-include as well. And their combined effect, continued throughout the game whenever a Villein is played -- contrast with the powerful Once Per Game effect of Giant's Blood-- is too powerful for a single MPA.

The effect of minion tap for everything as a trifle and then gain 3 blood is probably too strong, definately with multiple master phase actions. But having to fetch a skill card, or intending to fetch a skill card is fair for a mastercthat requires setup to activate.

I do not question weakening those annoying mpa decks, i just dont see why the mechanic is now being removed when errata would have been easier, or at the least more practical.

Also, Pascal: thank you for making Impulse go into a rulebook, thats needed to happen for awhile, and will hopefully make people less moronic when i interrupt thier transfering to act through madness network.

ReverendRevolver wrote:

My question is, why no Ashur errata? I assumed the word "minion" would be added between 13 and "cards", or it would be banned.

IANPB but Ashur Tablets hasn't yet been shown to be overpowered and/or too efficient.

Darby may have an answer to that at the NAC, but until then, I don't think Ashur Tablets is a problem.