Imbued and blood costs/general mechanics

2wayspeaker wrote:

So if I have Volker on 1 blood and Sunset Strip: Hollywood in play I can't reqruit a neighbourhood watch commander because it costs 2?

Tap the Sunset Strip and it costs one.

[LSJ 20031202]

LSJ wrote:

> How early can you tap Sunset Strip to reduce the cost of a mortal ally
> by 1?
>
> for example:
> cicatriz has 1 blood. it wants to get a courier. you can't attempt an
> action you can't afford. cicatriz can't afford the courier. but can
> you tap the sunset strip as you announce the action, or something, to
> be able to attempt (and then succeed at, as the cost is 1 less) the
> action?

Yes. The most frequent example of this effect is Masochism, but Succulent
Vitae and then Soul of the Earth are a distant second and third, I imagine.

Similarly, a vampire who had played Inner Essence could use the effect
to reduce the cost of a combat card down to something he could afford
to pay.

[LSJ 20090705]

LSJ wrote:

>> When do I tap Sunset Strip to reduce the cost of an ally I'm
>> recruiting or a retainer I'm employing?
>>
>> A) When I play the ally or retainer card
>> B) When the action to recruit or employ is successful
>>
>> I assume it's A, since Sunset Strip doesn't mention reducing the cost
>> when the ally/retainer is played, but I'm wrong about this stuff all
>> the time...
>
Either is fine. You may need to tap it at announcement in order to attempt the
action you could not otherwise afford.

A somwehat similar issue is faced with the Ravnos Clown Car deck (Tumnimos paid for by Ravnos Carnival). You can attempt an action that you don't have the blood for, by indicating that the currency counters will let you pay for it - though you can pay for it using blood or currency counters when it reaches successful resolution, if you gain blood during the action somehow.

[LSJ 20090201]

LSJ wrote:

> A Ravnos with 2 blood attempts a Sensory Deprivation Action.
> There is a Ravnos Carnival in play with some counters on it.
>
> The Ravnos gains blood during the action, before it resolves.
> Must he still use the Carnival's counters, since it facilitated his
> announcement of the action?

No.

The origin of the Ravnos Carnival trick is somewhat lost in the mists of time (probably somewhere more ephemeral, like the White Wolf forums).

Requirements for Playing Cards. Each library card has symbols on the attribute bar (the marble stripe on the left side) for the card type (except for master cards), the clan or Discipline (if any) required to play the card and the cost (if any) of playing that card. Some cards will have other requirements (such as capacity or title) stated in the card text. Only a minion who meets the requirements given on a minion card can play it, while only a Methuselah who controls a ready minion who meets the requirements of a master card can

1.6.1.3 does not refer to the cost as a requirement. Quite the contrary, it refers to things which are required to play and isolates separately the cost. However, I'll concede for now that my interpretation may just simply be a rhetoric based problem and drop my feelings there.

Even still 6.2.1 allows my example to work anyway.

6.2.1. Announce the Action

All details of the action are declared when the action is announced, including the target(s), the cost, the effects, etc. Any card required for the action is played (face up) at this time. Tap the acting minion (only ready untapped minions can take actions).

This is also the rule that allows you to use Sunset Strip, as it is technically a detail of the action.

If this much analysis is needed to figure out why Jennifer's special ability is worded the way it is, then there is probably something wrong with the card text. It's just poorly stated.

"When Jennifer plays weapon cards, pool and blood costs are reduced by 1."