Rules Team Rulings - 6 December 1999

Rules Team Rulings 06-DEC-1999

Q: Does Life Boon's effect extend to the 1/2 VP awarded at the end of a round (in a DCI tournament) when time runs out?

A: Yes. If a player who has received a Boon hasn't been ousted when time runs out (and still has the Boon), then the Methuselah who played the Boon receives the 1/2 VP (in addition to her own 1/2 VP, if she is also still in the game when time runs out). In general, the Boon will award VPs, even fractional VPs, until it has awarded a total of one VP to the Methuselah who played it. Once a full VP has been awarded, then the Life Boon is burned.

Q: What happens to counters (like Disease counters or Corruption counters) on a vampire who is Banished? How about counters on cards on a Banished vampire (life counters on Retainers or counters on Temptation, for example)?

A: All counters remain on the vampire and on the cards on him when he goes to the Uncontrolled Region. The counters' effects only apply when the card they are on is controlled, however, unless the rules or card text says otherwise.

Q: A Toreador with Aching Beauty is blocked, but then plays Change of Target (or the blocker plays Obedience). Does the blocker's controller still burn a pool?

A: Yes. There had been some talk of changing the mechanic of blocking and block-induced combat (to match the Sabbat text of Obedience), but that was too complicated and unintuitive, and it led to some mis-matched rulings. Both Obedience and Change of Target are played after the block is successful but before the blocker is tapped and combat begins. (Note: this is errata to the Sabbat version of Obedience, making it read as the V:TES version reads.)

Q: A vampire diablerizes an older vampire and wants to play Soul Stealing. Does he play Soul Stealing before or after getting a discipline card? 

A: Before or after, at his option, so long as he plays it before the Blood Hunt.

Q: Can Voter Captivation be played after cards are replaced for a referendum?

A: Yes. Methuselahs draw back up to their hand sizes "after the referendum" [6.3.2] and Voter Captivation is played "after a successful ". Since the timings are the same, they can be done in any order.

Q: If a Malkavian rescues an untapped, empty vampire controlled by the "active" Methuselah from torpor via a Madness Network rescue action, does the rescued vampire have to hunt?

A: No. The stipulation on Madness Network that the action be taken "after another Methuselah has finished all of his or her minion phase actions" means that she cannot take any more minion phase actions, effectively prohibiting her minions from hunting.

Q: If a vampire plays Undead Persistence (inferior), but gets hit for enough damage (again) to send him to torpor in a later round, will the Undead Persistence still keep him out of torpor?

A: Yes. The V:TES printing of Undead Persistence omitted the continuing protection that the Jyhad version specified. The Jyhad text is correct. 

With the general rule of "all cards are played by the most recent card text", I have received a request to list the cards that don't follow that rule (that have errata making them function as an earlier printing read). Here's that list (which is just a subset of the errata list):

  • Clan hosers mis-printed to require clan control (errata'ed to remove that requirement, as in the Jyhad versions):
    • Gangrel Atavism (Gangrel De-evolution)
    • Malkavian Dementia
    • Tragic Love Affair
  • Academic HG - VTES errataed to read as Jyhad version (untap phase).
  • Asylum HG - VTES errataed to read as Jyhad version (2 pool).
  • Hector Sosa - VTES errataed to read as Jyhad version (superior POT).
  • Major Boon - VTES errataed to allow others (not just "you") to modify the bleed, as in the Jyhad version.
  • Malkavian Prank - VTES errataed to read as Jyhad version ("other" Meth, and you gain blood from them, not from the bank).
  • Obedience - Sabbat errataed to read as VTES version (timing, cancel combat).
  • Parity Shift - VTES version errataed so that the re-apportionment is specified before the voting, as in the Jyhad version.
  • Ritual of the Bitter Rose - VTES errataed to work as Jyhad version (usable as a modifier outside combat; usable in combat when burning opponent).
  • Second Tradition - VTES errataed to be usable by an untapped vampire, as in the Jyhad printing.
  • Smiling Jack the Anarch - VTES errated to read as Jyhad (each "other" Meth).
  • Soul Gem - VTES errataed to read as Jyhad (no cost, post-diablerie function).
  • Undead Persistence - Sabbat errataed to read as V:TES (continuing protection).