Spying Mission Questions

[Lupus Australis]

Greetings!

If a vampire has superior Spying Mission played on him after a successful
bleed of his prey, bleeds again successfully, then activates the +2 bleed.
Can the prey then bleed bounce? [Arguably no, because in order for
the +2 bleed to go into effect, it must have already been determined that
the SAME methuselah has been successfully bled, so the opportunity to
deflect is past.]

Similarly, if a vamp with Spying Mission played on him successfully bleeds
for two, and then burns the Spying Mission for a total bleed of 4, can the
Methuselah being bled now play Archon Investigation? [Arguably no,
because by the time the +2 bleed goes into effect, the bleed is already
successful and not an "attempt" as specified in AI. Playing AI would
create a contradiction where Spying Mission was burned on an unsuccessful
bleed.]

After one has played superior Spying Mission on a bleeding vamp, is it too
late to play Mask of 1000 Faces to untap him, and have another vamp take
over the action?

If so, could one play another superior Spying Mission on the second vamp?

Lupus Australis
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[LSJ]

Lupus Australis wrote:
> If a vampire has superior Spying Mission played on him after a successful
> bleed of his prey, bleeds again successfully, then activates the +2 bleed.
> Can the prey then bleed bounce? [Arguably no, because in order for
> the +2 bleed to go into effect, it must have already been determined that
> the SAME methuselah has been successfully bled, so the opportunity to
> deflect is past.]

No. Spying Mission is only burned after all action modifiers/reactions
are played (when the action finally resolves), and then only if the
proper Methuselah is being bled for one or more pool.

> Similarly, if a vamp with Spying Mission played on him successfully bleeds
> for two, and then burns the Spying Mission for a total bleed of 4, can the
> Methuselah being bled now play Archon Investigation? [Arguably no,
> because by the time the +2 bleed goes into effect, the bleed is already
> successful and not an "attempt" as specified in AI. Playing AI would
> create a contradiction where Spying Mission was burned on an unsuccessful
> bleed.]

Hmm. When you put it that way... Right. AI cannot be played after
Spying Mission has been burned, since the bleed is resolved at that point.

> After one has played superior Spying Mission on a bleeding vamp, is it too
> late to play Mask of 1000 Faces to untap him, and have another vamp take
> over the action?

Yes, it is too late. Spying Mission is played "instead of removing pool",
which means "when the action resolves" - further modifiers cannot be
played, unless they are played after the action in general (like Freak
Drive - but it cannot be played after an unblocked bleed of zero, so...)

> If so, could one play another superior Spying Mission on the second vamp?

Moot.

--
L. Scott Johnson (vte...@wizards.com)
Official VtES Net.Rep for Wizards of the Coast.
(*) - Subject to review by Rules Team