Forearm block or Nightstick vs. first strike

[cro...@gmail.com]

Forearm block:

Strike: prevent 2 damage from the opposing minion`s next hand strike
this round (including any currently-resolving hand strike). If another
round of combat occurs, this minion gets first strike on his or her
initial strike that round.

Similar wording on nightstick when used to prevent damage...

Do these damage preventions work against first strike (assuming the
forearm/nightstick isn't also at first strike)?

First strike says it resolves before normal strikes, so it would seem
it does not fit the "currently resolving" model, but all strikes (non-
additional) are chosen before any resolve, so if the 'clock' on
"currently resolving" starts upon strike selection, I could see it
working... so really it's a toss-up to me.

Sorry if this was already asked, searching first strike + these card
names didn't yield anything.

Thanks,
CJay

[LSJ]

cro...@gmail.com wrote:
> Forearm block:
>
> Strike: prevent 2 damage from the opposing minion`s next hand strike
> this round (including any currently-resolving hand strike). If another
> round of combat occurs, this minion gets first strike on his or her
> initial strike that round.
>
> Similar wording on nightstick when used to prevent damage...
>
> Do these damage preventions work against first strike (assuming the
> forearm/nightstick isn't also at first strike)?

No. First strike strikes don't resolve concurrently with non-first strike strikes.

> First strike says it resolves before normal strikes, so it would seem
> it does not fit the "currently resolving" model, but all strikes (non-
> additional) are chosen before any resolve, so if the 'clock' on
> "currently resolving" starts upon strike selection, I could see it
> working... so really it's a toss-up to me.

Choosing isn't the same as resolving, no.

[Jozxyqk]

cro...@gmail.com <cro...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Forearm block:

> Strike: prevent 2 damage from the opposing minion`s next hand strike
> this round (including any currently-resolving hand strike). If another
> round of combat occurs, this minion gets first strike on his or her
> initial strike that round.

Hi Chris.
Since Forearm Block is not playable in an Immortal Grapple, it is pretty
much always inferior to Dodge.
Against a non-grapple handstrike, Dodge can stop a lot more than 2 damage.
That's worth the Do-not-replace clause.

The only time Forearm Block is better is if you have some 2nd-round strike
that you'd like to be at First Strike.
And if that 2nd-round strike is a Thaumaturgy strike, then Theft of Vitae
is a better choice than Forearm Block most of the time (unless you're
really worried about aggpoke, in which case use Wind Dance).

I can't see a situation where Forearm Block is really playable, outside
of Draft where it's probably pretty good.
Does anyone have useful ideas for this card?

[Salem]

Jozxyqk wrote:
> cro...@gmail.com <cro...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Forearm block:
>
>> Strike: prevent 2 damage from the opposing minion`s next hand strike
>> this round (including any currently-resolving hand strike). If another
>> round of combat occurs, this minion gets first strike on his or her
>> initial strike that round.
>

> I can't see a situation where Forearm Block is really playable, outside

> of Draft where it's probably pretty good.
> Does anyone have useful ideas for this card?

hmmm. some minion with a built-in press, and/or a fancy 2nd round
strike? Isn't there some setite who does something weird?

maybe some sort of Ahriman's Demense deck?

Also handy if your playgroup sees a lot of Scorpion Sting...?

Yeah, it does seem pretty bad, though.

--
salem
(replace 'hotmail' with 'yahoo' to email)

[Jozxyqk]

Salem <salem_ch...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Jozxyqk wrote:
> > cro...@gmail.com <cro...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Forearm block:
> >
> >> Strike: prevent 2 damage from the opposing minion`s next hand strike
> >> this round (including any currently-resolving hand strike). If another
> >> round of combat occurs, this minion gets first strike on his or her
> >> initial strike that round.
> >

> > I can't see a situation where Forearm Block is really playable, outside
> > of Draft where it's probably pretty good.
> > Does anyone have useful ideas for this card?

> hmmm. some minion with a built-in press, and/or a fancy 2nd round
> strike? Isn't there some setite who does something weird?

Yes. I've used Seren Sukardi's ability (with a borrowed deck, no
less). His ability only works if the previous round's range was Long,
so I guess you *could* play the Forearm block at long just for the
first-strike-next-round effect.. but still tenuous, in my opinion.

> maybe some sort of Ahriman's Demense deck?

I think Arms of the Abyss would still be a better first-round choice if
you're planning on Demesne and not worried about grapples.

[cro...@gmail.com]

On Feb 17, 8:51 am, Jozxyqk <jfeue...@eecs.tufts.edu> wrote:
> crob...@gmail.com <crob...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Forearm block: <snipped text>

>
> Hi Chris.
> Since Forearm Block is not playable in an Immortal Grapple, it is pretty
> much always inferior to Dodge.
> Against a non-grapple handstrike, Dodge can stop a lot more than 2 damage.
> That's worth the Do-not-replace clause.
>
> The only time Forearm Block is better is if you have some 2nd-round strike
> that you'd like to be at First Strike.
> And if that 2nd-round strike is a Thaumaturgy strike, then Theft of Vitae
> is a better choice than Forearm Block most of the time (unless you're
> really worried about aggpoke, in which case use Wind Dance).
>
> I can't see a situation where Forearm Block is really playable, outside
> of Draft where it's probably pretty good.
> Does anyone have useful ideas for this card?

Thanks for the tip, I was actually more concerned about Nightstick
since that's the actual scenario where the issue came up (My Elimelech
the Twice-Damned vs Renegade Garou with a nightstick and only 2 life),
but I had forearm block text handy when I wrote the question and
thought I'd include both for future searches. Forearm block does seem
tough to justify a slot, though nightstick, for the 1 pool, seems a
lot more usable than bastard sword unless you got a lot of Kaisyd
running around.

[JJeff]

I'm using Forearm Block quite nicely in my Zombies deck

Shambling Hordes + Forearm Block + <Trap or press card> works for me
against people who think they can survive my zombies bashing them up
just because they can do damage to my zombies to lower their damage
output

[Salem]

Jozxyqk wrote:

>> maybe some sort of Ahriman's Demense deck?
>
> I think Arms of the Abyss would still be a better first-round choice if
> you're planning on Demesne and not worried about grapples.

but....umm.....you're playing in a high scorpion-sting and Walk of Flame
environment.....*cough*. so you need the first strike in the second
round, and need the prevent in the first round.

of course, if you're playing Obt, you should probably just S&B people to
death and not worry about this 'combat' thing.