VtES Clarifications List

[LSJ (VtES Rep)]

VtES clarifications and statements:
-----------------------------------

Play Area
Rulings
* There are three regions in front of each player: the
inactive region, the torpor region, and the ready
region. The last two regions are collectively called the
active region. :T01:

Playing Cards

* You cannot play a card whose cost cannot be paid.

Controlled Cards

* If control of a card is returned to a player who has
been ousted, the card is burned.

Master Cards

* All master cards are single use unless they say "put
this card into play" or are locations. Playing cards
"on" other cards qualifies as putting into play.
* X

Minion cards

* A discipline-based card that is put into play is put
into play at either basic or superior level. Once in
play, you can't change which level it was played at,
even if you give the vampire that played it a better
ability.

Allies

* Ignore all "burn blood" effects entirely. :A01:

Retainers

* Retainers can only be targeted by a strike if combat is
at long range.

Action Modifiers/Reactions

* The cost for action modifiers is paid even if the action
is blocked.

Combat

* Going to torpor/ash heap ends the combat.
* If both minions play Strike: Combat Ends, then the
strikes resolve simultaneously (as per rules)
* Dodges are always strikes, even if a (Jyhad) card
forgets to say so.

Damage (Combat)

* Hand damage: damage from a hand strike. e.g. Damage from
a Bastard Sword is *not* hand damage.

Voting

* You receive extra votes for each "ready" titled vampire
you control. :T01:

Contesting

* If a previously contested card ceases to be contested,
it is returned to the active region face up and untapped
(if appropriate). :T01:

Torpor and Diablerie

* The entire action of rescuing or diablerizing (including
the target of the action) must be announced when the
action is declared.
* If the rescuing action is successful, the rescued
vampire leaves torpor and is placed in the ready region.
:T01:
* If a vampire in torpor takes more damage than he has
blood, he loses whatever blood it has left, but is
otherwise unaffected (unless the damage was aggravated).
:V01:

Arson - Action

* Cannot be attempted against a location which is
Contested.

Betrayer - Master

* Is cumulative. A player can be damaged by multiple
Betrayers each turn. A Methuselah targeted by more than
one Betrayer would have to pay 1 pool for each Betrayer
in order to burn them, even if the same vampire is the
betrayer in each case.

Black Cat - Vampire (Bru) (5)

* If she is equipped with something and that equipment is
transferred to another minion, then it regains its
normal pool value. Conversely, if a piece of equipment
moves onto her, its effective pool cost is lowered by 1.

Blood Doll - Master

* Multiple Blood Dolls are cumulative.
* The ability to play multiple Master cards in no way
affects the use of the Blood Doll.

Body of Sun - Combat (pt) (4)

* The damage done to the striker is not prevented by a
dodge. :C01:

Bomb - Equipment (1)

* The damage done to the weilder is not prevented by a
dodge. :C01:

Bonding - Action Modifier (do)

* The superior form of Bonding cannot be used if you do
not need the stealth at the time you play Bonding.

Brainwash - Master

* Transfers may not be made to the vampire - neither to
put blood on nor to move blood off.
* Multiple brainwashes may be played on a single vampire.

Brujah Frenzy - Master Out-of-Turn

* There is no time to play further action modifiers or
reactions before combat begins.
* Brujah Frenzy only causes the affected Brujah to enter
combat with a second minion; that minion is not
considered to be blocking the Brujah in any way.

Burst of Sunlight - Combat (th)

* The damage done to the striker is not prevented by a
dodge. :C01:

Change of Target - Action Modifier

* Is governed by the "same action" rulings. :T02:

Chantry - Master: Unique Location (Tre)

* Moves the Tremere from torpor to his or her controller's
ready region. :T01:

Charnas the Imp - Retainer (Tre) (1)

* Does nothing to an empty vampire which untaps in torpor.
:V01:

Cloak the Gathering - Action Modifier (ob)

* The superior ability can be used to aid another minion
even while the modifying vampire is tapped.
* Multiple vampires can use its superior version during a
single action.

Cryptic Mission - Action (th)

* It doesn't damage vampires, so cannot send a vampire to
torpor.
* The superior version will always give a blood to the
acting vampire even if the victim has no blood.
* Can target a vampire in torpor.

Day Operation - Action Modifier (fo)

* May be played on an action that would cause agg damage.

Democritus - Vampire (Ven) 10

* Does not affect the cost to contest titles, since the
cost to contest is paid in vampire blood, not pool.

Disarming Presence - Action Modifier (ps)

* Tapping is a side effect, not a cost; tapped vampires
can still vote.

Elder Intervention - Reaction (2)

* Can be used during any bleed attempt made against you,
not just ones declared against you.

Embrace, The - Action (2)

* This card is considered a Vampire only while in play.

Fast Reaction - Reaction (au)

* If someone tries to Fast Reaction when the opposing
minion has gone into torpor, the Fast Reaction does not
start a combat.

Form of Mist - Combat (pt)

* If the superior form is used to continue an action, then
all action modifiers, including stealth and Dawn
Operation, are still in effect.
* The superior form cannot be used by the acting vampire
unless he needs the stealth :B01:
* The superior form cannot continue an action if played
during combat resulting from a successful action. This
is because the results of an action are considered to
take effect after that action is successful [and because
the acting minion doesn't need the stealth -lsj].

Frenzy - Master: Out-of-Turn

* May be played even if you have no minions involved in
combat.
* Only prevents the use of equipment after it is played -
it will not cancel the effects of equipment used before
it is played.

Gird Minions - Master

* May be used on a vampire in torpor.

Haven Uncovered - Master

* Does not allow its victim to be attacked while its
victim is in torpor.

Infernal Pursuit - Combat (ce)

* The card you discard (with superior) need not be one of
the cards that you just drew.

Kindred Society Games - Master (Tor)

* If a vampire has two copies of Kindred Society Games
played on it, each copy exerts its own effect on the
vampire. Thus, untapping the vampire normally would
require the vampire to burn a total of 2 blood. If the
vampire does not untap normally, then both Games are
moved to other vampire(s), although the vampire could
burn 1 blood to prevent one of the Games from moving on.

Laptop Computer - Equipment (1)

* Only modifies a bleed action while in the possession of
the acting minion. Won't modify a bleed if the acting
minion loses possession of it, or if the acting minion
changes. :E01:

Madness Network - Unique Master (Mal)

* Malkavians do not have to be Ready to take an action via
the Network. (i.e., a Torpored Malk could rescue himself
from Torpor)

Malkavian Dementia - Master

* You lose control of that Malkavian when you start your
untap phase. This is not an untap effect that you order
among your other untap effects; it happens when the
phase begins. You do not untap the Malkavian
* If you are ousted while you have control of a Demented
Malkavian, the Malkavian is burned as normal.

Magic of the Smith - Action (th) (1)

* You do not search your library until the action is
successful.

Major Boon - Master Out-of-Turn

* May not be played after Spying Mission.

Mask of 1000 Faces - Action Modifier (ob)

* All action modifiers remain in effect, but inherent
modifiers (a minion's inherent +1 bleed, e.g.) do not.
Effects applied to a minion (e.g., Backways) also do not
carry over to the new (masking) vampire.

Masquerade Enforcement - Political Action

* Is cumulative.

Minion Tap - Master

* May be used on a vampire in torpor.

Minor Boon - Master Out-of-Turn

* Is played after the combat ends, keeping the vampire out
of Torpor.

Monocle of Clarity - Unique Equipment

* Questions can only pertain to the current game.

Murder of Crows - Retainer (an) (1)

* Follows all Wolf Companion rulings, except that the
damage can happen when the combat is at range.

Obedience - Reaction (do)

* Is governed by the "same action" rulings. :T02:
* Cannot be used to avoid combat with a non-acting minion.

Protected Resources - Master (2)

* All cards which modify the bleed amount (Telepathic
Counter, Threats, etc.) are applied before Protected
Resources' effect.

Pulled Fangs - Combat

* Counts up damage successfully inflicted during the round
by the minions (retainers, etc. don't count). :C02:
* The actions to burn this card may be taken by different
vampires, and may be taken on different turns.

Rack, The - Master: Unique Location

* May not select a new target just for falling out of
contention.

Renegade Garou - Ally (Gan) (5)

* His innate strike is considered to be a hand strike.

Rotschreck - Master Out-Of-Turn

* Cannot be played in response to aggravated damage done
by non-strike cards. (Pulled Fangs, etc.) unless card
text says otherwise. :C02:

Sabbat Threat - Political Action P/J

* If the threat counters are lost during the untap phase,
then no pool need be burned for the counters' effect.

Scorn of Adonis - Action Modifier (Tor)

* Each Scorn played may only cause the loss of one pool to
a given Methuselah, regardless of how may 'no' votes
that Methuselah casts.

Skin of Steel - Combat (fo) (1)

* Cannot be played except when damaged by a strike.

Spying Mission - Action Modifier (ob)

* After successfully being played, it must be burned on
the next unblocked bleed against the same Methuselah,
provided the bleed is not reduced to zero by other
modifiers.

Succubus Club - Master

* You can make as many trades during each untap phase as
you like. :T03:

Taste of Vitae - combat

* The blood is gained immediately, and can be used to heal
damage from future strikes, even in the same round.

Telepathic Counter - reaction (au)

* Bleeds can be reduced to negative values. A successful
negative bleed is treated as a bleed of zero (and is
unsuccessful). [TOM 960419]

Undead Persistence - combat (fo)

* Provides only one optional press. Any further pressing
must come from other cards.

Uriah Winter - Vampire (Cai) (1)

* Can still defect if in torpor, and will remain in torpor
if he does so.

Vast Wealth - Master

* Grants the ability to take an action, namely: to search
through the Library for an equipment card.
* You only search your library if the action is
successful.

Wake with Evening's Freshness - Reaction

* May be played by your tapped vampire if you are not the
acting Minion's controller. The vampire need not attempt
to block nor play further reaction cards; that is merely
an option.

Weather Control - Combat (th)

* Multiple Weather Controls are cumulative.

Wolf Companion - Retainer (an) (1)

* The damage is not a strike, so cannot be prevented by a
dodge.
* The damage is done during normal damage dealing, so a
Combat Ends will stop it, as will sending its controller
to torpor during first strike.
* As with any retainer, the number of lives is set when it
is recruited, and will not change if its controller's
level of Animalism changes.

Wooden Stake - Equipment

* Interacts with hand damage modifiers in the same way as
a Sengir Dagger.

Zip Gun - Combat

* The damage done to the bearer is not prevented by a
dodge. :C01:

Non-Camarilla vampires

* Non-Camarilla vampires can call any votes not listed (in
rulings) as Camarilla-specific (and not restricted in
card text, of course). [TOM 960102]
* Non-Camarilla vampires suffer the effects of blocking an
Archon or Camarilla Exemplary.

Assamites

* Assamites cannot commit diablerie because of card text.
If an Assamite changes clans, he still cannot commit
diablerie. An assamite without such text would be able
to Diablerize.

Inner Circle members

* Inner Circle members don't qualify for
Prince/Justicar-only cards.

Equipments which are Locations (Loquipment)

* If the equipping minion cannot pay for the locquipment,
the locquipment is simply burned with no effect. (Only
applies to changes in the ability to pay - such as
paying for an action modifier or pulling locquipment
during a Vast Wealth action. The standard equip attempt
cannot be made by a vampire who cannot afford the
equipment.)

Acquired Ventrue Assets [DS] - Master (Gio) (2)

* Can be used during any master phase, not just its
controller's.

Alexandra [DS] - Vampire (Tor) (11)

* Can use her untap ability at any point during the minion
phase, including during a poilitical action.

Bang Nakh [AH] - Equipment Melee Weapon (2)

* Strikes with Bang Nakh are not hand strikes.

Banishment [DS] - Political Action

* The phrase "from the controlling Methuselah's active
region" is redundant, and should be removed :T01:
* A banished vampire will return to play when it again has
blood >= capacity on it at the end of its Methuselah's
influence phase.

Blood to Water [AH] - Combat (th) (2)

* The "otherwise" refers to the opposing minion *being* an
Ally. Blood to Water won't burn vampires.

Bureaucratic Overload [DS] - Master

* Only vampires must burn an extra blood to attempt
political actions. :A01:

Carlotta [DS] - Vampire (Gio) (7)

* The card being retrieved is announced when the action is
declared.

Corpse Minion [DS] - Retainer (Tre) (1)

* Corpse Minion may be used any number of times during a
single action.

Darius Styx [DS] - Vampire (Rav) (9)

* Darius' ability cannot be used to pull a card from his
controller's hand. (Self-directing (D) actions is not
allowed by default)

Donal O'Connor [DS] - Vampire (Bru) (8)

* An empty blocking vampire may still block (and will
simply try and fail to burn a blood if the block is
successful).

Forest of Shadows [DS] - Master: Unique Location (Mal) (3)

* May be used anytime it is untapped, even if it has been
used previously during the same action (it must be
untapped by some method, of course).

Goodnight, Sweet Prince [DS] - Master (Rav) (2)

* You may kiss your own Crypt goodnight.

Heidelburg Castle, Germany [DS] - Master: Unique Location (2)

* Heidelburg Castle may not be tapped "in response" to any
instant effect (because all effects in VtES are
instantaneous except for actions and certain combat
effects).
* May not be tapped "during" paying some cost -must be
tapped before or after.

Horrid Reality [DS] - Combat (ch) (2)

* If no weapon can be found, the two blood (cost) is
simply burned.

Incriminating Videotape [DS] - Equipment (1)

* If the tape is stolen, then the chosen minion is unable
to block the new possessor of the tape (and can now
block whoever used to have it). If the tape is removed
from play, its effect ends.

Inverary, Scotland [DS] - Equipment (1)

* The blood that a minion may place on this card is placed
as an undirected action, at zero stealth.

Jar the Soul [DS] - Action (ne)

* Jar the Soul's effect doesn't damage vampires; an empty
vampire will simply attempt to burn blood and fail.
* If an Ally is targetted, it will only be tapped - it
will not lose a blood (life) even if the superior
version is used. :A01:

Kalinda [AH] - Vampire (Ass) (6)

* Burning two blood is not a cost for her +1 bleed +1
stealth action, it is simply an effect of the completed
action.

Kiss of Ra [AH] - Action Modifier (fo) (3)

* Kiss of Ra can be played by an acting vampire in torpor.

Leandro [DS] - Vampire (Mal) (11)

* The victim Methuslah decides (during her untap) whether
to lose a pool or all transfers.

Muaziz, Archon of Ulugh Beg [AH] - Vampire (Tre) (7)

* Muaziz's ability does not apply to the Blood Hunt card,
since it is not a vote, and only votes are "called".

Of Noble Blood - Action

* The target is chosen when the action is announced.

Riposte [DS] - Combat (ce) (1)

* The damage is only dealt if the strike was resolved at
close range.

Rutor's Hand [DS] - Action (th) (1)

* Multiple Rutor's Hands are cumulative.

Secure Haven [DS] - Master: Unique Location (1)

* All Methuselahs (including the target vampire's
controller) must pay one extra pool when playing Master
cards on the target minion.
* Secure Haven will be burned when the target minion is
burned.

Shackles of Enkindu [DS] - Equipment (Gan) (2)

* An Ally does not suffer the "burn 2 blood" effect from
being shackled. :A01:

Shadow of the Wolf [AH] - Combat (pt) (2)

* The +1 damage only applies to the additional strike.

Spiritual Protector [DS] - Retainer (Gio) (3)

* Spiritual Protector will not restrict the opposing
minion if no block occured.

Tereza Rotas [DS] - Vampire (Rav) (8)

* Tereza Rotas cannot steal the Edge if it is
uncontrolled, and if the controller of the Edge loses
the edge between the time Tereza begins her action to
steal it and the time the action resolves, then the
action fizzles.
* Tereza Rotas must pay 2 blood for the attempt. This cost
is paid even if the action is blocked or otherwise
fails.

Thoughts Betrayed [DS] - Combat (do) (2)

* If the acting vampire uses Thoughts Betrayed, then the
Blocking minion is prohibited from doing so.

Tomb of Ramses III - Master Unique Location (3)

* The Tomb puts blood onto the target vampire whether the
transfer was to that same vampire or another vampire.
* The blood placed by the Tomb of Ramses is not a
"transfer".

Toreador Grand Ball [DS] - Master (Tor) (1)

* The same vampire can serve as the "second Toreador" for
multiple Toreador Grand Balls.

Treatment, The [DS] - Master (1)

* The action to burn The Treatment is not directed, as
printed.
* The Treatment does nothing to the target Prince if the
Prince is in Torpor with zero blood. :V01:

Veiled Sight [DS] - Reaction (ch) (2)

* The strike given by the superior version of Veiled Sight
is not ranged.

Victoria [DS] - Vampire (Mal) (5)

* Victoria's special ability can only be used during her
controller's master phase.

Zombie [DS] - Retainer (Gio) (1)

* Follows all Wolf Companion rulings.

Vampires/Crypt/Uncontrolled Region

* Pander is a clan (while Caitiff still is not).

Priscus (Prisci vote)

* Prisci are *not* prohibited from voting in the main vote
if they have votes.
* Only Methuselahs who control Prisci may vote in the
Prisci Vote.
* Only Prisci votes can be cast in the Prisci sub vote
(i.e., the vote received for being a Priscus plus any
vote that says it is used in the Prisci Vote). Other
votes sources, including the Edge and Political Action
cards, cannot be used.

Catatonic Fear [SAB] - combat (pre)

* The damage from Catatonic Fear is only dealt if the
strike was resolved at close range.

Code of Milan Suspended [SAB] - political action

* The "Methuselah with the edge" is not determined until
the vote is successful. If the Meth with the edge burns
it for a vote, then a successful Code of Milan vote will
have no effect.

Communal Haven: Temple [SAB] - master (1)

* The Sabbat vampire targetted by a (D) action doesn't get
the +1 intercept bonus from Communal Haven: Temple.

Derange [SAB] - action (dem)

* Derange cannot be moved to a Malkavian Antitribu
vampire.

Direct Intervention [SAB] - master: out-of-turn (1)

* If Direct Intervention is used to cancel a card during a
political action, neither card is replaced until the
political action is ended.

Dirty Little Secrets [SAB] - action modifier (NosA)

* If the methuselah you are bleeding doesn't burn any pool
(if she calls in a Major Boon, for example), then she
doesn't burn any cards from her library for Dirty Little
Secrets, either.

Ethan Locke [SAB] - vampire (TreA) (9)

* Ethan's (D) action is directed at the controller of the
skill card, not the controller of the vampire.

Fire Dance [SAB] - action

* Fire Dance's target vampire is chosen when the action is
announced.
* Fire Dance is undirected even if you do not control the
target.

Fleshcraft [SAB] - combat (vis)

* The action to burn fleshcraft suffers the -1 stealth
penalty as well, so is usually at zero stealth to start
(or -1 stealth if superior).

Fractured Armament [SAB] - combat (pot)

* The inferior version of Fractured Armament is not a
damage-dealing strike; the superior version is (so
Increased Strength will affect the superior, but not the
inferior, for example).

Gratiano [SAB] - vampire (Las) (8)

* Gratiano can cast his extra Prisci vote if his
controller controls a Priscus, even if Gratiano himself
is no longer a Priscus.

Hidden Strength [SAB] - combat (for) (X)

* The 'X' on Hidden Strength is the cost of the card.

Legacy of Caine [SAB] - master

* When hunting under Legacy of Cain, the hunting vampire
can target a vampire in torpor. [RTR 970425]
* If the vampire with Lecacy of Cain hunts, he must still
take the (D) action vs. a vampire, even if there are no
vampires with blood to steal.
* When hunting on a target that has no blood to steal, a
successful Legacy of Cain hunt action will simply have
no effect (stealing zero blood).

March Halcyon [SAB] - vampire (Pan) (1)

* A Blood/Wild Hunt *can* be called on a vampire that
diablerizes March Halcyon when he (the diabolist) is not
the acting vampire (e.g., blocking a leave torpor
action, w/ Amaranth, etc.)

Mind of a Child [SAB] - action (dem) (3)

* The action to burn Mind of a Child is undirected. :D01:

Mind Rape [SAB] - action (dom) (2)

* Control of the vampire reverts to his former controller
when the last ego counter on Mind Rape is removed.

Pentex(TM) Loves You! [SAB] - master (2)

* Pentex's +bleed ability is treated as an action modifier
(it can be done at any time during the action).

Propaganda [SAB] - action (pre) (2)

* The Methuselah being bled with Propaganda can choose a
tapped minion to tap if the action is successful.

Quickness [SAB] - combat (cel) (1)

* Superior Quickness should read: "As above, but this
additional strike card (quickness) does not count
against this vampire's additional strike effect limit
for this round."

Reform Body [SAB] - combat+reaction (vis)

* Reform Body cannot be played from Torpor, since it is a
reaction card.

Sword of Judgment [SAB] - equipment (BruA) (2)

* Sword of Judgment cannot be used by a non-Brujah-Anti
(card text).

War Ghoul [SAB] - Ally (Tzi) (3)

* If you have no other allies and no retainers in play
when War Ghoul is recruited, then you burn War Ghoul to
satisfy card text.

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