Re: Storyline Variant: Blood Seige

Thrall of Arika wrote:
Intrigued by the Blood Seige vote card, I started thinking of an
entire tournament based around the idea of vying for control of a
city. So here are the rules I've come up with so far, with my thoughts
in [ ]. Comments would be greatly appreciated, as are card ideas. I
designed the cards based around my city, but they could easily have
names changed to fit local play groups.


Blood Siege

Decks must be composed of vampires of the same sect, whether
Camarilla, Sabbat, Laibon or Independent. One title card (Lord of
Vancouver) and a number of location cards (5) associated with the city
are placed in the middle of the table. [I decided on the title Lord so
that there could be no contesting of the title, or use of cards such
as Blood Siege itself].


I always thought Blood Siege was a neat card but never got much use
out of it.

Private Audience and Closed Session are banned.


Sounds fair.

To declare a Lord when the title is uncontrolled, a ready titled
Camarilla or Sabbat vampire can either take a +1 stealth political
action to call a vote to declare a ready vampire of the same sect as
Lord, or they may take an undirected action to take control of the
title and place it upon themselves. An untitled Camarilla or Sabbat
vampire with capacity above 7 may also take the undirected action to
take control of the Lord card. [I didn't want it so that a 1 cap
Caitiff could easily get the title before other players even got a
vampire out. This way everyone has two or three turns to get set up to
get the title]

The vampire with the Lord title has 3 votes. When the title is gained,
the Lord has a choice of gaining +1 bleed or +1 strength until control
of the title changes. Votes derived from other titles are reduced by
1, to a minimum of 1 vote (i.e. Primogen and Bishops are not
affected). This applies to the Priscus Block as well, which will only
provide 2 votes. [I wanted to make the title worth getting, as well as
to down-play attempts to make pure political decks to get vote lock.
The Lord should have more power in their own city, than other Princes
and such who are far away.]

Once in play, a member of the opposing faction (Camarilla or Sabbat)

I think you are excluding Independents and Laibon from the game too
much. I would let them in on the becoming a Lord. Let anyone (even the
same faction) try to steal the Lord title. What if you get a table of
all Camarilla decks? After someone becomes Lord no one would be able
to take it from them.

may take a Blood Siege action, either to call a vote to take control

You should probably describe the Blood Siege action, since a Blood
Siege against the Lord title is slightly different than how the
printed card works.

of the Lord title, or to enter combat with the current Lord. If the
Lord is put into torpor or burned in that combat, the opposing vampire
takes control of the Lord title. Either one or the other action can be
performed once per turn. If control of the Lord card changes, the
title is placed on the acting vampire, and any Vancouver Locations are
returned to the middle of the table.


I wouldn't return the Vancouver Locations when the Lord title changes.
I'll have more on this below.

Independent clans may choose to remain independent, or accept
Camarilla status per Giovanni Acceptance/Invitation Accepted/Ravnos
Acceptance/Revocation of Tyre. [An effort to allow the 4 Independent
clans in on the action, or to sit back and reap the reward as the main
factions tear at each other's throats.]


Do you mean at the beginning of the game they can join the Camarilla
or after they play their card? Either way you could end up with lots
of Camarilla decks at a table and few Sabbat. I would forget about the
Camarilla vs Sabbat setup and just let each player fight it out.

Anarchs may take a directed action to burn a Vancouver Location in
play. If this action is successful, the Vancouver Location is removed
from the game. [At first I wanted to preserve the Blood Siege concept
of Sabbat vs. Camarilla, but I'm thinking now that Anarchs should be
allowed in on the action as well, and be a third faction in all the
title grabbing]


Hmmm, maybe treat Anarchs like Independents instead of just ruining
the fun for everyone else (but that is what Anarchs do best).

There are no special rules for Laibon.

[There's a need to develop the method of gaining locations. Initial
thoughts are the use of a Master Phase Action, but even that may be
limiting. I don't want the locations being gained too quickly, but at
the same time, want them getting into play and being used.] There are
5 Vancouver Location cards that can be brought into play by the
current Lord:


I'd make the location gaining rules as follows:

Once per master phase if you control the Lord of Vancouver you may use
a master phase action to put a Vancouver location in play or take
control of a Vancouver location from another player.

The once per master phase will limit decks with The Parthenon from
dumping all the locations into play quickly.

I imagine it will be difficult to become the Lord and fairly easy to
lose control of it. Losing all the Vancouver locations when you lose
the Lord title seems to harsh. Plus it removes one of the unique
aspects from this format.

[Locations are meant to be powerful, so that that there is a desire
for players to get the Lord title. I took to creating dual-purpose
location, taking concepts from existing masters and putting them
together. Some work may need to be done for balance.]

VPD: Unique Location. Tap this card to gain a press. Tap to burn a
weapon that costs more than 2 pool, inflicts aggravated damage, or
inflicts more than 3 damage as a strike. The bearer of the weapon
takes 1 unpreventable damage.

UBC: Unique Location. +1 hand size. Tap this card to discard a card
from your hand.

Vancouver Art Gallery: Unique Location, Hunting Ground. Tap to move 1
blood from the blood bank to a minion in your uncontrolled region.
During your untap phase, you may tap this card to give a ready vampire
you control 2 blood from the blood bank. A vampire can gain blood from
only one hunting ground card each turn.


I suggest changing the second part to "During your untap phase, you
may move 1 blood from the blood bank to a ready vampire you control. A
vampire can only gain 1 blood from Hunting Ground cards each turn."
These are strong locations. Let them gain pool/transfers and blood, if
they can hold onto the location.

Skytrain: Unique Location. During any methuselah's discard phase, you
may tap this card and burn 1 pool to untap a ready vampire you
control. You may tap this card to give a minion you control +1
intercept.


I'd remove the pool cost to untap.

Canada Place: Unique Location. Tap this card as you announce an
undirected action to gain +1 stealth for the current action (even if
stealth is not yet needed). You may tap this card during your discard
phase to move a card from your ash heap to the bottom of your library.

Its an interesting format. I hope you develop some solid rules for it
and have a go at it.

Later,
~Rehlow
.

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