WO1996004968A1 - Trading card game and method of play - Google Patents

Abstract

A trading card game (10) is provided having a plurality of vampire cards and library cards (38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50). Each vampire card depicts a vampire (20, 24, 26) having its own level of life (28, 30, 32). Players bring vampire cards and library cards into play by placing them in a playing area (52, 54, 56), this enables the players and the vampires to alter the state of other players, vampires, library cards in an effort to defeat other vampires and other players. Blood counters represent the level of life of a player, and are used with the vampire cards to represent the level of life of each vampire. When a player's level off life is reduced to zero, the player is removed from the game. The game uses trading cards wherein players obtain by purchasing, trading, and/or winning them as ante in playing the game. Cards have varying degrees of availability, denoted as common, uncommon, and rare.

Description

TRADING CARD GAME AND METHOD OF PLAY

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to applicant's previous application entitled "Trading Card Game Components and Method of Play" filed on June 22, 1994, Serial No. 08/263,447.

TECHNICAL HELD The present invention ^;s directed to a game involving chance and strategy, and, more particularly, to a game utilizing trading cards and the methods of playing the game, as well as alternati e embodiments of the same, including different game formats such as electronic and vidto games, interactive networks, computer software, board games, and role playing games.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Trading cards are a well-known method of disbursing and collecting information about public figures. A familiar type of trading card is the baseball card that has a photographic depiction of an athlete along with biographical and statistical information about the athlete. These baseball cards and other cards dealing with various sports figures are used by sports enthusiasts for gathering information about players and teams. Trading cards have also been developed in other areas, such as the enteπainment industry, which depict music performers and television and movie personalities.

Trading cards are typically exchanged among enthusiasts to obtain cards that are needed to complete a set of related cards or to collect cards that are not readily available. Collectors buy and sell these cards for their economic and historic value. The cards themselves have varying monetary values, depending on the popularity of the individual depicted thereon and the availability of each card, some being more common than others. Such cards are typically sold through retail game stores and other specialty outlets.

SϋPRTITUTE SHEFT (PULE 26) Playing cards, on the other hand, especially the well-known fifty-two deck face cards, are easily and readily available. The cards themselves, individually and collectively, generally have no value other than for amusement. Many different games can be played with a single deck of playing cards, limited generally by the imagination of the players. Some card games require cards especially printed for that game, and these cards have little value outside the playing of that particular game.

Many games played with the more common face cards are games of change. In other words, these games have ru'cs that require either the random selection of cards or depend on the occurrence of events outside the control of the players. Other games that require some strategy usually limit the level of strategy with restrictive rules of play.

The improvement of the present invention is .related to a role-playing game being presently marketed by White Wolf, Inc., under the trademark VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE. In White Wolfs Gothic-Punk universe, vampires roam the streets at night among mortals in a decadent, information age world. The Kindred, as vampires call themselves, have spent countless centuries preying secretly on humanity, cooperating uneasily among themselves through a clandestine and Machiavellian social order governed by many laws. Preeminent among these laws is the Tradition of the Masquerade. Disguised as humans, vampires have infiltrated the mortal world and manipulated its very history.

The power of vampires is determined by their distance, measured in generations, from the progenitor of the vampire race, Caine. The first and second generations created by Caine were destroyed. The third generation, known as the Antediluvians, has been unseen for millennia. The fourth generation, Methuselah, employ younger vampires from later generations as pawns in a constant struggle against each other. These battles, sometimes covert and subtle, sometimes open and spectacular, are collectively known as the "Jyhad." There arc many bloodlines within vampire society. Seven of these claim recognition within the Camarilla, the sect of vampires on which Jyhad focuses. Each clan of vampires possesses certain powers, or Disciplines. Toreador: Members of this clan are thought of as artists and degenerates. They are frequently adept at the Disciplines of Auspex (ESP), Celerity (supernatural quickness), and Presence (ability to influence crowds).

Nosferatu: These hideously deformed creatures use their influence to gain knowledge. They are loners by necessity but still manage to know more about the workings of Kindred society than do many of the most powerful of vampire leaders. Nosferatu are often skilled in the Disciplines of Animalism (communication with and control of animals), Obfuscate (the ability to remain unseen), and Potence (strength).

Venture: The most old-fashioned of the c.^{^}ns, ths Venture are sophisticates who move in the highest social and political circles. They are frequently proficient in the Disciplines of Dominate (mind control), Fortitude (teur/hness), and Presence (ability to influence crowds).

Brujah: The Brujah are rebels; they make no secret of .heh disrespect for undead society and are often viewed as a force of chaos by other Kindred. They are often skilled in the Disciplines of Celerity (supernatural speed), Potence (strength), and Presence (ability to influence crowds).

Gangrel: The most earthy of Kindred, the Gangrel have close ties to Gypsy society. The Gangrel frequently possess the Disciplines of Animalism (communication with and control of animals), Fortitude (toughness), and Protean (ability to change shape).

Tremere: This close-knit clan is known to have many arcane and magical skills. Their powers often include Auspex (ESP), Dominate (mind control), and Thaumaturgy (sorcery).

Malkavian: Members of this clan are insane; yet from madness may come wisdom, and many Malkavians seem to glimpse hidden truths. Malkavians commonly possess the powers of Obfuscate (the ability to remain unseen), Auspex (ESP), and Dominate (mind control).

Caitiff: These clanless, thin-blooded outcasts are high-generation vampires, many generations removed from Caine, who are somewhat uninvolved with the political structure of the Kindred.

H- £ ) Members of all bloodlines serve equally well as pawns of the Methuselah.

The improvements of the present invention are directed to a new genre of card games that involve the use of trading cards. Many, if not all, of these trading cards have collectable status, i.e., have limited availability and have a financial as well as game-playing value. Such games are marketed by the applicant under the trademark DECKMASTER. With DECKMASTER games, no two decks are alike, and no two games play the same way. DECKMASTER games are unlike conventional card games because new cards in the player's deck open up new avenues of play, embellishing the rules without departing from their essential framework. Players will find certain lines of strategy that suit them better than others, and each player's deck will shrink and grow as the player wins and looses cards and trades cards to fill gaps in their ideal strategic configuration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improvements of the present invention are related to a game for two or more players, with the game components comprising rules of play and a plurality of game elements, the game elements including a plurality of entity elements that each have a predetermined level of life, a method for tracking the level of life of the entity elements, such as tokens, etc. , a plurality of first state-altering elements that enable players to alter the state of one or more players, of one or more entity elements, and to modify the effect of one or more of the rules of play and the effect of one or more state-altering elements, and a plurality of second state-altering elements that enable the entity elements themselves to alter the state of one or more players, of one or more entity elements, and to modify the effect of one or more of the rules and the effect of one or more first and second state-altering elements, and finally a method for monitoring the level of life of each player.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the game components further include a method for indicating which one player has special abilities. Preferably, this includes a token of the players' choice. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the plurality of game elements are further comprised of hand-holdable cards. Ideally the hand- holdable cards are freely tradable among players such that each player contains or constructs their own deck of cards to thereby compete against the deck of cards of every other player.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the hand-holdable cards further comprise a plurality of vampire cards and a plurality of library cards, the library cards further comprising cards that enable a player to alter the staic of one or more players, the state of one or more vampire cards, and to modify the -ffcct of one or more of the rules of play and the effect of one or more of the state-altering cards.

In accordance with a method of playing the game of the present invention, using the components described above, each player first constructs a library of game components from a pool of game components available to every player; each player obtains one or more entity elements from the player's library; each player next obtains an opening hand of a predetermined number of state-altering elements from the player's library; and then each player sequentially executes a turn by, at the player's option, entering one or more of the first state-altering elements into play, entering one or more second state-altering elements into play and resolving the effect thereof, entering one or more entity elements into play, and discarding one or more game elements and drawing one or more game elements to replace any game elements discarded. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the step of executing a turn further includes the substep of attacking an opposing player's entity elements and resolving the attack through combat. Ideally, resolving combat further includes the substep of each player involved in the combats, at the player's option, entering into play one or more state-altering elements and resolving the effect thereof in an attempt to ultimately defeat an opposing player by lowering the opposing player's life level to below zero.

In accordance with another aspect of the method of game play of the present invention, the step of executing a turn further includes the step of a player flagging a

su: player' • entity element when the entity element is being used by the player controlling the entity element such that all other players see that the entity element is being used. Furthermore, the step of executing a turn further includes the substep of unflagging an entity element prior to executing any other substep of the step of executing a turn.

As will be readily appreciated from the forgoing, the present invention provides a game that can be played in many game formats, including hand-holdable cards, electronic games, computer software, interactive networks, board games, and the like. This includes the unique feature of components that have a tradable and a collectable status. In other words, a certain amount of the game components have a limited availability to the players, thus increasing the financial value of the components and encouraging players to trade and collect game components. Furthermore, the game permits players to construct their own library of components in an effort to obtain competitive advantage as permitted by the provisions and availability of each of the components, as well as the player's skill in combining the game components prior to play. This particular game utilizes chance as well as requiring strategy on a part of players and not only constructing the library of components, but also utilizing each of the components and play. With the present game, players not only interact directly with other players by bringing certain components into play, they also control and command certain game components that have their own life in an effort in influence the environment of the game and deal damage to other players. The game may be adapted to more simplified versions and the order of steps in a player's turn may be fixed, altered, or left open.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The forgoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A-1K are plan views of the outside face and the playing faces of represented samples of the trading cards formed in accordance with the present 96/04968 PC17US95/10451

invention, with FIG. 1A representing the back or outside face of the cards, FIG. IB representing a vampire card with political power, FIG. IC representing a vampire card with no power, FIG. ID representing a reaction card, FIG. IE representing a master card with no casting cost, FIG. IF representing a master card having skill, FIG. 1G representing a master card with location, FIG. IH representing a political action card, FIG. II representing a combat card, FIG. U representing a weapon, and FIG. IK representing an action card;

FIG. 2 illustrates the layout of a playing surface for two opponents in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates the action of tapping and untapping cards on the playing surface of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the symbols used to depict the abilities and skills of the various entities; and

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the clan symbols for each of the vampires.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a game is provided for two or more players. The game utilizes trading cards which may or may not have a collectable status. It is anticipated this game will be marketed under the trademark JYHAD, and references to the game herein will be under the trademark JYHAD.

In JYHAD, two or more players take on the roles of ancient vampires, known as Methuselahs, who are engaged in an age-old political battle. So great and subtle are the Methuselahs, that they are considered mere legend by younger vampires. Younger vampires think they are pursuing their own ends even as they are being used by one Methuselah to under cut the power base of another. The motivations for the war between the Methusalahs are lost in the sands of dead civilizations. The Methuselahs are vying for world conquest. They work under the influence of yet older vampires, believing in their autonomy as due the vampires they control. The cards in a player's deck represent the minions (vampires a player controls and the allies of the vampires), the equipment and attributes of the minions, and the retainers of the minions. Each players minions are characters that the player controls in the game by playing particular cards.

OBJECT OF THE GAME Set forth below is fuller description of the game of the present invention as played with hand-holdable cards. References to "you" and "your" are to a player involved in playing the game. As will be described more fully below, the game of the present invention can be played in other formats and forms.

A. OBJECT OF THE GAME

Each player, through intrigue, worldly political maneuvers, and exercise of supernatural abilities, exerts influence over less powerful vampires and, by extension, over the humans and animals they might command. You use those you influence as pawns in the game of JYHAD, where your opponents are other Methuselah. Your goal is to use your minions to destroy the influence the other Methuselah hold over their minions. Influence is measured by blood counters, the main currency of the game. When a player's blood pool is out of blood counters, (see Game Environment and Terminology) he or she is bereft of influence and ousted from the game.

B. EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Cards: Each card deck is composed of library cards and vampire cards. There are 440 cards in the original game, and each of these are incorporated herein by reference. Each player will need at least twelve vampire cards, which have oval portraits of the vampires on the front and amber marble backs, and at least forty library cards, which comprise all other cards and have green marble backs. You must have a minimum of forty library cards, but you may also have an additional ten library cards for each player in the game. Thus, in a six-player game, each player may have a minimum of forty and a maximum of one hundred library cards. Blood Counters: Blood counters are a;ι integral part of the game. You need about forty counters: thirty for your personal blood pool and an extra ten blood counters to help fill the communal blood bank. Blood counters can be any convenient items, such as pennies, glass beads, or stones.

The Edge Counter: The Edge is a symbol showing that your vampires have won you special influence in the game. It is given to players who successfully bleed their prey, (see Bleed and Politics) and it imparts certain advantages to the player controlling it. You will need some small distinctive object, such as a candle, a glove, or hat, to represent the Edge.

C. TAPPING/UNTAPPING CARDS

The concept of tapping and untapping is a unique feature in DECKMASTER games. As shown in FIG. 3, during the course of play you will turn cards 10 90 degrees to "tap" them- a procedure that indicates that the card has been activated to perform a particular action. Untapping a card 10 restores it to its original position; this indicates the card is reset and will be able to be tapped again to take another action at a later time. Your untapped minions may block (see Blocking An Action), take actions (which thus tap the minions), or play reaction cards.

D. OVERVIEW OF THE CARDS

General Description: Referring initially to FIG. 1A, illustrated therein is a representative sample of a trading card 10 formed in accordance with the present invention, and, more particularly, the outside face 12 of the card 10. Depicted thereon is the trademark name of the game, JYHAD, along with the trademark symbol 14, which depicts serpents intertwined with sickle-type objects. Below the trademark 14 is an additional trademark for this series of trading card games, DECKMASTER.

The outside face 12 appears the same on all of the playing cards in the JYHAD game. Referring next to FIG. IB, depicted therein is the playing face of a vampire card 16 for the vampire Wynn. The components of the playing faces 18 of each card typically include the title 20 of the card, in this case Wynn; a border 22, with red border representing a minion and a grey border for a master card; a picture portion 24 depicting the character of the card or action, object, etc.; a text portion 26 describing the effect of the card; a blood cost 28 showing how many tokens of blood must be paid by the player to bring the vampire or card into play; a clan symbol 30 in the upper left-hand corner of a vampire card indicating which clan the vampire belongs to as will be explained more fully below; and discipline symbols representing the skill and abilities the vampire has. The title of each skill associated with each symbol is illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 illustrates the clan symbols and names associated therewith for the vampires. It is to be appreciated that other symbols may be adopted and used for this game, and such symbols will be explained in the appropriate game instructions accompanying the game, which are incorporated herein b) reference.

With respect to the symbols shown in FIG. 4, those symbols depicted in a diamond-shaped border represent superior skills. Entities possessing superior skills utilize the bold-faced text appearing in the text box 26 of cards. Entities having skills represented by symbols in a square-shaped border cannot utilize the bold-faced text in the text box 26 of the cards 10.

FIG. I C represents a vampire card, Dollface 34. FIG. ID represents a reaction card 36. FIG. IE represents a master card 38. While FIG. IF represents a master skill card 40 and FIG. 1G represents a master location card 42. FIG. IH is a representative sample of a political card 44 while FIG. II represents a combat card 46. FIG. U illustrates a weapon card 48 and FIG. IK represents an action card 50.

Vampire Cards: Each vampire card 16 normally has the following elements: name 20, red blood capacity symbol 28 in lower right corner, clan symbol 30 in upper left comer, and Discipline symbols 32 in lower right corner above the blood capacity, and, in the card text 26, any political positions the vampire may hold, and sometimes one or more special characteristics. The vampires are your minions. Each vampire is unique, and if two players put the same vampire into play, it is considered contested, (see Contested Cards) which means the Methuselah are struggling to control it.

Blood capacity: This number 28 (which starts between one and ten) reflects many things at once: the relative age of the vampire, the amount of influence in blood counters you must invest in it in order to bring it under your control, and the amount of strength it has to heal wounds or perform certain actions. A vampire with a larger capacity than another is said to be older, and one with a smaller capacity younger. A vampire's blood capacity, and therefore its age, increases when you play rkill cards on it or when the vampire commits diablerie (see Torpor). A vampire cannot have more blood than its capacity; if an effect puts more blood on the vaπ.pire, ignore the excess. An uncontrolled vampire will have blood counters stacked on it representing the amount of influence that has been invested in it. When that stack tπua.s the blood capacity of the vampire, at the end of the influence phase you reveal the vampire and place it in the active region, (see Game Environment and Terminology), with the blood counters used to influence it kept on its card to serve as its "blood," which is its personal reserve of strength and influence and enables it to heal wounds and play special cards.

Clan: Certain library cards require that you control a member of that vampire clan before you can use those cards, while other library cards may affect vampires of only a particular clan. Also, the clan will give you an idea of what sort of Disciplines the vampire will have. For example, Nosferatu tend to have Obfuscate. Clan symbols are illustrated in FIG. 4.

Disciplines: These are vampire powers. The Disciplines determine which minion cards can be used by individual vampires. A Discipline symbol within a diamond signifies that the vampire has superior skill in that Discipline and therefore may opt to use either the plain type or the boldfaced section given on cards that pertain to that Discipline, but not both. Here is the list of Disciplines, and their respective symbols are shown in FIG. 5:

Animalism - Control of and communication with animals.

Auspex - Enhanced and extrasensory perception. Celerity - Supernatural speed.

Dominate - Ability to exert influence over other vampires and mortals.

Fortitude - Supernatural toughness.

Obfuscate - Ability to hide or disguise oneself or others.

Potence - Supernatural strength.

Presence - Impact of personal appearance.

Protean - Ability to change body form.

Tbάumaturgy - Magic spell-casting ability, mostly blood-oriented.

LiLrary Cards: There are two main types of library cards: master cards and minion cards. Master cards are used by the players in their roles as Methuselah; minion cards are used by the vampires and the allies you control. You play a card by placing it in the playing a.«ϊa (described more fully below) or on any applicable minion card and paying its cost. Any library card not explicitly named as a master card is assumed to be a minion card. Cost of Playing Cards: On the left side of most library cards is the cost of playing that card. This may include any of the following: symbol for card type, a Discipline symbol, a blood cost symbol (a number within a drop of blood), and a clan symbol. The Discipline symbol 32 indicates that the vampire using that card must have that Discipline to use it. The number 28 in the drop is the cost in blood counters that you must pay to the blood bank in order to play that card. You usually augment minions by playing minion cards on them and placing the requisite number of blood counters from the minion to the blood bank; however, cards 10 having the number 28 in white lettering within a black blood drop you pay for from your blood pool to the blood bank. The clan symbol appears in the cost on certain master cards. You can only play that master card if you have a ready member of that clan (see Game Environment and Terminology). A clan symbol may also appear on certain minion cards. If this is the case, only vampires of that clan may use the cards.

Master Cards: Master cards (38, 40, 42) are cards you play in your role as a Methuselah. Master cards are clearly marked as such and fall under the following subcategories: Locations: Location cards 42 give your vampires certain long-term advantages in play. These advantages are described on the cards. Location cards stay in play and have an effect that repeats each turn, though certain library cards can eliminate them from play. Location cards may be used the turn they are put into play. Skills: Skill cards 40 are played on your vampires. The skill card remains υn your vampire and is burned (see Ash Heap) when your vampire is burned. Skills are abilities granted to your vampires through your powers as a Methuselah. The vampire also gains an additional blood capacity along with a skill granted but does not automatically gain an extra blood to fill it. Out-of-turn: Out-of-turn cards you play when it is not your tuπv however, if you play an out-of-tum card, you must sacrifice your master phase (see Master Phase) for the next round of play. You may not use another out-of-tum card if you've already used one for your master phase for the next rum. Other master cards: Any m^ter ".ards not explained here have their effects described on them.

Minion Cards: Minion cards are cards that you place on a vampire or an ally (unless the minion card is itself an ally; see Recruit Ally) to indicate that the vampire or ally is using that card. Certain minion cards, called Kindred cards, are only usable by vampires and not their allies. In many cases there is a Discipline listed on a minion card; in these cases the card can only be used by a vampire with that Discipline. Sometimes a card will list a clan; these cards can only be used by a member of that clan. Unless the card states otherwise, you always bu a minion card after your minion uses it.

The general types of minion cards are as follows: Action cards: On your turn you can play an action card 50 for your minion's action. Only one action card may be played for each action, and your minions may only use action cards on your turn. Action modifier cards: Only the acting minion can use these cards, unless the particular cards note otherwise. Action modifier cards can only be used to modify your own minion's actions. The same action modifier card type cannot be used twice by a minion during the same action. Ally, equipment, and retainer cards: These a minion brings into play as an action. Equipment and retainers are stacked on the minion using them, but allies are kept separate. Equipment and retainers are burned

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SUBSTITUTE C; ;:ET (RULE 26 when the minions using them are bumed. Combat cards: These are used by minions in combat. Reaction cards: You or your minions use these cards to respond to actions of a minion controlled by another Methuselah. These cards can only be played when it is not your turn. The same reaction card type cannot be used twice by a minion during the same reaction. Reaction cards do not tap the minion using the card.

Contested Cards: There can only be one vampire of each description in the game. Vampire cards and certain oihcr cards designated as such on the card are called unique. If two unique cards of the same type come into play (for example, if two cards describing the same vampire are brought into the active region), the cards are both placed face down and are consid re contested. You lose one blood from your blood pool during your untap phase for ach cf your contested cards. Alternatively, you can decide to discard your con^* st -d cards (and all blood counters those cards may have on them) to the blood bank. This is called yielding. All cards stacked on the card being yielded (for example, equipment) are bumed. If your contested card is the only contested card not being yielded, you tum it face up and move it into play, untapped, at the start of your turn. Be careful not to contest your own unique cards. If one of your unique cards leaves play, though, you may wish to use a second if you have it.

Card Ownership: Your cards are never transferred to another player permanently as a result of card play. When you are ousted from the game, the cards you began the game with are immediately returned to you. Any of your opponents' cards you may have are returned to the respective owners and placed in their ash heaps (see Ash Heap). The only exception to this rule is the Ante: Ante cards may change hands permanently (see Playing for Ante).

Rules and the Cards: Whenever the cards contradict the rules, the cards take precedence. E. GAME EIVVmoiSTMENT AND TERMINOLOGY

The Playing Area: There are three card-playing regions in front of each player as shown in FIG. 2: torpor 52, active region 54, and inactive region 56. Your vampires and allies are collectively referred to as minions. When vampires are in the torpor region 52, they are said to be in torpor. A minion in the active region 54 is said to be ready. A vampire in the inactive region 56 is said to be uncontrolled. A vampire in either torpor or the active region 54 is considered controlled.

Blood Pool: Your blood pool represents ^♦.he resources that you have available to carry out your manipulations and machinations At the beginning of the game, this pool consists of thirty blood counters.

Blood Bank: Off to one side, in a location that everyone playing can reach, put a few extra counters for the blood bank. The blood ba 'K cavnot run out of blood, so if you need more counters for it during the course of play, you will have to find (or create) some more.

Organizing the Cards: Preparation: Separate your vampire cards from your library cards and select at least twelve vampire cards for your vampire deck. You should shuffle separately both your vampire cards and deck of library cards and then allow the player at your right to cut both. Library: You should keep your stack of library cards face down a little off to one side in front of you. Inactive Region: You should now take up your deck of vampire cards and deal four vampires into a space just in front of you, in what is known as your inactive region. Place these four cards face down in order to conceal them from the other players. You may look at your own inactive region vampires whenever you wish. Crypt: The remaining vampire cards in your vampire deck should be set aside in a face-down stack that is referred to as your crypt. Vampires in your crypt can be called out to the inactive region later in the game during the influence phase. The Hand: Draw seven cards from your library into your hand. During game play, you draw additional cards whenever you discard or play cards from your hand, thus maintaining a hand of seven cards; however, if your library runs out of cards, you must continue play with just the cards you are left holding, and you then ignore any cards that allow you to draw additional

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3U3Sl iT ι £ SHhbl (RULE 26) cards. If a card in play has allowed you to maintain a hand of more than seven cards and that card leaves play, you must immediately discard down to seven. Ash Heap: Cards that you take out of the game are placed face up to one side of the library in what is known as your ash heap. Cards end up here when you discard them from your hand, or when they are bumed, which means removed from play. Your ash heap can be examined by any other player at any time.

The Predator and The Prev: You are the predator of the player on your left and the prey of the player on your right, and players are predatcr and prey of each other in a two-player game. Note that if seating changes duripς the course of the game, the person who is then to your left will immediately become your prey.

Plaving for Ante: At the beginning of the game, players may choose to put one of their cards at stake in the game. After shuffling and cutting his c^** her play deck, each player turns over the top card of his or her library and sets it aside. Any predator who ousts its prey by depleting his or her blood pool wins the ante. Note that playing for ante is optional.

What vou can do on your turn: Turns proceed clockwise around the playing area. Your turn is as follows: 0) Untap - You untap all your cards. 1) Master - You may play one master card. 2) Minion - Each untapped minion you control may take an action. Taking an action may involve playing one or more minion cards, and taps the minion. Any ready and untapped vampires with no blood on them must hunt as their minion action. 3) Influence - During this phase you may transfer blood to your uncontrolled vampires or from your uncontrolled vampires, or take vampires out of the crypt and into your uncontrolled region. 4) Discard - You may discard one (and only one) card from your hand and draw another from your library.

Phase 0 - Untap: At the beginning of your rum, you must untap any tapped cards. Any cards requiring you to take an action during the untap phase take effect after you have untapped your cards. Some cards in play may cause some or all players to perform actions during this phase. You may choose the order in which these effects take place. If you have the Edge, you may add one blood to your pool

16

. - from the blood bank. The costs for contested cards are paid during this phase unless you agree to yield. Note that untapping is the only mandatory phase in a tum.

Phase 1 - Master: You may play one (and only one) master card.

Phase 2 - Minion: You may have each of your untapped controlled minions take one action. Taking an action taps the acting minion. Announce and resolve each action before proceeding to the next. If your minion manages to untap due to a card effect this phase, it may take another action. Thus it is possible for the same minion to take several actions during a tum. Any ready and untapped vampires with no blood on them must hunt as their action during this phase. Other players' minions might be able to block the action (see Blocking An Action).

Minion Actions: The possible actions are:

Bleed (no card required): Bleeding is one of the most fundamental directed actions (see Who May Block Whom) of the game. It is the basic action of your minion to undermine the power and influence of another player and represents your vampire meddling directly in the affairs of another Methuselah. You might picture bleeding as paying bribes, burning down property, spreading rumors, etc. You may attempt to bleed the player who is your prey by declaring a bleed action. If unblocked, this action removes one blood from the blood pool of the bled player to the blood bank. If your vampire has a modifier to its bleed, it may remove extra blood from your prey to the blood bank. Whenever a minion successfully bleeds a Methuselah, the controller of that minion gains control of the Edge. Example: A vampire with +2 bleed attempting to bleed against the prey will cost the prey 3 blood if unblocked.

Employ Retainer (retainer card required): Retainers are mortals and creatures that vampires use to protect their resting places and take care of their worldly interests. Some human retainers may serve vampires' allies. The employ retainer action brings a retainer into play for a vampire. This action is at + 1 stealth (see Stealth and Intercept). If the action is unblocked, you put the retainer on the acting minion. If the attempt to employ the retainer is blocked or otherwise unsuccessful, the retainer is discarded with no cost. A minion can have any number of retainers. The retainer is not itself considered your minion and so cannot take a minion action. Retainers cannot use equipment, deal damage in combat, or act independently of the minion they are augmenting. They can be destroyed (bumed) in combat by suffering as much damage as they have life. The only damage that can be dealt to them is ranged damage (see Combat), and any time ranged damage is dealt to a minion, the Methuselah controlling the minion dealing the ranged damage may choose to apply all of it to either the minion or to a retainer on the minion. This damage cannot be prevented by Dodge or any other intervention. If a retainer is not bumed in a given combat, its wounds are considered healed. Retainers are also bumed when the minion they are employed by is bumed.

Encounter Vampire in Torpor (no card required): Your vampire can attempt to encounter a vampire in torpor, either your own vampire or, as a directed action, a vampire of another player. If your vampire is encountering a vampire in your own torpor region, this action is at + 1 stealth. Allies may not perform this action. If your vampire encounters a vampire in torpor, then it can choose either to rescue the vampire or destroy the vampire. (See Torpor.)

Equip Minions (equipment card required): Equipment cards are action cards that give minions special abilities. The equip minion action is at + 1 stealth. If the equip action is unblocked, the equipment card is placed on the minion. If the action is blocked, the equipment is simply discarded (see Blocking An Action), and no cost is paid. A minion may be equipped with any number of equipment cards. If you have a minion with equipment in play, this equipment may be taken from it by another of your minions, who then controls the equipment. The minion attempting to take the equipment does so at + 1 stealth. Taking equipment is an action that taps your minion taking the equipment. More than one piece of equipment can be taken at one time from the same minion. If the action is blocked, the equipment is simply not taken.

Hunt (no card required): A vampire can hunt as its action. This action adds one blood to the vampire from the blood bank. This cannot bring the vampire's blood to exceed its blood capacity. A ready vampire that begins the minion phase with no blood must hunt as its action, and this action must be taken before any other minion actions are taken. This action is at + 1 stealth (see Blocking An Action).

Leave Torpor (no card required): The only action a vampire in torpor can take is to rescue itself by spending 2 blood. This action is at + 1 stealth. If this action is blocked, there is no combat, the vampire attempting to leave torpor remains in torpor, and the blocking vampire is given the opportunity to destroy the vampire (see Diablerie). Like any other action this taps the acting vampire.

Recruit Ally (ally card required): This action brings an ally into play. The recruit ally action is at + 1 stealth. If this action is blocked, the ally is discarded without cost of blood (see Blocking An Action). Though an ally should be treated as a vampire in most ways, with its ready card placed beside the ready vampire cards, you should keep in mind that an ally is, above all, mortal. Allies are not spoken of as having blood points. Rather, they have a certain number of life points, and for each life, you should put a blood counter on them as a life counter, understanding that this is not blood the ally uses to heal itself and that it cannot be renewed in any way. Each damage to the ally removes one life counter, and when all the lives are gone, the ally is killed and that ally card bumed. Aggravated damage (see Resolve Strike) is treated the same as regular damage to an ally. Allies can block (see Blocking An Action) and attempt to bleed (see Bleed) as regular vampires do. Sometimes they have special abilities or actions they can take. Cards that refer to vampires do not apply to allies. Cards that refer to minions apply both to vampires and allies. Allies cannot take an action on the rum recruited. When brought into play, allies should be put in your inactive region to indicate that they cannot act. At the end of your turn, allies in the inactive region are moved to your active region.

Vote (political card required): Sometimes a vote must be taken for an action to be concluded (see Politics).

Phase 3 - Influence: Moving Blood and Bringing Vampires from the Crypt: During your influence phase, you have four transfers to use on your uncontrolled vampires. Transfers are an abstract currency and not directly represented by any tangible thing. You may spend these transfers to move blood counters on vampires to bring them under your control, take blood back from uncontrolled vampires already having some blood transferred to them, or bring a vampire card from the top of your crypt into your inactive region. The costs for these actions are described below. It costs one transfer to move one blood counter from your blood pool to one of your uncontrolled vampires. It costs two transfers to take one blood counter back from one of your uncontrolled vampires to your blood pool. It costs four transfers and one blood from your pool to take a vampire off the crypt and onto the uncontrolled region. The blood counter goes to the blood bank.

At the beginning of a multi-player game, the first few turns Methuselah will have less than four transfers. On the first, second, and third turn, a Methuselah gets one, two, or three transfers respectively; for example, the Methuselah who goes third gets three transfers on the first round of turns. After this, players will get the usual four transfers. Example: Nora goes first in a three-player game. She spends one transfer on the card of a vampire with a six-point blood capacity. On her next tum, she decides that she made a mistake for some reason in putting influence on that vampire, and, as she receives four transfers on this turn, she spends two of them to move one blood counter off the vampire and put it back in her blood pool. Then she uses her remaining two transfers to influence another uncontrolled vampire with two blood counters, finishing the influence phase.

Putting Vampires into Play: At the end of the influence phase, a vampire in your inactive region with as many blood counters on it as its blood capacity becomes controlled, is turned right-side up, and is put into the active region. The blood counters are kept on the card of the ready vampire, as they are a measure of its present strength, which may increase and decrease throughout the game. Example: Nora comes to her influence phase. She has four transfers to spend, but only two blood counters in her blood pool. She sees that she has built up eight blood counters on a vampire with a blood capacity of ten, and she thinks she can win the game if she gets it into play because that would put her out of the game. She had invested a couple of blood counters in a vampire with a seven blood capacity on a previous turn, so she spends two of her four transfers to take back one of those counters and put it in her blood pool. Now she has three counters in her blood pool and two transfers left to spend. She spends the two transfers by moving two of the three blood counters in her blood pool out to hei vampire with the ten blood capacity and moves that vampire to the active region.

Phase 4 - Discard Phase: You can discard one card from your hand and replace it with a card from the top of your library during this phase.

What vou can do when it is not your turn: There are a number of things you may do when it is not your turn. They are as follows:

Playing Out-of-tum Cards: (See Master Cards).

Playing Reaction Cards: Reaction cards can be used to block the vampires of other players or to interfere with the actions of those other vampires. Reaction cards are played by an untapped minion and may only be used in response to another player's minion's actions. Also, you can only use a reaction card of a particular type once for each declared action. For example, you cannot play more than one Wake with Evening's Freshness during a given action.

Blocking An Action:

Who May Block Whom: Whenever your minion announces an action, other Methuselah can attempt to block that action to prevent it from taking place. Actions that directly affect another Methuselah are called directed actions and can only be blocked by that Methuselah's minions. Other actions are called non-directed and can be blocked by either your predator's or prey's minions. Directed actions are noted on action cards with a D in the card text and allow you to direct the action against any Methuselah. If the D does not appear, it is not a directed action. The only directed actions that do not require a card are bleeding and encountering another Methuselah's vampire in torpor. Non-directed actions are actions that are not directed against a Methuselah, such as equipping one of your minions. Your prey has the first opportunity to block. If your prey does not attempt to block the action, then your predator has the opportunity to block. Once a Methuselah has passed an opportunity to block an action, he or she cannot attempt to block it later, regardless of whether other blocking attempts have been made, or whether the action has been modified. A successful block (see next section) taps the blocking minion.

Stealth and Intercept: Stealth anc intercept are opposed characteristics of minions, represented by a number. Stealth is a measure of a minion's ability to avoid detection and/or pursuit, and intercept is a measure of the minion's ability to detect and/or pursue. Normally minions have a 0 stealth number and a 0 intercept number. One minion can block an acting minion only if its intercept number is equal to or greater than the stealth number of the acting minion. If the action is blocked, the action is not successful, and there is combat between the acting minion and the blocking minion (exception: see Leave Torpor). Any cost for using cards or vampire powers for the action are not paid and any action cards or action modifier cards are bumed. The acting minion remains tapped. A minion that is attempting to block is called the blocking minion. If you want to block, you indicate which minion is the blocker. That minion must have an intercept at least as great as the acting minion's stealth; reaction cards and cards in play can be used to increase the intercept.

Before the block is successful, the blocked player has the opportunity to play action modifiers or use cards in play to increase the acting minion's stealth. Note that action cards that say " + 1 stealth" have an intrinsic stealth bonus to performing that action alone. Play continues with players alternately increasing intercept and stealth. A player cannot increase stealth or intercept beyond that needed to counter directly another player's increase of stealth or intercept; although, if a single card grants more than enough stealth or intercept needed to counter, that card may be played. Players can alternately apply stealth and intercept until they have no more modifiers or do not wish to continue adding. At that point, if the intercept of a minion attempting to block is at least as great as the stealth of the acting minion, the acting minion is blocked. If this is not the case, the blocking minion is left untapped, and another minion may attempt to block. Increased stealth and intercept return to normal after the action is resolved.

Example: You declare that your vampire Cassandra is hunting. Hunting gives a vampire + 1 stealth, so the action cannot normally be blocked. Your predator then plays a reaction card that gives a + 1 intercept to her vampire Che. This brings Che intercept to 1 , which is as great as Cassandra's stealth. You have no cards in hand or in play that will increase Cassandra stealth any further so Che successfully blocks. Both Che and Cassandra are tapped, and combat ensues.

Example: Your predator declares that his vampire Tiberius is bleeding you, and plays a card that increases Tiberius's stealth to 1. Cassandra is untapped, and you have a card that can increase Cassandra's intercept number by 1. So you play the card, and now Cassandra can block Tiberius. But first Tiberius has the opportunity to enhance his stealth again, and he does. You have no more cards to enhance Cassandra intercept, so it looks like Tiberius will bleed successfully.

Summary of the Course of an Action: 1) A player's action is declared and an action car is played if necessary. The acting minion is tapped. 2) If a Methuselah ?.i directly affected, he or she has the opportunity to try to block the action. If the action is blocked, the blocking minion is tapped, and combat ensues (exception: Leave Torpor action). 3) If the action was not directed against a Methuselah, then your prey may attempt to block the action. If your prey does not block the action, then your predator may attempt to block the action. 4) If unblocked, the minion's action is successful. The Methuselah must then pay any cost associated with the action. If the Methuselah cannot pay the cost, whatever can be paid is paid, and the effects of the unpaid cards do not take place. Players cannot play the same action modifier card more than once per action.

Combat: If a player's minion's action is blocked, the action is considered unsuccessful and no cost is paid attempting it, though any action card used is bumed. The blocking minion is then tapped and combat begins.

Combat Sequence: Each round of combat has the following phases: 1) Establish range by maneuver. 2) Choose strike. 3) Resolve strike. 4) Any additional strikes. 5) Press. In general, the player of the acting minion must decide each phase if the minion will use a card or do something before the blocking minion. If the player of the acting minion forgoes this opportunity to act first, he or she cannot reconsider and take action, except in direct response to the blocking minion.

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S ' L _' i^'l I H ¹- SH^μ ' til l^ι •- ^' ? ^ι Establish Range bv Maneuver: Combat may occur at either close or long range. Ranged weapons can be used at either close range or long range. They are identified by the "R" next to the damage they do, as in 2R, which means 2 ranged damage, usable at either close or long range. All attacks that are not specifically ranged can only be performed at close range, and all of a vampire's or ally's attacks, whether or not it has a ranged weapon, are assumed to be close range unless that minion plays a maneuver. Maneuvers can be played to make the combat long range, or to cancel an opponent's maneuver. If you want to make the combat long range, you mus> play a maneuver. Your opponent has the opportunity to cancel your maneuver with another maneuver. Then you have the opportunity to play another maneuver, and ;o forth. If there is an uncanceled maneuver, the round of combat is at long range. You cannot cancel your own maneuver.

If a combat card played by a minion has a maneuver as part of an effect, the maneuver must be used that round of combat. If a combat card played by a minion has an "optional maneuver" as part of the effect, then the minion may decline to use the maneuver. If a strike card is played to gain a maneuver, the acting minion is then committed to using the strike that gave the maneuver. Generally a minion that can attack at long range will want to set the combat at long range against a minion that can only attack at close range. If the minion that can attack at long range out-maneuvers its opponent, the combat is at long range, and its opponent will not be able to attack. Example: You are blocking Tiberius with Cassandra. Cassandra has a handgun that gives 1 ranged damage, and the handgun gives one maneuver per entire combat. You choose to maneuver, making the combat at long range. Cassandra deals one damage, and Tiberius, not being able to attack, deals none. If Tiberius had IR Goggles, which give 1 maneuver each combat, then Tiberius could cancel the maneuver and bring the combat to close range where both vampires would inflict a damage.

Choose Strike: Normally, each minion has only one strike per round. The strike may be made with a normal hand attack for one damage, with a weapon, or with a strike card. Remember, if you used a weapon or strike card for a maneuver, you must also use the card for the minion's strike. Consequently, you cannot use more than one weapon or strike card to get more maneuvers. If weapons were not used to maneuver, then, after the range is determined, the player with the acting minion first decides the manner in which the minion is striking. Then the blocking minion can respond by either using a weapon or using a strike card. All cards to be used during a strike say "strike" on them, and only one strike card can be used in a round of combat unless cards are played making additional strikes available. This is important to note, as cards such as Dodge are strike cards, even though Dodge might be thought of as being perfonned more in lieu of a strike than as a strike. Only one blow can be struck in a round. When combat is at long range, it is possible that one minion or even both minions nay not be able to strike a blow. You cannot opt to not have your minion strike a blow d iing ^*» round and later change your mind. Only one strike may be made each round by eaoh minion unless a card allows you another; note, though, that a press (see Press) does not give you an extra strike in a given combat round but is considered as having initiated a completely new combat round.

Example: When blocking Tiberius with Cassandra, you used the handgun to get a maneuver. If Tiberius canceled it with his own maneuver and thus brought the combat into close range, Cassandra would still be compelled to use the handgun for her strike. Resolve Strike: Damage each round is dealt by minions simultaneously duπng this phase. The normal, unaided hand attack does one damage. Blood (or life points in the case of allies or retainers) is removed from the minion and moved to the blood bank. The damage number, in the case of vampires, is the amount of blood that will be lost healing the damage. If a vampire has no blood to pay to the blood bank to heal a wound (that is, if it received damage in excess of the blood on its card), it goes into torpor.

If a card is played that causes the damage to be aggravated damage, the injured vampire is sent into torpor even if it had blood counters left on it. Aggravated damage shocks a vampire's system so that it does not heal. Thus, the vampire loses no blood unless more than one aggravated damage is received. In this case the excess is paid in blood. If the vampire does not have the blood to heal excess aggravated damage, then it is considered destroyed, and its card is bumed. Note that this destruction of the vampire does not constitute diablerie.

During this sub-phase, damage prevention cards can be played. You may play these cards one at a time until all damage is prevented or until you don't wish to play any more. You cannot play more cards than are necessary to prevent damage. If a damage prevention card or effect blocks more damage than is being dealt, the extra prevention is lost and cannot be applied toward future strikes. For example, if a vampire is dealt three points of aggravated damage, you can play one card that prevents two damage and immediately after that another that prevents two damage. (Note that the vampire will not go into torpor for aggravated damage at this point, as it is considered not to have been damageo at all.)

Additional Strikes: If you have a minion us°- a combat card that gives it an additional strike, you may use more than one stπ-'e card in the current round. This is handled by having another choose strike phase and resolve strike phase after the first, in which only the minions with additional strikes may play strike cards. All additional strikes take place at the same range. This is repeated as necessary. Only one card may give an additional strike to a minion for each round of combat.

Example: You are blocking Tiberius with Cassandra. Tiberius announces he is using a Vampiric Strength card, which allows him to inflict 2 damage, as his strike. Cassandra uses a Dodge card as her strike, so no damage is dealt by either vampire. Next, Tiberius plays a Blur card, giving him one extra strike. Cassandra plays a Blur also, giving her two extra strikes since she has superior Celerity. Tiberius uses his hands for the second strike. Cassandra uses her hands also. Both suffer one damage and so lose one blood. Cassandra then uses her hands one more time, and Tiberius can't use a strike because he only had one additional action. Tiberius suffers one more damage.

Press: Presses can be used to start another round of combat or to cancel an opponent's press. If you want another round of combat, then you must play a press. Your opponent has the opportunity to cancel your press with a press; then you have the opportunity to play another press, and so forth. If there is an uncanceled press, the extra round of combat begins. Note that you cannot cancel your own press. If a combat card used by a minion has a press as part of an effect, then the press must be used that round, of combat. If a combat card used by a minion has an optional press as part of the effect, then the minion may decline to use the press.

Example: In the preceding combat Tiberius has a motorcycle, which gives one press a tum. He uses the press to extend combat another round. Cassandra and Tiberius now exchange blows at close range, since Cassandra has already used the maneuver on her handgun. Tiberius plays a Poter e card that increases his damage by 1 , so Cassandra now loses 2 blood while Ticerius loses only 1. If you had a card that gave you a press, you could have used it to cancel Tiberius's press.

Weapons in Combat: Minions can arm themselves with weapons using equipment cards during the action phase of the minion round, b.'t not during combat. Often weapons will give your minion the capability of doing one or more maneuvers during the course of a combat. If a minion uses a weapon for a maneuver, that weapon must be used for its strike. If your minion does not use a weapon to gain a maneuver, you may still announce the use of a weapon during the choose strike phase. This will give your minion the ability to deal extra damage, and it may also give a maneuver on a succeeding round. You may only use hand damage modifiers on melee-type weapons (such as knives, clubs, etc.).

Special Combat Effects:

Hand Damage: Adds to a minion's hand or melee weapon damage.

Destroy Equipment: This effect will force a piece of equipment to be put in the owner's ash heap. This cannot be done at long range unless specified by the card. If there is more than one piece of equipment on the opposing minion, the destroying minion chooses which is affected. The equipment can be used on the turn it is bumed unless the destroying was done before the use would happen (see First Strike, below, and Additional Strikes). The effect may specify a weapon; in which case a weapon must be bumed. Steal Equipment: This effect is like destroy equipment except that the equipment goes to the stealing minion. The equipment may not be used by the stealing minion until the following round of combat. The equipment is retained by

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SUBSTITI ITF HFF I ULE 26Ϊ the stealing minion after combat ends. First Strike: The strike of a minion with first strike is resolved before the strike of the opposing minion. If both minions have first strike, then the strikes are resolved simultaneously.

Example: Cassandra and Tiberius are at it again. Tiberius has a flame-thrower. The combat is at close range, and Cassandra has first strike due to a mysterious amulet. You play a card that allows Cassandra to destroy a weapon; because she has first strike, the weapon is bumed before it is used.

Dodge: The Dodge strike card deals no damage, but ii negates the effect of the opponent's strike that round.

Close Quarters: During the remainder of the combat there is no long range.

Combat Ends: Considered a strike, this ends combat immediately (before any damage is dealt or any strike's effects take place). Note that Combat Ends κ> not affected by Dodge and even cancels strikes with first strike.

Steal Blood: This does not count as damage, so it alone cannot put a vampire into torpor; but neither can it be prevented with damage prevention. The amount of blood stolen is given to the stealing vampire. If the amount stolen exceeds the stealing vampire's capacity, the excess is kept on the vampire until the end of the rum and then put in the bank. A vampire heals any existing wounds immediately after stealing blood unless the damage was dealt to it with first strike. If Steal Blood is used against an ally, the ally loses the appropriate number of lives and the vampire stealing blood gains the appropriate amount in blood. An ally can be bumed in this way.

Example: Ebanezer Roush steals two blood from a Mage ally with one life left. The Mage loses its last life, and Ebanezer gains one blood. The Mage is bumed. Had Ebanezer been stealing two blood from Tiberius, who only has one blood left from his many encounters with Cassandra, Tiberius would lose one blood, Ebanezer would gain one, and the excess would be ignored. If Ebanezer had no blood left on his card prior to that combat and receives a wound from Tiberius the same time he steals the blood, the stolen blood could be used to heal his wound as long as the wound was not delivered with first strike. Paralyze: This sends a vampire to toφor, tapped. The vampire cannot be untapped during the untap phase. Any vampire that encounters a vampire in toφor may rescue it at no cost. A paralyzed vampire may be diablerized as usual. Mark the vampire to show it has been paralyzed.

F. TORPOR

Going Into Torpor: If a vampire doesn't have enough blood points to heal a wound, that vampire goes into toφor, a state of hibernation. Vampires may also go into toφor by sustaining aggravated damage. In this case they may enter toφor still having some blood points left. Vampires in toφor are placed in an area to one side of their inactive region. Any retainers and equipment stay with the vampire going into toφor.

Leave Torpor (no card required): To get a vampire out of torpor, you tap the vampire during the minion phase, and the vampire pays two blood to get out of toφor. However, if the vampire doesn't have enough blood to pay, then it will require another ready and untapped vampire to rescue it (see below). Note that the action of "getting out of toφor" can be blocked. This action does give the vampire in toφor + 1 stealth, but if it should be successfully blocked, it not only remains in toφor but loses the two blood points that it spent attempting to leave toφor and may be destroyed (bumed) by the blocking vampire (see Diablerie).

Encounter a Vampire in Torpor (no card required): Only another vampire may perform the action of encounter a vampire in torpor. Encountering a vampire in toφor gives your acting vampire an opportunity to do one of two things: rescue the vampire or destroy the vampire by committing diablerie.

Rescue a vampire in toφor (no card required): To rescue a vampire in toφor, you must sacrifice two blood points to the blood bank by removing them from either the rescuing vampire or the rescued vampire, or by removing one blood point from each vampire. This action like all others may be blocked. If attempting to rescue one of your own vampires in toφor, your minion performs this action at + 1 stealth.

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SUBSTITUTE SHΞET (RoLE 2C) The rescued vampire is not tapped, but if it went into torpor tapped, rescuing it will not untap it.

Diablerie (no card required): As stated previously, a vampire in toφor may be destroyed by a vampire encountering it. This is done through the action of diablerie. Diablerie is killing another vampire by drinking its blood. It gives the vampire performing the action all the blood and equipment on the slain vampire's card, so it may be useful to perform on even your own vampires in toφor. Also, a vampire that diablerizes an older vampire (one with a greater blood capacity) immediately gets a bonus Discipline, which you bestow upon your vampire by going through your library, ash heap, and/or hand and placing any one of the skill cards, if any, found there on your vampire. Reshuffle your library. Note this skill gives your vampire an extra blood capacity, but that blood capacity is not automatically filled.

Diablerie may seem advantageous; however, as diablerie is looked upon unfavorably by vampire society, any Methuselah may immediately call a vote among all the Methuselah to decide whether a bloodhunt will be called. If the vote passes (see Voting), the vampire committing diablerie is destroyed, and its card bumed. This vote is not considered an action, so reaction and action modifier cards cannot be played.

G. POLITICS

Voting: When a political card is played as an action or a call made for a bloodhunt against a vampire committing diablerie, a vote is called. A vote is always yes or no. A political card always provides one vote for the Methuselah playing it. Note that no cards played during a vote are replaced until after the vote.

Additional political cards can also be used by any of the other Methuselah for votes. The actual effects of these cards are ignored. Cards used in this way are discarded to the ash heap, but, as stated, not replaced until the voting is finished. In addition to the vote provided by the card played, you get the following extra votes for vampires under your control: 1) for each ready Primogen 2) for each ready Prince 3) for each ready Justicar.

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ι i H J - "^■'" ; ^'-~ _I .< ι- ό) 96/04968 PC1YUS95/10451

If you have the Edge, you may relinquish the Edge to the center of the table in return for the right to cast one extra vote.

The vote is run by the player playing the vote card. People call out votes freely, for or against. Once a vote has been cast, it cannot be changed. After fifteen seconds have gone by with no new votes (give a three-second warning), the vote is closed, and the results are tallied. If a vote comes to a tie, it is merely treated as a lost vote. A vote either passes or it doesn't. There is no obligation to vote. Political actions can be blocked as any other action can, but must be blocked before the terms of the vote are set; otherwise, the voting begins. Political actions are never directed against specific players and so may be blocked both by the acting player's predator and prey.

Contested Titles: As noted above, Princes and Justicars give players votes when a vote is called for. However, there can only be one Prince of a particular city and only one Justicar of a particular clan. It is possible that more than one will come into play; in which case, all such vampires are treated as having contested titles, which are similar to contested cards but with the following differences: 1) Blood paid during untap is paid from the vampire, not from the blood pool. Inability to pay sends the vampire to toφor. 2) When yielding, the vampire does not have its card bumed; it merely loses its title. Bum the title if it was added to the vampire by another card; otherwise, make a note of it. A vampire in toφor must yield a contested title during untap.

H. ENDING THE GAME

Winning the Game: When your prey is ousted, you earn six blood points from the blood bank, the prey's ante card, if ante is being played for, and a victory point. If a predator is ousted the same turn that his or her prey is, the predator gets the ante and victory point but does not get the six blood points. You earn an additional victory point if you are the last one left in the game. The winner of the game is the person with the most victory points.

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^• ' ' Example: Nora, Eddie, Suki, and Winnie are seated clockwise around a table in that order; they are playing a game for ante. Eddie is reduced to zero blood first- Eddie is Nora's prey, so Nora gains 6 blood and a victory point and Eddie's ante card. Suki is ousted next by Nora; and now Suki is to Nora's left, so Nora gets another 6 blood, another victory point, and Suki's ante card. Now Nora and Winnie are the only ones left, and so each is prey of the other. All the blood Nora earned doesn't save her from falling, and Winnie gets 6 blood, a victory point, and Nora's ante card (but not the two cards Nora won from the other players). Since Winnie was not ousted at all, she gets an additional victory point, and the final score is tied between Winnie and Nora, with 2 victory points each. Winnie and Nora also tie in ante because Nora got one ante each from Eddie and Suki and Winnie got Nora's ante and got to keep her own ante.

Withdrawin from the Game: If you begin your turn with less than a full hand due to having exhausted your library, you have the option of withdrawing from the Jyhad. To exercise this option you must announce your intent to withdraw during your untap phase. For the withdrawal to be a success, your minions cannot enter combat, and no blood can be lost (or spent) from your blood pool or any of your minions until your next untap phase, when the withdrawal becomes effective. The withdrawal fails, even when the total amount of blood goes up, if you lose a single blood. If you withdraw, you get to keep your ante, and you receive one victory point to add to any victory points you have already gained. Your predator gets nothing (unless he or she is the last player left in the game; in which case he or she gets the usual one victory point).

I. GLOSSARY

The following is a glossary of some of the terms of Vampire: The Masquerade relevant to Jyhad.

Amaranth: The act of drinking blood from another Kindred. Commonly known as diablerie. PC17US95/10451

Autarkis: A vampire that refuses to be a part of Kindred society. An outcast.

Beast, The: The drives and desires that pull Kindred away from their humanity and turn them into monsters.

Blood Bond: A mysterious link that forms between Kindred that drink one another's blood. The blood bond can give the donor control of the recipient.

Bloodhunt: When a vampire commits diablerie, the vampire becomes subject to a bloodhunt. A vote is taken immediately. If it passes, the card of the Diabolist vampire is bumed.

Book of Nod, The: The sacred book of the Kindred. This has never been published in totality, and most of it has been lost to time.

Caine: The first vampire, from which all other vampires are descended.

Camarilla, The: The Camarilla is a sect made up of seven clans of vampires that have banded together and are protected by the Traditions.

Clan: A group of vampires that share certain mystic and physical characteristics.

Consanguineous: One of the same clan (usually a younger member).

Cunctator: A vampire that drinks shallowly from its prey.

Domain: The fiefdom claimed by a vampire, most often a Prince. Invariably a city.

Garou: A werewolf.

Golconda: A state of inner peace gained when a vampire accepts and achieves balance with its inner beast.

Justicar: A vampire that serves as judge, jury, and executioner of vampires that have broken the Traditions. There may be only one

Justicar for each clan.

Kindred: The term vampires use to refer collectively to their kind. Masquerade, The: The Masquerade is the practiced Tradition of keeping mortals ignorant of the truth υf the existence of vampires.

Methuselah: A powerful vampire, thousands of years old, that involves itself in the struggles of the Jyhad from afar or in complete anonymity.

Each player in Jyhad represents a Methuselah.

Praxis: The right, given by the Traditions, for a Prince to rule a domain. This may also refer to the rules, laws, and customs enforced by a particular prince.

Primogen: A council of vampires in a city that supports the Prince ruling the city. Primogen members may cast one vote.

Prince: A Kindred that rules a city and enforces the Traditions upon its vampire population. Princes may cast two votes.

Traditions: The six laws of the Kindred. These Traditions are laws that protect the Kindred from mortals and from one another.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the game components and the method of play without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, the game can be greatly simplified for new players or players of a young age. Simplification can include removing cards with complicated effects or by changing the rules of play.

The rules of play can be simplified such that vampires can be brought to play without first requiring the payment of blood. In addition, a vampire can be completely removed from the game without going to Toφor when its level of blood is reduced to zero. Further simplification can be achieved by removing complex cards from the library available to each player.

It is to be further understood that this game can be played in various formats as previously discussed. For instance, the game can be played by players on one or more computers or other electronic devices, such as video games, electronic games, as well as on interactive networks utilizing computer software and text. Such electronic devices can visually display the cards and enable the players to manipulate the cards and execute turns as described hereinabove. Commercially available

34

SUBSTITUTE CI .Z2T (RULE 26) electronic communication devices can also be provided to enable players to communicate with each other over long distances. All of the foregoing devices can be readily adapted utilizing conventional programming and software methods for commercially available hardware.

Another version of the game can be played using a playing board. The board would have one or more pathways on it divided into sections on which the players move. These sections would have text associated therewith that require players to take on or more actions, such as drawing a card, playing a card, discarding a card, etc. As such, the board game would include use of the cards as described above.

Hence, the spirit and scope of the invention is to be limited only by the scope of ihc claims that follow.

Claims

CLAIMS The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A game for two or more players, comprising: rules of play; a plurality of game elements, said game elements including a plurality of entity elements having a predetermined level of life; means for monitoring the level of ln of said entity elements; a plurality of first-state altering elements that enable players to alter the state of one or more players, of one or more of said entity elements, and to modify the effect of one or more of said rules of play and the tfføt of one or more of said first state-altering elements; a plurality of second state-alteπng elements that enable said entity elements to alter the state of one or more players, of one or more of said entity elements, and to modify the effect of one or more of said rules of play and the effect of one or more of said first and second state-altering elements; and means for monitoring the level of life of each player.

2. The game of claim 1 , further including means for indicating which player as special ability.

3. The game of claim 1 , wherein said means for monitoring said level of life comprise a plurality of tokens.

4. A game of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of game elements comprises hand-holdable cards.

5. The game of claim 4, wherein said hand-holdable cards are freely tradable among players such that each player obtains and constructs their own deck of cards to thereby compete against the deck of cards of every other player.

6. A method of playing a game for two or more players, the game components comprising a plurality of entity elements having a predetermined level of life and a plurality of first state-altering elements that enable players to alter the state of one or more players, one or more entity elements, and to modify the effect of one or more of said rules of play and the effect of said one or more state-altering elements, and a plurality of second state-altering elements that enable said entity elements to alter the state of one or more players, one or more entity elements, and to modify the effect of one or more said rules of play and the effect of one or more of said state-altering elements, and a plurality of tokens for monitoring the level of life of each player and of said entity elements, the method of playing the game comprising the steps of: each player constructing a library of game components from a pool of game components; each player obtaining one or more entity element from the library; each player obtaining an opening hand of a predetermined number of state-altering elements from the player's library; each player executing a turn by, at the player's option, entering one or more of said first state-altering elements into play, entering one or more second state- altering elements into play and resolving the effects thereof, entering one or more entity elements into play, discarding one or more game elements, and drawing one or more game elements.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of executing a turn further includes the substep of attacking an opposing player's entity elements and resolving the attack through combat.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said substep of resolving combat further comprises the steps of, at a player's option, entering into play one or more state-altering elements and resolving the effect thereof.

9. The method of game play of claim 8, wherein the step of executing a turn further includes the step of flagging an entity element when the entity element is being used by the player controlling the entity element such that all other players see that the entity element is being used.

10. The method of game play of claim 9, wherein said step of executing a turn further includes the substep of unflagging an entity element prior to executing any other substep of said step of executing a tum.

11. A method of playing a game for two or more players, the game components comprising hand-holdable cards that further comprise a plurality of vampire cards and a plurality of library card the library cards further comprising cards that enable a player to alter the state of one or more players, the state of one or more vampire cards, and to modify the effect of one or more of the rules of play and the effect of one or more of the state-altering cards, and tokens for indicating the life level of each player and of each vampire represented on each vampire card, the game comprising the steps of: each player constructing a library of cards from a pool of cards available to each player; each player selecting one or more vampire cards to be placed on a playing surface; each player obtaining an opening hand of a predetermined number of library cards from the player's library; and each player executing a turn by, at the player's option, entering one or more vampire cards into play and entering one or more state-altering cards into play.

12. The method of game play of claim 11 , wherein the step of executing a turn includes the substep of flagging a vampire card when the vampire card is being used so that all players can see the vampire card has been used.

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SUBSTITUTE S;-^'EET ⁽RULE 25)

13. The method of game play of claim 12, wherein the step of executing a turn further comprises the substep of initially unflagging all vampire cards before proceeding with any other substeps of the step of executing a turn to thereby make the vampire card available for use during the player's tum.