What would you like to see in an expansion?

Firstly, I did a quick search and it doesn't seem like this has been
asked for a while, so if I missed a more recent thread regarding this
I apologize (and would appreciate a link to it if so).

I recently asked this question of a few players and was surprised at
the first response: "More Fortitude cards." Maybe I'm in the minority
on this but I don't look at an expansion merely in terms of what new
abilities are provided - I'm just as interested in the concept behind
the expansion, the focus behind it. I think the formula of having a
focus on a sect, clan group, &c. has worked very well but from my
understanding with the next expansion being more Camarilla support, I
believe it might be time to consider other options as to the basis
behind an expansion.

From what I could tell, I don't think most people really like the
smaller expansion sets, such as Sword of Caine, but I always thought
that it would be nice to have an expansion which focused purely on
equipment - more distinct guns and weapons, weapon enhancements,
clothing, vehicles, and so on. I guess that probably wouldn't go over
so well.

A larger vision I've had for the game since the Jyhad days was for
cities and locations. I always liked the feeling of amassing a pool of
global locations to support your power and always wanted to see more
of them. I also liked the concept of controlling Princes and
Archbishops of cities, which made me feel like I truly had substantial
worldwide influence.

However, I think this aspect has been somewhat neglected in the game,
or at least never really realized to its full potential. As the game
stands now, the only functional ability having a Prince or Archbishop
gives you is two votes and the ability to play a handful of cards -
this works, it has worked fine, but in terms of the game, it puts all
such vampires on equal ground. I personally think there should be some
difference between controlling the Prince of London and the Archbishop
of Detroit, given how different those two cities are. Also, in
considering the Praxis/Crusade/Fee Stake cards, they are mostly
interchangeable - of course they should be part of the game, but as it
stands now there's really no reason to put any thought into which city
title card to put in a deck (beyond those with clan boons, &c.). As a
result of this, I generally do not see city titles contested in the
games I play. Maybe to most people this wouldn't matter, but,
considering V:tM's By Night book series and the wide diversity of
cities represented, I'd like to see the game expand upon this area.

So my grand idea would be - to make Unique City Locations. In terms of
game mechanics, they would be locations as normal, but some rule
enhancements (or an event card to convey such) would encourage players
to use the locations or even use a specific city. Maybe have a rule
where, if you control the related Prince, Archbishop, Baron, or even
Powerbase, you could play them as Trifles. Or such title-holding
vampires could take a +1 stealth action to search for them in the
library and let you play them as an out-of-turn trifle. Or maybe
something more drastic such as requiring such titled vampire or
Powerbase to play them, and have their use nullified while such title
or location is contested.

Some card examples:

Packard Plant
1 Pool
Master: Unique Detroit Location.
Vampires you control get an additional +1 stealth on Leave Torpor
actions.

IRS Headquarters
2 Pool
Master: Unique Washington, DC Location.
Tap this location and choose any Imbued or mortal ally. The chosen
minion taps and cannot play any reaction cards until your discard
phase.

A main underlying concept would be to have the locations support the
functionality behind the default clan(s) of the titleholder(s) of such
city (Ventrue and !Toreador for Chicago, !Nos and Tzimisce for
Detroit, &c.) or reflect the city itself (Pittsburgh would have ways
to manufacture or recycle weapons, &c.)

The point in all of this would be to encourage people to want certain
cities in their control, and to better reflect the amount of power
possessed by controlling certain cities. I would think it could
possibly result in more city title contestment occuring and thus add
more tension in the game and give players something to consider when
choosing which vampires and/or titles they want to have in their deck.
I think it would be really interesting if it worked well enough that
players would want to make city-themed decks, like a Chicago Brujah
deck, or a Tremere Athens deck.

I'm tempted to write up a series of cards like the examples I gave,
but I'm not sure I want to invest the time in doing so if I never do
anything with it and it is all for naught.

....

Anyway, that's my grand idea. I'd like to hear yours. If you actually
read all of that, I thank you very much and I'd appreciate any reply,
even "tl;dr" if you don't care what I have to say but have an idea of
what kind of expansion you want anyway.

Thanks.

On Jun 22, 8:35 am, "dog$" <011... DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
> Firstly, I did a quick search and it doesn't seem like this has been
> asked for a while, so if I missed a more recent thread regarding this
> I apologize (and would appreciate a link to it if so).
>
> I recently asked this question of a few players and was surprised at
> the first response: "More Fortitude cards." Maybe I'm in the minority
> on this but I don't look at an expansion merely in terms of what new
> abilities are provided - I'm just as interested in the concept behind
> the expansion, the focus behind it. I think the formula of having a
> focus on a sect, clan group, &c. has worked very well but from my
> understanding with the next expansion being more Camarilla support, I
> believe it might be time to consider other options as to the basis
> behind an expansion.
>
> From what I could tell, I don't think most people really like the
> smaller expansion sets, such as Sword of Caine, but I always thought
> that it would be nice to have an expansion which focused purely on
> equipment - more distinct guns and weapons, weapon enhancements,
> clothing, vehicles, and so on. I guess that probably wouldn't go over
> so well.
>
> A larger vision I've had for the game since the Jyhad days was for
> cities and locations. I always liked the feeling of amassing a pool of
> global locations to support your power and always wanted to see more
> of them. I also liked the concept of controlling Princes and
> Archbishops of cities, which made me feel like I truly had substantial
> worldwide influence.
>
> However, I think this aspect has been somewhat neglected in the game,
> or at least never really realized to its full potential. As the game
> stands now, the only functional ability having a Prince or Archbishop
> gives you is two votes and the ability to play a handful of cards -
> this works, it has worked fine, but in terms of the game, it puts all
> such vampires on equal ground. I personally think there should be some
> difference between controlling the Prince of London and the Archbishop
> of Detroit, given how different those two cities are. Also, in
> considering the Praxis/Crusade/Fee Stake cards, they are mostly
> interchangeable - of course they should be part of the game, but as it
> stands now there's really no reason to put any thought into which city
> title card to put in a deck (beyond those with clan boons, &c.). As a
> result of this, I generally do not see city titles contested in the
> games I play. Maybe to most people this wouldn't matter, but,
> considering V:tM's By Night book series and the wide diversity of
> cities represented, I'd like to see the game expand upon this area.
>
> So my grand idea would be - to make Unique City Locations. In terms of
> game mechanics, they would be locations as normal, but some rule
> enhancements (or an event card to convey such) would encourage players
> to use the locations or even use a specific city. Maybe have a rule
> where, if you control the related Prince, Archbishop, Baron, or even
> Powerbase, you could play them as Trifles. Or such title-holding
> vampires could take a +1 stealth action to search for them in the
> library and let you play them as an out-of-turn trifle. Or maybe
> something more drastic such as requiring such titled vampire or
> Powerbase to play them, and have their use nullified while such title
> or location is contested.
>
> Some card examples:
>
> Packard Plant
> 1 Pool
> Master: Unique Detroit Location.
> Vampires you control get an additional +1 stealth on Leave Torpor
> actions.
>
> IRS Headquarters
> 2 Pool
> Master: Unique Washington, DC Location.
> Tap this location and choose any Imbued or mortal ally. The chosen
> minion taps and cannot play any reaction cards until your discard
> phase.
>
> A main underlying concept would be to have the locations support the
> functionality behind the default clan(s) of the titleholder(s) of such
> city (Ventrue and !Toreador for Chicago, !Nos and Tzimisce for
> Detroit, &c.) or reflect the city itself (Pittsburgh would have ways
> to manufacture or recycle weapons, &c.)
>
> The point in all of this would be to encourage people to want certain
> cities in their control, and to better reflect the amount of power
> possessed by controlling certain cities. I would think it could
> possibly result in more city title contestment occuring and thus add
> more tension in the game and give players something to consider when
> choosing which vampires and/or titles they want to have in their deck.
> I think it would be really interesting if it worked well enough that
> players would want to make city-themed decks, like a Chicago Brujah
> deck, or a Tremere Athens deck.
>
> I'm tempted to write up a series of cards like the examples I gave,
> but I'm not sure I want to invest the time in doing so if I never do
> anything with it and it is all for naught.
>
> ...
>
> Anyway, that's my grand idea. I'd like to hear yours. If you actually
> read all of that, I thank you very much and I'd appreciate any reply,
> even "tl;dr" if you don't care what I have to say but have an idea of
> what kind of expansion you want anyway.
>
> Thanks.

I think your idea for geographic identity playing more of a role is
very good for adding flavor, and very executable. City names could be
keywords on library cards. A few old cards could be grandfathered in
without any undue awkwardness, I think -- Tower of London being a
'London' location, for example, or Powerbase: Los Angeles a 'Los
Angeles' location shouldn't be at all confusing. There could even be
city allies...

Leona Helmsley
1 pool
Unique Ghoul Ally
New York
1 life 0 strength 1 bleed
New York locations cost you one less blood or pool. Leona may steal a
life from a mortal ally as a (D) action.

Any number of mechanisms could be employed, and there wouldn't need to
be any new rules. There could be an event that triggers everything...

Urban Consolidation
Event
Do not replace this card as normal; you may use a discard phase action
to replace it.
Any vampire with a city title may take control of a location of that
city as a (D) action; Barons get +1 stealth on this action.
As a discard phase action, any methuselah may tap a city location to
gain one pool; if the vampire with that city's title is ready, he or
she also gains a blood from the blood bank.

.... or some kind of city central cards that makes things kick in ...

Mexico City Central
+2 stealth action, requires a vampire with the Mexico City title
Put this card in play. You may tap this card to give a minion you
control +1 stealth when bleeding or +2 intercept when blocking an
equip action. During each other methuselah's untap phase, he or she
burns one pool for each Mexico City location or ally he or she
controls. Blood Brothers of the Mexico City Circle you control get +X
strength when in combat with an acting minion, where X is the number
of Mexico City locations you control. Any vampire with the Mexico
City title may take control of this card as a +2 stealth (D) action.

.... and/or special text on some titled vamps ...

Queen Anne, Advanced
Ventrue 10 [aus obf DOM FOR NEC PRE]
Camarilla Prince of London
While Anne has a London title you may tap her to take control of a
London location or ally as a master phase action that costs 1 pool.
If Anne's title is contested, the methuselah controling the contesting
vampire burns one pool each turn he or she does not yield.
[merge] Once per combat, Anne may burn a card at random from your
hand to strike for 1R aggravated damage.

(These are all just for demonstration. Of course the designers could
come up with better stuff.)