Tournament play requires precision in announcing cards and effects. The following sections detail these expectations. Players failing to meet them are liable for penalties, as per the Judge's Guide.
Players are encouraged to always call for a judge in case of a misplay or misrepresentation. Even if the situation is clear and appears to be solvable by the players themselves, tracking offences is important to ensure a fair tournament experience for everyone and to discourage dishonest behaviours.
A clear declaration of cards and effects is the cornerstone of fair play. Therefore, what effects a player declares are binding, except misplays.
Touching a card, a stack (library, crypt), or locking a card, is not a declaration by itself.
Exception: Locking a minion after having announced an action is binding as soon as the player's hand leaves the minion card (see Action declaration).
When playing a card, its name as well as all required choices must be announced as the card is played. This includes:
- The discipline(s) used, if there is a choice.
- The level of discipline used, if there is a choice.
- The chosen cost, for cards with a cost of X.
- The chosen target(s), if there are any.
Explaining what the card does or reading its text is not expected. All opponents are allowed to examine any card played to read its text if they desire, before resuming the game.
Failing to announce a card properly does not bind the player to any choice, but is a misplay. Insisting on reading cards aloud or explaining their effects systematically can be arbitrated as stalling.
Examples:
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The acting player bleeds. Their prey declares "I use superior Eyes of Argus to wake Andi Liu". Because Andi Liu does not have superior Auspex, it is a misplay, so they are not bound to play the card.
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The acting player bleeds. Their prey announces: "I bleed with Platinum Protocol". It is incorrect: they must announce what disciplines they use for it, and the bleed amount.
When declaring an action, the player must, in addition:
- Declare who the acting minion is by locking them.
- Declare the action stealth level if it is not standard. The standard stealth is:
- zero stealth by default
- 1 stealth for hunt, equip, recruit, employ, or political actions
- 1 stealth for the leave and rescue from torpor actions.
- For bleed actions, declare the bleed amount. If it is modified during the action, the total amount must be stated anew.
Locking is considered effective — and the acting minion chosen — when the player's hand leaves the card.
In case the action declaration is invalid, the declaration is considered void. In case the action is valid but misrepresented, the declaration stays binding. In both cases, it is a misplay.
Examples:
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The acting player declares "I bleed for one" and begins to lock Victoria Ash, but changes their mind and unlocks her, their hand not leaving the card, and says "Sorry, not with her, I bleed for one with Modius". This is allowed.
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The acting player declares "I play Govern the Unaligned superior" and locks Donny Kowalczyk. Because Donny Kowalczyk does not have superior Dominate, this is a misplay, and the declaration is not binding: they are not forced to play Govern the Unaligned with another minion.
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The acting player declares "I bleed for one" and locks Catalina Vega. The bleed is possible, however Catalina Vega bleeds for two. It is a binding declaration, but a misrepresentation.
Referendum terms that present a choice must be confirmed when a political action succeeds, even if the terms have been negotiated prior.
To announce their votes, players must announce the number of votes they commit, and to which side: in favour, or against. If they choose not to commit the totality of their available votes — not counting optional effects — they must announce which vampire is voting.
Example:
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The acting player announces a Kine Resources Contested, and they add "I will put 3 on my prey and take the last one", both the prey and predator pass on the opportunity to block. The acting player goes "OK, 4 votes in favour". It is incorrect, they must confirm the terms beforehand, even if with just "Terms are as announced".
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A player has 2 Princes: Modius and Mkhokheli. They can declare either "4 votes against" or "Modius puts 2 votes against". They cannot just state "2 votes against" without indicating which vampire votes. They cannot either state "vote against", without stating the amount of votes.
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A player has 2 Princes: Alice Chen and Alexa Draper, and an unlocked Ventrue Headquarters. They can announce just "4 votes against" since the Ventrue Headquarters is an optional effect. They need not remind their opponents of the possibility.
Shortcuts in sequencing are permitted, some are customary, as long as they procure no advantage to the player making them. A shortcut is binding as long as no opponent wishes to play a card or effect during the window that was cut short. If they do, the shortcut is voided (does not bind the player who made it), and the game sequence resumes at the point where the opponent plays their card or effect.
Playing a card or effect that requires a change in phase or step amounts to a shortcut to that phase or step. Passing on a phase or step amounts to a shortcut passing on all previous phases or steps.
To interrupt and void a shortcut, an opponent must declare their wish to do so before the next card or effect is played.
Example:
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The acting player was blocked, combat just finished with "No press - no press". The acting player starts announcing their next action: "So, I hunt with Modius". It is a typical shortcut, moving to the next action without considering after-resolution effects. But the opponent can intervene: "Wait, before you move to the next action, I use Cat's Guidance to unlock". In that case, the game sequence resumes after Cat's Guidance has been played, and the acting player can decide not to hunt with Modius.
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A player starts their turn, unlocks all their cards, then locks a vampire and announces "Hunt. Any blocks?". They passed on their Unlock and Master phases by announcing a minion action. If they forgot an unlock or master phase effect, it is too late. If an opponent wanted to play a card or effect in those phases, they can, in which case the game sequence resumes at that point.
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A player forgets to take pool for the Edge and plays a Villein. This amounts to passing on the unlock phase, they cannot take it back. They cannot either arrange for an ally to use some effect at the end of the unlock phase to take it back.
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A player unlocks their minions and plays a Villein. An opponent says "Wait, as you pass on the unlock phase, I use my Homunculus to unlock". This is allowed, the game sequence starts again at that point: the acting player can play further unlock effects, and decide whether to play their Villein or not.
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A player unlocks their minions and plays a Villein, replaces it then play The Barrens. An opponent says "Wait, during your unlock phase, I use my Homunculus to unlock". This is too late: the player passed on their unlock with Villein, then moved on to the next card with The Barrens.
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A player is finished with their minions' actions, forgets their influence phase, and discards a card. This amounts to passing to the discard phase: it is too late to take it back and do the transfers.
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A player is finished with their minions' actions and starts to influence a new vampire. Their prey says "Wait, at the end of your minion phase, I use Enkil Cog to act". This is allowed, and the game sequence starts with the Enkil Cog action, after which the initial player can decide to either move to their influence phase or take a new action with one of their minions.
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A player is finished with their minions' actions, puts four transfers on a new vampire, then discard a card and declares "next" Their prey says "Wait, at the end of your minion phase, I use Enkil Cog to act". This is too late: the player has not only performed transfers but also moved to the next effect with a discard.
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A vampire gets blocked, and the acting player announces: "Hand Strike for 1", thereby passing on the pre-range, range, and pre-strike substeps. The opponent is allowed to declare an effect on any of the substep. If they do, for example, they play a maneuver, the game sequence starts again from that point: the acting player can maneuver, use a pre-strike effect, or choose a different strike.
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A vampire gets blocked, the acting player announces: "No pre-range", and their opponent announces "Nothing until strike". The acting player is allowed to either take the shortcut and move to strike declaration or play a maneuver or pre-strike effect, in which case the game sequence starts again at that point, and the opponent is allowed to play a maneuver or pre-strike.
Some shortcuts are forbidden, because their ambiguity may provide an advantage:
- Explicitely passing after declaring an action is mandatory. Asking for blocks amounts to passing.
- Explicitly passing on block opportunities for the target, in case of a directed action, or the prey and the predator, in case of an undirected action, is mandatory. Declaring "no block" amounts to passing.
- A card with no delay in its replacement must be replaced before the next card is played: playing multiple cards and replacing them all after is not allowed.
- Explicitely declaring one's end of turn is mandatory.
Examples:
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The acting player announces: "I play Villein" and replace the card. It is incorrect: they must announce the target vampire, and the amount of blood they take, before replacing.
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The acting player announces: "I hunt". Their predator immediately says "I block". It is incorrect: the prey must pass on the opportunity to block first.
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The acting player bleeds, and their prey declares a Deflection immediately. It is incorrect: they must announce they pass on the opportunity to block before they can play Deflection.
Some cards allow a player to cancel another card as they are played. For example, Direct Intervention can cancel a minion card. The theoretical window to play those cancellation effects is narrow: they should be played after the card is announced, but before it is replaced.
Asking for a cancellation every time one plays a card is slow, so a common shortcut is not to wait to replace, nor to play the next card. An opponent who wants to cancel a card or effect, or take the time to consider it, can ask the player playing the card to wait before replacing, interrupting the shortcut there, or after the card has been replaced, but before the next card is announced. Once the next card has been played, the window to cancel has passed.
Allowing an opponent to see the next play before deciding if they cancel the initial play is an unfair advantage. Allowing a fast play to offer a reduced window of opportunity to their opponent is not ideal, but a lesser issue. Therefore, the burden of correct play in this case lies on the player wanting to play the cancelling effect. They must pay attention and declare their will to cancel between the card announcement and the next effect.
This applies to playing wake effects in this same cancellation window.
Examples:
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The acting player declares "I bleed with Govern the Unaligned at inferior", replaces it, then announces "I use Seduction at superior on your vampire". It is too late for anyone to play a Direct Intervention on the Govern the Unaligned. They can only cancel the Seduction now.
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The acting player declares "Bleed with Govern and I use Seduction your vampire", playing both cards without replacing. This is a forbidden shortcut: Govern the Unaligned can be cancelled by the opponents.
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The acting player announces a bleed with Govern the Unaligned, replaces the card, and then an opponent says "Wait". The acting player puts the replacement card back on top of the library, and the opponent is allowed to cancel the Govern the Unaligned if they desire.
VTES is a negotiation game, and table talk is an important part of it. Players are allowed to posture, bluff, and talk about the cards they might (or might not) have in their hand or their deck. They are allowed to negotiate before making any definitive declaration. However, table talk should neither devolve into aggression nor err on the side of stalling.
Players are not allowed to raise their voices, use any slur towards an opponent, their deck, or their play, or make any physical threat, even in jest.
Examples:
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During a player's turn, they start negotiating with their predator to ally themselves against the third player. "No, don't listen!" shouts the third player. "Sorry I was talking" says the acting player. The third player shouts angrily "I won't let you propose this without saying anything!". It is incorrect: raising your voice is not allowed.
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During a player's turn, they start negotiating with their predator to ally themselves against the third player. The third player says calmly "Don't listen to this simpleton, no way they can pull it off with their stupid deck". That is incorrect, they are not allowed to defame a player's character or deck.
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During a player's turn, they start negotiating with their predator to ally themselves against the third player. The third player says calmly to the acting player: "If you go with that, I'll rush backwards and make sure your predator ousts you first". That is allowed.
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A player just passed a strong bleed and is rejoicing. Their prey goes "Don't laugh too much, remember I'm a Brujah, I'll come and break all the bones in your body to make sure this does not happen again". Although it might be in good jest and an attempt at roleplaying a clan, it is a direct physical threat, so it is forbidden.
In every case, the acting player is responsible for the pace of discussion. They must allow their opponents to negotiate but may require them to stop discussing and make a decision at any point. If the acting player requires negotiations to stop, opponents are allowed a last question and answer, after which they must stop discussing and make a choice.
This applies to all discussions, including during a referendum.
Example:
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The acting player is bleeding for 3. Their prey failed to block after they added 2 stealth to it. They start discussing the possibility of using Deflection to send the bleed to the next player on the left, who is trying to argue to send it to the acting player's predator instead. After a few exchanges, the acting player requires their prey to move on: "OK, that's enough talk, please play your Deflection or pass." The defending player asks their final question: "So you don't attack me for two turns?", and gets their answer: "Only if you don't bleed me during your turn". Now they must choose without further discussion.
Because declarations are bindings, any discussion about hypotheticals must be made clear by the players. In case of any double-entendre or possible misinterpretation, a declaration stays binding.
Examples:
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The acting player says "I play Govern the Unaligned at inferior to bleed you". Their prey tries to dissuade them: "If you bleed, I can unlock and block, I will take down your vampire in combat". It is too late for the acting player to change their mind: the action has been announced.
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The acting player says "I bleed for one", and their prey says "Well, in that case, I will block with Carlton van Wyk". It is a binding block declaration. The use of the future "will" to declare a block is too ambiguous to be considered a clear hypothetic.
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The acting player says "I bleed for one, do you block?", and their prey asks "If I let you pass, can you promise you won't augment the bleed?". It is a clear hypothetic, it does not amount to declining the block.