Team Rules for Jyhad
proposed by B. Sago (sago0001@maroon.tc.umn.edu).
Set up
Two teams, two players each; (team 1, players A & B are allied;
team 2, players C & D are allied)
Seating order, clockwise is A, C, B, D. In other words, teammates sit
across from each other. This seating order reflects the turn order and
preferred bleeding for the players.
General Groundrules
Teammates aren't allowed to discuss or specifically name cards in hand but
not in play. This includes vampires in the uncontrolled region. We tend
to allow comments like: "I have access to a big gun for Anneke." or "I can
get a hunting ground out next turn." or "I can pulverize so-and-so in
another round of combat."; rather than: "I have a Submachine Gun." or "I
have the Academic Hunting Ground." or "I can play Thrown Sewer Lid next
round."
Alternately, it might be worth allowing Methuselahs to openly discuss
whatever cards they have, but that they have to make all discussions
before the other players. Letting everyone know you have a hunting ground
in hand may lead them to hold onto a Sudden Reversal. Bluffing is more
interesting this way.
Either way, decide which will apply before play. A couple tricky things
that may come up: Some Nosferatu have special abilities allowing their
controller to look at the prey's cards. The controlling Methusaleh may
look at either prey's cards (only one prey per turn), but should the
Methusaleh be allowed to announce what card(s) they see?
Prey and Bleeding
Prey is to left AND right, but you have to bleed your prey to the left
unless you have directed actions which allow you to bleed your prey to the
right (e.g. Computer Hacking). You can also bleed your teammate with
directed actions, if it seems worthwile.
When prey to the left is ousted, prey to the right may be bled without a
directed action.
Using the team setup above, A bleeds C unless A can play a directed action
to bleed. C bleeds B; B bleeds D; D bleeds A, all with the same
condition.
We've tried a bleed free-for-all, in which anyone from team 1 can bleed
anyone from team 2 and vice versa. This tends to make people not tap
their minions because they'll be massacred if they're tapped out. This
can be gotten around by allowing any teammate to block any bleeds against
their teammate, but frankly this doesn't seem much different than a
two-player game.
Ousting
When a Methuselah is ousted, his teammate receives three pool. The
predator who did the ousting receives nothing. Big change from the
normal rules, but the now solo Methuselah has two predators to contend
with. It seems like this makes the game play out a little more evenly.
Losing your teammate and needing to take six more pool out of your
predator is just too much.
Victory points (if they're being tallied) are assigned normally though.
Directed Actions
Directed actions against minions can be played on your teammate. This
seems to work well with intentional Bum's Rush, and a trip to torpor
followed by diablerie from one of your teammate's vampires. Sacrifical
Lamb comes in handy also.
Combat
Teammates can choose not to play strikes for their minions. It may seem
odd, but nothing forces a minion to make strikes during the normal rules
either.
We've discussed making exceptions to this for cards like Frenzy and Brujah
Frenzy (wrong title? the master card that forces a Brujah to attack
another minion)...no decisions yet.
Contesting
Same as normal. Teammates aren't allowed to reveal identities of
uncontrolled vampires (but see General guidlines above).
I'd be glad for suggestions or comments to improve this. I'm also
interested to know if anyone has devised a solitaire game.