Bear-Baiting
| Name | Bear-Baiting |
|---|---|
| Type | Action modifier |
| Description | Requires a ready anarch. Only usable when an older non-Anarch vampire successfully blocks. Compare the costs of the top cards in your crypt and the blocker's crypt and shuffle both. If yours is younger, this anarch takes 1 unpreventable damage (and cSee more |
| Artist | Steve Prescott |
| Set | Anarchs #100144 |
| Wallpaper |  Download wallpaper |
| Image |  Download image |
| Artists | Steve Prescott |
| Krcg Id | 100144 |
| Blood Cost | 1 |
| Legal Since | 2003-05-19 |
| Source Hash | ab907c684df429e98e5e02e8956d5157d1fdb3cf |
| Printed Name | Bear-Baiting |
- Standard
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About Bear-Baiting
Bear-Baiting, Action modifier, designed by Steve Prescott first released in May 2003 in the set Anarchs.
Bear-Baiting is a highly conditional action modifier that shines in Anarch decks built around young, ready Antediluvian vampires with strong bleed potential. It rewards decks that purposely run youth (1-2 cap) Anarchs like Kassandra, Jubail, or Ashur to trigger the "if yours is younger" clause, while pairing well with tactics that pressure blocking strategies or create combat distractions. However, its reliance on a ready non-Anarch blocker and the "older" crypt comparison makes it inconsistent in formats like E4 where meta decks run highcap blockers or vampires like Nergal who don't die to a single damage. Comparable or stronger options include Prowl-based cards like Seduction (which forces a cards-search instead), or combat ends like Clean Blood (which ends combat without placing a weapon) or Shingles (which adds bleed while threatening life). So while Bear-Baiting enables flashy combos and can be fun in casual Anarch swarm builds, it's generally less reliable than direct bleed manip
Rules
10/07/2026
Cannot be played when the target crypt is empty. [RTR 20000501] [LSJ 20070411-2]
10/07/2026
{Change of Target} can be played after Bear-Baiting (younger, older, or the same age). [LSJ 20040312]
10/07/2026
Damage is environmental. [RTR 19970630]
10/07/2026
If the combat is canceled, the action is still blocked, {Mask of a Thousand Faces} cannot be used to continue it, but an effect can be used to continue the action as if unblocked (eg. {Crypt's Sons}, {Momentary Delay}). [LSJ 20090322] [ANK 20181003] [LSJ 20010803-2]
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Frequently asked questions about Bear-Baiting
What type of card is Bear-Baiting?
Bear-Baiting is a Action modifier card in Vampire: The Eternal Struggle vtes.
What is the effect of Bear-Baiting?
Requires a ready anarch. Only usable when an older non-Anarch vampire successfully blocks. Compare the costs of the top cards in your crypt and the blocker's crypt and shuffle both. If yours is younger, this anarch takes 1 unpreventable damage (and combat occurs as normal). Otherwise, cancel the combat and place this card on the acting anarch. This anarch gets +2 bleed when bleeding the blocking vampire's controller.
What is the original set of Bear-Baiting?
Bear-Baiting was first released in the set Anarchs, illustrated by Steve Prescott.
What is the legality of Bear-Baiting?
Legality depends on the tournament format -- Bear-Baiting can be legal in some formats and banned or restricted in others. See the full breakdown per format in the Legality section above.