Hi,

first post here after playing several FFG games without major problems.
Now, preparing for my first game of MoM on sunday, I read through the spells that might be used during play and stumbled upon Blood Pact.

There are some effects that state something along the lines of "Immediately after healing, the wounds open again, oozing blood" and other disgusting stuff, followed by "Take X Damage and/or X Horror". My question is: Who takes the damage/horror? The caster or the one being healed?

I know every other card is directed towards the player causing it, but since Blood Pact can be used on another wounded investigator, is it still the caster who takes the damage, although it weren't his/her wounds being healed? What about those were it just looks disgusting?
I'm not so much after an official answer, I'm satisfied if you tell me how you interpret that spell.

Thanks,

Elbi

I would apply to the one the spell is being cast on, based on the flavor text.

Thanks KDLynch, that's the way I'd read it too.

So, I guess, nobody else ever had to think about this? Does nobody ever fail on the checks or is that spell seriously underpowered, thus not worth casting?

I've never got to a point where any invesigators have gained a spell card that they didn't start with, with one exception: the tome that gave Shrivelling, but even then, it was only because Harvey started with the spell and suggested to the other player that it was a good thing to have. So far, not had any games with anyone having either pact spells.

But yes, I'd agree that it would be the target from the text that takes the damage. Particularly useful if you have some way of reducing their chances and have an Uncontrollable Urges option: stun the spell caster, stick them in darkness, and possible trauma cards, then force them to cast on their allies. Fun times!

Even if it might have been intended otherwise, I'd say if you take the card text literally, it is the caster who takes the damage, because the card text is addressing him. Flavor text is no rules text and has no meaning other than spicing things up.

Nico Deluxe said:

In most cases, agreed. However, if you read the effect text on the backs of the Pact spells it seems to indicate that it should apply to the target, not the caster. For example, some of the effect text states "heal 1 additional damage". This *must* affect the target (otherwise it would not be additional), so therefore from that you can infer that all effect text on the back of the cards affects the target.

I just sent them a Rules Question, maybe they'll solve the issue

Got Corey's reply

>> "The caster is the one who is damaged." <<

I guess this solves the problem quite efficiently.
Yeah, the description might be a bit off, but now the spell fits to all the others.
You might want to think of the damage as "A heals B's broken leg, but taking a step back realizes his/her own leg is now broken. **** you, Magicks!"