Vessel Pro/Con

With the release of the VtES expansion "Lords of the Night" the master card "Vessel" has been introduced. While some consider it the new "Blood Doll", others deem the card to weak in comparison to "Blood Doll". Here's the summary of the situation from my point of view:

Vessel [LotN:PA2/PG2/PR2/PS2]
Cardtype: Master
Cost: 1 pool
Master: trifle.
Put this card on a vampire, and you may burn a Blood Doll in play (if any). During this vampire's controller's untap phase, he or she may move 1 blood from this vampire to his or her pool or from his or her pool to this vampire.

Pro:

• May burn a "Blood Doll" when "Vessel" is played.
• Is a trifle, not a regular master card.
• Effect to move blood from/to a vampire can be used during untap.

Con:

• Costs a pool.
• Cannot be used immediately.

The later drawback means that a blood gain starts as late as two turns after "Vessel" has been played. Compared to "Blood Doll" this is kind of weak. There are some decks/vampires which can profit from the early blood transfer, i.e. "Danielle Diron" or "Jeremy Talbot". It can also save you from being ousted when down on one pool and a "Fame" or an "Anarch Revolt" is in play, since you can order these effects during your untap phase.

So the question is the pool cost and the late break-even worth the advantages the "Vessel" has to offer. In general I think not, since the late break-even is bad especially in mid-game and more so in the end-game.

But I think what will decide the fate of "Blood Doll" and "Vessel" is something different. The issue at hand is that if players start playing "Vessel" more often than "Blood Doll", the later players will be forced to use them as well. If on the other hand, the "Blood Doll" players are more numerous, the "Vessel" might be considered too costly, and you'll see them only once in a while.

So essentially this is kind of a self-full filling prophecy. And only time will tell the fate of these two cards ...