Sun and Moon #rules-questions

September 2026

Messages from the Sun and Moon #rules-questions Discord channel, copied for Oracle of the Void. Players' names are left out; the rules officials are named. Rulings are as they stood on these dates; later rulings and the rulebooks may differ.

A player, 2 September 2026 21:39

[Imperial] what happens if I try to buy Isawa Osugi with the Shadowlands giving ability of Sacred Temple of the Phoenix?

Answers on: Isawa Osugi
A player, 2 September 2026 21:40
[attachment: printing_3887_2_details.png]
A player, 2 September 2026 21:40
[attachment: printing_8293_1_details.png]
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 2 September 2026 21:41 · in reply

In Imperial, you cannot do it. The effect of producing more gold is overridden by her trait.

A player, 2 September 2026 21:41 · in reply

thx

saaam (not official), 2 September 2026 22:17

That also applied later on in Jade, depending on what you're using to pay, and if it gives the Shadowlands taint.

A player, 5 September 2026 16:56

[Imperial] [Jade] "Old Back" (until The Dark Journey Home)

Can I cancel Deadly Ground using Ninja Tricks?

[attachment: printing_5585_3_details.png] [attachment: printing_1882_7_details.png]
saaam (not official), 5 September 2026 17:01

Yes. Playing Deadly Ground is playing an Action card, which Ninja Tricks can cancel.

A player, 5 September 2026 17:06

Counts as a terrain is played or we can play another terrain after that?

saaam (not official), 5 September 2026 17:43

It's cancelled, so it never entered play for that purpose.

saaam (not official), 5 September 2026 17:44

If it just negated the effects, such as Mercy Shrouds the Earth, then you wouldn't be able to without first destroying the "empty" Deadly Ground.

A player, 6 September 2026 16:36

[EEext]: Regarding these 2 personalities... can i have both in play or do i have to overlay ?

[attachment: printing_1696_1_details.png] [attachment: printing_1695_1_details.png]
A player, 6 September 2026 16:46

You can have as many personalities with the same name in play as you like, so long as only one of them is Unique.

A player, 7 September 2026 01:36

[ShE] Otomo Jotaro: Can his Yu ability increase the honor gain of a SH, Wind or Sensei?

Answers on: Otomo Jotaro
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 7 September 2026 01:37 · in reply

Yes. Those are cards.

A player, 11 September 2026 05:22

[ShE]: When i recruit Kaemon with his response, do it get a moth follower for both personalities (Kaemon, Spirit) from Sawako's trait ? The wording "attach to them" confuses me if it is only one of the two recruited personalities. But English is not my native language so i might also learn here something new šŸ˜… ...

[attachment: ShE_061_details.png] [attachment: ShE_059_details.png]
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 11 September 2026 09:57 · in reply

No, you only get one Moth, because Sawako's trait only triggers to each single Recruiting and only once per turn. "Them" in this context is being used as a singular, non-gendered pronoun.

A player, 11 September 2026 22:24 · in reply

If you had 2 Sawako's could you freely choose to attach both followers to the same personality? Or must you then give one to each?

A player, 11 September 2026 22:29

You choose who would get each Follower

A player, 12 September 2026 01:47

Each effect is its own trigger, each could target whatever they like.

A player, 13 September 2026 01:23

{ShE} Isawa Kosea, can he negate Shout of Initmidation?

Answers on: Isawa Kosea
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 13 September 2026 01:49 · in reply

Not if it is taken as an Engage. See here: (link)

A player, 16 September 2026 01:07

[Imperial]

Do these have the same duration?

[attachment: printing_5230_1_details.png] [attachment: printing_481_2_details.png]
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 16 September 2026 01:19 · in reply

No. If these both flip in the same Events Phase:

The rest of the turn with that Events Phase. Opponent's turn. Your turn. Opponent's turn. [Shadow's duration ends] Your turn; this turn's End Phase [Monsoon ends].

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 16 September 2026 01:21

Addendum: The Oracle's wording of Monsoon disagrees. I'll have to do some research.

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 16 September 2026 01:29

Addendum 2: Above Ruling is correct. Oracle appears to be a copy+paste or misread error that has now been corrected.

A player, 16 September 2026 07:35

Thank you so much!

A player, 16 September 2026 08:02

[Jade] QQ: can I prevent a honor loss with Imperial favor if I play Seppun Sensei? I guess I can’t but is unclear to me

A player, 16 September 2026 08:05

Also, if I have -1 province strength, eg Tetsuya sensei in Ninja or Spirits, what is the effective province strength towards being destroyed? Would a simple Toku take my province without any help despite having 0 force?

A player, 16 September 2026 08:06

And,if I give say +2 province strength, would it result in a total of 1 or 2 province strength?

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 16 September 2026 11:17 · in reply

Correct. You cannot.

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 16 September 2026 11:18 · in reply

The minimum of most stats is zero. Your PS cannot go below 0. However...

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 16 September 2026 11:21 · in reply

Bonuses and penalties are still cumulatively tracked before applying the minimum of 0, so a printed 0PS Province with a -1PS penalty on it would only be 1PS after receiving a +2PS bonus.

kempy_nezumi (not official), 16 September 2026 11:44 · in reply

Please tag your questions with edition/format tag in the beginning of post like [Imperial], [OBH], [Samurai] etc. Same question may have different answer depends on ruleset or specific printing.

A player, 16 September 2026 11:45 · in reply

As Imagined. Then, it seems extremely weird that BASH plays it alongisde Oni ni Pekkle and His Most FavoredšŸ˜…šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø

A player, 16 September 2026 11:45 · in reply

Makes sense. Will do!

kempy_nezumi (not official), 16 September 2026 12:23 · in reply

Cool. You may also update this QQ post.

A player, 17 September 2026 01:38

EExt: Can I play Kitsuki Judgement on a Monk, and force him to commit sepeku?

A player, 17 September 2026 01:38

90% sure monks couldnt commit

A player, 17 September 2026 01:42

Seppuku is an effect that can be used on Monks. Monks do not have access to the rulebook seppuku action

saaam (not official), 17 September 2026 03:09

I'm so sad it specifies Human. I wanna make a Dragon commit seppuku.

A player, 17 September 2026 04:34

Is the dragon a samurai? Remorseful Seppuku might be for you!

saaam (not official), 17 September 2026 04:46

Nah, they never printed Dragons with the Samurai trait.

saaam (not official), 17 September 2026 04:46

Way too easy to mess with.

saaam (not official), 17 September 2026 04:47

Although being able to Kolat Master a Dragon was always pretty interesting thematically-speaking.

A player, 17 September 2026 04:54 · in reply

Satsu is Dragon and Samurai in most of his versions...

A player, 17 September 2026 04:55

As is Yokuni

saaam (not official), 17 September 2026 04:55

And also Loyal. Though, to be fair, you can Remorseful and a bunch of other stuff.

A player, 19 September 2026 19:40

nevermind, this question was answered in the Emperor channel

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 19 September 2026 19:41 · in reply

Not sure why it seems to you like it doesn't?

Edit: Ok, I see why now. It's not a question of timing, but a question of "base" being in the Proclaim action.

A player, 19 September 2026 19:42 · in reply

because that's not how this stronghold as ever worked, to my recollection. But, I'm refusing to simply take it as a solved issue.

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 19 September 2026 19:46 · in reply

Yes, I was mistaken because I overlooked "base". You cannot gain from the Stronghold trait.

A player, 20 September 2026 00:09

[Jade]] olaying a Geisha Assassin for zero allows me to play Martyr?

Answers on: Geisha Assassin, Martyr
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 20 September 2026 00:13 · in reply

No. For Martyr, if the dying Personality did not die in a battle, then you must target the card that destroyed them. The Rulebook destroys Personalities for having 0C, so you have no card to target and can't play it.

A player, 20 September 2026 06:53

I forgot the rulebook was a killeršŸ˜… thanks!

saaam (not official), 21 September 2026 04:08

[Jade] How's Blessings of Isawa considered to be interacting with Shinsei's Riddle? It doesn't look like Blessings is copying the Riddle's ability (and back in Jade it never had the text that its ability can't be copied anyway), so it should be fine to Bless onto someone to use it once per turn, each turn?

A player, 21 September 2026 06:12

[OBH]

Because of Ikoma Ayumu EXP's wording: does this mean he can't use the Tactical Advantage action during Battle?

A player, 21 September 2026 06:17

In addition to the normal use in battle you can use it as open

kempy_nezumi (not official), 21 September 2026 06:27 · in reply
[attachment: image.png]
A player, 21 September 2026 22:44

[Jade Ex] what happens to a perdonality’s attschments after Inolay a Feign Death on it? Do they fall or stay?

Answers on: Feign Death
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 21 September 2026 22:46 · in reply

They are destroyed/discarded. The Personality is also; Feign Death returns the Personality to play after they die rather than prevent the destruction.

A player, 21 September 2026 22:48 · in reply

Also the Ancestors right?

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 21 September 2026 22:48 · in reply

Everything attached to them is destroyed, just like they are, then FD brings only the Personality back.

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 21 September 2026 22:49

(Also, that's technically a [Jade Ex] question, as FD isn't legal in Strict Jade).

A player, 21 September 2026 22:50

but is Jade Open, still getting familiar with nomenclature around

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 21 September 2026 22:52 · in reply

Ah, yeah, "Open" is tricky. I'm not sure what the exact term is to try to simulate the Format of 2000 Worlds (which was "Open" but only all cards currently printed, which was everything up to Heroes of Rokugan while excluding Spirit Wars) or instead a fully all-CW/JE "Open", which would include Spirit Wars too? :/

saaam (not official), 21 September 2026 22:55

The format definitions (Open, Extended Jade, Strict Jade) are like pillars in one direction, while trying to get a tourney-appropriate cardpool in those formats chops them off at some point. So having a simulated tourney before Spirit Wars came out would just not include any SW cards in any of the three "pillars", if you will.

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 21 September 2026 22:57

Furthermore, looking in the Jade discussion channel, egosum's "Jade Open" appears to be none of those, but is instead "Old Face Only" (aka up through Hidden Emperor DJH Concluding Episode) plus Sensei and directly-Sensei-related cards through end of Jade.

A player, 21 September 2026 23:31 · in reply

I am bulding a battle box that DOES NOT fit any pre defined format. That’s a decision made by design. And the reasons are because I love old frames and think senseis opened up the game a lot. Since the decks are meant to be played in a closed group it s perfectly fine. However, they all fit in Jade Open format for all effects (is just that I deliberately don t use all the avaliable card poolšŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø)

A player, 21 September 2026 23:32

Then, I also happen to have a fistful of Jade Ex decks so I can socialize beyond thatā˜ŗļø

kempy_nezumi (not official), 22 September 2026 06:30 · in reply

Open is a mess as during every edition we could call Open format anything legal since beginning up to the specific expansion.

So Open was constantly expanding. So after releasing SW it was still Open. Then Gold arrived and it was still Open format played and so on.

kempy_nezumi (not official), 22 September 2026 06:37

La Voz Akasha got this Open-Jade section and decks there were published chronologically since Jade. And every newer deck just got new recently released cards inside. Latest decks there included even Gold era cards from around 2002, so format was just constantly evolving.

A player, 22 September 2026 06:53

Fair enough. If you think a better way to categorize what Inpropose, Inam happy to rename it.

A player, 22 September 2026 06:54

It s good that everyone understands what webare refeeeing to

A player, 24 September 2026 16:26

[Jade] Does Yoritomo Sensei reduces the gold of the Sacred Temple of the Phoenix ability to pay Sgugenjas or only affects the printed Gold Production (3)?

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 24 September 2026 16:41 · in reply

It was ruled contemporarily that effects which alter a Strongholds GP only alter the base production and not additional abilities like those of the Phoenix Stronghold.

A player, 24 September 2026 16:42

That was what I recall. Wanted double check. Thanks!

A player, 25 September 2026 17:54

Is the draft function in S&M intended to use a particular rules set? 20F, Ivory, or something else?

kempy_nezumi (not official), 25 September 2026 18:18 · in reply

Any you want. In Draft you may have any number of copies of same card in decks.

A player, 25 September 2026 18:48 · in reply

I’m thinking more about splitting gold

kempy_nezumi (not official), 25 September 2026 18:52 · in reply

It depends. With Ivory draft Stronghold and cardpool, gold pooling is fine. In Legacy with randomized Strongholds you may use classic gold system/ruleset.

A player, 25 September 2026 20:12

[Imperial]

Can I play Darkness Feeds and then Feign Death on the same Personality that just died?

Is that just the same logic as playing multiple Martyr's on a Personality's death

[attachment: printing_1860_1_details.png] [attachment: printing_2503_3_details.png]
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 25 September 2026 20:16 · in reply

Yes, you can.

A player, 25 September 2026 20:16 · in reply

The order doesn't matter right?

A player, 25 September 2026 20:16

Feign Death then Darkness Feeds since it's the same trigger

A player, 25 September 2026 20:16

Destruction of a Personality

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 25 September 2026 20:18 · in reply

Very technically, Darkness Feeds says "when" and Feign says "after", so it would be DF then FD. But it was Imperial, which was a bit more loosey-goosey, so eh. šŸ˜›

A player, 25 September 2026 20:20 · in reply

Does it change anything that in the Oracle, Darkness Feeds also says "after"

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 25 September 2026 20:24 · in reply

That just means I personally don't like "when" triggers because they generally cause timing confusion, especially when it comes to negating an effect; "before" and "after" a trigger are much clearer, sequentially speaking. So I changed it myself. šŸ˜› I was trying to give you a contemporary answer since you didn't tag it Open/Legacy.

In either case, I don't think it matters much?

A player, 25 September 2026 20:26 · in reply

Yeah I understand. Thanks so much!

A player, 25 September 2026 21:16

[Jade]

The Ninja player cannot lose honor from their opponent's Suspicions?

[attachment: printing_8013_3_details.png] [attachment: printing_7675_2_details.png]
A player, 25 September 2026 21:17

The honor loss from Suspicions until the end of the game is a card effect still?

saaam (not official), 25 September 2026 21:23

Correct.

saaam (not official), 25 September 2026 21:23

You do not lose honour from an opponent's Suspicions, but you do from yours.

A player, 28 September 2026 19:05

[Jade] Jurojin's Touch text is a bit confising. Does the text implies that any ongoing effect s the card have in the game are ignored moving forward? Example, if I Jurojin's an OLOA, can I ignore OLOA moving forward? Or if I Jurojin a Kisada's Funeral, can we ignore it and avhieve honor victory regularly?

[attachment: printing_4071_1_details.png]
saaam (not official), 28 September 2026 19:08

Go by the (much simpler) Oracle wording. It only concerns itself with cards about to hit the discard pile or already in discard pile. With how Events (for example) worked back then, it would have no effect beyond physically removing the Event card from the discard pile, so it can't be re-shuffled via a Spell or other effect and have it resolve again.

A player, 28 September 2026 19:09

so the "may not have effect on play by any means" is jsut soemthing to ignore?

saaam (not official), 28 September 2026 19:11

Honestly, I've never heard of that card ever played back in Clan Wars or Jade. I see the "written intent" in it, but mechanically-speaking, I think it would be a bit of a nightmare to handle? For example, does it mean I can use the Reaction effect to, say, target your Charge as it hits the discard pile, and then the Force bonus is lost?

A player, 28 September 2026 19:12

As it is written it makes one think you can. But ads I said is confusing and wanted to know if there was any clarification of jade era

kempy_nezumi (not official), 28 September 2026 19:14
[attachment: image.png]
saaam (not official), 28 September 2026 19:14

Ahh, lovely, already covered. Good find!

A player, 28 September 2026 19:19

Yes! I was looking for that

https://web.archive.org/web/20010211164340/http://www.zdi.net/jwa/l5r/onepiece.html#action_traits

this link is very helpfulā˜ļø

A player, 28 September 2026 19:19

Maybe pin it?

kempy_nezumi (not official), 28 September 2026 19:20

Have you checked Dropbox?

kempy_nezumi (not official), 28 September 2026 19:20

/Various/Past FAQ and Rulings/

A player, 28 September 2026 19:20 · in reply

So, this makes me think it does negate the ongoig effects? Given the second clarification?

So it would revoke the effects of OLOA? Or even Charge as @saaam was mentioning, fwiw

A player, 28 September 2026 19:20 · in reply

Oh thanks. A lot of resources I need to get used tošŸ™

kempy_nezumi (not official), 28 September 2026 19:29 · in reply

IMHO no. "by effect on play" i mean effects like "if X card is in discard" or "Y does something or gains bonus for every copy of X in discard pile". After removing from game there's even no X in discard anymore.

A player, 28 September 2026 19:34

Ok, I think we can agree on that. It simplifies the understanding of the card.

A player, 28 September 2026 19:46

But it’s a pitty because it moves it from interesting cards to barely unplayable IMO🄲

A player, 28 September 2026 19:58

That's why it wasn't played a lot. It's tech against resurrection and search

A player, 28 September 2026 20:15

Apparently Jeff Alexander ruled that it does not cancel ongoing effects (and he mentioned Kisada s Funeral).

That s what GPT found:

April 14, 1999 — explicit official ruling. Jeff W. Alexander, who signs as the maintainer of the L5R FAQ site, states that Jurojin’s Touch does not cancel an already-created effect. It removes the card and prevents future effects originating from/referencing that discarded card. He explicitly calls this ā€œthe official ruling.ā€ The example under discussion is Kisada’s Funeral.

Unfortunately the link is missing but it seems it ended up in Imperial Herald 11 FAQ if anyone has itšŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø

A player, 28 September 2026 20:16

So yeah, it is largely a remove from discard effect but it needed to be ruled due to the poor wording

A player, 28 September 2026 20:18

It is good FETA hate, though. It does not only can exile a ring but it also can catch a Kiho before being returned to hand with EHoS

saaam (not official), 28 September 2026 20:21

The Rings very rarely hit the discard pile, though. They swap from hand to hand.

A player, 28 September 2026 20:25 · in reply

let me check the Library... yes, Imperial Herald Volume 1, Issue 11, pag 25

[attachment: image.png]
A player, 28 September 2026 20:25 · in reply

It is not rare to be merchant caravan fodder early in the game to get ahead on gold development just to retrieve it with Kaede later on.

I’ve done that a lot.

A player, 28 September 2026 20:25

Also, the errata

[attachment: image.png]
saaam (not official), 28 September 2026 20:27 · in reply

Fair, if desperate. I played a lot during Jade, so it's more of a play style thing to not do risky things.

A player, 28 September 2026 20:27

The wind“s truth change form all to the chi was in jade?

A player, 28 September 2026 20:28 · in reply

Agree is just that Jurojin saw so little play that it really didn’t feel riskyšŸ˜…šŸ˜ƒ

A player, 28 September 2026 20:28 · in reply

Gold

A player, 28 September 2026 20:28 · in reply

Very interesting šŸ˜„

A player, 30 September 2026 05:43

[obh]

My opponent plays Deadly Ground. I have Ikoma Shuji in play.

Can I use the battle action range four to destroy the terrain?

If I can do the ranged 4, can I discard a card instead of destroying the deadly ground?

Answers on: Ikoma Shuji
saaam (not official), 30 September 2026 06:59

Uhh, no? I would argue that you can take Ikoma Shuji's action because it's a single action with multiple effects, one of which destroys Deadly Ground. You wouldn't be able to pick the non-Deadly Ground-destroying option, because it would have been done in bad faith and the entire Ikoma Shuji action would be invalid, so it couldn't happen.

A player, 30 September 2026 07:08

The only way allowed action is one that destroys the terrain. You cannot take an action that does not destroy the terrain.

A player, 30 September 2026 12:10

[Imperial]

Can I redirect an honor loss to a YGA player, let’s say from Goshiu-exp’s ability, even though they can’t lose honor

[attachment: image0.jpg]
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 30 September 2026 12:20 · in reply

The modern answer is definitely "yes". I would tentatively say that the contemporary answer is also "yes", but I'm not 100% sure and can't find a specific ruling for the period.

A player, 30 September 2026 12:32 · in reply

Yes you can

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 30 September 2026 12:40 · in reply

Thought so, thanks. a player , L5R has from the beginning always been pretty cool with allowing effects to be produced that will have some or all of their aspects fail.

A player, 30 September 2026 12:42

Thanks to you both

A player, 30 September 2026 13:57

[Imperial]

Can I play this only if the Personality died in battle resolution or even during battle?

[attachment: image0.jpg]
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 30 September 2026 13:59 · in reply

The GE MRP clarifies the unclear sentence. Only during the resolution, not the whole battle.

A player, 30 September 2026 23:02

[Jade] Do I get the discount from Kuni Wastelands when bringing a personality into play using Sacred Temple of the Phoenix to produce 7 gold and give the Shadowlands trait?

Answers on: Kuni Wastelands
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 30 September 2026 23:05 · in reply

No. They don't get Shadowlands from the Stronghold until after they enter play, not while paying.

A player, 30 September 2026 23:12 · in reply

Thanks, Oracle text is more clear. The stronghold said ā€œwhen bringingā€ and ā€œthe Shugenja involved gainsā€¦ā€ which made me wonder

Brook Cunningham (rules official), 30 September 2026 23:13 · in reply

Yeah, the Oracle text is based on a contemporary Ruling. A lot of early cards had "this isn't exactly what we wrote, but this is what we meant" rulings on the books.