A topic from AEG's L5R CCG Rules forum, copied for Oracle of the Void from a copy of the forum saved in October 2015, so pages it didn't save are missing. Players' names are left out; the rules officials are named. Rulings are as they stood on these dates; later rulings, the rulebooks and the Rules Archive may differ.
A player, 11 November 2012
Hello.
If my stronghold is The forgotten temple and I play spirit of shadow to make M'rika a ninja. Can I then infiltrate her with Only a Shadow? Normally I believe loyal would actually prevent this, but from forgotten temple point of view they ignore the restriction. But do they ignore the restriction enough as they pass control.
M'rika 1 3 - 4 3 Keywords Spider Clan • Shadowlands • Nonhuman • Bog Hag • Shugenja • Artisan • Loyal Text You may ignore M'rika's Loyal restriction if your Stronghold is The Forgotten Temple. After M'rika enters play: Gain 2 Honor.
Card Title Only a Shadow Cost 0 Keywords Ninja Text Limited: Choose your performing unbowed Ninja Personality: He infiltrates the enemy ranks. Permanently give him the trait, "After a Straighten Phase begins: Choose your bowed non-Ninja Personality. Negate his straightening this phase." Give control of him to another player.
Jon Palmer (rules official), 12 November 2012
Hello.
If my stronghold is The forgotten temple and I play spirit of shadow to make M'rika a ninja. Can I then infiltrate her with Only a Shadow? Normally I believe loyal would actually prevent this, but from forgotten temple point of view they ignore the restriction. But do they ignore the restriction enough as they pass control.
M'rika 1 3 - 4 3 Keywords Spider Clan • Shadowlands • Nonhuman • Bog Hag • Shugenja • Artisan • Loyal Text You may ignore M'rika's Loyal restriction if your Stronghold is The Forgotten Temple. After M'rika enters play: Gain 2 Honor.
Card Title Only a Shadow Cost 0 Keywords Ninja Text Limited: Choose your performing unbowed Ninja Personality: He infiltrates the enemy ranks. Permanently give him the trait, "After a Straighten Phase begins: Choose your bowed non-Ninja Personality. Negate his straightening this phase." Give control of him to another player.
"You" on M'rika refers to her joining you (which is what Loyal is a restriction upon). Although you are trying to give her to another player via Only a Shadow, that player must still be able to waive the Loyal restriction in order for M'rika to join them. Therefore, the effect will fail unless the other player is playing Spider, Forgotten Temple, or (LEGACY ALERT) Dark Path of Shadow.
A player, 20 November 2012
In regards to http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=100488, a question popped to mind.
I doubt it would ever happen but a few of us have been trying to build a spider honor deck for a while, so if I was playing Forgotten Temple and my opponent gave M'Rika Ninja and then used Only A Shadow: I can choose not to ignore her Loyal Trait because she says I may choose to ignore it, correct?