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, 9 January 2013
I have a question concerning cards that give additional actions either to me or to my opponent... Most of those cards say: "You MAY take an additional Battle/Open action" , maybe this sounds stupid but I have to ask if this either means that I am obligated to take an additional action/pass or if it's my option to take an additional action...
The whole question came to my mind when I thought of this scenario: --->My opponent targets one of my Paragons with a battle action. --->I react with Iron Will (when legal of course). --->He/She Passes (If taking an additional action is a MUST). --->I Pass. --->End Of Battle + Victory for me if my army has more Force!
Thank you very much...
Alex Jones (rules official), 9 January 2013
I have a question concerning cards that give additional actions either to me or to my opponent... Most of those cards say: "You MAY take an additional Battle/Open action" , maybe this sounds stupid but I have to ask if this either means that I am obligated to take an additional action/pass or if it's my option to take an additional action...
The whole question came to my mind when I thought of this scenario: --->My opponent targets one of my Paragons with a battle action. --->I react with Iron Will (when legal of course). --->He/She Passes (If taking an additional action is a MUST). --->I Pass. --->End Of Battle + Victory for me if my army has more Force!
Thank you very much...
Taking an Additional Action is always optional: you may always pass. The opportunity to take an action or pass is "additional" to the current action round, which means that passing does not count for ending the action round.
A player, 10 January 2013
In response to this thread: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=101268
Your response makes it seem as though there are only two options: Use the additional action opportunity to play an action, or use the additional action opportunity to pass. But doesn't the wording "you MAY take an additional option" imply that I have the option as to whether the additional action ever happens? Any other "may do X" effect seems to work this way, either you do X or you decline doing X. For Awed Witness you either do create a 2/2 personality or you decline creating a 2/2 personality. For additional action cards you either do take an additional action or you decline taking an additional action. The difference in semantics between "passing" and "not taking the additional action" is relevant for The Killing Grounds.
Alex Jones (rules official), 15 January 2013
In response to this thread: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=101268
Your response makes it seem as though there are only two options: Use the additional action opportunity to play an action, or use the additional action opportunity to pass. But doesn't the wording "you MAY take an additional option" imply that I have the option as to whether the additional action ever happens? Any other "may do X" effect seems to work this way, either you do X or you decline doing X. For Awed Witness you either do create a 2/2 personality or you decline creating a 2/2 personality. For additional action cards you either do take an additional action or you decline taking an additional action. The difference in semantics between "passing" and "not taking the additional action" is relevant for The Killing Grounds.
If the ability states "You may take an additional action to ...", then during the resolution of the action you must decide whether or not you wish to gain the additional action. If the ability states, "Take an additional action to ...", you always gain an additional action.
In either case, the additional action happens after the original action has finished resolving (together with effects, triggered traits and Reactions triggered by this), and you still get the choice of taking an action or passing. If you pass, this will trigger The Killing Grounds; if the original action said "You may take" and you choose during its resolution not to gain the additional action, you do not get the opportunity here to take an action or pass and hence cannot trigger The Killing Grounds.