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, 17 January 2013
I'm a returning L5R player from a while back and I have a couple of questions with the EE rules. I know how they would have been answered in the past, but my kids are playing now and want something more than my old-school interpretation.
First, in the EE rulebook, p 43, Traits are defined. Abilities are explained starting on p 44 and on p61 the rules state that Abilities are once per turn. So, our question is, 'Are Traits also once per turn?' An argument can be made for either answer, based on the wording in the rulebook, so a solid answer would be great. **Nevermind. A review of other posts on this board answered this question.**
Mod nudge: Red text is reserved for Mod's use, please don't use it at posts.
Second, the EE rulebook on p62 talks about 'performers' and notes that actions on Items and Spells are 'performed' by the personality to whom they are attached. Our question is, 'Can a bowed Personality perform actions on attached Items and Spells?' Again, a case could be made for either answer because the rules don't say a bowed Personality cannot be the 'performer' of any actions, just that they can't use actions from their own card, and the note about Items and Spells doesn't say that their actions are treated as if they appear on the character's card (as they once did), just that he's the performer for those actions. So it appears that the effect of bowing a Personality isn't as daunting at it once was in L5R, which is probably a good thing.
Thirdly, do 'permanent' effects end when a Personality is destroyed, or do they remain with him in the dead pile? Basically, if he received a permanent ability from a Strategy card, does that come back with him if a card is used to put him back in play?
Thanks!
Mod edit: Color removed
A player, 17 January 2013
I'm a returning L5R player from a while back and I have a couple of questions with the EE rules. I know how they would have been answered in the past, but my kids are playing now and want something more than my old-school interpretation.
First, in the EE rulebook, p 43, Traits are defined. Abilities are explained starting on p 44 and on p61 the rules state that Abilities are once per turn. So, our question is, 'Are Traits also once per turn?' An argument can be made for either answer, based on the wording in the rulebook, so a solid answer would be great. **Nevermind. A review of other posts on this board answered this question.**
I'll answer it anyway: traits don't have a limit of uses as a default rule. However, some triggers have explicit limits on them ("once per turn", "once per phase", etc.) and triggered traits can only be used once per trigger occurrence.
See here for more information on rules governing traits.
Second, the EE rulebook on p62 talks about 'performers' and notes that actions on Items and Spells are 'performed' by the personality to whom they are attached. Our question is, 'Can a bowed Personality perform actions on attached Items and Spells?'
Yes, unless the item or spell in its text explicitly requires an unbowed performer.
Again, a case could be made for either answer because the rules don't say a bowed Personality cannot be the 'performer' of any actions, just that they can't use actions from their own card, and the note about Items and Spells doesn't say that their actions are treated as if they appear on the character's card (as they once did), just that he's the performer for those actions. So it appears that the effect of bowing a Personality isn't as daunting at it once was in L5R, which is probably a good thing.
Bowed cards can't use abilities on them, can't assign and don't contribute force. They also can't pay costs of bowing and don't contribute force. But no rule forbids them from performing actions any more. For more information, see here.
Thirdly, do 'permanent' effects end when a Personality is destroyed, or do they remain with him in the dead pile? Basically, if he received a permanent ability from a Strategy card, does that come back with him if a card is used to put him back in play?
The Tracking Rule governs cards' "memory", and states that cards "remember" their game state until they are both face-down and out-of-play. Typically, cards lose all effects and memory if they enter the hand or a deck. However, discard piles are out of play but face-up so, in your question, the Personality will still remember the ability he received if he comes back into play. If he somehow entered a deck, he would lose all memory of effects, and lose the granted ability.