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, 15 October 2013
Emerald Armor xp2: Attaches to an Emerald Champion ignoring costs. This Personality has +1PH and Imperial • Magistrate. Other players may not target this Personality with actions while there is another Personality at his location who is a legal target for the action.
Strength in the Earth Earth Battle: Target your unbowed Monk. Melee Attack with strength equal to his Force, which may target a card in the Defender's home.
Hantei's Guidance The rulebook's Favor Political Battle action has Absent for you, and you may target any Personality with it. (Absent actions can be taken without presence.) Political Interrupt: Discard this Celestial. Negate a Political action.
I have 2 questions:
1) This thread states that if a personality with emerald armor xp2 is the only personality at home he can be targetted with SoE even if there are other personalities opposing the monk peforming the SoE. Why is this? The Monk can target any personality at home or any personality at the battle, why can he choose the Emerald armor guy? What if the situation is reversed? Emerald armor guy is at the only one at the battle and there are other guys at home?
2) Player A has Hantei's Guidance in play. He is attacked by two personalities at a province one with Emerald armor xp2 equiped. Can he target the personality wih Emerald armor with the favor? I ask this because of the "... and you may target any Personality with it. ..." clause.
Ben Higgins (rules official), 15 October 2013
1) This thread states that if a personality with emerald armor xp2 is the only personality at home he can be targetted with SoE even if there are other personalities opposing the monk peforming the SoE. Why is this? The Monk can target any personality at home or any personality at the battle, why can he choose the Emerald armor guy? What if the situation is reversed? Emerald armor guy is at the only one at the battle and there are other guys at home?
You may target the lone Personality with The Emerald Armor because of how the relevant trait on The Emerald Armor is worded:
"Other players may not target this Personality with actions while there is another Personality at his location who is a legal target for the action." (Bolded for emphasis.)
2) Player A has Hantei's Guidance in play. He is attacked by two personalities at a province one with Emerald armor xp2 equiped. Can he target the personality wih Emerald armor with the favor? I ask this because of the "... and you may target any Personality with it. ..." clause.
No, as long as there is another Personality that can legally be targeted by the Favor Political Battle ability, you must target that personality, due to the meaning of "may not" as it applies to this example:
"However, if something is required to be chosen, a player is not allowed to choose an option that is currently prevented by "may not” if there is another legal option to choose. In this way, "May not" implies "Will not"; even if another effect is "forcing" you to do what you "may not", it still does not happen." (http://rules.l5r.com/EE_Effects#.E2.80. ... t.E2.80.9D)