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, 21 November 2013
If there are multiple cards affecting the strength of a ranged attack, what is the order in which they are applied?
The doubt comes from the fact that a ranged attack is this: "You may target a Follower or a Personality without Followers in the current enemy army. If its Force is equal to or less than X, destroy it." Since the cards that affect its strength react to its targetting, im assuming they create a delayed effect which goes off when the next effect of the RA is applied (the destruction check). And if that is so, it could have a different timing than the order in wich they are played.
For example: A) I announce the following action: Battle: Ranged 5 attack
I play Precision for the +2, my opponent plays Strong Defenses, then I play Sniping
Is a RA 8 the only outcome of this scenario?
b) I announce the following action: Battle: Ranged 5 attack Targetting a Singh Remnants, and I play Sniping.
What is the result: RA 4 or RA 7?
Ben Higgins (rules official), 21 November 2013
The doubt comes from the fact that a ranged attack is this: "You may target a Follower or a Personality without Followers in the current enemy army. If its Force is equal to or less than X, destroy it." Since the cards that affect its strength react to its targetting, im assuming they create a delayed effect which goes off when the next effect of the RA is applied (the destruction check). And if that is so, it could have a different timing than the order in wich they are played.
Not really. You have to follow the Timing Sequence when resolving such complicated card interactions, which a lot of players do kinda jump the gun on when they actually resolve effects and play Reactions.
For example: A) I announce the following action: Battle: Ranged 5 attack
I play Precision for the +2, my opponent plays Strong Defenses, then I play Sniping
Is a RA 8 the only outcome of this scenario?
Yes.
This is how it breaks down: You have a RA5. Since all the Reactions in this scenario have the same trigger, they can be played in Step D of Timing Sequence and we have to allow each of them to fully resolve when they are played. Precision resolves. This leaves us with RA5+2 (RA7 Total). Strong Defenses resolves. This leaves us with RA5+2-3 (RA4 Total.) Sniping resolves. Sniping checks to see the current RA strength before setting its bonus, which currently is 4 as defined by timing sequence and calculating a stat. This leaves us with RA5+2-3+4 (RA8 Total.)
b) I announce the following action: Battle: Ranged 5 attack Targetting a Singh Remnants, and I play Sniping.
What is the result: RA 4 or RA 7?
It will be an Ranged 4 Attack.
Breaking it down: You have an RA5. You target Singh Remnants, and it's continuous trait applies itself in step C of Timing Sequence. You now have RA5-3 (RA2 Total.) You then get to play Reactions in Step D of Timing Sequence. Sniping resolves. Sniping checks to see the current RA strength before setting its bonus, which currently is 2 as defined by timing sequence and calculating a stat. This leaves us with RA5-3+2 (RA4 Total.)
Hope that helps!