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, 26 June 2015
I have a few questions about the timing and interactions of the spell Fangs of the Heavens:
Thunder Battle, Ranged 2 Attack. If this Shugenja is Thunder, you may bow this Shugenja and destroy this Spell to make a second consecutive Ranged 2 Attack. These Ranged Attacks cannot be combined (with any Ranged Attacks).
1. As the second effect is optional, does this mean that only a target for the intial ranged attack needs to be chosen in step C of the action sequence? That is, can one announce the action, choose a target for the intial Ranged 2 in step C, wait to see what interrupts the opponent plays in step D (e.g. The Turtle's Shell), then decided whether to use the optional effect in step E?
2. If Fangs of the Heavens is interrupted with Unwanted Tutelage, is only one of the ranged attacks increased, or both? (I suspect only one, but I find the wording a little ambiguous.)
3a. If I interrupt Fangs with Unwanted Tutelage (assuming only one ranged attack is affected) or Unholy Strike, do I choose which ranged attack is increased? 3b. If so, is the choice made when playing the interrupt or when the ranged attack actually occurs? 3c. If I do get to choose, that choice occurs when the interrupt is played, and I choose to increase the optional ranged attack, am I then required to make the optional ranged attack?
Unwanted Tutelage Interrupt: If the action has a Melee or Ranged Attack, give it +2 strength. Lose 2 Honor
Unholy Strike Interrupt: Give a Melee or Ranged Attack +2 strength.
Thanks in advance!
Jon Palmer (rules official), 4 July 2015
I have a few questions about the timing and interactions of the spell Fangs of the Heavens:
Thunder Battle, Ranged 2 Attack. If this Shugenja is Thunder, you may bow this Shugenja and destroy this Spell to make a second consecutive Ranged 2 Attack. These Ranged Attacks cannot be combined (with any Ranged Attacks).
1. As the second effect is optional, does this mean that only a target for the intial ranged attack needs to be chosen in step C of the action sequence? That is, can one announce the action, choose a target for the intial Ranged 2 in step C, wait to see what interrupts the opponent plays in step D (e.g. The Turtle's Shell), then decided whether to use the optional effect in step E?
2. If Fangs of the Heavens is interrupted with Unwanted Tutelage, is only one of the ranged attacks increased, or both? (I suspect only one, but I find the wording a little ambiguous.)
3a. If I interrupt Fangs with Unwanted Tutelage (assuming only one ranged attack is affected) or Unholy Strike, do I choose which ranged attack is increased? 3b. If so, is the choice made when playing the interrupt or when the ranged attack actually occurs? 3c. If I do get to choose, that choice occurs when the interrupt is played, and I choose to increase the optional ranged attack, am I then required to make the optional ranged attack?
Unwanted Tutelage Interrupt: If the action has a Melee or Ranged Attack, give it +2 strength. Lose 2 Honor
Unholy Strike Interrupt: Give a Melee or Ranged Attack +2 strength.
Thanks in advance!
1. Yes, you are correct. You must target the first ranged attack when choosing targets normally, but since the second is optional, it is not targeted until you reach the step in resolution where you choose whether or not you want to make the second ranged attack.
2. Both Unwanted Tutelage and Unholy Strike refer use the singular in reference to ranged/melee attacks, so only one will be increased.
3. Both Unwanted Tutelage and Unholy Strike set up delayed effects that trigger when a ranged/melee attack is made. Therefore, they will always occur on the first ranged attack from Fangs of the Heaven.