Blade of the Master/Gozoku Pawn Clarification

L5R CCG Rules board, 27 February 2005

A topic from AEG's L5R CCG Rules forum, copied for Oracle of the Void from the Wayback Machine (its copy), so posts 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, 27 February 2005

Blade of the master's ability reads: Battle: Destroy this card: Target an opposing Personality. The Personality’s controller targets a Personality in this army with lower Chi. The first Personality issues the second an unrefusable challenge.

Gozoku pawn's ability reads: Political Limited: Bow a Coiurtier Personality or Gozoku Personality you control: Target a Personality controlled by another player. Lose 2 Honor. that player targets a Personality you control with lower Chi. His Personality issues yours an unrefusable challenge.

If I have no personalities in play with lower chi than the targeted personality my opponent or another player controls can I use Blade of the master or gozoku pawn's ability on my opponent's personality?

If yes can he issue an unrefusable challenge on my personalities? Thank you

Zen Faulkes wrote:

"Yes. The first listed targeting effect is all that matters (Web of Lies rulesheet).

I understand that he could use the ability, since he simple has to target his opponents personality.

Q1) However, since his opponent has no viable target for the action, i.e. there is no personality with lower chi than himself, can he issue a duel?

Q2) Is this an example of the wording of a card evading the intent of a card?

Thanks Zen

btw: Good job with the new forums.

Zen Faulkes (rules official), 27 February 2005

However, since his opponent has no viable target for the action, i.e. there is no personality with lower chi than himself, can he issue a duel?

No (card text).

On: Blade of the Master, Gozoku Pawn