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, 11 May 2005
Are there any instances in which a samurai or courtier can't commit seppuku?
I'm experimenting with Bayushi Saya, and some questions about the nature of seppuku keep arising.
Some examples:
A dishonoured personality with 3ph is targeted and killed by a card effect (ie Kolat Assassin). Since the result is a loss of 3 honour for the controlling player(rulebook effect: death of dishonoued personalities), can he react to the destruction of his personality by committing seppuku to reduce the loss to one?
Also, regarding Bayushi Saya, if a person is targeted by her effect and then required to perform and action (Ie Ambush, and rumours suggest Sacrifice of Pawns also applies (Zen or Marty, can you yes/no this?) ) is the honour loss causd by Saya or the dishonoured personality? Would they be able to seppuku in responce to the Ambush/Saya effect?
Finally, regarding Force of Will: if a dishonoured personality is targetted, then they will die because the 0ph effect of being dishonoured tranfers to their chi. In the case of a 2-printed-ph personality, (dishonoured) with 4chi, how much honour does the player lose when the chi-death takes effect? 2 (Printed PH) or 4 (Tranfered PH)?
Thanks for your time in advance.
Soshi M.
[edit] Thanks a lot. The SofP was an arguement that said that because the other personality was targeted they were "performing" 1/2 of that action, and were thus either killed or dishonoured. This seems blatantly incorrect, but I thought I'd toss it out. [/edit]
Zen Faulkes (rules official), 11 May 2005
A dishonoured personality with 3ph is targeted and killed by a card effect (ie Kolat Assassin). Since the result is a loss of 3 honour for the controlling player(rulebook effect: death of dishonoued personalities), can he react to the destruction of his personality by committing seppuku to reduce the loss to one?
No. You can't react to dying by dying.
Regarding Bayushi Saya, if a person is targeted by her effect and then required to perform and action (Ie Ambush, and rumours suggest Sacrifice of Pawns also applies (Zen or Marty, can you yes/no this?) ) is the honour loss causd by Saya or the dishonoured personality? Would they be able to seppuku in responce to the Ambush/Saya effect?
No. Diamond rules, pg. 88. The honor loss is not due to performing, targeting, or decision making. And I don't understand the Sacrifice of Pawns thing.
Force of Will: if a dishonoured personality is targetted, then they will die because the 0ph effect of being dishonoured tranfers to their chi. In the case of a 2-printed-ph personality, (dishonoured) with 4chi, how much honour does the player lose when the chi-death takes effect? 2 (Printed PH) or 4 (Tranfered PH)?
Diamond rules, pg. 88.