Re: Alternative Use of Lion's Strength (L5R rules board)

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, 8 October 2007

This question question came up at a tournament this past weekend, and is in regards to this post: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=62162, which has follow-up posts at: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=62214 viewtopic.php?f=59&t=62337

In the original post, the question seemed to ask about the legality of resolving battlefield Bravo, containing an unopposed Akodo Bob. While at battlefield Bravo, the attacker uses the Lion's Strength to target Ikoma John at battlefield Alpha, who is opposed by Mirumoto Shawn. The question was can Ikoma John be targeted as "an opposed Lion Clan Personality", Mirumoto Shawn be targeted as "a Personality not at the current battlefield", and the action move Mirumoto Shawn to the current battlefield, which is at Bravo? The answer was "yes".

My question is, how does this satisfy the part of the Rule of Location that says "Any cards in units must be at the current battlefield to be legally targeted by a Battle action."? I understand the exception to the rule allows a targeted unit to be moved in, but I do not see how the required target "an opposed Lion Clan Personality" satisfies location, UNLESS both targets are Ikoma John (in which case John would meet the exception by moving to the current battle). Also, if Akodo Bob were opposed, he would be a legal target to then target and drag Mirumoto Shawn over to battlefield Bravo.

My understanding of the Rule of Location would say that either Ikoma John must be picked as both targets, or Akodo Bob would need to be opposed for the Lion's Strength to be able to move Mirumoto Shawn into battlefield Bravo. Could you please enlighten me as to the legality of targeting Ikoma John (required target) and Mirumoto Shawn (effects targeting), both at battlefield Alpha, while resolving the battle at battlefied Bravo? I'm particularly confused about how Ikoma John meets the requirement in this situation. While he is an opposed Lion personality, why can he be picked from outside the battle? (The action will not move him to the current battle.) Or is the Rule of Location satisfied if ANY target gets moved to the current battle, meaning other targets can be picked outside the battle, even though there will be no attempt to move them in?

Roger Giner-Sorolla (rules official), 9 October 2007

Suppose I assign a lion personality at Province A, leaving provinces B, C, and D. My opponents assigns his defenders to oppose my unit at province A. I choose to first resolve the battle at province B. My opponent passes and on my turn I play lion's strength targeting my personality at province A. And I move his unit to the current battlefield (B) fulfilling both rule of presence and location. Am I missing anything?

The later posts clarified that "his unit" refers to "my personality" - which should have been obvious anyway, as "my personality" was the last thing referred to in the question. Nothing was said about moving another player's unit. You are correct, then, when you say :

My understanding of the Rule of Location would say that either Ikoma John must be picked as both targets, or Akodo Bob would need to be opposed for the Lion's Strength to be able to move Mirumoto Shawn into battlefield Bravo.

And when Zen said,

On: The Lion's Strength

Conceivably, "his unit" could refer to a unit controlled by the opponent.

He was referring to the interpretation of the original question, not saying that would be a legal move.