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, 3 January 2008
I control Akodo Katsumoto, another Tactician Personality (Ikoma Tatsunori) and a non-Tactician Personality (Matsu Takeko) at the current battlefield. No Tactician Personality has performed any Tactical action this turn. I want to use Katsumoto's ability without bowing himself, to bow an enemy dishonorable Personality : can I pay for it by bowing Takeko or must I bow Tatsunori ?
Akodo Katsumoto's ability is Tactical, which means it can only be performed by a Tactician Personality. It is always performed by both Katsumoto and its first target (which may be Katsumoto himself). Does it imply this ability's base cost can't be paid by bowing a non-Tactician Personality (such as Takeko) and that it always "consumes" the Tactician keyword on both Personalities (such as Katsumoto and Tatsunori) ?
Thanks for your help. ___________________
Akodo Katsumoto Tactical Battle: Bow one of your target Personalities: Bow a target enemy Personality with Personal Honor equal to or less than the Personal Honor of the Personality you bowed.
Martin Lund (rules official), 3 January 2008
I control Akodo Katsumoto, another Tactician Personality (Ikoma Tatsunori) and a non-Tactician Personality (Matsu Takeko) at the current battlefield. No Tactician Personality has performed any Tactical action this turn. I want to use Katsumoto's ability without bowing himself, to bow an enemy dishonorable Personality : can I pay for it by bowing Takeko or must I bow Tatsunori ?
Akodo Katsumoto's ability is Tactical, which means it can only be performed by a Tactician Personality. It is always performed by both Katsumoto and its first target (which may be Katsumoto himself). Does it imply this ability's base cost can't be paid by bowing a non-Tactician Personality (such as Takeko) and that it always "consumes" the Tactician keyword on both Personalities (such as Katsumoto and Tatsunori) ?
Thanks for your help. ___________________
Akodo Katsumoto Tactical Battle: Bow one of your target Personalities: Bow a target enemy Personality with Personal Honor equal to or less than the Personal Honor of the Personality you bowed.
Yeah, I see the issue there. I think the definition of Tactical needs to be tweaked just a little bit. It still reflects the old definition of Performing - when you went down the list of priorities and stopped as soon as you found the first one that applied. Under the old style, the Personality with the Tactical Action on him would be the one Performing that Action - not anyone else paying costs.
I'll see how this one is supposed to shake out, but for now I recommend just playing with Akodo Katsumoto as if his is the only Tactician trait that his Tacticial Battle action keys off of. It doesn't "use up" anyone else's Tactician for the turn, nor does the bowing Personality need to be a Tactician.
Martin Lund (rules official), 7 January 2008
It looks like, at this time, the rules speak for themselves - Akodo Katsumoto's ability is performed by himself and the target Personality - if someone other than him. If you use the ability with a second Personality, that personality must be a Tactician and both Tactician traits are "used," as per the rulebook definition of "Tactical."
Yeah, I know, that's some tough love right there.
- Marty Lund Deputy Rules Monkey