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, 24 May 2008
Sorry, couldn't find anything on this.
If I play Polite Deference...
Reaction: If you are going first this game, immediately before the first turn begins: Choose another player, who goes first this game instead of you. He shuffles back into his deck any Legacy Holding that he has in play. Gain 4 Honor for your courtesy.
...can I now search my deck for a Legacy holding and put it into play bowed?
I'd assume "yes". The card says "Choose another player, who goes first this game..." and the rulebook says (p. 24) "If you’re not going first, you may now search your Dynasty deck for a Holding card with the Legacy keyword. Bring one out and put it into play bowed beside your Stronghold."
Unfortunately, it's not a reaction, like the reaction letting you to search for Legacy Holdings if you haven't brought any holdings into play a given turn, so I'm not sure if I can check that condition (of who's going first) again after it has been already checked once (and I was able to play my Polite Deference).
Thanks!
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 24 May 2008
Sorry, couldn't find anything on this.
If I play Polite Deference...
Reaction: If you are going first this game, immediately before the first turn begins: Choose another player, who goes first this game instead of you. He shuffles back into his deck any Legacy Holding that he has in play. Gain 4 Honor for your courtesy.
...can I now search my deck for a Legacy holding and put it into play bowed?
I'd assume "yes". The card says "Choose another player, who goes first this game..." and the rulebook says (p. 24) "If you’re not going first, you may now search your Dynasty deck for a Holding card with the Legacy keyword. Bring one out and put it into play bowed beside your Stronghold."
Unfortunately, it's not a reaction, like the reaction letting you to search for Legacy Holdings if you haven't brought any holdings into play a given turn, so I'm not sure if I can check that condition (of who's going first) again after it has been already checked once (and I was able to play my Polite Deference).
Thanks!
No, sorry. If you play Polite Deference, you can not go back and search for a Legacy Holding.
http://rules.l5r.com/Sequence_of_play#Start_of_game:
"When a game of L5R starts, follow steps A through G in sequence.
A. All players show their Strongholds, and any other cards that begin the game in play, at the same time. Each player starts his or her Family Honor stat at his Stronghold’s Starting Honor, applying any modifications. This is not an Honor gain. B. The starting player is determined; the player with the highest Family Honor goes first. If one or more players are tied in Family Honor, they resolve who goes first randomly, such as by rolling dice or flipping a coin. C. In turn order, each player who is not going first may search his or her Dynasty deck for a Legacy holding, show it, and put it into play (bowed) without Gold cost. Legacy holdings put into play this way cannot straighten before their controller’s third turn begins. D. All players shuffle both their decks separately. Players should offer their decks to the other players for ruther shuffling or cutting. E. All players position their Stronghold and decks and create four Provinces, filling each province in order from left to right with a card from the top of their Dynasty deck. F. All players draw five Fate cards simultaneously. G. Play begins; the starting player becomes the active player and takes a turn sequence, consisting of the Straighten Phase through End Phase below. After his or her turn ends, the next player’s turn, in turn order, begins. This continues until one player has won the game, at which point the game ends immediately."
You play Polite Deference immediately before Step G. At that point, the opportunity to get a Legacy Holding for going second (Step C) has passed.