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, 27 July 2008
Hello. Regarding some various effects (Wardens, for example) I have following questions:
If an effect creates a card, is it considered 'playing' this card, or maybe this created card 'starts to exist' just after (nonexistent) playing?
If an action creates a Personality card, is it considered bringing (this) personality into play?
If an action creates a Personality card, could I (over)pay this Personality's Gold Cost? This is usually equal to 0, but there may be situations when using some gold is beneficial... Is such gold production considered 'paying for personality'?
A player, 28 July 2008
If an effect creates a card, is it considered 'playing' this card [...] ?
Yes, if the created card's type normally enters play, per 'Play' in the Glossary: "As a verb, to put into play a card type that normally enters play [...]"
If an action creates a Personality card, is it considered bringing (this) personality into play?
Yes. A created Personality card is brought into play; for example you can use the Reaction on your Wardens to attach it to him if you did not gain Honor for bringing him into play.
A created Personality card also enters play; for example you may use the Reaction on your Three Man Alliance Plain in order to "attach a card to him from your hand [and] if he attached the card, draw a card".
See also "Asako Keiki and Yobanjin Fortress" and "Venerable Master + Wardens".
If an action creates a Personality card, could I (over)pay this Personality's Gold Cost?
Yes. Playing a created Personality card follows the same rules as playing a real Personality card (see Using Personalities): its Gold cost must be paid and it may be overpaid.
Is such gold production considered 'paying for personality'?
Yes. For example if you (over)paid the Personality's Gold cost with a Supply Outpost, you may "attach a Follower, Item, or Spell to him from your hand after he enters play, reducing its Gold Cost by 3 until it attaches".
A player, 28 July 2008
Additional clarification: please note that paying for an action that creates a card is not the same thing as paying for the created card itself.
For example, if you use a Supply Outpost to pay the Gold cost of the Open ability on a Venerable Master, it doesn't allow you to attach a card from your hand to the created 3F/3C/3PH Samurai Personality after he enters play, because Supply Outpost produces Gold to pay for an action, not for the Personality whom this action creates.