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, 5 August 2008
Did a search, both here and in the comprehensive rules, and couldn't find anything pertaining to this particular question that was asked of me by another player.
Kyuden Asako Reaction: After one of your Temples bows: Straighten one of your target Shugenja or Monks. Open: Bow one of your Shugenja or Monks: Straighten one of your target Temples.
Assume the Temple in question has the trait: "Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold."
Can I bow the Temple to produce the 2 gold, even if I'm not paying a cost? I understand the gold would just get "taxed" away. My player was just wondering if he could do it.
I think his intent may be to bow the Shugenja to cast a spell or pay the cost of another action, then use the Temple produce some gold for nothing, allowing him to straighten his Shugenja using Kyuden Asako's Reaction.
A player, 5 August 2008
Ben Higgins wrote:Assume the Temple in question has the trait: "Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold." Can I bow the Temple to produce the 2 gold, even if I'm not paying a cost?
No, you must be paying an actual Gold cost in order to use a Gold-producing Holding (see below, emphasis mine).
Card features, Traits: "Gold-producing cards also follow special rules for their traits that produce Gold. Gold-producing holdings often have traits written as “Bow this card: Produce X Gold” which is shorthand for, “When paying a Gold cost, you may bow this card: Produce X Gold.”"
As a tip, remember that actions on Action cards always have a Gold cost which may be paid or overpaid in order to use Kyuden Asako's Reaction. This Gold cost is paid before any costs indicated by the card's text (see Costs and restrictions, Timing of costs).
[Additional clarification] Costs and restrictions, Gold production: "It is permitted to overpay a Gold cost by any amount, including producing Gold to pay a Gold cost of zero on (for example) an Action card. It is not permitted to pay a Gold cost for a card with no Gold cost at all, or for an action on a non-Action card (e.g., Personality, Follower) with no Gold cost. Example: A Samurai Edition Ring or a normal Region has no Gold cost at all. A Gold cost of zero need not be paid at all and does not count as a cost."
See also "Kyuden Asako Reaction and Temple to Shinsei".