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.
Matsu Shoken Reaction: After Shoken is destroyed: Gain 2 Honor.
Kitsu Ineko Open: Target a Lion Clan Personality in your discard pile. He becomes honorably dead. Give Cavalry to all cards in one target unit.
After using Ineko's ability targeting a discarded Shoken, can i use Shoken's reaction to gain 2 honor?
After using Kitsu Ineko's ability targeting a discarded Matsu Shoken, can i use Shoken's reaction to gain 2 honor?
No.
http://rules.l5r.com/Card_features#Abilities: "Abilities on cards not in play or in a resolution, entering-play or focusing area can not be used."
Additional: More to the point, "become dead" isn't "destroyed."
In regards to this ruling.
viewtopic.php?f=59&t=71122
According to the ruling given by Zen, then no reaction that occurs "after" destruction, or an ability that is specifically used from discard would be able to be taken, if I understand his wording correctly.
Destroy - "When a card in play is destroyed, it leaves play, and enters its appropriate discard pile, or leaves the game if it was a created card. See Areas of the Game, Discard Piles; Areas of the Game, Outside the Game. "
Shoken's reaction occurs "after destruction", and therefore the card IS "out of play" and not in a resolution, entering-play or focusing area.
While I dont believe that Shoken's reaction is usable when Katsuko or Ineko use their actions, I would think it's because it does not meet the criteria of "leaving play" from the definition of destruction? However if that ruling stands, it will have effect on other cards in the environment, such as Shosuro Takuro as well. In fact, Shoken's ability itself would be unusable according to the ruling I believe? Can we get clarification?
Texts
Matsu Shoken - Lion Clan • Deathseeker • Samurai Shoken has +3F while attacking. Reaction: After Shoken is destroyed: Gain 2 Honor.
Shosuro Takuro - Scorpion Clan • Courtier Reaction: After Takuro is destroyed by a card you do not own or by battle resolution: Create a 0F/2C/1PH Scorpion Clan, Courtier, Apprentice Personality. Chose another player, who loses 3 Honor.
Kitsu Katsuko - Lion Clan • Shugenja • Daimyo Battle/Open: Target a Lion Clan Personality in a discard pile and one of your Samurai. The Lion becomes honorably dead. The Samurai either gains the Tactician keyword or +3F.
Kitsu Ineko - Lion Clan • Shugenja • Water Open: Target a Lion Clan Personality in your discard pile. He becomes honorably dead. Give Cavalry to all cards in one target unit.
Thank you for your time,
~Hida Nobutsuna~
According to the ruling given by Zen, then no reaction that occurs "after" destruction, or an ability that is specifically used from discard would be able to be taken, if I understand his wording correctly.
Incorrect. The first cardinal rule (http://rules.l5r.com/Cardinal_rules) is cards beat general rules. But the interaction described didn't really contradict any general rules.
Now, let me try to explain better than I did initially. The issue is not so much that the card is out of play, it's that the Reaction trigger didn't occur. "Become honorably dead" isn't "destroyed." That's what I was searching around for.