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, 17 October 2008
Hi,
Let's say I want to kill Hida Sozen (Experienced) with my Duel of Champions, but in order for me to do that I have to play Determination on him. When should I play the Determination, during the announcement of my Duel of Champions or at the moment my other unique personality faces him?
Thanks!
Duel of Champions Unique
Limited: Target your Unique Personality: Target another player's Unique Personality. After the next time this game either of them assigns or moves to oppose the other, your Personality challenges the other Personality. Destroy the loser. The winner gains 2 Honor.
Determination
Dark Virtue Reaction : Before you announce an action, target one of your Samurai: The action can not have its effects negated or have its targeting changed. After the action destroys any Personality, remove him from the game.
A player, 17 October 2008
When should I play the Determination, during the announcement of my Duel of Champions or at the moment my other unique personality faces him?
Determination is taken "before you announce" the Limited action from your Duel of Champions therefore it cannot be used before the delayed effect that creates a challenge is applied.
As usual, Determination's effects that prevent the effects of your Duel of Champions from being negated and that remove from the game any Personality destroyed by your Duel of Champions, will both end at the end of the turn during which you played Determination.