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, 30 October 2008
If I have an Isawa Shokuta who is being ambushed, can I use his battle action to bow a spell attached to him to raise or lower the current province strength? Would his action be counted for the ring of water even if he doesn't have a province strength to effect? Same questions for if the current province strength is 0, can I continue to lower it, even though it will never go below 0?
Phoenix Clan • Shugenja • Earth • Mountaineer Shokuta can assign during Cavalry Maneuvers if you are the Defender. Earth Battle: Bow Shokuta or one of his Spells: Raise or lower the current battlefield's province's strength by Shokuta's Force.
Zen Faulkes (rules official), 30 October 2008
If I have an Isawa Shokuta who is being ambushed, can I use his battle action to bow a spell attached to him to raise or lower the current province strength?
The action is legal, but nothing happens (http://rules.l5r.com/FAQ#Is_an_action_l ... _happen.3F).
(I)f the current province strength is 0, can I continue to lower it, even though it will never go below 0?
Yes. Those penalties are not pointless, incidentally, as they will offset any bonuses that would raise Province strength (http://rules.l5r.com/Card_features#Gene ... bout_stats).