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.
As discussed here: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=72042&p=940636&hilit=heated#p940636
Since the personality doesn't die during his seppuku, it has been stated that the honor loss is not reduced. But according to this thread: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=62696&p=803318&hilit=seppuku+cost#p803318
Its stated that the death is an effect of the seppuku, so wouldn't the honor loss still be reduced, since the death and honor loss reduction are two separate effects of the seppuku action?
wouldn't the honor loss still be reduced, since the death and honor loss reduction are two separate effects of the seppuku action?
No the Honor loss is not reduced if you take the "Seppuku Reaction" during the battle of a Heated Discussion.
The last effect of this ability reads (emphasis mine): "If the seppuku destroyed him, reduce the Honor loss to one." Therefore if the suppuku did not destroy the Personality, the Honor loss is not reduced to one. This reduction does not depend on the fact that the seppuku is a cost or an effect, it depends on the fact that it has destroyed (or not) the Personality who has tried to commit it.
During the battle of a Heated Discussion, a seppuku cannot destroy any Personality: she is dishonored instead. As a consequence, during the battle of a Heated Discussion, this Reaction cannot reduce any Honor loss.