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, 11 September 2009
I'm a little unclear about the second order on GG.
Greater Good
Open: If there are two or more other players in the game: Straighten two target units.
Open: If four Personlaties with Clan alignments are in play, no two of whom share a Clan alignment: Straighten two target units.
Lets say I have a Lion, Unicorn, Crab, and Spider personality on my side. My opponent has a Unicorn personality on his side. Since my Unicorn personality shares a clan alignment with one of his personalities, will that prevent me from using the second order?
What if I had Lion, Lion, Crab, Unicorn, Crane? There are 4 different personalities that don't share an alignment amongst them, but, one of them individually shares a clan alignment with another one of my personalities? Does that stop me from playing GG?
Since you don't target the 4 personalities to determine who does and doesn't share a clan alignment, I'm a little lost on this one, when I'm sure the answer is pretty simple. I'm guessing the intent is that if you have four personalities of different clans in play then you can straighten two of them (maybe to prevent GG from being abused like United?) The wording just throws me a little.
Thank you.
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 11 September 2009
Lets say I have a Lion, Unicorn, Crab, and Spider personality on my side. My opponent has a Unicorn personality on his side. Since my Unicorn personality shares a clan alignment with one of his personalities, will that prevent me from using the second order?
No, you may use the second ability on the card, as the restriction on taking it is fulfilled by your four Personalities.
What if I had Lion, Lion, Crab, Unicorn, Crane? There are 4 different personalities that don't share an alignment amongst them, but, one of them individually shares a clan alignment with another one of my personalities? Does that stop me from playing GG?
Same answer: No, that would not stop it; the requirements are still fulfilled.
(EDITED! Initially, I overlooked the Crane on the list.)
In both cases, it doesn't matter how many Personalities in excess of the 4 are in play, only that there are at least 4 in play that fit the criteria.
Since you don't target the 4 personalities to determine who does and doesn't share a clan alignment, I'm a little lost on this one, when I'm sure the answer is pretty simple. I'm guessing the intent is that if you have four personalities of different clans in play then you can straighten two of them.
Of note, the card checks for any four Personalities to be in play to fulfill the restriction, not just yours; if you control a Lion and a Unicorn, and your opponent controls a Crab and a Spider, that would also satisfy it.