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, 18 October 2009
Ok so Im having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around all of this, so I will try to convey my thoughts as clearly as possible.
It has been ruled that if Shikibu no Oni is targeted by Seiden Sanzo that Shikibu can negate his own destruction without having to remove a personality from the game because the destruction is a delayed effect. The question then that comes to me is can I use Strength of the Bamboo to negate a Hero's destruction at the point that I target the Hero with Seiden Sanzo?
Either the game checks immediately for the destruction effect or it doesn't. If it does then you can react with Strength. That being the case Shikibu would check at that time also and would have to consume someone as a result. On the other hand, if the game checks for the destruction later, then the personality would not be targeted by an action that destroys him and Strength could not be used. I would like some clarification on this. If possible could you post the specific rules that effect this or make it possible.
Shikibu no Oni Clan Shadowlands Horde Text Shadowlands • Nonhuman • Oni • Overlord • Experienced Oni no Shikibu • Unique After Shikibu enters play: Lose 8 Honor. Before an action destroys Shikibu: Negate the destruction. If he is in play after the action's resolution, choose one of your Personalities at Shikubu's location; he is consumed by Jigoku. Remove the chosen Personality from the game.
Title Strength of the Bamboo Rarity Uncommon Text Heroic Reaction: After an action targets your Hero Perosnality: Negate his destruction from the action's effects. Give him +1F
Title Seiden Sanzo Rarity Rare Edition Khan's Defiance [ View Printings ] Text Temple Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold, or 3 Gold if paying for a Hero. Limited: Target a Personality you own and control. Give him Cavalry and +3F. Destroy him after your next Dynasty Phase begins
Zen Faulkes (rules official), 18 October 2009
Ok so Im having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around all of this, so I will try to convey my thoughts as clearly as possible.
It has been ruled that if Shikibu no Oni is targeted by Seiden Sanzo that Shikibu can negate his own destruction without having to remove a personality from the game because the destruction is a delayed effect. The question then that comes to me is can I use Strength of the Bamboo to negate a Hero's destruction at the point that I target the Hero with Seiden Sanzo?
Either the game checks immediately for the destruction effect or it doesn't. If it does then you can react with Strength. That being the case Shikibu would check at that time also and would have to consume someone as a result. On the other hand, if the game checks for the destruction later, then the personality would not be targeted by an action that destroys him and Strength could not be used. I would like some clarification on this. If possible could you post the specific rules that effect this or make it possible.
Shikibu no Oni Clan Shadowlands Horde Text Shadowlands • Nonhuman • Oni • Overlord • Experienced Oni no Shikibu • Unique After Shikibu enters play: Lose 8 Honor. Before an action destroys Shikibu: Negate the destruction. If he is in play after the action's resolution, choose one of your Personalities at Shikubu's location; he is consumed by Jigoku. Remove the chosen Personality from the game.
Title Strength of the Bamboo Rarity Uncommon Text Heroic Reaction: After an action targets your Hero Perosnality: Negate his destruction from the action's effects. Give him +1F
Title Seiden Sanzo Rarity Rare Edition Khan's Defiance [ View Printings ] Text Temple Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold, or 3 Gold if paying for a Hero. Limited: Target a Personality you own and control. Give him Cavalry and +3F. Destroy him after your next Dynasty Phase begins
Mod reminder: If you're going to refer back to an earlier post (say, concerning Shikibu no Oni), please link to it. Thanks!
Alex Jones (rules official), 19 October 2009
Note that the second statement here is wrong: Either the game checks immediately for the destruction effect or it doesn't. If it does then you can react with Strength.
It doesn't matter what an action's effects are, if it targets a Hero then you can react with Strength of the Bamboo. You can react to Charge, for example, with Strength of the Bamboo: the only result will be to give the target +1f.
Just to be clear, the trigger that allows Strength of the Bamboo to be played is not the imminent destruction of a Hero Personality. The trigger that allows Strength of the Bamboo to be played is the targeting of a Hero Personality by an action - any action.
You might find this section of the rules helpful: Card features, Abilities.
Alex