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, 23 March 2011
Superior Opponent Fear • Iaijutsu Focus Effect: You may destroy an attachment at the current battlefield if your Personality in this duel is there. Battle: Target your unbowed Duelist: Target an enemy unit. Bow each Follower and Personality in it with equal or lower Force than your Duelist's Chi.
Chagatai's Armor Armor • Unique Reaction: Before the resolution of another player's action: Negate either the bowing, destruction, or movement of this Personality from the action's effects. Battle: Bow this card: Straighten this unit or move it to the current battlefield.
Steel on Steel Iaijutsu Battle: Target your unbowed Personality: He challenges a target enemy Personality. Destroy the duel's loser.
If challanged with Steel on Steel, when can chagatai's reaction be taken? Would a focused Superior Oppnenet destroy the armor before it's reaction could be triggered? At what point is resolution of the action? Before or after the process of the duel?
Zen Faulkes (rules official), 23 March 2011
Superior Opponent Fear • Iaijutsu Focus Effect: You may destroy an attachment at the current battlefield if your Personality in this duel is there. Battle: Target your unbowed Duelist: Target an enemy unit. Bow each Follower and Personality in it with equal or lower Force than your Duelist's Chi.
Chagatai's Armor Armor • Unique Reaction: Before the resolution of another player's action: Negate either the bowing, destruction, or movement of this Personality from the action's effects. Battle: Bow this card: Straighten this unit or move it to the current battlefield.
Steel on Steel Iaijutsu Battle: Target your unbowed Personality: He challenges a target enemy Personality. Destroy the duel's loser.
If challanged with Steel on Steel, when can chagatai's reaction be taken? Would a focused Superior Oppnenet destroy the armor before it's reaction could be triggered? At what point is resolution of the action? Before or after the process of the duel?
Chagatai's Armor can only be played right after costs are paid for the action it is responding to. See the sequence at http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Abilities_and_actions.
You can't wait to see how the duel turns out and then decide to use Chagatai's Armor.