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 March 2012
Hello folks
Though I've been collecting L5R for many years, I still consider myself a noob (though the past few sets, EE especially, have done wonders to clarify things). I have two questions regarding Rule of Location that I've been unable to find answers for on any of the rules wikis, and was hoping someone might be able to assist.
First, with a card like Kitsu Fukui. Does she have to be in the army at the current battlefield to use the Action? My gut says yes, but the "performing Ancestor Personality" wording makes me second guess. 1) It doesn't say Ancestor Personality "in her army" 2) The finale effect comes from the Ancestor, not Kitsu Fukui, so does just the Ancestor have to be in the battle, and she can be at home? (Not taking the new Stronghold into account here)
Second, with a card like Akodo Yobi (Not the ideal card for my question, but the best I could find). Can you take Reactions on Personalities not at the current battle? Akodo Yobi goes a step further with it being a Tactician action. Again, can he use this at home / in a different battlefield?
Any assistance in clarifying these rules would be greatly appreciated.
Ben Higgins (rules official), 18 March 2012
First, with a card like Kitsu Fukui. Does she have to be in the army at the current battlefield to use the Action? My gut says yes, but the "performing Ancestor Personality" wording makes me second guess. 1) It doesn't say Ancestor Personality "in her army" 2) The finale effect comes from the Ancestor, not Kitsu Fukui, so does just the Ancestor have to be in the battle, and she can be at home? (Not taking the new Stronghold into account here)
Not taking Halls of Memory into account here, Kitsu Fukui does need to be at the battlefield to use her ability. Per The Rule of Location, "if a Battle action is on a card in a unit (a Personality or attachment in play), the unit must be at the current battlefield in order to take that action."
Second, with a card like Akodo Yobi (Not the ideal card for my question, but the best I could find). Can you take Reactions on Personalities not at the current battle? Akodo Yobi goes a step further with it being a Tactician action. Again, can he use this at home / in a different battlefield?
Reactions are not subject to the Rule of Location, so may be used from any location, as long as their triggers are met.