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, 20 March 2012
Open: Target a Personality: Remove one of his abilities (until the turn ends).
Limited: Choose your performing Ninja Personality and target a non-Unique Personality: Your Ninja permanently copies the Personality's base keywords, except Clan Champion, Daimyo, or Shugenja, and permanently copies his base abilities which do not themselves copy abilities.
Let's say Ninube Onchi removes an ability from a personality. For example, Tsuruchi Kosoko's ability. Later that turn, Onchi plays Sly Deceiver on the same Kosoko.
Since "base" refers to abilities as printed, without modifications from effects, does Sly Deceiver still copy the removed ability? Or does removing it interfere with the copying? My guess is that it is copied regardless, but I'm not sure if there are settled precedents from other cards.
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 20 March 2012
Let's say Ninube Onchi removes an ability from a personality. For example, Tsuruchi Kosoko's ability. Later that turn, Onchi plays Sly Deceiver on the same Kosoko.
Since "base" refers to abilities as printed, without modifications from effects, does Sly Deceiver still copy the removed ability? Or does removing it interfere with the copying? My guess is that it is copied regardless, but I'm not sure if there are settled precedents from other cards.
Yes, Sly Deceiver would still copy the ability.
As you reason, copying "base" text from a card copies what is printed on the card, regardless of what may have been added, removed, or modified by effects.