follow up to: http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=96978
I feel like part of my question was not answered enough for me to feel confident in my understanding of the rule, namely the one about chi bonuses on followers. Clearly traits on spells do not count (which is a breath of relief to my zerker deck), but how do I recognize a stat bonus on an attachment that doesn't have one?
But the ruling posted in the previous thread (mentioned in my last topic, again here for ease of access: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=96971 )
when checking a non-existant stat, it is considered 0. However, when checking a stat on an attachment that gives a stat bonus, the value of the bonus is considered to be the value of the stat. So a "+4C" Follower, if one existed, would survive.
I'm trying to figure out where this rule came from and how to recognize when it applies.
from rules: http://rules.l5r.com/EE_Card_types#Followers
Followers have Force as a stat. Followers do not have a Chi or Personal Honor even thoug, their card has those graphic elements on it , for symmetry.
I can find no reference to a chi bonus stat on followers in the rules. Nor can I find any reference to use of stat bonuses in place of otherwise non-existent stats on attachments that are not specifically items. (I have a vague memory of a time in the past when comparing force of an item was always '0' because its force bonus wasn't the same as force. I can't find anything that suggests followers are not like this for chi)
If this came up in a tournament right now, I'd insist pretty plainly that even if printed on the card, followers do not technically have a chi bonus stat either except by cardinal rule #1. But the above ruling seems to make it sound like its 'normal' and not a contradiction to the rules, and in a case where such a card has a stat it normally cannot, I can find no rule (even in legacy rules section where this stat exists naturally on cards) that suggests a follower would use its chi bonus in place of its non-existent effectively 0 chi.
1. How does one recognize a chi bonus on a follower if traits do not count and the graphic element is only for symmetry? I have 2 examples: Inkyo http://imperialassembly.com/oracle/#cardid=3756 who clearly appears to have a 'chi' not a 'chi bonus' vs. Decoy which has a '+' next to it suggesting a bonus. http://imperialassembly.com/oracle/#cardid=1912 Are these actually the same stat? (i.e. Inkyo adds to the base personality, not has a chi himself)
2. How does a follower (like Hoshi House Guard) adjust its own chi bonus stat (which is 0 by default) if not by trait? Would it have to say something like "this card has +2 chi bonus". I'm confused why a stat not normally on a certain card type would be effected by an effect like ranged attack, but not by its own traits which seem to adjust the stat in question.
3. Searching older cards, I've discovered some with both force and chi bonus.... if a follower is given force (such by 'the height of courage'), but naturally has a force bonus. Which do I compare, the force or the force bonus? Example: Kenku Duelist http://imperialassembly.com/oracle/#cardid=4321 gets +2 from a border ambush. Do you compare its base +1 force or its now existing 2 force when comparing force? (or does it not gain force because it doesn't have a force stat)
(I'll also point out "though" is misspelled currently on the rules page to lack a 2nd 'h')
EDIT: updated to include better examples.