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, 25 April 2012
Formations are a special type of Action card that represent the capabilities of an organized army. When played, a Formation enters play at the current battlefield, and remains in play and controlled by its player until it is removed. After a Formation enters play but before it resolves, destroy all other Formations controlled by the same player. Each Formation has a requirement listed after the phrase, “Formed by”. You cannot play a Formation unless your army at the current battlefield meets this requirement. Also, unless a Formation is in play and its “Formed by” requirement is met, it produces no effects and its abilities cannot be used. Each condition mentioned must be met by a separate thing. For example, “Formed by a Samurai and a Courtier” requires two cards to meet, and is not satisfied by one Personality who is both a Samurai and a Courtier. Actions provided by Formations may be used any number of times per turn. Formations are played using the following action that all players may take and that is not actually on the Formation card itself: Battle: Any number of times per turn: Play a Formation from your hand. You may then take an additional legal Battle or Open action.
Battle: Choose your performing Tactician: Search your Fate deck for a Battle Strategy. You may take an additional Battle action to use one of its Battle abilities; if you do not, discard it.
I remember once I saw something that said if i fetch a formation using superior strategist i don't get another action to use the formations ability, instead i just get to play the formation. (not sure if it was from the l5r rules page but i could not find it anymore)
is this true? if yes why? and if not why not?
thanks!
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 25 April 2012
Formations are a special type of Action card that represent the capabilities of an organized army. When played, a Formation enters play at the current battlefield, and remains in play and controlled by its player until it is removed. After a Formation enters play but before it resolves, destroy all other Formations controlled by the same player. Each Formation has a requirement listed after the phrase, “Formed by”. You cannot play a Formation unless your army at the current battlefield meets this requirement. Also, unless a Formation is in play and its “Formed by” requirement is met, it produces no effects and its abilities cannot be used. Each condition mentioned must be met by a separate thing. For example, “Formed by a Samurai and a Courtier” requires two cards to meet, and is not satisfied by one Personality who is both a Samurai and a Courtier. Actions provided by Formations may be used any number of times per turn. Formations are played using the following action that all players may take and that is not actually on the Formation card itself: Battle: Any number of times per turn: Play a Formation from your hand. You may then take an additional legal Battle or Open action.
Battle: Choose your performing Tactician: Search your Fate deck for a Battle Strategy. You may take an additional Battle action to use one of its Battle abilities; if you do not, discard it.
I remember once I saw something that said if i fetch a formation using superior strategist i don't get another action to use the formations ability, instead i just get to play the formation. (not sure if it was from the l5r rules page but i could not find it anymore)
is this true? if yes why? and if not why not?
thanks!
All the rules for Formations you quoted above are now defunct and have been removed from the Legacy Format Rules, as the Oracle of the Void has updated Formations so that all their relevant text is ON them.
Also as a result, you may use Superior Strategist to put a Formation into play (if you meet its conditions), and you will get the additional action.