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, 27 April 2012
Skipping the Puddle: Water Battle: If any enemy units are at the current battlefield, choose your performing Water Shugenja: Move him there. You may take an additional Battle action which he must perform.
Player Abilities: (Equip) Battle: Any number of times per turn, choose your performing unbowed opposed Shugenja and target a Spell in your hand: Attach it to him, paying all costs. You may take an additional action to use a Battle ability on that Spell.
Effortless Counterattack: Reaction: Before the resolution of a Battle action that was taken as an additional action: Negate its effects.
Player A uses Skipping the Puddle to draw a Shug into battle, equips a spell as additional action. Player B reacts with Effortless CA.
Plainly, the Spell does not get attached, of course, but:
- does the Spell remain in Player A's hand? I am pretty sure it does... more tricky part, does Player B get to *see* the spell?
- what happens wrt costs? As I read things, if the spell's cost is considered part of the Battle equip ability, it still needs to get paid, as the effects negation does not interfere with it? however, if it's paid as an effect of the Battle equip (or something along those lines), the effects negation would also prevent the spell's cost payment, and Player A could reasonably attach it in a subsequent Battle action.
EDIT -> for clarity: Player B reacts to the *Battle equip*, NOT to the other additional action granted by it that would allow player A to use an ability on the spell.
Ben Higgins (rules official), 27 April 2012
Skipping the Puddle: Water Battle: If any enemy units are at the current battlefield, choose your performing Water Shugenja: Move him there. You may take an additional Battle action which he must perform.
Player Abilities: (Equip) Battle: Any number of times per turn, choose your performing unbowed opposed Shugenja and target a Spell in your hand: Attach it to him, paying all costs. You may take an additional action to use a Battle ability on that Spell.
Effortless Counterattack: Reaction: Before the resolution of a Battle action that was taken as an additional action: Negate its effects.
Player A uses Skipping the Puddle to draw a Shug into battle, equips a spell as additional action. Player B reacts with Effortless CA.
Plainly, the Spell does not get attached, of course, but:
- does the Spell remain in Player A's hand? I am pretty sure it does... more tricky part, does Player B get to *see* the spell?
- what happens wrt costs? As I read things, if the spell's cost is considered part of the Battle equip ability, it still needs to get paid, as the effects negation does not interfere with it? however, if it's paid as an effect of the Battle equip (or something along those lines), the effects negation would also prevent the spell's cost payment, and Player A could reasonably attach it in a subsequent Battle action.
EDIT -> for clarity: Player B reacts to the *Battle equip*, NOT to the other additional action granted by it that would allow player A to use an ability on the spell.
Asked previously (by my pre-Rules Team self, no less!) here: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=95856&hilit=effortless+counterattack
To answer your specific questions regarding costs:
A) Since the Battle Equip player ability's only costs are targeting a Spell card in hand and choosing your performing unbowed opposed Shugenja, those are the only costs that would be required to be paid before Effortless Counterattack negates the Attaching effects, where you would then have to pay any gold cost associated with the Spell you targeted, if the Attaching effects hadn't have been negated.
B) Yes, since the Spell card in hand is still in your hand, you may attempt to attach it again, as another use of the Battle Equip player ability later on in the battle.