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, 6 June 2012
Extension of Power of Strength vs. Followers
I am confused by this ruling specifically since the targeting has already occurred when I targeted with Power of Strength. So in the second stage "targeting" when I re-target the personality I have already targeted, he becomes an illegal target and invalidates the Range Attack.
So When using Power of Strength the proper procedure would be to:
1. Announce the Use of Power of Strength 2. Target two Personalities. 3. Simultaneously bow one target and announce a ranged attack. 4. Target and Resolve Range Attack (which there is only one target available according to the card).
With the current restrictions to use the card in the first place (Base 7 Force, higher gold cost than the targeted unit's gold cost, two targets) the use of this card is greatly diminished in the environment filled with free followers and essentially becomes a "bow one personality" strategy card when facing an army with free followers attached to all personalities (i.e. KH xp, Nakanu Technique, Ashigaru Recruits), not withstanding the plethora of expensive attachments that are popular which make Power of Strength unable to target in the first place (i.e. Kensai, Battle Shugenja, Commander) due to having higher unit gold cost than my base personality.
I hope this was not the intent of the card when printed.
Alex Jones (rules official), 7 June 2012
Extension of Power of Strength vs. Followers
I am confused by this ruling specifically since the targeting has already occurred when I targeted with Power of Strength. So in the second stage "targeting" when I re-target the personality I have already targeted, he becomes an illegal target and invalidates the Range Attack.
So When using Power of Strength the proper procedure would be to:
1. Announce the Use of Power of Strength 2. Target two Personalities. 3. Simultaneously bow one target and announce a ranged attack. 4. Target and Resolve Range Attack (which there is only one target available according to the card).
With the current restrictions to use the card in the first place (Base 7 Force, higher gold cost than the targeted unit's gold cost, two targets) the use of this card is greatly diminished in the environment filled with free followers and essentially becomes a "bow one personality" strategy card when facing an army with free followers attached to all personalities (i.e. KH xp, Nakanu Technique, Ashigaru Recruits), not withstanding the plethora of expensive attachments that are popular which make Power of Strength unable to target in the first place (i.e. Kensai, Battle Shugenja, Commander) due to having higher unit gold cost than my base personality.
I hope this was not the intent of the card when printed.
That is essentially how the card works - the bowing and the ranged attack are not simultaneous, but otherwise you are correct.
Your hope is unwarranted.