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, 29 July 2012
There's been some debate around here about how Spiritual Manipulation interacts with Den of Iniquity.
Does Den of Iniquity let someone ignore the effects of Spiritual Manipulation? Does the 'if legal' qualifier only apply to target assignation or does it also apply to attack declaration? Does the order in which the abilities are used matter (since that does seem to matter with some cards)?
Relevant text:
Den of Iniquity This card will not be destroyed. Other players will not lose Honor from your Spells. Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold. Political Limited: Bow this card and target another player's dishonorable Personality: His controller loses Honor equal to his base Personal Honor, or 3, whichever is lower. You may not declare an attack this turn.
Spiritual Manipulation Open: Choose your performing Spirit Personality and target a Personality controlled by the active player: His controller must declare a normal attack this turn and assign the target (if legal).
Alex Jones (rules official), 30 July 2012
There's been some debate around here about how Spiritual Manipulation interacts with Den of Iniquity.
Does Den of Iniquity let someone ignore the effects of Spiritual Manipulation? Does the 'if legal' qualifier only apply to target assignation or does it also apply to attack declaration? Does the order in which the abilities are used matter (since that does seem to matter with some cards)?
Relevant text:
Den of Iniquity This card will not be destroyed. Other players will not lose Honor from your Spells. Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold. Political Limited: Bow this card and target another player's dishonorable Personality: His controller loses Honor equal to his base Personal Honor, or 3, whichever is lower. You may not declare an attack this turn.
Spiritual Manipulation Open: Choose your performing Spirit Personality and target a Personality controlled by the active player: His controller must declare a normal attack this turn and assign the target (if legal).
"May not" implies "Will not": you can't choose to do something covered by a "may not" effect, and even if forced to, it still doesn't happen.