Rulings for 6 March 2001

The Phoenix Council

In either Spirit Wars or Soul of the Empire, there was a card that indicated that the Council of Five had they're meeting table destroyed by Shiba Tsukune. She wanted the table to be remade with 6 seats to allow the champion(her) to sit at it. Yet, the promo card The Council Reforms definitely indicates that the table was recreated with only 5 seats. What caused the motion Tsukune put forth to fail? Was there a specific reason, or was it just a ploy to get out the promo card? Anyone out there know the story? Please tell!

The Council of Five refused to follow her command, basically. The Phoenix have always had clashes of authority between the Shiba, the family of the founding Kami, and the Isawa, the family that holds the true power behind the clan. She said, "Make it seat six!" and they said, "No." The flavor text describes some of their reasoning.

Oath question

This might have already been answered, but I don't know that answer. The rules state that a personality with Ninja, Naga, Monk, or Ratling swear fealty to another clan they don't lose any of those four traits. So what about Kanbe? If he swears fealty with his action to one of those four, does he keep that trait forever? Or does his ability override the rulebook?

I'm going to amend the rulebook right here, right now: those traits (Monk, Naga, Ninja, Spirit) have to be PRINTED to be permanent through swearing fealty. This is ERRATA.

Tsuchi-do ?

If, you extend the logic, that someone is immune to fear, they cannot be targeted by fear. (Not currently a rule, I know)

Actually, you're exactly right. Check the definition of "immune" in the Glossary. A card immune to "X" cannot be targetted by X. Nor can a unit comprised entirely of "immune to X" cards.

Of course, I'd like this to go away, for a number of reasons. It doesn't match the way the rest of the game works. The word "immune" isn't used for anything besides Fear. The fact that targeting a unit and targeting a Personality are equivalent means that, technically, you can't use Fear on a unit whose Personality is immune even when the Followers aren't.

In general, however, there is no rule in L5R against attempting actions even when it's known they will produce only some or even none of their stated effects.

Winter Warfare (again!), at Vaughn's invitation (was: Re: Tsuchi-do ?)

PS: As a point of interest, the following cards that send folks home do not specify the target's state after the action resolves: Defeat the Reserves, Emergence of the Masters, Forest of Thorns, Fortune's Turn, Heartbeat Drummers, Ide Ashijun, Mirumoto Sukune x, Noble Sacrifice, Ryoku, Seppun Toshiken x, Soul's Sacrifice, Togashi Yama. I cannot find the ruling that says 'bowed is the default"; does anyone know where that is?

There currently isn't one.

There was one, however, for a brief time. I think one of the Heralds had it. The goal behind it was this: if we make bowing the default result of going home, then "going home bowed" is the same as just "going home" and becomes easier to treat as just one effect.

The problem with this ruling was that it nailed most of the voluntary, move-your-own-units-home cards, plus cards such as Flying Carpet which allow a broad range of movement, should they be used to move from battle to fief. The quick fix for this, issued by me personally at GenCon 2000, was that bowing was only the standard result for being "sent" home, not "moving" home.

The whole mess had gotten uglier than planned, and both these rulings were reversed in the next Herald and we rolled back to what the then-current rulebook said (namely, the original new rule that caused all the ruckus in the first place: that going home bowed was two effects). I have never been in favor of distinguishing "moving" home from being "sent" there, and only went that way because a quick fix was of paramount importance at the time.

PPPS: Thanks for reading all the way through.

Thanks for writing it.

Questions

1.- The Final Breath. One of my personalities with 3 Chi and a Weapon with +2 Chi (total 5 chi) dies during a battle. The opponent had a 4 chi personality. Does the weapon chi bonus count for "The Final Breath" or not? When my personality dies, it has the bonus, but when the card reacts (after battle resolution) it doesn't.

2.- I know the Imperial Favor is not a card but, where is it written?

It follows directly from the fact that it doesn't come from any deck and is not created by something that says it's a card.

Why do you "discard" the Favor if it is not a card?

Sneaky, underhanded, subliminal use of a game term for its broader English definition.

3.- By the general rules, I suppose I can't remove one of my bowed units in battle with the Favor, as long as I can't rehonor them as an Open action if they're bowed. Am I right?

You are right.

4.- If one personality with followers dies, so do their followers. Is this right or are they discarded?

Any time a card leaves play in any way, all non-token cards attached to it leave play in the same way.

5.- The cost reduction for Ninja an Kolat cards that "The Longest Night" produces last until the end of turn, isn't it?

No. It's also "Until your straighten phase two turns after this one". I know, I know... Bad wording.

6.- My Goju Adorai 4/4 gets a -2 chi penalty for that "The First Scroll is Opened". Later, I copy the ninja with "The Egg of Pan-Ku". Has the Egg 4 or 2 chi?

2. The First Scroll is Opened creates a permanent change. The Egg copies permanent changes.

Rulings Questions, Spells,Kiho, and Esoterica

Just verifying some rulings...anyone can reply, as long as you're SURE of what you're saying. Sorry if these are in the archive, I'm on break at work now, and I don't have the archive link handy...

A Shugenja may only use an attached spell once per turn, even if he somehow unbows (e.g. spirit guide, etc.) Correct?

Incorrect.

Similarly, a Shugenja may only use an innate ability once per turn, even if he somehow unbows?

Incorrect. Also not true of non-Shugenja cards with printed abilities. The only actual, similar rule is that each printed Reaction can be used only once per trigger.

And lastly, a shugenja or monk may only cast one of any given kiho in one turn, even if he manages to unbow, correct?

Incorrect.

Rulings Question: Interaction of Arrowroot Tattoo and Crane Tattoo [Vaughn, Jeff]

Jeff or Vaughn,

I have a question about how a Crane Tattoo and Arrowroot Tattoo interact.

Player A has two personalities, Mirumoto Bujun, and Mirumoto Daini with Arrowroot and Crane tattooes.

Player B has a Last Gifted Kakita Toshimoko EXP with Crane Sword and Armor of Golden Samurai.

Scenario 1 Player B Iai Challenge's A's Bujun, who strikes, and A destroys his Daini using the Arrowroot Tattoo. Does the Daini come back? If so, why, if not why not?

No. Daini wasn't in a duel, so he wasn't destroyed in a duel. He can't use the tattoo to come back.

Scenario 2

Player A attacks Player B. A sends Bujun and Daini. B Defends with Toshimoko. B uses Iai Duel on Bujun. A uses Daini's Arrowroot Tattoo. Is Daini saved?

Same answer. No.