replies to 28-30 June

Hoshi Wayan Rules Question

Greetings.

I have a question regarding Hoshi Wayan Exp. 2. His Reaction states: Immediately after Wayan gains a Force bonus, destroy a Tattoo token on him to raise the bonus by his Personal Honor. How does this ability combine with the following situations:

1) How long does his self-Reacted Force bonus last for? The card does not give a duration. Do we assume that they then are until the end of the turn, or until the triggering Force bonus lasts?

Until whichever comes first. He raises the bonus until the turn ends. Obviously, if the bonus ends before then, he'll lose it *and* his Reaction's extra since his extra is not a separate bonus.

2) An item attached to Wayan with a Force bonus. Does he gain the +2 of his PH when it is attached, is a Tattoo token is destroyed? How long does the force bonus last for? Until the end of the turn (the default duration when no other duraton is specified)? Or for as long as the Force bonus would otherwise last (until the item was somehow removed)?

Again, until the turn ends or he loses the Item's basic bonus, whichever comes first. The token is destroyed right after the bonus starts applies, which is a moment after the action that attaches it to him.

2b) If the item is one which gives later bonuses, or gains bonuses later, can they be triggers for his Reaction?

It depends on whether it's a new bonus or an increase in the bonus it's already providing. Yes for the former, no for the latter.

For example, if he wins a duel whilest wielding a Bloodsword, can I destroy a Tattoo token to essentially gain +4/+2 through the Bloodsword? Obviously, the Bloodsword's tokens are NOT +4/+2. They are +2/+2, but he has gained an additional +2 for his PH.

The Bloodsword is an example of the latter, since the tokens change the sword's bonus rather than creating new bonuses that go directly to the Personality. Wayan's reaction cannot be used.

3) An effect gives him the Tactician trait. When he focuses for his Tactician bonus, does he also gain +2 until the end of the battle?

Until end of *turn* for a Tactician bonus, but otherwise correct.

4) Crab Tattoo. "For the rest of the game ... and gains +4 while in a defensive army." Do I destroy a Tattoo token when he is assigned, to gain an additional +2, for the duration of being in a defensive army?

Yes.

5) Dragon Tattoo. Do I load him up with Tattoo tokens, then give him a bazillion of 0 1/1 fire tokens from the tattoo, gaining him actually +2 per, while the tokens are on him?

No. If he doesn't gain a token, he doesn't gain a bonus, and thus cannot raise the (nonexistent) bonus. There's a difference between gaining a +0F token and gaining zero +1F tokens.

To AEG: San Diego comic con?

Also, there is the fact that I, and quite a few others, prefer AEG to Wizards in just about every possible way. This is not a slam against WoTC, just a statement of preference.

That's nice. AEG has yet to do what I'd qualify as a bad job. They've already made, in my opinion, errors, but nothing critical.

AEG's only obligation is to print good cards. The rest is promotion. Desirable, of course - to us, because it gives us more and better opportunities to amuse ourselves, and desirable to AEG in that it stimulates sales. But it is still an add-on. AEG's business is to produce the cards. It's our choice what we do with them.

Humorous, Nigh-Rhetorical Question

So what does Open Format fall under, now that Jade and pre-Jade are 'historical'?

Still fully sanctionable if you've got a T.O. who wants to run one.

Humorous, Nigh-Rhetorical Question

So what does Open Format fall under, now that Jade and pre-Jade are 'historical'?

How about: archaic, moribund, unsupported, orphaned, and endangered?

Could you please wait until AEG stops allowing Open tournaments to be sanctioned to warn people not to get hit by pieces of falling sky?

More Gold Edition ramblings (spoilers)

Bend Like a Reed adds 2 to whatever stat is being used for the duel, not just chi.

It always did, since it added as a focus. This is just a clarification.

Wind's Truth can only snag honor equal to or lesser than the shugenja's chi. (Couldn't see that one coming, huh?)

Especially since I publically announced it almost a year ago.

My personal favorite is Unscalable Walls. Whoever worded this one is a genius. "This Province gains +4 Strength while Unscalable Walls are attached." This nixes Kaiu Sensei partially. 2 provinces each with 1 Unscalable Walls will get +8 each (+4 from each trait), but the others without Unscalable Walls attached get squat. Very creative fix to a big Kaiu Sensei rant! Kudos are much deserved to whoever thought that one up!

I assure you this was utterly unintended. The "while Unscalable Walls are attached" bit is a clarification that it's not a one-time, one-turn bonus that's only enjoyed on the turn the Walls are brought into play. Jessica and I tried to be thorough in Gold when it came to spelling out non-default durations so we wouldn't have to rely so much on common sense. Kaiu Sensei was not felt to be overpoweringly strong, and even if it were, there are plenty of other non-unique Fortifications just as powerful as Unscalable Walls when used in combination with it. It would make no sense to change just the Walls.

My BIG question.. Why does Yakamo's Claw NOT have the Weapon trait?

To balance its lack of any honor bonus or penalty effects.

This is my vote for "card most likely to get the first errata."

Nope. Fully intentional and correct as printed.

Gold legality

Not worried about the personalities, but I am curious-there's no problem using older versions (non-Gold bugged) of actions like Avoid Fate, right?

No problem whatsoever. Just, as always, make sure you know if any text has changed.

rulebook change...Rules question.Cultist

Since the cultist do not actually produce kiho's but actually cast mahos, I am going to assume that they can still do it. Is this a correct assumption, since they are not casting kihos?

"Maho" is an extra trait, like "Elemental" or "Political". There are no special game rules for a "maho effect". A maho is *not* equivalent to a kiho but different.

Cultists can no longer cast kiho, by the MRP of the rulebook. The fact that they have a trait that governs what happens when they *do* cast kiho is irrelevant in this case.