post for 15 February 2002

post for 14 February 2002 / post for 13 February 2002

The cards still have force, but the term "Force Total" or "Total Force" of a unit now has a glossary definition that takes bowing into account.

Wow. TDWWM just got a whole lot stronger. Scorpion players should like this change.

What change? TDWWM has always cared about total unit Force, and every rulebook since Anvil of Despair -- the set where TDWWM appeared -- has defined the Force Total of a unit to exclude bowed Followers and to be 0 if the Personality is bowed. This is neither a new ruling nor new behavior for the card. It's always worked like this.

That may be true, but in the ~5 years since Anvil of Despair came out, I've never seen it played that way locally or at tournaments, including GenCon. Just like Ash, I had always believed unit force (w/bowed units excluded) ONLY mattered at battle resolution,

That's a long-standing misconception. Just about every version of the FAQ, once I took it over, had to clarify this issue. In truth, there are even cards back in Imperial Edition that look at army Force totals outside resolution...a strong argument that the rules about bowed cards not adding have applied all turn long since the game was released.

and that during the battle, bowed cards still had force for ranged attacks, still participated in unit force for TDWWM, etc.

They do still have Force for Ranged Attacks, since Ranged Attacks care about individual card Force. I think that's where some of the confusion is coming in.

post for 14 February 2002

Question #1: How does a card like this, or Dead Eyes, or Shosuro Tech make it into Gold, but Shinjo's Breath doesn't?

Shinjo's Breath is a speed military support card. Since Unicorn had a decent alternative (Shinjo Technique), they got that instead.

Dead Eyes is also speed military, but it has drawbacks instead of just benefits, plus Hida Technique is too weak to be a good alternative.

Shosuro Technique is not speed military.

Question #2: How does Farmlands make it into Gold, but the Otaku Meadows don't?

Too narrow. Farmlands helps Unicorn less than everyone else but Utaku Meadows helps Unicorn more than everyone else. Sure, Gold was a big set, but everything is finite. We had to leave some things out, and these two cards are so similar in function to one another that the decision wasn't hard.

post for 14 February 2002

It's kinda ridiculous that Scorpion and phoenix do the whole movement thing better than Unicorn.

You *have* seen An Oni's Fury, haven't you?

Soshi Eiji Clarification...

From the Rules Archive: May bow Honor-producing holdings while Deeds, Not Words is in effect. [JA, 12 December 2001]

First... Eiji does not BOW the holding...

Um...yeah. Zen? Could you correct this please?

Since Eiji's ability can be used to cause an honor loss (that's what I take from this ruling?) from an honor producing holding under Deeds not Words what about... 1) Miya Yemi 2) Oni no Pekkle

Yes and yes.

More Q. on Eiji WAS: [L5R-CCG] post for 14 February 2002

Can this personality target a card in your opponents discard pile? There doesn't seem to be any restriction against it

There is: AOF rulebook, page 46. Eiji can't target there.

and other cards target discarded cards.

Only by being clear that they're overriding the rulebook.

Kitsune Ryukan Question

If I have medium infantry attached to Kitsune Ryukan and a Voitagi bows out the medium infantry with it's fear 3 effect, can I still use Ryukan's battle action to copy the force of the medium infantry as a force bonus?

Yes. He will gain +3F (assuming normal Medium Infantry stats).

Kitsune Ryukan Question

The card is, however, bowed, and as per the AOF rulebook, you cannot target your bowed cards with actions.

You cannot target your own bowed *Personalities* with your actions. [AOF rulebook p. 46] Targeting one of your own bowed Followers is legal.

That's it for me. As this is both a holiday weekend and a convention weekend for us, my next post won't be until Tuesday. Have a good weekend, y'all.