post for 6 March 2003

Ruling Question

A player asked if Battle of Shallow Waters (Battle Terrain: Negate all Force Penalties for cards in this battle.)

would negate the effects of In Search of the Future.

It would not.

In Search of the Future "lower[s] all current Force bonuses for cards in this battle to 0, except bonuses to or from cards attached to them." [card text]

According to the FOU rulesheet,

] Any time the current number on a card changes from one value to ] a higher value, that number is receiving a "bonus" -- unless ] the reason for the increase is a penalty expired or an existing ] penalty or bonus changed. Likewise, if a number decreases, it's ] receiving a "penalty."

Since In Search of the Future causes card Forces to drop by reducing some bonuses they're receiving to 0, those drops are not the results of a penalty. Battle of Shallow Waters has no effect on that reduction.

Ruling Question

Actually it was recently clarified that any effect which lowers the current (stat) is a penalty, and specifically that apples to In Search of the FUture and Battle of Shallow Waters.

Clarified by whom? The only thing I can recall saying recently is this:

"a brand new increase in Force IS a bonus, by definition. [GE p. 31] Note that a number is not considered to be receiving a new bonus if it's only increasing because an existing bonus got larger or an existing penalty got smaller or ended. [FOU rulesheet] "

which lists an important exception that your definition omits. Since "penalty" is defined the same way "bonus" is, just with all the signs reversed [FOU rulesheet], I have to say the source of your clarification got it wrong.

Ruling Question

Can Deeds not Words be played during a battle?

No. It does not meet Relevance because it does not set up any new conditions that apply just to that one battle.