Rules for June 12th

Once again, the email comes scrolling back. Scroll buttons gettin' ill like a heart attack.

From the Rules Archive: Bonuses: Increasing an existing bonus (e.g., the fluctuating bonus from a Celestial Sword) is not a new force bonus, and cannot be used for effects triggered by a Personality receiving a force bonus. [JA, 5 July 2001]

Hoshi Wayan (Experienced 2): The increase to bonuses, even permanent ones, last until the end of the turn. [JA, 2 May 2003] ----------------------------- The important text from Wayan: Reaction: After Wayan gains a Force bonus, destroy a Tattoo token on him to raise the bonus by his Personal Honor. ----------------------------- After he gains a permanent bonus (Oath of Fealty, Avalanche Tattoo), it is there and permanent. Then a token is removed and it is inceased (which does not constitute a new, seperate force bonus), raising it to its new value. The increase is not a new bonus, just an increase to an already existing one, so why does he lose the increase at the end of the turn?

Because Wayan's Reaction is a seperate effect without a listed duration. That means that *it's* effects expire at the end of the turn.

Or basically, the question is. Can a personality recieve a force bonus/boost after they have been targetted with Berserker Rage. For instance, can I Rage tenshu to 12, and then double him to 24 with Citadel of the Hiruma, or Frenzy him to 15 and so on and so forth.

Sure. Berserker Rage's text doesn't specifically say that it prohibit's further modifications to the Berserker's force, just that the increase in force only lasts until the end of the battle, not until the otherwise normal end of turn.

I was playing with my friend and Test of the Stone came up and after the duel we found that the duel was tied in the focus totals and in the chi of personality so what happens?

Both personalities are Dishonored, and nobody gains any honor. Basically, just like in most duels that are tied, both personalities suffer the effects of losing.

speaking of test of the stone what happens if it comes up and one of the people doesn't have a personality to duel with?

Nothing. In order for the duel and everything that follows to happen, you need two participants.

With Alliance, can we choose the unaligned as a faction?

No, only Factions listed in the rulebook on pages 34 & 35.

i think not,so, there is a way to receive the honor of a personality without your faction's trait, or reduce their cost?

For personalities with no Faction affiliation, Remember What You Have Seen and Creating the Monkey Clan are both good options. For a personality from another Faction, I can't think of any ways off hand.

If I have followers attached to Hoshi Chuichi or someone with a spider tattoo (so that the personality still contributes force while bowed), if the personality is bowed, is the unit's force equal to the personality and followers or just the personality?

The rules for determining whether or not a card contributes force during the resolution of a battle are as follows:

A bowed Follower does not add its Force to the unit.

No cards add to the Force of a unit when the unit's Personality is bowed. The unit's total Force is 0.

Bowing does not affect Follower bonuses with a "+" sign, Item bonuses of any kind, or Chi.

The only one of those three rules that Chuichi/Spider Tattoo could be contradicting is the second one. While bowed, Units led by Chuichi and Spider Tattooed personalities do not have a total force of 0 - the Force of their unit is calculated normally.

I have a question regarding Ambush.

Can the Otaku Palaces reaction be used when one of there charactes is targeted with ambush.

Sure. According to the Archive, Ambush creates an attack phase, in which the first three segments are handled by Ambush. That means that there *is* a declaration step, and Reactions to that step can be taken.

Are events that have resolved considered in play?

Not generally, no. There are a very few Events, all time, that actually enter play. Monsoon is one, Traveling Merchants is one...but by and large, Events that resolve simply go to the discard pile.

are they considered to have been brought into play?

During the split second where Events are resolving, they are treated as being in play, so yes, they will have been brought into play, and will leave play.

Although, I'm worried about this being taken out of context to trigger some funky card interaction. What cards are you asking this question about?

Are events like War in the Shadowlands/The Agasha Join the Phoenix/Ascension of the Mantis/Creating the Monkey Clan/Test of the Jade Champion considered Shadowlands/Phoenix/Mantis/Monkey/Jade cards?

Absolutely.

If yes, then when Test of the Jade Champion resolves while Hitaka is in play, is the cost of resolving the event increased by 2 for each Hitaka in play?

Nope. Events do not have a Gold cost, and unless a card effect specifically gives a card without a Gold cost a cost, effects that would increase that cost are ignored.

In a head to head game Right to Rule resolves and both my opponent and I renounces the ability to win by any means other than an Enlightenment, Honor, or Military. Now my opponent drops below -19 honor and loses but since I can not win the game because I have yet reach an Enlightenment, Honor, or Military Victory, do I keep playing with myself until I reach one of those and if I do not is the game considered a tie because although he lost I did not win?

Well, you *can* keep playing with yourself, but your opponent will get up and walk away from the table to report the match.

When your opponent is eliminated from the game due to hitting -20 honor, you are the only player left in the game, and have won by a Military victory. That's not prohibited by Right to Rule, and despite popular conception, there is no "Dishonor" victory condition - simply victory by virtue of being the only person left alive.

The line that says a player is "...removed from the game along with all the cards he or she owns..." makes me ask the question, in a multi player game if a person is eliminated, and one or more of their personalities have been taken by other players (e.g Kolat Master), what happens to the personalities? Are they given back? Do they stay in play with the person who now controls them?

Well, exactly what the rulebook says. Ownership remains the same regardless of control, so when Player 5 is eliminated from a multiplayer game, all of his owned cards leave with him, no matter where they happen to be at the time.

And a Special "Gifts and Favors Action!" section...

Sneak/Mushin/Show of Strength/Deadly Ground. Now that's power.

Umm..hey Vaughn...Mushin is a Battle action. So, Sneak/Mushin/Show of Strength/Deadly Ground can't be done, since Show must be the first battle action and all. Just thought I would point that out. :)

Curses! Now I have to disassemble that deck...

No, you're exactly right. I was just caught up in the excitement of discovering a new, super secret power combo. I guess I'll just keep playing with the old Secrets/Shame power combo...