rules for 11 Feb. 2004

Touching the Soul Question

On defense, I have random monk/shugenja blocking. They are the only defender. Opponent attacks with 3 units. My first action I play Come One At A Time. When I go to issue the first challenge, can I use Touching the Soul to have someone not at the battle issue the challenge?

No. The action would not be legal if he were actually there.

Tactician question

sorry if this has been asked already: can a bowed tactician use the tactician trait, ie: like superior strategist to get a card ?

Yes.

Looking for a ruleing (loking for offical to settle an argument)

In a battle with 3 hida sharas and the crab player losses and plays pick your battles does the yu go off?

The Yu trait cares about one thing only: did your army lose? Did your army have less (not equal) total Force than the other army when final totals were added up?

If you had less, you can use the Yu trait. If you didn't, you can't. Cards with the Yu trait do not need to die for the effect to happen. They only need to be in the losing army.

Rules Question for Jeff

Can you use Barely Farm's reaction when you bow it with Crystal Mine or Simple Huts? If the answer is no, could you explain why. thanks

Yes. You have to use the Farm's Reaction first, then use the Mine

rules for 9 Feb. 2004

From what you said below about reactions ignoring this. Can you play any reaction during a battle if you have no units there.

During battles, you do not need to satisfy Presence and Relevance to play a Reaction. Having no units in the current battle does not make Reactions illegal.

Question About Fortified Infantry

The diamond wording removed the old disclaimer that this unit could still be sent home by opponent's card effects.

Can Fortified Infantry be sent home by opponent's card effects?

"This unit cannot be moved from one Province to another."

Yes. Your home is not a Province.

Quick question on Ogre Hordes

Card says "All non-samurai bush in this battle gain +2F.

Does thinclude bushi followers, like mantis bushi and others.....

Yes. It includes all cards with the word "Bushi" in their title or traits areas and without the word "Samurai" in either of those areas.

Jeff - action and costs Qs

[Archive Reactions] Reactions played in response to an action (e.g., Faith In My Clan, Kyuden Ikoma) must be played before the action produces any effects (e.g., Fear, a Ranged Attack) or has one of its effects modified (e.g., The Face of Fear, Arrows From the Woods). [JA, 8 December 2003, ZF, 10 December 2003]

[Archive Kyuden Ikoma] Ability is used when the Battle action begins to resolve. [JA, 8 December 2003]

Aren't these two rulings directly contradicting?

Yes. Kyuden Ikoma, like all Reactions that implicitly or explicitly cancel an action upon it first being taken, are used after all the preliminaries are done (announce, target, pay costs) but before any effects resolve.

Also If I play a delayed terrain does the player have to use KI when the action is announced, put in play, or when the terrain starts to resolve during terrain resolution phase?

Same thing: immediately after costs are paid.

And some further cost/cancellation questions

[Actions and abilities ] The sequence to play an action is to announce the action, pick targets, pay costs, then generate effects. [Summary of other rulings]

Would the correct sequence of play go player A announces that they will use tdwwm, player B reacts to the annoucement with KI before the targeting occurs so the costs are no longer required to be paid, correct? (Meaning if they cancel before the action targets then I do not have to pay the cost of destroying my personality)

Regarding canceling an action when it's taken (e.g. Kyuden Ikoma, Fall On Your Knees), this is a moot question as the cancellation is done after costs are paid, not at the announcement step.

If an action is canceled at the targetting stage (e.g. Flee the Darkness), all costs must nonetheless still be paid. For variable costs, the player is free to set them to any desired value and is not locked in to what he would have paid if the action were successful.