Rules for 22 April 2004

Your Rules for Thursday, April 22, 2004.

Political Interference

Is the honor loss a cost or an effect? In other words, is a Shadowlands player forced to pay the increased gold cost, or can he just ignore the card?

"If a card effects forces you to make a decision, you may not choose an option that is known in advance will fail. You may, however, immediately respond with a voluntary effect that negates or cancels the action or effect you chose. [Summary of other rulings]" (Accumulated Rulings, "Decisions")

The Horde player can't choose the option to lose honor, because he knows in advance that it will fail.

formations question

Do followers count towards the requirements of a formation? Meaning, will a Ratling Bushi or Veteran Samurai count as a bushi or samurai when determining if you can play a formation?

That completely depends on the individual text of the formation card. If a formation calls for "Bushi" anything with the Trait will do. If a formation calls for "Bushi Personalities" then a follower isn't going to cut it.

Daidoji Kikaze

Can you confirm that Kikaze's ability does not allow for Ranged Attacks?

Unless you've invented some form of ranged attack that does not have need to target "opposing" cards of some sort, Kikaze isn't going to help with Ranged Attacks. He lets you take an Action waving the Rule of Presence. That doesn't change any of the other rules in the game, including those governing legal targets. He isn't worded like Chieh xp. He isn't suddenly AT the battle.

question

Is shrine of duty able to be canceled by Kakita Munemori? I believe that the shrine satisfies the third rule for having a personality (or group of personalities) perform an action. Since it is a political action, that would mean that Munemori's ability would indeed be able to cancel the action.

No. Shrine of Duty does NOT satisfy the third rule for having a personality perform an action.

Those Personalities are neither Targeted by Shrine of Duty, nor are do they participate in paying any costs. They don't have to be alive when you use Shrine of Duty or anything like that. The Shrine's ability just has a very specific play condition / timing window. Not just any old End Phase will do. It has to be one of your end Phases that comes in a turn where you assigned at least 2 Samurai or Bushi to attack.

Question...

So I Show of Good Faith personality Bob from my opponent, and then cast Shield of Blood on Bob. At the end of the turn, Bob returns to my opponent. I then kill Bob in a later turn...

"The affected Personality returns to the home of the current controller, not the original caster (if different). [JA, email, 8 December 2003]" (Accumulated Rulings, "Shield of Blood")

Naka Tokei

1. he can use any shugenga traits (that don't have a modifier)?

Huh? Could you rephrase the question? I don't follow you. Maybe you could give me an example of what you're getting at?

2. he can use any shugenga traits that say "water shugenga" or "void shugenga" or whatever type?

Whenever cards look at him, they'll notice that he has all 5 Elemental Traits and the Shugenja trait. That'll fulfill requirements for "Water Shugenja" or "Void Shugenja" easily.

3. can you break up the "bringing into play" effects? i.e. can I choose the honor requirement and the 5 honor but not the shadowlands trait?

They are separate effects in that you could Negate one or more of them and the others would still happen, but there is only one choice for the lot of them. Take them or leave them.

More on Kuro's Fire

Alternately, suppose Shugenja TFFW is 2/2. He is allowed to make (among other things) a ranged attack equal in force to twice his chi.

How do you figure he's "allowed to make" anything? It isn't like Kuro's Fire. There are no decisions. The Fire from Within has 2 Battle Actions. Announce which one you want to play and follow the card's instructions.

Using the second ability on the Spell, "Elemental Battle: Bow this Shugenja for a Ranged Attack with strength equal to twice his Chi." the Shugenja bows for a Ranged 4 attack on Xushen. Fires from Within produces a Ranged 2 attack due to Xushen's trait, just like it would produce a Ranged 5 attack if Higher Ground were in play, rather than Xushen.

Can he also declare it as a ranged 6 attack against Xushen, since the modifier will make it the legal ranged 4 attack?

You don't get any choice in what strength RA to declare, unlike with Kuro's Fire.

Finally, Tsuruchi Nobumoto can bow for a ranged 3 attack (and then go home). Can he declare that he is bowing for a ranged 5 attack on the 3 force personality in Xushen's army, since it will become the legal ranged 3 attack when it takes effect?

Again, no. You don't get any choice in the matter. The ability does not give you any latitude to make a decision. You either play it as written or you don't play it. It isn't variable like Kuro's Fire.

silly rat rules question...

The ratling raider brings two more 2 PH personalities into play as its cost is met. does the player controlling him gain 2 honor or 6?

Creating a card via an ability or effect doesn't automatically give you any honor. You didn't bring them into play using the standard rulebook procedure for hiring during your Dynasty Phase, rather a card-effect created them. You gain two Honor for the original Raiders, and that's all.

Overconfidence Q

Can Overconfidence target a Personality who attaches a Weapon during the player's Action Phase?

Sure. So long as the Weapon is giving a Force Bonus greater than the Personality's printed Chi.

OK. That looks like everything that hasn't been dealt with in-thread. AS always, if I missed something, please repost the question with [RULES] as a flag in the subject line and I'll get to it at the first opportunity.

Thanks,