Rules for 20 July 2004

Your Rules for Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Search

So I'm still a little unclear...to be searching, does the card specifically have to say "search"?

If the card has been worded properly to template, yes, the modern cards should say that.

If I get to look at X cards and choose one, is that considered searching? What if I get to look at my deck and choose one? What if I look at X cards which happen to comprise the remainder of my deck?

No. Looking at enough cards to constitute your deck is not sufficient to qualify as a "search." Generally, you'd have to be given an instruction that specifically tells you to examine your entire deck / discard pile / whatever - regardless of its size.

Also, if I use Reflect the Spirit to put 6 cards on my deck and then take 6 cards off the top, can I use Shozo's trait after taking the top 5 cards to choose from X cards for the 6th card?

"Draws" happen when you take the top card(s) off a deck, regardless of whether the term "draw" is used. Searching a deck to get a specific card is not "drawing." [DW, email] Revealing and returning cards to a deck is not "drawing." [JA, 20 August 2002] (Accumulated Rulings, "Draw")

Hm, that's really a matter of whether putting those cards into your hand is considered to be a draw. By the most literal reading of what stands in the archive, this wouldn't fly because the cards are removed from the top of the deck and set aside, then cards are put on top of your deck, and then cards go from out-of-play to your hand, rather than directly from deck-to-hand as constitutes a draw.

Unless Jeff deems otherwise, I'm going to have to rule that adding the cards to your hand via Reflect the Spirit does not count as "drawing cards" based on the ruling in the Archive. You don't "draw" cards stored off-the-deck any other time, so I don't see why this would be an exception, no matter how short the interval.

Another Sozen Question

What will happen if during resolution

Sozen with an attached Iron Legion opposed with an 8 force personality with a 2 force follower attached, then I Yu'ed his follower.

I'm getting Deja Vu here or something ...

Anyway, Yu happens after winners and losers are determined by force-count, but before armies are destroyed. You'll kill the 2 Force follower before Sozen is destroyed. When it comes time to destroy Sozen, his unit will have 8F and the other unit will have 8F, so Sozen's trait will save him from death.

Double checking something.

A bowed card, or stronghold cannot use an ability on it unless that ability specifically states otherwise, or readies the card or stronghold, correct?

Well, "straightens" rather than "readies" but other than that, yes, as per the rulebook under "Bowing."

Can Ide Haichang use his "Open: Once per turn, destroy one of Haichang's Items to to straighten a Unicorn Clan Personality." to straighten himself while he is bowed?

Yes. That is the - only - legal use of the ability while he is bowed.

Trying to put Tokens on cards that aren't in play (was Re: [L5R-CCG] Rules for 19 July 2004)

Comments Below:

The problem is, the trait is ongoing. Just like in theory glassblower "gains" tokens while in your deck because it is a trait, Ancestral Kabuto gains tokens while it is in your deck as well.

[MARTY] Glassblower's trait is active, but tokens won't be going anywhere. Same goes for the Kabuto.

Jeff says, "Cards that are not in play cannot have cards or tokens attached to them." (JA, 25 June 2004, via email)

That's the underlying principle behind the rule in the Diamond Rulebook telling you to remove Tokens sent out-of-play from the game.

Solution to the bad templating would be adding the words (when attached) or (While in play).

[MARTY] It would make more sense to have it included in a more clear general rule set for Tokens in Lotus, IMO.

You are going to have to have Jeff make a precendence ruling on this Marty. Like tokens can only be created or gained while in play.

[MARTY] I'm pretty sure that is on the agenda to be spelled out clearly in Lotus.

summon earth kami?

if you are the attacker, and the defender does not assign any defenders, can you make one and get the honor for having more force at that battle? or duel said personality you make with summon earth kami?

Of course. It is a Personality controlled by the opposing player. You can beat the living daylights out of it.

Heck, you can use it as a cheap excuse to destroy all your opponent's Holdings via Direct Assault, too.

That should be everything for Tuesday, July 20, 2004. If I missed your question about something other than a question about preview cards, please repost it with the flag [RULES] in a clear, distinct subject line and I'll get back to you at the first opportunity.