Rules for 6 January 2005

Your Rules for Thursday, January 6, 2005

Shosuro/Egg

Forgot to put the [RULES] tag on this e-mail.

I appreciate the thought. I did, however, snag the email from the previous day lacking the tag (Sometimes I see 'em, but sometimes I don't. Always put in the [RULES] tag for that extra insurance!) about Egg / Shosuro, so your answer should be in the Rules for 4 January 2005.

Iron Pillar

A question about Iron Pillar:

I have an Iron Pillar in play and I loose the battle. I have all my personalities in the battle with follower. Can my personalities be save from the destruction,via Iron Pillar, at the end of the battle or not?

Of course they can - so long as their followers are alive and unbowed up to the point where Battle Resolution is about to destroy all cards in the losing Army. Let's examine Iron Pillar's Action's text for a moment:

"Reaction: Before a Personality in your army is destroyed, bow one of your Followers in this battle to negate the destruction."

The timing of this action is "before" the destruction. That means you use the ability - before - the armies are destroyed. That means each of your followers who are about to be destroyed can be bowed to save each of your Personalities who are about to be destroyed.

All attached cards in the units and any Personality you don't save with Iron pillar are still going to be destroyed afterwards, though.

Shosuro

I have some questions about Shosuro: Can I overlay her on a scorpion personnality if I play The Dark Path of Shadow?

Yes. Dark Path of the Shadow players have the "Ninja" trait as their Faction Trait. Shosuro has the Ninja trait, so she's of your Faction and that meets the requirements for Loyal.

If I overlay Shosuro,when playing scorpion,on Bayushi Motomu,she keep the ability of Motomu. But what about the traits? Does she become a samourai?

The Diamond Edition Rulebook is clear on this:

"The later version keeps the earlier one's attached cards, tokens, bowed and dishonored status, and all changes currently in effect, and permanently gains all its abilities. The later version's printed stats and traits override those on the earlier version." (DE Rulebook, page 66, "Experienced Traits")

She does not become a Samurai.

I have read something strange in the accumulated rulings in the Experienced chapter: "An Experienced card can be overlaid on a less Experienced card even if the title of the less Experienced card does not match the trait on the Experienced card, as long as there is a chain along the experience levels. E.g., the Experienced 7 Shosuro can be overlaid on either Shosuro (whose trait reads, "Experienced Ninja Shapeshifter") or the Ninja Shapeshifter. [ZF, 10 April 2003]"

Please explain beccause Shosuro require me to overlay her on a scorpion personality and there are not.

Well, it starts with the misconception that Shosuro requires you to overlay her on a Scorpion Clan personality. Shosuro says, "May overlay any Scorpion Clan Personality you control."

Note the word, "May." You can bring Shosuro into play by any other method as normally permitted by other card effects or the rulebook. You can pay Shosuro's Gold Cost and buy her out of the Province just like any other Personality. You can also overlay Shosuro on a less-experienced version of her character, just like any other Experienced Personality. It just so happens that Shosuro has a funny experienced-versions chain that goes: Ninja Shapeshifter - Nonexperienced, Shosuro - Experienced Ninja Shapeshifter, Shosuro - Experienced 7 - Scorpion Clan Thunder.

What qualifies as a "Battle action card"

I know there has been a ruling with "Superior Stratagist" related to Formations that do and do not have Battle actions on them. Does that ruling also apply to this cards second ability, or can it only target non-formation action cards with "Battle:" actions on them? See the problem is that SupStrat specifically says "a card with a battle or open action", this one does not, leading to the question can this guy retrieve formations with battle actions on them, like Direct Assault for instance?

An "action card" is a specific kind of card - the ones with the Red Borders.

A "Battle action card," is an action card with a Battle Action on it.

Don't confuse a Battle action card (Steel on Steel, Direct Assault) with cards that can be played "as a Battle Action" without any Battle Actions on them (like Iron Pillar) or cards that's - effects - create other Battle Actions (like Archer Squad).

That should cover everything for Thursday the 6th. If I missed your question, please repost it with the flag [RULES] as part of your Clear and Distinct subject line. I'll get back to you at the first opportunity.