Rules for 12 January 2004

The Rules for Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Rules for 3 January 2004 [RULES][Suboto]

I just see no logical reason to restrict the ability to buy him cheap to the Dynasty phase. One of the advantages of playing with in-faction Personalities is the ability to buy them cheap. No one puts Suboto in their deck intending to buy him in the Dynasty phase. So in effect, Suboto is just as effective a card for every clan as he is for Unicorn. In fact, I could make an argument for including him in 4 gold clans for this very reason.

How does allowing a player to buy in-clan Personalities cheap outside the Dynasty phase harm the game?

Cards have been designed and playtested for years with the understanding that the cost reduction/honor gain occurs only for the normal Personality-buying effect that occurs in the Dynasty Phase. Can I name one problem off the top of my head that changing that will cause? No. Are problems likely? Based on past experience: HECK yes.

Besides, if you (or Zen, or Marty, or the PDT, or Dave Williams) want to change the rules, the burden is on you to prove there won't be problems. I'm not obliged to change them unless I prove there will be. And there needs to be a much better reason than making one action on one Personality cheaper to use for one Clan.

Ring of Air doubts

Comments Below:

--- Jose Angelo Sarmento <jsarment@c...>

So:

- can you or can you not use the Ring of Air to straighten the personality that casts the 3rd Kiho at which point you play it? The accumulated rulings say "no", is this true and why?

[MARTY] You can't do it. The timing is distinctive.

You have to play the Reaction in response to the Personality bowing, immediately when he bows, or not at all. The Ring isn't in play yet, so you can't use it at the appropriate time - hence, not at all.

The Ring is put into play after all costs are paid and Reactions to such payments have been played out as well. It is played before the Effects of the Spell or Kiho Action resolve, because that is when the Action is considered a successful play - "taken / cast."

- does the spell "Unravelling" cancel the Kihos altogether, i.e., not making them count for RoA's play condition? How about for Hoshi House Guard's ability to return a Kiho?

[MARTY] "Reaction: Bow this Shugenja to cancel a Spell or Kiho."

Actions which are Canceled are considered to have not been successfully played. They do not count towards any minimum or maximum number of uses in a turn - including Ring of Air.

You can respond with the House Guard after Unraveling though, since the Personality did bow to cast the Kiho, even though the Action was canceled.

- if you put RoA (or any ring actually) in play with Sezaru (the Wind), then swap it with Finding the Harmony, which ring gets shuffled on your next turn?

[MARTY] The one you played with Voice of the Emperor. Finding the Harmony says nothing about changing which ring pre-existing plays refer to.

- Marty Lund Deputy Rules Monkey

Focus

It was ruled a month ago that Kakita and Mirumoto just remove the option to strike unless we have used an "option to focus" in the form of a card or of a reaction instead of focusing.

I don't remember that ruling. I remember ruling that you can't strike unless you've Focused - though discarding the Focus card with say, Smoke and Mirrors, has no impact on whether you have Focused or not. Playing a Reaction "instead of Focusing" does not count as focusing unless the card makes you Focus as part of its effects.

So as Kokujin's Daishio has the same wording, as Shaterred Focus, it's the same way? Just to be sure.

Kokujin's Daisho actually has a more accurate wording than Kakita or Mirumoto, IMO. It says what they mean to say rather precisely, "may not strike unless they have focused at least once or cannot focus."

That should cover everything from Wednesday. 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.