FAQ
From Legend of the Five Rings Rules
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[edit] Frequently Asked Questions
[edit] What are required targets?
Q. Are mandatory targets only listed between the colons on an action?
A. No. Required targeting is listed on an action in two places: In the constraints block (between the colons), and in the effects -- usually the first sentence. All required targeting must be met, including that given in the effects block, to take the action.
Example: Restoring Order reads, "Political Battle: Target one of your unbowed Magistrates: Move home a target Personality opposing him with Personal Honor less than your Magistrate’s Chi. Bow the Personality if he moved. Destroy him if he is dishonorable." This has two required targets: "one of your unbowed Magistrates" and "Personality opposing him with Personal Honor less than your Magistrate’s Chi." Both must be met to take the action.
Example: Rapid Deployment reads, "Battle: Target one of your Samurai Personalities at the current battlefield: Target two of your units not there. Move them there. If you are defending, straighten each of these units that moved." This has three required targets: "one of your Samurai Personalities at the current battlefield" and "two of your units not there." Because the action specifies two units outside the current battlefield, you cannot take this action at all when you have only one other unit elsewhere.
For more details, see Required targeting.
[edit] Is an action legal if an effect can't happen?
Q. Can I use an action that bows a card if it's already bowed?
Q. Can I use an action that straightens a card if it's already unbowed?
Q. Can I use an action that dishonors a Personality if he's already dishonored?
Q. Can I use an action that moves a card if it's already in the location it would move to or if it can't move?
A. All of those are variations on the same question: Do effects have to happen for an action to be legal?
No, they don't. (Costs are another matter, though. Costs have to happen.)
Example: Imperial Summons reads, "Political Open: Bow your Stronghold or discard the Imperial Favor: Bow a target Personality." Because the mandatory target is just a Personality, you could legally target a bowed Personality and play the action, even though the bowing effect would fail.
Example: Rout reads "Battle: Move home a target unit. Destroy one of its attachments (if any)." Even if the movement effect is negated (due to Winter Warfare, for instance), you can legally play the action, target the unit and destroy an attachment.
For more details, see Effects, particularly Negating effects, and Abilities and actions, particularly Announce the action and Action resolves.
[edit] If one effect is negated, will the others still happen?
Q. If one effect is negated, will the others still happen? For instance, if Flash of Steel is played (which bows a Personality, moves it, and creates an honor gain), but Winter Warfare is in effect (which negates movement), will honor be gained?
A. This is very similar to the question above. All effects are independent. Negating one does nothing to the resolution of all the others.
For more details, see Effects, particularly Negating effects, and Abilities and actions, particularly Announce the action and Action resolves.
[edit] What performs an action?
Q. How do I tell who performs an action?
A. Actions are performed by Personalities or Followers. If you think you have an Item or Spell or Holding and so on performing an action, you've gone wrong somewhere. Actions on such cards can result in a Personality or Follower performing the action, though.
Personalities perform actions printed on them.
Followers perform actions printed on them.
Action on Items or Spells are performed by their Personality.
Personalities and Followers perform actions if they are targeted between the two colons of an action.
Nobody performs an action if it targets only as an effect (that is, isn't printed between two colons) or doesn't target.
For more details, see Glossary, Perform.
