Border Keep

Legend of the Five Rings card from Emperor Edition, Celestial Edition, Battle of Kyuden Tonbo, War of Honor, Promotional–Celestial

Card Type

Holding

Gold Cost

0

Keywords

Unique

Card Text

w: Produce 2 Gold.
Limited: If it is your first turn, put one or more cards in your Provinces at the bottom of your deck, refilling the Provinces face-up.
Limited: Once per game, put one or more cards in your Provinces at the bottom of your deck, refilling the Provinces face-up.

Legality

Age of Conquest (Emperor), Destroyer War (Celestial)

Deck

Pre-Game

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "Border Keep 0G Unique Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold. Limited: If it is your first turn: Put one or more cards in your provinces at the bottom of your deck, refilling the provinces face-up. Limited: Once per game: Put one or more cards in your provinces at the bottom of your deck, refilling the provinces face-up." [Celestial Edition, 29 June 2009] Comprehensive Rules, Celestial Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, February 2012, p. 124
• This starting Holding may not be included in a deck. Comprehensive Rules, Celestial Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, February 2012, p. 124

Rules Q&A

• Q: The rulebook says on pages 89/90 that Border Keep and Bamboo Harvesters (specifically, not "versions of") may not be included in one's deck, but it does not say the same about The Experienced versions.
  A: The rule means any card with the title "Border Keep" or "Bamboo Harversters" may not be included in your deck, regardless of version. Brook Cunningham, "Border Keep, Border Keep Experienced", 20 Nov 2012
• Q: Border Keep Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold. Limited: If it is your first turn, twice per turn: Put one or more cards in your provinces at the bottom of your deck, refilling the provinces face-up. Limited: Once per game: Put one to three cards in your hand on the bottom of your deck. Draw cards equal to the number you put on the bottom.
  In the Limited abilities, does it matter in what order the cards go to the deck bottom / slots are refilled? How is it defined? (assuming that more than one is being exchanged, of course).
  Thanks
  A: In this case, the player using the ability may choose the order in which the cards go to the bottom of the deck. Jon Palmer, "Border Keep exp and card order", 12 May 2012
• Q: Saw this: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=96397
  Can Yoritomo Singh react to an action with no gold cost?
  Examples: 1. Can Yoritomo Singh react to someone taking the once-per-game action on Border Keep to use up? 2. Can he react to announcing the naval reaction to use up Firm Censure before taking the naval action?
  A: You cannot pay a cost that doesn't exist, and actions on cards other than Strategies do not generally have a gold cost. The Gold Cost of a Strategy card is a base cost of each ability on it; an ability on another card type only has a gold cost if its text includes "pay XXX gold". Alex Jones, "Yoritomo Singh XP2 and Firm Censure", 27 Feb 2012
• Q: Plains of Otosan Uchi: This Province holds two Dynasty cards; do not reveal the second card int the Events Phase this card enters play. You decide each time which card slot is revealed, resolved, or refilled first.
  If I use Border Keep to replace both cards in a province with Plains of Otosan Uchi along with the cards in the rest of my provinces, how many cards in the Plains province are refilled and revealed simultaneously with the non-Plains province cards?
  A: 2 and all of them. Jon Palmer, "Border Keep and Plains of Otosan Uchi", 10 Jan 2012
• Q: So, any updates on this?
  There is a rule from Mr. Loic, but it is older than the 'Under discussion' in the highlighted thread. My search-fu didn't revealed any newer answer about this.
  Thank you for your good work!
  A: That ruling is still in effect. Jon Palmer, "Border Keep and Multiples Celestial", 10 Jan 2012
• Q: If an Event card is revealed during the Action Phase after using the Border Keep Limited action does the event resolve?
  A: No. Events only resolve in the Events Phase.
  Additionally, in case it comes up too: Regions also only enter play during the Events Phase, however Celestials enter play immediately no matter when they are revealed. Brook Cunningham, "Event Phase Clarification", 28 Dec 2011
• Q: If a player resolves Whispers of the Dying Sun in his 2nd turn, choosing Border Keep, he gets another use of each of its ability, but since it is no longer his first turn, he cannot use the first, correct?
  A: This is the current ruling: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=79042:
  "REVERSAL [March 17th 2010]: due to the text "this turn" on Whispers of the Dying Sun, both the initial use and the additional use MUST occur in the SAME TURN. Thus, if the "once per game" ability on Border Keep has been used in a previous turn, you CANNOT use Whispers of the Dying Sun to get an "additional" use out of it on a later turn." Zen Faulkes, "Whispers of the Dying Sun and Border Keep", 29 Jun 2011
• Q: When simultaneous effects caused by a single piece of text create multiple game procedures containing more than one step, each step of each procedure takes place simultaneously, in parallel. Example: When instructed "Bring into play all face-up Personalities in your provinces," the entering-play procedure actually has five steps (see Card types, Playing Personalities). So, each Personality simultaneously enters its entering-play area (step A); then, each Personality's restrictions are checked simultaneously (step B); and so forth.
  A: The "physical" procedure of turning over cards in this case doesn't bear on whether the effects are simultaneous under the rules. Roger Giner-Sorolla, "Border Keep + 2 guidances", 30 May 2010
• Q: According to
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=82263&p=1093024&hilit=+celestials+rules#p1093024
  how does it all work with
  "Resolving timing conflicts
  Two Reactions, triggered traits, or other triggered occurrences (such as Honor loss after a dishonorable Personality dies) will never begin at the same time.
  Timing conflicts can be caused by multiple triggers that either respond to the same occurrence, or to simultaneous occurrences (such as more than one Personality being destroyed simultaneously in battle resolution)."
  why this rule cannot be applied in this case?
  A: Because it's not two Reactions, or two triggered traits, or two triggered occurrences.
  It's one effect that deals with two cards simultaneously. Zen Faulkes, "Border Keep + 2 guidances", 30 May 2010
• Q: I've read multiple times that simultaneous effects for which the order of resolution is relevant actually occur in and order determined by the active player. Shouldn't that rule also apply to this particular case(?)
  A: There's a key word in the FAQ answer, "physically impossible." That creates an unusual situation that should not be extrapolated to others.
  Some effects are simultaneous (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Effects#Order_of_effects), and whether they are simultaneous is determined by card text. Zen Faulkes, "Border Keep + 2 guidances", 3 May 2010
• Q: Hi,
  Do the event Plague of Locusts destroy those Holdings ?
  Card text : Plague of locusts : Destroy all Holdings in play that entered play for 0 Gold.
  Thanks in advance, Rémi.
  A: Plague of Locusts will not destroy Border Keep or Bamboo Harvesters.
  Those Holdings never "enter" play, nor are they paid "for". You start the game with them already "in" play.
  http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Sequence_of_play#Start_of_game:
  "A. All players show their Strongholds at the same time, and start with the Stronghold and an unbowed Border Keep holding in play....
  C. Each player who is not going first also starts with a Bamboo Harvesters holding in play and bowed." Brook Cunningham, "Did Border Keep enter play at anytime during a game ?", 16 Apr 2010
• Q: Where and how grammatically does it imply, because it certainly doesn't state, both uses of the Once Per Game must happen on the same turn.
  A: Expect the rules wiki to be updated in the near future to clarify this. Please be patient. Thanks! Zen Faulkes, "Whispers of the Dying Sun & Border Keep", 17 Mar 2010
• Q: Does Border Keep "enter play" at the beginning of the game?
  I would like to know if my Border Keep is bowed during my opponent's first turn, if I went second.
  thanks, Andrew
  A: Start of game: All players show their Strongholds at the same time, and start with the Stronghold and an unbowed Border Keep holding in play. Alex Jones, "Border Keep and entering play.", 27 Jan 2010
• Q: If you haven't used (Border Keep) before, does Whispers allow you to use it again next turn?
  A: No.
  An "additional" use means the first use must happen. Zen Faulkes, "Whispers of the Dying Sun & Border Keep", 4 Dec 2009
• Q: If a player chooses their Border Keep with the Whispers event, how do they pay the cost of "Once per game:" to use the second ability?
  A: It's not a cost; it's a condition (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Card_features#Abilities). And Whispers of the Dying Sun allows you "one additional time," which overrides conditions. Zen Faulkes, "Whispers of the Dying Sun & Border Keep", 7 Nov 2009
• Q: Assuming you've already used the second ability of Border Keep, if Whispers pops and you target Border Keep, can you use the second ability of Border Keep again? Thanks.
  A: Yes.
  This reversal is the result of internal discussions in the Rules Team. Alex Jones, "Whispers of the Dying Sun & Border Keep", 5 Oct 2009
• Q: I think we can ask this now.
  A: You can ask, but you won't get an answer yet. We don't have reference materials to work from yet.
  When we're ready for questions, the announcement will change. Meanwhile, your continued patience is appreciated. Zen Faulkes, "Whispers of the Dying Sun + Border Keep", 2 Sep 2009
• Q: Thanks for this answer, wherein you state:
  The action says, "one or more cards in your provinces" (card text). Cards in your deck when you use the action cannot be in your provinces.
  When exactly do "you use the action"? I ask because this sequence of questions and answers states you can announce and resolve a Reaction to "Before battle resolution or before an action or trait resolves" to refill a province and then it is legal to cycle that card with Border Keep.
  I can't find "use" in the Glossary or Rule Book for CE. Is "use" before resolution, but after announce? Maybe it is somewhere in the mandatory targeting or costs steps?
  Cheers UK Ronin
  A: I apologize for using a regular English word that is not specifically defined in the Comprehensive Rules glossary. I must further apologize for what surely must be great confusion arising from sentences like: "A player may use an ability to take an action at the timing point indicated by its designator...", "...abilities (including Reactions) are always voluntary for their player to use," or one of the other ten or so sentences the word appears in that section of the Comprehensive Rules on ability use (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Abilities_and_actions).
  I should have been much more precise.
  I should have written something like, "Only cards that are contained in Provinces after cost payment and at the start of the action resolution step (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Abilities_and_a ... resolution) can be put at the bottom of your deck when the effects of Border Keep's action are activated." Zen Faulkes, "Border Keep Mulligan Order Question", 7 Aug 2009
• Q: What stops a player from cycling his whole deck with the first ability until the perfect start is achieved?
  A: The threat of social ostracism.
  The action says, "one or more cards in your provinces" (card text). Cards in your deck when you use the action cannot be in your provinces. Zen Faulkes, "Border Keep Mulligan Order Question", 5 Aug 2009
• Q: Border Keep Limited: If it is your first turn: Put one or more cards in your provinces at the bottom of your deck, refilling the provinces face-up. Limited: Once per game: Put one or more cards in your provinces at the bottom of your deck, refilling the provinces face-up.
  I wish to use Border Keep to clear and refill three of my Provinces. Which of the following is correct:
  1: I declare use of Border Keep. I place the first card at the bottom of my deck, then refill face up. I repeat this process until I am done. 2: I declare use of Border Keep, announcing that I will refill three Provinces. I place the first card at the bottom of my deck, then refill face up. I repeat this process untill I have done it three times. 3: I declare use of Border Keep. I place all three cards at the bottom of my deck, then refill face up. 4: Any of the previous three options, but the cards to be placed under my deck are all selected before they are actually removed from the Provinces.
  If the correct option is 1 or 2, the Provinces would refill before I have finished placing cards under my deck. Can I then choose to place the newly revealed card under my deck, instead of the card in a different province?
  A: Try this.
  Determine which cards are being removed simultaneously, all at once. This parallels the rules for required targeting (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Abilities_and_a ... _targeting). Border Keep doesn't target, but the wording -- "one or more" -- is otherwise the same.
  Cards are all removed from Provinces simultaneously. Because it is physically impossible to put all cards on the bottom of the deck simultaneously, the order is chosen by the player.
  All Provinces are refilled simultaneously, because multiple effects created by a single piece of text are simultaneous by default. http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Effects#Order_of_effects: "If multiple effects are caused by a single piece of text they occur simultaneously." Zen Faulkes, "Border Keep Mulligan Order Question", 5 Aug 2009
• Q: Regarding this:
  http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=78099
  I'm a little unsure about when the refilling is done. The question: "Additionally, are all of the cards removed before the provinces are refilled (front left to right I would assume at this point), or are they refilled as the cards are removed and subsequently put on the bottom of the deck?"
  did not seem to be covered in the answer. Answer please?
  A: http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Areas_of_the_ga ... of_play.29: "When a card leaves a province and the province then holds fewer than its maximum number of cards... it is refilled with a face-down Dynasty card from the top of the Province’s owner’s deck, unless something else has refilled it." Zen Faulkes, "Border Keep Mulligan Order Question", 5 Aug 2009
• Q: When you use either of the mulligan actions on Border Keep, what order are the cards in the provinces removed and what order are they put at on the bottom of the deck?
  A: Neither card text nor rules specifies an order, so any order you want. Zen Faulkes, "Border Keep Mulligan Order Question", 4 Aug 2009
• Q: I saw the link on the l5r, but, I couldn't find anything about the new start in play holdings from CE. Will a person relly be able to start a wind, sensei, and Border Keep/Bamboo Harvester for legacy?
  A: See here. Nothing new to report or add. Zen Faulkes, "Legacy rules", 30 Jul 2009
• Q: Because Border Keep does not target, am I correct in assuming that you may use holy site in reaction to attempting to resolve either of the 'mulligan' abilities on Border Keep, destroy holy site, refill that province face-down, and then choose that face-down card in addition to any others with the Border Keep abililty?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Holy Site", 30 Jul 2009
• Q: Hello, I know this isn't a priority what with the giant Kuon thread and there apparently being no scheduled Legacy events for GenCon but has the Legacy Council decided what to do about the new mulligan holdings in the Legacy Format? I apologize if this is already under discussion, but I just wanted to inquire as Border Keep and Bamboo Harvesters seem as if they could potentially break several already overpowered decks.
  A: That would be a question for the Legacy Council.
  While the Rules Team can (and does) make rulings on older cards, we have no jurisdiction in terms of format design issues.
  That falls under the purview of Design, and in this case the Legacy Council. Dan Jacobson, "Legacy Ruling: Border Keep/Bamboo Harvesters", 14 Jul 2009
• Q: Many effects include refilling provinces face-up (ie Border Keep, Famous Bazaar... among others), but when do the cards refilled in this manner turn face-up? Are they already face-up when they are laid on the province (therefore, Inada's trait wouldn't trigger), or is the province refilled, then the card turns face-up (and then Inada is dishonored)?
  A: Daidoji Inada's trigger WILL occur when a province is "refilled face-up" with him.
  When a card "refills a province face-up", its entering the province and turning face-up are simultaneous. This is effectively the same as turning face-up while already having been in the province previously. Brook Cunningham, "Daidoji Inada and refilling face-up", 12 Jul 2009