Burn it Down

Legend of the Five Rings card from Samurai Edition, Honor Bound, Promotional–Samurai

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Reaction: After you announce an action with a Ranged Attack effect: One of the Ranged Attacks may target this battlefield's province instead of an enemy card. If it did, give the province a strength penalty equal to the Ranged Attack's strength.

Focus Value

4

Legality

Hidden Emperor (Jade), Race for the Throne (Samurai)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Can be played when there are no opposing units. [ZF, August 2000; JA, 16 January 2001] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 9
• Erratum: Reads, "Burn It Down 0G 4FV Reaction: After you announce an action with a Ranged Attack effect: One of the Ranged Attacks may target this battlefield’s province instead of an enemy card. If it does, reduce the province’s strength by the Ranged Attack’s strength when it resolves." [MRP, Samurai Edition, 25 July 2007] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 126

Rules Q&A

• Q: She cannot move in and shoot at nothing because her action requires a target, and it's not legal to take a targeted action without one. (She can move in and use Burn It Down because that card has been ruled to be usable even if you can't pick a legal real target for the ranged attack before Burn It Down is played.)
  Jeff, can you please lable reversals like this when you make them? Thank you.
  A: Sorry. I didn't realize it was a reversal. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for 16 January 2001", 19 Jan 2001
• Q: Ok, this may be a little complex but.. This is the proposed scenario:
  I declare an attack; I assign no attackers No defenders are assigned I play Concealed Archers Cost:0 Focus:3 Battle: You may take an additional action to use a Battle ability with a Ranged Attack effect on one of your target cards in a unit not at the current battlefield. Add one to the strength of each of the ability's Ranged Attacks if the unit's Personality is Naga. Lose 2 Honor. Can I then use Mountain Shadow Dojo + Burn It Down Cost:0 Focus:4 Reaction: After you announce an action with a Ranged Attack effect: One of the Ranged Attacks may target this battlefield's province instead of an enemy card. If it does, reduce the province's strength by the Ranged Attack's strength when it resolves. Or No Hiding Place Cost:0 Focus:3 Reaction: Before you target a Ranged Attack from one of your attacking cards: The Ranged Attack has -1 strength and may target a card even if it is in the Defender's home.
  Then as the ranged attack is resolved move a unit into the battle as per Mountain Shadow Dojo? Hopefully activating Yaichiro and gaining a 2f follower.
  There that better? A simple please use complete titles reminder would have sufficed. Instead of the sarcasm. Thanks!
  A: MSD? Most Significant Digit? Marine Sanitation Device? Mass Storage Device? Multi Spark Discharge? Membrane Spanning Domain? Medium Screen Display?
  Mod reminder: Use complete card titles when asking questions. Thanks! Zen Faulkes, "Mountain Shadow Dojo+Concealed Archers", 5 Dec 2007
• Q: (D)o Provinces count as cards?
  A: No. http://rules.l5r.com/Card_types Zen Faulkes, "Burn It Down + Arrows from the Woods", 16 Aug 2007
• Q: 2. Resolve Province B by declaring a ranged attack at Province A to move [Akagi] to Province B, and then use Burn It Down before required targetting to target Province B's strength instead?
  A: You don't declare the Ranged Attack. You announce that you want to use Mountain's Shadow Dojo. In Reaction to the Announcement, you play Burn It Down, which lets you target the Current Battlefield's Province with your Ranged Attack. You reduce Province B's strength by 3 and then move [Akagi] into Battlefield B. Martin Lund, "Mountain's Shadow Dojo Ranged Attack and Movement", 30 Jul 2007
• Q: 3. Same as situation 2 but I target Province A instead with Burn It Down?
  A: Burn It Down only allows you to target the Province associated with the Current Battlefield. If you are in the Combat Segment for Battlefield B, you can only Burn It Down against Province B. Martin Lund, "Mountain's Shadow Dojo Ranged Attack and Movement", 30 Jul 2007
• Q: Hi! Mountain's Shadow Dojo Battle: Even if this Stronghold is bowed, target one of your Crane Clan Samurai: Ranged 3 Attack. Move him home or to another battlefield.
  Burn It Down Reaction: After you announce an action with a Ranged Attack effect: One of the Ranged Attacks may target this battlefield’s province instead of an enemy card. If it does, reduce the province’s strength by the Ranged Attack’s strength when it resolves.
  A Crane samurai assigns in Province A. Crane A performs the Mountain's Shadow Dojo range attack ability and moves to Province B. After moving to province B, he now plays Burn It down on Province B.
  Is this legal? And can you please explain why it is or it isn't? Thanks!
  A: I think you need to back up and read the abilities of the cards again.
  Burn It Down says you have to play it upon announcing the Action.
  You have to play it in response to announcing that you are using Mountain's Shadow Dojo, not after you've already started resolving its effects.
  Also, you have to resolve the Ranged Attack before you resolve the movement effect. You have to do the effects of the Action in the order they are written. "Ranged 3 Attack." comes before "Move him ..."
  Now, all that said, the following sequence would be perfectly legal:
  1.) Assign Crane Clan Samurai "Bob" to Battlefield A.
  2.) Engage the Battle at Battlefield B.
  3.) Announce using Mountain's Shadow Dojo
  4.) Play Burn It Down as a Reaction.
  5.) Target "Bob" with Moutain's Shadow Dojo.
  5.) Reduce the Province Strength of Province B by 3.
  6.) Move "Bob" to Battlefield B. Martin Lund, "Mountain's Shadow Dojo and Burn It Down", 30 Jul 2007
• Q: I didn't know if you could like sneaky backdoor kill a province with Burn it down lol Like before the battle was resolved or anything
  A: Not like that. There are precious few ways to destroy Provinces outside of Battle Resolution. Brook Cunningham, "Oracle of the Void #rules", 10 May 2021
• Q: Pretty fortunate for sure If I have a card that does 7 ranged attack, and I use the card Burn It Down, does it just kill the enemy province if it has 7 strength?
  A: In order to destroy a province, you have to win the battle and then if the attacking army’s Force was greater than the defending army’s Force plus the Province Strength of the battle􀃒eld’s Province, the Attacker also destroys the Province. So, to answer your question, probably? Depends how well they defend. Brook Cunningham, "Oracle of the Void #rules", 10 May 2021