Concealed Archers

Legend of the Five Rings card from Samurai Edition, Hidden Emperor 1, Twenty Festivals, Promotional–Twenty Festivals, Promotional–Samurai

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Battle: Take an additional Ranged Attack action from your target card in a unit not at this battlefield. Each of the action's Ranged Attacks has +1 strength if the unit's Personality is Naga. Lose 2 Honor.

Focus Value

3

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Hidden Emperor (Jade), Race for the Throne (Samurai), War of the Seals (Onyx Edition)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• May be played in a battle in which you have no units. [DW, email, 23 June 1998] Rules Archive, November 11, 2006, p. 26
• Cannot be used to play kiho that create a ranged attack. It looks for "one or more cards in a unit capable of a Ranged Attack" (a caster is not capable of a ranged attack until the kiho has been cast), then says, "Resolve this Ranged Attack..." (i.e., the one the card is capable of). [ZF, 31 May 2000] Rules Archive, November 11, 2006, p. 26
• Can only be played if you are the attacker, defender, or invited ally, because Ranged Attacks target opposing cards. [Rulebook, ZF] Rules Archive, November 11, 2006, p. 26
• Erratum: Reads, "Concealed Archers 0G 3FV 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." [MRP, Samurai Edition, 25 July 2007] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 128

Rules Q&A

• Q: Concealed Archers reads "Play immediately before you bow one or more cards in a unit capable of a Ranged Attack who are not at this battle. Resolve this Ranged Attack as if the unit were in the battle."
  while
  No Hiding Place reads "Play before producing a Ranged Attack from exactly one of your attacking cards in the current battleto target a card in the Defender's home with the Ranged Attack."
  Could I then use those two cards together to make a ranged attack from one unit in my fief targeting one unit at my opponent's fief, ie none of the cards need to actually be at a battle?
  A: Yes, but only if there is exactly one card producing a ranged attack. Otherwise, No Hiding Place's trigger is not met. Jeff Alexander, "post for 3 June 2002", 4 Jun 2002
• Q: OK, I am under attack but have no-one assigned to the current battle. As my first action I play Concealed Archers, then Coordinated Fire, then Stars Scatter. Did I just machine gun the attacking army or did I do something wrong? (We had this happen in a multi-player game recently and the Naga player completely wiped out a sizeable Phoenix army using it).
  A: Looking at all the Reactions involved, the only one that doesn't work is Coordinated Fire. When combining Ranged Attacks, all the seperate attacks have to be legal in all ways at that point in time. Coordinated Fire breaks the one unit restriction, but doesn't break the any other restrictions. You couldn't combine Balash and Purusha's Ranged Attacks using Coordinated Fire because their timing doesn't combine, and you can't use Coordinated Fire to combine Ranged Attacks from several cards outside a battle, only one of which has a special condition allowing it to be legal. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for February 6th", 6 Feb 2001
• Q: Hi,
  I have a question about Concealed Archers : "Battle: Take an additional Ranged Attack action from your target card in a unit not at this battlefield. Each of the action's Ranged Attacks has +1 strength if the unit's Personality is Naga. Lose 2 Honor."
  If I target, let's say, Expert Archers in one of my units at Home/another battlefield, if I have another Expert Archers or other cards in the same unit with Range Attacks, can I combine the Range Attacks action ?
  Thank you for your time.
  A: No.
  The additional action granted by Concealed Archers ignores the Rule of Location because of Concealed Archers' text "in a unit not at this battlefield": Interrupting actions, such as combining attack actions, are still subject to it. Alex Jones, "Concealed Archers and Combining", 4 Aug 2015
• Q: Card Text:
  If I use a ranged attack in my unit, and then move my personality out of battle with... lets say... with fallback.
  Can I use the ranged attack action again?
  or maybe should I read: Take an additional action to make a Ranged attack action from your target card in a unit not at this battlefield?
  thanks for your help.
  Vodka is on the way.
  A: Concealed Archers grants an additional action which must be a Ranged Attack action.
  It does not grant an additional use of an ability. Alex Jones, "Concealed Archers - Additional Action", 10 Mar 2015
• Q: Concealed Archers reads Battle: Take an additional Ranged Attack action from your target card in a unit not at this battlefield. Each of the action's Ranged Attacks has +1 strength if the unit's Personality is Naga. Lose 2 Honor.
  So as I'm reading this would I be able to use a ranged attack at the current battlefield and also stack it with a range attack not at the battlefield with "Take an additional range attack action from your target card in a unit not at this battlefield"?
  The reason I am confused with this the way the card reads with "Each of the action's Ranged Attacks" implying multiple range attacks.
  A: If you search on the Oracle for cards with "consecutive" or "simultaneous" in the text, you will find none which are legal in Ivory or Twenty Festivals, but plenty of older cards which have abilities which can create multiple Ranged Attacks.
  My favourite is Kuro's Fire. Alex Jones, "Concealed Archers help", 9 Mar 2015
• Q: Because somebody is going to follow up and it may as well be me with hyper-legal text: "Concealed Archers: Battle: You may take an additional action to use a Battle ability with a Ranged Attack effect on one of your target cards in an unit not in 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." The card targeted by Concealed Archers must be in play when the action of Concealed Archers is played, correct? (If you cannot target a card in a unit not at the current battlefield with a ranged attack, you may not play Concealed Archers, regardless of how many reactions you have to a Battle Action targeting.) For 100% confirmation, you may not use Concealed Archers to trigger a reaction "Attach this item" on any attachment and use that attachment for a ranged attack; you can only use abilities already in play and not at the current battlefield when you choose a target for Concealed Archers. Target-Attach-Use attachment's ranged attack is 100% illegal (In the SE rulesspace) if done via Concealed Archers, correct? You could, theoretically, target a personality with a ranged attack action (Tsuruchi Bob, or Hida Jim's Taoist Archers) with Concealed Archers, then use optional reactions such as Pincer and Tail to equip/attach e.g. Pincer and Tail. You would still be required to use a ranged attack action on the previously targeted card (Tsuruchi Bob, or Hida Jim's Taoist Archers) with a ranged attack prior to the attachment of any optional reaction card like Pincers and Tail (100% unable to use the action ON Pincers and Tail for a Concealed Archers which allowed the attachment of said Pincers and Tail?) and be unable to use any sort of ranged attack action on said attached card (or 100% unable to attach Pincers and Tail if Concealed Archers' target card is Hida Jim's Taoist Archers) for the additional action of Concealed Archers.
  A: Yes, all of that is correct. Brook Cunningham, "Concealed Archers, Pincers and Tail, Battle Equip actions", 14 Mar 2009
• Q: New questions:
  I was never really clear on this, do atachments grant the personality the ability printed on them, or do atachments use the ability themselves and the personality they're equipped to just perform it?
  Me hoping I'm clearer this time around:
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=74612
  Nezumi tomarrow seeker wrote: (M)ay I then proceed to use the battle ranged attack on pincers and tail? I am not clear what you mean by "proceed" here. The Battle action is a separate action, not an effect of the Reaction. I thought the Personality was not at the current battlefield, which would make using the ability difficult. Ranged attacks must card cards in the current enemy army, and I don't see how you'll fulfill the Rule of Location (http://rules.l5r.com/Battles#Rule_of_Location).
  I had thought I previously Implied I was using the pincers and tails with concealed archer's effect. I apologize for not making myself clearer. Concealed Archers's relevent text again:
  Battle: You may take an additional action to use a Battle ability with a Ranged Attack effect on one of your target cards in an unit not in the current battlefield.
  Since card effects override the comprehensive rules, I don't need to follow the rule of location for the ranged attack action granted by Concealed Archers. I think?
  The issue with this question (I think) isn't location, it is probably me not understanding how item's actions work with a personality. I had thought they gave the action to the personality, thus I would activate concealed archers, react and equip pincers and tails and then use pincers and tail's battle action as the ranged attack which concealed archers allows me to use, which I previously assumed the personality was granted by the item.
  Nezumi tomarrow seeker wrote: (I)f I have a Pincers and Tail attached to my personality not at the battlefield may i use it's ranged attack ability, thus destroying pincers and Tail, and then equip a pincer and tail to said personality? Not sure how you'll fulfill the Rule of Location.
  Concealed Archers allows me to use that action. (I think) This question was set up in casethe preivious set up didn't work because of some timing issue with me not having the ranged attack before anouncing concealed archer. It assumes, like the above that the personality is granted the action by the item, which is probably wrong.
  this senario would hypothetically go like such: Concealed archers, targing Guy A, destroying Pincers and Tail, reacting to the targeting of guy A with a second pincers and tail.
  A: Do attachments use the ability themselves and the personality they're equipped to just perform it?
  In essence, yes.
  Concealed Archers' relevant text again:
  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 in the current battlefield.
  Since card effects override the comprehensive rules, I don't need to follow the rule of location for the ranged attack action granted by Concealed Archers.
  Correct. However, you must target a card in play during Required Targetting: "one of your target cards in a unit not in the current battlefield."
  The issue with this question (I think) isn't location, it is probably me not understanding how item's actions work with a personality. I had thought they gave the action to the personality, thus I would activate concealed archers, react and equip pincers and tails and then use pincers and tail's battle action as the ranged attack which concealed archers allows me to use, which I previously assumed the personality was granted by the item.
  No. If you want to use the Battle ability on Pincers and Tail, you must be able to target it before resolving the effects of Concealed Archers, which you can't do because it isn't in play yet. Alex Jones, "Concealed Archers, Pincers and Tail, Battle Equip actions", 14 Mar 2009
• Q: Concealed Archers: Who is performing this action?
  A: http://rules.l5r.com/FAQ#What_performs_an_action.3F
  "Personalities perform actions printed on them." Does not apply.
  "Followers perform actions printed on them." Does not apply.
  "Action on Items or Spells are performed by their Personality." Does not apply.
  "Personalities and Followers perform actions if they are targeted between the two colons of an action." Does not apply, though the card formatting has changed so it's tricky to tell. The old standard was that things that appeared before "to" were costs.
  "Nobody performs an action if it targets only as an effect (that is, isn't printed between two colons) or doesn't target." This is the only one left. Zen Faulkes, "Concealed Archers, Pincers and Tail, Battle Equip actions", 13 Mar 2009
• Q: When using the ranged attack on one of your target cards, does this use count for the once per turn rule?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Concealed Archers, Pincers and Tail, Battle Equip actions", 13 Mar 2009
• Q: Pincers and Tail: When I target my personality not at the battlefield may I react with Pincers and Tails and pay 2 gold to give that personality Pincer's and Tail?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Concealed Archers, Pincers and Tail, Battle Equip actions", 13 Mar 2009
• Q: (M)ay I then proceed to use the battle ranged attack on pincers and tail?
  A: I am not clear what you mean by "proceed" here. The Battle action is a separate action, not an effect of the Reaction. I thought the Personality was not at the current battlefield, which would make using the ability difficult. Ranged attacks must card cards in the current enemy army, and I don't see how you'll fulfill the Rule of Location (http://rules.l5r.com/Battles#Rule_of_Location). Zen Faulkes, "Concealed Archers, Pincers and Tail, Battle Equip actions", 13 Mar 2009
• Q: Hongo uses his battle action. May I react and equip Pincers and Tail using it's reaction?
  A: No. Hongo's ability does not target him. Zen Faulkes, "Concealed Archers, Pincers and Tail, Battle Equip actions", 13 Mar 2009
• Q: What if I had equipped an attachment from my hand during battle in another manner(?)
  A: Depends on whether it targets the Personality. Zen Faulkes, "Concealed Archers, Pincers and Tail, Battle Equip actions", 13 Mar 2009
• 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: While we are on the subject, can you use "concealed archers" and "no hiding place" to shoot into and out of the battle that is created by "Ambush"?
  A: Your example is unclear. Are you asking about using both cards together, or how each card interacts separately with Ambush?
  Well, assuming the latter, yes you can shoot into an Ambush with Concealed Archers, and yes you can shoot out of one with NHP. Provided, in the NHP case, that it's YOUR Ambush. Brook Cunningham, "Onyx Lives #rules-questions", 16 Nov 2023