Determined Force

Legend of the Five Rings card from The Harbinger

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Battle: Set this battlefield's province's strength equal to its base strength.
Battle: Ranged 2 Attack.
Reaction: Before the resolution of a Battle action taken by another player who controlled no units at the current battlefield when the action was announced, if none of the action's effects can move the other player's units to the current battlefield: The action's effects do not happen.

Focus Value

1

Legality

Destroyer War (Celestial)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "Determined Force 0G 1FV Battle: Set this battlefield's province's strength equal to its base strength. Battle: Ranged 2 Attack. Reaction: Before the resolution of a Battle action taken by another player who controlled no units at the current battlefield when the action was announced, if none of the action's effects can move the other player's units to the current battlefield: The action's effects do not happen." [technical erratum, The Harbinger, 19 January 2010] Comprehensive Rules, Celestial Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, February 2012, p. 129

Rules Q&A

• Q: So my opponent has Garrison and Bridged Pass at the province I'm attacking. He uses Bridged Pass - can I react with Det Force? The condition is still valid in spite of Garrison, yes?
  A: Correct.
  Incidentally, the answer would've been the same even under Garrison's old wording, too. But hey, that's what the Oracle is for; to make things clearer. Brook Cunningham, "Bridged Pass / Garrison vs. Determined Force", 29 Jun 2014
• Q: I've heard sides saying each way and don't know which is correct and since GenCon is this week, wanted to clarify. (Note: I did do a search beforehand to check if this was already asked and couldn't find anything so if there was something, I apologize.)
  So, If I am running Embassy of the Crane and in battle control the favor and my opponent plays Determined Force... What happens?
  My thoughts are that the provience strength would go down to 6 and then "immediately" re-assert itself to 7 due to the Stronghold's trait always checking for the favor.
  Am I correct on this or would the Provience strength be set to 6 and stay that way?
  Thanks for your time!
  A: Like any stat, in order to set the province strength to a value, you apply an appropriate bonus or penalty.
  In your situation above, you would retain the Stronghold bonus, but Determined Force would give the province's strength a -1 penalty to bring it to its base strength of 6 total. "Reasserting" the bonus would not occur; that would, in effect, be applying it twice.
  And further, if you discard the Favor sometime during the battle, you would then ose the bonus from the Stronghold and your Province strength would be 5 due to the continuing penalty from Determined Force. Brook Cunningham, "Embassy of the Crane Vs Determined Force", 1 Aug 2011
• Q: Ok im not sure how this card works? ive only seen movement cards that let you take actions with out people in battle. can you show me some ways this card can actualy be played?
  A: I'm assuming you mean the Reaction on Determined Force: Reaction: Before the resolution of a Battle action taken by another player who controlled no units at the current battlefield when the action was announced, if none of the action's effects can move the other player's units to the current battlefield: The action's effects do not happen.
  The type of action this can be played in response to is a Battle action that includes the text "Even if you control no units at the current battlefield", which is needed to allow the player to ignore the Rule of Presence. The actions that move units to the current battlefield, which Determined Force cannot react to because of the condition "if none of the action's effects can move the other player's units to the current battlefield", do not include this text because they use the exception to the Rule of Presence.
  Typical actions to which Determined Force can react: Outer Walls Settling the Homeless Reinforce the Gates Shameful Injury Arrival of the Emerald Champion (creating a unit is not movement). Doji's Guidance The rulebook use of the Imperial Favour, with Doji Shikishi in play. Alex Jones, "Determined Force", 30 Jan 2011
• Q: My opponent attack a province with a unit "A" and fight a battle here first. I have a unit "B" in an adjacent battlefield and none in the current. My Junghar Encampment give me the opportunity to play a battle action as if I have at least one unit for it. I take it (by exemple a Final Duty) and my opponent use the reaction of a Determined Force. What happens now? The effects will be negated or not?
  A: Yes, the effects will be negated.
  The Junghar Encampment allows you to play YOUR action as if there is a Defending unit, for such things as presence, or opposition, but it has no effect on conditions/requirements/triggers of any other action, such as another player's Determined Force. Brook Cunningham, "Junghar Encampment Versus Determined Force", 17 Aug 2010
• Q: Does Kakita Reisei's permanent Province Strength boost reassert itself after the turn ends if Determined Force is played and the relevant Province is not destroyed? I'm unclear if this counts as negation of her bonus or simply the application of a new, temporary penalty.
  Edit: I suppose the same question arises for Strengthening Protection.
  Relevant card text:
  Reisei: Reaction: After Reisei enters play: Permanently give each of your provinces +1 strength.
  Strengthening Protection: Limited: You build stronger defenses. Permanently give each of your provinces +2 strength.
  Determined Force: Battle: Set this battlefield's province's strength equal to its base strength.
  A: It is a penalty (or bonus) that lasts until the end of the turn, for which the penalty's (or bonuses') amount is equal to the difference between the province's current strength and the strength printed on that player's Stronghold.
  See the Comprehensive Rules section on setting stats Dan Jacobson, "Determined Force vs. Kakita Reisei", 9 Mar 2010
• Q: My opponent is Crab and has Hida's guidance in play. We are at a battle at one of his provinces If I play determined force for its first action - what happens? a The province strength is reduced to printed for the remainder of the turn or b The province strength is reduced to printed for an instant, then the Hida's Guidance trait re applies and province strength = Printed + 2
  A: The answer is "a".
  The setting of the province's strength to its base has no stated duration, so it lasts until the end of the turn. Like a stat bonus that comes under a subsequent penalty, contiuous effects like Hida's Guidance's won't try to "re-apply". Brook Cunningham, "Determined Force vs Hida's Guidance", 30 Jan 2010