Double Chi

Legend of the Five Rings card from Diamond Edition, Crimson and Jade, Jade Edition, Gold Edition, Pearl Edition, Hidden Emperor Starter, Fire & Shadow, Reign of Blood

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Keywords

Kiho

Card Text

Reaction: After one of your Personalities enters a duel, bow your performing Monk or Shugenja and target your Personality: Give him Double Chi until the duel ends.

Focus Value

1

Legality

Clan Wars (Imperial), Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade), Rain of Blood (Diamond)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: 1. Hoshi Ishida Challenges a Personality to a duel. The Challenge is refused. Does Ishida have to target the challenged personality with the Ranged Attack, or can he target any legal target?
  Relevant Card text: "Battle: Once per battle, issue a challenge to an opposing Personality. If he refuses, Ishida produces a Ranged 3 Attack without bowing."
  A: There is no specification as to what must be targeted by the Ranged 3 Attack. You can choose any legal target. Martin Lund, "Rules for 21 January 2005", 24 Jan 2005
• Q: 2. Having entered a duel, I want to use Ishida to cast Double Chi on himself - is this Legal? I think it is, mainly due to the Saori ruling that says she can use her ability to challenge on herself, even though it requires her to be bowed during the actual Duel...
  Relevant Card text: "Kiho Reaction: When one of your target Personalities enters a duel, bow one of your Shugenja or Monks to give that Personality the Double Chi trait until the duel ends."
  A: Perfectly legal. You've already started the Action that produced the duel, so Ishida was a legal Personality to perform an Action that produces a challenge, and unbowed when you went to cast the Kiho as well. All of this is fine. Becoming bowed as a cost of casting Double Chi won't change anything. Martin Lund, "Rules for 21 January 2005", 24 Jan 2005
• Q: If I target a "Tactician · Double Chi" Personality with the ability "Limited: draw a card" with an Eclipse what can the personality use?
  A: "Limited: Draw a card" would not be usable.
  The Tactical Action printed in the Rulebook could be used, since it is not on the Tactician's card - not be printing or by adding. It exists in the rulebook like the ability to lobby for the Imperial Favor. You simply target the Tactician when you use the Rulebook's Action. Martin Lund, "Rules for 11 December 2004", 13 Dec 2004
• Q: Question: Hoshi Wayan XP 2 gains Double Chi. In a duel of Force, his tokens will:
  A: According to the rule book, Double Chi makes each focus add its value twice.
  Twice is an adverb in this sentence, meaning to do the action two times. That means you get two seperate bonuese from focusing. Each one can be Reacted to with Hoshi Wayan's ability once. Martin Lund, "Rules for 3 April 2004", 4 Apr 2004
• Q: Another way to put it is: Does Double Chi make two seperate bonuses, or add a bonus to itself before it is applied. This would also have relevence for Overconfidence.
  A: Well, it would only have relevance if the Focus cards were Face Up in the duel. Unknown values aren't elligable, even if you can extrapolate some sort of mathematical minimum. Martin Lund, "Rules for 3 April 2004", 4 Apr 2004
• Q: Jeff Alexander answered the following question:
  Moto Gaheris Question
  Unicorn Clan Champion*Moto Clan Khan*Cavalry*Double Chi*Experienced*Unique Gaheris will only join a Unicorn player. Opposing players cannot play Action cards during the Battle Action Segment of a battle containing Gaheris unless the Action removes Gaheris from battle.
  If an opponent has no personaliteis in the battle, could the opponent or ally of the opponent in theory play actions to bring personalities into the battle to opposed Gaheris, like say Tireless Assualt?
  Yes.
  Can somebody explain this answer?
  A: Some cards that talk about "opposing players" mean anyone who has units opposing yours right now. Others always mean the leader of the other army. Remember, L5R is also a multiplayer game, so the two are far from equivalent. Unfortunately, since one-on-one play is so dominant, for many years the cards did not strongly stress wording that clearly differentiated the two. So, when the current definitions were made a base set or two ago, they were based on those pre- templated wordings so there'd be the least amount of confusion overall across all tournament formats. (The rulebook isn't the Current Storyline Format rulebook. It's the L5R rulebook.)
  Sometimes, no one at all fits the definition of "AN opposing player". This is the case with Gaheris against an empty army. His trait only applies to players who control units opposing him -- which is why it doesn't stop someone who doesn't have anyone there yet from moving one in. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 4 March 2004", 5 Mar 2004
• Q: I'm sorry, but I'm confused by a ruling/clarification you made in the subject above. The confusion stems from the following:
  Re: [L5R-CCG] Opposing Player Questions
  [begin excerpt] Bloodied Ground refers to "THE opposing player". There will always be one regardless of presence -- either the Attacker or the Defender.
  Moto Gaheris Question
  Unicorn Clan Champion*Moto Clan Khan*Cavalry*Double Chi*Experienced*Unique Gaheris will only join a Unicorn player. Opposing players cannot play Action cards during the Battle Action Segment of a battle containing Gaheris unless the Action removes Gaheris from battle.
  If an opponent has no personaliteis in the battle, could the opponent or ally of the opponent in theory play actions to bring personalities into the battle to opposed Gaheris, like say Tireless Assualt?
  Yes. [end excerpt]
  Gaheris would seem to prevent one from playing cards if all of the following conditions apply: 1) The action is a card. 2) The opposing player wants to play the card during the Battle Action Segment. 3) The card does not remove Gaheris from the battle.
  A: "AN" opposing player. Someone with no units there yet is not "an" opposing player. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 2-3 March 2004", 4 Mar 2004
• Q: Moto Gaheris Question
  Unicorn Clan Champion*Moto Clan Khan*Cavalry*Double Chi*Experienced*Unique Gaheris will only join a Unicorn player. Opposing players cannot play Action cards during the Battle Action Segment of a battle containing Gaheris unless the Action removes Gaheris from battle.
  If an opponent has no personaliteis in the battle, could the opponent or ally of the opponent in theory play actions to bring personalities into the battle to opposed Gaheris, like say Tireless Assualt?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 1 March 2004", 2 Mar 2004
• Q: Just wondering what would happen with someone who has Tsudao's Tanto attached, granting them the Double Chi trait and then them making a Heroic Sacrifice.
  "Battle: One of your Personalities with Double Chi or with more than one Weapon issues two consecutive unrefusable challenges to opposing personalities. Before the first challenge, permanently remove your duelist's Double Chi trait, or destroy one of his or her Weapons if your duelist is not Double Chi."
  Can they lose the Double Chi trait or does it simply remain there because the Tanto is constantly granting it to them?
  A: They lose it. Last effect wins. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 1 March 2004", 2 Mar 2004
• Q: Assuming Double Chi still adds the focus twice, rather than doubling it, DC and Gombei work fine together, correct?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 5 November 2003", 5 Nov 2003
• Q: If I have a Double Chi personality with a single weapon attached, can I choose to destroy the weapon, in place of loosing Double Chi?
  A: No (card text). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 2 September 2003", 3 Sep 2003
• Q: 1. When using the kiho does it remove all of those traits on the traget personality or just the ones I choose?
  "remove the Cavalry, Naval, Yu, Double Chi, and Tactician traits from one card." The card says it removes all of them. You cannot select some to remain.
  Is this removal permanent?
  A: No. Effects on a card are always until the end of the turn unless another duration is specified. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for August 13th, 2003", 13 Aug 2003
• Q: Some examplesÖ 1. My Shugenja enters a duel and they cast Double Chi on himself. Can I do this because you target the recipient then bow to cast it right?
  A: Right. Jeff Alexander, "post for 14 May 2003", 15 May 2003
• Q: * A last one, which I was told but seems quite strange to me. I have a shugenja and a samurai in play. My samurai is bowed, and enters in a duel initiated by the opponent. One told me that I can cast Double Chi even though the samurai is bowed, because he's the only personality matching the requirements of Double Chi (target a personality entering a duel).
  A: The person who gave you that advice committed two errors. His first error was basing his judgement on the pre-Gold targeting rules. His second error was either not realizing that Double Chi has been MRPed or forgetting that even before Gold, if a card tells you itself whether or not it's targeted, you obey the card.
  Double Chi's most recent text: "When one of your target Personalities enters a duel, ..." [card text]
  You cannot cast Double Chi if your dueling Personality is already bowed. Jeff Alexander, "post for 2 May 2003", 3 May 2003
• Q: Ikoma Tsanuri (Experienced) Reads, "Ikoma Tsanuri 5F/4C 10HR 14G 4PH Lion Clan Champion. Samurai. Tactician. Double Chi. Experienced. Unique. Ikoma Tsanuri will only join a Lion player. Ignore all effects of Terrains and Regions while Ikoma Tsanuri is in this army. Battle: Once per battle in which Ikoma Tsanuri is in the defending army, target an opposing Personality, who is sent home bowed. This is considered a use of the Imperial Favor." [MRP, Pearl Edition] Cannot be assigned to attack a Clan Heartland because her trait does not apply until she's in the battle. [DW, 17 October 1997]
  Jon has Clan Heartland on province A and another province B.
  Mike attacks province B with kitsu motso and Ikoma Tsanuri XP and resolves province B
  Can Mike play sup Tac on Motso so he moves to province A (the one with clan heartland attached)? Can Mike play sup Tac on Tsanuri so she moves to province A?
  A: Yes. Tsanuri suppresses the effects of all Terrains and Regions while she is in the current battle, so she can move into the Clan Heartland Province from a different one when the different one is the current one. Jeff Alexander, "post for 8 April 2003", 9 Apr 2003
• Q: Revealing the Ancient Wisdom
  Unique Limited: One of your Personalities with Double Chi issues an unrefusable challenge to another Personality. Your Personality does not gain the benefit for Double Chi during the duel.
  If I start a duel using this and switch it to another Double Chi peep using Kyuden Doji, would that new peep get the use of double chi if they had it?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 14 March 2003", 15 Mar 2003
• Q: Does Judgment of Toshiken make Double Chi work again for the challenger of Revealing the Ancient Wisdom? I ask because of the line "The Double Chi trait works as usual" on JoT. Maybe I'm being too much of a literalist, but it seems like this works.
  A: "As usual" for the Revealing duel is "not at all". You do not gain the benefit of adding your focuses twice. Jeff Alexander, "post for 20 January 2003", 21 Jan 2003
• Q: like bend like a reed or "Strike with no though"?
  No. Those two cards are not played "as a focus". They cause some value to add to your duelist following all the rules that focus cards do -- the Double Chi trait works on them, and they add to the stat used in the duel even when it's not Chi -- but they are not actually focused.
  What Jeff describes here refers to Bend Like a Reed, which "counts as a Focus", but does NOT refer to Strike With No Thought, as that a) does not count as a Focus and b) only adds to Chi (which makes it ineffective in duels not based on Chi), right Jeff?
  A: Wrong. Strike with No-Thought says it adds to Chi, but it also says it adds like a focus card, so it always adds to the proper stat. Jeff Alexander, "post for 15 January 2003", 16 Jan 2003
• Q: Say I have Atarasi's Armor attached to a personality. ["Open: Once per turn, this Personality gains either the Double Chi trait or the Tactician trait until the turn ends."] I use the action to give the Personality Double Chi. In the duel that ensues, the personality is destroyed, and I use Shiro Shinjo to move the Armor to another of my personalities. Can the new Personality use the Armor's action? "This personality" has not used it yet this turn...
  A: The "once per turn" limits how often the Armor's action can be used. It's already been used once, so it can't be used again. Jeff Alexander, "post for 8 January 2002", 9 Jan 2003
• Q: I have a Personality with two Tonfas attached, and play Heroic Sacrifice, causing my Personality to lose the Double Chi trait (rather than destroying one of my tonfas). In which of the following circumstances do I regain Double Chi?
  1) At the start of the next turn (presumably not). 2) When I move one of the tonfas to another personality, and back again (giving the Double Chi trait again). 3) When I play a Double Chi kiho on the Personality. 4) I can never regain the trait. 5) If my Personality had Double Chi already (before attaching tonfas): in this case, I don't lose the trait in the first place.
  A: 2 and 3. Jeff Alexander, "post for 3 December 2002", 4 Dec 2002
• Q: According to the following rule; if Tadakaís Last Wish copies Tsukuneís ability, does he need to bow to target himself when he gives himself the Tactician or Double Chi trait?
  A: Yes. The relevant text becomes, "Tadaka's Last Wish need not bow if it targets a Shiba Tsukune with this action." Jeff Alexander, "post for 2 December 2002", 3 Dec 2002
• Q: Following up on the Hoshi Wayan discussion:
  Jeff, if Double Chi causes a focus to add twice, is this treated as two separate chi bonuses? If so, are both bonuses created when the focus is played or is one generated when played and the other generated when the focus is revealed?
  A: Yes. When played. (There is no reason I can think of to apply the second bonus at a different time from the first one.) Jeff Alexander, "post for 29 October 2002", 30 Oct 2002
• Q: Continuing with Wayan (though the question generalizes to any effect that affects a focus by a Double Chi personality) can he burn two tattoo tokens (one for each bonus) when the focus is played or does he only burn one for the "base" value of the focus?
  A: Already answered. Jeff Alexander, "post for 29 October 2002", 30 Oct 2002
• Q: 1) Heroic Sacrifice - Battle: One of your Personalities with Double Chi or with more than one Weapon issues two consecutive unrefusable challenges to opposing Personalities. Before the first challenge, permanently remove your duelists's Double Chi trait, or destroy one of his or her Weapons if your duelist is not Double Chi. What if the Double Chi trait comes from an item, like Atarasi's Armor?
  A: You remove the Double Chi trait. He stays without the trait until some other effect gives it to him, such as using Atarasi's Armor's action next turn. Jeff Alexander, "post for 22 October 2002", 23 Oct 2002
• Q: A few questions about 1000 years of darkness:
  1) Heroic Sacrifice and Mirumoto Tokeru: If Tokeru has two weapons attached, and plays Heroic Sacrifice to remove the double chi trait, would he immediately gain it back, since he didn't lose the "Gains Double Chi while he has two weapons attached", he merely lost the Double Chi trait, and so it would reassert itself?
  A: The most recent effect removed his trait, so he would not have it. Jeff Alexander, "post for 4 Oct 2002", 7 Oct 2002
• Q: a) if he does lose the Double Chi trait, what happens if one of his weapons gets destroyed and he gets another weapon attached? would he get double chi then?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 4 Oct 2002", 7 Oct 2002
• Q: So if this scenario:
  I control Hoturi, and my opponent is some scorpion scum personality. I challenge him to a duel. He focuses. I focus a Focus, adding 10 thanks to a Double Chi. He focuses, I focus another Focus. I should now have twenty-five or so personal honor. Scorpion-scum says strike, and flips up Fatal Mistake and Karmic Strike.
  Will I then get twenty-five honor if Kakita Shijin writes a poem about the hero Hoturi?
  Yes.
  I thought that Focus gains were only until the end of the duel, which would mean that his ersonal Honor returned to normal as he died, then was just 5 when he was checked by the Poet.
  A: Death of the loser happens during duel resolution, which is still during the duel. He will still have his focusing bonuses when he dies. Jeff Alexander, "post for 31 July 2002", 1 Aug 2002
• Q: First, the relevant text... Judgement of Toshiken Reaction: Play this card after players reveal Focus cards in a duel. Resolve the duel only by the Chi (or other stat noted on the card creating the duel) of the dueling Personalities before the challenge, plus the Focus cards' printed Focus values. The Double Chi trait works as usual. If either Personality has not focused, each can focus an extra time, starting with the challenged Personality.
  Unprepared Reaction: When one of your Personalities with both a Weapon and Armor attached enters a duel against a Personality without both a Weapon and Armor attached, resolve the duel immediately. You win the duel....
  Now, the question... Does Judgement of Toshiken stop a personality from winning a duel due to unprepared? Judgement of Toshiken says "after players reveal focus cards in a duel" while unprepared says the duel resolves immediately... this implies that there is no reveal focus cards step in said duel, and thus, no trigger for judgement of toshiken to go off...
  A: Revealing focus cards is part of duel resolution [p. 62]. Judgement of Toshiken is playable and would trump Unprepared's winner determination. Jeff Alexander, "post for 30 July 2002", 31 Jul 2002
• Q: So if this scenario:
  I control Hoturi, and my opponent is some scorpion scum personality. I challenge him to a duel. He focuses. I focus a Focus, adding 10 thanks to a Double Chi. He focuses, I focus another Focus. I should now have twenty-five or so personal honor. Scorpion-scum says strike, and flips up Fatal Mistake and Karmic Strike.
  Will I then get twenty-five honor if Kakita Shijin writes a poem about the hero Hoturi?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 30 July 2002", 31 Jul 2002
• Q: If one of my personalities cast \221Double Chi\222 on another personality who already had the Double Chi Trait, would that personality benefit from it and how?
  A: The Personality would not benefit. Traits are either present or absent. Adding Double Chi to someone who already has it does nothing. Jeff Alexander, "post for 23 July 2002", 24 Jul 2002
• Q: Same question but lets say I want to cast 'Double Chi' and target one of my bowed personalities who was entering a duel, could I even though he/she is bowed?
  A: No. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 July 2002", 2 Jul 2002
• Q: How does Shinsei's Staff work against Double Chi, does it reduce the focus value to 3 after it has been doubled or before? I just subscribed to this list (hello everybody!) and don't know if this has been answered before, I couldn't find it from the rulings at least.
  A: As of Gold Edition, the Double Chi trait makes you add each Focus value twice instead of once during duel resolution, rather than doubling the actual value. There is no timing conflict with things like Shinsei's Staff that way. The Staff reduces it to 3, then that 3 is added twice. Jeff Alexander, "post for 4 June 2002", 5 Jun 2002
• Q: (Even if Draw From Within worked the way he obviously wanted it to, when YOU strike, he'd still only have 39.)
  Now forgive me if I'm wrong, but this is incorrect, since the if his oppoenent struck, the DFW would go up to 6, then SoFW would double it to 12, giving us (with the Double Chi trait):
  A: Here's the crucial distinction you're missing:
  Strike of Flowing Water doubles the focus value of the next card focused as soon as it's focused, whereas Draw From Within doesn't change its own focus until a strike is called. There are no retroactive adjustments going on here. Jeff Alexander, "post for 31 May 2002", 1 Jun 2002
• Q: 2. This is just to check: Can I use Void Strike and/or Double Chi as a reaction when one of my bowed personalities enter a duel?
  A: No, as they both target your duelist under Gold Edition rules. Jeff Alexander, "post for 6 May 2002", 7 May 2002
• Q: Voice of the Shiryo gives either the Double Chi or Tactician trait with no stated duration. Is it permanent or until the end of the turn?
  A: End of turn. Jeff Alexander, "post for 8 April 2002", 9 Apr 2002
• Q: Apologies all if this has been asked to death already, but I have a couple of questions about judgement of toshiken...
  Judgement of Toshiken 0G 2FV Reaction: Play this card after players reveal Focus cards in a duel. Resolve the duel only by the Chi (or other stat noted on the card creating the duel) of the dueling Personalities before the challenge, plus the Focus cards' printed Focus values. The Double Chi trait works as usual. If either Personality has not focused, each can focus an extra time, starting with the challenged Personality.
  1) Poisoned weapon... Had a bit of an arguement about this with someone last night. As far as _I_ read the cards, Poisoned weapon will take effect - killing anyone on chi+focus values <4 BEFORE duel resolution (by the wording on poisoned weapon). Also (as stated in the the accumulated rulings) the poison will continue to give -3 chi for the rest of the turn after the duel.
  However, the actual duel resolution will be worked out without the poisoned weapons effect (as the chi used is read prior to the challenge).
  A: All correct. Jeff Alexander, "post for 6 February 2002", 7 Feb 2002
• Q: Hi there. If anyone could answer this :
  When is a personality considered to be in a duel ? This question is about 'Bayushi Kwanchai' and 'Kakita Rensei'. Can Kwanchai use his ability or not when a Scorpion personality is challenged by Rensei ? Can the challenged personality use the Kiho Double-Chi in front of Rensei ?....
  A: No and no. Jeff Alexander, "post for 7 November 2001", 8 Nov 2001
• Q: The current wording on JoT:
  "Judgement of Toshiken 0G 2FV Reaction: Play this card after players reveal Focus cards in a duel. Resolve the duel only by the Chi (or other stat noted on the card creating the duel) of the dueling Personalities before the challenge, plus the Focus cards' printed Focus values. The Double Chi trait works as usual. If either Personality has not focused, each can focus an extra time, starting with the challenged Personality."
  This states that it uses printed Focus values for determining the >outcome of the duel. Does this count Buring Your Essence as a 6 or a 0?
  Burning Your Essence 0G 0FV This card has a Focus value of 6 when focused in a duel, discarded for a Tactician force bonus, or used for its Focus value with an ability on a Personality. The Personality permanently has -2C after the duel or ability resolves."
  A: As it makes no mention of changing its own "printed" stat, Burning Your Essence's printed Focus value stays a mere 0, adding nothing during a Toshiken-judged duel. Jeff Alexander, "post for 15 October 2001", 16 Oct 2001
• Q: and it is accepted, can you use a shugenja to cast Double Chi, or was the bowing to early in the process? It could be that she was bowed to create the duel, and the new focuing rules do not allow Double Chi to be cast, or it could be that the Casting is in responce to her bowing, and she is still a valid target.
  A: There are no new focusing rules. Do you mean new targeting rules? Those will prohibit casting Double Chi. Double Chi is cast after your Personality enters a duel, which is distinctly after the challenge is issued. Kyruko had to (theoretically) bow to issue the challenge. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 15-16 September 2001", 17 Sep 2001
• Q: With the new duel Iaijitsu Lessons, it says that all items give no bonuses and have no effect for the purposes of that duel. What about items that give traits like Double Chi? Atarasi's Armor gives the trait until the end of the turn.
  A: It's still one of the item's effects. It would not apply during the duel. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 15-16 September 2001", 17 Sep 2001
• Q: What about the 6 gold cost item that grants Double Chi while attached?
  A: It would clearly not grant Double Chi during an Iaijutsu Lesson. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 15-16 September 2001", 17 Sep 2001
• Q: Setting: A really big final battle, Unicorn vs Scorpion at the last Scorpion province.
  The Players: Moto Gaheris experienced with attached scout and ancestral sword and a whole host of attacking Unicorns, Bayushi Kachiko exp 3 and many others defending.
  Bayushi Kachiko exp3 Ho/Co/PH: -/10/2 Scorpion Clan Seductress. Experienced 3. Unique. Kachiko will only join a Scorpion player. Reaction: Discard a card from your hand when a Battle action is played during a battle Kachiko is in. Cancel the action.
  Moto Gaheris exp Ho/Co/PH: -/15/2 Unicorn Clan Champion. Moto Clan Khan. Cavalry. Double Chi. Exp. Unique. Gaheris will only join an Unicorn player. Opposing players cannot play Action cards during the Battle Action Segment of a battle containing Gaheris unless the action removes Gaheris from battle.
  Scout Ho/Co/PH: 0/1/- Cavalry. An Attacker with a Scout in his army may play a terrain card before the Defender performs his first battle action.
  Situation:
  The scout causes Deadly Terrain to be played. If this is a battle action, then Kachiko can cancel it and the Scorpions are saved (sending Gaheris home and exterminating the remaining Unicorn army). If it is not a Battle Action, and/or Kachiko cannot cancel it, the Scorpions are unable to simultaneously destroy the terrain and remove Gaheris from the battle and die horribly beneath the hooves of the rampaging Unicorn host. YOU make the call... who will reign triumphant and who will die ignominiously.
  A: The terrain is still a Battle action. Scout changes when it's played but not what sort of action it is. Thus, Kachiko can be used to discard a Fate card to cancel it. (Using Kachiko's ability is not considered to be "playing an Action card," irrespective of the type of card discarded.) Jeff Alexander, "replies to 10-14 July 2001", 19 Jul 2001
• Q: I still need to know, for certain, if Shosuro Technique's Reaction can be used in Gold on a bowed Personality or a Personality that is bowing as it enters a duel.
  Doesn't appear so.
  Why can't you? Is Shosuro Technique now a targetted card, even though only one person is ever entering a duel for you at any point and time? So does this apply to Double Chi and Void Strike now too?
  *ERROR: DOES NOT COMPUTE*
  A: I would expect as much from such a faulty computation device... ;)
  The Gold rules on targeting are:
  1. If an effect says it targets, it targets. 2. An effect that applies only to its own card does not target. 3. An effect that applies to all of a particular group does not target. 4. All other effects target.
  Rule 4. All other effects target. As a general guideline (because this is *so* different from the way that Reactions were previously handled), if a Reaction affects a card in play, assume that it targets unless it specifically says otherwise (Poisoned Weapon, for ex). Something that reacts to a trigger event (Counterattack, The Wind's Truth, The Emperor's Left Hand) probably doesn't target. This rule is going to take a while to work out, but will probably be stabler in the long run. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 18th", 18 Jul 2001
• Q: "Judgement of Toshiken 0G 2Fo
  Reaction: Play this card after players reveal Focus cards in a duel. Resolve the duel only by the Chi (or other stat noted on the card creating the duel) of the dueling Personalities before the challenge, plus the Focus cards' printed Focus values. The Double Chi trait works as usual. If either Personality has not focused, each can focus an extra time, starting with the challenged Personality."
  [MRP, Gold Edition, 1 July 2001]
  I have a few questions about this card:
  First, can it be played after your opponent plays Poisoned Weapon?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 1-2 July", 5 Jul 2001
• Q: Fifthly, am I correct in thinking that the "before the challenge" clause negates any Chi bonusses or penalties inherent in the challenge, such as those created by Asahina's Breath and the Dragon's Heart? If so, is the Double Chi trait still lost for a challenge using the Dragon's Heart?
  A: Yes and yes. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 1-2 July", 5 Jul 2001
• Q: Fifthly, am I correct in thinking that the "before the challenge" clause negates any Chi bonusses or penalties inherent in the challenge, such as those created by Asahina's Breath and the Dragon's Heart? If so, is the Double Chi trait still lost for a challenge using the Dragon's Heart?
  A: Yes. When you play Dragon's Heart, your personality loses the Double Chi trait until the end of the turn. Playing Judgment of Toshiken doesn't give Double Chi back to him, it just lets it work as normal. By the time you can play JoT, your personality doesn't actually *have* Double Chi, so it can't work in any way for him. That is a nifty way to get around the Chi penalty from Dragon's Heart, though. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 3rd", 3 Jul 2001
• Q: For example, as (one version of) the seppuku rule is retained in BigDeck, Samurai and Courtier (and Shugenja, but it is boldface already) are rules-relevant. So are Brash, Double Chi, Elite, Enlightened, Ninjutsu (regardless of numerical value), Overconfident, Singular, Stalwart, and Yu (regardless of the numerical value), by their own definitions. In BigDeck, the optional rule that makes Monkey Clan a synonym for Toturi's Army is in effect; does this mean that Monkey Clan is a boldface keyword?
  A: We have decided that Clan Alignments (including their equivalents, Monk and Monkey) are not boldface keywords. It may sound arbitrary, but it's not, I assure you.
  Also, in the case of Samurai and Courtier in your example, relevance to Optional rules won't determine a keyword's Boldfacey-ness either. Brook Cunningham, "Boldface Keywords", 7 Aug 2014
• Q: Hi Guys!
  Just wanted to clarify the timing on these two personalities.
  Yoshi Reads:
  Text Dragon Clan Shugenja Reaction: When a Personality you control is “entering a duel”, you may bow this card to draw and reveal your top Fate Card. Add its Focus Value to that Personality's Chi until the end of the turn. (Clarification: The revealed card is discarded, and is not treated as a Focus.)
  while
  Mirumoto Reads:
  “Before the first focus or strike of a duel Mirumoto is in”, set his Chi to the other Personality's Chi. The other Personality loses Double Chi. Mirumoto focuses first, with 1 or 2 cards, and must focus if able. These effects end when the duel ends.
  my question is would yoshi's ability pump mirumoto's Chi before or after the first focus/strike? so will his chi be equal to his opponent because of his trait or will it be increased by yoshi's ability? which happens first?
  Thanks!
  A: Yoshi's Reaction would pump Mirumoto's chi before Mirumoto's trait sets it to that of his opponent in the duel.
  See Challenges and duels: In a duel, headings A through L occur in sequence. A: The duel begins: This is the same point that both Personalities enter the duel. The two Personalities are now facing each other in the duel. B: Focus Pool: The challenger, then the challenged, each form a focus pool. C: Focusing round: The challenged player has the first opportunity to focus or strike. ...
  Yoshi's Reaction triggers in step A. Mirumoto's trait triggers in step C. Alex Jones, "Mirumoto and Togashi Yoshi", 5 Oct 2011
• Q: If Doji Kurohito (exp2) is overlayed (by Doji Kurohito exp3 for example), does his controller remove the Winds he brought into play? Or does the ruling below on Tsuruchi Estui (exp and exp2) also apply to this situation? viewtopic.php?f=59&t=75222
  Doji Kurohito Crane Clan Champion. Samurai. Courtier. Double Chi. Experienced 2. Unique. Will only join a Crane Clan player. Bring all Winds you do not have, except the Black Heart of the Empire, into play from outside the game while you control Kurohito. Political Battle: Once per battle, issue an unrefusable challenge to a duel of Personal Honor to an opposing Personality.
  A: The Winds are removed from play.
  Unlike Etsui exp's trait which creates an ongoing effect, Kurohito exp 2's trait generates a continuous effect which is only applied while it exists. When Kurohito exp 2 is overlaid, the trait is lost, and the continuous effect ends. Alex Jones, "Doji Kurohito (exp2) and overlay", 7 Apr 2010
• Q: I'm pretty sure about this, but I need confirmation due to some dissenting opinions in my play group.
  Hantei and Hantei Genji are cards last printed without the Lotus or Samurai bug. Are their actions (not explicitly worded once per turn) exempt from the "once-per-turn" rule? That is, can Hantei use his reaction any number time per turn? Can Hantei Genji use his ability more than once per turn (provided a way to straighten him, of course)?
  Relevant texts:
  Hantei Unaligned Kami. First Emperor. Samurai. Courtier. Cavalry. Double Chi. Naval. Tactician. Unique Will not enter play unless a Kami Personality is in play. Reduce the Gold cost of cards attaching to Hantei to 0. Reaction: After a Political Action is taken: cancel it. Limited: Once per turn, target a non-Kami Personality. Gain permanent control of the target.
  Hantei Genji Unaligned Emperor. Disciple of the Kami. Samurai. Courtier. Double Chi. Unique You must discard the Imperial Favor or bow Personalities and Followers you control with more than 12 total Force as an additional cost of playing Hantei Genji. Political Limited: Bow Genji: Target a face-up Personality in a Province. Bring the Personality into play controlled by the Province's player, ignoring costs and restrictions.
  For cards last printed without the LOTUS or SAMURAI EDITION bug: Abilities and actions * An action may be taken any number of times per turn unless otherwise stated on the card.
  A: Yes.
  The Legacy Rule you quote does indeed allow Hantei's Reaction and Genji's action to be taken any number of times per turn. Brook Cunningham, "Hantei, Hantei Genji", 31 May 2009
• Q: If I use Hamstrung in a duel with a personality who has double chi, what happens first. Will the focus be raised to 8, then I can reduce it by 0-4, or do I have to reduce it and then double what is left?
  A: Double Chi doesn't double the Focus Value.
  http://rules.l5r.com/Legacy_Format_Changes_to_the_Current_Rulebook#Double_Chi: "When a Personality in a duel has the Double Chi keyword, the focus value of each of the Personality's focused cards is added twice instead of once to the Personality's duel resolution score."
  The tallying of scores happens in Step G of dueling. Focus Effects occur in Step F (see here). So, Hamstrung will have already been reduced (if at all) by the time it's counted (or counted twice, as for a Double Chi Personality). Brook Cunningham, "Hamstrung vs. Double Chi", 30 Dec 2008
• Q: I was under the impression that the trait Double Chi counted as Duelist in the Legacy format, but I can't seem to find this in the rules on AEG's ruleswiki. Was this rule removed?
  A: I can assure you that such a rule never existed.
  Double Chi was accidentally omitted when the Legacy format rules were first put online, but it was added shortly after and works just as it did when it last appeared on cards.
  http://rules.l5r.com/Legacy_Format_Changes_to_the_Current_Rulebook#Double_Chi: "When a Personality in a duel has the Double Chi keyword, the focus value of each of the Personality's focused cards is added twice instead of once to the Personality's duel resolution score. [ADDED July 29 07]" Brook Cunningham, "Legacy format confusion", 7 Sep 2008
• Q: Judgement of Toshiken
  0
  Reaction: Play this card after players reveal Focus cards in a duel. Resolve the duel only by the Chi (or other stat noted on the card creating the duel) of the dueling Personalities before the challenge, plus the Focus cards' printed Focus values. The Double Chi trait works as usual. If either Personality has not focused, each can focus an extra time, starting with the challenged Personality.
  2
  My question is does this reaction take place before or after Focus Effects are revealed? In other words if you focus the extra time with a card that has a focus effect does that focus effect trigger?
  A: From Challenges and Duels: "In a duel, headings A through J occur in sequence. ... D: Duel resolution begins after a player strikes. E: Both players reveal (turn face up) all cards in their focusing area. F: Focus Effects resolve. ..."
  Judgement of Toshiken is played in step E. Focus Effects resolve in step F - including from any extra cards focused via Judgement of Toshiken. Alex Jones, "Judgement of Toshiken", 22 Jun 2008
• Q: so if Noritashi is overlayed: IE ability reads: Reaction:Discard a card when Noritashi enters a duel to double the focus value of one card whos FV has not ben modified. Upon reading the way Double Chi works i found that the focus valur is added twice, not "doubled". so if I have him overlayed-issue a challenge- and use his reaction, then focus a 4 the 4 becomes 8 then added twice? a whoping 16 bonus to the chi in one card?
  A: Looks about right. Zen Faulkes, "Overlaying and abilities", 14 Mar 2005
• Q: For exemple ....
  Text Lion Clan Kami. Samurai. Double Chi. Tactician. Unique. Loyal Will not enter play normally. Akodo may perform any number of Tactical actions per battle, once per printed action. After each Tactical action Akodo performs, give +2F to all Personalities in his army. Battle: If Akodo is face-up in one of your Provinces and your army has a total Force of at least 10, bring Akodo into play in your army.
  if i go in battle and do not have 10 honor may i put akodo into play ?
  A: Archive, General Rules, Honor Requirements. Zen Faulkes, "Do i need to check honor requirement when not in dynasty ...", 9 Mar 2005