Encircled Terrain

Legend of the Five Rings card from Emperor Edition, Pre-Imperial Edition, Imperial Edition, Emerald Edition, Battle of Beiden Pass, Obsidian Edition, Celestial Edition, Diamond Edition, Gold Edition, Lotus Edition, Pearl Edition, Samurai Edition, Tomorrow, L5R Experience, Promotional–Emperor, Ivory Edition, Promotional–Ivory, Onyx Edition, Shattered Empire, Shadowlands, Anvil of Despair, Crimson and Jade, Time of the Void, Scorpion Clan Coup Starter, The Fall of Otosan Uchi, Heaven & Earth, A Perfect Cut, Broken Blades, Winds of Change, Hidden City, Glory of the Empire, Promotional–Samurai

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Keywords

Terrain

Card Text

Before this battle resolves, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of their own Personalities at its battlefield. Move all other Personalities there home.
Battle: Destroy a Terrain (if able). Put this Terrain into play.

Focus Value

1

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Ivory Edition), A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Age of Conquest (Emperor), Age of Enlightenment (Lotus), Clan Wars (Imperial), Destroyer War (Celestial), Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade), Race for the Throne (Samurai), Rain of Blood (Diamond), Shattered Empire, War of the Seals (Onyx Edition)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Units that may not be sent home with your actions (e.g., Armor of the Mountain) will stay in the battle. [JA, 19 August 2002] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 14
• Erratum: Reads, "Encircled Terrain 0G 1FV Delayed Terrain. Battle: The Attacker and Defender each target one of their own units in this battle. You decide which player targets first. Send all other units in this battle home without bowing." [MRP, Diamond Edition, 27 October 2003] Rules Archive, November 11, 2006, p. 30
• It's an action, so players may not select one of their bowed units as the one to stay. [DW, personal email, 1/29/98] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 25
• Only targets the units selected to stay and fight. [card text] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 25
• Clarified: selected units must belong to the Attacker and Defender (matches Shadowlands version). Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 2
• Erratum: Reads, "Encircled Terrain 0G 1FV Terrain Battle: Before this battle’s resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of their units at the current battlefield. Move all other units there home." [MRP, Celestial Edition, 29 June 2009] Comprehensive Rules, Celestial Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, February 2012, p. 131
• Erratum: Reads, "Encircled Terrain 0G 1FV Terrain Battle: Before this battle's resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of his units at the current battlefield. Then, move all other units there home." [MRP, Samurai Edition, 25 July 2007] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 134

Rules Q&A

• Q: 2. Ring of Earth vs. Encircled Terrain When my opponent plays Encircled Terrain, we each choose one personality to stay, but who sends everyone home?
  A: Encircled Terrain sends everyone but those target personalities home. That's its card effect, and it is a blanket effect. You said it was played by your opponent, so Ring of Earth will keep your Personality in place.
  Overwhelmed is different because it charges the other player with enacting their choice of effects. Whichever effect happens is from Overwhelmed (and thusly "another player's card effect"), but count as the "victim" of Overwhelmed doing the targeting and the sending-home or destroying (and thus does not count as "another player" doing the destroying or send-home).
  "Prevents effects requiring other players to target and move your Personality. Does not prevent effects generated by other player's cards that require you to target and move your own card (e.g., Overwhelmed). [JA, 18 November 2003]" (Accumulate Rulings, "Ring of Earth") Martin Lund, "Rules for 5 April 2004", 7 Apr 2004
• Q: Did 'Encircled Terrain' get reprinted in decks on the Shadowlands expansion?
  A: I don't have a copy, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. They pretty much reprinted the entire Imperial Edition common sheet to make the starter decks playable. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 15 December 2003", 15 Dec 2003
• Q: can you use the 2nd ability on the Right Hand of the Emperor in the same way against Encircled Terrain?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 1 December 2003, Part 2", 2 Dec 2003
• Q: Someone mentioned to me recently that A Test of Courage will cancel Encircled Terrain, thus "retroactively" negating the whole thing. Is this true?
  A: Yes (card text). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 1 December 2003", 1 Dec 2003
• Q: If there is a Encircled Terrain in play can i play an A test of courage to cancel it?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 3 November 2003, Part 3", 4 Nov 2003
• Q: What happens when I play A Test of Courage, after i've played Encircled Terrain in a battle?
  A: No one moves. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 24 October 2003", 25 Oct 2003
• Q: I play Encircled Terrain in a battle, and before it resolves, my entire amry is destroyed of forced out of the battle. Does the terrain still resolve since I cannot target a Defender?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 23 October 2003", 24 Oct 2003
• Q: Player A attacks one of Player B's provinces, which has Sorrow's Path attached. Player B plays Encircled Terrain. Assuming that Player A has multiple units in her attacking army and that the Encircled Terrain resolves, which of the two effects resolves first? Why?
  A: Encircled Terrain, because that happens at the end of the Action Segment, while Sorrow's Path happens in the Resolution Segment. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 12 October 2003", 12 Oct 2003
• Q: - My opponent plays "Encircled Terrain" I only have units with bowed personalities. Do I choose one to stay or all go home ?
  A: All of them would go home. Vaughn Derderian, "Post for June 19, 2003", 19 Jun 2003
• Q: - My opponent plays "Encircled Terrain" I only have units with bowed personalities. Do I choose one to stay or all go home ?
  A: In this case, you can choose one. Again, players are allowed to target their own bowed personalities with other players actions. Vaughn Derderian, "Post for June 19, 2003", 19 Jun 2003
• Q: The first two have to deal with Encircled Terrain 1) If I play an Encircled Terrain and then move my only unit out of the battle, will the Encircled still work even though I don't have a unit for it to target?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 May 2003", 2 May 2003
• Q: 2) If I have a Garrison, can I play Encircled Terrain if I don't have a unit for it to target?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 May 2003", 2 May 2003
• Q: Another Question about terrain,
  I can play Encircled Terrain if I have only unit in the battle and this unit is bowed?
  A: Yes.
  I should put this in the rulebook for Winds of Change: Delayed Terrains are exceptions to the rule that you cannot take a targeted action without a target. You can play one regardless of whether you have something in the battle for it to affect and regardless of whether the cards that it CAN affect will still be there when it resolves. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 May 2003", 2 May 2003
• Q: The archive tells me that Armour of the Mountain trumps Encircled Terrain. I don't read it as such, however.
  The Armour states that "YOU may not move this Personality into or out of battles with actions," (emphasis mine) while Encircled has a seperate sentance which reads, "Send all other units in this battle home without bowing." The Terrain makes it explicit that each player is targetting his own units with the choosing-who-stays part, sure.
  But the send-everyone-else-home seems clearly an effect caused solely by the Terrain itself (as opposed to, "Each player then sends ..."), which would NOT prohibit Personalities with the Armour from going home, since it's NOT the player trying to move his own unit.
  A: Who played Encircled Terrain? You, or someone else? If it was you, then your units with Armor of the Mountain will not move out.
  There is no difference between playing a Battle action on Unit X that says "Go home!" and playing a Battle action on Unit Y in the same army that says "You stay, everyone else go home!" In both cases, your action is sending Unit X home. The delayed nature of Encircled Terrain does not change anything. Jeff Alexander, "post for 14 March 2003", 15 Mar 2003
• Q: Encircled Terrain *Reads, "Encircled Terrain 0G 1FV Delayed Terrain. Battle: The Attacker and Defender each target one of their own units in this battle. Send all other units in this battle home without bowing." [MRP, Broken Blades, 8 August 2002]
  Q: How interact the '...one of their OWN units...' (emphasis mine) with Kolat Master?
  A: Kolat Master permanently changes the Personality's controller. Encircled Terrain requires all the affected players to choose a Personality that he or she controls. Jeff Alexander, "post for 20 November 2002", 21 Nov 2002
• Q: I have three units attacking an opposing Province with two defending units. The Defender plays an Encircled Terrain. Both players pass. The Encircled Terrain resolves.
  Q1: Could I play A Test of Courage?
  A: A Test of Courage: "Reaction: Play this card when an action is moving one of your target Personalities out of battle."
  Encircled Terrain: "Battle: The Attacker and Defender each target one of their own units in this battle. Send all other units in this battle home without bowing."
  Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 November 2002", 20 Nov 2002
• Q: I was under the assumption that I could use "Encircled Terrain" and then send units home from the battle with the Stronghold as they do not add up to enough Chi, but if the terrain resolves at the end of the battle, then I assume I can't? I thought this was something that worked. Can someone please clarify this for me?
  A: Encircled Terrain resolves (and has always resolved) after both players pass, which does not allow anyone to take any Battle or Open actions between when it sends units home and when the battle resolves. You normally can't use the Dark Path's ability on the one unit remaining. Jeff Alexander, "post for 16 September 2002", 17 Sep 2002
• Q: This happened in a game recently and I want to make sure that I made the right call because it will come up again.
  I attack my opponent with two personalities. He defends with one personality and his personality ends up bowed. One of my personalities ends up bowed. He plays Encircled Terrain (Delayed Terrain Battle: The Attacker and Defender each target one of their own units in this battle. Send all other units in this battle home without bowing.)
  He may not target his bowed personality because Encircled Terrain is his action. I may target either the bowed personality or the unbowed personality because I may target my bowed personalities with other players actions.
  Am I right here?
  A: You are right. Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 September 2002", 6 Sep 2002
• Q: 3) Which resolves first? Encircled Terrain or Sorrow's Path? (we assumed terrain before the path took effect)
  A: "Before the Battle Action Segment ends" happens before "before the Resolution Segment begins". The Terrain goes first. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 August 2002", 20 Aug 2002
• Q: I recall a brief period of time recently when there may have been a ruling that you may not target your bowed personalities with your cards, but that you could (because of a minor change in the way the rulebook was worded) target your personalities with other players' cards (Stand Against the Waves, Encircled Terrain played by an opponent, etc.).
  Because I recently lost all my Dark Allies rulebooks (don't ask) and A Furry Oni is the rulebook currently available at http://l5r.alderac.com, could Zen or Dave please confirm or deny the ruling-ness of this, um, ruling? Can you target your bowed personalities with other players cards?
  A: You may target your own bowed Personalities with other players' actions. [p. 46] Jeff Alexander, "post for 30 July 2002", 31 Jul 2002
• Q: If a bowed unit is Ambushed, can the defender play Encircled Terrain to send his unit home even though/because it is bowed?
  A: It is legal to play Encircled Terrain. If it's played, and its player's one unit in the ambush is still bowed at the end of the battle, it cannot be selected as the single unit on his side that stays and is sent home by the terrain. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 July 2002", 2 Jul 2002
• Q: If you have only a garrison at a province, can you play encircled terrain?
  A: Yes. It's legal to play a Terrain even when you know some of its effects won't resolve. Jeff Alexander, "post for 14 June 2002", 15 Jun 2002
• Q: As of Gold Edition, Flee the Darkness doesn't care who does the targeting. It can cancel an Encircled Terrain that YOU played, even. In any case, it would be played when Encircled Terrain did its targeting, which would be when the terrain resolves, not when it's played.
  I thought the newest printing of Encircled Terrain only targeted the personality who was not leaving the battle. Wouldn't that mean that it could not be canceled by Flee? Or by Asako Towers? Not sure, just asking.
  A: You're confusing Flee the Darkness, which cancels a Battle or Open action taken during battle, that targets one or more of your Personalities, with A Test of Courage, which moves one of your Personalities out of a battle. Jeff Alexander, "post for 12 June 2002", 13 Jun 2002
• Q: Two quick questions,
  Can Flee the Darkness cancel Stand Against the Waves (in whole or in part)?
  A: Stand is a Battle action. If it targets one or more of your Personalities, Flee can cancel it. Jeff Alexander, "post for 10 June 2002", 11 Jun 2002
• Q: Can your Flee the Darkness cancel Encircled Terrain when E.T. is played (or resolved, rather) by another player (since his card is creating the targeted condition)?
  A: As of Gold Edition, Flee the Darkness doesn't care who does the targeting. It can cancel an Encircled Terrain that YOU played, even. In any case, it would be played when Encircled Terrain did its targeting, which would be when the terrain resolves, not when it's played. Jeff Alexander, "post for 10 June 2002", 11 Jun 2002
• Q: This came up in a tourney today...
  A Test of Courage CAN be used to cancel the effects of Encircled Terrain, right?
  A: As of the Gold Edition wording, right. Jeff Alexander, "post for 4 February 2002", 5 Feb 2002
• Q: And, If the test itself isn't cancelled (ie by Fall on Your Knees) it will cancel the entire resolution of Encircled Terrain, right?
  A: Right. That's what it says. Jeff Alexander, "post for 4 February 2002", 5 Feb 2002
• Q: Encircled Terrain occurs at the end of the battle action segment right before the resolution segment because it is a delayed terrain. It also does not send home an individual card but targets an entire army for send home.
  A: The only things it targets are the Attacker, Defender, and the two units selected to stay. Sending all other units home is a non- targeted effect. But this is irrelevant to A Test of Courage. Jeff Alexander, "post for 4 February 2002", 5 Feb 2002
• Q: The ruling is that Encircled Terrain targets the one unit not being sent home, and the targeting is done by the player that controls the personality. The only thing that Test does with this terrain is that it prevents you from selecting that personality when it comes time to choose for the Encircled.
  Nope, if ToC can look forward to see whether or not a unit will decline, I don't see any problem with it blowing up Encircled.
  A: AToC *doesn't* look forward. Jeff Alexander, "post for 4 February 2002", 5 Feb 2002
• Q: But did anyone notice this change?
  "You may not target your bowed personalities with YOUR actions." (second YOUR added)
  This has a couple of major implications. For one, you can (in fact, must if everyone is bowed) choose a bowed personality to stay for someone else's Encircled Terrain.
  A: Unintended. I'm going to check whether we want to keep the change. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 15-20 July", 26 Jul 2001
• Q: This has a couple of major implications. For one, you can (in fact, must if everyone is bowed) choose a bowed personality to stay for someone else's Encircled Terrain.
  A: True. Also now true for Mountains of the Phoenix and the 12th Black Scroll. Also worked into that ruling is the fact that actions that specificall target bowed personalities cannot target your own bowed personalities, unless the action happens to be one that straightens your personality. Specifically, Touch of Death (which used to be legal to use on your own bowed soldiers) is no longer a legal action to use on your own personalities. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for", 19 Jul 2001
• Q: I must have missed some of the messages posted on this subject earlier...honestly I'm pretty tired of this whole Gaheris debate, but I need to know: what is the FINAL say on the Encircled Terrain/Osari Plains/Journaled Gaheris issue?
  A: The Rules Team is still debating on this one. There IS no "FINAL say" yet. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for 8 February 2001", 14 Feb 2001
• Q: No, you may not play Encircled Terrain. It would, in theory, remove him from the battle eventually, but an action needs to immediately and unconditionally remove him from the battle (and not by killing him) to be legal under his prohibition. Actions that would eventually do so are not legal, especially in a case like Encircled Terrain/Kaagi's Journal, where there are multiple card effects involved in his removal.
  So Osari Plains/Encircled is out as well, right?
  A: Hmm...
  No. My sentence about multiple card effects was misleading. The situation that Nick had created, where multiple card effects create a state where a certain card effect *might* be legal is the reason for the immediacy test. Osari/Encircled would be legal, because it would immediately and unconditionally send Gaheris home. Without an immediacy clause, there's no way of knowing *when the action is played* whether or not it will send him home when the terrain resolves. If you cannot absolutely say that an action will or will not send him home at the instant it leaves your hand, it is *not* legal to play in a Gaheris battle. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for February 6th", 6 Feb 2001
• Q: * If the answer to the previous question is yes, it must mean that terrain resolution happens before; so a terrain can send units home before Sorrow's Path takes effect, right? [making Encircled Terrain a good bet on this Region]
  A: Absolutely. Battle of Quiet Winds is pretty nifty, too. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for November 26th", 26 Nov 2000
• Q: Hi Rules Team,
  My opponent plays an Encircles Terrain. Can I play a Brazen Disregard to counter it's effects?
  I understand it can, since the movement comes from a Strategy, but I'd like to be sure.
  Thanks!
  Code: Select all Brazen Disregard: Absent Interrupt: If the action is from a Strategy, negate any movement from its effects.
  Encircled Terrain: Before this battle resolves, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of their own Personalities at its battlefield. Move all other Personalities there home. Battle: Destroy a Terrain (if able). Put this Terrain into play.
  A: Pronouns: "Pronouns and pronoun-like terms, like “him or her,” “it,” “them,” or “that Personality,” refer to the last possible thing mentioned in the text that the term would logically refer to."
  Because Interrupts modify the action they're interrupting unless it explicitly states otherwise, in this case "its effects" refers to the action. In order to have "its effects" logically refer to "the Strategy", Brazen Disregard would need a wording such as "from the Strategy's effects". Instead, it falls on the default, which is to only modify the action itself, and therefore it will not stop Encircled Terrain's trait.
  We do try to line up the pronouns in addition to this, and we missed on this card. Jon Palmer, "Brazen Disregard vs Encircled Terrain", 5 Jan 2015
• Q: So, I assume that The Imperial Favor still moves home someone wearing Iron Armor.
  However, I had a couple of questions in regards other movements and if they are considered "card effects."
  Is movement from Cavalry a "card effect" because the trait is on the personality or is it not considered a "card effect" because the ability is from the Rulebook?
  Is movement from something like Encircled Terrain considered a "card effect" because the trait that causes the movement is from a card?
  Thanks!
  A: The Cavalry Player Ability is in the Rulebook, so it's not a card effect - reminder text has no bearing on the game.
  Movement due to a trait on a card is a card effect. Alex Jones, "Iron Armor and Movement", 18 Nov 2014
• Q: Hold!: Reaction: Before another player's action's resolution, target your unbowed Commander at the current battlefield: Choose one of your Personalities there. Choose whether to negate his bowing or his movement from that action.
  Heart of Darkness: Terrain Before this battle's resolution: Choose and bow zero to two cards at the current battlefield with 4 or greater Force. Battle: If no terrain is at the current battlefield: Put this card into play there.
  Sort of separately, for reference: It has been ruled that Height of Courage can stop Encircled Terrain if played at the correct timing here: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=83475&p=1096460&hilit=Encircled#p1096460
  So based on that ruling, which logically carries over to say that Hold! can stop movement from Encircled too (if played at the correct timing), can I play Hold! to stop Heart of Darkness from bowing a certain personality? Or any other terrain under the new formatting?
  A: The difference between Encircled Terrain and Heart of Darkness is that the only "action" on Heart of Darkness is the one used to put it into play.
  The later bowing effect does not come from an action, and therefore Hold! will not prevent the bowing no matter when it is played. Jon Palmer, "Hold! and Heart of Darkness", 3 Oct 2011
• Q: Regarding this thread: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=77200&p=1013832&hilit=encircled#p1013832
  Do I choose a personality for Height of Courage immediately as I play it or can I choose the personality at the point Encircled Terrain moves my personalities home?
  And if played correctly, Height of Courage will negate the movement of my personality from Encircled Terrain, right?
  A: As the thread in your link says, The Height of Courage is played before Encircled Terrain enters play, well before both sides pass and the effects of the terrain occur.
  If played correctly, yes, The Height of Courage will stop Encircled terrain from sending that unit home. Dan Jacobson, "Encircled Terrain vs Height of Courage targetting", 12 May 2010
• Q: Dear Rules Team,
  I seek your supreme wisdom and guidance once again, in relation to this ruling (viewtopic.php?f=59&t=75813&p=993982&hilit=encircled+impressive#p993982) that was made prior to Celestial Edition. Is there any change in Celestial Edition that would overturn this ruling? I'm not suggesting there is, but would like verification to solve a play-group dispute over the interaction between these 2 cards (if any).
  The argument being presented to me is that anything that happens prior to resolution of a battle IS in the combat segment, and therefore Impressive Resilience would stop encircled terrain from moving a personality under its effects home.
  Relevant Text
  Impressive Resilience: Battle: Give a target opposed Personality +2F. Negate his bowing and movement during the current Combat Segment.
  Encircled Terrain: Battle: Before this battle’s resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of their units at the current battlefield. Move all other units there home.
  Thanks in advance for enlightening us,
  HN
  A: The original ruling is correct.
  Even though the Combat Segment and Resolution Segment happen right next to each other, there is a moment of "neither" in between the two, as there is between all steps in any sequence. This is where triggers "after X ends" and "before X (begins)" live.
  http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Timing#Triggers: "A trigger of "after" one step in a sequence ends will happen prior to the trigger of "before" the next step begins. Both triggers happen between the two steps.
  Example: A triggered trait with the trigger "after your Dynasty Phase ends" comes before a triggered trait with the trigger "before your End Phase begins,” and happens in neither phase." Brook Cunningham, "Impressive Resilience + Encircled Terrain", 7 Apr 2010
• Q: I target Province x with Hidden Route. We enter my battle phase, and I assign attackers to Province x. My opponent takes his first action, which does not move home any of my personalities. I take my first action, and play Encircled Terrain. My opponent plays his second action, and let's say it's Imperial Decree (the specific card doesn't matter) to move one of my personalities home. Does Hidden Route prevent Imperial Decree?
  A: Yes, because Hidden Route is looking for actual movement, not resolution. Zen Faulkes, "Hidden Route + Encircled Terrain 2", 14 Dec 2009
• Q: Does Courage negate the send home from Encircled Terrain? by my current understanding of the way the combat segment works i'd be inclined to say yes it does. Can anyone confirm this and explain a bit as to why.
  thanks in advance, Jeffy
  A: Courage: Battle: Until this battle ends, negate the movement home of your honorable Samurai from other players' cards' effects.
  Encircled Terrain: Battle: Before this battle’s resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of their units at the current battlefield. Move all other units there home.
  Courage will negate movement until the battle ends. This is after the Combat Segment and after the Resolution Segment - and the delayed effects of Encircled Terrain are applied at the start of the Resolution Segment. Alex Jones, "Courage vs Encircled Terrain?", 30 Aug 2009
• Q: Based on the wordinging of the cards Encircled Terrain does not resolve until battle resolution.
  A: Incorrect.
  http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_R#Resolve: "An action or trait begins to resolve when its sequence of effect activation begins, assuming costs, targeting and conditions have been met. It stops resolving when its sequence of effect activation has ended, even if the application of some effects has been delayed."
  Costs, targets, and conditions of Encircled Terrain have been met, so the action resolves immediately. It just happens that in this case, all of its effects are delayed. Zen Faulkes, "Encircled Terrain vs. The Height of Courage", 7 Jul 2009
• Q: If I use The Height of Courage on one of my personalities being moved out of the battle from Encircled Terrain, do I:
  Play The Height of Courage when the terrain enters play or, play The Height of Courage during battle resolution while resolving terrain effects or, play The Height of Courage at any time while the terrain remains in play.
  The Height of Courage relevant ability: Reaction: Before the resolution of another player's action: Choose one of your personalities. Negate his movement from the action's effects.
  Encircled Terrain: Terrain Battle: Before this battle’s resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of their units at the current battlefield. Move all other units there home.
  Thank you.
  A: A) Opponent announces Encircled Terrain B) Opponent Pays Costs (none) B1) You play The Height of Courage C) Encircled Terrain enters play. Dan Jacobson, "Encircled Terrain vs. The Height of Courage", 6 Jul 2009
• Q: If I use The Height of Courage on one of my personalities being moved out of the battle from Encircled Terrain, do I:
  Play The Height of Courage when the terrain enters play or, play The Height of Courage during battle resolution while resolving terrain effects or, play The Height of Courage at any time while the terrain remains in play.
  The Height of Courage relevant ability: Reaction: Before the resolution of another player's action: Choose one of your personalities. Negate his movement from the action's effects.
  Encircled Terrain: Terrain Battle: Before this battle’s resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of their units at the current battlefield. Move all other units there home.
  Thank you.
  A: EDIT: This ruling was incorrect, please see ruling below Dan Jacobson, "Encircled Terrain vs. The Height of Courage", 6 Jul 2009
• Q: Encircled Terrain is in play at a battle, and I target a personality with Impressive Resilience.
  My understanding is that as Impressive Resilience says "until the end of the current combat segment", the negations would not apply when the effect of Encircled Terrain goes off. Am i right?
  A: The effect of Impressive Resilience ends before Encircled Terrain sends units home. Zen Faulkes, "Impressive Resilience + Encircled Terrain", 17 May 2009
• Q: http://rules.l5r.com/index.php?title=Gl ... oldid=1700 A rules wiki dif link showing that, at some point between March 7th and March 24th, one of the special rules concerning terrains was modified from "If a Terrain leaves play, its effects with a duration end. This is not negation of those effects (that is, even effects that can not be negated do not apply any more)." to "If a Terrain is destroyed, its ongoing effects end, and its delayed effects will no longer be applied. This is not negation of those effects (that is, even effects that can not be negated will be ended)." (emphasis on specific change mine).
  Was this an intentional change? Does this mean that I can now use Unshakable to play terrains such as Encircled Terrain from my discard pile for their delayed effects, because the terrain left play without being destroyed?
  Encircled Terrain: Terrain Battle: Before this battle’s resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of his units at the current battlefield. Then, move all other units there home.
  A: Not yet. Maybe soon. Zen Faulkes, "Unshakeable and terrains again", 10 Sep 2008
• Q: Astonishing Resilience: Heroic Reaction: After another player's card's effect destroys a Hero or Berserker Personality Force to the army even if while he is dead (only if the army has one or more units).
  ENCIRCLED TERRAIN: Terrain Battle: Before this battle's resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of his units at the current battlefield. Then, move all other units there home.
  Does the Astonishing Resilience'd Personality still contribute Force?
  A: The dead personality contributes his force, as long as there is at least one unit in the army. Alex Jones, "Astonishing Resilience + Encircled Terrain", 17 Apr 2008
• Q: What happens if i play Determination before playing Encircled Terrain? Does this mean that even if he played Courage, they would all go home?
  A: That is what it means. Courage negates movement. Determination forbids negation. Zen Faulkes, "Determination & Delayed terrains vs negations", 14 Feb 2008
• Q: Once Encircled Terrain resolves for a battle, can I play A Test of Courage on one of my other units being sent home by this terrain to negate the movement or is it too late for me to do any more actions/reactions?
  A: The only time it's "too late" to play a Reaction is after all players have passed on taking Reactions to a trigger.
  A Test of Courage negates the movement fine. Zen Faulkes, "Encircled Terrain & A Test of Courage", 4 Feb 2008
• Q: If I were to use Courage for anti-moving home in the same battle that my opponent used encircled terrain, would its effect be negated for me?
  A: Yes, it would be negated. Zen Faulkes, "Courage and Encircled Terrain", 22 Dec 2007
• Q: I searched for Muhito but found surprizingly little. I just wish to clarify a few things with this personality His ability: Reaction: After an action resolves that moved Muhito to or from a battlefield: Take an additional action.
  Encircled Terrain Terrain Battle: Before this battle’s resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of his units at the current battlefield. Then, move all other units there home.
  1)If Encircled Terrain is in the current battle and he is one of the people I send home, do I get another action (after delayed terrans resolve?
  2)If yes then it's safe to assume that if I do then if I have multiple ones in that army I get multiple action?
  3)I only have to move him out once correct? So if I move him back into the battle with my action I don't have to send him back home
  4) Now the tricky one, lets assume with my extra action I play Control the Field, which lets me destroy a terrain and play a new one, if I do what craziness happens?
  Control the Field: Battle: Target one of your Personalities at the current battlefield with Tactician, Scout, or 3 or more Chi: Destroy a target Terrain. You may take an additional Battle action to play a Terrain from your hand.
  A: Short answer: That won't work.
  Long answer: Bayushi Muhito cannot legally respond to to Encircled Terrain, because Muhito's ability is triggered "After an action resolves that moved Muhito to or from a battlefield." An action resolves after all of its immediate effects are done (http://rules.l5r.com/Abilities_and_acti ... n_resolves), but Encircled Terrain only moves units as a delayed effect. Muhito cannot respond to delayed effects.
  Bonus "Want me to make it worse?" long answer: It is legal for Bayushi Muhito to react to an action that moves units "before a battle resolves" or "before battle resolution," but you can't legally use the effect, because "Effects 'before a battle resolves' happen after the Combat Segment ends and before the Resolution Segment begins" (http://rules.l5r.com/Battles#Resolution_Segment). Battle actions are only legal during the Combat Segment, and you're not in that segment any more. Zen Faulkes, "Bayushi Muhito and Encircled Terrain", 4 Sep 2007
• Q: When does the Encircled Terrain take effect?
  A: "Before this battle’s resolution" (card text).
  http://rules.l5r.com/Battles#Resolution_Segment: "Effects 'before a battle resolves' happen after the Combat Segment ends and before the Resolution Segment begins." Zen Faulkes, "Encircled Terrain", 22 Aug 2007
• Q: This is in reference to this previous thread...
  While the answer was the one I was expecting (Shinjo Arada posted after we had a discussion on French board Ryoko Owari), I find I can't parse the Comprehensive Rules to actually imply it; rather, I understand the reverse.
  Relevant rules segments from the Comprehensive Rules:
  Glossary: Terrain Terrain After any costs and any required targeting of a Terrain Action card are met, the card enters play at the current battlefield as its first effect, before its other effects resolve. A Terrain is not in any side or army. Unlike other action cards, a Terrain is not discarded after its effects resolve. If a Terrain leaves play, its effects with a duration end. This is not negation of those effects (that is, even effects that can not be negated do not apply any more).
  Rules Changes The Delayed/Immediate terrain distinction is gone; delayed effects are written as such on Terrains.
  Effects, Delayed Effects Delayed effects Some effects state that they will occur at a given time in the future. Example “After your next turn begins” or “After the next time this game a Samurai assigns to attack.” Other effects may likewise delay another effect until a time in the future. Such delayed effects are still said to “resolve” when they are first activated, but are actually applied at a future time. Example: in “Battle: After your next Attack Phase this game begins, target a unit and bow it” the Battle action resolves fully during that battle, but the targeting and bowing occurs in the player’s next Attack Phase. After a delayed ongoing effect is activated, its duration takes into account the turn, or other time period, in which it was applied – not the time period in which it actually resolved. If any targeting only appears as part of a delayed effect, the targeting is not mandatory. See Abilities and actions, Required targeting. See also: Timing.
  Now, let's take a relevant card: Encircled Terrain
  Terrain Battle: Before this battle's resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of his units at the current battlefield. Then, move all other units there home.
  Now, here's how I'm analysing things:
  * This terrain has a Delayed Effect; as per the Delayed Effects rules, it resolves when played (ie, during the Battle Action Segment), but will take effect at a later time, which is "before this battle's resolution". * It has no duration indication that I can discern; thus, the rule that a terrain leaving play has its "effects with a duration end" does not apply here. Note that thsi is the only indication in the rules (that I could find) that hints at the fact that destroying a terrain does anything other than allowing some player to play a new terrain
  I am not arguing that this is how things should run (if it's not an intended effect of the rules rewriting, which it appears it is not), but I think the rules, as they are stated in the Comprehensive Rules site, are poorly written in this regard.
  A: Whenever a card creates a Delayed Effect or any other kind of Triggered Effect that in itself is an Effect. Whatever instruction waits around for the right trigger (a later time, a player action, someone getting dishonored) is itself an On-Going Effect. If that On-Going Effects ends, no Triggered Effect or Delayed Effect will take place.
  So just like how the Triggered Effects and Delayed Effects of Events just preempted when you hit an Event with Shrine of the Sun, any Triggered Effects and Delayed Effects of a Terrain are preempted when it leaves play. Martin Lund, "About Terrains Pt 2", 20 Aug 2007
• Q: (I)n a situation where a player plays, for instance Encircled Terrain, and then, the terrain is destroyed. Would that mean that under SE rules, the effect of Encircled Terrain would still take effect?
  A: No. Encircled Terrain has a delayed effect that depends on the terrain being in play.l Zen Faulkes, "About terrains", 15 Aug 2007
• Q: If there's an Encircled Terrain in my discard pile and I play Unshakable to play the action of Encircled Terrain. Will it do anything?
  A: No, because Encircled Terrain only has delayed effects, and an action ends before that. http://rules.l5r.com/Abilities_and_acti ... ction_ends Zen Faulkes, "About terrains", 15 Aug 2007