Explored Territory

Legend of the Five Rings card from Samurai Edition, Lotus Edition, Hidden City, Training Grounds 2, Twenty Festivals, Promotional–Samurai, Promotional–Twenty Festivals

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Keywords

Terrain

Card Text

Before the first time, while this card is in play, another player's action destroys one of your cards at this battlefield, other than this Terrain, negate the destruction and draw a card.
Battle: Destroy a Terrain (if able). Put this Terrain into play.

Focus Value

1

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Age of Enlightenment (Lotus), Race for the Throne (Samurai), Rain of Blood (Diamond), War of the Seals (Onyx Edition)

Erratum

Technical erratum to correct game text misprinted as reminder text, effective immediately.

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "Explored Territory 0G 1FV Terrain Battle: Before the next time this turn a card’s effect (not cost) destroys one of your cards at this battlefield, other than this card, negate the destruction and draw a card." [MRP, Samurai Edition, 25 July 2007] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 134

Rules Q&A

• Q: 3. Uso Sensei and Explored Territory. I just want to confirm this, because I'm fairly sure of my understanding here: Uso Sensei adds a card Effect to duels that reads "Destroy the loser", yes? which means that with Explored Territory in play, a Test of Might would result in a bowed loser and a destroyed Explored Territory, yes? Provided, of course, that the player chose to use the available Reaction...
  A: The Reaction on Explored Territory des not destroy Explored Territory.
  However, yes, you can choose to Negate the destruction of the loser, and all other effects of the duel resolve normally (gain 2 honor, bow the loser). Martin Lund, "Rules for 21 January 2005", 24 Jan 2005
• Q: I haven't been watching this list as carefully as I used to. However, I was looking at the rules archive and saw that it has been ruled that Explored Territory can save a card in a wedged unit. I recall quite clearly a discussion on this forum where it was ruled that only defending wedged personalities were saved (I have the email saved but I'll spare everybody the repost of it). I apparently missed this change, and I was wondering what the reason is for the change.
  A: There is no change, and it doesn't actually have any direct relationship with being the Defender. Explored Territory clearly states: "The next time one of your cards in this battle ..."
  "In this battle" refers to the battle in which Explored Territory is.
  Attacking and Allied units typically go home after Battle Resolution, and hence are not at "this battle" to be protected by Explored Territory. If they get sent home by a card effect, they aren't protected either. That's a basic card-text-reading issue, not a Rulings issue. Martin Lund, "Rules for 15 January 2005", 20 Jan 2005
• Q: 3) The Defender have played Explored Territory. The Attacker uses Crab Builders trying to destroy the Region. What happens?
  3.B) The destruction of the Region is negated. The Defender draws a card.
  A: That one. Explored Territory looks for a card you control "in this battle." The Region qualifies.
  The Region IS NOT, however, in any player's ARMY. This means if is also not an "opposing" or "opposed" card at the battlefield. Martin Lund, "Rules for 30 November 2004", 3 Dec 2004
• Q: Are Strongholds considered "cards in play" and their effects are also considered as "card effects"?
  A: Strongholds are NOT cards.
  Their effects, therefore, are not card effects. Martin Lund, "Rules for 28 May 2004", 1 Jun 2004
• Q: If you put an Explored Territory into play, then later [before it was used up], you play Overwhelmed, I assume the ET prevents you from paying the cost [as it is not optional], allows you to draw a card, and then ...? Does the Overwhelmed A>go to the discard pile, B>do you have to destroy the personality after allto pay the cost, C>CAN you destroy the personality to pay the costs again, or D>does Overwhelmed return to your hand since you could not pay all the costs?
  A: You choose between C and D. Page 72 of the Diamond Edition Rulebook, 3rd Paragraph, "Canceling Actions and Negating Effects" says:
  "If all or part of the cost of using an action or bringing a card into play is prevented, the player trying to take the action or play the card may either use further resources to complete the payment or allow the attempt to be cancelled. If canceled, the player returns the card to where it came from and does not receive a refund on any remaining costs, Gold or otherwise, already paid." Martin Lund, "Rules for 22 May 2004", 25 May 2004
• Q: Can Explored Territory save your personality from being destroyed by Wedge?
  A: It depends. You need to still be in the battle for Explored Territory to save you.
  You have to send Attacking and Allied units go home after the battle is "resolved" (losing / tied armies are destroyed, honor gained), but before the battle is considered "ended." Then Wedge will destroy your unit.
  If you were in the Defending Army, and there are still more battles to resolve, then you'd be fine since you are still at the (resolved) battle. Explored Territory would save you since Wedge kills your "when" the battle ends, and terrains are destroyed "after" the battle ends. Martin Lund, "Rules for 14 May 2004", 17 May 2004
• Q: Explored Territory + Wedge: Can I safe my personality targeted with wedge using this terrain?
  A: See viewtopic.php?f=59&t=61792.
  No.
  Wedge destroys "after the battle ends". Terrains are destroyed before that. See http://rules.l5r.com/Battles#After_Resolution Zen Faulkes, "wedge+explored territory", 31 Dec 2007
• Q: If I play a To Do What We Must what we must and have an Explored Territory in play which negates the next destruction of my personality, will the opposing personality still be destroyed?
  A: Explored Territory won't save a unit through To do what we must because destruction is a cost, not an effect. Zen Faulkes, "Explored Territory and To Do What We Must", 11 Apr 2005