Famous Poet

Legend of the Five Rings card from Gold Edition, Imperial Edition, Emerald Edition, Battle of Beiden Pass, Obsidian Edition, Anvil of Despair

Card Type

Holding

Gold Cost

3

Keywords

Retainer

Card Text

Repeatable Reaction, w: After a battle's resolution ends, if you destroyed an army or Province during it as the Attacker or Defender, gain 3 Honor.

Legality

Clan Wars (Imperial), Four Winds (Gold)

Deck

Dynasty

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "Famous Poet 3G Retainer. Reaction: When you destroy an army or Province as the Attacker or Defender, bow the Famous Poet to gain 3 Honor." [MRP, Gold Edition, 1 July 2001] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 80
• Ability is not Political. [Rulebook] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 80
• Clarified: may only be used if you were the Attacker or Defender. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 12
• Q: How does Deeds, Not Words work with cards that give extra honor for winning battles and duels, like Famous Poet and Omoidasu? A: Unless the card giving you the extra gain clearly says it's modifying the standard gain for the battle or duel -- and neither of those cards do -- the extra gain is a separate gain coming from the generating card. Deeds, Not Words will turn it into a loss. Legend of the Five Rings FAQ, May 21, 2003, p. 13
• Q: OK, so let's say I destroy an undefended Province. Do I get 2 Honor for destroying the card that was in it? A: No. You didn't destroy the card, just the Province it was sitting in. The card's being discarded is a byproduct of the Province going away. Moral: Get yourself a Famous Poet or three. The Imperial Herald, Vol. 1, Issue 1, p. 10

Rules Q&A

• Q: 2) If someone attacks and you defend a province that he is not attacking (or say there is no defense at a province you attack), then at the end of that battle you have theoretically "won" (as you have more force than their 0) and therefore can play cards like Prepared for the Enemy or use abilities like Ikoma Fudai's. (is that legal? We assumed yes.) But at the same time since no army is destroyed you can not play things like Famous Poet...
  A: There is no winner or loser in a battle with only one army during resolution. [p. 58] Cards like Prepared for the Enemy aren't legal. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 August 2002", 20 Aug 2002
• Q: 5) If someone attacks and you destroy (duels, ranged, etc.) his army before the resolution, have you "destroyed" his army? (Came up with Famous Poet...)
  A: No. [p. 58 again] The only time you can "destroy an army" is during the Resolution Segment of an attack. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 August 2002", 20 Aug 2002
• Q: Does the reaction on Famous Poet have to be played before a Rally Cry or does the attacker get to chose to Rally before playing the reaction on Famous Poet?
  A: Famous Poet, the Holding? Always before Rallying Cry because it's done during resolution.
  (Now if you mean Ikoma Sume/Kaoku, the answer is, you can use them in either order since they're reacting to the same thing: the end of the battle.) Jeff Alexander, "post for 7 November 2001", 8 Nov 2001