Feign Death

Legend of the Five Rings card from Emperor Edition, Imperial Edition, Emerald Edition, Obsidian Edition, Diamond Edition, Training Grounds, Twenty Festivals

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Interrupt: Target your Personality. After the action resolves, if it destroyed him, bring him into play in your home, ignoring costs and Honor Requirement, then bow him, dishonor him, and lose 2 Honor.

Focus Value

2

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Age of Conquest (Emperor), Clan Wars (Imperial), Rain of Blood (Diamond), War of the Seals (Onyx Edition)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "Feign Death 0G 2FV Reaction: Play after a Personality is destroyed to return the Personality to play, bowed, in his previous controller's home, ignoring all costs and restrictions. (Entering-play effects occur. Cards attached to the Personality are not returned to play.) Dishonor the Personality. Lose 2 Honor." [MRP, Diamond Edition, 27 October 2003] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 16
• The player who plays Feign Death is the one bringing the Personality intoplay, and is the recipient of entering-play effects. [JA, email, 9 August 2004] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 16
• A Personality with 0 Chi who is returned to play will die, then be dishonored in the discard pile. [JA, email, 29 March 2005] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 16
• Does not prevent the death, but rather returns the dead Personality to play immediately. [card text] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 26
• Anything which would normally happen as a result of the Personality dying will still happen, such as the destruction of all attached cards and tokens. May be played if the Personality was bowed when he died because it is played after the death, when the card is in the discard pile and no longer considered bowed. Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 26
• Erratum: Added: may target a bowed Personality. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 3
• Erratum: Changed: may only target one of your Personalities. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 3
• Erratum: Changed: Personality now fully dies and is then returned to play, rather than surviving and losing only Followers. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 3
• Erratum: Changed: Personality is returned to play dishonored, rather than being dishonored while in play. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 3
• Clarified: Personality is always returned to your Fief. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 3
• Erratum: Reversed: Personality once more returns bowed. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 3
• Erratum: Added: may target a bowed Personality. Changed: may only target one of your Personalities. Changed: Personality now fully dies and is then returned to play, rather than surviving and losing only Followers. Changed: Personality is returned to play dishonored, rather than being dishonored while in play. Removed: Personality no longer becomes bowed. Legend of the Five Rings FAQ, Version 3.4 & errata, June 1997, p. 22
• Q: Can I use a card like Feign Death to bring a Wedged Personality back to life after Wedge's effect kills him? A: No. Feign Death targets the Personality you wish to return to play. Wedge destroys the Personality "when the battle ends" and prohibits you from targeting him with actions until "after" that time. Legend of the Five Rings FAQ, April 26, 2004, p. 11
• Q: Since Feign Death doesn't make you bow the Personality you save anymore, if I use it to save someone who is killed by an action during battle, that Personality will still add to my army's Force at the end of the battle, right? A: No. Feign Death returns Personalities to their controller's Fief, since that's where all newly-played Personalities start. Legend of the Five Rings FAQ, Version 3.4 & errata, June 1997, p. 7
• Focus on... Shoju Sensei: "No player can achieve an Honor Victory while the Personality remains in play." The important word here is "remains." The effect only lasts as long as the targeted Personality stays continuously on the table. It ends as soon as the Personality leaves and does not resume if the Personality comes back. Feign Death, The Sight of Death, and the Crane Tattoo all return a Personality to play immediately after death; none of these cards preserve Shoju Sensei's effect. Shoju Sensei does not actually remove any individual player's Honor Victory option. It will not force everyone to lose a Province to The Return of Fu Leng, for example. Dave Williams explains. "The Return of Fu Leng is about whether you are allowed to achieve an Honor Victory ever. If you give up the ability to achieve an Honor Victory to avoid losing a Province, you turn off the power to the "I win by Honor" switch. You will never be allowed to achieve an Honor Victory. Shoju Sensei, on the other hand, says that while the target Personality is in play, you can't achieve an Honor Victory. That means that whether or not you are allowed to achieve an Honor Victory, you have to get rid of the Personality if you really want to do it. To follow the "switch" analogy, there's now a cover on the switch that you have to lift in order to flip the switch and win the game (assuming that there is power to the switch)." Shoju Sensei does not prohibit canceling an action that targets the crucial Personality. As with Kaede Sensei, Shoju Sensei's effect continues if the card gets destroyed or discarded but becomes suppressed if it's temporarily prevented from affecting play. The Imperial Herald, Issue 12, p. 33

Rules Q&A

• Q: Option 1: You die once, due to the duel's text. You play FD. You die again, due to Uso's text. End result: You are dead.
  This is right, the key is that Uso Sensei says that the duel kills as an "additional" effect. So it kills once as a result of the duel, then it kills again from Uso Sensei.
  A: Very, very close. It kills once as a result of the duel, then it kills again as another result of the duel. (Subtle point, but the added destruction is an effect of the duel and not an effect of Uso Sensei, by the Sensei's own text.) Martin Lund, "Rules for 28 January 2004", 4 Feb 2005
• Q: It's legal to play because the destruction still occurred, but it will do nothing except cause its player a 2-point Honor loss. Although Feign Death says nothing about the destroyed card needing to be in a discard pile, it is not legal to bring anything into the game in any state from outside the game without explicit instruction. Suitengu's Surge has such text. Feign Death does not.
  A: Yes. Martin Lund, "Rules for 26 and 27 January 2005", 3 Feb 2005
• Q: Someone told me that when you do Uso Sensei with a duel that's already lethal, it actually kills you twice, making stuff like Feign Death useless. Is that right? If it is, I don't see the logic behind it.
  A: There is no logic behind it from a Story perspective. Martin Lund, "Rules for 26 and 27 January 2005", 3 Feb 2005
• Q: How about the simple answer is usually the right one. "Sometimes a Reaction changes the trigger in such a way that further reactions aren't legal," DE rulebook pg 75. In this case we know, from the glossary, "Removing a card from the game is not considered destruction," DE rulebook pg 103.
  So as soon as you pay the cost of Oni no Hatsu Suru's reaction, you have changed his destruction into a removed from game, which is not destruction, which means Feign death is now no longer a legal play because it no longer has a valid trigger. You either get the 2 baby oni's or Oni no Hatsu Suru, not both.
  Hatsu Suru does not say "instead of being destroyed," so he is still destroyed. Since the controller has not yet passed on a chance to react to its destruction, Feign Death is still a legal play as far as reaction legality and timing go.
  A: It's legal to play because the destruction still occurred, but it will do nothing except cause its player a 2-point Honor loss. Although Feign Death says nothing about the destroyed card needing to be in a discard pile, it is not legal to bring anything into the game in any state from outside the game without explicit instruction. Suitengu's Surge has such text. Feign Death does not. Martin Lund, "Rules for 25 January 2005", 31 Jan 2005
• Q: Provided that the Oni uses his reaction, is he still a valid target for Feign Death? No where on Feign Death does it specify that the personality must remain in the discard pile, and the timing is the same on both reactions.
  A: You can target the card, but the effect isn't useful outside of making an Honor Loss. Only effects that specifically bring a card from outside of the game into the game can do so. Effects that put other cards into play from out-of-play do not cut it. Martin Lund, "Rules for 24 January 2005", 31 Jan 2005
• Q: [6]. Ruby of Iuchiban + Dead
  If I target a personality and dies remainf the ruby effects on him while the ruby remains bowed? What if returns to play with a Feign Death or Shrine to Tsukune?
  A: The effect will continue even if the victim leaves play. However, cards that are not in play are neither bowed, nor unbowed. Further, most cards enter play unbowed.
  With Feign Death, you are told that your Personality returns to play bowed. Shrine to Tsukune does not say this (if I recall correctly), so the Personality would enter play unbowed, but still be unable to Straighten. Martin Lund, "Rules for 11 December 2004", 13 Dec 2004
• Q: I kill that personality and then Feign Death. They'll come back into play bowed, but is the lockdown "forgotten" because they died?
  A: Nothing is ever "forgotten" due to leaving play. Some effects are overridden by new effects. Some effects specifically have their duration end when a card leaves play (Show of Good Faith). Martin Lund, "Rules for 3 December 2004", 8 Dec 2004
• Q: Fury of the Dark Lord + Feign Death Is Feign Death "fast enough" to get played before the second effect of FotDL removes the discarded Personalities from the game?
  A: Destroying all the victims and removing all the Personalities in the discard piles from the game are two separate and sequential effects. You can certainly respond to Personalities dying with Reactions like "Feign Death" before Fury of the Dark Lord manages to get around to cleaning out the discard piles. Martin Lund, "Rules for 24 November 2004", 26 Nov 2004
• Q: First the cards :
  Goshiu no Shiryo : Political Limited: Bow this Personality, who may then remain bowed, to target another Personality. Until Goshiu's Personality straightens or leaves play, the other Personality causes his or her controller to lose 2 Honor each time the Personality bows.
  Feign Death : Reaction: Play after a Personality is destroyed to return the Personality to play, bowed, in his previous controller's home, ignoring all costs and restrictions. (Entering-play effects occur. Cards attached to the Personality are not returned to play.) Dishonor the Personality. Lose 2 Honor.
  Now the question.
  Let's say that I used the ability on the ancestor on a randomn personality (let's say Hida Bob). Hida Bobo dies, but one of the player decide that he shouldn't and plays a feign deayh on him. What happens, is Hida Bob considered to be bowing (and creating a two point honor loss to his controller) ?
  A: "A card that is entering play bowed (e.g., holdings) or returning to play bowed (e.g., Glick) are not considered to "become bowed," because cards out of play or in the discard pile are not considered bowed. Thus, effects that respond to bowing (e.g., Corruption's Price) or prevent bowing (e.g., Inspiration) will not prevent a card from being bowed when entering or returning to play. [JA, 2 December 2002]" (Accumulated Rulings, "Bowing")
  If it is any consolation, Bob is still under the gun from Goshiu until Goshiu straightens, even if Bob does leave play for a while. Martin Lund, "Rules for 6 October 2004", 11 Oct 2004
• Q: 1.) Are the Personalities created by Sculpting Flesh permanent , i know it doesn't say permenant, but im thinking that the way things work in lotus terminology may work differently.
  A: Bringing cards or tokens into play, either by creation or purchase, is typically permanent unless a card or rule says otherwise. Drawing cards is permanent. Gaining or losing honor is permanent. I know that's not an exhaustive list, but I think it answers the question.
  Most effects that create "temporary" cards or tokens instruct you to remove them at a specific point in time. Sculpting flesh does not, so the created Personality sticks around like any other card. Martin Lund, "Rules for 23 September 2004", 27 Sep 2004
• Q: Player HOT plays House of Tao. He borrows a Shadowlands oni from his opponent T9K and kills him. T9K plays Feign Death on the oni. - who looses the honor for entering play?
  A: The Shadowlands Player. It is Negated. Martin Lund, "Rules for 8 September 2004", 10 Sep 2004
• Q: Situation: You have a unique personality who is Egg'ed. He dies, you want to play feign death.
  Apparently it was ruled that you can't, because of uniqueness.
  A: I was not aware of any such ruling. Feign Death says right on the card that you ignore any restrictions. Uniqueness and Singularity won't stop Feign Death. Martin Lund, "Rules for 8 September 2004", 10 Sep 2004
• Q: From the archive: Feign Death Reads, "Feign Death 0G 2FV Reaction: Play after a Personality is destroyed to return the Personality to play, bowed, in his previous controller's home, ignoring all costs and restrictions. (Entering-play effects occur. Cards attached to the Personality are not returned to play.) Dishonor the Personality. Lose 2 Honor." [MRP, Diamond Edition, 27 October 2003]
  The player who plays Feign Death is the one bringing the Personality into play, and is the recipient of entering-play effects. [JA, email, 9 August 2004]
  ...the player who plays Feign Death is the one bringing the Personality into play.
  The controller of a personality is the last player who brought that personality into play (Diamond rulebook page 55).
  Feign Death says where the personality goes, but does not specify who controls it.
  A: Not surprisingly, Feign Death works the way it has for ten years in this regard. Martin Lund, "Rules for 7 September 2004", 10 Sep 2004
• Q: If somehow I am able to give one of the opponents Personalities the Shadowlands trait, then kill them, will brining them back into play with my own Feign Death cause the destruction of all their rings?
  A: Yes. Feign Death forces the previous controller of the dead Personality bring him or her into play. That player it the Personality's controller and suffers any "entering play" effects based off that card entering play, including Honor Losses or House of the Tao blowing up their rings. Martin Lund, "Rules for 3 July 2004", 5 Aug 2004
• Q: My opponent uses Show Of Good Faith on one of my guys and takes control of him and uses a effect that would kill him, then uses Feign Death to return him to play. He then states that he now permanently gains control of the personality. He says it is because when the personality died the effects of SOGF ended. And Feign Death returned him to play under his owners control..who at the moment was him....is this correct?
  A: Technically the "gain control of target Personality until the end of the turn" effect doesn't wear off until the end of the turn. The other effects all wore off when the Personality died - he no longer controlled the Personality once he goes to the Discard Pile.
  At any rate, the "gain control" effect is no longer important once Feign Death resolves, since the "default" controller of the Personality is the last player to bring that Personality into play under his control. In this case, the last player to bring the Personality into play was your opponent - via Feign Death. Martin Lund, "Rules for 19 July 2004", 20 Jul 2004
• Q: I bring Baku into play. I react from him coming into play from province, play Feign Death. My opponent reacts from him coming into play from province. It is now my turn to react from him coming into play from province, use ability again, effectively killing two guys.
  A: The judge yells at you for trying to use the same printed Reaction (Baku's) to the same trigger (Baku entering play from the Province) twice.
  Bad World Champion*. No biscuit. ;-)
  * Still not as bad as a certain Rules Monkey trying to Refugees home his opponent's Defending Personality without Presence, though. Martin Lund, "Rules for 12 July 2004", 15 Jul 2004
• Q: So, considering the recent ruling about things becoming illegal targets in the middle of actions: If I target one of my personalities with Wanton Destruction and two opposing personalities, and I subsequently lose the first duel and play Feign Death on my personality, does my personality get -4F and issue the second duel?
  A: Yes, strangely enough, even though he's no longer opposing anyone. All that targeting was kosher all the way up until you ended the first duel, so the effects will still go through, regardless of targeting legality, if they are physically possible. Since both duelists are alive for the challenge, they can go at it. Martin Lund, "Rules for 10 July 2004", 13 Jul 2004
• Q: If I play Ray of Hope after Feign Death can I target the Feign'ed personaltiy?
  A: Of course you can. Feign Death will have fully resolved before you can take the next Reaction to the same trigger (the death of the Personality). Once Feign Death has resolved, the Personality is a perfectly valid target for Ray of Hope. Martin Lund, "Rules for 5 July 2004", 7 Jul 2004
• Q: Also, Show of Good Faith also says, "You may not declare an attack or move cards or tokens to or from that Personality while he or she is under your control."
  Since that pesky "while" is in there, does that mean that a Feign Death will also end that effect as well?
  A: [MARTY] Feign ends nothing. Leaving play ends that effect, because the card is not controlled by anyone when it gets in the Discard Pile.
  "Cards in decks, in (not attached to) Provinces, in discard piles, and in hands are not “in play,” do not affect play, have no controller, and cannot normally be targeted or affected by other cards." (Diamond Edition Rulebook, Page 55, "Bringing Cards into Play") Martin Lund, "Rules for 23 June 2004", 27 Jun 2004
• Q: 1) I play Show of Good Faith on opponent's peep.
  2) I then use Suiteiru no Oni's ability to destroy the peep.
  3) I play Feign Death on the peep.
  A: Sheesh! What did that piece of left-over Easter Candy ever do to you? ;-) Martin Lund, "Rules for 21 June 2004", 25 Jun 2004
• Q: The Show's "until end of turn" change of control ends prematurely, because the Personality's dead. The Feign Death is what causes the Personality to be in someone's control.
  A: Actually, it doesn't end prematurely - it just becomes irrelevant since when the effect ends at the end of the turn, the last player to bring the Personality into play gains control, which happens to be the same player anyway. Show of Good Faith's effect becomes redundant thanks to Feign Death. Martin Lund, "Rules for 18 June 2004", 21 Jun 2004
• Q: 1) I've heard that if player A uses Show of Good Faith on a personality, then kills that personality and uses Feign Death, then player A retains control of the personality permanently, but no longer has the "May not attack" clause. Is this the case? If so, what's the reasoning behind it.
  A: Well, the "may not attack" clause issue is simple - the duration of that effect expired the minute the Personality died, as per the card text. Show of Good Faith says, "You may not declare an attack or move cards or tokens to or from that Personality while he or she is under your control."
  If the Personality leaves your control for even a second, the duration has expired. It does not "switch back on" or somesuch just because you regain control of the Personality. It is a one-shot effect from an Action. Once it expires, it is gone forever. Cards are not under your control in the Discard Pile, so dying will remove a Personality from your control.
  As for "retaining control of the personality permanently" part, let me be rude and pose you a question in return: Who is the controller of a Personality, by default?
  The default controller is the last player to bring that Personality into play (whether it by through conventional purchase from your own provinces, purchase from your enemy's provinces via Kolat Recruiter, or a return-to-play effect like Feign Death or Pit of Blood). That player is that Personality's default controller when all other "gain control of" effects expire.
  So, when the "gain control of Personality X" effect of Show of Good Faith expires, who controls the Personality - barring any additional effects like Kolat Master? Control goes to the last player to bring the Personality into play - in this case the "thief" who stole, murdered, and Feigned the Personality. Martin Lund, "Rules for 13 June 2004", 15 Jun 2004
• Q: Can I return Hiruma Ashihei to life with Feign Death or is the action canceled by his trait? If I can bring him back, is he dishonored? Do I still lose 2 honor?
  A: The Action gets Canceled once it tries to resolve the effect "Dishonor Hiruma Ashihei." Do not undo any effects that have already been produced by an Action when it is Canceled. (Diamond Edition Rulebook, page 72, "Canceling Actions and Negating Effects")
  So you play Feign Death. You resolve the first effect - returning Ashihei into play. Move on to the next effect on the card - dishonoring Ashihei. Cancel the Action and don't dishonor Ashihei. You never even get to the third effect - lose 2 Honor. The only effect that will actually "go off" from Feign Death on Ashihei is the return-to-play effect. Martin Lund, "Rules for 11 June 2004", 14 Jun 2004
• Q: If a Personality dies due to having 0 Chi, but honorably, and Feign Death is played on it, I know it will die again immediately (assuming its Chi is still 0 after removing any items/tokens, of course); but is there "time" for the Personality to be dishonored while in play, or is it dishonored after dying again?
  A: Good point. They are separate effects that happens one at a time. After returning to play, the Personality would immediately be destroyed again, honorable. He would then be Dishonored while in the Discard Pile. Martin Lund, "Rules for 8 June 2004", 10 Jun 2004
• Q: 3 - I bow a personality with the ruby of Iuchiban, then I kill her and my opponent plays Feign Death to bring her back. Is she still affected by the Ruby ?
  A: Yes she is. Moving in and out of play doesn't change the duration of the Ruby's effect in any way. Martin Lund, "Rules for 8 June 2004", 10 Jun 2004
• Q: 1. If I target a ranged attack at my opponent's personality and he reacts with Outer Walls, can I then react with Tsuruchi Technique?? Or is it too late due to different timing on the Reactions??
  A: I don't see the Reactions having any different timing. They both happen right before you resolve the Ranged Attack effect. They have the same trigger, so you can keep going around the table playing Tsuruchi Techniques and Outer Walls until everyone passes consecutively. Martin Lund, "Rules for 20 May 2004", 24 May 2004
• Q: If I have a personality in play with a 'Once per turn' ability that I have already used this turn, and the personality subsequently dies and is brought back with Feign Death, can I use the 'Once per turn' ability again?? Or does the card remember that it has already used the ability that turn??
  A: The card doesn't remember. The players remember. It isn't a new Personality or Ability. "Once per turn," still applies. If you've already used it this turn, you can't use it again. It doesn't matter where the card went off to in the mean-time. Martin Lund, "Rules for 20 May 2004", 24 May 2004
• Q: Will a Feigned SHukmei set off another -1F/ -1C when he returns to your fief?
  A: Yes. It even reminds you as much on the most recent printing of Feign Death. Martin Lund, "Rules for 19 May 2004", 22 May 2004
• Q: And does the same apply if he kills it and plays a Feign Death?
  A: Yes. He leaves play. "While you control ..." expires. Your opponent is the last person to put him into play. When Show of Good Faith expires, control remains with your opponent. Martin Lund, "Rules for 17 May 2004", 19 May 2004
• Q: Can reactions that trigger off the destruction of a personality be played on a personality being destroyed from wedge? Example: Feign Death.
  A: Only if they don't target the Personality in question.
  Feign Death targets a Personality who has been destroyed to put that card back into play. You can't target a Personality you played Wedge on, so that's no good.
  Bayushi Kwanchai xp. keys off the destruction effect just negates that effect. It does nothing to the personality (in fact, it makes sure another effect leaves the Personality alone) and does not target it, so Wedge won't cause any problems. Martin Lund, "Rules for 24 April 2004", 27 Apr 2004
• Q: 1. If you Feign Death your Hiruma Ashihei, do you lose the 2 honor still, or does his trait preven that as well as the dishonoring?
  A: It Cancels the Action the minute it tries to Dishonor him. Any unproduced effects simply aren't generated. Since lose 2 Honor is the last effect in the sequence, it wouldn't occur. Martin Lund, "Rules for 20 April 2004", 22 Apr 2004
• Q: First... Feign Death vs. Hakai. Feign death is triggered by a peep dying, Hakai is triggered by a card entering the discard pile. Since cards are destroyed before they go to the discard pile, Feign should always win.
  A: They are effectively the same trigger. The rulebook defines destruction / dying as a process which consists of moving the card from in-play to the discard pile. that's just like how "bowing" consists of turning a card sideways.
  Also, note that both Hakai and Feign Death use the word "after" for their timing. By the time it is "after" someone dies, it is normally also after they have hit the discard pile. Martin Lund, "Rules for 13 April 2004", 14 Apr 2004
• Q: 2 - Can you confirm that Keen Eye will cancel Feign Death, Be Prepared To Dig Two Graves, Kisada's shrine used in reaction to the death of the loser of the duel ?
  A: "Everything that occurs after a challenge is accepted is "during a duel." [JA, 7 November 2001], including destroying the loser. Thus, if Reactions are not allowed during a duel, a Reaction played after the death of a Personality is illegal (e.g., Feign Death), unless the Personality dies before duel resolution. [JA, 28 August 2003; email, October 2003]" (Accumulated Rulings, "Duels")
  Yes. The results of losing and winning a duel are also considered to happen "during a duel" and thus happen during the time it is legal to play Keen Eye. Martin Lund, "Rules for 11 April 2004", 13 Apr 2004
• Q: Does "The Mountain Does Not Move" stave off Chi Death until the end of the turn, or does it work more like "Feign Death" in this regard?
  A: The Personality will still have 0 Chi after his destruction is negated, so he will just try to die again. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 19 March 2004", 20 Mar 2004
• Q: 1. My opponent plays Show of Good Faith and steals one of my personalities. He then proceeds to kill my personality he now controls. If one of us plays Feign Death on this personality, the personailty will come back under his control. But does the effect of Show of Good Faith (can't attack) wear off?
  It wore off the instant he left play. [card text]
  Does the personality come back under his control permanently?
  A: Yes. The last effect giving control was Feign Death. Its duration is the only one that matters. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 26 Feb. 2004", 27 Feb 2004
• Q: 1. My opponent plays Show of Good Faith and steals one of my personalities. He then proceeds to kill my personality he now controls. If one of us plays Feign Death on this personality, the personailty will come back under his control. But does the effect of Show of Good Faith (can't attack) wear off?
  A: It wore off the instant he left play. [card text] Jeff Alexander, "rules for 24 Feb. 2004", 26 Feb 2004
• Q: I seen where jeff ruled you can Feign Death someone you used Show of Good Faith on and It would allow you to declare an attack. I believe the reason was becuase the personlity died, left play for a split second and was returned back to play and the effects of Show of Good Faith was gone. Correct?
  A: Yes. Show of Good Faith's attacking restriction lasts while you control the stolen Personality. It specifies that duration in its own text. Since no one controls destroyed cards, killing the stolen Personality ends the restriction. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 20 Feb. 2004", 21 Feb 2004
• Q: Player A's Ashura dies. Player B plays Feign Death on the Ashura. Who suffers the entering play honor loss?
  A: Player A. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 6 Feb. 2004", 7 Feb 2004
• Q: A player takes control of a personality with Show of Good Faith, kills it and returns it with Feign Death. Is he allowed to attack now?
  A: Yes. The restriction against attacking ended when the Personality died. [Show of Good Faith card text] Jeff Alexander, "rules for 6 Feb. 2004", 7 Feb 2004
• Q: If you play Show of Good Faith on a personality, kill it somehow, and then use Feign Death to bring it back do you keep control of the personality even after the end of the turn?
  A: Yes. The most recent effect that gave you control was bringing it into play with Feign Death. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 4 Feb. 2004", 5 Feb 2004
• Q: If you use Yajinden to steal someone, kill the stolen personality somehow, and then use Feign Death to bring them beck, do you keep control of the personality even if Yajinden unbows?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 4 Feb. 2004", 5 Feb 2004
• Q: I target my opponent's personality with Fires of Dishonor. I then kill it in a duel and he plays Feign Death. When the personality dies and if it comes back into play does it remember the Fires of dishonor effect?
  A: Yes (Diamond rules, pg. 70). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 17 December 2003", 17 Dec 2003
• Q: 2) If the above is yes, when the personality comes back into play with Feign Death bowed, does it die because it bowed?
  A: No (http://l5r.alderac.com/rulings/#Bow). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 17 December 2003", 17 Dec 2003
• Q: Can Feign Death, Kisada's Fist or Kisada's Shrine negate the destruction of a wedge?
  A: No (http://l5r.com/ccg/faq.html#s4, Reign of Blood rulesheet). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 14 December 2003, Part 2", 15 Dec 2003
• Q: How does Hakai interact with Kisada's Shrine, Feign Death, etc.? Can Hakai's second reaction be used to prevent those cards from bringing personalities back from the dead?
  A: You'd have to read each card on a case by case basis. If a card prevents destruction, Hakai's ability would have no effect. If the card is returned to play *after* destruction, Hakai's ability would occur first, as hitting the discard pile is a normal part of destruction.
  Zen Fauleks! * Crab Clan Scholar * Unaligned Deputy Rules Guy Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 9 December 2003, Part 2", 10 Dec 2003
• Q: I can use Feign Death in reaction to another players personality dying correct?
  A: Guess so. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 27 November 2003", 27 Nov 2003
• Q: You can only gain honor [for hiring Personalities during the Dynasty Phase[.]
  What about if Feign Death is played during the Dynasty Phase[?]
  A: No; you're not "hiring" a Personality (Rules Archive, Entering play). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 27 November 2003", 27 Nov 2003
• Q: does a player using [Feign Death] gain the personal honor of the Personality when it enters play and then lose 2 after that (for a net gain of 0 if PH=2)?
  A: No. You can only gain honor during the Dynasty Phase (a rule which has somehow been lost and escaped re-entry from a surprising number of rulebook revisions). See Rules Archive: http://l5r.alderac.com/rulings/#Enter_play Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 26 November 2003", 27 Nov 2003
• Q: I assume that Feign Death and Loyal Yojimbo can be played on [Hiruma] Ashihei when he's destroyed without dishonoring him, due to card text sequencing.
  A: Yes to both. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 26 November 2003", 27 Nov 2003
• Q: Can I reanimate my personality targeted with Wedge by using Feign Death when it dies due to Wedge effect ?
  A: No. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 10 November 2003, Part 2", 11 Nov 2003
• Q: I would think "when the battle ends" is not the same as "after the battle ends" but in Zen's archive it reads: "The unit is destroyed immediately after the battle is over regardless of whether it is still in the army. [Card text]"
  But I would think that things which occur "when" the battle ends actually take place before anything "after" the battle.
  A: This is just another ruling that needs to be tweaked slightly to reflect the Diamond wording. The basis of the ruling was just that if the unit gets sent home or moves to another battle, yes, you still have to destroy it.
  Seriously, folks, take archived rulings about cards that just got reprinted in Diamond with a few grains of salt. As much as I have tried to get things up to speed, there are going to be minor little out-of-date things for some time. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 10 November 2003, Part 2", 11 Nov 2003
• Q: [I]f two or more copies of the same Unique Personality are in play (say, after a One Life, One Destiny), they cannot be saved by "die briefly, but come back" (Feign Death, Kisada's Shrine) effects, right?
  A: No (Diamond Edition rulesbook, pg. 56). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 27 October 2003", 28 Oct 2003
• Q: When "paying all costs" with Feign Death, does that include gold cost/meeting honor requirements?
  A: Feign Death doesn't require paying costs. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 28 September 2003", 28 Sep 2003
• Q: Do you keep control of a personality you have due to Show of Good Faith, if you somehow destory that personality then play Feign Death?
  A: No. Gold Edition rulebook, pg. 39. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 28 September 2003", 28 Sep 2003
• Q: let's say you have an action (such as casting "I Give You My Name") that requires the destruction of a personality as a cost. If you have a reaction like "Glick" or "Feign Death" that simply reacts to the destruction by bringing the personality back, can you do that and still bring the Oni into play via the spell?
  A: Glick does not react to the destruction of another card; the destruction of another goblin is a cost. You cannot pay two costs at once.
  Feign Death, as currently worded, works, because the Personality is destroyed, thus satisfying the original cost. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 22 August 2003", 22 Aug 2003
• Q: . . .we expect to bring back some previously printed cards that are currently only legal in Open. We're looking at cards like Doom of the Dark Lord, Feign Death, and other such popular cards.
  I found this a very, very curious list. Most of my associates did as well. Acknowledging that it is short, it also contains some extremely strong cards from Open, each of which wasn't amazingly thematic or clever. They don't add much flavor, but they add a lot of strength, especially for the Horde -- which already needs to be reigned in.
  A: Those are the kinds of cards we're *looking* at. We pass over the upper stratosphere of too-strong cards like Wedge and begin just below, working our way downward. We want cards that players will be excited to find in their packs and want to use in their decks. Yes, it will be a tricky balancing act due to so many cards being well-used simply because they're extremely cost-effective or relatively mindless. On the other side of the coin is how quickly interest in the game will surely wane if we produce a 550 card set full of Dispersive Terrains and Archers. Jeff Alexander, "post for 8 January 2002", 9 Jan 2003
• Q: Here's an example: First turn I buy gold. Second turn, I buy Kida Kuon, overlay Kuon exp and then overlay Kuon exp2 on that. Third turn I attack with Kuon who gets To Do What We Musted into the ground. I play Feign Death (I'd say Kisada's Shrine, but it isn't released yet). Kuon exp2 went to the dead pile and then comes back in to play.
  Does Kuon nonexp and Kuon exp come back with him (all stapled together) or is it just Kuon exp2 that comes back by himself?
  A: Only Kuon Exp2 comes back, but he has all the stats, abilities, and changes he had when there were still two cards under him. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 August 2002", 2 Aug 2002
• Q: If a cost or effect destroys an entire unit, the Obi's Reaction will only prevent the destruction of the Personality card. Everything else attached will still die.
  Jeff,
  but under the old rulings, didn't the the attached items, followers or spells get destroyed only if the personality was actually destroyed? Feign Death and Crane Tattoo returns a personality in play after the personality is destroyed, so it is clear that they will lose anything that was attached to them. They may retain changes to them that were permanent though, like tattoos or oath of fealty effects.
  The Golden Obi is not the same though, as it actually prevents the personality from being destroyed in the first place, letting the personality in question to actually keep his stuff.
  Am I wrong?
  A: You're thinking about what happens when something destroys only the Personality.
  Something destroying the entire unit will destroy every single card in the unit. Saving just the Personality -- which is what the Obi does -- will not save the rest. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 March 2002", 20 Mar 2002
• Q: Or in the case you describe Vaughn, with Feign Death, if a dying unit gets sac'd to the altar instead, does that trump the battle resolution death and thus deny the defender Honor for that sac'd unit?
  A: Feign Death is played after the destruction, by its own wording. All your other cards are already dead by that point too, so honor has already been gained and you have nothing left to sacrifice. If you had a reaction that gets used before destruction, that would do what you're trying to do. Jeff Alexander, "post for 11 December 2001", 12 Dec 2001
• Q: 3) I apologize for being redundant, but this will seriously affect our play and start arguments: to be sure, as Feign Death targets (this assumes the answer to (1) is yes), you can't use it on a bowed, dying Personality. Correct?
  A: In addition to Zen's note, I'd also like to point out that it's not played until after the Personality dies, and cards in the discard pile are never considered bowed (p. 61). Jeff Alexander, "replies to 10-14 July 2001", 19 Jul 2001
• Q: Poison Weapon and Feign Death now target,
  A: Wrong. The Gold Edition text for Poisoned Weapon *specifically says* it does not target. (I didn't to add this to the Gold MRP list because the card still works like it always did. It should go in, though, seeing how Gold makes actions target by default.) Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 14 July 2001", 15 Jul 2001
• Q: as Feign Death targets (this assumes the answer to (1) is yes), you can't use it on a bowed, dying Personality. Correct?
  A: Wrong. Card text: "Play immediately after a *BOWED* or unbowed Personality you control is destroyed..." Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 14 July 2001", 15 Jul 2001
• Q: More fun with questions...
  1) Would the Winter Warfare no send home ruling also apply to also apply to Feign Death? A person dies, is Feigned, and thus would have to return to the battle because technically they can't leave it? (Ditto for Sight of Death) Or does pretending to die buy you a sleigh ride through the snow :) ?
  A: Both Feign Death and Sight of Death return the personality to play after they've died, so they've already left the battle, though they haven't quite *moved*. A Feigned/Sighted personality still comes back in your fief. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for December 11th", 11 Dec 2000
• Q: Rules Junta, Thank you for your previous clarifications. Here's another one:
  We're hip-deep in Battle Segment bloodshed, and a player destroys a personality with a Ranged Attack.
  His opponent then plays Escalating Violence [...Interrupt: If the action is another player's and Battle, after the first time it destroys one of your cards, target an enemy Personality. Your Personalities have +1F/+1C while opposing the target (this turn).]
  Can the opponent then play Feign Death [Interrupt: Target your Personality. After the action resolves, if it destroyed him, bring him into play in your home, ignoring costs and Honor Requirement, then bow him, dishonor him, and lose 2 Honor.] and keep the +1F/+1C bonus for personalities still present at the battle?
  Pushing it even further, could he then play Back to the Front to bring the "destroyed" personality back to the battle, also retaining the +1F/+1C bonus?
  "I'm not dead yet. I think I'd like to go for a walk."
  A: First point to note is that both Escalating Violence and Feign Death, being Interrupts, are played before the action they interrupt resolves - that is, before the Personality is destroyed. However, given that, as of Twenty Festivals, targets are chosen before Interrupts are taken, it makes no difference in the case you describe.
  So. If you Interrupt, with Escalating Violence and Feign Death, your opponent's Ranged Attack action targeting your Personality, Escalating Violence's delayed effect is triggered first, by your Personality's destruction: you target an enemy Personality, and the bonuses to your Personalities start to apply. Later, after the action resolves, Feign Death's delayed effects are triggered, and your Personality re-enters play, etc: this has no impact, however, on the bonuses granted by Escalating Violence.
  Regarding the second question, the bonus granted by Escalating Violence has a while condition, which means that it is applied whenever the condition is true. That is, for the rest of the turn, whenever your Personalities are facing the target they get the bonus, and when they're not, they don't - and they regain the bonus when they are facing the target again. Your Personality whose destruction triggered Escalating Violence will gain the bonus when he moves to the battlefield with Back to the Front. Alex Jones, "Interupt timing: Escalating Violence and Feign Death", 1 Sep 2015
• Q: Situation: Goju Saido has been bought previously with its Invest cost. When it dies, its player Interrupts the action with Feign Death. Per Akodo Gilador's ruling, he enters play from an out-of-play area, which is considered Recruiting per the CR.
  - Does Goju Saido's controller need to pay the 10G Invest Cost he initially paid? - Can he choose to pay an additional 10G Invest cost when Saido enters play through Feign Death?
  Also: I do not see the change Palmer mentions here. Nothing in the Invest part of the CR specifies you need to Recruit a personality to use its Invest trait?
  Relevant text:
  Goju Saido Invest 10 : Melee 5 Attack (this cannot be Interrupted) that may target a card in a player's home (if otherwise legal). This Invest cost cannot be reduced. Lose 2 Honor. After Saido enters play, lose 1 Honor.
  Feign Death Interrupt: Target your Personality. After the action resolves, if it destroyed him, bring him into play in your home, ignoring costs and Honor Requirement, then bow him, dishonor him, and lose 2 Honor.
  RECRUIT Furthermore, any time an effect brings a Personality or Holding into play from an out-of-play area, it is considered Recruiting and follows the Recruit procedure with any stated modifications. This does not apply to created cards because they are brought into existence from nothingness.
  INVEST This is a trait that starts with “Invest” and a Gold cost (for example, “Invest 2:”). Before paying for a card entering play, a player may permanently increase the card’s Gold Cost by the additional cost in its Invest trait, once, to get an additional effect after it enters play (for example, “Gain 1 Honor” or “Give this card a +2F token.”) When Invest appears on a non-Strategy card, its effects come from the Invest trait, not the action that brought the card into play.
  An Invest cost on a Strategy may be added to the cost of any action the player is taking from the Strategy, at the point when that cost would be paid. If it creates distinct effects, as opposed to just modifying the action, they are added to the action’s effects, resolving last, and become part of the action. Things that can pay for an action on a Strategy can also pay for an Invest cost on a Strategy.
  A: As Jon has stated, Feign Death does not Recruit the Personality. Alex Jones, "Feign Death & Invest", 15 Jun 2015
• Q: Feign Death Interrupt: Target your Personality. After the action resolves, if it destroyed him, bring him into play in your home, ignoring costs and Honor Requirement, then bow him, dishonor him, and lose 2 Honor.
  RECRUIT # Furthermore, any time an effect brings a Personality or Holding into play from an out-of-play area, it is considered Recruiting and follows the Recruit procedure with any stated modifications. This does not apply to created cards because they are brought into existence from nothingness.
  Does feign death recruit personalities or not? Palmer said the rules were going to be changed 3 months ago. Should we be playing feign death as recruiting personalities as the rules indicate or are they still going to be changed? http://alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php? ... o#p1460523
  Could I use the interrupt on a kitsune to get another spirit while using feign death? Kitsune Beiko Force/Chi 0 1 HR/GC/PH 2 10 3 Keywords Earth • Shugenja Text (Shugenja may attach and cast Spells.) Interrupt: After you Recruit Beiko, create a 5F/2C/3PH Mantis Clan • Bear • Nonhuman • Spirit Personality with the trait, "Has -2F while attacking" and the ability, "Battle: Fear 4."
  A: Feign Death does not recruit Personalities. I apologize for the slowness in the CR update, but that's the way the card works. Jon Palmer, "Feign Death and recruit", 15 Jun 2015
• Q: So i'm pretty sure i know the answer to this already but i'm looking for clarification.
  So feign death removes anything attached to a card when it dies like tokens, but could someone feign death when i play spinning the web even if it doesn't kill them right away?
  Player A has personality with 3C Player B plays spinning the web Player A plays feign death. Player B uses Shosuro Sadao's ability to generate a token trigger spinning the web making another token killing the personality.
  OR
  Player A has 3C personality Player B plays spinning the web Player A plays feign death. Player B plays a Duel and interrupts with Aroru sensei wins duel gives personality 2 tokens killing them.
  so would feign death work in such situations since they interrupted an effect that is ongoing that eventually kills the personality? My initial gut answer is no do to the delayed effect thing that happens.
  A: Feign Death's delayed effect only triggers if the action it Interrupts destroys the Personality. If a later action destroys him, Feign Death will have no effect. Jon Palmer, "Spinning the Web and Feign Death", 7 Jun 2015
• Q: when you use feign death on a personality do they come in fresh, or do they retain everything they had on them when they died like force/chi penalties, battlefield assignments etc. If they come in with all card memory would they still die if they died from having 0 chi, or could you use back to the front on them while still in the battle?
  A: A Personality who Feigns Death does go (briefly) out of play, but not face-down, so he or she retains effects and other tracked game states, as described under Card Memory Rule: If a card is both out of play and face-down (including returning to the hand), it “forgets” ongoing effects specific to it, and other changes such as whether its abilities have been used. Alex Jones, "Feign Death and card memory", 29 May 2015
• Q: Is Feign Death played during the action that kills the person? if so, if played during an unstoppable action can the player not feign death?
  A: That is correct, another player may not play Feign Death as an Interrupt to your Unstoppable action. However, you may play it during your own Unstoppable action, as you can Interrupt your own Unstoppable actions. Jon Palmer, "Feign Death and Unstoppable Actions", 5 Mar 2015
• Q: When a fully invested Goju saido is destroyed and the destruction interrupted with feign death, when Saido reenter's play he will perform a Melee 5 as part of his entering play effects, yes?
  If that is true, when coming into play, Saido may target a card in the players home, but assuming that Saido was destroyed and subsequently comes back during the battle action phase, can his Melee attack target a card in the enemies army?
  If the above is yes, would you still be able to do so if Saido was the last person in the opposing army, and by his destruction and return to home, you no longer have presence at that battlefield, would you still be able to target an enemy card in the previously opposed army?
  Goju Saido Assassin • Ninja • Shadowlands Invest : Melee 5 Attack (this cannot be Interrupted) that may target a card in a player's home (if otherwise legal). This Invest cost cannot be reduced. Lose 2 Honor. After Saido enters play, lose 1 Honor.
  Feign Death Interrupt: Target your Personality. After the action resolves, if it destroyed him, bring him into play in your home, ignoring costs and Honor Requirement, then bow him, dishonor him, and lose 2 Honor.
  A: Your reading of the current rules is correct; however, we're removing the section of the CR that defaults all entering play to Recruiting. Since Feign Death does not explicitly Recruit and Recruiting is needed for Invest effects on Personalities to trigger, you will not get the Invest effect again if you bring an Invested Personality back into play via Feign Death. Jon Palmer, "Goju Saido + feign death", 5 Mar 2015
• Q: Bayushi Katsue Political Interrupt: After Katsue enters play, a target player loses 1 Honor.
  Feign Death Interrupt: Target your Personality. After the action resolves, if it destroyed him, bring him into play in your home, ignoring costs and Honor Requirement, then bow him, dishonor him, and lose 2 Honor.
  If a ranged attack is played to kill Katsue, can i play Feign Death and his own interrupt, to make a target player lose 1 honor after him enter in play for Feign Death?
  Thanks in advance.
  Sorry for my english.
  A: Interrupts only affect the action they are Interrupting. Since you cannot Interrupt Feign Death (it being an Interrupt as well), and Feign Death is the card bringing Katsue into play, there's no way to effectively use his Interrupt here. Interrupting the Ranged Attack will not trigger the 1 honor loss as the Ranged Attack is not what brings Katsue into play. Jon Palmer, "Bayushi Katsue and Feign Death", 5 Mar 2015
• Q: Does Feign Death work with Way of the Crab and Wedge?
  A: It will not, because Feign Death's effect only triggers of the Personality is destroyed during the action's resolution. Actions with delayed destruction, such as Way of the Crab and Wedge, will not later trigger it. Jon Palmer, "Feign Death", 5 Mar 2015
• Q: FD and TEA - under IvE rules a Personality destroyed during battle returns to game in home or at the battlefield? As i suppose ("in your home") is reminder text for EE era when default entering play location was home. In IvE default entering play for Personalities during battle is current battlefield.
  1) CR Recruit: " Personalities Recruited during a battle enter play in their controller’s army at the current battlefield. '
  2) CR Recruit: " Furthermore, any time an effect brings a Personality or Holding into play from an out-of-play area, it is considered Recruiting and follows the Recruit procedure with any stated modifications. This does not apply to created cards because they are brought into existence from nothingness. "
  3) viewtopic.php?f=59&t=110660&p=1444677&hilit=reminder+text#p1444677 -> "Reminder text is not Rules text"
  A: Thanks for pointing this out. Indeed, under Ivory rules, to work as it always has and return the Personality to play in your home, the Emperor Edition Feign Death needs "in your home" to be rules text and no longer just reminder text. Please proceed assuming that there will be this update to the Oracle wording. Roger Giner-Sorolla, "Feign Death and The Empress' Address", 15 Feb 2015
• Q: So lets assume my M'rika dies for whatever reason and I play Feign Death to keep her alive. Do I gain the 2 honor from her trait before she is dishonored, or do the two cancel each other out?
  A: You gain the 2 honour, then dishonour her.
  Feign Death: "Reaction: After the resolution of an action or a battle that destroyed a performing Personality you own: Bring him into play (in your home), ignoring costs and Honor Requirement. Bow him. Dishonor him. Lose 2 Honor."
  M'rika: "After M'rika enters play: Gain 2 Honor."
  M'rika's trait is triggered by her entering play, which means it happens immediately after this, before any other effects occur - unless they are also triggered by her entering play. The bowing, dishonouring and honour loss are *not* triggered by her entering play, but are further, sequential effects of Feign Death.
  See Timing, Triggers. Alex Jones, "M'Rika and Feigned Death", 16 Aug 2013
• Q: I wanted to request a clarification based on this ruling to make sure I am correct because I think it will come up eventually: viewtopic.php?p=1344008#p1344008
  Is it actually possibly to save a personality from Chi Death with Feign Death if that personality has 2C or higher?
  So take a Personality with 2C. You play Suck the Marrow, its action resolves (gives the -1F/-1C) and sets up a continuous (or is it delayed?) effect to give -1F/-1C. So to my understanding, this is similar to Isawa Fosuta - exp ability in CE.
  It was ruled in CE (viewtopic.php?p=1153810#p1153810) that you could not react with Udo to a personalities Chi death destruction from Fosuta because the action generally had resolved several turns earlier.
  Does the same apply to FD for a personality with 2C or higher? FD looks for the resolution of an action that destroyed the personality, but for a 2C or higher doesn't the resolution of Suck the Marrow happen on a previous turn and is therefore no longer a valid trigger for FD?
  Thank you
  A: Unless the Personality's Chi is 1 when Suck the Marrow is played (reducing them to 0 as part of its resolution), Feign Death will not be able to be played in reaction to destruction from Suck the Marrow. If another effect reduces the Personality to 0 later (say, a 4C Personality with 3 Suck the Marrow tokens is hit with Frozen in Place), you will be able to Feign Death them then, which will remove all of the tokens but not the ongoing effect of Suck the Marrow. Jon Palmer, "Re: Suck the Marrow and Feign Death", 8 Mar 2013
• Q: Can you feign death a created personality, such as a Lion ancestor, Mantis Spirit token, or Akuma's power personality? As far as I know the personality is removed from the game when they are destroyed.
  A: No.
  Well, to be precise, you can play Feign Death and you'll lose 2 honour, but it won't return the Personality to play - see Areas of the Game, Outside the game: Cards outside the game will not enter other areas unless an effect specifically says it returns them from outside the game. Alex Jones, "Feign Death + Created Personality", 19 Nov 2012
• Q: Perfect Sacrifice Dark Virtue • Perfection Battle/Limited: Choose your performing Samurai: Give each Personality and Follower in his unit a Force bonus equal to its current Force. Before this turn ends, destroy his unit.
  Feign Death Reaction: After the resolution of an action or a battle that destroyed a performing Personality you own: Bring him into play (in your home), ignoring costs and Honor Requirement. Bow him. Dishonor him. Lose 2 Honor.
  i tried searching, but didn't find anything about this particular question (sorry if i overlooked it... ).can you Feign Death the samurai you Perfect Sacrifice? ....i assume not because during Perfect Sarcifice resolution the effect of destruction doesn't happen at that moment which is when Feign Death trigger would need to trigger but can't since the samurai isn't destroyed during the resolution of Perfect Sacrifice. was debating about this during a game.... Thanks in advance.
  A: You are correct. Because the samurai hasn't been destroyed by the time Perfect Sacrifice finishes resolving, there's no legal trigger for Feign Death. Jon Palmer, "Perfect Sacrifice & Feign Death", 17 Jul 2012
• Q: Can you play Feign Death in response to you killing your own personality as a cost? For example, can I use Ring of Fire's action, destroy my Personality A to kill Personality B, then respond with Feign Death when it resolves and bring my Personality A back into play?
  A: Yes, you may. Brook Cunningham, "Feign Death", 14 Jul 2012
• Q: So i wasn't sure on the memory of the personality in this scenario.
  step 1:get into a battle at province a step 2:lose the battle at province a by having less force at battle resolution step 3:use feign death on your personality to bring him back and send him home step 4:use brave new world to send the feign death-ed personality to province b during the same attack phase
  Im guessing that the card will still have the memory of being in battle resolution and therefore cannot be moved to attack again. just wanted to double check.
  A: You are correct, it would still have memory and the Second Battle Rule would stop it from moving into a new battle.
  Cards don't lose memory unless they go both out-of-play AND face-down (see here). In the sequence you describe, the card was never face-down. Brook Cunningham, "Feign Death and battle res", 18 May 2012
• Q: I use Your Clan Needs You! to bring my personality into play. After a series of actions, he is the only personality there. I play In The Heat Of Battle on him taking him 8F, enough to destroy the province.
  1- Does he stay in play long enough to destroy the province or does Your Clan Needs You! return him to the province first?
  2- Re: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=94949&p=1258563&hilit=needs#p1258563
  Does In The Heat Of Battle destroy him in province at the end of turn?
  3- When is my timing to use Feign Death in response to In The Heat Of Battle's destruction?
  Your Clan Needs You! Battle: If any enemy units are at the current battlefield, choose your performing Personality in one of your provinces: Bring him into play at the current battlefield, paying all costs but paying 6 less Gold. After the battle ends, if he is in play, discard all his attachments and put him face up into one of your provinces, face-up, discarding any card there.
  In the Heart of Battle Bushido Virtue • Duty Battle/Open: Choose your performing Samurai: Straighten him and give him +3F. Destroy him before this turn ends.
  Feign Death Reaction: After the resolution of an action or battle that destroyed a performing Personality you own: Bring him into play (in your home), ignoring costs and Honor Requirement. Bow him. Lose 2 Honor.
  Thank you.
  A: 1. Your Clan Needs You will not put him back into province until after Battle resolution, so you will take the Province.
  2. In the Heart of Battle will destroy him in Province, placing him in your discard pile as a dead Personality.
  3. Feign Death will not save you from In the Heart of Battle, as it has not destroyed the Personality as of the action's resolution. This is generally the case with Feign Death and any delayed destruction effects. Jon Palmer, "Your Clan Needs You", 23 Mar 2012
• Q: Hello if I react with halls of the forgotten to the destruction of one of my berserkers say by a steel on steel or another battle action at what point if any can I play feign death. I guess what I am asking is when would the action considered being resolved and when would I have to play the feign death?
  Halls of the Forgotten: Text Reaction: After another player's Battle action targets your Berserker: Delay its effects on him until after this battle ends.
  feign Death: Reaction: After the resolution of an action or a battle that destroyed a performing Personality you own: Bring him into play (in your home), ignoring costs and Honor Requirement. Bow him. Dishonor him. Lose 2 Honor.
  Thank you.
  A: If you delay the destruction, then when the action resolves, it won't have "destroyed" your Personality, so there will be no legal trigger for Feign Death and you won't be able to play it. Brook Cunningham, "Halls of the forgotten and Feign Death", 11 Jan 2012
• Q: Zen Faulkes wrote:
  Void wrote:
  If I try to Feign Death a personality with 0 chi, when will it be dishonored?
  Effects occur in the order written on the card, so Immediately after being returned to play, before the honor loss.
  Void wrote:
  Are rulebook effects checked continuously?
  I'm not sure there's any general answer to that question.
  When does the personality die (because of it having 0 chi)? Is this checked after the complete effects of Feign Death? Meaning, after the personality returns to play, get dishonored, and the player loses 2 honor? Or does it die immediately after returning into play (and the personality gets dishonored while in the discard pile)?
  A: Returned from Rules Junta.
  Death for 0 Chi will happen in between the individual effects resolving. Your Personality will be returned to play, then die, then become dishonored while in the Discard Pile. Martin Lund, "Feign Death followup", 11 Apr 2005
• Q: Let's say I have a personality with 2 PH. My opponent, playing Uso Sensei, has just killed him with Steel on Steel. I play two Feign Deaths to save my peep. How much honor do I lose if the personality was honorable before he died the first time? 4 or 6?
  A: We'll just walk through the effects one at a time.
  Duel Resolution starts.
  The first "Destroy the Loser" effect resolves.
  --> Respond with Feign Death
  --> Return the Personality
  --> Dishonor the Personality
  --> Lose 2 Honor
  The second "Destroy the Loser" effect resolves.
  --> Lose 2 Honor for Dishonorable Death
  --> Respond with Feign Death
  --> Return the Personality
  --> Dishonor the Personality (Fails)
  --> Lose 2 Honor
  Total loss = 6 Honor Martin Lund, "Feign Death/Uso Sensei Question", 11 Apr 2005
• Q: Can you use Feign Death(if the personality dies while under your control), and Suitengu's Surge to permantly keep the personality that you had showed?
  A: Archive, Show of Good Faith. Zen Faulkes, "Show of good faith and permantly keeping the personality", 11 Apr 2005
• Q: I win a lethal duel against an opponent. He plays Feign Death, Loyal Yojimbo, or some other such anti-death reaction. Can I Keen Eye it?
  A: Archive, Duels, Resolution. Zen Faulkes, "Questions about Keen Eye", 3 Apr 2005
• Q: If I try to Feign Death a personality with 0 chi, when will it be dishonored?
  A: Effects occur in the order written on the card, so Immediately after being returned to play, before the honor loss. Zen Faulkes, "Feign Death", 31 Mar 2005
• Q: If Mak'irtch is killed, and he Feigns Death, is he considered to have "entered the discard pile" for this ability?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Mak'irtch and Feign Death", 27 Mar 2005
• Q: I was thinking about this, because feign death doesn't prevent destruction, it just returns the card to play(.)
  A: Incorrect. The Personality fully hits the discard pile and is fully destroyed. Zen Faulkes, "Mak'irtch and Feign Death", 27 Mar 2005
• Q: And subsequent to that what would happen if it died and was targeted with Feign Death to bring it back into play?
  As far as I can tell, from the explicit wording of the effect you would keep control of the personality as its controller is not changing and you are not bringing it into play from a province.
  A: You lost control of the card when it died. You are bringing it back into play under your control. You can't have control of it, so the effect fails. It stays in the Discard Pile. Make the Personality Dishonored. Lose 2 Honor. Martin Lund, "A clarification of "Loyal"", 23 Mar 2005
• Q: Otomo Sensei (+0/+0/+0)
  All Clans
  All cards that would go to your discard pile are instead permanently removed from play.
  Reaction: When a player searches for and gets a card from his deck or discard pile, discard from play a card from your hand to discard the players card from play.
  Question: If I'm running Otomo sensei, can I save a perso of mine who is destroyed with Feign Death or Kisada's Shrine, or does the sensei prevent that, because they are removed from the game before I can save them?
  A: No, for the reason given. Zen Faulkes, "Otomo Sensei Question", 21 Mar 2005
• Q: can i Feign Death my opponent's personality? if yes, who loses the honour?
  A: Yes. You. Zen Faulkes, "shattered focus", 14 Mar 2005
• Q: Shahai (R Personality [WoL] SD): 5F 5C -H 8G 0PH * Shadowlands Lady of Blood * Bloodspeaker * Shugenja Experienced * Unique * Lose 6 Honor. * After Shahai enters play, give all Personalities you control a Blood token. * Maho Limited: Destroy a Blood token on Shahai: Target a dead Personality. Shahai gains a copy of one of his printed abilities until she uses this ability again. She may use it once per turn. Remove the target from the game.
  The rulebook syas that when a personality is destroyed it gains the Honorable Dead or Dishonorable Dead status. The rulebook nor the archive don't specify that this designation goes away if they are returned from the dead pile to play. Does this mean that if I have Shahai in play, Shahai can use her ability on a personality that has been returned from being destroyed (such as Feign Death) because she does not specify that they need to be in a dead pile?
  A: You've got to be kidding.
  Okay, fine. Here it is. Cards in play are not dead. Official. Zen Faulkes, "Shahai and Dead Personalities", 3 Mar 2005
• Q: Does this mean that if I have Shahai in play, Shahai can use her ability on a personality that has been returned from being destroyed (such as Feign Death) because she does not specify that they need to be in a dead pile?
  A: No. Zen Faulkes, "Shahai and Dead Personalities", 3 Mar 2005
• Q: 1. If I use Takige's reaction while she is dishonored, will I get the 3 Honor or will Takige be rehonored in the discard pile?
  2. What if I play Feign Death on her after using her reaction? Will she get rehonored instead of the Honor gain?
  Thank you!
  A: Gain honor. Cards out of play are not subject to card effects (Diamond rules, pg. 55). Zen Faulkes, "Re: Mirumoto Takige", 3 Mar 2005
• Q: What if I play Feign Death on her after using her reaction? Will she get rehonored instead of the Honor gain?
  A: Rehonored. Zen Faulkes, "Re: Mirumoto Takige", 3 Mar 2005
• Q: If it is known that a just-dead Personality will not enter play again (say the Personality is Singular, and the controler already controls another copy, most likely due to some Egg business), is it legal to play Feign Death?
  (sure, the Personality will not enter play, but some of the effects will not be negated: the dead Personality will be dishonored, and the player playing Feign Death will lose 2 Honor, so my guess is, it's a legal, if usually dumb thing to do)
  A: No rule says all effects must resolve. Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Feign Death legality", 3 Mar 2005
• Q: An effect governing whether or not a player may bring a card into play
  A: The Uniqueness Rule is one of these.
  The rules for Singular and Loyal are not. They govern whether or not a player may "control" a card by any of a broad variety of means - not just bringing a card into play, but stealing one with Kolat Master / Ninja Thief, or having control of one returned to you due to Show of Good Faith expiring. Martin Lund, "Feign Death and Restrictions for Loyal", 3 Mar 2005
• Q: According to Marty :
  Quote:
  "Loyal" and "Singular" impose control restrictions - which prohibit you from gaining control of a card in violation of Singular or Loyal through any means including Personality Theft, having an opponent's Personality theft effect expire and return control to you, or bringing a card into play.
  Overlaying only exempts you from play restrictions - restrictions which only prevent a card from being brough into play - such as "Unique" and "May play this card only if you control a courtier," etc.
  Control restrictions are not considered play restrictions, so Overlaying does not allow you to bipass Singular or Loyal.
  - Marty Lund
  Deputy Rules Monkey
  Are "controling restriction" waived by Feign Death?
  A: No. The term "control restriction" is one Marty has coined for convenience and has no meaning in the current rules. "Restriction" does have a defined meaning in the current rules (Diamond glossary). Zen Faulkes, "Feign Death and Restrictions", 3 Mar 2005
• Q: [Imperial]
  When a Personality with Utter Defeat effects die and I bring it back with Feign Death, does it still have the UD effects?
  A: I can't find a contemporary Ruling on the matter, so I think "while they are alive" should be considered a fixed, ongoing duration that ends when they die, just like the SE reprint that explicitly states "while they remain in play". Thus, dying would end the effect, and using the Imperial Feign Death would bring the back without it (though they would still be dishonorable). Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 6 Oct 2026
• Q: [Imperial]
  Can I play Darkness Feeds and then Feign Death on the same Personality that just died?
  Is that just the same logic as playing multiple Martyr's on a Personality's death
  A: Yes, you can.
  (Replying to a player: "The order doesn't matter right?") Very technically, Darkness Feeds says "when" and Feign says "after", so it would be DF then FD. But it was Imperial, which was a bit more loosey-goosey, so eh. 😛
  (Replying to a player: "Does it change anything that in the Oracle, Darkness Feeds also says "after"") That just means I personally don't like "when" triggers because they generally cause timing confusion, especially when it comes to negating an effect; "before" and "after" a trigger are much clearer, sequentially speaking. So I changed it myself. 😛 I was trying to give you a contemporary answer since you didn't tag it Open/Legacy.
  In either case, I don't think it matters much? Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 25 Sep 2026
• Q: [Jade Ex] what happens to a perdonality’s attschments after Inolay a Feign Death on it? Do they fall or stay?
  A: They are destroyed/discarded. The Personality is also; Feign Death returns the Personality to play after they die rather than prevent the destruction.
  (Replying to a player: "Also the Ancestors right?") Everything attached to them is destroyed, just like they are, then FD brings only the Personality back. (Also, that's technically a [Jade Ex] question, as FD isn't legal in Strict Jade). Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 21 Sep 2026
• Q: [Jade] For Kitsu Osen exp ETB effect, you can’t use feign death to save your targeted personality, right? Bc they are removed from the game instead of destroyed? Err, regular Kitsu Osen (Plus flavor wise, it just doesn’t make any sense)
  A: No, you were right the first time; Kitsu Osen Exp.
  Correct. RftG is not the same as destroyed. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 31 Mar 2026
• Q: @Brook Cunningham Can you Feign Death a Wedge? I doubt it, but just wondering.
  A: Saaam is right. The Reaction version of Feign could resurrect someone who Wedge destroyed in all previous arcs by reacting at the time of destruction, but the Interrupt version specifically looks for the destruction to have occurred during the action's resolution and won't save anyone who is destroyed by delayed destruction later on. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 8 Mar 2024