Firm Censure

Legend of the Five Rings card from Before the Dawn

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Open: Choose your performing Samurai and target another player's Personality or Follower: Negate the effects of the next action performed by the targeted card (this turn). Bow it if it has no attachments and is not a Samurai.

Focus Value

1

Legality

Age of Conquest (Emperor), Destroyer War (Celestial)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: In light of the changes in the Comprehensive Rules due to Paneki's Mask, I just want to preemptively verify that the ruling on Firm Censure and the Equip action stands, since the Equip action is not from the attachment itself.
  A: The Equip ability is unaffected by these changes, as the card enters play as an effect from a player ability, rather than as an effect from an ability on the card itself. Since the Equip action's effects are negated, the attachment stays in hand and never enters the entering play area. Alex Jones, "Negated Equip actions", 20 Mar 2013
• Q: Saw this: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=96397
  Can Yoritomo Singh react to an action with no gold cost?
  Examples: 1. Can Yoritomo Singh react to someone taking the once-per-game action on Border Keep to use up? 2. Can he react to announcing the naval reaction to use up Firm Censure before taking the naval action?
  A: You cannot pay a cost that doesn't exist, and actions on cards other than Strategies do not generally have a gold cost. The Gold Cost of a Strategy card is a base cost of each ability on it; an ability on another card type only has a gold cost if its text includes "pay XXX gold". Alex Jones, "Yoritomo Singh XP2 and Firm Censure", 27 Feb 2012
• Q: Poor good Yoritomo Singh XP2 has been targeted by Firm Censure, meaning the next action he performs will have its effects negated. Then player announces an action with a gold cost, for example Yoritomo Tarao (any other action with a gold cost would do here)
  1) Can the Mantis player announce Yoritomo Singh XP2's reaction so the Firm Censure is "used", then try to pay the cost with something else? I'm assuming this is a yes, since he could always overpay it any way. 2) Can the Mantis player use Yoritomo Singh XP2's reaction, have it fail, then pay no gold cost at all and have Tarao's action fail even though he has other means of paying the 2 gold? (Ie calling that the payment has been interferred with and choosing not to pay it as a result; essentially as a free way of getting rid of the Firm Censure ongoing effect) 3)Can the Mantis player announce Tarao's action if he has no other way of paying the gold cost, or would the Rule of Good Faith make it illegal since he knew in advance he couldn't pay it?
  Thank you in advance.
  A: 1. Yes, for the reason you cited. 2. Yes, for the reason you cited. 3. The Good Faith Rule does take into account game state, and therefore Terao's action could not be taken if the player has no other means of producing the cost. Jon Palmer, "Yoritomo Singh XP2 and Firm Censure", 26 Feb 2012
• Q: (I)f I use Firm Censure on an enemy personality and my opponent just says "I target that personality to attach an item to. It fails. Firm Censure's effect is done", do I have to get a judge (or in a local game, a neutral 3rd party) to check my opponent's hand to ensure that he does in fact have an attachment (and the gold to pay for it)?
  A: Discussion among the Rules Junta confirmed the earlier answer: you can call a tournament judge to confirm that the player is abiding by the Good Faith Rule. Zen Faulkes, "Firm Censure vs Equip Action", 24 Sep 2011
• Q: I target opponents personality with Firm Censure
  He then goes to Equip a follower to the targeted personality What happens 1. Follow returns to hand or is discarded? 2. Gold cost is paid or not paid?
  Many thanks
  ----------------------------------------- (Equip) Limited: Any number of times per turn, target one of your Personalities: Attach a target attachment card from your hand to him.
  Firm Censure Text Open: Choose your performing Samurai and target another player's Personality or Follower: Negate the effects of the next action performed by the targeted card (this turn). Bow it if it has no attachments and is not a Samurai.
  A: Firm Censure negates the effects of the action, which in the case of Equip is the entire process of attaching a card - you don't even place the card in the "specially created entering-play area," let alone try to pay for it.
  So, as long as you have an attachment in hand, and so can meet the targeting requirements of Equip, the easiest way to "get around" Firm Censure is to announce an Equip action performed by the Personality - if it's your turn. So, if you want yor Firm Censure to stick, you need to play it on your turn, ensure they have no legal attachments in hand, or target a non-Samurai with no attachments. Alex Jones, "Firm Censure vs Equip Action", 22 Jun 2011