Fortress of the Forgotten

Legend of the Five Rings card from The Plague War, Promotional–Celestial

Card Type

Stronghold

Province Strength

8

Gold Production

4

Starting Family Honor

3

Clan

Crab

Card Text

Battle, : If any enemy units are at the current battlefield, Recruit a target non-Unique Personality face-up in one of your Provinces. If he is a Berserker, you may ignore his Gold cost; if you do and he enters play, destroy him before this turn ends.

Legality

Destroyer War (Celestial)

Deck

Pre-Game

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: Hi,
  I was wondering if an ability that normally has a cost (such as playing an attachment from your hand or bringing a personality into play from your provinces) is made available to you through another cards effects (such as Dragon's Guard City) do you need to pay the cost normally associated with the action or does the cards ability supercede this and you'd only be expected to pay costs defined by the ability?
  The example is Dragon's Guard City, does my opponent need to pay the gold cost of the follower to bring it into play form his hand? How about from the discard pile as playing from the discard pile is not a rulebook action and so has no standard associated cost?
  The Fortress of the Forgotten suggests that you'd normally be expected to pay the gold cost of bringing a personality into play even though this is a cards action and not a rulebook dynasty phase action and this is waived if the special conditions are met.
  A: When an action brings a card into play, the cost of that card is not part of the cost of the action; it's a separate cost that must always be paid unless the action specifies otherwise.
  See Costs and restrictions for more information on costs, and Card types for more information on bringing cards into play. Alex Jones, "Are we right? - Abilities that bring cards into play", 5 Nov 2010
• Q: Does this mean that this ruling was also (partially) incorrect?
  A: No. Brook Cunningham, "Secluded Outpost vs Fortress of the Forgotten", 11 Aug 2010
• Q: Now that TPW is out, can this question be answered?
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=83329&p=1093458&hilit=overpay#p1093458
  A: No, for two reasons.
  Firstly, the whole combo can't work: the Jade Hand's reaction triggers "Before an action's resolution", whereas - as you point out - you'd need to "react after the resolution to keep the berserker".
  Secondly, if you take an option to ignore a cost, you cannot then attempt to pay that non-existent cost. I'm extending the following paragraph in Costs and restrictions, Gold production a little, but it's a consistent interpretation: It is permitted to overpay a Gold cost by any amount, including producing Gold to overpay a Gold cost of zero on (for example) a Strategy card. It is not permitted to pay Gold to bring into play a card with no Gold cost stat (such as a Ring or Region) ... Alex Jones, "Fortress of the Forgotten + Secluded Outpost + Hand OT Jade", 30 Jul 2010
• Q: I know this may have been asked but I have been unable to find it.
  My friends and I are having a debate over the Fortress of the Forgotten.
  "Fortress of the Forgotten Battle: If any enemy units are at the current battlefield: Target a non-Unique Personality face-up in one of your provinces. Bring him into play at the current battlefield. If he is a Berserker, you may ignore his Gold cost; if you do and he entered play, destroy him before the turn ends."
  They argue that it can be used presenceless due to the exception to the rule of presence.
  I however, noticed that the exception to the rule specifically says:
  Exception: Battle actions that say they move a unit to the current battlefield are legal to take, regardless of Presence and Location, if the rules of Presence and Location would be satisfied with the unit there.
  I dont think that bringing into play would qualify since its not moving a unit to the battlefield.
  Who is correct?
  A: You are correct.
  Creating presence (With cards like Will, Unexpected Arrival, Fortress of the Forgotten) is not part of the exceptions to the Rules of Location and Presence. You must have Presence to play any of these cards/actions. Dan Jacobson, "Fortress of the Forgotten", 28 Jun 2010
• Q: Fortress of the Forgotten: I use the Fortress' action to bring a berserker into play at the current battlefield, and i choose not to ignore his gold cost. I don't destroy him before this turn ends, right?
  A: Correct. Zen Faulkes, "Fortress of the Forgotten clarification", 26 Jun 2010
• Q: Also, sorry for making TPW rules questions before it's even close to launch. I <3 my rules junta.
  A: We <3 you too. But sometimes, it has to be a tough love.
  Please read all the stickies in the Rules forum, especially this one. Brook Cunningham, "Fortress of the Forgotten + Secluded Outpost + Hand OT Jade", 4 May 2010