In Search of the Future

Legend of the Five Rings card from Lotus Edition, Ambition's Debt, Diamond Edition, Gold Edition

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Battle: Even if you control no units at the current battlefield: Reduce all current Force bonuses upon cards at the current battlefield to +0F until the turn ends. This does not affect bonuses from a card to itself or to another card in the same unit.

Focus Value

3

Legality

Age of Enlightenment (Lotus), Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade), Rain of Blood (Diamond)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "In Search of the Future 0G 3FV Battle: Even if you control no units at the current battlefield: Reduce all existing Force bonuses applying to cards at the current battlefield to +0F until the turn ends. This does not affect bonuses applied by a card to itself or to another card in the same unit." [MRP, Lotus Edition, 31 October 2005] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 21
• Is legal in the current battle if there is a card in it, regardless of whether there are opposing units or any force bonuses in the battle. [ZF, web, web 19 November 2005] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 21
• Will even reduce Force bonuses cards grant to themselves, such as Hida Yakamo (Oni) and Otaku Tetsuko. [card text] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 33
• An Item with variable Force will have any bonus to itself reduced before its total Force is added (normally) to the Personality. For example, an Ancestral Sword will only add +0/+X to itself, making it a 0/(X+1) weapon. Will not reduce bonuses the Personality grants to his attached cards. [ZF] The attachment must be direct. For example, a Follower will not receive a force bonus from an Item in its own unit. Affects all force bonuses, including things like Oath of Fealty and The Spawning Ground. [l5rinfo, 12/2/99] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 33
• Only applies once, when played. Subsequent Force bonuses will be added normally. [ibid.] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 33
• Q: Is Wedge a Force bonus? Can I reduce it to 0 with In Search of the Future? A: By the Most Recent Printing rule, all versions of Wedge provide a Force bonus. (The previous printing worked differently.) Reactions to Force bonuses, such as Overconfidence, may be played in response to this gain when it happens. In Search of the Future is not a useful strategy against it, though, because In Search of the Future is a Battle action that only affects bonuses already present, while Wedge does not add its bonus until the Resolution Segment begins -- and in that stage of the attack, Battle actions like In Search are no longer legal. Legend of the Five Rings FAQ, April 26, 2004, p. 11
• In Search of the Future: 1) Reduces all Force bonuses currently active on cards in the current battle to 0 except those provided to or by a directly attached card. [card text] The following bonuses are all reduced: Bonuses from Strongholds, such as the Spawning Grounds. Bonuses from most non-Follower tokens (since only Follower tokens automatically count as both tokens and cards). Bonuses that cards give themselves, such as Matsu Domotai and the Celestial Swords. Bonuses from Tattoos (Tattoos are often attached as a reminder, but this is technically incorrect; they are played, have a permanent effect on the Personality, then get discarded). 2) Will not reduce the bonus that an Item gives to its Personality, but will reduce any bonuses that Item gives to itself first. For example, a Celestial Sword's own bonus to itself will be reduced to 0, and it will then only give +0F to its Personality. 3) Is instantaneous. It affects only bonuses active when it's played. 4) The phrase "in this battle" describes which cards are affected, not the duration of the reduction. Any bonus reduced to 0 stays 0 until end of the turn, no matter where the card may move afterwards, and cards moved into the battle after In Search... is played will not suffer any reduction. 5) A variable or conditional bonus that counts other cards does not come from those cards. It comes from the card it's written on. 6) A card that adjusts its own Force and has a printed Force of "*" is not considered to be giving itself a bonus unless the word "bonus" is used in its text. The Imperial Herald, Vol. 2, No. 4, p. 19
• Focus on... In Search of the Future: This will zero out all Force-increasing effects not provided to a card by another card attached directly to it. That includes bonuses cards give themselves, like Matsu Gohei's +2F when attacking, and bonuses from Items or Followers to other Items and/or Followers. Of particular interest is the fact that an Ancestral Sword's own variable Force bonus to itself is stopped before its total stats get added to its Personality. It will only be a 0/(X+1) weapon. It's a very wide-reaching effect, catching even things like Oath of Fealty, Evil Portents, and Stronghold bonuses like on the Spawning Grounds and New Akasha. Attaching is a two-way relationship, though, and bonuses that a Personality provides to his own cards stay just as live as the ones he receives from them. The Imperial Herald, Issue 14, p. 45

Rules Q&A

• Q: If I play In Search of the Future in a battle with opposed berserkers' controlled by a player with Tenshu Sensei, what happens to their force bonus from the sensei?
  I think it gets removed, then immediately regained.
  A: No. The +2 Bonus to each opposed Berserker is reduced to a +0 Bonus. The bonus effect is still there, it is just reduced.
  If you wanted to actually remove the Bonus, and then introduce the effect anew to your Personality, you'd have to make the Berserker in question ineligible for the Bonus effect, then eligible again.
  You could, for example, move the Berserker to another battle where he is unopposed (ending the effect of Tenshu Sensei on him) and then move him back into this battle, opposed (start a new effect of Tenshu Sensei on him for a fresh +2F bonus). Martin Lund, "Rules for 13 October 2004", 19 Oct 2004
• Q: Question: does In Search of the Future lower force bonuses from Togashi Jusai's Fire tokens to 0?
  A: Fire Tokens are not cards. The bonus from them is not a bonus from a card. Ergo, they are not immune to the effects of the MRP of In Search of the Future. Jusai will have each bonus from each Fire Token reduced to 0.
  This is already addressed in the L5R FAQ at http://l5r.alderac.com/ccg/faq.html "Focus on ... In Search of the Future" Martin Lund, "Rules for 11 - 13 August 2004", 18 Aug 2004
• Q: Since when? That rule hasn't been in the rulebook, the archive, or anywhere else that I'm aware of until right this moment. Other than simply saying, "That's the way that we want it," what precedent is there for this ruling?
  A: We have consistently used that phrase to signify that an action need not meet the Rule of Presence, and only that. After a quick scan, I see it as far back as Obsidian Edition and Dark Allies. Martin Lund, "Rules for 29 July 2004", 4 Aug 2004
• Q: Can In Search of the Future be used to reduce the bonuses granted by Personalities' abilities (e.g. Earth Dragon, Yoritomo Chimori etc.)?
  A: No. Cards are always in the same unit as themselves, thusly all bonuses a card gives itself are exempt from In Search of the Future's effect, by the card's own text: "except bonuses from cards in the same unit."
  In Search of the Future actually has its own entry in the L5R FAQ on alderac.com if you'd like further information. Martin Lund, "Rules for 7 May 2004", 9 May 2004
• Q: What are considered bonuses? (For the purposes of this card, and in general)
  A: Anything new effect that makes the card's Force a larger number [DE p. 62] or that explicitly calls itself a "bonus" in its own text [Cardinal Rule #1, p. 34] Altering an existing effect, such as by changing the amount or making it end, is not a bonus or penalty. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 26 March 2004", 29 Mar 2004
• Q: Questions guys:
  1. Is Shosuro technique (the battle part of it) a force bonus or more along the lines of a change in the printed force until the end of the turn? In other words will In Search of the Future remove it?
  A: Nothing changes printed numbers without saying so explicly. Shosuro Technique changes the total Force. It's a bonus unless you targeted an opposing Personality with lower or equal Force to yours. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 16 Feb. 204", 18 Feb 2004
• Q: Assuming the above is true, the Egg and its original attack. The Defender plays In Search of the Future. The bonus on the original is reduced to zero, obviously. What happens to the Force of the Egg?
  A: Reduced to zero bonus. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 16 December 2003, Part 3", 17 Dec 2003
• Q: How does In Search of the Future interact with the Celestial Swords?
  A: Not at all. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 24 November 2003, Part 2", 25 Nov 2003
• Q: however, if my memory regarding the rules on what is considered "attached" is accurate, Sozen is NOT attached to himself (per ruling on In Search of the Future that cards are not considered attached to themselves) and is thus STILL protected by his trait.
  A: Whoops. I missed the word "attached" in that card text. (I understood fine, I just had incomplete information!) If a player chooses option one for Sorrow's Path, Sozen will live. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 17 October 2003", 17 Oct 2003
• Q: [In Search of the Future] is in Diamond to slow down Lion[.]
  A: I disagree. Free force bonuses are far more widely distributed than just Lion clan. Decks of that sort can easily run ramant without some sorts of controls in the environment. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 19 August 2003, Part 2", 20 Aug 2003
• Q: doesn't that mean that using the Tactician Trait for a Force Bonus now comes from the Personality?
  A: No. Follow the ink. The action is printed on the rule sheet, not the Personality. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 16 August 2003", 16 Aug 2003
• Q: I have a question which most certainly has already been adressed, but I can't find any references. My question is:
  My opponent plays a 'Shosuru Technique' to copy my big guys strength. Does playing 'In Search of the Future' negate the effect of the 'Shosuru Technique'?
  A: Yes. The change in Force from one number to another, higher number counts as a bonus. [GE p. 31] Jeff Alexander, "post for 9 May 2003", 10 May 2003
• Q: This situation came up during our Week of the Ratling last Sunday: Lion is up against Unicorn in the semifinals.
  Lion attacks with a number of personalities, one of which has been affected twice by Ikoma Sume (i.e. two permanent +1/+1 bonuses). Unicorn defends, and then plays In Search of the Future as his first battle action. Does the In Search take away the "permanent" changes given by Sume to the personality?
  A: The two +1F bonuses that the Personality in question is currently enjoying do not come from a card attached to him. In Search of the Future will reduce them to +0F until the end of the turn. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 April 2003", 2 Apr 2003
• Q: At the time, I ruled that the "force" part of the bonus was lost for the duration of the battle, on the precedent of In Search of the Future vs. Otaku Tetsuko (ref. Accumulated Rulings).
  A: This entry in the archives has nothing to do with In Search's duration. Tetsuko is used as an example of a card that grants itself a bonus, to point out that In Search reduces those too. The FAQ addresses the actual point you're unclear on:
  ] The phrase "in this battle" describes which cards are affected, ] not the duration of the effect. Any bonus reduced to 0 stays 0 ] until end of the turn, no matter where the card may move ] afterwards, and cards moved into the battle after In ] Search... is played will not suffer any reduction. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 April 2003", 2 Apr 2003
• Q: Are Moshi Hitome's aura tokens affected by " In Search of the Future "? As they are not "cards" I would say they are affected and reduced to zero.
  A: You would be correct. Jeff Alexander, "post for 10 March 2003", 11 Mar 2003
• Q: A player asked if Battle of Shallow Waters (Battle Terrain: Negate all Force Penalties for cards in this battle.)
  would negate the effects of In Search of the Future.
  A: It would not.
  In Search of the Future "lower[s] all current Force bonuses for cards in this battle to 0, except bonuses to or from cards attached to them." [card text]
  According to the FOU rulesheet,
  ] Any time the current number on a card changes from one value to ] a higher value, that number is receiving a "bonus" -- unless ] the reason for the increase is a penalty expired or an existing ] penalty or bonus changed. Likewise, if a number decreases, it's ] receiving a "penalty."
  Since In Search of the Future causes card Forces to drop by reducing some bonuses they're receiving to 0, those drops are not the results of a penalty. Battle of Shallow Waters has no effect on that reduction. Jeff Alexander, "post for 6 March 2003", 7 Mar 2003
• Q: Actually it was recently clarified that any effect which lowers the current (stat) is a penalty, and specifically that apples to In Search of the FUture and Battle of Shallow Waters.
  A: Clarified by whom? The only thing I can recall saying recently is this:
  "a brand new increase in Force IS a bonus, by definition. [GE p. 31] Note that a number is not considered to be receiving a new bonus if it's only increasing because an existing bonus got larger or an existing penalty got smaller or ended. [FOU rulesheet] "
  which lists an important exception that your definition omits. Since "penalty" is defined the same way "bonus" is, just with all the signs reversed [FOU rulesheet], I have to say the source of your clarification got it wrong. Jeff Alexander, "post for 6 March 2003", 7 Mar 2003
• Q: If a personality gets a permanent stat increase through something like Plains Above Evil or other card effect, is this a bonus that can be negated by In Search of the Future or other card effects?
  A: Yes. "Permanent" only means it lasts all game. It does not mean the bonus is immune to alteration. Jeff Alexander, "post for 22 January 2003", 23 Jan 2003
• Q: I'd be curious as to how [Tachiyama's bonus] interacts with In Search of the Future...
  In Search of the Future will change his Force bonus to himself to 0 for as long as he is opposed in that particular situation.
  If he gets his bonus in serach-ed, and then the oponent discards a card, does his force go down by one point?
  A: No. In Search alters the way his Force bonus is calculated, changing it from "half the number of cards in the opposing player's hand, rounded down" to simply "0". While Tachiyama remains opposed in that situation, his trait will give him +0F regardless of how many cards the opposing player holds. Jeff Alexander, "post for 27 November 2002", 28 Nov 2002
• Q: I'd be curious as to how [Tachiyama's bonus] interacts with In Search of the Future...
  A: In Search of the Future will change his Force bonus to himself to 0 for as long as he is opposed in that particular situation. Jeff Alexander, "post for 26 November 2002", 27 Nov 2002
• Q: If I attack, boost my people, get hit with 'In Search of the Future', and then play 'Battle of Shallow Waters', what is the end result: are my boosts still negated, or does the ISotF get get whacked by the terrain?
  A: A reduction of a bonus is not a penalty. [BB rulesheet] In Search of the Future does not create a penalty. Battle of Shallow Waters won't affect its reduction. Jeff Alexander, "post for 28 October 2002", 29 Oct 2002
• Q: Does In Search of the Future kill off the spawning ground bonus? I am not sure, because I don't know if its considered a bonus being as the 'bonus' is ALWAYS in effect.
  A: How long it lasts doesn't change whether it's a bonus. It's a bonus, and it doesn't come from an attached card, so it changes to +0F. Jeff Alexander, "post for 25 September 2002", 26 Sep 2002
• Q: Well, I am almost positive I made the right call but I would like it confirmed.
  In Search of the Future negates the force bonus derived from the tactician trait the Fan of Command confers to the personality, thus is not considered a bonus from an attached card. Right or wrong?
  A: The Fan of Command does not give Force bonuses. It gives the Tactician trait. Using the trait to discard gives a Force bonus that comes from a basic game rule, not from any card. In Search of the Future will reduce it to 0. Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 September 2002", 6 Sep 2002
• Q: If I give someone a permanent force gain (say, from a Plains Above Evil) ...is it still considered a force *bonus* for the rest of the turn? ...rest of the game?
  A: If it's a bonus, it's a bonus. It doesn't stop being a bonus once it reaches a certain age. Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 September 2002", 6 Sep 2002
• Q: If I give someone a permanent force gain (say, from a Plains Above Evil) ...is it still considered a force *bonus* for the rest of the turn? ...rest of the game?
  More specifically, if I've got a guy from Plains Above Evil attacking my opponent, can he ISoF to reduce my guy's force?
  In Search of the Future is a battle action. Therefore any force bonuses that you give a personality outside of a battle (Plains Above Evil, since it's giving the personality a permanent bonus when they enter play) cannot but the target of In Search of the Future.
  A: You're reading In Search of the Future wrong. It says, "Lower all current Force bonuses for cards in this battle to 0, except bonuses to or from cards attached to them." You look at all cards in the current battle, figure out which of them have any bonuses on them *right now* ("currently"), exclude those bonuses that go directly between two cards attached to one another, and reduce all the rest to 0 until the turn ends. Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 September 2002", 6 Sep 2002
• Q: In the archive, regarding In Search of the Future: [snip text re: Celectial Swords] Is this not slightly in error?
  A: Nope; right as rain. The effect originates from where it is physically written in ink. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 8 July 2002", 9 Jul 2002
• Q: Relevant cards:
  Moshi Kalani: Mantis Clan Samurai . Naval Kalani gains +1F while in an army with at least one other Naval card.
  In Search of the Future: You may play this card during a battle in which you have no units. Battle: Lower all current Force bonuses for cards in this battle to 0, except bonuses to or from cards attached to them.
  CASE 1: Moshi Kalani with Ivory Isles Mercenaries (naval follower) attached, attack.
  In Search of the Future (ISOTF) is played.
  A - Then the Kalani bonus is still 1, because comes from a card attached to Kalani. B - Then the Kalani bonus drop to 0, because the bonus is printed on Kalani.
  A: B. The souce of the bonus is Kalani, regardless of the fact that it counts cards attached to her. Jeff Alexander, "post for 20 June 2002", 21 Jun 2002
• Q: Okay, even based on the rulings and rulebook these ones sent to me by a friend are a little odd:
  For all the questions assume Domotai is in province A with two other Lion puds, and there is a Lion pud in province B. Battle A is resolved first and the defender plays In Search of the Future. The difficulty comes in because I'm not sure if Domotai's bonus switches off when he moves to another province or whether it's on, but not doing jack squat.
  1) Suppose Domotai moves to province B, is his force now up to 2?
  A: I may have been a little hasty answering the first time around. According to the Gold Edition wording, Domotai has a bonus "during battle". If one battle ends and another starts, he gets a fresh, new, sparkly-clean bonus, free of the oppressive onus of In Search of the Future. His Force will be 2 once the battle at Province B begins. It does not rise to 2 when he moves -- in fact, it drops to 0! His bonus was set to 0 by ISotF, then it went down by 1 because the number of other Lions in his battle went down by 1. Jeff Alexander, "post for 12 June 2002", 13 Jun 2002
• Q: 2) Nikushimi is attacking province A and gets hit by In Search of the Future. He then Superior Tactics over to province B. As there's no change in his status (he was attacking and is still attacking with no break in between) I ruled that he doesn't get his force back. Was I right?
  A: Right. Jeff Alexander, "post for 10 June 2002", 11 Jun 2002
• Q: Quick question:
  (In Search of the Future)Battle: Lower all current force bonuses for cards in this battle to 0, expect bonuses to or from cards attached to them.
  (Battle of Shallow Waters) Battle Terrain: Negate all force penalties for cards in this battle.
  Question being....is the force reduction cause by In Search of the future a force penalty seeing it dont negate force bonuses just "penalizes" them and if so does the terrain negate it?
  A: The reduction or negation of a bonus is not a penalty [DA rulebook p. 31]. The Terrain does not counter In Search... Jeff Alexander, "post for 30 May 2002", 31 May 2002
• Q: Will In Search of the Future negate the Doji House Guards force? I say no since they are attached to the personality and it says there force equals the personel honor of the personality. Same question for Honorable, since it reads that "Honorable's printed Force and Chi equal this Personality's printed Personal Honor." No where does it say "gains a bonus".
  A: According to the archive, it's not treated as a bonus due to that fact. Their Force will stay and not be reduced to 0. Jeff Alexander, "post for 25 March 2002", 26 Mar 2002
• Q: Also, if In Search of the Future is played on a personality with a Celestial Sword "attached" does it reduce the force bonus to 0 or 1, since the personality is giving the sword the bonus and he/she is attached to the sword.
  A: The Sword gives itself a Force bonus before it adds its Force to its Personality. In Search of the Future reduces bonuses that cards give to themselves. The facts that the size of the bonus is based on other cards and that some of those cards are attached to the Sword make absolutely no difference at all. Jeff Alexander, "post for 25 March 2002", 26 Mar 2002
• Q: Does In Search of the Future negate the force bonus from The Spawning Grounds stronghold?
  A: That bonus is not from a card attached to the Oni/Goblin/ whatever, so yes, it's negated. Jeff Alexander, "post for 23 January 2002", 24 Jan 2002
• Q: In a message dated Thu, 6 Dec 2001 10:01:09 PM Eastern Standard Time, Jeff Alexander writes:
  #1: MRP "In Search of the Future" <Snip>
  Speaking of which, I have a question about attached cards.
  Items are attached to their personalities.
  Followers are attached to their personalities.
  Is the relationship reflexive? Are personalities considered attached to their items and followers?
  A: It is reflexive. Not only that, but the MRP of In Search of the Future negates bonuses "except bonuses to or from cards attached to them", so whether it's reflexive is irrelevant. Jeff Alexander, "post for 7 December 2001", 8 Dec 2001
• Q: And yes, I have encountered all 3 situations (always test your decks thouroughly) and I continue to get worked over by them.
  Try In Search of the Future. I hear Domotai hates that card.
  But wouldn't ISOTF fail against Domotai as he would recalculate immediately?
  A: Ooh - a recurring favorite to start off with! No. The whole recalculation thing is very often misunderstood. If I ever get a hand in the FAQ construction, this one will be first on the list.
  In order for a bonus to defeat In Search and reassert itself, you have to find a way to make the bonus completely stop existing. As long as it still exists, but is reduced to zero, it will not recalculate. In Domotai's case, you would have to move him to a different battle (squashing from existence his friendship bonus), and then move him back into the current battle (making Domotai feel not quite so lonely anymore, and get all excited about having new friends). Clear? Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for August 22 (Part One)", 22 Aug 2001
• Q: Will In Search of the Future reduce the Force of a Doji House Guard (from the wording I'd say no but I've been wrong many a time before....)?
  A: Well, you're right this time. In Search will only affect things with a variable force bonus, which doesn't include the Doji (or Shiba) House Guard. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for August 14th", 14 Aug 2001
• Q: Someone claimed that Jeff said a Celestial Sword would still give a 1F Bonus after In Search of the Future was played. Is this true, and if so, why?
  A: Not true. The Sword still gives a +1 Chi bonus, but it's entire force bonus goes right out. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 30th", 30 Jul 2001
• Q: In Search of the Future does *not* target, because it's a "blanket" effect, right?
  A: Also true. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 20th", 20 Jul 2001
• Q: The basis for these questions is this piece from the accumulated rulings:
  "Bonuses from traits that switch on and off (e.g., "while attacking") are reapplied every time the relevent condition is met, if there is any intervening point when the bonus switches off and is not longer given. E.g., during an Ambush, a defending Hida Tampako's defensive bonus is reduced to 0 by In Search of the Future; if he later defends during a normal Attack Phase on the same turn, he gains a new +2F defensive bonus"
  This seems to me to say that the bonuses from tchickchuck/spawning grounds etc are negated until the end of the battle, but i'd to make sure of this.
  A: Ah. Well, what that ruling is referring to is situations where a bonus is completely removed, and then reapplied. For your first example, if Tchickchuck left the battle with the two Mattucks (I hate rat names), and then came back into the battle, the bonus that he was giving them at first which had been reduced to zero vanished when he left the battle, so when he comes back in, a completely new 1f bonus would be given to all his rat buddies. Get it? Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 18th", 18 Jul 2001
• Q: Just a thought as I am looking and <attempting to> memorize the new gold edition rule book.
  From the Gold Edition Rule Book pages 45-46: 1. If an effect says it targets, it targets. 2. An effect that paalies only to it's own card does not target. 3. An effect that applies to all of a particular group, such as "all Shadowlands cards" or "each Monk Personality in the attacking army," does not target. 4. All other effects target.
  Now, the question I have deals with #3. And the card in question is:
  In Search of the Future 0/3 You may play this card during a battle in which you have no units.
  Battle: Lower all current Force bonuses for cards in this battle to 0, except bonuses to or from cards attached to them.
  The question: is '...for cards in this battle...', is this considered an effect that applies to all of a particular group.
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "replies to July 3-5", 17 Jul 2001
• Q: To All,
  I had a few questions on different subjects. First of all with regards to In Search of the Future -
  1. How does In Search interact with cards like Shosuro Technique and Ninja Shapeshifter since they are "raising force"? Does "raising" and "copying" force equate "force bonus?"
  A: Raising a stat, or copying a value that's higher, both count as bonuses. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for 15-16 April 2001", 19 Apr 2001
• Q: 1.I have a question concenring the latest ruling on In search of the future. A conditional force bonus from a trait will be reapplied if the relevent condition for the bonus is met after In Search of the Future has been played. [REVERSAL, VRD, e-mail, 12 January 2001] what is a conditional forcebonus in this context?
  A: A bonus which exists only while a certain situation holds. It's either there or it's not. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for 14 January 2000", 16 Jan 2001
• Q: Example: Utaku Kamoko (3/2) attacks. Normally, she'd be 4 force while attacking. She Charges, Destiny has no Secrets, and does a little dance. Now she's 8 force. The defending player plays In Search of the Future. The he plays an Uncertainty on her. The attacker drops a Battle of Shallow Waters. At resolution, her force is 3, because the Uncertainty here was a Force Penalty that dropped her below her printed force.
  A: Correct. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for November 13th", 13 Nov 2000
• Q: I'm not sure I understand what, exactly, the disparition of the "smart cards" means.
  http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29611
  Jeff's post in the above topic seems to imply that Heavily Engaged is "smart enough" to know that it will not meet Relevance.
  http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31897
  Zen's reply in the above topic seems to say that the "smart cards" ruling was removed so that legality of actions would not depend on game state (provided targeting, etc. requirements are met, of course).
  Using Zen's logic, it seems to me that Heavily Engaged would meet relevance in an empty battlefield, just as much as In Search of the Future would (each player being required to target one of his personalities is an effect; that some, or all, players, will be unable to do this, is something that "smart" cards would know, but "dumb" cards would not, and so Heavily Engaged can only meet Relevance if it, in a sense, waives it like In Search does)
  A: This conversation got carried on after Jeff Alexander's departure. Heavily Engaged also entered the discussion, and is affected by the current ruling. It also meets the requirements for relevance, regardless of whether there are units there or not, whether those present can be bowed or not, because it has the qualifier, "if possible." Zen Faulkes, "Relevance and Smart Cards non-ruling", 19 Nov 2005
• Q: K. So I think I fugured out why you can't play In Search of the Future when there are no Force Bonuses in current battle.
  In Search
  Battle: Even if you control no units at the current battlefield: Reduce all existing Force bonuses applying to cards at the current battlefield to +0F until the turn ends. This does not affect bonuses applied by a card to itself or to another card in the same unit.
  Pg 51, Lotus Rulebook
  Relevance
  Come from, Target, Affect, Play, or Create a card at the current battle or attached to the current Province
  Because In Search doesn't actually Target, it cannot be played.
  Current non-smartcard rulings make it difficult to play any Open or Battle action card that doesn't target.
  You cannot play "Courage" (as it relies on game state to affect a card at the current province - in this case samurai in current battle)
  You Cannot play "Wayward Attack" during battles (again, relying on game state to be relevant - needing orochi at current battle to be relevant)
  I Guess what I'm asking for is a definition for Smart Card. From my perspective, ruling you can play an action because another card is in play seems a lot like you can't play a card because a different card is in play.
  Maybe I'm wrong, and your response will clarify.
  A: There is no "smart cards" ruling any more.
  In Search of the Future is always legal at the current battle, regardless of whether there are force bonuses, units, or what have you. It's own text waives Presence and provide Relevance. Zen Faulkes, "Targeting (or NOT targeting) and "Smart Card"", 19 Nov 2005
• Q: Does In Search of the Future decrease force bonuses from the stanard use of the Tactician trait to 0?
  A: FAQ: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "In Search of the Future + tactician + White Shore Plain", 23 Mar 2005
• Q: If I play a white shore plain and then later play In Search of the Future do I gain the force bonuses?
  A: "This does not affect bonuses gained after this card is played" (In Search of the Future text): Yes. Zen Faulkes, "In Search of the Future + tactician + White Shore Plain", 23 Mar 2005