Iron Will

Legend of the Five Rings card from Before the Dawn

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Reaction: After another player targets your Paragon with a Battle action performed by a Personality with lower Personal Honor: The action's costs are ignored and its effects are negated. That player may take an additional Battle action.

Focus Value

3

Legality

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

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: If I target and bow a Paragon with Kuon's Legacy and the player reacts with Iron Will, will the previous effects be negated as well i.e. straighten and +3F?
  Iron Will Reaction: After another player targets your Paragon with a Battle action performed by a Personality with lower Personal Honor: The action's costs are ignored and its effects are negated. That player may take an additional Battle action.
  Kuon's Legacy Battle/Open: Choose your performing Personality with 7 or more base Force: His eyes go dead. Straighten him. Give him +3F. He may not perform actions. You may target and bow a card at his location.
  A: If an action's effects are negated after it has already created some effects, existing ongoing effects are negated but prior instantaneous effects are not undone.
  See Duration and scope of prevention effects: Continuous and ongoing effects that came into being before a relevant prevention effect was applied are still affected by it, by default. Continuous and ongoing effects that came into being after a relevant prevention effect was applied are also affected by it while the prevention lasts, by default. Prevention of instantaneous occurrences is never retroactive. Specifically, if “all effects” of an action or trait are prevented partway through the action or trait’s resolution, instantaneous effects that have already resolved are not undone. Alex Jones, "Iron Will and Retroactive Negation", 21 Mar 2013
• Q: Hello Regarding this issue http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=102482
  I see in the comprehensive rules here http://rules.l5r.com/EE_Areas_of_the_game#Resolution_areas_.28out_of_play.3B_temporary.29 Its stated that If the card discards itself from your hand as a cost of its ability, this discard is done from the resolution area.
  1.) But since iron will States that costs are ignored, and discarding Ring of Fire is still a cost written on the card itself (not rulebook), then shouldn't it return to the hand? 2.) It shouldn't be discarded from the resolution area after the action ends because by then the effects of Iron will would have already returned it to the hand? 3.) Unlike Strategy cards, ring of fire does have the cost of discarding itself not as rulebook effect right?
  Thanks.
  A: Iron Will means you do not need to pay the cost, so the Ring of Fire stays in the resolution area; it then gets discarded when the action ends.
  Technically, there is no need to discard these the Ring of Fire (and similar cards) as a cost, as they will get discarded from the resolution area anyway. We have considered issuing errata for these cards along the lines of, "Even if this card is in hand, or bow it if it is in play, choose performers and targets: Do stuff" - but decided that the text you've quoted should be sufficient. Alex Jones, "Ring of Fire vs Iron Will", 21 Mar 2013
• Q: I fail to see how the change to the comprehensive rules affects this interaction as was ruled here. The comprehensive change reads:
  When using the Ring of Fire it is NOT entering play and hence should remain unaffected by this ruling change.
  A: Longer version: We have changed how all actions are taken using an ability on a card not in play. The card enters a resolution area as part of Announce the action, and is discarded from there when the action ends if it does not enter play. Alex Jones, "Follow-up Ring of Fire vs Iron Will", 20 Mar 2013
• Q: I have a question concerning cards that give additional actions either to me or to my opponent... Most of those cards say: "You MAY take an additional Battle/Open action" , maybe this sounds stupid but I have to ask if this either means that I am obligated to take an additional action/pass or if it's my option to take an additional action...
  The whole question came to my mind when I thought of this scenario: --->My opponent targets one of my Paragons with a battle action. --->I react with Iron Will (when legal of course). --->He/She Passes (If taking an additional action is a MUST). --->I Pass. --->End Of Battle + Victory for me if my army has more Force!
  Thank you very much...
  A: Taking an Additional Action is always optional: you may always pass. The opportunity to take an action or pass is "additional" to the current action round, which means that passing does not count for ending the action round. Alex Jones, "Additional Actions", 9 Jan 2013
• Q: Recently I played a game and my opponent played Ring of Fire and I tried to counter with Iron Will. My question is can you use iron will to actually negate the ring of fire? Iron Will says negate the action's cost and effects but does that mean the Ring of Fire is not discarded as its cost or does it mean the personality the opponent used is not killed and the ring goes into the discard pile? If the ROF isn't discarded does that mean it's ability cannot be used again since it's a battle action and almost every battle action can only be used once per phase? Hopefully there is an answer since it's one of those things where the text can be ambigious.
  A: Iron Will will negate the destruction from Ring of Fire. If Ring of Fire is in play it will remain used for the turn; if it was being discarded, it will go back to its player's hand and since it has gone facedown and out of play, can be used again.
  The only time you'd generally want to use Iron Will against Ring of Fire is if you're going to follow it up with an Effortless Counterattack when they play Ring of Fire again (or if you're bluffing such). Jon Palmer, "Ring of Fire vs Iron Will", 27 Dec 2012
• Q: Regarding these questions: viewtopic.php?p=1323227#p1323227
  Is there a timeline for getting some answers? I'm also curious how his effect work against things such as Iron Will and Entrenched Position.
  A: Answered. And as with everything else that says "Will not be negated", this prevents Iron Will and Entrenched Position from negating the effects. Jon Palmer, "Re: Tamori Takeshi questions", 16 Nov 2012
• Q: So a question came up today about tacticians.
  I understand that tacticians may only perform one tactical action a turn. So we had this situation today:
  Player A uses his tactician with 2 personal honor to play Tactical Trap targetting a paragon with 4 personal honor. Player B uses Iron Will to negate the action, give Player A an additional action, and refund the costs.
  Can Player A use his tactician to perform another Tactical action (or the rulebook tactical) or has he used up his use of tactician for that turn?
  A: The latter.
  Even though the effects were negated and the costs were ignored, the Tactical action was still performed by the Tactician, so he cannot perform another that turn per the rules. Brook Cunningham, "Tactician and negating the action", 10 Jun 2012
• Q: In regards to this: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=97217#p1282602
  I assume that if the player playing Iron Will has a second copy in his hand, the window still exists to play the second copy?
  1. Player A announces Ninube Shiho's action and targets Player B's Paragon. 2. Player B announces Iron Will in response to the targeting. 3. Player A announces Ninja Tricks in response to the announcement, bowing Shiho for its cost. 4. Ninja Tricks resolves, negating the effects of Iron Will. *5. It is now Player A's opportunity to react to his own targeting of Shiho's action. He passes, as the action is currently going to proceed. *6. Player B now reacts again to the targeting with a second copy of Iron Will.
  Is this sequence essentially correct?
  A: After the Iron Will resolves (or fails to), you're still in the timing step for playing Reactions - Step D of the Timing Sequence - to "After a player targets a card with an action", so another copy of Iron Will may be played. Alex Jones, "Timing window - e.g. Ninja Tricks/Iron Will", 6 Apr 2012
• Q: I have Ninube Shiho by itself at a battlefield. I announce that I will take Shiho's action, and the enemy player reacts with Iron Will. If I react to Iron Will with Ninja Tricks paying the 1g and bowing Ninube Shiho, do the effects of Shiho's action continue because Shiho was straight when it was announced at the beginning of this sequence?
  A: Yes, that's right. Brook Cunningham, "Ninja Tricks vs Iron Will", 5 Apr 2012
• Q: Iron Will Reaction: After another player targets your Paragon with a Battle action performed by a Personality with lower Personal Honor: The action's costs are ignored and its effects are negated. That player may take an additional Battle action.
  Suitengu's Torch Reaction: After you announce a Thunder Battle action: Its effects will not be negated or delayed. Battle: Choose your performing unbowed Personality and target an enemy Personality: Move him home.
  (1)I have two questions, when i announce a thunder battle action, do i then have to use the stronghold reaction? (2)can i wait for my opponent to play some type of negation card before i announce this reaction?
  if number 2 is correct then my second question is this. if i bow my shugenja for a thunder spell, and they play Iron Will, then i react with my strongholds ability, Do i get to unbow my shungenja because the card says negate both cost and effect but my stronghold says that only the effects cannot be negated.
  Also is consider a thunder action if the personality performing it is thunder?
  A: It depends on the timing. Some negation reacts to announcing an action (Entrenched Position). If this happens, you can then use Suitengu's Torch's reaction to make the action non-negatable.
  Iron Will, however, reacts to the targeting, and therefore is played after the window in which Suitengu's Torch's reaction is usable.
  An action is a Thunder action if the card it is printed on has the Thunder keyword, or if the action itself has the Thunder keyword. Jon Palmer, "Iron Will + Suitengu's Torch", 9 Feb 2012
• Q: This is a follow up to Strategy Cards vs. Non-Strategy Cards and Negating
  Effortless Counterattack vs. A Brave New World If A Brave New World was used as an extra action which is canceled by Effortless Counterattack, Brave New World is discarded but the cost of Brave New World (discarding a card) still happens? I.e. I target a Paragon with an action, Iron Will is used to cancel the action. Then I take an additional action (from Iron Will) to play A Brave New World and I discard a card to pay for A Brave New World, which my opponent used Effortless Counterattack to cancel the additional action. Brave New World and the discarded card go to my Fate Discard pile (and I cry some. Crying is optional).
  A: Effortless Counterattack negates effects but, unlike Iron Will, does not ignore costs, so the discard required by Brave New World still happens. Alex Jones, "Strategy Cards vs. Non-Strategy Cards and Negating", 26 Jan 2012
• Q: Player A uses Ring of Fire from his hand, choosing a low-PH, high-Chi personality as the performer and targets player B's high-PH, low-Chi paragon. Player B reacts with Iron Will. Does the Ring of Fire stay in player A's hand, being usable immediately for the additional action granted by Iron Will (since it is face-down and out-of-play)?
  Ring of Fire
  Battle: Bow this card or discard it from your hand, destroy your performing Personality, and target an enemy Personality with equal or lower Chi: Destroy him.
  Iron Will
  Reaction: After another player targets your Paragon with a Battle action performed by a Personality with lower Personal Honor: The action's costs are ignored and its effects are negated. That player may take an additional Battle action.
  A: The ability on Ring of Fire may immediately be declared again.
  According to Areas of the game, Using non-Strategy abilities from the hand: If, when the action ends, the card is still in the hand, it turns face down again. Alex Jones, "Iron Will vs Ring of Fire", 23 Jan 2012
• Q: This was inspired by viewtopic.php?f=59&t=94545 but has no actual relation to it.
  Can I Iron Will a Silent Rot even if Silent Rot is using a Ninja for the area before the colon? Similarly, can Steel on Steel be Iron Will'd, since neither action is performed, but simply targets?
  Iron Will: Reaction: After another player targets your Paragon with a Battle action performed by a Personality with lower Personal Honor: The action's costs are ignored and its effects are negated. That player may take an additional Battle action.
  Steel on Steel: Battle: Target your unbowed Personality: He challenges a target enemy Personality. Destroy the duel's loser.
  Silent Rot: Battle: Target your unbowed Ninja: Target an enemy card. Bow it if it has no attachments. Destroy it if it has any Poison tokens.
  A: Silent Rot and Steel on Steel are both performed when a Personality is targeted in the constraints block, per the rules on performing, specifically the reference to cards printed before The Plague War.
  If Silent Rot is playing targeting Red Crane Dojo in a manner similar to the referenced question, it is not performed, and therefore Iron Will cannot be used against it. Jon Palmer, "RE: Silent Rot/Steel on Steel and Iron Will", 24 Oct 2011
• Q: Now at the end of Daigotsu's action, we have 2 static text, one saying that "After the additional action ends, or you choose not to take it, move him home," and one that says "That player may take an additional Battle action."
  Does this not mean that the active player would get to choose which happens first based upon the Timing Sequence?
  A: No, because of the Additional action rules: When an additional action is granted while a non-Reaction action is in progress, the timing of the additional action is delayed: the opportunity to take it happens once the current non-Reaction action has ended, and once the opportunity to play Reactions to the end of the action has passed. This makes sure that Battle actions can not occur within other Battle actions, or Limited/Opens within other Limited/Opens.
  The performer of Strike Quickly moves home in Step B of the Timing Sequence, for effects/traits triggered by the additional action granted by Strike Quickly; the additional action granted by Iron Will is taken after Step C, for Reactions triggered by that additional action. Alex Jones, "Strike Quickly and Iron Will", 2 Oct 2011
• Q: If so, why?
  A: Let me try the next question first.... Zen Faulkes, "Strike Quickly and Iron Will", 24 Sep 2011
• Q: My understanding was that "Take an additional battle action" was not the same as "take a battle action right now." Taking an additional battle action effectively put a battle action opportunity next in line for a given player, as opposed to simply taking a battle action in the middle of another action--which appears to what is happening in the current ruling.
  A: Indeed, it is explicitly stated in the rules glossary (as of this writing - we recognized in the Rules Junta discussion that have some revision to do) that this is why additional actions are delayed effects: "This makes sure that Battle actions can not occur within other Battle actions" (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Glossary_A#Additional_action).
  As to "Why" this happens, I think the key word in your sentence is "effectively." You are thinking the rule is, "Move the action to the next player opportunity to take that action" - because this was what the rule usually serves to do. But the devil's in the details, and the exact wording of the timing in the rules is different.
  The rule for delaying additional actions: "the timing of the additional action is delayed, such that the action is taken once the action or trait that granted it has ended". So for this particular Reaction that grants an additional action, that additional delayed action is going to pop right in after the Reaction.
  As I said: That was discussion version one point zero. Going to flag this for the Rules Junta now to see if they have more to add. Zen Faulkes, "Strike Quickly and Iron Will", 24 Sep 2011
• Q: Does the additional action created by Iron Will happen before the personality is moved back home by the delayed effects of Strike Quickly?
  A: Before.
  The reason for this is that once you start an action, it runs through to completion (The Priority Rule; http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Timing#Priority). This is made complicated by the rules for additional actions, though, which introduce several delays. (I'd thought the timing sequence walking through those tricky timing bits answered the question, but can see in retrospect, with the nudge, that it needed the last steps made explicit. Sorry.)
  Here's the breakdown of the timing, continued:
  A. Player 1 plays Strike Quickly, we fast forward to action resolution ... Effect (a): Move Personality. Effect (b): Additional action, delayed until after Strike Quickly ends. Effect (c): Move Personality home, delayed until after the action enabled by Effect (b) ends. Strike Quickly ends.
  B. Player 1 takes Battle action from Personality's ability. Step 1: Announce the action Step 2: Action targets an enemy Paragon with higher PH.
  C. Player 2 takes Iron Will's Reaction after targeting. We fast forward to action resolution ... Effect (a). Tells you to ignore costs and negate effects of Battle action (which haven't happened, but the effect applies in the future). Effect (b). Player 1 gets additional action, delayed until after Iron Will ends. Iron Will ends, which triggers the delayed effect (b), above.
  D. Player 1 uses additional action from Iron Will.
  E (B, resumed). Player 1 resumes Battle action from Personality's ability (Effect (b)) Step 3: Pay costs (which are ignored due to Iron Will). Step 4: Resolve effects (which are negated due to Iron Will).
  F . Player 1's Personality is moved home by delayed Effect (c) from Strike Quickly. Zen Faulkes, "Strike Quickly and Iron Will", 24 Sep 2011
• Q: I play Strike Quickly, move in someone, take an additional action to use one of his base abilities and my opponent reacts with Iron Will. What happens then?
  A: Let me make sure I understand what's happening here. Strike Quickly can't target another player's Paragon (it only targets your Personality), so Iron Will is reacting to the ability used by the Personality you moved. Zen Faulkes, "Strike Quickly and Iron Will", 22 Sep 2011
• Q: Do I move home immediately, before I can take an additional action from Iron Will?
  A: Because it involves an additional action, the exact timing of this one turns out to be... subtle.
  A. Player 1 plays Strike Quickly, we fast forward to action resolution ... Effect (a): Move Personality. Effect (b): Additional action, delayed until after Strike Quickly ends. Effect (c): Move Personality home, delayed until after the action enabled by Effect (b) ends. Strike Quickly ends.
  B. Player 1 takes Battle action from Personality's ability. Step 1: Announce the action Step 2: Action targets an enemy Paragon with higher PH.
  C. Player 2 takes Iron Will's Reaction after targeting. We fast forward to action resolution ... Effect (a). Tells you to ignore costs and negate effects of Battle action (which haven't happened, but the effect applies in the future). Effect (b). Player 1 gets additional action, delayed until after Iron Will ends. Effect (c). Iron Will ends. Zen Faulkes, "Strike Quickly and Iron Will", 22 Sep 2011
• Q: Hello!
  I play One Action, Two Strikes and resolve my additional battle actions normally. Later in the same battle, my opponent reacts with Iron Will. Do I get an additional action? I would think not.
  A: You are correct. The previous resolving of One Action, Two Strikes will make the granting of an additional action from a later Iron Will fail. Brook Cunningham, "Iron Will and One Action, Two Strikes", 21 Sep 2011
• Q: Hi there,
  A quick question about who performs an action, if the personality or a follower. The cards involved: Toritaka Chokichi: "Battle: Bow your performing Follower: Ranged 4 Attack which may target a Personality with attached Followers if you have Reconaissance." Iron Will: "Reaction: After another player targets your Paragon with a Battle action performed by a Personality with lower Personal Honor: The action's costs are ignored and its effects are negated. That player may take an additional Battle action." Overpowering Assault:Battle: Choose your performing unbowed Commander and bow his performing Follower: Destroy a target enemy card without attachments.
  1) Toritaka Chokichi uses his printed battle against a Paragon with higher personal honor. Who is performing the action, Chokichi or the follower? Can I cancelt it with Iron Will? 2) A commander uses Overpowering Assault against a Paragon with higher ph. Again, who is performing? The card says that both the commander and the follower are performing.
  Thanks a lot!
  A: 1. Per the rules on performed actions, any ability printed on a Personality is performed by that Personality. Chokichi is performing the action, and so is the Follower, since the Chokichi's text states that the Follower is performing.
  2. In this case, the Commander is performing, and again, so is the Follower, per the text of Overpowering Assault.
  And, to answer the second half of question 1 in regard to both actions:
  In both cases, Iron Will is legal to play assuming the action targeted Paragon with higher Personal Honor than the performing Personality. Brook Cunningham, "Iron Will vs Toritaka Chokichi / Overpowering Assault", 18 Sep 2011
• Q: A) My opponent targets my paragon with a random strategy card e.g. Yarijutsu. I play Iron Will. Does the Yarijutsu go to the discard pile? B) My opponent targets my paragon with a random ability on a personality e.g. Bow a personality. I play Iron Will. Does the personalities ability count as used for the turn?
  A: A) Yes. The normal discarding of the card is not a cost; it's just part of the sequence of playing a Strategy.
  B) Yes. Again, not a cost.
  The costs are just the game state changes to be made in constraints (such as bowing the Weapon, in Yarijutsu's case) and the Gold Cost in a Strategy's coin, if any. Brook Cunningham, "Iron Will + Strategy card", 2 Aug 2011
• Q: Also, if I naval a thunder action and its effects get canceled by a card like Reinforce the Gate will I still be able to use the trait to give +1 Force to one of my personalities? Or if the action is negated by Iron Will or Smoke Screen would I still be able to get the +1F?
  A: Yes, in those cases, Thunder Dragon Bay's trait would still trigger. All actions have a "resolution", even if their effects are negated or "do not" happen. Brook Cunningham, "Thunder Dragon Bay and Ranged Attack", 23 Jul 2011
• Q: If my opponent targets a personality with an action performed by one of his personalites and I redirect with Chugo Seido (or some other form of redirection) to a paragon personality with more personal honor, will I be able to react with Iron Will?
  A: Yes, you may. Even though you are changing the target your opponent chose, he is still considered to be doing the targeting. Brook Cunningham, "Iron Will + Chugo Seido", 5 Jul 2011
• Q: I am guessing i cant use iron will to react [to Flanked by Nightmares] because i do the targeting?
  A: Correct. Zen Faulkes, "Iron Will vs. Flanked by Nightmares", 4 Jul 2011
• Q: If I am playing a Rising Sun Blade with the ability on Farthest East Fortress and I target a Paragon to bow, what happens when my opponent plays Iron Will?
  A: Iron Will says, "The action's cost are ignored and its effects are negated." This does not work retroactively, so, if Iron Will is played during action resolution due to optional targeting, costs are not refunded and instantaneous effects are not reversed, although ongoing effects are negated.
  Farthest Fortress says: Battle: Choose your performing unbowed Personality:You may attach a Weapon from your hand to him. You may then target and bow an enemy Personality with lower Force. If you attached a Weapon and bowed a Personality, draw a card.
  Everything up to the targeting happens, but the bowing of the targeted Paragon is negated. Attaching a card to a Personality is an instantaneous effect, so this is not undone. Alex Jones, "Iron Will and Farthest East Fortress", 14 May 2011
• Q: [Celestial] iron will vs Knife in the darkness. IW wins over KitD?
  A: It's a "tie"? 😛 Knife will still move them, but it won't bow them. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 4 Jul 2026