Isawa Hochiu

Legend of the Five Rings card from A Perfect Cut

Card Type

Personality

Force

2

Chi

3

Honor Requirement

8

Gold Cost

7

Personal Honor

3

Clan

Phoenix

Keywords

Unique, Elemental Master, Experienced, Fire, Phoenix Clan, Shugenja

Card Text

Hochiu has +2C while facing a Shadowlands Personality in a duel.
Before Hochiu is destroyed as the consequence of a duel, if he was the challenger and you did not use his printed ability upon his entering it, negate his destruction.
Fire Repeatable Tireless Reaction: After Hochiu enters a duel, you may focus one additional time before the duel begins.

Legality

Four Winds (Gold)

Deck

Dynasty

Story

2000 World Champion - Justin Walsh

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: 1.)If Isawa Hochiu exp challanges a personality to a duel, and uses his reaction ("Reaction: Hochiu focuses once upon entering a duel. This may be used while he is bowed"), but the reaction is canceled with Keen Eyes, there's some difficulties is the aftermath. First, what happens to the focus, or is it even ever played?
  A: It is not even played. Jeff Alexander, "post for 10 March 2003", 11 Mar 2003
• Q: But Iai. Art lets everyone focus once and only once before it resolves, so I don't think Hochiu can strike before his opponent focuses from Iai. Art
  A: Iaijutsu Art does not always give both players a chance to focus. If the first player somehow arranges to strike legally, the duel moves into resolution and the other player gets no more chances to focus, just like with any duel. Jeff Alexander, "post for 22 May 2002", 23 May 2002
• Q: Does Isawa Hochiu exp1 get to Focus, and then Focus for Iai Art?
  A: A Personality cannot focus more than once during an Iaijutsu Art. If Hochiu uses his Reaction to focus upon entering the duel, he can't focus normally. Jeff Alexander, "post for 21 May 2002", 22 May 2002
• Q: 1. If my Isawa Hochiu exp. is challenged to an Iaijutsu Art, and I use his ability to focus upon entering a duel, I must then strike, right? The other player will not be given an opportunity to focus. Is this correct?
  A: Both are correct. Jeff Alexander, "post for 6 May 2002", 7 May 2002
• Q: Isawa Hochiu Phoenix Clan Shugenja. Experienced. If Hochiu is the challenger in a duel, he cannot die as a result of the duel unless he uses the following ability. Elemental Reaction: Hochiu focuses once upon entering a duel. This action may be used while Hochiu is bowed.
  Does Hochiu automatically win a Test of the Emerald Champion even if he loses in any number of duels since he never dies?
  A: Provided you never use his reaction, you automatically get the extra Province, yes. Keep in mind you won't gain any honor if you don't fight and win any of the duels. Jeff Alexander, "post for 26 November 2001", 27 Nov 2001
• Q: Has there ever been a ruling to state whether or not the old Phoenix Masters are considered "Elemental Master" ? Basically, do they trigger the "Power of the Masters" event?
  For example: Isawa Hochiu (Experienced) Phoenix Clan * Shugenja * Experienced * Unique * Master of Fire
  Power of the Masters Until the end of the game, while you control exactly five Elemental Masters with five different element keywords between them, each of your Elemental Master Personalities has the ability "Open: Bow a target Personality."
  A: Ah, there you are. (Sorry folks, inside joke.)
  The answer: Unfortunately (and I say this as a Phoenix player), no. None of the pre-Samurai-legal Masters are technically Elemental Masters, so they would not register for Power of the Masters' or, say, Shiba Yoma Exp3's effects.
  I know it doesn't make sense from a story perspective, but you must note the lack of the keyword "Elemental" on any of the Phoenix Masters printed prior to Khan's Defiance. In Samurai, keywords are all static and indivisible, so an Elemental Master needs to have "Elemental Master". In Legacy, for cards printed prior to Khan's Defiance, keywords are looser (Citation), but the actual word would still need to be present.
  In Legacy (because "Elemental" isn't used in Samurai except when coupled with "Master"), there is no rule that having an element keyword is equivalent to being "Elemental", nor does having one imply being "Elemental".
  Rest assured, and I'm sorry for it currently being a work in progress, the Legacy Glossary will include the term "Elemental" to underscore these distinctions (which can currently be found in the Lotus Rulebook, pg. 70). Brook Cunningham, "Elemental Masters", 23 Apr 2008