Kenson Gakka

Legend of the Five Rings card from Diamond Edition, Promotional–Diamond, Training Grounds

Card Type

Stronghold

Province Strength

7

Gold Production

3

Starting Family Honor

6

Clan

Lion

Card Text

Terrains you own in and out of play have a minimum Focus Value of 3.
Your non-Tactician Lion Clan Samurai with 3 or higher Chi have Tactician while in armies and have their new Force bonuses from the Rulebook Tactical Advantage action and Tactical actions negated.

Legality

Rain of Blood (Diamond)

Deck

Pre-Game

Printings

Rulings

• Personalities with the Tactician trait from any source other than the stronghold may gain force bonuses from Tactical actions. [ML, 26 May 2004] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 147

Rules Q&A

• Q: If Kenson Gakka is my stronghold, and I use Mirotai's ability. During the following attack, is he considered to have the printed Tactician trait for satisfying the "formed by requirments" for Rain of Death? If I'm not using Kenson Gakka?
  No -- he's lost the trait.
  Is this true? If a personality “loses” a trait or ability, are they considered to NOT have the “printed” instance of that trait or ability?
  A: The printed card is not changed unless the effect text specifically says it changes the "printed" status of the card.
  Losing the Tactician trait to Mirotai's ability does not change his status as a having the - printed - Tactician trait.
  So sayeth the Jeff. Martin Lund, "Rules for 18 January 2005", 21 Jan 2005
• Q: [1]. Kenson Gakka + Non-Printed Tactician Personality
  The text "cannot gain Force bonuses from Tactical actions" reffers I'm not able to use the tactical battle "discard a card from your hand to raise the force of this personality" or does it means that if I do so the force bonus become a 0F Bonus? It means... Can I do a 0F tactical bonus and use the Taniko Reaction (i.e.).
  A: "Traits that say "cannot" or "may not" and list an effect (e.g., "cannot be moved out of battle," "cannot be challenged," "cannot challenge," etc.) negate those effects. [Summary of other rulings]" (Accumulated Rulings, "Canceling and negation")
  So Kenson Gakka - negates - any Force Bonus from a Tactical Action. You can still successfully take the Tactical Action in the rulebook by discarding a card (and thus trigger Taniko), but any Force Bonus it would normally create is Negated. Martin Lund, "Rules for 11 December 2004", 13 Dec 2004
• Q: I was just wondering the following - Is a personality granted the Tactician trait by Kenson Gakka allowed to attempt the default rulebook Tactical action and just not gain the force or does Gakka's text prevent the pseudo-Tactician from even attempting the action?
  A: Nothing on Kenson Gakka prevents you from performing the Standard Tactical Action. All it does is prevent such a "Pseudo-tactician" from gaining Force from that Action. The Force Gain would be Negated, but you could still successfully perform the Action. Even if all the effects of an Action are Negated, it is still taken. Only Canceling the Action will prevent the successful play of an Action. Martin Lund, "Rules for 11 June 2004", 14 Jun 2004
• Q: If a Lion Personality has the Tactician trait from Kenson Gakka, and then gains the real tactician trait thru other means during the battle, Moment of Brilliance, Akodo Minako with a formation in play ect., can that personality now gain force bonusesfrom their Tactician trait or does the Stronghold effect still apply?
  A: I think I already answered this question today. Please folks, don't repost your questions until you check the digest for the day you actually posted your question. If that digest isn't out yet, don't repost until it does come out and you find your question has actually been missed.
  Anyway, to rehash, both the Tactician Trait and restriction granted by Kenson Gakka go away if the Personality has Tactician from some other source like Moment of Brilliance, Fan of Command, or the Printed Tactician Trait after an effect that removes Tactician (Spyglass) wears off. Martin Lund, "Rules for 28 April 2004", 30 Apr 2004
• Q: Personalities assigning to attack are already in an army for purpose of having the Tactician Trait with Kenson Gakka?
  A: Well, for the purposes of anything, really. It is all or nothing.
  Once a unit is successfully assigned, it is either Attacking or Defending a Province, and thusly is considered to be in an Army. Martin Lund, "Rules for 12 April 2004", 13 Apr 2004
• Q: The question is: Can I use the reaction Scouting Maneuvers with any lion with more than 2 chi with Kenson Gakka?
  A: Scouting Maneuvers says, "Target one of your Scouts or Tacticians after assigning it to a Province."
  After a unit is assigned, its cards are definitely part of an Army. That will qualify your non-Tactician Lion Clan - Samurai - with greater than 2 Chi for the Tactician trait from Kenson Gakka. That means they are eligible to use Scouting Maneuvers after they are assigned to the Province. Martin Lund, "Rules for 12 April 2004", 13 Apr 2004
• Q: Kenson Gakks says: Your non-Tactician Lion Clan Samurai with more than 2 Chi gain Tactician while in armies but cannot gain Force bonuses from Tactical actions. Does that mean: A: These Samurai may not use the Rulebook action to get a Force bonus. or B: May use the Rulebook action, but the bonus is immediately reduced to 0.
  A: C: May use the Rulebook action, paying all costs and successfully taking a Tactical Action for that battle, but the Action generates no bonus.
  So you can discard to draw with Matsu Taniko or use the ability as a costly pseudo-Philosopher. Martin Lund, "Rules for 31 March 2004", 2 Apr 2004
• Q: If i give one of my personalities (under Kenson Gakka) tactician trait from rage of matsu can i give it force bonuses from tactician actions?
  A: "Kenson Gakka only affects Personalities who do not have the Tactician Trait without Kenson Gakka giving it to them. If you hit someone with Moment of Brilliance or Fan of Command, Kenson Gakka's effect on them will expire. That means he's just a regular Tactician with no restrictions on Force Bonuses or anything." [ML, 26 May 2004] Zen Faulkes, "Rage of matsu + Kenson Gakka", 30 Mar 2005
• Q: When, during the Attack phase, is an army formed?
  A: As units are assigned in Manauvers Segment. Zen Faulkes, "Kenson Gakka timing question", 17 Mar 2005