Matsu Kasei

Legend of the Five Rings card from Path of the Destroyer

Card Type

Personality

Force

4

Chi

3

Honor Requirement

6

Gold Cost

6

Personal Honor

2

Clan

Lion

Keywords

Lion Clan, Samurai

Card Text

Battle: Move a target Personality at any location to the current battlefield if there are any units there on the side opposing his controller's. Straighten him if he moved. This action has Absent and Remote if Kasei targets himself.

Legality

Destroyer War (Celestial)

Deck

Dynasty

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: Okay, I know that this has probably been asked and answered before, but I looked up "movement", "kasei", and "rule of location" and found no results on this so...
  Matsu Kasei
  "Battle: Move a target Personality to the current battlefield if there are any units there on the side opposing his controller's. Straighten him if he moved."
  The way this card reads to me is: "Move any personality to the battle as long as it would be opposed."
  However, last night, I was playing in a game where Kasei got reduced to 0 by a nerve strike. I then moved him home, and attempted to use his effect.
  My opponent said because of the rule of location, since Kasei is not present, he cannot use his action on anyone but himself.
  Now, we went with that ruling, but I wanted to clarify this, because my issue is that Matsu Kasei has an effect that is similar the same effect as the fate card 'Unwavering Assault':
  "Target a Samurai Personality in your home: Straighten his unit. Move him to the current battlefield."
  It just does not make any sense to me as to why a fate card and a personality that do the same thing don't work the same way.
  Could someone please enlighten me on this is? Because the way I'm seeing this is that the player was either using an outdated ruling or they were being... dishonest... and I'd really, really like to not think that they were.
  A: Don't forget: Nerve Strike prevents the target from performing actions as well. Matsu Kasei could not have used his action to move in regardless.
  Assuming Matsu Kasei was merely sent home (while still straightened) and he would be opposed, he can use his ability to move himself (and only himself) into the battle.
  See http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Battles#Rule_of_Presence for the exception that allows Matsu Kasei to move himself to a battlefield where he would be opposed. Dan Jacobson, "Matsu Kasei movement", 30 May 2010
• Q: The cards:
  Final sacrifice Reaction: When an action would target a Personality you control, target your Yojimbo: The action targets him instead, if legal.
  Matsu Kasei Battle: Move a target Personality to the current battlefield if there are any units there on the side opposing his controller's. Straighten him if he moved.
  My doubt: I declare an attack and assign two yojimbo personalities to one province, my opponent assign Matsu Kasei to another province. I resolve the yojimbo's battle first, the province is destroyed, then I resolve Matsu Kasei's battle, and my opponent uses his ability to move one of my other personalities at home(a shugenja). Can I use Final sacrifice to redirect the targeting to the yojimbos assigned to attack? I don't know if they are a legal target for the redirection(they were in a resolultion during the attack phase so they cannot move) or they are and the movement effect fail.
  thanks
  A: Said Yojimbos would still be a legal target.
  Final Sacrifice may be used to target the Yojimbo instead.
  The movement effect would still fail.
  Remember that you can make choices and targets knowing that effects will fail. Dan Jacobson, "Matsu Kasei and redirection", 22 Mar 2010
• Q: I thought the battle action on the personality had to move specifically the personality who is performing the action in order to be a legal action as stated in the rule of location exception.
  A: Sorry. Because the original question did not mention Location, I misunderstood the question. So will just confirm previous poster has it right: If not in battle, Matsu Kasei can only move himself. Zen Faulkes, "Matsu Kasei", 1 Nov 2009
• Q: I have matsu Kasei at home with two other personalities. My opponent has a personality at the province. With Kasei's ability do I have to move Kasei or can I move any of my other personalities to that battle field since I am being opposed?
  A: Any. The ability moves a "target Personality." If it was limited to moving Matsu Kasei, it would specifically name Kasei. Zen Faulkes, "Matsu Kasei", 1 Nov 2009
• Q: Hello,
  I have a small problem with Matsu Kasei's wording, that may be due to the fact that English is not my native language, and I am failing to understand. Suppose that a Lion army containing Matsu Kasei attacks one of my provinces. I decide not to get in their way, leaving all of my units at home.
  So the question is pretty basic. Can Kasei use his ability to grab one of my personalities and get him in battle opposing him?
  Matsu Kasei's battle reads:
  Battle: Move a target Personality to the current battlefield if there are any units there on the side opposing his controller's. Straighten him if he moved.
  In other words, how do you explain the "any units there on the side opposing his controller's". If the Lion is not opposed by any of my units, does Kasei's battle check simply for the Lion's presence? (Opposing side?)
  Thanks, Panos
  A: Can Kasei use his ability to grab one of my personalities and get him in battle opposing him? Yes.
  Matsu Kasei's ability requires that after the target Personality moves, he - the target - will be opposed. To move a unit into the attacking army there must be one or more defenders; to move a unit into the defending army there must be one or more attackers. There is no requirement that the side the unit moves to is an army - ie, has one or more units - before it moves. Alex Jones, "Matsu Kasei", 15 Oct 2009