Asako Bairei

Legend of the Five Rings card from Stronger Than Steel

Card Type

Personality

Force

2

Chi

5

Honor Requirement

6

Gold Cost

8

Personal Honor

3

Clan

Phoenix

Keywords

Cavalry, Experienced 3, Unique, Elemental Master, Phoenix Clan, Scribe, Shugenja, Water

Card Text

You may ignore the cost of bowing your Water Shugenja for Water actions they perform.
Water Battle: Even if he is not at the current battlefield, bow Bairei and target zero to four bowed cards: Straighten them.

Legality

Race for the Throne (Samurai)

Deck

Dynasty

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: If Asako Bairei (Experienced 3) is in play and has Touch of Ice attached, could I still bow Asako Bairei to cast the spell?
  A: Asako Bairei Experienced 3 says: Your Water Shugenja need not bow as a cost of performing Water actions.
  Need not: The phrase “need not” indicates optional waiver of a cost.
  You may bow Bairei to pay the cost if you wish, or you may waive that cost if you wish. Alex Jones, "Asako Bairei (Experienced 3) and Touch of Ice", 5 Aug 2008
• Q: (C)an Asako Bairei xp3 unbow any card at any location alsong as his controller is meeting the presence rule?
  A: No. Re-read the post you quoted, which specifically says, "Any cards in units that he targets (Personalities or Attachment Cards) have to be at the Current Battlefield by the Rule of Location." The Rule of Location has two parts, and "Even if [ a card ] is not at the current battlefield" waive the second part of the rule of Location. Zen Faulkes, "Asako Bairei (Eperienced 3)", 14 Nov 2007
• Q: Can Asako Bairei unbow holdings with his battle ability?
  If so, was this intentional?
  A: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=62593
  Still on the first page even. Chris Fuchs, "Asako Bairei xp3 and Holdings", 19 Oct 2007
• Q: You guys might be holding off on answering this question, but I figured I'd give it one last plug (in case it'd just been forgotten in the shuffle). I suspect that PT is testing Bairei as if he can straighten non-unit cards to see if they can spare us an errata (a good idea, all options considered). Or maybe there'll be an errata following the Jade Championships?
  Asako Bairei XP3 reads: Water Battle: Even if he is not at the current battlefield, bow Bairei: Straighten up to 4 target bowed cards.
  The Rule of Location reads: "1. Any cards in units must be at the current battlefield to be legally targeted by a Battle action."
  Question: Assuming that a player does have presence at a battlefield, can Asako Bairei XP3 be used to straighten bowed holdings (cards clearly not at the battlefield, but which are equally not cards in units)?
  Can we hold out hope for an "I'm talking to the rules Junta" on this? Possibly maybe an answer, if there wasn't actually anything happening in the background? Is there some hidden implication I haven't noticed that could result from this ruling? Thanks for your patience in fielding this question!
  A: By the Rules As Written, Asako Bairei can target 4 cards of any sort. Any cards in units that he targets (Personalities or Attachment Cards) have to be at the Current Battlefield by the Rule of Location. Cards that aren't in units (Holdings, Regions, etc.), can be targeted freely. Martin Lund, "Asako Bairei XP3 and Gold Holdings", 18 Oct 2007