Moto Chagatai

Legend of the Five Rings card from Khan's Defiance, Promotional–Lotus, Celestial Edition 15th Anniversary, Samurai Edition Banzai

Card Type

Personality

Force

9

Chi

5

Honor Requirement

-

Gold Cost

14

Personal Honor

2

Clan

Unicorn

Keywords

Cavalry, Experienced 4, Loyal, Tactician, Unique, Clan Champion, Samurai, The Khan, Unicorn Clan

Card Text

Negate your Unicorn Clan Personalities' movement from other players' actions while they are in Chagatai's army.
Absent Remote Tireless Battle: Even if Chagatai has been in an attacking army during battle resolution this phase, move him to the current battlefield. If he is now opposed, straighten him.

Legality

Age of Enlightenment (Lotus)

Banned

Banned from Samurai Edition tournaments.

Deck

Dynasty

Printings

Rulings

• Not legal for tournament play. [Effective 1 May 2009, Bryan Reese, 10 April 2009] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 148

Rules Q&A

• Q: Is the Moto Chagatai Exp. 5's controller allowed to bow a unicorn personality despite the fact that Chagatai's trait has not yet been used?
  A: No.
  http://rules.l5r.com/Card_features#Traits: "Traits that are triggered when paying a Gold cost, and whose effects produce Gold, do not have to be triggered when any given Gold cost is paid; they are optional. All other effects of triggered traits are not optional – they must happen if the trigger occurs." (Emphasis added.) Zen Faulkes, "Governor's Court and Moto Chagatai exp5", 17 Mar 2009
• Q: I declare an attack. I assign Moto Chagatai exp4 to an undefended province. Resolving that battle first, we both pass, the province is destroyed, and Chag goes home bowed. The next battle is at a province where neither I nor my opponent have presence. Chag's own ability says that even if he's bowed and has been in a battle resolution this turn, he can assign to the current battle, but he won't straighten if he's unopposed. With bowed Chag at home, can I play Unwavering Assault on him? I know it won't move him into the battle, but its straightening ability is a separate effect. The idea is that Unwavering Assault will straighten him at home, then I can use Chag's own battle action to actually move him into the battle. I think that by the good faith rule this is legit, but my opponent was arguing the rule of Location.
  A: This is a variation of the frequently asked question, "Is an action legal if an effect can't happen?"
  http://rules.l5r.com/FAQ#Is_an_action_l ... _happen.3F
  Also, if you look under the Rule of Location (http://rules.l5r.com/Battles#Rule_of_Location), it notes: "Even if the movement is subject to known effects that will cause it not to happen -- for example, due to ongoing negation effects, or due to the unit having been in an attacking army during the Resolution Segment of another battle -- the action can still be taken, because of the Blind cards rule." Zen Faulkes, "Unwavering Assault and Good Faith", 23 Oct 2008
• Q: Lets K.I.S.S. this one.
  Moto Yong Tai XP Says, Reaction: After an action resolves that moved a personality: Target and bow the personality. Straighten one of your target personalities.
  Chagatai XP 4 says, Battle: Even if Chagatai is bowed or has been in battle resolution this turn: Move him to the current battlefield. If he is now opposed, straighten him.
  Familiar Scenario, Chagatai goes into an unmanned province and decimates it. He then moves using his battle ability into an empty province. Can Moto Yong Tai target Chags, bow him then straighten him?
  TL;DR Version; Even though you can't technically bow the already bowed Chagatai, the bowing isn't a cost, so would you still be able to straighten him using Moto Yong Tai's ability.
  [mod edit -- thread title]
  A: I'm sorry, I couldn't parse all your acronyms above. And we, the Rules Team, do appreciate and encourage the use of complete card titles; in all your nicknaming of the Unicorn Champion, you never did get around to identifying him as a memmber of the Moto family.
  But, bottom line:
  The target of the second effect of Moto Yong-tai's action can be the same Personality that triggered it and was targeted by its first effect. This is because the two effects are not joined in the same sentence by "and" which would imply them to be different targets (as seen in this ruling about Daigotsu Exp 2). Thus, you could move one of your Personalities, react to his movement, bow him, and then straighten him. Brook Cunningham, "Moto Yong-tai XP And Moto Chagatai XP 4", 24 Jul 2008
• Q: Moto Chagatai (Experienced 4) Other player's actions cannot move Unicorn Clan Personalities in Chagatai's army.
  Is the "cannot" wording in his trait a negation?
  A: Yes, it is:
  http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_C#Cannot: "When found in card text, and when referring to a type of cost or effect (e.g., bowing, Force bonuses), “cannot” (or "can not") means that a certain type of effect or cost is negated whenever it occurs." Brook Cunningham, "Chagatai -- Cannot = Negation?", 23 Jul 2008
• Q: If Moto Chagatai (Experienced 4) has been in resolution, and is bowed, can he use his action(?)
  A: Yes. http://rules.l5r.com/Special_wording_rules#Conjunctions: "Effects that check for a condition phrased as 'X or Y' are also satisfied if both X and Y are met.
  "Example: 'Destroyed during a duel or a battle' would apply even if the duel was during a battle, and 'target a Samurai or Shugenja' could target one Personality with both keywords." Zen Faulkes, "Moto Chagatai exp4 question", 19 May 2008
• Q: ...once I send him home, he's stuck there because he can't use his ability again to override this?
  A: Yes, the above quoted part is correct.
  The "Even if" clause (see http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_E#Even_if) is contained within Chagatai's ability, therefor it only affects the legality of that ability.
  If Chagatai has already used his ability this turn and has already been attacking in a battle resolution this turn, actions that move him into a battle (like the one on The Khan) do not move him (see here: http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_M#Move)* unless they also contain such a clause.
  *(Fixed and clarified, 4-7-08) Brook Cunningham, "Moto Chagatai Exp. 4", 5 Apr 2008
• Q: If I target Moto Chagatai Exp. 4 with Furious Assault and he decides to move home, will he go or his trait will keep him in battle?
  A: If it's another players action, he stays (and is promptly destroyed by Furious Assault). Traits are not optional. Zen Faulkes, "Furious Assault vs. Moto Chagatai/Shiba Aikune", 24 Mar 2008
• Q: What If I target Shiba Aikune Exp. 3 while he's alone?
  A: Same thing. The trait is not optional, and Furious Assault looks for an effect, not a decision. Zen Faulkes, "Furious Assault vs. Moto Chagatai/Shiba Aikune", 24 Mar 2008
• Q: Can one have Moto Chagatai XP 4 and Moto Chagatai XP 5 in play at the same time?
  A: No. Per the definition of Unique, "A card with the Unique keyword can not enter play if any player controls a Unique card with the same title." See here.
  However, you can overlay Moto Chagatai Exp 5 over Moto Chagatai Exp 4. See Experienced. Doruk Özaydın, "2 Moto Chagatai in play?", 23 Mar 2008
• Q: There's a new rule in town: "When simultaneous effects caused by a single piece of text create multiple game procedures containing more than one step, each step of each procedure takes place simultaneously, in parallel".
  Thanks to this rule, are the following sentences correct please ?
  I am a Unicorn Clan player and my opponent is not. I control no Personality, he attacks and is about to destroy a Province where Moto Akikazu (basic) is face-up, I play Imbue Chi's Reaction, performed by Akikazu. Thus Moto Chagatai (Experienced 4) and Moto Chagatai (Experienced 5) are also revealed face-up in my provinces, next to the performing shugenja's province. I follow the normal sequence of five steps to bring them all into play, each step taking place simultaneously. I check both Chagatai's uniqueness during step B : no player controls a Unique card with the same title at that time. I don't pay their Gold cost during step C (Imbue Chi's text). I don't check their uniqueness again during step D so I simultaneously put them into play. I ride to victory.
  Thanks for your help.
  A: Bringing in two Unique cards with the same name at the same time works just fine. We saw it coming with Isawa's Fire and Imbue Chi when we were debating the issue.
  You know, there is nothing keeping you from using Hall of the Ancestors to copying "Unique" trait off of some dead Lion onto Matsu Aoiko while you have Matsu Aoiko XP (who is already unique) in play either. Martin Lund, "Imbue Chi and uniqueness", 7 Feb 2008
• Q: I still don't understand whether Misdirection can make a legally attempted Unwavering Assault suddenly target a unit that was in an attacking army during the Resolution Segment of another battle during this Attack Phase, because Dr. Faulkes' new rules don't seem to affect targeting after an action is legally attempted.
  A: Misdirection can't cause something to be targeted something that couldn't be targeted in the first place. Zen Faulkes, "RE2:Moto Chagatai xp4 and Unwavering Assault", 23 Dec 2007
• Q: Sorry but i don't understand why you can't use Unwavering Assault in a personality who already been in an attacking army during battle resolution this attack phase , just to unbow his unit, but you can use rapid deployment in the same case and resolve another effect(movement of the another unit).
  A: The Rapid Deployment ruling is incorrect. Zen Faulkes, "RE2:Moto Chagatai xp4 and Unwavering Assault", 20 Dec 2007
• Q: I would like to ask for a little clarification on the specific situation from this question http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=64208
  Is it even legal to target any personality who has already been in a battle resolution as the attacker with Unwavering Assault (or any other move in action)? The rulebook specifically states that they cannot move in, and this is not negation (Likewise, the phrases “cannot” or “can only” appearing in rules text apply to the legality of doing something in the first place; they do not imply that doing that thing is merely negated.) [url]http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=59651&p=767162 [/url] From the comprehensive rules (Battles): The Blind Cards rule means that even if the movement is known beforehand to fail due to ongoing negation effects, the action can still be taken.http://rules.l5r.com/Battles
  All this would seem to imply that it is not even legal to announce the action in the first place.
  Thanks for clarifying.
  A: Ah, good point. I was thinking Moto Chagatai (Experienced 4) got around that rule, but that's only for his own action. Will fix. Zen Faulkes, "RE2:Moto Chagatai xp4 and Unwavering Assault", 20 Dec 2007
• Q: If my (Moto) Chagatai xp4 has already been in Battle Resolution this turn, and if in the current battlefield I have no army, can I use Unwavering Assault to unbow Chagatai's unit in home and then use his battle ability and move him to the current battlefield?
  A: No. You cannot attempt to move a unit in, because it's a rulebook prohibition on taking the action (http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_C#Cannot), not negation. (Fixed.) Zen Faulkes, "RE2:Moto Chagatai xp4 and Unwavering Assault", 20 Dec 2007
• Q: I'm defending with a shugenja and my opponent has Moto Chagatai 4 attacking me. My shugenja has the Seeking the Way. Can I use the Seeking the Way? If I can, Will I gain the honor from the action?
  A: You want to read the FAQ.
  http://rules.l5r.com/FAQ#Is_an_action_l ... _happen.3F Zen Faulkes, "Moto Chagatai Exp.4 + Seeking the Way", 1 Dec 2007
• Q: My one Samurai personality, let's say Utaku Koana, is defending alone and unbowed at a battlefield where she is opposing Moto Chagatai Experienced 4. I want to send him back home with Courtesy but I know his trait prevents my actions from moving him so, before announcing Courtesy, I play Determination in order to prevent Courtesy's targeting from being changed and its effects from being negated by Chagatai's trait. Unfortunately my opponent reacts to my Determination by playing True Strength's Reaction, thus destroying my lonely Samurai, leaving me with no Personality. How shall we deal with this situation please ?
  1) Determination is played before announcing Courtesy and Courtesy is no longer legal so I must choose another action to announce, which will be affected by Determination, if any one is legal (e.g. Refugees), or pass ; my opponent can call a judge to check I could legally play Determination before its True Strength and, if I pass, to check I can play no other legal action, but I am not compelled to tell him which action I was about to take.
  2) Determination is played before announcing Courtesy and Courtesy is no longer legal so I can choose another action to announce or pass, and I can pass even if I could take another legal action.
  3) I can't play Determination if I don't show which action I am about to take, so I still play Courtesy but I fail to find its first target so Courtesy doesn't resolve.
  4) I can't play Determination if I don't show which action I am about to take, so I still play Courtesy but I check the Good Faith Rule after announcing it (so after Determination has resolved), the Good Faith Rule says it is a play mistake to take an action if a mandatory target can't be chosen so the Courtesy card is revealed but it returns to my hand and I can take another action or pass.
  5) Something else happen. Please explain.
  Thanks a lot.
  A: Good question.
  I'm going to have to pass this up to the whole team, Roger included, as this requires an addition to the rules to cover the hedge case.
  In the mean-time, the best suggestion I have for getting through this situation if it comes up in a game between now and then is this:
  Once you play and resolve a "Before announcing," trigger, you've got to try to announce something to validate that trigger (even if it isn't what you originally intended to announce). If you've got no means to do so because of a Reaction or Trigger that made the originally intended play illegal, then and only then can you pass without taking the required Action. In a casual game you're on the honor system. In a tournament game, call over a judge and explain what took place and show him your board / hand so he can verify that you've got no legal play.
  The real priorities here are to avoid creating a retroactively illegal play and move play along as cleanly as possible without creating an exploit.
  Like I mentioned, the Rules Team will see exactly what rule needs to go into the Comprehensive Rules - but in the meantime this Ruling should see you through. Martin Lund, "Determination is no True Strength", 19 Nov 2007
• Q: I target Moto Chagatai XP4 with a Test of Courage, can I still use his Battle ability to move to another battle?
  A: A Test of Courage says, "Reaction: Before an action moves one of your target Personalities home from a battlefield: Negate the movement. You can not target the Personality with actions or bow him to pay costs (until the turn ends)."
  Moto Chagatai XP4 says, "Battle: Even if Chagatai is bowed or has been in a battle resolution this turn: Move him to the current battlefield. If he is now opposed, straighten him."
  Chagatai's ability does not target him or require him to bow to pay costs. I don't see any reason why A Test of Courage would get in its way. Martin Lund, "Moto Chagatai XP4 and Test of Courage", 3 Aug 2007
• Q: Is Moto Chagatai from Khan Defiance legal in Samurai?
  A: http://rules.l5r.com/Samurai-Legal_Cards Zen Faulkes, "Khan legality", 6 Jul 2007
• Q: According to this post Zen made http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=58805 Naval units should be assigned during infantry, yet I don't see anywhere within the comprehensive rulings or the SE basic rulebook that prevents naval units from assigning during Cavalry Maneuvers (eg. Moto Chagatai exp4 with the Heavenly Kobune of Suitengu attached).
  Is there something I missed while reading that prevents Naval Cavalry units from assigning during the Cavalry maneuvers segment?
  A: That's not really what the original question asked, as far as I can tell.
  The default for all cards is Infantry. If it's a Naval card with the Cavalry trait, then yes, it can assign as Cavalry. But the presence of the Naval keyword has nothing to do with that assignment. Zen Faulkes, "Naval Units Clarification", 30 Jun 2007
• Q: Moto Chagatai X4 is leagal in samurai so in turn does that make all of his lesser versons leagal too?
  A: No. Zen Faulkes, "Legality of less Experienced versions of cards", 2 Jun 2007