One Life, One Action

Legend of the Five Rings card from Gold Edition, Honor Bound

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

1

Card Text

Reaction: After an action from a Strategy resolves, if the Strategy was in a player's hand when its action was announced: Until the game ends, that player may not play any copy of that Strategy.

Focus Value

1

Legality

Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• "Any copy" includes the original card, should it be recycled somehow. [JA, 22 August 1999] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 27
• Will not prevent the attaching of a kiho to a Personality by Blessings of Isawa, nor its use once attached, because that does not involve "playing" the kiho again. [JA, January 2000] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 27
• Does not target the Action card. [JA, email, 26 August 2002] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 27
• May be triggered by an Action card when an effect due to its trait resolves (e.g., Kharmic Strike). [ZF, 1 January 2003] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 27
• Q: Does One Life, One Action stop a kiho that's been attached via Blessings of Isawa from being cast? A: No. It isn't "played" when it's used. One Life, One Action won't stop it from attaching, either, assuming it was legally and successfully cast. The Imperial Herald, Issue 14, p. 45

Rules Q&A

• Q: Greetings,
  Could One Life, One Action be played in response to Deadly Ground or Night Battle, or is it considered playing an action in the current battle?
  A: One Life, One Action is not a legal response to Deadly Ground or Night Battle, as OLOA has to wait until the action has completely resolved before it can be played. After either of those Terrains have been played, no more Actions can be played, so...no One Life, One Action.
  Vaughn
  * Rules Guy * The Random Ninja Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 22nd, 2003", 22 Jul 2003
• Q: Canceled and resolved are mutually exclusive. You cannot play One Life, One Action on a canceled action.
  Can I play OLOA as the first reaction, then cancel it wih the next action?
  A: By its own text, One Life, One Action cannot be played until after an action has completely resolved. At this point, most, if not all, canceling Reactions in the game are illegal, and any that might still be playable are pointless since they won't undo any of that action's effects that have already happened. [FOU rulesheet] Jeff Alexander, "post for 25 March 2003", 26 Mar 2003
• Q: Can you use One Life, One Action on an action card played as a focus that has an effect on the duel?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 30-31 December 2002", 31 Dec 2002
• Q: 1.) Following Agasha Hamanari's ability: Reaction: When a player plays an Action card from his or her hand that targets you, your cards, or your tokens, bow Hamanari to cancel the action . . . If my opponent challenges Hamanari to a duel (IE Iaijutsu Art), may I bow him to cancel the action, then use One Life, One Action on the card, or is considered to not have resolved?
  A: No. A canceled action does not count as either taken or played. Jeff Alexander, "post for 29 May 2002", 30 May 2002
• Q: 2.) How about with regards to the Ancient Halls of the Lion after a terrain has had its effects negated? Can One Life, One Action be used then?
  A: Yes. An action which has all its effects negated is still taken and still resolves. Jeff Alexander, "post for 29 May 2002", 30 May 2002
• Q: If my opponent challenges Hamanari to a duel, may I bow him to cancel the action, then use One Life, One Action on the card[?]
  A: See Dark Allies rulebook, pg. 45: A canceled action was never taken. One Life, One Action cannot be used. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 27 May 2002", 28 May 2002
• Q: How about with regards to the Ancient Halls of the Lion after a terrain has had its effects negated? Can One Life, One Action be used then?
  A: Yes. The terrain resolved, even though it didn't do anything. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 27 May 2002", 28 May 2002
• Q: 4.) Are terrains a type of battle action or their own classification of action? Meaning, can you cancel a terrain with Know the Enemy and/or use One Life, One Action on them?
  A: A Terrain is a type of Action card in much the same way as a Weapon is a type of Item and a Retainer is a type of Holding. Anything that works against Battle actions or even Action cards in general will work on them. Jeff Alexander, "post for 30 April 2002", 1 May 2002
• Q: Does One Life, One Action target the card it is played upon. (My guess: yes)
  I'm going to say that no, OLOA doesn't target.
  A: Sorry, Vaughn. It does. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 15-20 July", 26 Jul 2001
• Q: 3.) Using One Life, One Action on a Burning Your Essence has no effect (other than spending one or more gold to pay for the 1L1A.)
  A: I don't think it's possible to play OLOA against ByE. You play One Life after another player resolves an action card from his or her hand. Burning your Essence, much like Focus, never actually resolves. There's no moment of resolution for OLOA to trigger off of. But, you're right. If, in some way, you did find a way to play a One Life on ByE, it would have no effect. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 25th", 25 Jul 2001