Rallying Cry

Legend of the Five Rings card from Gold Edition, Pre-Imperial Edition, Imperial Edition, Emerald Edition, Battle of Beiden Pass, Obsidian Edition, Jade Edition, Pearl Edition, Promotional–Gold, L5R Experience, Celestial Edition 15th Anniversary, Shadowlands, Anvil of Despair, Crimson and Jade, Time of the Void, Scorpion Clan Coup Starter, Honor Bound, Soul of the Empire, The War of Spirits, The Fall of Otosan Uchi, Heaven & Earth, Broken Blades, Dark Allies, An Oni's Fury

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Reaction: After a battle's Resolution Segment: This battle's resolution does not bow your units at the current battlefield.

Focus Value

3

Legality

Clan Wars (Imperial), Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade)

Deck

Fate

Notes

The gold-bordered Gold Edition Promotional version of this card was misprinted with the Rare symbol.

Printings

Rulings

• Does not straighten cards bowed before battle resolution (e.g., from using an ability, being sent home bowed). Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 30
• Only prevents cards from bowing as a result of resolving combat. It will not straighten any cards which have already been bowed (say, to use an ability, or which have been sent home bowed by an earlier effect). Will prevent Togashi Mitsu from becoming bowed. [card text] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 49
• Will nearly always be played before Counterattack. If it's not the very last battle to be resolved, RC clearly goes "first" because Counterattack can't be played at all. If it is, the general rule when two reactions to a game event have the same timing is to give the first reaction to the active player, which will typically be the Attacker (unless the Attack Phase that just happened was, itself, the result of an earlier Counterattack). [DW, netnews, 3/22/96] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 49
• Will always be played before Counterattack. The general rule is that whenever more than one player wants to act at the same time, start with the active player and go clockwise. So, the attacker will always have the first chance to play a reaction to the end of the last battle or of the Attack Phase. [DW, netnews, 3/22/96] Accumulated Rulings, April 22, 1998, p. 27
• Accumulated Rulings Accumulated Rulings, April 22, 1998, p. 28
• (Note that this same logic means that the opposite is true if the original attacker Counterattacks after his opponent Counterattacks -- his Counterattack will go before the original defender's Rallying Cry.) Accumulated Rulings, April 22, 1998, p. 28

Rules Q&A

• Q: I can see replacements for Rallying Cry (Spearhead) and Counterattack (Retribution), but there seems to be no substitute for Sup Tac. Any input?
  A: There are no real replacements for any of those cards. Rallying Cry let you attack with any size of Army with no cost to your ability to defend due to bowing. Spearhead doesn't come close. Counterattack let you smash your entire army into the face of anyone foolish enough to attack you. Retribution doesn't come close. They were all removed because their effects were too powerful and environmentally deforming, near as I can tell.
  Similar concepts, but it is kind of like comparing an apple to an apple tree. Martin Lund, "Rules for 29 August 2004", 2 Sep 2004
• Q: And how did you manage to do poorly in NJ last weekend? Rallying Cry isn't even Diamond legal, so not drawing any Rallies shouldn't matter anymore...
  A: There are worse things than leaving your Rallies on the bottom of your deck. Leaving your brain in your other pants, not getting enough sleep, and failing to reset your deck for movement out of the local metagame are all pretty big problems:
  - I blew up a Quartermaster unnecessarily against the second Scorpion I played. The gold it would have provided next turn to by a holding and the gold they'd have both provided the next turn would've one me the game. It was a complete bonehead play.
  - Forgetting your opponent can drop Commanding Favor to drop your Kaneka to 0F is bad.
  - I'm not accepting any responsibility for failing to have the 1 additional gold I needed to kill the last province on that Unicorn player though. He even managed to shank me with Spearhead / North Province swap. I still missed out on Shrine to Hotei not being an Iron Mine. :P
  In short, drink more caffeine before tournaments, be more anti-social, and don't answer anyone's rules questions while your still playing in a match, even if you are the Deputy Rules Monkey. :) Martin Lund, "Rules for 23 July 2004", 26 Jul 2004
• Q: Part the Third: Does the answer change if goes home from the first battle (if home he does go), and comes back with Rallying Cry + Northern Provinces of the Moto
  A: The answer does not change. This is a different battle, so none of Rend the Soul's restrictions apply. Jeff Alexander, "post for 2 April 2003", 4 Apr 2003
• Q: 2.) Moto Chaozhu -- a.) Can I play Rallying Cry and move Chaozhu to another of the defender's province along with another cavalry personality?
  A: If you are the Attacker or an ally, Chaozhu returns to your home after his first battle resolves and can no longer move to "an adjacent battle".
  If you are the Defender, Chaozhu stays in the Province until the entire attack is over, so he can defend multiple Provinces. (And without needing that Rallying Cry, to boot!) Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 February 2003", 6 Feb 2003
• Q: Q2: Are there any other possible ways to cancel a Rallying Cry?
  A: Suspended Terrain won't cancel it but will make it useless. There are more canceling options in the Open environment. Jeff Alexander, "post for 22 January 2003", 23 Jan 2003
• Q: If a player has no units in a battle after the resoulution segement can he or she play a Rallying Cry? Does RC target?
  A: Yes, he can. No, it doesn't, by targeting rule #3. Jeff Alexander, "post for 20 January 2003", 21 Jan 2003
• Q: 1) Lion Clan personality - Ikoma Suma, If Suma join in an attack (army) and successfully kills off the enemy. He went home bowed, can I use Rallying Cry at that time to unbow all units (or they do not get bowed).
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 12 December 2002", 13 Dec 2002
• Q: 2- Example: -I'm DEFENDING province A with my clan champion, province B under attack. NO MORE PROVINCES. -Attacker resolves A (where I'm defending). Both pass. After resolving, my clan champion remain in the province A until the entire Attack Phase ends. -Attacker resolves B (the last province). Both pass. Province destroyed. The other player plays Rallying Cry
  THE BIG QUESTION: May I cancel this Rallying Cry with Faith in my clan?
  Jeff could you give your answer? (and explain it)
  A: Yes, because you have an army with an aligned Clan Champion in it at Province A. Jeff Alexander, "post for 12 November 2002", 13 Nov 2002
• Q: Can " fall on your knees " cancel " pick your battles" ?
  No. Pick Your Battles is not played in the Battle Action Segment. "Battle resolution is the only time the phrase 'destroying an army' is satisfied." [GE rulebook]
  Can you "Fall on Your Knees" a "Rallying Cry"? Can you "Faith in my Clan" a "Rallyiing Cry"?
  A: Let's read the cards:
  Fall on Your Knees Reaction: Play this card when a player plays a Reaction during the Battle Action Segment. Cancel the Reaction.
  Faith In My Clan You may play this card only if a Clan Champion from your Faction is in your army. Reaction: Cancel an action.
  Rallying Cry Reaction: Play this card after a Resolution Segment. Your units in the battle do not become bowed by the combat.
  Fall On Your Knees can't cancel Rallying Cry because Rallying Cry is played during the wrong Segment.
  Faith In My Clan can be played if you have an army anywhere on the board that contains one of your Clan Champions. It can't cancel a Rally after the very last battle, but it might be able to cancel one at an earlier battle. Jeff Alexander, "post for 7 November 2002", 8 Nov 2002
• Q: Apparently this happened at Gencon UK and was ruled legal, so I want to be sure.
  Bob the Crab attacks Steve the Mantis. Steve has a Clan Champion out. Bob attacks province A. Steve defends province B, with his Clan Champion in the army. When battle A is resolved, can Steve play Faith In My Clan to cancel Bob's Rallying Cry?
  A: Already answered. Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 September 2002", 6 Sep 2002
• Q: What I'm trying to figure out is if Rallying Cry occurs during the battle (albiet at the very tail end) or after the battle.
  A: After. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 July 2002", 2 Jul 2002
• Q: Here's one I thought of (while building a deck, natch...)
  Relevant Card texts:
  Fight to the Setting Sun Reaction: Play this card when a Resolution Segment in which you had units ends. All units in the battle will bow as if they were attacking Units.
  Rallying Cry Reaction: Play this card after a Resolution Segment. Your units in the battle do not become bowed by the combat.
  Now, I'm pretty sure that it is as straightforward as it looks, but I want to be absolutely sure, so here are a couple of questions:
  1. Rallying Cry will prevent bowing, either for the Attacker, or the Defender???
  A: It will prevent bowing of all units in that battle controlled by the person who plays it. Jeff Alexander, "post for 25 June 2002", 26 Jun 2002
• Q: 3. This CAN NOT be used in reaction to someone playing Rallying Cry at the end of the battle resolution to counter RC's effects?
  A: Correct. By card text, FttSS must be played first. Jeff Alexander, "post for 25 June 2002", 26 Jun 2002
• Q: Rallying Cry will prevent bowing, either for the Attacker, or the Defender???
  A: As long as the cards are being bowed by combat. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 22 June 2002", 22 Jun 2002
• Q: [Fight to the Setting Sun] CAN NOT be used in reaction to someone playing Rallying Cry at the end of the battle resolution to counter RC's effects?
  A: Fight to the Setting Sun is *always* played first, because it is played "when" the Resolution Segment ends, whereas Rallying Cry is played "after." Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 22 June 2002", 22 Jun 2002
• Q: Hi Jeff,
  Could you paste your answers to these in your next convenient rules posting?
  Cheers,
  Gordon
  1. Faith in my Clan vs Rallying Cry.
  I have two provinces left, A and B. My opponent declares an attack at Province A, I assign my defenders, including my Clan Champion to province B.
  Scenario 1: My opponent resolves his battle at Province A first, after which he attempts to play Rallying Cry. Am I correct in saying that I can cancel it with my FimC as my Champ is in an army at Province B?
  A: You are. Jeff Alexander, "post for 18 June 2002", 20 Jun 2002
• Q: 3) The Counterattack versus Rallying Cry question came up again. If the last battle is being resolved, can the Defender play Counterattack before the Attacker can play Rallying Cry? I thought it was ruled as a yes once before, but then in the last major tournament I was in the TO said it got reversed so I ruled the reversal last night. Was I wrong?
  A: Counterattack was MRPed in An Oni's Fury so that it's played after the entire Attack Phase. Rallying Cry will always beat it now. The two no longer conflict. Jeff Alexander, "post for 10 June 2002", 11 Jun 2002
• Q: I know this has probailly been asked many a times before, ive even pondered way back when i used to use Mitsu but now i wanna get it straight
  Does a person using a dragon become bowed after a battle if a rallying cry is played?
  A: No. Rallying Cry does not straighten cards. It prevents them from bowing. Jeff Alexander, "post for 10 June 2002", 11 Jun 2002
• Q: Also, I havethe following misprinted cards: 3x Rallying Cry (The G is left off GE on the bottom of the card) Proposal of peace (Jade era event) has fate back instead of dynasty Sezarus mask (blurred image and text) Nikushimi (blurred image and text) Friendly traveler village has a splotch of purple ink in the text box Tamori Shaitung has no set distinction at bottom of card
  Does anyone know what can be done with these cards? Are they worth anything? are they worth koku? any ideas? Can I trade them in fro normal copies?
  A: The misbacked Proposal of Peace is worth 3 koku. It's also legal to play if you use opaque sleeves.
  The blurred and blemished images aren't worth anything unless the defects are truly severe.
  The Rallying Cry and Shaitung are fixed cards from An Oni's Fury Clan decks. None of the fixed reprint cards in any of that set's decks have any set attributions. Apparently, according to your discovery, only the "G" from "GE" got deleted from the Rallying Cry, which is something I hadn't known until now. I've just checked my reference stacks, though, and it's like that on all of them. So, yes, you found a misprint, but it's not isolated; every Rallying Cry pre-sorted into all AOF decks is like that. And no, it's not worth koku. Jeff Alexander, "post for 3 June 2002", 4 Jun 2002
• Q: Is there any way to cancel your opponent's Rallying Cry?
  A: In the Gold environment only? Try Suspended Terrain. Jeff Alexander, "post for 21 May 2002", 22 May 2002
• Q: Just checking: Fall On Your Knees will not stop a Rally, right?
  The Rules Archive says that FOYK won't stop anything that happens during or after resolution of a battle, but I am not completely sure of when Rallying Cry hits, so I wanted to ask.
  A: Read the cards:
  Rallying Cry Reaction: Play this card after a Resolution Segment. Your units in the battle do not become bowed by the combat.
  Fall on Your Knees Reaction: Play this card when a player plays a Reaction during the Battle Action Segment. Cancel the Reaction.
  Rallying Cry is not played during the Battle Action Segment. FoYK can't cancel it. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19-22 April 2002", 23 Apr 2002
• Q: 2. Can I use multiple Counterattacks after my opponent has attacked me? (Providing I have enough unbowed personalities or use cards like Rallying Cry of course)
  A: Yes. This is a surprisingly ordinary case of reacting to the same trigger more than once. It only seems odd because the first Counterattack takes so long to resolve. Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 April 2002 pt. 2", 8 Apr 2002
• Q: I also have to say that the selection of fixed cards for the starters needs work. (12 gold holdings to build a deck just isn't enough, even a 30 card deck) and more of the cards need to be geared towards the stronghold's specific strengths if that is possible. A lion deck where the stronghold ability is to attack an extra time per turn really requires Rallying Cry to be effective, Only one in the starter was extremely disappointing.
  A: All the starters have 1 Rallying Cry pre-sorted. Rallying Cry is a game-winning card in Sealed Deck; I'm always uneasy about giving more of it to one clan than to another even when it doesn't mesh so utterly perfectly with a Stronghold ability. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 April 2002", 2 Apr 2002
• Q: So we had a timing/semantics question about Fight to the Setting Sun and Rallying Cry...
  Player A attacks player B. At the end of the resolution segment, Player A plays Rallying Cry. *Then* player B plays Fight to the Setting Sun.
  A: Bzzzt! Fight is played "when" the Resolution Segment ends. Rallying Cry is played "after" the end. Fight *must* be played first.
  Regardless, if both are played, Rallying Cry "wins". Fight to the Setting Sun alters which rule you use to determine whether units bow; it does not bow them itself. Rallying Cry prevents bowing from rulebook rules. Jeff Alexander, "post for 26 March 2002", 27 Mar 2002
• Q: A coupla of questions game up the other night that I though I would get solid answers on:
  1. Hummingbird Tattoo. This card seems to act as a type of Rallying Cry (not exactly the same, but close enuf) can a personality with a Hummingbird tattoo be sent on multiple counter attacks?
  A: If he uses the Hummingbird Tattoo to straighten, he cannot move into battles the rest of the turn. Assigning to a battle is not movement, though, so he could still do that. Jeff Alexander, "post for 11 January 2002", 12 Jan 2002
• Q: Questions - always more questions! + more questions
  4) Can Ikoma Sume use his ability in a battle he is in, or does he bow before he gets the change to bow and give everyone in the battle +1/+1?
  He will bow before you have the option to use his Reaction. You either need to play a Rallying Cry or only use him on defense.
  If he´s outside the battle, can he use his reaction?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 23 October 2001", 23 Oct 2001
• Q: Player 1 can only play reacts to the Counterattack at this point, he has none so he passes.
  Player 2 munches a province (ends his attack phase)
  Player 2 passes (after battle reacts)
  Player 1 passes (after battle reacts)
  (we return to the end of Player 1's original attack phase)
  Player 1 plays Rallying Cry.
  Player 2 passes.
  Player 1 passes.
  Attack phase ends, go on to dynasty phase for Player 1.
  I know this has been gone over and over, but my group is introducing the game to a few new people, and we 'old players' are in a disagreement as to how the carsd react with easchother.
  A: Your example is a valid description of the way these cards interact under Gold Edition rules IF the Province with the rallying army gets resolved last. Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 October 2001", 6 Oct 2001
• Q: The Gold Edition rules (page 57) are a bit vague as to exactly when the battle ends, but implies that units return home AFTER the resolution segment. If this is so ruled, it clears up the retroactivity of Rallying Cry, but create serious problems with Counterattack. I would suggest adding an end of battle Segment, where (after reactions to the end of resolution if any) all cleanup occurs, and change Counterattack to take effect after the end of the Attack Phase.
  A: I can see your interpretation, but that's a rather significant change, and I'll have to check upstairs to find out whether or not they want that to stick. As for adding a Cleanup segment...probably not. L5R is a complex enough game as it is, I really don't think we need to be making major changes to the foundation of the rules at this point. It might be something for the design team to keep in mind for the next major revision of the rules, but I wouldn't bet on it until then. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for August 14th", 14 Aug 2001
• Q: Rallying Cry - Many of the problems with this card would disappear if it received the same change as Fight to the Setting Sun.
  A: That you could only play it in a battle where you had units? That you play it at the end of the resolution segment, as opposed to after it ends? Either way, I don't think that Rallying Cry is the problem. It's a card that works intuitively with its current wording, and people have been using it with complete understanding of how it worked since Imperial. The problem is that timing rules have changed to the point where Counterattack happens off the same timing window as Rally. *That's* a problem. I think messing with Rallying Cry is the wrong way to fix it. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for August 14th", 14 Aug 2001
• Q: Question: If you react to any resolution first with Fight to the Setting Sun, then a second reaction with Rallying Cry, will your troops rally? IIRC, they would.
  A: Indeed, they would. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for August 14th", 14 Aug 2001
• Q: Zokujin - I assume the MRP makes the Zokujin's unit totally unable to straighten by any means during the next turn after its ability is used.
  Ehh.. Guess so. I think even Rallying Cry won't.
  A: Not true. Rallying Cry retroactively prevents your units from bowing, it doesn't straighten them (although that does wind up being the overall result). When you play Rally, effects generated by the personalities straightening will not trigger, and effects preventing straightening will have no relevance. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for August 14th", 14 Aug 2001
• Q: I am slightly unsure of the exact timing involved. For example, is "Rallying Cry" played BEFORE or AFTER the battle ends?
  A: Could you be more specific? Some people might consider the battle to "end" when the action segment is over and you count force totals. Others might say it "ends" when the resolution segment is over.
  Rallying Cry is not a card to try to draw any general conclusions from, because its effects occur *before* it is played. Really.
  Its card text clearly places the window of opportunity for playing is *AFTER* the resolution segment, but it changes the status of something that occurs *DURING* the resolution segment. It's that whole retroactive thing that we've been, um, discussing on this list. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 10 August 2001", 11 Aug 2001
• Q: What happens if Togashi Mitu with at least 1 Fire token is one of the attackers at the final battle of a battle phase, at which the defender plays Counterattack, and the attacker plays Rallying Cry?
  A: The Archive entry for Mitsu is current, and correct. His bowing is prevented. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 31 July 2001", 1 Aug 2001
• Q: (All the below scenarios will assume a player attacked his opponent with all of his unbowed personalities, against one province, and that province was the last battle to be resolved. The attacked player plays Counterattack following the last battle)
  Is this correct? The player Counterattacking gets an opportunity to Rallying Cry off of his Counterattack before the player who made the initial attack does, since the Counterattacking players Rallying Cry is being played in response to the end of his Counterattack phase.
  A: Correct! Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 30 July 2001, Part 2", 31 Jul 2001
• Q: Therefore, while the bowed out player is waiting to Rallying Cry off his initial attack phase, the Counterattacking player, should his hand be set up, be able to Counter/Rally/Counter, while the opponent who made the initial attack is bowed out.
  A: No. A player can *NEVER* perform two Reactions to one single, given trigger without giving other players a chance to perform Reactions to that same trigger. Multiple Counterattacks by one player are both responding to the same trigger. The Defender can never perform two consecutive Counterattacks without the original Attacker getting an opportunity to play Rallying Cry in between them.
  (Ignore who gets to play Rallying Cry at the end of the Counterattack, it's a distraction in this case.) Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 30 July 2001, Part 2", 31 Jul 2001
• Q: Is this also correct? The player making the initial attack will not be able to Counterattack since his Rallying Cry will be played as a Reaction to his Attack phase, and if he is Reacting to his attack phase, he is no longer able to React to his opponents ounterattacking his provinces.
  A: Just to be sure I cover all the bases here, let me rephrase that question in two ways.
  1) Is it *legal* for the original Attacker to play the Counterattack? Yes. Counterattack has no requirement that you must have units you can send.
  2) Will the Attacker's Counterattack accomplish anything? Probably not. As you note, the Attacker's Personalities will be bowed while the Counterattack is resolving. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 30 July 2001, Part 2", 31 Jul 2001
• Q: So, I've attacked, and my opponent has Counterattacked before I can Rally. I play Call To Arms, unbowing all my people. We resolve some battles. His surviving units go home. I play Rallying Cry as a Reaction to the end of the resolution segment of my last battle. Which of my cards unbows? My assumption is that the followers in units which were attacking will unbow, as long as nothing as has been done to bow them (eg old Imperial Favour), but not the people as they've also been bowed by the Call to Arms, which the Rallying Cry doesn't "prevent".
  A: Looks about right to me. Any of your cards bowed after the Counterattack by Call to Arms, or bowed during the Counterattack for any reason (producing a Ranged Attack, Storms of War) will not be straightened by a Rallying Cry played later in the Reaction sequence. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 30th", 30 Jul 2001
• Q: Regarding the Counterattack/Rallying Cry ruling:
  Last I saw, the reason that Counterattack was played before Rally on the last battle was because the active player got to react first. Doesn't that mean that if I'm attacking, I should get to play my reaction, Rallying Cry, before the defender can react, as I am the active player?
  A: Wait just a second. It would be true that Rally beat Counterattack...if the active player got to React first. That's the old rules. Post-Gold, the player to the left of the active player gets first chance to React to a game state event. That's why Counterattack now beats Rally at the last battle *always*, whereas you used to need an attack/Rally/Counter situation to create the same sort of situation, where Counterattack got played before Rallying Cry. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 30th", 30 Jul 2001
• Q: Checking the rules I've noticed that, after the last battle, Counterattack may be played before Rallying Cry. This means the attacker units are still unbowed!
  A: You mean bowed, right? Yes, Counterattack is now played before Rallying Cry at the last battle. If the attacker chooses to resolve their battle last, they should be prepared for a really bad situation. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 27th", 27 Jul 2001
• Q: So the correct wording with interpretation for Rallying Cry would be:
  Reaction: Play after a battles resolution. Straighten any personalities that were bowed by the combat as if they had never bowed.
  A: They don't bow and then straighten. Not even a little. They never bow in the first place. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 15-20 July", 26 Jul 2001
• Q: Rallying Cry says that it prevents your personalities from bowing from the combat. They dont bow and then straighten. So I would say that if they play Counterattack before they bow from combat they are still straight and can defend against the CA.
  A: Except that when Counterattack is played first, it must be resolved first. That's the way actions work in this game. So none of the units have been prevented from bowing yet. This is the way these two cards have always worked, by the way. It's just that now, CA may be played first more often. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 10-14 July 2001", 19 Jul 2001
• Q: The way I see it (which differs from the official rules) is that battles at provinces are contained within an overall attack phase. Since they are contained, the battle at the last province must end (with a chance to rally) BEFORE the overall attack phase ends (with a chance to Counterattack), even if nothing happens between the last battle and the end of the attack phase. See diagram:
  |Battle 1| |Battle 2| |Battle 3| |Battle 4| | +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ | +---------------------------------------------+ Attack Phase
  I think this is easier to understand than making the end of the last battle and the end of the attack phase simultaneous. With this interpretation, timing issues on Rallying Cry / Counterattack would not come up.
  A: Yes they would. The end of the last battle and the end of the Attack Phase are *not* simultaneous. Timing issues arise from the fact that Counterattack is a reaction to the end of the last battle and not to the end of the Phase. Since Rallying Cry is a reaction to the end of *a* battle, the two conflict when the battle in question is the last one. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 10-14 July 2001", 19 Jul 2001
• Q: So the correct wording with interpretation for Rallying Cry would be:
  Reaction: Play after a battles resolution. Straighten any personalities that were bowed by the combat as if they had never bowed.
  A: Something close to that, yes. You'd have to be a little bit more specific (as in "...bowed by the resolution of that battle"), but yeah. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 18th", 18 Jul 2001
• Q: I hate to put a stick in the hornets nest but the ruling with Counterattack and Rallying Cry is just awful. Everyone felt that intuitively it should not work that way except one.
  A: Intuition doesn't exert a real strong pull in situations like this. Find a logical inconsitency and sing it out, and I'll be a very receptive audience. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 12 July 2001", 13 Jul 2001
• Q: Counterattack: Will be played after Rallying Cry if there are more battles to resolve.
  Zen there are never any more Battles to resolve when a Counterattack is played. As its trigger is the last resolution segment.
  A: I know. I'm being redundant for purposes of clarity. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 11 July 2001", 12 Jul 2001
• Q: No MRP that is reflected in the Rules Archive.
  A: As I mentioned in yesterday's post, it's a question of the *timing rules* in Gold Edition changing, *not* card text. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 11 July 2001", 12 Jul 2001
• Q: Battle Actions: A resolves Province 4. Can play Rallying Cry. Resolution: B *can* play Counterattack here.
  Since both parties want to play a reaction here, who gets to play first? By the quasi-official Gold rulebook, it seems that the opposing player -- i.e., the inactive player, B, gets to react first, then goes round the table (C, D, E, F, G...) and finally back to A again. If that's the case:
  Battle Actions: A resolves Province 4. Can play Rallying Cry. Resolution: B *can* play Counterattack here. Reactions: B play Counterattack. Resolves Counterattack first. A plays Rallying Cry. Resolves Rallying Cry
  That what you saying, Zen?
  A: Just so. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 11 July 2001", 12 Jul 2001
• Q: Let's take this a bit further. Assume B has a Rallying Cry here and for some reason wants to play it. And assume A has a Counterattack in hand too -- just to clarify something.
  A: [snip] Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 11 July 2001", 12 Jul 2001
• Q: Battle Actions: B resolves Province 4. Can play Rallying Cry. Resolution: A *can* play Counterattack here. B plays Rallying Cry. Resolves Rallying Cry. A play Counterattack. Resolves Counterattack. [Resolves A's Counterattack; see below] A plays Rallying Cry. Resolves Rallying Cry
  Is that correct? Because A is the active player here, so his reactions go *last* -- Counterattack doesn't change who's the active player, just who's attacking.
  A: Exactly right. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 11 July 2001", 12 Jul 2001
• Q: I tend to see this situation in a nested sense, as in:
  A's attacks { [whatever happens here] B's 1st Counterattack { [whatever happens here] A's 1st Counterattack { [whatever happens here] B's 2nd Counterattack { [whatever happens here] } } } A's Rallying Cry }
  From this point of view, A's Rally won't kick in until waaaay after the Counterattacks finishes. I would just like to ask if this is what is supposed to happen.
  A: Yes, as far as I can tell. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 11 July 2001", 12 Jul 2001
• Q: Anyway, another question is that if B throws down a Rallying Cry in reaction to his 1st Counterattack, when would it resolves? Before A's 1st Counterattack, as A is actually the "active" player?
  A: Exactly this. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 11 July 2001", 12 Jul 2001
• Q: Anyway, I guess I better say something L5R related, so if you've got Tsuko Sensei I can understand that the bowing cannot be 'prevented' by likes of Rallying Cry. But what if there's an innate ability (such as Hyobe's??) which means the card wouldn't bow?
  A: Tsuko Sensei says they bow, and that it can't be prevented. Hyobe's trait wouldn't matter. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for 16 March 2001", 22 Mar 2001
• Q: 2.) Can a person play Counterattack, Rallying Cry, then another Counterattack against an attacker in the same turn? Yes.<< I assume you mean, yes, if the other player counterattacks back? I don't think it'd be legal for Player A to attack me, have me Counterattack him, Rally, and Counterattack him again. Counterattack requires that I be the one being attacked. I'm beginning to think this needs to be in the FAQ...
  It's *in* the FAQ. Been there for at least three months, probably longer. I thought it had been there for years (I knew about it in 1997, when I started playing), but I checked and it wasn't there in a Sept 1998 copy of the FAQ that's still gathering dust on my hard drive.
  A: It's in the Archive, not the FAQ. And, in the form that you copied from the Archive, it is explained, but not in the detail that many people require it to be. It is a very difficult concept for a lot of people to grasp, and even then lots of people disagree with some of the basic concepts. The Archive explains it in one sentence, and yet to fully explain the interaction of Rallying Cry and Counterattack, I'd have to use a page or two. The Archive can't (and shouldn't) do that, but the FAQ should.
  Essentialy, I've only been working on this for a few months, and I've already had to answer that question two or three times. The answer needs to be written down somewhere, and explained fully. That's the FAQ's job. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for December 11th", 11 Dec 2000
• Q: 1/ I assume that Rallying Cry does not affect units that have been sent home during the course of the battle - correct?
  Yes. It only affects units that were bowed by the resolution of the battle.
  Hrmm...this raises a somewhat interesting timing question in my mind. In the discussion of Rallying cry recently, it was mentioned that due to the timing of it, it technically unbows your units after bowing. I can live with this. Now...my question is... A Hummingbird Tattoo does something very similar-it allows you to straighten the personality who has it after they bow at the end of resolution. My question is-since Rallying cry, which is played later temporally speaking, will prevent Dragon Tattoo'ed people and Mitsu from bowing, will the Hummingbird Tattoo do likewise? My instincts say no, since despite the timing, one card says "prevent from bowing" and the other says "straighten immediately after he or she bows." Is that the case? Or would a Hummingbird Tattoo function like a Rallying Cry in this regard?
  A: Rallying Cry works retroactively to prevent them from bowing, but Hummingbird Tattoo is specifically worded like it is so that Mitsu/Dragon Tattooed people still bow. Hummingbird Tat is not retroactive, and anyone affected by it will still bow (albeit temporarily), and then straighten. Rallying Cry is...specal. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for November 15th", 15 Nov 2000
• Q: 1/ I assume that Rallying Cry does not affect units that have been sent home during the course of the battle - correct?
  A: Yes. It only affects units that were bowed by the resolution of the battle. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for November 13th", 13 Nov 2000
• Q: On a related note, can you use Fall on your Knees to cancel Rallying Cry or even Counter Attack?
  A: No and no. Fall on your Knees will only cancel actions played during the Battle Action Segment, and both Rally and Counter happen well after the BAS is over. You also cannot use FoyK to cancel actions played *during* the Resolution segment, as that's after the BAS, too. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for November 13th", 13 Nov 2000
• Q: They played a counterattack on me, then a rallying cry and then another counterattack in l5r ccg.. he told me it was possible
  A: Since you're here, I can tell you generally, yes it is legal. Brook Cunningham, "Onyx Lives #rules-questions", 18 Apr 2025
• Q: also, i would argue that there are a few strategies that are critical, but are limited by deck construction conditions. rallying cry, superior tactics, etc from legacy
  A: Enlightenment has always been designed as a "challenging" win condition (unlike certain Event-based victories which definitely are more "rule of cool"). With skilled deckbuilding and play, Enlightenment should be possible but never easy to pull off.
  How easy an Enlightenment victory is has varied widely by arc; a player gave you testimont here for how his deck performs in the Onyx/ShE environment. (link)
  You're talking about entirely different rulesets from the Onyx/ShE rules under which this rule change applies. For one thing, other arcs had precious few "remove from the game"/banish effects. Onyx/ShE has leaned into the idea mechanically, so we felt the change was prudent. Jeff Williamson, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 26 Oct 2024
• Q: Can you use "Fall On Your Knees" to cancel a rallying cry/spearhead?
  A: Nope. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 12 Nov 2023
• Q: Oh, right. Sorry Rules people! Uh... does... Counterattack... work with... Rallying Cry?
  A: No. They're not Ivory-legal. I only answer Ivory questions now. 😉 Brook Cunningham, "Oracle of the Void #rules", 21 Apr 2023