Ring of the Void

Legend of the Five Rings card from Emperor Edition, Pre-Imperial Edition, Imperial Edition, Emerald Edition, Battle of Beiden Pass, Obsidian Edition, Celestial Edition, Battle of Kyuden Tonbo, Jade Edition, Diamond Edition, Gold Edition, Lotus Edition, Pearl Edition, Samurai Edition, Promotional–Samurai, Siege of Sleeping Mountain, Training Grounds 2, War of Honor, Promotional–Diamond, Ivory Edition, Promotional–Emperor, Twenty Festivals, Onyx Edition, Shattered Empire, Crimson and Jade, Three Dynasties, Honor Bound, Fire & Shadow, Soul of the Empire, The Fall of Otosan Uchi, The Harbinger, Promotional–Ivory, Promotional–Twenty Festivals

Card Type

Ring

Keywords

Unique, Void

Card Text

You may discard this Ring from your hand to use its Void ability without cost.
Limited: Play if you have two or fewer Rings in play. Discard your hand.
Void Limited, w: Draw a card. If you now have more cards in your hand than any other player, discard a card.

Focus Value

4

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Ivory Edition), A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Age of Conquest (Emperor), Age of Enlightenment (Lotus), Clan Wars (Imperial), Destroyer War (Celestial), Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade), Race for the Throne (Samurai), Rain of Blood (Diamond), Shattered Empire, Three Dynasties, War of the Seals (Onyx Edition)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "Ring of the Void 0G 4FV You may play this card as a Reaction after resolving the fourth or later Action card played from your hand in one phase. Elemental Open: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: If any player has more cards in his hand than you do, draw a card. If you bowed this card, draw a card." [MRP, Khan's Defiance, 22 January 2007] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 61
• Erratum: Ring of the Void: Bowing a Personality and revealing the Ring are costs. [errata] Legend of the Five Rings FAQ, April 26, 2004, p. 17
• Since it's activated "during your end phase", it may be combined with effects that give you extra Fate cards "during" that phase (like Glimpse of the Unicorn) but not ones that give you cards "at the beginning of" that phase (like Enlistment) because you must take those draws first and likely will not have the empty hand required to activate the Ring. [card text] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 50
• Clarified: reworded so the Brotherhood of Shinsei can use their Stronghold to play it from the Fate Deck on an empty hand. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 10
• Clarified: the five cards are "drawn". Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 10
• Q: Can I use the Monk Stronghold to play the Ring of the Void from my Fate deck if my hand is empty? A: Yes. You can also use it in conjunction with cards that let you play a Ring by satisfying some other conditions. The idea behind the Brotherhood is that they can play a Ring from their Fate Deck as though it were in their hand, and this overrides phrasing that refers to a Ring being "in your hand" or being played "from your hand". Legend of the Five Rings FAQ, Version 3.6.2, May 1998, p. 13
• Q: Say I'm holding the Ring of the Void and some other cards, and I'm forced to discard my entire hand. Can I discard them one at a time, holding the Ring for last so I can play it? A: No. You discard your entire hand at once. It is also illegal to use a discard-and-redraw effect, such as the Mempo of the Void, to discard your entire hand except the Ring and then play the Ring before drawing your replacement cards. Legend of the Five Rings FAQ, Version 3.6.2, May 1998, p. 18
• Erratum: Reads, "Ring of the Void 4FV Void • Unique After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put this card into play from your hand. Open: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: If any player has more cards in his hand than you do, or if this card is in play, draw a card." [MRP, The Harbinger, 19 January 2010] Comprehensive Rules, Celestial Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, February 2012, p. 151
• Erratum: Reads, "Ring of the Void 4FV Void After you successfully resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Action cards in one phase: You may put this card into play from your hand. Open: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: If any player has more cards in his hand than you do, or if you bowed this card, draw a card." [MRP, Samurai Edition, 25 July 2007] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 152

Rules Q&A

• Q: 5) If I play political outcast on my turn, during my opponent's turn is he able play Ring of the Void by it's printed method? Assume he controls no Gozoku Personalities. Just wondering if the "Limited: Reveal Ring of the Void from your hand and bow one of your Personalities" counts as being a Limited or Open action printed on a card or not.
  A: No, it does not count. It is not an Action "on a card." Actions that other cards / strongholds create for players to use without specifying that they are added to a card (like Yogo Towers does) don't exist on a card / stronghold - much like the Actions in the Rulebook don't exist on cards / strongholds either. Martin Lund, "Rules for 14 January 2005", 19 Jan 2005
• Q: If I happen to have more than one Ring of the Void in my hand, if I show it 3 times, do I put one or more in play?
  A: When a card refers to itself by name, it is considered to be self-referential text. It means "this card," regardless of the name of the card with the ability. So if you copy an ability to a card with a different name, it the copy-ability refers to the copying card, not the original
  At any rate, each Ring is self-referential. You can only play the one you revealed those 3 times. Martin Lund, "Rules for 10 July 2004", 13 Jul 2004
• Q: Please, could you add an entry in the acumulated rulings for the Ring of the void?
  A: I don't how understand how anyone could make even a slightly plausible case for playing Ring of the Void without a Personality. I'm not convinced it's a problem. Plus, I'm not about to start adding Archive entries for every possible misconception that people have out there. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 2 December 2003, Part 2", 3 Dec 2003
• Q: I reveal the Ring of the Void from my hand. Now I have to bow three Personalities to put it in play.
  A: No, you have to perform the Limited action three times. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 3 November 2003, Part 3", 4 Nov 2003
• Q: I am confused on how you play the new Ring of the Void.
  A: One for Jeff Alexander. I ain't touching those Diamond questions... Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 20 August 2003", 20 Aug 2003
• Q: I have Kanashimi in play, and play Stolen Records. If one of the cards that my opponent draws is the Ring of the Void, do they get to play it immediately[?]
  A: No. Stolen Records is still resolving (Ring of the Void card text).
  Zen Faulkes! * Crab Clan Scholar * Unaligned Voice in the Wilderness Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 6 July 2003", 6 Jul 2003
• Q: * Kanishimi is controled by my opponent and he uses stolen records on me, I start drawing he discarding, if I draw Ring of the Void, can I put it into play before he makes me discard it?.
  A: Yes. The Ring is played when it's in your hand. Kanashimi is used "after" you draw it. [card text] Jeff Alexander, "post for 24 March 2003", 25 Mar 2003
• Q: I have two copies of Ring of the Void in play. Based on the MRP of the card, I conclude that I can draw nine cards during my End Phase, total, if my hand is empty.
  A: Sure. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 10 July 2002", 11 Jul 2002
• Q: Can Way of the Void cancel the card drawing effect of the Ring of the Void?
  A: Yes, but it can just be triggered again, so it's usually pointless. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 8 September", 11 Sep 2001
• Q: A friend pointed out to me what appears to be the MRP of the Ring of the Void, which states that its reaction (or benefit) cannot be triggered between discarding and drawing. I don't have the exact text, because I don't own a copy of that particular printing. He argues that this prevents me from playing, or activating, the Ring in conjunction with Agasha Gennai's Fate swapping ability. Mr. Faulkes' rulings archive, however, states, specifially, that Gennai and RoV work nicely together, allowing one to end up drawing 5 new Fate cards, plus one for every copy of Gennai that you've activated.
  A: The Ring can't be played in the middle of an action which creates a discard immediately followed by drawing or refilling your hand. Gennai's effect doesn't fit that definition, so the ruling doesn't apply to it. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for 26 March 2001", 30 Mar 2001
• Q: Also If the favor IS cancelled, can I play Ring of the Void during the instant after I played Arrival but before it bounced back into my hand?
  A: Good question. It depends on whether a card whose costs are prevented ever actually leaves your hand. I'd like to get the Junta's opinions on this matter. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for early March, 2001", 14 Mar 2001
• Q: Hi again,
  If I have resolved 2 favor actions but do not currently have Ring of Air in hand and then search for it, I assume I still get to play it. (Play after you resolve two or more Favor actions in one turn.) My assumption is based on the idea it would otherwise have said "Play after you resolve your second favor action in one turn".
  Assuming the above is legal, what exactly is the timing of playing Ring of Air? It isn't an interrupt, so can I play it while something else is announced? For example I have announced the Limited action of Ring of the Void to put it into play. Can I then play Ring of Air before it is discarded by the effect of putting Ring of the Void into play?
  Thanks a lot! And if you could include where in the rules I could have found this answer, that would be swell too!
  A: Any timing that says "Play after" means "Play immediately after". You have to play the Ring of Air immediately after you resolve your second or later Favor action during a turn. Jon Palmer, "questions on timing of IvE Ring of Air", 5 Jan 2015
• Q: A huge debate is stirring in our community over whether or not you can actually put Ring of the Void into play if you have no cards to discard.
  It is my understanding you must possess at least one card other than Ring of the Void to discard for it to enter play, and that if you have no cards to discard, it cannot enter play.
  Whereas one player is quoting the comprehensive rules stating it would still go into play as the discard is a separate sentence and is not a cost, and no targeting fails that it should still be allowed to enter play, even if you have no hand to discard.
  Can you clear this up?
  A: I can!
  The one player is correct. Even if Ring of the Void is the only card in your hand, you can play it. The discarding of your hand is a separate effect, in no way interdependent with putting the Ring in play. Brook Cunningham, "Ring of the Void", 13 Aug 2014
• Q: Short story : i name Cavalry Escort with the Shadowed Estate open. My opponent declares an attack and in a battle (with presence) tries to use the battle from a cavalry escort in his hand.
  Relevant texts : The Shadowed Estate of the Scorpion Tireless Open: Name a Fate card, or name a Dynasty card in play. Negate the effects of the next action from a card with that title.
  Cavalry Escort Battle, : If this Follower is in your hand, Recruit your target Personality (paying all costs) for 5 more gold and attach this Follower (ignoring all costs) to him.
  I have trouble deciding between the two following endings :
  - Opponent pays nothing, shows his Cavalry Escort, takes it back in his hand, and can do it again later this turn, successfuly this time. - Opponent pays nothing, shows his Cavalry Escort, then discards it.
  The following linked ruling is about the Ring of the Void, and seams to imply there is a clean up phase for cards that have no know destination : viewtopic.php?f=59&t=106047&p=1397302&hilit=shadowed+estate#p1397302
  Hence i think the second ending is the right one, but not understanding the quoted ruling i have trouble knowing if it applies. I didn't find relevant "clean up" phase in IvE comprehensive rules (i know it existed somewhat in EE in the old action resolution mode).
  Thank you for your time .
  A: If an action is taken from a card in hand (eg a Strategy, or an attachment with an ability that begins "If this XXX is in your hand"), it is discarded after the action ends unless it is now in play.
  If Cavalry Escort has been named by The Shadowed Estate, the effect that puts it into play will fail, so the Cavalry Escort will be discarded when the action ends. Alex Jones, "Cavalry Escort + Shadowed Estate", 10 Jun 2014
• Q: If I use a non-kiho card with the Kharmic keyword for the Kharmic ability, does that count as a non-Kiho action from a strategy for things like Ring of the Void?
  A: Note that the Kharmic ability is reminder text, thus not technically ON the card itself. Brook Cunningham, "Kharmic keyword", 13 May 2013
• Q: So, let's say Scorpion Wall has resolved and in a my action phase I play 1 Sincerity of the Dragon naming a 4 and then play a second Sincerity of the Dragon naming a 4. I draw one card and have a lingering effect that will draw me a card. I now use Ring of the Void to draw another card and have now resolved 2 actions that have put card into my hand and still have a lingering card draw effect which is about to go off. Since I am the active player can I choose to draw the card from Sincerity of the Dragon and then apply the effect from The Scorpion Wall is Finished?
  A: The draw and the Scorpion Wall "no draw" effect don't have the same trigger. The latter prevents the former, the end; no active player choice.
  And in this scenario: Brook Cunningham, "Indecision, Scorpion Wall, Sincerity of the Dragon", 13 Jun 2012
• Q: This is prompted by viewtopic.php?f=59&t=98164
  Seeking the Question Void • Kata Limited: If this card is in play: Look at the top card of any deck. You may put it at the bottom of that deck. Limited: Put this card into play. Discard all your other Kata (in play).
  I hadn't considered this before, but does the first Limited action on Seeking the Question count towards the Ring of the Void's entering play requirement?
  So, if I put Seeking The Question into play, then use the first Limited ability, I'd be two actions towards Void?
  A: Each action is from a Strategy, so both count towards putting Ring of the Void into play. Alex Jones, "Seeking The Question and The Ring of the Void", 31 May 2012
• Q: Hi,
  I have to different questions about "The Great Silence".
  1/One player uses ambush, maybe the active player but we do not care about. Within that combat segment, a player uses The Great Silence. Until when can't nobody play strategy ? - 1 - The active player chooses : the end of the current combat segment or the end of the current action phase. - 2 - The Kiho's player chooses. - 3 - The Ambush's player chooses. - 4 - There is no choice to make.
  2/Refering to past rulings about the Ring of the Void (viewtopic.php?f=59&t=96015#p1270347), Can you confirm that there is no link between playing a strategy card and using an action on a strategy card in play ? Someone uses The Great Silence. Can anyone use the Political Reaction granted by the Destructive Priorities Kata card while the kiho prevent players to play strategies ?
  Card text: The Great Silence: Battle/Open: Bow your performing Monk or Shugenja: No Strategies can be played until after the end of this Action Phase or Combat Segment. Ambush: Limited: Choose your performing unbowed Personality and target another player's Personality: Create a battlefield (not at any province). Assign your Personality to attack there. Assign the target to defend there, even if he is bowed. Other Personalities will not move there. Fight a battle there (after this action's resolution). After the battle ends, lose 5 Honor. Destructive Priorities: You have the ability, "Political Reaction: Before you gain Honor during your turn, bow your performing Courtier: Negate the gain. Choose a player. He loses 2 Honor."
  Thanks in advance, Regards, Rémi.
  A: 1. The answer is 4, there is no choice to make. A duration that ends at "X or Y" ends whenever either occurs, so whichever comes first, which in your example would be at the end of the Ambush Combat Segment.
  2. I can confirm that "play a Strategy" =/= "use an action on a card in play". Play, definition: "As a verb, “play” can refer to: ... using a Strategy card by putting it into the resolution area..." Brook Cunningham, "The Great Silence", 2 Mar 2012
• Q: Say I played a non-kiho action during a battle and then play my third kiho action and put Ring of Air (RoA) into play. I then play 1 introspection to search for a second introspection and then react action to RoA entering play to play the second introspection to search for the third introspection and then react action to RoA entering play to play the third introspection to search for Ring of the Void (RoV) and then play RoV.
  So: Put RoA into play -react with introspection to search for introspection -react with introspection to search for introspection -react with introspection to search for RoV Put RoV into play
  Is that correct for the introspection timing?
  I think so because each introspection fully resolves before the "window" to play Reactions of RoA entering play closes.
  A: Yes, you are correct. Jon Palmer, "Intropection Timing again", 21 Feb 2012
• Q: Does playing "The Perfect Moment" counts towards the entering play requirement of Ring of Void?
  The Perfect Moment Reaction: After the end of an Attack Phase in which you were the Defender: Create an additional Attack Phase with the previous phase's Attacker as the Defender. During this Attack Phase, you will not destroy more than one of the Defender's provinces, and your Personalities may not assign and will not move unless they are Paragons or Battle Maidens.
  Ring of the Void After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put this card into play from your hand.
  A: The Perfect Moment is played after the end of an Attack Phase, but creates a new Attack Phase that it is not itself a part of. Therefore it will not "count" towards Ring of the Void's four-card requirement. Jon Palmer, "The Perfect Moment + Void", 19 Feb 2012
• Q: Hi,
  One more question about the Ring of Void.
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=96015
  I play Egg of P'an ku to copy P'an Ku. => 1 action for the Ring of Void.
  If I use every open action of the copied P'an Ku (all the three of them) in the same phase of the previous action, can I put the Ring of Void into play assuming the copied P'an Ku comes from a Strategy card ?
  Card text : P'an Ku : Unaligned Mad Dragon • Creature • Unique Open: Once per turn, target another Personality. Permanently copy the target's printed Force. Open: Once per turn, target another Personality. Permanently copy the target's printed Chi. Open: Once per turn, target a non-Dragon Personality. Copy one of the target's abilities or boldface traits until the next time this ability is used.
  Ring of Void : Void • Unique After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put this card into play from your hand.
  Regards, Rémi.
  A: No, sorry.
  When the Egg of P'an Ku "becomes" a copy of the targeted Personality, it ceases to be a Strategy and is instead a Personality. It would go to the Dynasty discard when destroyed (however, if returned to a deck, it would go face-down, forget about being a Personality, and return to the Fate deck). Brook Cunningham, "RE : Ring of the Void + Katas/Spirits", 6 Feb 2012
• Q: Now I'm confused as well...
  Glossary, From: Some things check to see if costs, effects, actions, targeting, or other game procedures come “from” a given source. The source is the card that the effect, action or targeting is printed on, or the rulebook if it is printed there. There are three exceptions: ... 3. Costs and effects of traits and abilities given to other cards, copied from other cards, or on created cards, come from the card they are currently on.
  An action taken using an ability on a Strategy that grants an ability to another card counts towards Ring of the Void.
  Doesn't the second sentence (which is the 3rd from last in your post) imply that an action taken from a Spirit's granted ability counts, contradicting the rule about the ability being from the personality?
  edit: Ah ok, I see now. Thanks for the clarification.
  A: No, because that sentence is about an action that grants an ability, not an action using the granted ability. Alex Jones, "Ring of the Void + Katas/Spirits", 2 Feb 2012
• Q: Hi,
  Following this thread Ring of the Void + Katas/Spirits, can I meet the requirement of the Ring of the Void using many times the same formation ability ? (Formation Strategy abilities are not only usable once per turn) Before reading the other thread, I would say no but now I am confuse.
  Card's Text: Invincible Legion: Center Formation Formed by all Personalities you control, minimum of 2, opposed by an army with greater total Force. Battle: Search your Fate deck for a card. Put it in your hand.
  Ring of the Void: After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put this card into play from your hand.
  Regards, Rémi.
  A: In the words of my colleague: "Bad Alex! You're confusing people with your completely clear rulings!" So...
  Each action taken using an ability on a Formation in play counts towards Ring of the Void.
  An action that puts its Kata card into play counts towards Ring of the Void.
  An action from an ability granted to a player by a Kata card in play counts towards Ring of the Void.
  An action taken using an ability on a Kata in play counts towards Ring of the Void.
  An action taken using an ability on a Strategy that grants an ability to another card counts towards Ring of the Void.
  An action taken using an ability printed on a non-Strategy card does not count towards Ring of the Void.
  An action taken using an ability granted to a non-Strategy card does not count towards Ring of the Void. Alex Jones, "Ring of the Void + Katas/Spirits", 1 Feb 2012
• Q: Which of the following count as an action from a non-kiho strategy for Ring of the Void, if any?
  An action granted by a Kata such as Destructive Priorities? An action granted by Spirit of the Truth?
  A: Actions taken using abilities granted to a player are "from" the card which granted the action.
  Actions taken using abilities granted to a card are "from" the card to which the ability has been given.
  Ring of the Void: After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: ...
  Glossary, From: Some things check to see if costs, effects, actions, targeting, or other game procedures come “from” a given source. The source is the card that the effect, action or targeting is printed on, or the rulebook if it is printed there. There are three exceptions: ... 3. Costs and effects of traits and abilities given to other cards, copied from other cards, or on created cards, come from the card they are currently on.
  Glossary, On: An ability, a trait or a keyword on a card is one either printed on the card, or granted to it by some effect. Abilities granted to a player by cards or the rulebook are "on" the player, but come "from" their card or rulebook source.
  Highlighting mine. Alex Jones, "Ring of the Void + Katas/Spirits", 1 Feb 2012
• Q: Player A reacts to the end of a battle phase with The Perfect Moment. Throughout this additional battle phase he plays three battle strategies and then tries to drop Ring of the Void. His argument is that The Perfect Moment counts as one of the four battle strategies. Player B disallows it and explains that the new battle phase didn't exist until after TPM was played and hence could not have been played "during" said phase. Player B says player A would have to play an additional battle strategy to meet RotV's coming-into-play requirements.
  Who is correct?
  A: The Perfect Moment could not be used towards one of the strategies for the Ring of The Void. The rules for "additional" segments (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Glossary_A#Addi ... or_segment) clearly state that the additional phase occurs after the action that created it has ended.
  1. Play The Perfect Moment. Effects resolve, including a delayed effect creating new Attack Phase.
  2. The Perfect Moment ends.
  3. New Attack Phase - start counting strategies for Ring of the Void. Zen Faulkes, "The Perfect Moment and Ring of the Void", 24 Sep 2011
• Q: Ring of the Void "Void • Unique After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put his card into play from your hand. Open: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: If any player has more cards in his hand than you do, or if you bowed this card, draw a card."
  Ring of Water "Water • Unique After you resolve your fourth or later Battle action from cards with different titles in one battle: You may put this card into play from your hand. Battle: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: Move one of your target units home or to a battlefield with one or more enemy units. If the unit moved, straighten it."
  If I play my fourth battle action that meets the requirements for both rings, do they enter play simultaneously or in the order I choose? I ask because they are traits, and not reactions, and I'm unclear on the order of entering play under such circumstances.
  A: These cards are put into play by triggered traits, both triggering off the same trigger - "after an action resolves". As described here, you decide which trait triggers first. Alex Jones, "Rings and order of entering play", 20 Jun 2011
• Q: The Ring of the Void reads...
  After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put his card into play from your hand. Open: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: If any player has more cards in his hand than you do, or if you bowed this card, draw a card.
  If my opponent and I both have 5 cards in hand, can I discard the Ring to draw a card? After paying the cost of the ring, I will have less cards in hand than my opponent.
  Or do I have to have to meet the requirements (having less cards in hand) before I pay the cost of discarding?
  A: There are no conditions to using the ability on Ring of the Void, and the only cost is to bow it or discard it: you may use the ability regardless of how many cards are in each hand. There is, however, a condition on the effect "draw a card": during the Resolution step of the action, you must have fewer cards in you hand than at least one other player. Alex Jones, "Cost of Ring of the Void", 31 May 2011
• Q: Wouldn't Enough Talk! still count for Ring of Void?
  A: I don't see anything in the previous posts that says it would not. Indeed, the first post says it would count. Zen Faulkes, "Enough Talk! and Ring of the Void", 2 Mar 2011
• Q: I have a few questions regarding Flood the Earth and its interactions with Ring of Water and Ring of the Void.
  1a) Does Flood the Earth's created Terrain technically have a title? 1b) If not: if two Flood the Earths are activated in a single battle, do the individual Terrains count as 'cards with different titles'?
  2) Does playing Flood the Earth's created Terrain count as a Strategy for the purposes of Ring of the Void?
  Relevant cards: Flood the Earth Thunder Will only attach to a Thunder Shugenja. Battle: Destroy this card and bow this Shugenja: Create a Terrain Strategy with the ability, "Battle: Non-Naval Personalities at this battlefield bow after the resolution of each action they perform," and take an additional Battle action to play it (if legal).
  Ring of Water Water • Unique After you resolve your fourth or later Battle action from cards with different titles in one battle: You may put this card into play from your hand. Battle: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: Move one of your target units home or to a battlefield with one or more enemy units. If the unit moved, straighten it.
  Ring of the Void Void • Unique After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put his card into play from your hand. Open: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: If any player has more cards in his hand than you do, or if you bowed this card, draw a card.
  A: 1a) Does Flood the Earth's created Terrain technically have a title? No. See Card Features, Created Cards: A created card has no title.
  1b) If not: if two Flood the Earths are activated in a single battle, do the individual Terrains count as 'cards with different titles'? No - but they don't count towards the Ring of Water anyway, since they don't have a different title to other cards, by extension from the rules for Different and same keywords.
  2) Does playing Flood the Earth's created Terrain count as a Strategy for the purposes of Ring of the Void? Yes, because Ring of the Void doesn't care about card titles. Alex Jones, "Flood the Earth, Ring of the Void, and Ring of Water", 24 Oct 2010
• Q: Hello, I've found this thread on the forum. There's no doubt for me that both actions are legal to be taken, but my question is: do they fulfill the condition of putting Ring of the Void into play in the situation described? To my understading, not having prevented anything nor changed the game state in any other way they cannot be successful, because
  The Glossary: A successful action or other occurrence is one whose effects produced one or more actual changes in the game state.
  Ring of the Void: After you successfully resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put this card into play from your hand.
  Am I right?
  A: Ring of the Void has been MRP'd to remove the word "successful": After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put this card into play from your hand. Alex Jones, "Successful actions - need of clarification", 9 Jun 2010
• Q: I undertand it is possible to react as many times as you like to the same trigger and that actions can fail. What I was wondering is if this means I can use the same reaction twice, to deliberately have one fail, but have it count towards the Ring of Void.
  The specific instance I was thinking of would be something on the lines of:
  1) Ambush 2) Sneak attack 3) Sneak attack (which fails to grant me anything above what the first one accomplished) 4) Random fate card 5) Drop Ring of Void.
  Is there anything in the rules that prevents me from using this chain of actions now that Void no longer requires a 'successful' action?
  Sneak Attack: Reaction: After engaging: The Attacker has the first opportunity to take a Battle action or pass during this battle. Play then proceeds in turn order from him.
  Ring of the Void: After you resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Strategies in one phase: You may put his card into play from your hand.
  Thanks!
  A: Yes, this works as you suggest. Multiple Sneak Attacks can be played at the same battle, just so that the multiples count for The Ring of the Void. Note that this does not grant you extra actions however, just the first one. (Assuming you are the Attacker) Dan Jacobson, "Multiple Sneak Attacks", 21 May 2010
• Q: I have Togashi's Guidance in play. I have 5 cards in hand, my opponent has 2 cards in hand. I want to discard Ring of the Void for its effect (which would be no effect because i have more cards in hand), and then react with Togashi's Guidance to put the Ring of the Void into play.
  A: Fine.
  This is a variation of, "Is an action legal if an effect can't happen?" This is a question that is often -- indeed, one might even say frequently -- asked. As such, it can be found here: http://rules.l5r.com/CE_FAQ#Is_an_actio ... _happen.3F
  The Good Faith rule concerns targeting and costs, not effects. http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Abilities_and_a ... Faith_Rule Zen Faulkes, "Ring of the Void with more cards", 24 Apr 2010
• Q: During the optional attack phase, if I play: [*]A strategy card called "A" and one called "B" during a combat segment at a province. [*]A strategy card called "C" and one called "D" during a different combat segment at a different province.
  i.e. Four (or more) strategy cards, some of which were played at previous battlefields
  Last, the question:
  May I legally put The Ring of the Void into play after resolving card "D"? It's still the same attack phase since it hasn't ended because I've not resolved a battle at every province, correct?
  A: Yes, that's correct for the reasons given. Brook Cunningham, "Ring of the Void and "one phase"", 13 Feb 2010
• Q: I tried searching for this and going over the rules to try and make sure I understood this.
  If I play Ambush, the actions that I play during the 1v1 battle don't count towards meeting the requirement to play Ring of the Void, do they?
  example:
  I play Ambush and perform 3 other actions during the battle. That wouldn't allow me to play Ring of the Void, would it?
  I am assuming no, but, because the battle is taking place during my action phase, I was having some doubts.
  A: Ambush creates a battlefield and a battle. It does not create an additional Attack Phase. It is still the Action Phase, so actions from Strategies count with Ambush towards the Ring of the Void.
  See Battles: When a battle is created in a phase other than the Attack Phase, rules for taking actions during Combat Segments override rules for taking actions in that phase, but it is still that phase. Alex Jones, "Ambush/Ring of the Void", 8 Feb 2010
• Q: (I)f I use Ambush during action phase, would the strategies I play during ambush count towards the number of strategies play during action phase and the I be able to legally play of ring of the void?
  A: Yes. http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Battles#Battles: "When a battle is created in a phase other than the Attack Phase... it is still that phase." Zen Faulkes, "Ambush + Ring of the Void", 16 Dec 2009
• Q: (C)an I have my personality seppuku on the honor lost by ambush? If so, is it after the honor lost or after ambush is played?
  A: Yes, after the battle. See here: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=72381 Zen Faulkes, "Ambush + Ring of the Void", 16 Dec 2009
• Q: (D)oes reaction from strategy cards count towards the four strategy resolution require for the ring of the void?
  A: Reactions are actions (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Glossary_A#Action). Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Ambush + Ring of the Void", 16 Dec 2009
• Q: If I play 4 strategy cards then I play Changing Paths, can I search for the ring of the void?
  A: No. The "next time" on Changing Paths means the trigger must happen in the future, not the past. May be better to play Changing Paths as action number four and play the Ring of the Void on the spot (extension from Ring of Water and Ring of Air, viewtopic.php?f=59&t=80059). Zen Faulkes, "Changing Paths and Ring of the Void", 8 Dec 2009
• Q: Regarding this:
  If my personality is targeted with an action, can I play Final Sacrifice twice and change the target of the same action twice to the same Yojimbo for purposes of playing Ring of the Void?
  I cannot find a reason why not. If any of the other rules guys can find the rule that prevents it (as I have a niggling feeling there might be), I'm sure they'll speak up.
  --------------------
  I think that, if you target the same yojimbo twice with both Final Sacrifices, the second time it wouldn't be considered successful as no target was changed, the game state remained the same as before playing the second Final Sacrifice... You'd have to target two different yojimbo with each Final Sacrifice so each copy of the card actually did something.
  A: Just confirming that Mamoru's assessment is right. Zen Faulkes, "Changing Targets", 30 Aug 2009
• Q: I guess the real question is whether taking the favor through the action from imperial marriage counts for ring of void.
  A: No. http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_F#From: "Costs and effects of traits and abilities given to other cards, copied from other cards, or on created cards, come from the card they are currently on."
  (Previous mistaken answer fixed. Missed that An Imperial Marriage gave the ability to a card, not a player.) Zen Faulkes, "Ring of the Void Insight Kata", 30 Aug 2009
• Q: If my personality is targeted with an action, can I play Final Sacrifice twice and change the target of the same action twice to the same Yojimbo for purposes of playing Ring of the Void?
  A: I cannot find a reason why not. If any of the other rules guys can find the rule that prevents it (as I have a niggling feeling there might be), I'm sure they'll speak up. Zen Faulkes, "Changing Targets", 29 Aug 2009
• Q: While playing the kata would naturally count, surely its presence in your home grants the ability to you. Therefore, wouldn't the use of the ability be coming from you, not from the strategy card?
  A: No. Effects never come from players: only cards and the rulebook. See http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Effects#Source_of_effects Zen Faulkes, "Ring of the Void Insight Kata", 26 Aug 2009
• Q: (I)f I use Hamstrung's reaction before the resolution of a non-relevant action (for example, Impromptu Duel), was Hamstrung "Successful" for purposes of Ring of the Void?
  A: No.
  http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_S#Successful: "Effects that... had nothing to affect are not actual changes in the game state." Zen Faulkes, "Hamstrung + Ring of the Void", 30 Jul 2009
• Q: If my opponent is attacking with 2 provinces, 1 with Personality A, and 1 with Personality B. He plays Unpredictable Strategy targeting his 2 personalities. Can I play 2 copies of Hamstrung and have them both be successfully resolved?
  A: You can play both, but only the first is successful. After the first Reaction resolves (and they always resolve one at a time), the second has nothing to affect, as above. Zen Faulkes, "Hamstrung + Ring of the Void", 30 Jul 2009
• Q: My opponent uses an action: "Battle: Ranged 2 Attack" targetting my 4F personality. Has my opponent successfully resolved a battle action for Ring of Water purposes?
  My opponent uses a Ranged 2 attack targetting my 4F personality, and I use the reaction on Outer Walls to lower the ranged attack's strength by 2. Have I successfully resolved an action for Ring of the Void purposes? Part of me wants to say yes because I changed some numerical value, but part of me wants to say no because I didn't change the final outcome (the personality wasn't dying either way).
  Final question: My opponent uses a Ranged 2 attack targetting my 2F personality. I use one copy of Outer Walls to reduce its strength by 2, and then I use the reaction on a 2nd copy of Outer Walls. Does the 2nd copy of Outer Walls count as a successfully resolved action? I'm not sure because the strength was already zero. Would anything change if the target was a 0F personality?
  Thanks for any help!
  A: Ranged Attacks' effects are conditional destruction. Did they destroy anything?
  If the answer is no, then the action is not successful.
  As for the Second Outer Walls: Was the Ranged Attack's Strength reduced? In the case of Outer Walls, barring stuff like Fall on Your Knees, it will always be successful. A Ranged 2 Attack who had its strength reduced by two Outer Walls would need it's strength increased by 4 to reach its original strength. Dan Jacobson, "Ranged Attacks, Outer Walls, "Successfully"", 24 Jul 2009
• Q: Do these mean that the action successfully resolves before the created battle takes place?
  A: Yes. You create the battlefield and assign the Personalities during the "Action Resolves" step. That and the "Action Ends" step of taking an action are completed and Ambush is considered resolved. The normal procedure for effects and Reactions triggered by the end of an action is followed. Then you fight the battle. Alex Jones, "Timing with Ring of the Void and Ambush/Heated Discussion", 30 May 2008
• Q: Example: If I play three Non-Kiho actions from action cards, then play Ambush, do I play Ring of the Void before the battle, after the battle, or after the honor loss?
  A: Before the battle. Alex Jones, "Timing with Ring of the Void and Ambush/Heated Discussion", 30 May 2008
• Q: Similarly: If I play two Non-Kiho actions from action cards, then Ambush, and then a non-kiho action from an action card during the battle, do I play Ring of Void after the action in the battle, after the battle ends, or after the honor loss?
  A: After the action in the battle. Alex Jones, "Timing with Ring of the Void and Ambush/Heated Discussion", 30 May 2008
• Q: Either way, I would guess that Heated Discussion follows the same rules.
  A: Yes. Alex Jones, "Timing with Ring of the Void and Ambush/Heated Discussion", 30 May 2008
• Q: “Memory” of the status of individual cards ends when the card enters a deck or a hand, or otherwise becomes both face-down and out of play (such as after a card in the deck or hand is shown). This includes dishonorable status, ongoing effects, and whether or not an ability has been used.
  A: See Comprehensive Rules: Effects - Tracking Rule.
  "whether or not an ability has been used," is one of those things that does not get "remembered" when a card enters a deck or a hand. With Rings it might seem silly (since you only have one Ring of the Void in your deck), but consider what happens with non-unique cards like, say, Hida Daizu start getting shuffled into decks.
  So there's a blanket rule that applies to all cards - non-unique, unique, and Event / Ring cards alike. Onces it goes face-down and out of play you can pretty much forget about any old states of or effects on the card. The only exceptions to that are listed in the linked section (mostly hedge cases for effects that put something out-of-play and then give you further instructions about that thing).
  As to the Search part, I don't see any indication on the most recent printing of Togashi's Shrine indicating that the deck and discard pile need to be searched in distinct sequence. Treat it as a single search of a scope spanning both areas. Since your Discard Pile is face-up public knowledge anyway nothing is stopping you from seeing its contents while you rummage around in the Fate Deck. You can choose a card from either area.
  If you're worried that you're somehow forced to pick all the Rings out of your Fate Deck before you can get them out of your Discard Pile you can relax. You can get that Discarded Ring of the Void back even if there's still a Ring of Fire in your Fate Deck. Martin Lund, "RIng of the Void and Togashi's Shrine", 13 Dec 2007
• Q: Strangely enough, this is a question about the wording on the Rings of Water and Void.
  Ring of the Void says: After you successfully resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Action cards in one phase: You may put his card into play from your hand.
  Ring of Water has similar wording, also requiring successful resolution.
  The Comprehensive Rules quite clearly define a successful action as one that changed game state somehow, so if an action somehow has all its effects negated, it is not considered successful, right?
  Now here's the question: do the conditions on Ring of the Void and Ring of Water require that all four actions be "successfully resolved", or only that the fourth action be successfully resolved? In other words, if an attacker has his first Battle action's effects negated by Reinforce the Gates, then successfully plays 3 more Battle actions, all from action cards with different titles and all non-Kihos, can he play the Rings or not?
  A: You need four successfully resolved Actions. Martin Lund, "Ring of Water/Void, Successfully", 27 Nov 2007
• Q: Ring of the Void After you successfully resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Action cards in one phase: You may put this card into play from your hand. Open: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: If any player has more cards in his hand than you do, or if you bowed this card, draw a card.
  Ok my question is when do you count cards? For ex. I have 8 cards and my opponents has 8 cards. I discard the ring. Now I have 7 cards and thus fewer than my opponent. I draw a card. Does it work this way or does it count the original number of cards? In other words does Ring of the Void count the number of cards before I discard it or after I discard it.
  A: You count when the effect resolves, which is after costs are paid. Chris Fuchs, "Ring of the Void", 19 Sep 2007
• Q: Ambush does not create an Attack Phase in Samurai Edition. So will battle action cards during the ambush count as action cards played during the Limited/Open Phase?
  A: There is no "Limited / Open" Phase, so I'm assuming you mean the Action Phase.
  Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Ambush and Ring of the Void", 5 Aug 2007
• Q: 3rd question: With regards to Ring of the Void. I need a clarification. the card read
  Card quote:
  After you successfully resolve your fourth or later non-Kiho action from Action cards in one phase: You may put his card into play from your hand. Open: Bow this card or discard it from your hand: If any player has more cards in his hand than you do, or if you bowed this card, draw a card.
  Does the Action cards have to be from my hand or can they be from cards in play. Example. I use 4 different battle action with different card names. 2 from a personality, and 2 from my hand. Can I play the Ring?
  A: The text you just quoted says "from Action cards." Those are the cards with Red Borders. Only those cards count. You need 4 or more non-Kiho actions from such cards, not just one non-Kiho action from such a card played as your 4th or later action in a phase. Martin Lund, "SE Cards Ruling. Several Questions.", 26 Jul 2007
• Q: Last night, during a heated battle between the Phoenix and the Scorpion, the Phoenix player attached several spells and an item during the action phase and attempted to put a Ring into play (Void). His position was that this was the action phase and therefor any card played would be an action card. My ninja and I took offense to this assuring him that it required Action cards and not cards played during the Action phase to bring the Ring of the Void into play.
  One of us is wrong. Which one?
  A: "...the fourth or later Action card played from your hand..."
  Action card = red bordered Fate card, not card in Fate hand put into play through an Action. Zen Faulkes, "what counts as an action", 28 Jun 2007
• Q: Does an Action card have to be "successful" (produce a change and be not negated) to count as having resolved?
  A: It does not. Jeff Alexander, "Lotus: Ring of the Void", 12 Oct 2005
• Q: If I fulfill the Ring of the Void requirements, can my opponent react with the Same Old Tricks and cancel me putting it into play and erase it's play requirement?
  A: No. There's no action on a card to be removed. There's a trait that allows you to perform an action. Zen Faulkes, "Ring of the Void/Same Old Tricks", 14 Mar 2005
• Q: Hello, OBH rule question here.
  Stronghold: The Brotherhood's Abbey https://oracleofthevoid.com/#game=l5r,#cardid=12636
  Does it allow me to use limited action to put the Ring of the Void into play from my discard pile? Ring of the Void says: Limited: Play if you have two or fewer Rings in play. Discard your hand.
  Thanks in advance Rémi.
  A: EDIT: Yes, you can.
  (Replying to a player: "So I fully don't understand the trait and its ability 🙁") Oh, no! I'm sorry, I misread and answered incorrectly.
  Yes, you can do that.
  Apologies!
  (Replying to kempy_nezumi: "I thought you may use only Ring's trait to be put into play, but how this Strongholds allow to play RoV ability from discard? RoV isnt played from trait, it's put into play by its own ability.") The Stronghold trait doesn't specify how the Ring must be put into play, whether by trait or ability, it just says you can put them in from your discard.
  Four of their traits put them into play, one of their abilities does. You can do any of these five things from your discard pile.
  (Replying to kempy_nezumi: "RoV is only MRP ring that requires it's own ability to be put into play.") Changing Paths is an example of an effect that is too specific to work with MRP RoV. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 4 Jun 2026
• Q: ShE - I Equip The Forgotten. After it enters play, if I trigger putting Ring of the Void into play, can I do so before The Forgotten's created Follower is created?
  A: Yes. I'm not a huge fan of the wonky wording of Void, but it's basically a "when/now" trigger, which is before an "After" trigger. 🙂 Where you'll have a potential problem is with "Yu" triggers. They trigger before their triggering card leaves play, so if the "Yu" effect is one that creates a replacement for the dying card, it would do so before you could play the Ring. Although, a quick skim of the Oracle shows none exist yet; the two Yu Followers that create when they die make a Personality upon destruction. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 1 Oct 2025
• Q: For the Lotus Ring of the Void, if I bow it when my opponent has more cards than I do, should I draw 2 cards or 1?
  A: 2; both effects resolve in succession. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 7 Jun 2024
• Q: have a question.. as I was rummaging through database. sensei cards still have 2FV... so did sensei count for purpose of puting in [Ring of the Void] or not.. ..cause I was kinda shocked to learn that Sensei was an Fate card back then, and what about now?(now meaning Onyx)
  A: No, Sensei are not Fate cards in Onyx or Legacy. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 9 Jan 2024
• Q: Ring of the void refers to spells followers items when it says in play right? Like I have 3 things attached to a guy and 3 cards in my hand I can then play ring of the void? (I just want to make sure that's how it enters play)
  A: this is correct Jeff Williamson, "Onyx Lives #rules-questions", 27 Sep 2023