Shadow Dragon

Legend of the Five Rings card from Embers of War

Card Type

Personality

Force

10

Chi

5

Honor Requirement

-

Gold Cost

20

Personal Honor

0

Clan

Ninja, Spider

Keywords

Cavalry, Conqueror, Experienced 2, Unique, Dragon, Ninja, Nonhuman, Shadowlands, Shugenja, Spider Clan

Card Text

After Shadow Dragon enters play: Lose 5 Honor.
Shadow Dragon's abilities will not be copied.
Battle: Target an enemy Personality: Permanently give him Ninja and Shadowlands. Take control of him. Return control of him to his owner after the next time this game this ability is announced.
Open: If Shadow Dragon is dead: Bring it into play, paying all costs.

Legality

Age of Conquest (Emperor)

Deck

Dynasty

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: Well, I have two diferent questions associated to the same card, the Blessings of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wan and controling other players cards.
  First one, if I have a Shadow dragon exp2, and control a personality in a battle, then my shadow dragon dies in the same battle (but not the personality I got control over). Then at the beggining of my next turn I put my Shadow Dragon on top of my deck (so he loses memory I think). Then I bring him into play and in another battle I use his ability, since Shadow Dragon lost his memory, would I keep both personalities?
  In the same process with Sachina, where I use her ability, then she dies and come back through the blessings process, I guess she would be able to reuse her ability although it is once per game right?
  Thanks!
  A: Correct on both accounts. Jon Palmer, "Shadow Dragon, Sachina and Blessings of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wan", 17 Sep 2013
• Q: Per this, am I correct in assuming that, since the Loyal person hit by Discovering a Conspiracy no longer has a clan alignment, he can be taken control of by another player? (With Shadow Dragon XP2 for example)
  A: No. You may not take control of a Loyal Personality you do not share a Clan alignment with.
  However, your Loyal Personality who loses your Clan alignment is not immediately destroyed - although if he is destroyed, you will not be able to return him to play. Alex Jones, "Discovering a Conspiracy, Loyal, and taking control.", 25 Jun 2013
• Q: Shadow Dragon XP 2 has a trait that says...
  The Egg of P'an Ku's ability reads:
  For the purposes of trying to copy the Shadow Dragon, is copying a personality the same as copying it's abilities? And if so, can you copy a personality but not its abilities?
  In this case, i imagine the outcome is either: a) the answer is yes, and thus the card can be copied but it comes through with no abilities b) the answer is yes, thus making the shadow dragon not a valid target c) the answer is no, they are different, and thus the shadow dragon and its abilities may be copied.
  thanks
  A: Note that "Shadow Dragon's abilities will not be copied" is a trait that creates a prevention effect, not a restriction, so an effect that "ignores restrictions" won't help. Alex Jones, "Shadow Dragon XP2 vs Egg of P'an Ku", 9 May 2013
• Q: Ohhh… so in the case above Ninja Shapeshifter can keep copying the abilities take control of multiple personalities(in the case of shadow dragon and sachina) and breed multiple false ninja nimuro’s in the case with Nimuro
  A: Lol, c c c combo! The trick is losing the F&L duel; better hope they table a guy with 5 or more Chi. 😛 Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 27 Oct 2025
• Q: And Flame and Lightning removes the traits that says “this xxx abilities can not be copied” right? For example Y. Sachina exp, Shadow dragon exp2, M. Nimuro exp2, A. Usohara
  A: I only checked Nimuro and trusted you on the others, but yes. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 26 Oct 2025
• Q: [OBH] Would the Shadow Dragon • Experienced 2 cost 20 or 22 ?
  A: It would be 20. There is a homebrewed exception to "out of Clan tax" in the Rules specifically for OBH that Shadowlands Horde players may ignore it if the Personality has "Shadowlands". Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 2 Oct 2025