Shiro Matsu

Legend of the Five Rings card from Dark Allies

Card Type

Stronghold

Province Strength

6

Gold Production

3

Starting Family Honor

6

Clan

Lion

Card Text

Repeatable Limited, w: Create an additional Attack Phase.

Legality

Four Winds (Gold)

Deck

Pre-Game

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: Same question about Shiro Matsu. The attack phase created by bowing the stronghold. Is that a "declaration" of attack?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 28 April 2003", 29 Apr 2003
• Q: It's Bob's turn. Fred plays Plan within Plans. Pat plays Plans within Plans. Bob uses Shiro Matsu to launch an attack on Fred. Units are assigned by all three players. Fred's first action is to bow his own Shiro Matsu to launch an attack on Pat. Can units assign from the already assigned battles? Even so, Pat uses his first action to launch a Shiro Matsu attack on Bob, destroying his last province. Do the battles at Fred's provinces get resolved?
  A: Sorry, Leon, but as someone has correctly pointed out, Shiro Matsu's action does not satisfy the Rule of Relevance. Since I've ruled that Limited actions have to meet Presence and Relevance just like Battle and Open actions do, neither Shiro Matsu nor Ambush is legal during a battle, even with Plans Within Plans. This is a REVERSAL.
  If not for that, it would be answer a). Jeff Alexander, "post for 26 March 2003", 27 Mar 2003
• Q: A question to kinda compound someone's question from last week about Plans Within Plans and Ambush. If this happens:
  I play Plans Within Plans. My opponent Ambushes my Personality Bobby with his personality Freddy. As my first opportunity to play a Limited action, I choose to use the ability off of the Shiro Matsu stronghold.
  Would Bobby or Freddy be able to assign to battles during this made-up attack phase? If so, would anything that happens to them during the attack phase affect the original Ambush (like, being sent home, being bowed, etc). If not, could they somehow be assigned to attack with a card effect that moved them into a battle?
  A: Bobby and Freddy can only be in one place. If they move or assign anywhere, they leave the Ambush battle. If something stops them from leaving it, they can't move or assign. Jeff Alexander, "post for 25 March 2003", 26 Mar 2003
• Q: Is Bonds of Fate (played "[d]uring an Action Phase") playable during an Attack Phase created by an Ambush? If so, how about one created by Shiro Matsu?
  A: No and no. You can't be in two phases at once. If it's an Attack Phase, it isn't the Action Phase. Jeff Alexander, "post for 24 March 2003", 25 Mar 2003
• Q: - Say I have Ijiasu in play with nothing attached. I resolve peasant's revolt, then attack with Shiro Matsu, use some tactician focus, don't rally. Then, may I straighten Ijiasu with Matsu Hyun, or can't I since he has now more than 2 force and is affected by peasant's revolt's ongoing effect ?
  A: He can't straighten while he has more than 2 Force and Peasant Revolt is applying. He has to wait until his Force bonus or the Revolt wears off. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 February 2003", 21 Feb 2003
• Q: In an Open Format Multiplayer, can a Shiro Matsu player use Plans within Plans, his stronghold ability and Delicate Calculations during another player's limited Actions phase?
  A: Yes. Keep in mind that Delicate Calculations does not create an attack -- it changes the rules that govern how the attacks you do make can be directed. Jeff Alexander, "post for 30 September 2002", 1 Oct 2002
• Q: The Tactician bonu on a personality X can be used once per battle, per personality. With Shiro Matsu, that gives them two force boosts through the Tactician. Are there any plans to change the rules of Tactician to once per turn, per personality?
  A: No. Jeff Alexander, "post for 3 September 2002", 4 Sep 2002
• Q: What would happen if you played plans with in plans, then your opponent either ambushed you or played the card that ends the open action phase and then attacked (both ways you end up getting your next open action during a battle). Then used Shiro Matsu to make an attack phase?
  A: "Rules Geek, you've been challenged!"
  Trying to be tricky, eh? Sorry, you've been beat to the punch. In the Archive, General Rules, Battle, Action Segment:
  * If a player is somehow able to take a Limited action during battle (e.g., due to Plans Withing Plans), it must meet the requirements for Presence and Relevance. [JA, 29 March 2002]
  Shiro Matsu don't meet that requirement.
  "The Rules Geek has successfully defended his medal!" Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 6 July 2002", 7 Jul 2002
• Q: 2) Does the attack on Shiro Matsu count as "declaring an attack"? In other words, can I use Ginawa's ability to draw a card and then use the stronghold to "start an attack"?
  A: Yes and no. You can use the Stronghold and then Ginawa, though. Jeff Alexander, "post for 29 May 2002", 30 May 2002
• Q: Does the attack on Shiro Matsu count as "declaring an attack"?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 29 May 2002", 30 May 2002
• Q: Just to be sure, if I use the ability on Shiro Matsu, I can still use Akodo Ginawa's ability? It goes one way, but not the other, right?
  A: Right. Ginawa prohibits attacking only after his ability is used. Jeff Alexander, "post for 5 April 2002 pt. 1", 5 Apr 2002