The Code of Bushido

Legend of the Five Rings card from Gold Edition, Shadowlands, Jade Edition, Pearl Edition, Twenty Festivals

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Interrupt: If the action is from or targets a Samurai and it has any effects, other than consequences of losing a duel, that may dishonor him or cause his player Honor losses, negate the action.

Focus Value

3

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Clan Wars (Imperial), Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade), War of the Seals (Onyx Edition)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Is not Political. [DW, l5rinfo, 3/17/97] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 20

Rules Q&A

• Q: 2) Regarding cutting to see who starts a game: the Gold Edition rulebook states that your opponent should cut your Fate deck, then you should both shuffle. The Code of Bushido states that you should cut your own Fate deck, then shuffle. Can we have an official stance on this one, or is it to be left to TOs?
  A: Cutting for starting focus value is done by the deck's player. Cutting to insure randomization is done by the opponent. Jeff Alexander, "post for 22 May 2003", 23 May 2003
• Q: With The Code of Bushido being played on a personality that has been targeted by the Temple, does it force them to challenge one of the personalites?
  In fact, is it the same for something like Iaijutsu Challenge?
  A: Yes and yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 28 April 2003", 29 Apr 2003
• Q: When I bring Matsu Masutaro into play he creates an honorloss, can I react with the Code of Bushido to negate that honor loss?
  A: No. Bringing a Personality into play is not an example of the Personality "taking an action, or creating an optional effect". Jeff Alexander, "post for 18 November 2002", 19 Nov 2002
• Q: 3. Can you count your (or your opponents) remaining dynasty cards? fate cards? BTW, what does a cut constitute? Can your opponent shuffle your dynasty/fate deck? Or is that just from another CCG? From the Code of Bushido (L5R Tournament rules):
  The Duel Play Sequence ... ... ... 5. Each player shuffles both their Dynasty and Fate decks and presents them to his or her opponent for further shuffling or cutting.
  Side note: cutting to see who goes first happens before shuffling and searching for sensei. It also happens before players reveal their stronghold and wind, so I'm not sure how you know what your starting honor is without revealing your stronghold, so...
  A: Cutting to see who goes first should happen after Strongholds are revealed and Sensei are chosen. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 September 2002", 20 Sep 2002
• Q: Does "The Code of Bushido" force a samurai to accept a "Iaijutsu Challange"?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 22 August 2002", 23 Aug 2002
• Q: The Code of Bushido:
  Reaction: Play this card when a Samurai takes an action, or creates an optional effect that would dishonor him or her or cause his or her controller to lose Honor. Cancel the action, or prevent the Samurai from creating the effect.
  What does "when a Samurai takes an action, or creates an optional effect that would dishonor him or her or cause his or her controller to lose Honor" mean?
  A: It covers using an action on the samurai's own card, bowing as a cost of playing a card, or the samurai's controller making a decision that results in dishonor to the samurai or an honor loss (like refusing an Iaijutsu Challenge). Jeff Alexander, "post for 23 October 2001", 23 Oct 2001
• Q: Also, while looking through the Code of Bushido rules I got confused with one term.
  What is "Deck Backing"?
  A: Deck backing refers to using clear sleeves and putting an identical copy of some other card behind each deck card so it shows from the back instead of the card's real back. Jeff Alexander, "Question regarding proxying.", 3 Mar 2005
• Q: [Imperial]
  Is the Oracle text of this card the same as to how it works in Imperial? @Brook Cunningham
  Like how we understand it is that the Samurai can negate a Secrets on The Wind targetting him, but at the same time, the Samurai can't refuse (and lose 7) to an Iaijutsu Challenge. Cos he's living by the Code (of Bushido)
  A: The Oracle text is the Ivory/20F MRP. In contemporary Imperial, it works much differently.
  Imperial-era CoB could not negate Secrets on the Wind, because the Samurai wasn't taking the action or making a choice within it, but it could indeed force an acceptance of an Iaijutsu Challenge. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 19 Apr 2026