Today We Die

Legend of the Five Rings card from Diamond Edition, Time of the Void, Ivory Edition

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Limited: Target a Samurai Personality who has not been targeted by a Today We Die this game. Until the game ends, he cannot Lobby, after the end of each of his controller's Action Phases, if he can legally assign, his controller must declare an attack and assign him, and give him a +1F/+1C token after each battle resolution he is in.

Focus Value

1

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Ivory Edition), A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Clan Wars (Imperial), Rain of Blood (Diamond)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "Today We Die 0G 1FV Limited: Target a Samurai Personality. For the rest of the game, that Samurai cannot lobby, and at the end of each of his controller's Action Phases, if he is able to attack, his controller must declare an attack and assign him. The Samurai permanently gains +1F/+1C after each time he is in a battle during its resolution. Only one Today We Die may be played on a Personality per game." [MRP, Diamond Edition, 27 October 2003] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 37
• The Personality must be presend during, and survive, resolution to gain +1/+1. [DW, email, 9/25/97] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 58
• This effect resumes if the Personality dies and is returned to play later. [ibid.] Accumulated Rulings, February 8, 2000, p. 59

Rules Q&A

• Q: Just a side note to Jeff, how does Today We Die interact with Veteran Samurai?
  A: Today We Die, by implicit grammar, can only target a Samurai Personality. Jeff Alexander, "post for 2 May 2002", 3 May 2002
• Q: If a Samurai with 1 or 2 Chi is targeted by Wounded in Battle, then subsequently in the same battle receives a bonus to Chi from another effect, such as Destiny Has No Secrets or being in a battle resolution with an active Today We Die effect, would they die?
  My reading is no, since the "Chi Death Rule" is a continuous effect applied by the rulebook, and the bonuses would raise the Samurai's Chi back above 0. The case of Today We Die is based on the order of battle (Ivory Comprehensive Rules, p. 39), with resolution (step iii) coming before the battle ends (step iv), and therefore a token added "after resolution" being added before "the battle ends".
  Do I have these correct?
  A: Your reading is correct. Once the Chi Death prevention effect wears off, if the Personality has a Chi value of 1 or more, they will not die. Ben Higgins, "Wounded in Battle, samurai, and bonuses to Chi", 2 Dec 2014
• Q: 1.) Today we die: Limited: Target a Samurai Personality who has not been targeted by a Today We Die this game. Until the game ends, he cannot Lobby, after the end of each of his controller's Action Phases, if he can legally assign, his controller must declare an attack and assign him, and give him a +1F/+1C token after each battle resolution he is in.
  Will this count for defending resolution? so if i unbow him with an open and assign him to a defending province and it goes to resolution will i get the token?
  A: It will indeed trigger on any battle resolution the target is in, regardless of whether or not they are a defender or attacker. Ben Higgins, "More Questions", 12 Aug 2014
• Q: Today We Die
  If my personality is hit by Today We Die but cannot attack (Defensive Miko attached) do they still have to declare an attack and resolve all the battles? Attacking is not assigning, and assigning is necessarily attacking (he can still "legally assign" on defense if my opponent played a Reprisal). And if he did play a Reprisal, would I be required to assign him in defense even if he did not have the attached follower, too?
  It was ruled earlier that he gets the token when he defends:
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=107525&p=1415466
  So that would imply that the effects (Declare and attack, assign him, and give him a token) are three separate effects that his controller MUST do but are NOT dependent on him legally able to assign to ATTACK.
  Or should the card read
  A: The "if he can legally assign" clause governs the "must declare an attack and assign him" portion (and that portion only).
  If the Personality cannot legally assign, you are not forced to declare an attack. Brook Cunningham, "Today We Die & Cannot Attack Vs. Assign", 29 Jun 2014