Trenches
Legend of the Five Rings card from Gold Edition, Honor Bound
Open in Oracle of the Void
- Card Type
- Holding
- Gold Cost
- 0
- Keywords
- Fortification
- Card Text
- Reaction: Before battle resolution destroys the defending army at this Province's battlefield, if the Province will not also be destroyed, destroy this Holding instead of the army.
- Legality
- Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade)
- Deck
- Dynasty
Printings
Gold Edition
- Rarity
- Common
- Flavor Text
- "There is more to making a trench than digging. Try explaining that to a Hida or a Daidoji. No matter. What they do not know can still save them. Or kill them." - Kaiu Umasu
- Artist
- Jim Pavelec
- Card Number
- 481
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
Honor Bound
- Rarity
- Common
- Flavor Text
- "Come, Yori," O-Ushi snarled, "try to take it from us now."
- Artist
- Jim Pavelec
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
Rules Q&A
- Q: If I have Trenches, will YU activate but still save the army?
A: Yes. The Yu trait is triggered by having a lower total Force than the other army, not by having your cards die. Its effects happen after calculating totals but before destroying the losing side. Jeff Alexander, "post for 14 May 2003", 15 May 2003 - Q: Next, how does Trenches interact with To the Last Man and The Final Breath? Is the destruction still triggered, allowing the actions to be played, and Trenches to save them? Does Trenches' use preclude the latter?
A: Trenches' Reaction is taken "when" the destruction occurs and saves your army [card text], thus removing the trigger for any Reactions taken "after" your army is destroyed. [AOF rulebook p. 48] This includes To The Last Man and Final Breath. Jeff Alexander, "post for 8 February 2002", 9 Feb 2002 - Q: 1- Sorry, my question about was Trenches and the Ring of Water ( in other term, do I still count as having destroyed the army to play the Ring of Water )
A: No. Jeff Alexander, "post for 4 February 2002", 5 Feb 2002 - Q: I have a question for the rulez guy here
I already know that you can use the Yu Trait, even if you destroyed Trenches instead of your army, but does that work as a trigger for The Ring of Water?
A: No. [AOF rulebook p. 58] The only time you "destroy an army" is when you win or tie with an opposing army during Battle Resolution. Yu does not destroy armies, it destroys cards. Jeff Alexander, "post for 1 February 2002", 2 Feb 2002 - Q: Mostly looking for official word from Jeff A., but feel free to talk amongst yourselves. :)
According to the Rules Archive, Trenches (and by extension, Surrender) have the possibility of preserving a losing army -- thus, Yu can be used to cause opponent attrition while saving your own army.
Now: what is the precise timing of Yu vs. To the Last Man? The latter requires the army to be destroyed, thus no fun tricks like the above, but does the Yu player choose his destroyed targets before the opponent must destroy the TtLM targets, or is it vice versa?
A: Yu happens during resolution [rulebook]. TTLM is played after the battle [card text]. Yu losses happen first. Jeff Alexander, "post for 10 October 2001", 11 Oct 2001 - Q: I was discussing this with a friend earlier, and something came up.
Will Yu still work in a battle where you use Trenches to save your army?
A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 15-16 September 2001", 17 Sep 2001