Troll War Band

Legend of the Five Rings card from Dawn of the Empire

Card Type

Follower

Force

5

Chi

0

Honor Requirement

0

Gold Cost

5

Personal Honor

-

Keywords

Nonhuman, Shadowlands, Troll

Card Text

After this Follower enters play, lose 3 Honor.
While this Follower is unbowed at the current battlefield and you may still take one or more of its Battle actions, you must take a Battle action.
Battle, w: Give this battlefield's Province -4 strength.
Battle, w: Bow a target enemy Follower or Personality without Followers.

Focus Value

3

Legality

Age of Enlightenment (Lotus), Rain of Blood (Diamond)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• First ability does not target, so may be used even in a battle where there is no Province (e.g., Ambush). [ZF, web, 8 March 2005] Rules Archive, August 18, 2007, p. 47

Rules Q&A

• Q: Another battle, I have in that battle only one Scorpion with a Troll War Band attached. Opponent has used the Death of Ryoshun, naming the Troll War Band. I can't pass, since the Troll War Band trait. I have no more actions to do, period, and I can't bow the Troll to perform one of his actions because of the Death. How can I solve this?
  A: Play every action you legally can, then get on with the game. Zen Faulkes, "3 quick, fast questions:", 31 Mar 2005
• Q: Another battle, I have in that battle only one Scorpion with a Troll War Band attached. Opponent has used the Death of Ryoshun, naming the Troll War Band. I can't pass, since the Troll War Band trait. I have no more actions to do, period, and I can't bow the Troll to perform one of his actions because of the Death. How can I solve this?
  A: Play every action you legally can, then get on with the game. Zen Faulkes, "3 quick, fast questions:", 27 Mar 2005
• Q: I attach Troll War Band to Hoshi Eisai (exp) and declare an Ambush with him. My opponent plays Refugees on his personality as his first action. None of us has any more Battle or Open actions playable, neither on cards in play, nor in our hands, except of course Eisai's ability. I cannot pass because the War Band is unbowed (and I cannot use its abilities), but I can copy someone's Force infinitely many times with Eisai. Is the game a draw?
  A: No, you lose for annoying a deputy rules guy. Look, use a little common sense here. Send the War Band unit home and get on with the game. (No, this is not a rules based solution. This is a pragmatic recommendation of what I would do as a tournament judge to ensure that games progress in a timely manner.) Zen Faulkes, "Troll War Band", 12 Mar 2005
• Q: If either of us has Same Old Tricks in hand, are we required to play it, to let the game continue?
  A: No. You are never required to play a reaction. Zen Faulkes, "Troll War Band", 12 Mar 2005
• Q: Could I play Fall On Your Knees on my opponents Same Old Tricks, deliberately creating a situation, where the game is locked (e.g. he has no more cards, therefore I know that this will be the case)?
  A: Yes.
  It's amazing what goes through your head while you're getting your teeth cleaned. It took me a while, but I have a rule-based answer now.
  The first ability on Troll War band is not targeted (Web of Lies rulesheet). Therefore, it is legal to take regardless of whether there is a Province in the battle or not. Obviously, the reduction in Province strength will fail, but this removes the possibility of mandated actions by an unbowed Troll War Band. If a player chooses to use the Experienced Hoshi Eisai's ability repeatedly in this situation, then that player is stalling. Zen Faulkes, "Troll War Band", 12 Mar 2005
• Q: I attach Troll War Band to Hoshi Eisai (exp) and declare an Ambush with him. My opponent plays Refugees on his personality as his first action. None of us has any more Battle or Open actions playable, neither on cards in play, nor in our hands, except of course Eisai's ability. I cannot pass because the War Band is unbowed (and I cannot use its abilities), but I can copy someone's Force infinitely many times with Eisai. Is the game a draw?
  A: No, you lose for annoying a deputy rules guy. Look, use a little common sense here. Send the War Band unit home and get on with the game. (No, this is not a rules based solution. This is a pragmatic recommendation of what I would do as a tournament judge to ensure that games progress in a timely manner.) Zen Faulkes, "Troll War Band", 8 Mar 2005
• Q: If either of us has Same Old Tricks in hand, are we required to play it, to let the game continue?
  A: No. You are never required to play a reaction. Zen Faulkes, "Troll War Band", 8 Mar 2005
• Q: Could I play Fall On Your Knees on my opponents Same Old Tricks, deliberately creating a situation, where the game is locked (e.g. he has no more cards, therefore I know that this will be the case)?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Troll War Band", 8 Mar 2005