Unpredictable Strategy

Legend of the Five Rings card from Glory of the Empire, Battle of Kyuden Tonbo, War of Honor, Three Dynasties

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Battle: Target a unit, and another unit controlled by the same player at any other location: Switch the two units' locations. Straighten all cards in them if they moved.

Focus Value

2

Legality

Destroyer War (Celestial), Race for the Throne (Samurai), Three Dynasties

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: I think I know the answer, but I want to make sure:
  Plagued Terrain Battle: Give a -1C Plague token to each personality at the current battlefield without a Plague Token. After each time a Personality moves to this battlefield, give him a -1C Plague Token
  Question: I play this card at a Battlefield and everyone gets a token. My opponent moves one of his personalities home. I play Unpredictable Strategy or use Flow of the Elements to move him back in. The personality gets another Plague token correct? Or does having one already from the card prevent him getting another?
  My guess is he does get one, but it doesn't hurt to be sure.
  Thanks
  A: He gets another one. Nothing in the rules or card text stops a Personality having two Plague tokens. Alex Jones, "Plagued Terrain and Movement", 8 Nov 2010
• Q: Does Unpredictable Strategy count as moving?
  A: http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Glossary_S#Switch: "This may involve movement if units are switched between two locations." Generally, yes. Zen Faulkes, "Several question", 7 Dec 2009
• Q: Does Nerve Strike cause Unpredictable Strategy to fail?
  A: Time to hit the FAQ again: http://rules.l5r.com/CE_FAQ#What_performs_an_action.3F
  "Personalities and Followers perform actions printed on them, and actions where they are targeted between the two colons of an action." Does not apply.
  "Actions on Items or Spells are performed by their Personality." Does not apply. Which leaves...
  "Nobody performs an action if it targets only as an effect (that is, isn't printed between two colons) or doesn't target."
  There you have it: Unpredictable Strategy not performed. Therefore, attempting to use an effect that prevents cards from performing do not do anything. Zen Faulkes, "Unpredictable Strategy vs. Nerve Strike", 3 Nov 2009
• Q: You are in a battle and target the opponent's Personalities (one of which has the Political key word) with Unpredictable Strategy. Unpredictable Strategy is now a political action correct?
  A: Incorrect. Abilities do not gain keywords from cards they target (http://rules.l5r.com/CE_Card_features#Abilities).
  Thus rendering the remaining questions moot. Zen Faulkes, "Keywords from abilities", 24 Aug 2009
• Q: If my opponent is attacking with 2 provinces, 1 with Personality A, and 1 with Personality B. He plays Unpredictable Strategy targeting his 2 personalities. Can I play 2 copies of Hamstrung and have them both be successfully resolved?
  A: You can play both, but only the first is successful. After the first Reaction resolves (and they always resolve one at a time), the second has nothing to affect, as above. Zen Faulkes, "Hamstrung + Ring of the Void", 30 Jul 2009
• Q: I beg your pardon, but the discussion is confusing me. Genji said: Please note that if Eriko is at home when you use Unpredictable Strategy, she cannot use her reaction, because Eriko was not at a Battelfield before the action occurred.
  MacBeth later adds: Eriko's action is triggered after movement actually happens, so that all conditions of location then refer to the new situation. (Emphasis mine)
  These two answers seem contradictory, IMHO. Does Eriko's location when Unpredictable Strategy was announced really matter? Or is her final location the only one to be considered? Thank you in advance.
  A: You are correct, Mamoru.
  Her location after the movement effects have resolved is what matters. Dan Jacobson, "Yoritomo Eriko XP + Unpredictable Strategy", 29 Apr 2009
• Q: I guess there are two ways of looking at it.
  A: Argueably, yes; but we have ruled that Reactions or traits such as this look at current conditions based on when they activate. Brook Cunningham, "Yoritomo Eriko XP + Unpredictable Strategy", 17 Apr 2009
• Q: if you define "Eriko's battlefield" as the one she WAS at then she triggers because another personality moved TO there
  A: So, no, not this one. Moving on... Brook Cunningham, "Yoritomo Eriko XP + Unpredictable Strategy", 17 Apr 2009
• Q: if you define "Eriko's battlefield" as the one she is NOW at then she triggers because another personality moved FROM there.
  A: Yes, that's correct. Brook Cunningham, "Yoritomo Eriko XP + Unpredictable Strategy", 17 Apr 2009
• Q: However, the way I look at it is that Eriko is looking for when another personality moves to a battlefield that she is currently at, or moves away from a battlefield that she is currently at.
  A: Because of the part I underlined (and specifically the operative word in that part, which I also italicized) this part of "your view" matches identically the view from the second quote above, which I have confirmed as the correct interpretation.
  EDIT: Note that she doesn't trigger nor look for "when" the other Personality moves (as you said), but "After" (per her ability's text). Brook Cunningham, "Yoritomo Eriko XP + Unpredictable Strategy", 17 Apr 2009
• Q: Basically, to move TO or FROM Eriko's battlefield implies sharing a battlefield with Eriko at some point, which never occurs in this scenario.
  A: So, again, no (to the quote directly above).
  I hope that clarifies the matter.
  EDIT 2: The end result is correct, but the reasoning by which I arrived there is tentative. Sorry to say that on a Friday, but the Junta will resolve it as soon as we are able. Brook Cunningham, "Yoritomo Eriko XP + Unpredictable Strategy", 17 Apr 2009
• Q: Yoritomo Eriko XP is at one battlefield, and there's another unit controlled by the same player at another battlefield. Both units are opposed. Then Eriko's controller plays Unpredictable Strategy on Eriko XP and his other unit, switching their locations. Can Yoritomo Eriko XP react now and bow a personality at her new battlefield?
  Mantis Clan • Samurai • Magistrate • Naval • Experienced • Unique Reaction: After another of your Personalities moves to or from Eriko's battlefield: Bow a target Personality at Eriko's battlefield.
  A: Yes. Either way you slice it, a personality is moving from Eriko's Battlefield.
  She may bow a personality at her new location (post-movement).
  EDIT: Please note that if Eriko is at home when you use Unpredictable Strategy, she cannot use her reaction, because Eriko was not at a Battelfield before the action occurred. Dan Jacobson, "Yoritomo Eriko XP + Unpredictable Strategy", 15 Apr 2009