Unshakable

Legend of the Five Rings card from Khan's Defiance, Samurai Edition Banzai

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Keywords

Tactical

Card Text

Tactical Battle: If you control an unbowed Tactician at the current battlefield, target a Strategy in your discard pile and take an additional action to use one of its Battle abilities. After the action ends, or if you did not take it, remove this card and the target from the game. (Your Tactician does not perform this ability; restrictions on the target's ability's number of uses, such as the default "once per turn," are still observed.)

Focus Value

3

Legality

Age of Enlightenment (Lotus), Race for the Throne (Samurai)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• When used on a terrain, the terrain's immediate effects resolve. It is then removed from the game, which ends any effects with a duration. [ZF, 15 August 2007, ZF, 28 August 2007] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 167

Rules Q&A

• Q: I'm confused about this ruling.
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=92900
  It was ruled that personalities do not maintain their -2F/-1C for the rest of the battle using Doomed Undertaking+Unshakable.
  Previously it was ruled that personalities will remain bowed by Unfamiliar Ground+Unshakable.
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=75749&p=993235&hilit=unfamiliar#p993235
  I'm just confused. I see the explanation but it just doesn't make sense to me.
  A: Bowing is an instantaneous effect. It has no duration to "end" when the Terrain leaves play.
  Stat changes, however, are ongoing. Brook Cunningham, "Doomed Undertaking&Unshakable", 30 Jul 2011
• Q: I have doomed undertaking in my discard pile. I use a tactician to play Unshakable to play the terrain. Do all non-shadowlands personalities at the battlefield get a blanket -2F/-1C penalty even though the terrain is no longer in play?
  A: No.
  Terrains: "If a Terrain leaves play before a battle’s Final Steps, its ongoing effects end, and its delayed effects will no longer be applied." Brook Cunningham, "Doomed Undertaking&Unshakable", 30 Jul 2011
• Q: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=75730
  So if I'm to understand this ruling, all effects of a terrain are continuous effects that should end when the terrain leaves play. Ergo, a Unfamiliar Ground + Unshakable is now ruled to immediately unbow all 5+ Force personalities as soon as it leaves play?
  [Mod edit: Thread title. -ZF]
  A: Unfamiliar Ground's effect causes a game state change, i.e. an instantaneous effect.
  Removing Unfamiliar Ground from the game (i.e. Unshakeable) does not reverse its own effects.
  The cards that Unfamiliar Ground bowed, will remain bowed. Dan Jacobson, "Unfamiliar Ground + Unshakable", 14 May 2009
• Q: First, and this may be my stupidest question ever, can I use Sup Strat to look for a movement card (like Unwavering Assault) to move someone into a battle with no presence? I know that moving someone into a battle creates its own presence but can I use a Sup Strat (or Unshakable for that matter) to get that action to then move? I doubt it but I had to ask.
  Second, as was asked in this thread http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=59308&p=763856&hilit=+Superior+Strategist#p763856 (but not really answered) Can I use Sup Strat on a bowed Tactician? Everything I understand about the rules tells me I can but my friends still doubt me so I figured i would ask. It is performed by a Tactician and uses a tactical action (unlike Unshakable) and doesn't specifically state that it requires an unbowed Tactician so this is valid correct?
  Thank you.
  Superior Strategist Tactical Battle: Target one of your Tacticians: Search your Fate deck for an Action card with a Battle ability. You may take an additional Battle action to use one of its Battle abilities; if you do not, discard it.
  A: Can I use Sup Strat to look for a movement card (like Unwavering Assault) to move someone into a battle with no presence?
  No. Superior Strategist must be legal to play, and at the point where you must "target one of your Tacticians", you have no-one to target. That is, you're failing to satisfy Location or Presence.
  Can I use Sup Strat on a bowed Tactician?
  Yes. Any targeting that doesn't specify unbowed (and doesn't specify bowed!) may target either a bowed or unbowed card. Alex Jones, "Two Superior Strategist questions", 25 Mar 2009
• Q: http://rules.l5r.com/index.php?title=Gl ... oldid=1700 A rules wiki dif link showing that, at some point between March 7th and March 24th, one of the special rules concerning terrains was modified from "If a Terrain leaves play, its effects with a duration end. This is not negation of those effects (that is, even effects that can not be negated do not apply any more)." to "If a Terrain is destroyed, its ongoing effects end, and its delayed effects will no longer be applied. This is not negation of those effects (that is, even effects that can not be negated will be ended)." (emphasis on specific change mine).
  Was this an intentional change? Does this mean that I can now use Unshakable to play terrains such as Encircled Terrain from my discard pile for their delayed effects, because the terrain left play without being destroyed?
  Encircled Terrain: Terrain Battle: Before this battle’s resolution, the Attacker and Defender, in the order of your choice, each choose one of his units at the current battlefield. Then, move all other units there home.
  A: Not yet. Maybe soon. Zen Faulkes, "Unshakeable and terrains again", 10 Sep 2008
• Q: why is it The Empress' Address can target a Personality who just died and bring them back into play, yet Unshakable can't target an Action that was just played for a second use?
  A: Because they're worded differently. Zen Faulkes, "The Empress' Address allow 2 uses of same printed action?", 26 Jun 2008
• Q: Can I play Unshakable on a Tactician who is at home to play for example Doomed Intentions from my discard pile to move the unit into the combat?
  thx
  A: Unshakable is not performed by any Personality. You need to control an unbowed Tactician Personality at the current battlefield, but it is not performed by any Personality (and so it does not count as any Personality's "one Tactical Action per turn" limit). Moving a Personality to the battlefield with the additional action does not satisfy this requirement.
  See Tactical. Alex Jones, "unshakable and movement", 21 Jun 2008
• Q: "You cannot use abilities on your cards at this battlefield." sounds like it refers to personalities but the wording of Unshakable makes it iffy.
  A: I can at least answer this. Your quoted part of The Khan's Gambit means that you cannot take any action (take an action = use an ability) that is on any of your cards at that Terrain's battlefield; not just Personalities, but your Attachments in that battlefield's army, too.
  Again, though, I can't tell exactly what bearing you feel this has on Unshakable. It's not a card AT the battlefield (ie, in an army there), so it's not affected by Khan's Gambit's restriction. Brook Cunningham, "The Khan's Gambit and Recruiting Allies", 26 Apr 2008
• Q: If I Unshakable an action card with a gold cost, do I have to pay the gold cost?
  Example, Unshakable plus Recruiting Allies.
  Thank you,
  A: The additional action is announced, targeted, paid for and resolved normally. Alex Jones, "Unshakable + Actions w/ Gold Costs", 14 Apr 2008
• Q: Put this up elsewhere, but was unable to reach a conclusion.
  "Unshakable" -- Tactical Battle: Target an Action card in your discard pile. Play it for one of its Battle abilities as an additional action. Remove this card and the target card from the game, even if out of play, after that action ends. (Observe restrictions on the ability's number of uses, such as the default "once per turn.") "Courage in Death" --Reaction: Before one of your Personalities is destroyed during battle: Give another target Personality a Force bonus equal to your Personality's Chi. If you are a Crab Clan player, delay your Personality's destruction until after the battle ends.
  Due to Unshakable's lack of colon to create specific costs, as I understand it everything listed on Unshakable is an effect. Here's the question:
  Unshakable can target a copy of Courage in Death in the discard pile that has resolved this turn. What happens next? A) Unshakable resolves. Courage in Death cannot. Unshakable and Courage in Death are then removed from the game after Courage in Death's delayed effect ends at the normal time. B) Unshakable resolves. Courage in Death cannot. Neither Unshakable nor Courage in Death are removed from the game because Courage in Death does not have an "ending" trigger based off of Unshakable's timing. C) Unshakable resolves. Courage in Death cannot. Unshakable and Courage in Death are then removed from the game immediately following the targeting, as Courage in Death has no legal action which can resolve, regardless of once-per-turn.
  GENERALIZATION QUESTION: If Unshakable targets an Action card without a Battle action that can be resolved, does Unshakable fizzle and leave itself in the discard rather than remove itself from the game due to never reaching the necessary timing trigger? (I ask this in all seriousness for multiple reasons, primarily Unshakable being much easier to play "pointlessly" to satisfy the Ring of Water.)
  ALTERNATE GENERALIZATION QUESTION: As the targeting is not behind a colon, is it a cost that must be satisfied, or is it an effect targeting that can fail? Can I simply toss Unshakable away as a Tactical Battle action with no legal targets in the discard pile?
  A: You know, this seems like it would fall under the Good Faith Rule.
  If it were a question of a card that you were supposed to put into play, rather than simply play for an action, the Good Faith Rule as it already reads would prohibit playing Unshakable.
  I'll bring it up to the Rules Team to see if an extension / clarification of the Good Faith Rule can cover this.
  For the time being, assume you can't choose an Action Card that you can't play in good faith. Martin Lund, "Unshakable & Courage in Death", 9 Apr 2008
• Q: Misdirection: Bacuase "targeting one of your courtier" is in the cost block, does that mean that the performing Courtier/Gozoku personality must be present at the battle?
  A: No. You're using a Reaction. http://rules.l5r.com/Battles#Combat_Segment: "Reactions are not subject to rules of Presence and Location." Zen Faulkes, "Misdirection and Unshakable", 16 Mar 2008
• Q: My opponent plays Unshakable and I respond with Misdirection. How far does my effect of choosing his targets reach?
  A: Unshakable only. Zen Faulkes, "Misdirection and Unshakable", 16 Mar 2008
• Q: can otemi perform Unshakable as the naval action ?
  A: No, because Otemi does not perform Unshakable. No one performs it. Note that none of the below apply:
  http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_P-Q, Peform: "A Personality or Follower is performing an action if its controller is the player taking the action, and any of these things is true:
  The action comes from an ability on the Personality or Follower. The action comes from an ability on an Item or Spell in the Personality’s unit. The Personality or Follower was targeted by targeting in the ability’s constraints block (between the two colons)." Brook Cunningham, "Naval+Unshakable+Otemi", 15 Mar 2008
• Q: since the tactical battle need target and spent the tactical action that a tactitian has ?
  A: This incorrect belief is the source of your error. Unshakable is a Tactical action not performed by a Tactician, as described here (emphasis mine):
  http://rules.l5r.com/Glossary_T, Tactical: "An action with the Tactical keyword can only be performed by a Tactician Personality (see Perform). A Tactical action that is not performed by any card can only be taken if one of your unbowed Tacticians is at the current battlefield. Each Tactician can only perform one Tactical action per turn." Brook Cunningham, "Naval+Unshakable+Otemi", 15 Mar 2008
• Q: I have a personality with tactician opposing another random personality. I play a card from my hand, Dissent for example. On my next action can I use Unshakable to use the same Dissent again? Or is it subject to the once per turn rule?
  A: That would appear to be indicated by, "(Observe restrictions on the ability’s number of uses, such as the default 'once per turn.')" (Card text, emphasis added.) Zen Faulkes, "Question regarding Unshakable", 3 Sep 2007
• Q: Hello. Looked for this on Rules fourm and wiki, but found none except hints...
  1) When I use a Terrain Fate card, is it considered playing a card (because : according to Terrain rules, Terrain is put into play), or playing ability from a card with side effect of putting Terrain into play ? According to definition of PLAY, this is not the same, and in first case, act of PLAYING a terrain doesn't count for it's own 'once per turn' limit, and there may be fuzzy ruling for cards that look for Battle ability and plays it (like : Superior Strategist or Unshakable).
  2) Terrain rules states (A) that 'its effects resolve' and that Terrain 'enters play'. When (by default, for generic terrain) following triggers occur : 'this (playing a terrain) action ends' and 'it's efect ends' ? Is it dependent on specific terrain effects?
  Reference : A Battle action with the Terrain keyword represents the ground on which a battle is fought. Terrains follow special rules. A) * Terrains are played as a Battle action. After a Terrain’s costs (if any) are paid, its card enters play at the current battlefield, and its effects resolve; do not discard it. A Terrain is not on either side, but it is at the battlefield, and can be destroyed. B) * A Terrain action cannot be played if a Terrain is already in play at the current battlefield. C) * When a Terrain leaves play, its effects with a duration end, and any of its delayed effects will not happen. D) * After battle resolution, discard any Terrains in play at that battlefield. Copied from SE ruleook preview, checked with SE printed rulebook, bullets have been labeled for easy reference.
  Thank you.
  [EDIT:There's no size 9 in phpbb3.0, only size 85...]
  A: I don't really understand your questions at all.
  "Terrain" is a keyword that shows up on Action cards. You play them as Action cards, with special rules because of the Terrain keyword - like entering play (instead of remaining in the Resolution Area) and remaining in play until removed (instead of being discarded after its immediate effects resolve).
  No card in Samurai Edition should instruct you to "put a Terrain into play," as one of its effects. You should only be instructed to "play" Terrain cards. Martin Lund, "Playing/resolving a Terrain Battle action in SE", 17 Aug 2007
• Q: If there's an Encircled Terrain in my discard pile and I play Unshakable to play the action of Encircled Terrain. Will it do anything?
  A: No, because Encircled Terrain only has delayed effects, and an action ends before that. http://rules.l5r.com/Abilities_and_acti ... ction_ends Zen Faulkes, "About terrains", 15 Aug 2007
• Q: I have Unshakable and Refugees in my discard pile and an unbowed Tactician in the current battle. Under SE rules, can I play Unshakable from my hand to play Unshakable from my discard pile, to play Refugees from my discard pile?
  A: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Unshakable Squared", 18 Jul 2007
• Q: I.e., will the first Unshakable remove the second Unshakable from the game before #2 allows me to play Refugees?
  A: No.
  (Fixed.) Zen Faulkes, "Unshakable Squared", 18 Jul 2007
• Q: Hi there,
  As a followup to my previous question here:
  And in pursuit of further Clarification re: Matsu Wani's posting here
  chrisF said:
  Let's say this hypothetical situation:
  I play Unshakable to play Three-Stone River for its battle action from my discard pile:
  Three-Stone River is a delayed terrain, and I'm playing it for its battle action, which is:
  Battle: Reduce the Force of each Personality at this battlefield to the Force of his highest-Force Follower, or to 1 if he has no Followers.
  However Unshakable states that the card is removed from the game, AFTER that action ends.
  Does that mean that the following is correct?
  1. Unshakable plays Three-Stone River, which as a delayed terrain, does not resolve its battle action until terrains are resolved after the battle actions segment, at which point its battle action takes effect (i.e. force reduction), and then both unshakable and the three-stone river are removed from play?
  Or does it mean:
  2. Unshakable plays Three-Stone River, which as a delayed terrain, does not resolve its battle action immediately, so the battle action does not take effect, and both cards are removed from play?
  Or is the end result completely different?
  Sorry for being so obtuse on this topic. Thanks very much for your help!
  A: The former (1). Zen Faulkes, "Unshakable - Part 2", 15 Feb 2007