Yajinden

Legend of the Five Rings card from Reign of Blood

Card Type

Personality

Force

4

Chi

6

Honor Requirement

-

Gold Cost

12

Personal Honor

0

Clan

Unaligned

Keywords

Unique, Bloodspeaker, Shadowlands, Shugenja

Card Text

After Yajinden enters play: Lose 6 Honor.
Maho Limited: Bow Yajinden and target another player's Personality with 2 or lower Chi: Take control of the target. While Yajinden remains bowed, you may negate his straightening. After the next time this game he straightens or leaves play, return control of the target to the player from whom this took him.
Maho Reaction: Even if Yajinden is bowed, before a Maho effect gives one of your Personalities a Chi penalty: Another Personality of your choice receives it instead.

Legality

Rain of Blood (Diamond)

Deck

Dynasty

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: Can you take control of Clan Champions via cards like Yajinden or Seppun Jin? Why or why not?
  A: The "Clan Champion" trait has no impact on who can or can not control a Personality.
  Most of the the Diamond Edition Clan Champions, however, have a trait that says, "Will only join an X player." If your question is whether you can ignore those traits when playing a "steal control" effect, the answer is "not unless the ability says it overrides such effects."
  Yajinden does not override. Seppun Jin does. Seppun Jin says, "without cost and ignoring all restrictions," while Yajinden does not. Martin Lund, "Rules for 20 January 2005", 24 Jan 2005
• Q: Playing Spawning Grounds/Jigoku
  I have in play Mishime with Force of Will, Yosuchi with +3 Chi, and Yajinden in play.
  I bow Mishime, and target Yosuchi with Force of Will, switching his Chi and Personal Honor. I react with Yajinden's ability, and redirect the 6 point Chi penalty to one of my opponent's Personalities.
  What are Yosuchi's Chi & Personal honor, assuming my opponent doesn't have any reactions?
  A: Well, first you need to find some way to make that Chi Penalty a Maho effect before Yajinden will redirect it. But assuming you find some way to do that (Jubal's suggestion about Jama Suru XP was a good example):
  You redirected the Chi Penalty, but the Personal Honor Bonus effect still resolves normally. Assuming Yosuchi was 0PH, 6CHI when you cast Force of Will, it will now be 6 PH (0 + 6) and 6 CHI. Martin Lund, "Rules for 11 January 2005", 14 Jan 2005
• Q: Also. Can you choose to straighten some of the shugenja you control, or must you straighten all of them with this action. I am thinking you must straighten all of them. But I am thinking about something like Yajinden who I might want to have remained bow and was wondering if there was any wiggle room.
  A: You do not need to straighten anyone who "may remain bowed". You must straighten everyone else. Martin Lund, "Rules for 15 November 2004", 17 Nov 2004
• Q: If you reduce the chi of a personality under 3 Chi, but the reduction is not permanently and you take control of that personality with Yajinden. In the next turn when the personality regains all his chi above 3, the owner takes control another time of his personality or it continues under yajinden control while it remains bowed ?
  A: You don't give the Personality back until the duration of the effect expires or any other effect altering control comes along. Yajinden's effect has a duration based exclusively on his remaining bowed, "while Yajinden remains bowed and in play," not the Personality's Chi remaining at a certain level. The chi requirement is a targeting restriction to legally play and resolve the Action in the first place.
  You don't lose the +3/+3 from Strength of Purity if you become dishonored later during the battle either. Martin Lund, "Rules for 18 October 2004", 22 Oct 2004
• Q: * Chuda Mishime & Yajinden:
  Do they work together ?
  A: If Mishime makes a Chi Penalty Effect with his Maho action (reduces someone's chi), Yajinden can redirect that Chi Penalty Effect. Martin Lund, "Rules for 19 and 20 September 2004", 24 Sep 2004
• Q: Are you able to use Yajinden to redirect Tsuruko's reaction of losing 2 chi, as well as give another personality -1 chi permenantly?
  A: Yajinden's Reaction says, "Once per turn, before one of your Personalities loses Chi due to a Maho effect, redirect the loss to any Personality in play."
  And Tsuruko's Reaction says, "After Tsuruko enters play, permanently reduce her Chi by 2 to permanently give another Personality -1C."
  Now, I've been known to misread card text from time to time, but "reduce her Chi by 2" comes before "to," and that makes it a Cost. Yajinden only redirects Chi loss from Effects, not Costs. Martin Lund, "Rules for 12 September 2004", 15 Sep 2004
• Q: I know Yajinden can redirect the Temples of the Snake chi loss, can he redirect his own Chi loss from Temples of the snake? (arguement being he doesn't receive the +1/-2 / Bloodspeaker trait until he's in play)
  A: Yes, he can redirect it. He has to get into play successfully (be played) for Temples of the Snake to do anything to him, at which point he can redirect the effect. Martin Lund, "Rules for 26 August 2004", 31 Aug 2004
• Q: Can Yajinden take control of a Clan Champion or personality with the "will only join clan x" trait.
  A: No. "Will only join" restrictions apply not only to bringing cards into play, but also to taking control of those cards. Yajinden can't get them unless they would join your Clan. Seppun Jin doesn't have such a problem, since his ability says to ignore all restrictions. Yajinden isn't that lucky. Martin Lund, "Rules for 26 August 2004", 31 Aug 2004
• Q: In theory, I should be able to use Yajinden's ability to make a personality lose 3 Chi correct?
  A: No. Read Yajinden's ability again. He's tricky.
  "before one of your Personalities loses Chi due to a Maho effect"
  Effects and Costs are different beasts. The -2C from Tsukuro is a Cost, not an Effect. Yajinden can't do anything about it. Martin Lund, "Rules for 18-21 August 2004", 29 Aug 2004
• Q: In relation to Yajinden, if the person he is controling dies and I feign death him, when Yajinden dies/straightens he goes back over to the opponent, correct, based on Yajinden's duration wording?
  A: Again, Yajinden's ability is a moot point. Once you've brought the Personality into play under your control (via Feign), you are the default controller. Remove all "take control" effects from the equation and the Personality is still yours. Martin Lund, "Rules for 3 July 2004", 5 Aug 2004
• Q: Situation: Player A has Nobuyoki and Yajinden out. Yajinden has an Inazuma Blade equipped. Tamori bows to reduce the Inazuma Blade from a +3 to a +0 thus giving Yajinden a loss of 3 Chi (as per previous official rulings regarding loss of Chi from weapons on this forum)
  A: Incorrect. Refer to the Diamond Edition Rulebook, page 62:
  "Any time the current number on a card changes from one value to a higher value, that number is receiving a 'bonus' - unless the reason for the increase is that a penalty expired or an existing penalty or bonus changed. Likewise, if a number decreases, it's receiving a 'penalty.'"
  Yajinden's chi is being reduced because the existing +3 Bonus from Inazuma Blade has been changed. As noted above, this - does not - qualify as a Chi Penalty to Yajinden. The Inazuma Blade sure got a penalty, but not the personality. Martin Lund, "Rules for 29 July 2004", 4 Aug 2004
• Q: Spellcaster Perp A has been Playing With Darkness, then Force of Will is attached. Spellcaster A casts Force of Will (becomes Maho) on Yajinden, switching his 0 honor and 6 Chi. Yajinden redirects the '6 point Chi loss' to an enemy perp, odds are killing it outright.
  A: The card in question is "Playing with Madness," but you've got the mechanics down properly. Martin Lund, "Rules for 23 July 2004", 26 Jul 2004
• Q: This seems totally wrong, and am hoping my local playgroup has it wrong. Is this scenario truly a -6C change to Yajinden, thus becoming something he can redirect, or is it a resetting of his Chi value, thus redirecting a 0 (no change) C to another perp just before he in turn coincidentally dies for having 0C?
  A: What is this "resetting" of which you speak? Page 62 of the Diamond Edition Rulebook, under the heading "Bonuses and Penalties" clearly states, "Any time the current number on a card changes from one value to a higher value, that number is receiving a 'bonus' - unless the reason for the increase is that a penalty expires or an existing penalty or bonus changed. Likewise, if a number decreases, it's receiving a 'penalty.'
  If you move the Chi from 6 to 0, you've given someone -6Chi. It is that simple. Martin Lund, "Rules for 23 July 2004", 26 Jul 2004
• Q: I have a Jama Suru with Force of Will attached. I have Yajinden in play. If I uses Force of Will on Yajinden or another peep, is the switching of Personal Honor and Chi considered a lost for purposes of Yajinden redirecting the lost?
  A: 'Anytime the current number on a card changes from one value to a higher value that number is receiving a "bonus" - unless the reason for the increase is that a penalty expired or an existing penalty or bonus changed. Likewise, if a number decreases, it's receiving a "penalty."'(Diamond Edition Rulesbook, Page 62, "Bonuses and Penalties")
  That'll be a penalty alright - assuming Chi goes from a higher number to a lower number. Martin Lund, "Rules for 18 June 2004", 21 Jun 2004
• Q: 1) Can I redirect the permanent reduction of 2 chi (in the last sentence) with Yajinden?
  A: Actually, no. Yajinden triggers on loses from Maho Effects, not Maho - Costs -. That's the same reason the Air Dragon can be targeted to cast Kiho, and has reminder text to point this out.
  "Reaction: Once per turn, before one of your Personalities loses Chi due to a Maho effect" (card text) Martin Lund, "Rules for 5 June 2004", 7 Jun 2004
• Q: Yajinden gains control of a Set'tchr'foo. Set'tchr'foo pops and goes into the current controller's deck per above. Yajinden unbows and assumes control over another Personality. When Set'tchr'foo re-enters play from a Province, does Set'tchr'foo immediately go back to the original owner? I'm venturing the answer is yes, but that leads to a second question:
  A: No way. Control and ownership are different animals.
  If you pay to bring Set'tchr'foo into play from your Province, you're her default controller while she remains in play. The only reason an owner is usually the initial controller is because the owner is usually the only person who has the option to bring those cards into play.
  Card effects like Kolat Recruiter or the above-mentioned Steal + Shuffle trick change that situation, allowing a player to bring cards he or she does not own into play under his or her control. Martin Lund, "Rules for 22 May 2004", 25 May 2004
• Q: Let's say that some clever non-Horde player uses "The Egg of P'an Ku" on his opponent's Yajinden and bows him to steal back his own previously-stolen personality from the Shadowlands.
  If the Egg unbows, who retains control of the personality?
  A: Stupid Yajinden. We hates him. :P
  Both effects last until the expire. The last "take control of" still in effect wins.
  In the situation addressed above, non-Horde player ends the effect of his Egg of Yajinden. The original Yajinden's effect is still in play if he still hasn't unbowed. That effect would apply, and with no Egg-Yajinden effect to trump it, the Horde player would control the poor go-between.
  This isn't like Feign Death is that the Personality hasn't left play, so the "take control of" effects on him never lapsed. You can't control cards in the Discard Pile, so "take control of" effects go kaput when the Personality hits the Discard Pile. When the Personality is reintroduced to play, it goes to the home of its previous controler (card text).
  I don't see a rule that says control of a Personality automatically defaults to the owner. Rather, it seems to default to the player who brought the Personality into play. (Feign Death, Kolat Recruiter, Seppun Jin) Martin Lund, "Rules for 19 April 2004", 21 Apr 2004
• Q: Specifically, this regards Yajinden. If he steals a personality, and that personality bows during the course of his turn, when (if) yajinden straightens and the personality returns to its former controller, does it come back bowed or straightened?//
  A: Since straightening both at the same time is not impossible, you would do that and return the stolen Personality unbowed. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 19 March 2004", 20 Mar 2004
• Q: If you play Show of Good Faith on a personality, kill it somehow, and then use Feign Death to bring it back do you keep control of the personality even after the end of the turn?
  A: Yes. The most recent effect that gave you control was bringing it into play with Feign Death. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 4 Feb. 2004", 5 Feb 2004
• Q: If you use Yajinden to steal someone, kill the stolen personality somehow, and then use Feign Death to bring them beck, do you keep control of the personality even if Yajinden unbows?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 4 Feb. 2004", 5 Feb 2004
• Q: Can you redirect the chi loss from temples of the snake with Yajinden?
  A: Probably not. Temples of the Snake is a Maho card, but Yajinden redirects Maho effects, and there's no rule that says trait effects gain keywords from its card (Diamond rules, pgs. 63-64). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 30 November 2003", 1 Dec 2003
• Q: I control Yajinden, the Pit of Blood, and Sacrificial Altar. My opponent controls a random bloodspeaker. I bow Yajinden to take control of said random bloodspeaker, and immediately sacrifice them to the Sacrificial Altar. I react and place the random bloodspeaker under the Pit of Blood. Yajinden unbows. After Yajinden is unbowed, I try to use the Pit of Blood to bring the random bloodspeaker back into play. Who controls the bloodspeaker?
  A: The original controller (Diamond rules, pg. 70). Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 30 November 2003", 1 Dec 2003
• Q: Relevant text:
  Yajinden Maho Reaction: Even if Yajinden is bowed, before a Maho effect gives one of your Personalities a Chi penalty: Another Personality of your choice receives it instead.
  Iuchi Shahai Maho Battle: Three times per turn: Give Shahai a -1F/-1C Maho token. If she is still in play, you may target another Personality and give him a -1F/-1C Maho token.
  If Yajinden is in play, and Shahai cuts herself ... what happens? Basically, the short form of this question is: does the redirection sever the chi penalty from the other aspects of Maho token (and, if so, is that temporary?), or does Yajinden actually stick Shahai's entire self-inflicted Maho on some innocent victim?
  A: The "it" in "receives it instead" only refers to the Maho Chi penalty that your Personality was going to receive, per Yajinden's trigger. The other, optionally targeted one, can go wherever you like. Brook Cunningham, "Yajinden + Iuchi Shahai", 21 Mar 2013
• Q: I'm sorry if my search-fu was not strong enough to find this on a previous thread.
  My question is, are the Undead Shadowlands Ghul cards created by Saleh considered Human? The reason I ask is due to the distinct lack of "Nonhuman" on their text.
  Secondly, does that mean you can use them to bring back Yajinden xp 2?
  A: Comprehensive Rules, Glossary, Undead: "There are no special rules for Undead cards." Zen Faulkes, "Undead Ghuls are humans too?", 25 Jun 2007
• Q: If I use Tsuruko's reaction and have Yajinden in play can I use his reaction to redirect the chi loss to another personality?
  A: No. It's a cost, not an effect. Zen Faulkes, "A bunch of questions on Asako Tsuruko", 15 Mar 2005
• Q: Soul of the clan text reads: Battle: Target a bowed Personality at your home that has not been in an army this attack, and a bowed Personality at the enemy leader's home. Straighten both targets, even if they cannot straighten. Move your Personality, and the other player's (if he wishes), to the current battlefield.
  Yajinden's ability reads: Maho Limited: Bow Yajinden, who may remain bowed, to take control of another player's Personality with less than 3 Chi while Yajinden remains bowed and in play.
  If I targeted yajinden in my opponent's home bowed with soul of the clan after he used his ability to take control one of my personalities will he straighten or may remain bowed. Thank you
  A: "Cannot straighten" is not the same thing as "May remain bowed." "May remain bowed" is an effect that gives you a choice each time an effect would straighten the card. "Cannot straighten" is an effect that blanketly negates any effect that would unbow the Personality. Soul of the Clan only gets around "cannot straighten."
  Yajinden's player may elect to not unbow his Personality.
  This is the same answer I gave this question back in the Rules for 2 July 2005 on the old L5R-CCG list when asked about Fires of Bushido vs. Desparate Wager, just incase anyone wants to check past precident. Martin Lund, "Soul of the clan and yajinden", 3 Mar 2005