Biting Steel
Legend of the Five Rings card from Gold Edition, Pre-Imperial Edition, Imperial Edition, Emerald Edition, Battle of Beiden Pass, Obsidian Edition, Jade Edition, Pearl Edition, Shadowlands, Anvil of Despair, Crimson and Jade, Scorpion Clan Coup Starter, Fire & Shadow, The War of Spirits, Dark Allies
Open in Oracle of the Void
- Card Type
- Spell
- Gold Cost
- 2
- Card Text
- Repeatable Battle/Open: Bow this Shugenja to give a target Personality +2F/+2C, or +3F/+3C if he is Dragon Clan.
- Focus Value
- 1
- Legality
- Clan Wars (Imperial), Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade)
- Deck
- Fate
Printings
Gold Edition
- Rarity
- Common
- Flavor Text
- "What can stand against a quick hand, sharp eye, and biting steel?"
- Artist
- Mike Raabe
- Card Number
- 46
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
Pre-Imperial Edition
- Rarity
- Fixed
- Flavor Text
- The sharpest blade does not win the duel, but neither can you be victorious with mere conviction.
- Artist
- David Trowbridge
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Imperial Edition
- Rarity
- Common
- Flavor Text
- The sharpest blade does not win the duel, but neither can you be victorious with mere conviction in your hands.
- Artist
- David Trowbridge
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Emerald Edition
- Rarity
- Common
- Flavor Text
- "The Dragon know secrets we cannot even hope to understand." - Isawa Tsuke
- Artist
- David Trowbridge
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Battle of Beiden Pass
- Rarity
- Fixed
- Flavor Text
- "The Dragon know secrets we cannot even hope to understand." - Isawa Tsuke
- Artist
- David Trowbridge
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Obsidian Edition
- Rarity
- Common
- Flavor Text
- "The Dragon know secrets we cannot even hope to understand." - Isawa Tsuke
- Artist
- Randy Asplund-Faith
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Jade Edition
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Flavor Text
- "Men will lie to you. Your eyes will deceive you. Steel never lies, nor deceives, nor hides bitter reality. In the sword, you can find truth." - Kakita's "The Sword"
- Artist
- Randy Asplund-Faith
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
Pearl Edition
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Flavor Text
- "Men will lie to you. Your eyes will deceive you. Steel never lies, nor deceives, nor hides bitter reality. In the sword, you can find truth." - Kakita's "The Sword"
- Artist
- Randy Asplund-Faith
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
Shadowlands
- Rarity
- Starter
- Flavor Text
- "The Dragon know secrets we cannot even hope to understand." - Isawa Tsuke
- Artist
- David Trowbridge
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Anvil of Despair
- Rarity
- Starter
- Flavor Text
- "The Dragon know secrets we cannot even hope to understand." - Isawa Tsuke
- Artist
- David Trowbridge
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Crimson and Jade
- Rarity
- Starter
- Flavor Text
- "The Dragon know secrets we cannot even hope to understand." - Isawa Tsuke
- Artist
- David Trowbridge
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Scorpion Clan Coup Starter
- Rarity
- Starter
- Flavor Text
- …but the Dragon did arrive, and the might of the Mirumoto was doubled by the presence of the Agasha and the ise zumi… - The Fall of the Scorpion, Volume 1
- Artist
- Randy Asplund-Faith
- Publisher
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Fire & Shadow
- Rarity
- Starter
- Flavor Text
- "People will lie to you. Your eyes will deceive you. Steel never lies, nor deceives, nor hides bitter reality. In the sword, you can find truth." - from Kakita's The Sword
- Artist
- Randy Asplund-Faith
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
The War of Spirits
- Rarity
- Starter
- Flavor Text
- "While the Isawa hunted the Tamori, the Dragon samurai repelled the Shiba forces." - Battle at Broad Ax Waterfall
- Artist
- Mike Raabe
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
Dark Allies
- Rarity
- Starter
- Flavor Text
- "What can stand against a quick hand, sharp eye, and biting steel?"
- Artist
- Mike Raabe
- Publisher
- Alderac Entertainment Group
Rulings
- Erratum: Errata/Clarified: +3/+3 applies to Dragon Clan Personalities, not Dragon Personalities. Text Change & Errata List, February 15, 2000, p. 7
- Erratum: Biting Steel: Should grant +3/+3 to a Dragon Clan Personality, not a Dragon Personality. The Imperial Herald, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Issue 7), p. 21
- Q: Can I use Biting Steel on a Personality who is on his way into a duel? A: No. L5R was expressly set up so that "timing questions" of this sort wouldn't arise more than once. Here's the secret: it's always somebody's turn to do something. Here's an example. Let's say that during my Action Phase I bow my Hawks and Falcons to gain Honor, which is a Limited action. Before I get to do another Limited or Open action, I have to give you, my opponent, a chance to do Open actions of your own. If you have a Shugenja with Biting Steel ready to go, you could bow him now to give that bonus to somebody. However, if you pass, and don't do any Open actions, then I can play an Iaijutsu Duel and initiate a challenge on one of your Personalities. You don't get a chance to do anything else: my action has to resolve before it becomes your turn to act again. So: the duel starts up, and as the challenged party, you get to choose first whether you want to focus or strike. Once the duel is over and the body is carted away, my action (the Iaijutsu Duel) has resolved, and it's your turn to do an Open action again. The Imperial Herald, Vol. 1, Issue 1, p. 10
- Q: How about a preview of that example? A: Least I could do. Ahem... Biting Steel reads "Open: Bow this Shugenja to give a 3F/3C bonus to target Dragon Personality or a 2F/2C bonus to any personality until end of turn." Since Biting Steel does not refer to opposing Personalities, armies, units, or any opposing cards at all, the shugenja with this spell may provide his bonus without having been assigned to an attack or defense. The Imperial Herald, Vol. 1, Issue 1, p. 11
Rules Q&A
- Q: can i target a personality in the attacking army with Biting Steel that is attached to a shugenja that isnt in the attacking army?
A: Rulebook, Pg 54, Example 2: Yes. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 18 May 2002", 18 May 2002