Sudden Movement

Legend of the Five Rings card from The Shadow's Embrace, Ivory Edition

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

As a Focus Effect, give the duel's winner +3F.
Battle: Target two Personalities controlled by the same player at different locations. Switch their locations. Straighten both their units as they move.

Focus Value

4

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Ivory Edition), A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Age of Conquest (Emperor)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rules Q&A

• Q: What happens if i play sudden movement to a personality in a battle with iron armor and a personality at home without it?
  does the personality at home move to the current battlefield?
  A: Neither Personality moves.
  See Switch: When an effect switches the locations of two units, each one simultaneously moves to the location of the other. If one movement is negated, the other one is also negated. Alex Jones, "Iron Armor with Sudden Movement", 24 Apr 2015
• Q: Just some clarifications. Since Sudden Movements Focus Effect gives the duel's winner +3F and Oneiyara says "After the duel, Fear equal to Oneiyara's Force that targets the loser". So when I win a duel with Oneiyara with Sudden Movement focused, do I Fear 3 or Fear 6?
  Does Spirited Dispute negate Oneiyara fear effect? Since Oneiyara's fear effect says "After the duel, Fear equal to Oneiyara's Force that targets the loser" and not during the duels resolution.
  A: The focus effect from Sudden Movement would be in effect at the time Oneiyara's Fear strength is determined, so you get a Fear 6.
  There is no consequence for losing Oneiyara's duel, so Spirited Dispute will not prevent the Fear from resolving. Jon Palmer, "Oneiyara and duels", 17 Apr 2015
• Q: At the current battle, I have a non-Yojimbo Personality. My opponent wants to Sudden Movement a Shugenja at home who has been casting a lot of Home Battle spells. At home, I also have a number of Yojimbo Personalities. If, as I believe, Interrupts also follow the rules of presence and location, is it legal for me to Interrupt my opponent's Sudden Movement with Final Sacrifice despite not having a Yojimbo target for it at the current battlefield?
  Sudden Movement Battle: Target two Personalities controlled by the same player at different locations. Switch their locations. Straighten both their units as they move.
  Final Sacrifice Interrupt: Target your Yojimbo. The action must target him, if legal.
  A: The Yojimbo you target with Final Sacrifice must be at the current battlefield, because, as you correctly point out, Interrupts are subject to the Rule of Location (and Presence) - regardless of the targeting specification of the original action. Alex Jones, "Sudden Movement + Final Sacrifice", 2 Dec 2014
• Q: We need clarification on Karasu Inexp, recently, I noticed this:
  With the removal in Ivory of the old Exception to the Rule of Location, that allowed a card not at the current battlefield to be targeted by a Battle action if the action would move it there, Sudden Movement - and Shinjo Kinto exp2 - rely on Cardinal Rule #1 to allow you to target a Personality not at the current battlefield. However, while symmetry can be used to argue that, since targets are chosen simultaneously, neither Personality needs to be at the current battlefield, we have decided that this uses Cardinal Rule #1 more than is necessary for the cards to work.
  Thus, one of the targets of Sudden Movement must be at the current battlefield.
  Alex
  Does the above change how Karasu work previously?
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=106288&p=1400957&hilit=karasu#p1400957
  A: No, it does not. Brook Cunningham, "Iuchi Karasu Inexp", 27 Aug 2014
• Q: I have the current situation.
  I attack with 2 different Unit into 2 different province. My opponent defends with 2 different units in 2 different provinces, but only one of them opposing one of my unit.
  I start the battle unopposed and play Sudden Movement to switch my opponent units in the other 2 battles.
  Sudden Movement Battle: Target two Personalities controlled by the same player at different locations. Switch their locations. Straighten both their units as they move.
  Basic rulebook Battle Actions Battle actions follow these two rules, in addition to the usual rules about taking actions: You have to have at least one Personality at the battle eld to take actions in that battle. You cannot take actions from a Personality or attachment not at the current battle eld (Holdings or Strongholds outside the Battle eld are OK), and you cannot target Personalities or attachments with your actions if they are not at the current battle eld.
  A: With the removal in Ivory of the old Exception to the Rule of Location, that allowed a card not at the current battlefield to be targeted by a Battle action if the action would move it there, Sudden Movement - and Shinjo Kinto exp2 - rely on Cardinal Rule #1 to allow you to target a Personality not at the current battlefield. However, while symmetry can be used to argue that, since targets are chosen simultaneously, neither Personality needs to be at the current battlefield, we have decided that this uses Cardinal Rule #1 more than is necessary for the cards to work.
  Thus, one of the targets of Sudden Movement must be at the current battlefield. Alex Jones, "Sudden Movement and different battle", 21 May 2014
• Q: In ivory and 20f if I use the card sudden movement as a focus in the duel and win, is it a temporary +3F or permanent?
  A: All ongoing effects have a default "end of turn" duration unless explicitly stated otherwise. Brook Cunningham, "Sun and Moon #rules-questions", 7 Feb 2026