Cactus Game Design Message Boards

How is the Play as listed for David's Harp, not errata?

David's Harp (Ki)
Type: Artifact • Brigade: None • Ability: None • Class: None • Special Ability: Following a rescue attempt holder may select one Hero that is about to be discarded and place Hero on top of owner's draw pile. Prevent Evil Spirit. • Play As: Following your rescue attempt, heal one of your Heroes that was or is being discarded from battle and place Hero on top of deck. Prevent Evil Spirit. • Identifiers: None • Verse: I Samuel 16:23 • Availability: Kings booster packs (Uncommon)

The "play as" changes it from any rescue attempt to just yours, changes it from something like an instead ability to it being a heal card, and changes it to only targeting a hero that was discarded in battle.  That is not just clarifying the card but significantly changing how the card can be used.  Now maybe all of that is what they meant when they made the card but does that matter? 
I thought that there was this strong standard for cards to do what is actually written on them (Split Altar) except for in extreme circumstances where errata is needed (ANB).  What happened to that?

It is frustrating when they acknowledge that a card was supposed to do something else (Split Altar) and the players would like to see it played that way but they insist we can't because we have to stick to doing what the card actually says and we don't errata cards to make them better.  OK.  But then why are changes like this made?

I didn't even know this was in place. I thought the card did what it said. Silly me.

In other words, pay no attention to the rules document behind the curtain.

Ok, so are you saying this play as is an old leftover that needs to be updated and fixed?  I can understand that.

I had not seen that for David's Harp before (or seen anybody play it that way) so I got the impression this was a recent change that isn't in line with the consistent standards you are talking about. 

That is a very hopeful message.  Judging from history I'm guessing that it will be a while longer than 2 months.  While it often seems like it is going at the pace of a turtle I'd much prefer to see slow and steady progress then to have issues "fixed" then "fixed" again and several years later it still not clear how they work.  Slow progress is better than spinning in circles. 

I thought we all knew that the play as should be disregarded and are for the REG's purposes only.

Basically, I think it's safe to say that you can reliable ignore REG play-as that is actually errata. Also, if it is not on the list of Play-As/Errata on the board, it doesn't count. Does this sound right?

That is mostly accurate.  The only * I would add is that even the errata section of the boards is missing a few, like the Tartaros and Highway (and friends) erratas.

Just a thought, once we get all the play-as and errata straightened out in the REG, could we make a page in the REG to list all the cards that have been errata'd?

A noble idea, sir.

That list would be too long.

A New Beginning
Holy Grail
A New Beginning
A Child is Born
A New Beginning
Sin in the Camp
A New Beginning
Unholy Writ
A New Beginning

etc etc

You forgot A New Beginning.