Cactus Game Design Message Boards

There has been confusion in the past regarding whether the special abilities on certain cards were either a "prevent", a "protect", or a "restrict".  The elders have been discussing this for a while, and have come up with a simple way to determine this in the future.

The bad news is that there are some older cards which actually have the word "prevent" or "protect" on them, but are actually one of the other abilities.  The good news is that this way of remembering what the SAs REALLY are, seems like it will still be easy to tell how these older cards should be ruled.  The other good news is that future cards will be printed with these rules in mind, so it will be even easier to tell going forward.

Prevent - A prevent ability targets the abilities that they prevent.
Protect - A protect ability targets the cards that gain protected status.
Restrict - A restrict ability targets the player that becomes restricted.

I am on board.

simple and concise is good.  THese can  be easily mastered by anyone playing the game.

I get the definitions, but can we get some examples? Is Hezekiah's Ring finally a protect then?

I think it might actually be a restrict.  Qouth the REG:

Hezekiah's Signet Ring (Ki)

Type: Artifact • Brigade: None • Ability: None • Class: None • Special Ability: No opponent may search any draw pile or discard pile. • Play As: Prevent opponents from searching any deck or discard pile. • Identifiers: None • Verse: II Chronicles 32:22 • Availability: Kings booster packs (Rare)

Since it targets a player and not cards it would be a restrict, I believe.  So the question now is, how does restrict stack up against protect and CBN.  Can you restrict something that is CBN?  I would say yes based on the Judas Plot ruling.  Can you restrict something that is protected?  I have no idea.

  the hypothetical widow will stop bugging the judge for justice now Finally that artifact has teeth against pesky prophets and doesn't require a site to handle them...now how to put it back in my deck...

Quote from: TechnoEthicist on March 31, 2011, 06:45:09 AM

I get the definitions, but can we get some examples? Is Hezekiah's Ring finally a protect then?

It's actually a restrict, like Jerusalem Tower.

Quote from: frisian9 on February 13, 2011, 07:53:39 AM

Hezekiah's Signet Ring (Ki)

Type: Artifact • Brigade: None • Ability: None • Class: None • Special Ability: No opponent may search any draw pile or discard pile. • Play As: Prevent Restrict opponents from searching any deck or discard pile. • Identifiers: None • Verse: II Chronicles 32:22 • Availability: Kings booster packs (Rare)

Rob later chimed in to confirm this decision.

Wait what? I thought we confirmed JT was a Protect, and that it was mistakenly listed as a Restrict.

http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=24699.msg395957#msg395957

I'm so confused.

Quote from: TechnoEthicist on March 31, 2011, 06:45:09 AM

I get the definitions, but can we get some examples? Is Hezekiah's Ring finally a protect then?

It's actually a restrict, like Jerusalem Tower.

This is correct.

Since it targets a player and not cards it would be a restrict, I believe.

And that is why

Wait what? I thought we confirmed JT was a Protect.

Many moons ago, JT was rules as a "prevent".  Then this season it was changed to a "protect".  However, now that we finally have a handle on exactly how to tell the difference between these abilities as well as the new "restrict" ability, it has become clear that it actually fits best as a "restrict" ability.  Therefore JT has been reclassified.  I apologize for the confusion, but hopefully we'll be sticking with this one for a while

Well you could always just negate the restrict.  

If someone has enough free time, it'd be nice to have a list of all the questionable cards, sorted by what type of ability they now have.

Also, do we have a clear definition of "Restrict" anywhere? I don't see one in the REG.

You don't have permission to do something that's CBN in the first place, so why would I need to stop you from doing it. until you remove your restriction, you cannot complete that ability. It makes sense in my head....

So we've come full circle and are back to targeting players?

So we've come full circle and are back to targeting players?

Hopefully there won't be a whole lot of "restrict" abilities made, but yes it is targeting players.

So we've come full circle and are back to targeting players?

I've never stopped.  Baalam's donkey always gets me...

Restrict is the nuke in the rock-paper-scissors scenario.

What does that make Regardless?

Ok. So restrict stops the person from actually doing the ability but doesn't negate it but stops it from happening?

Ex:

I RA W@TW and you have Hezzy's Ring up which is a protect restrict, I can't search your deck for a ls & ec but the ability isn't being negated.

Is this correct?

fixed. That would be correct.