Cactus Game Design Message Boards

So in a recent game I had a question came up with I Am Creator.
IaC: "If you do not have a Hero in your territory or set-aside area, then search draw pile for a Hero and put it in your territory. Cannot be interrupted. Limit once during each of your turns."
My opponent activated it with one hero in his territory, attacked with the hero, (Leaving an empty territory), and searched for a hero with it now that his only existing hero was in battle. My understanding was that IaC had to happen when the artifact was activated and not just any time it is up. Which way does it work?

"If" and "When" are used interchangeably to indicate a one time event occurring. Ex: If blocked, you may... Indicates that you can perform an ability exactly after the block takes place.

"While" is used to indicate an ongoing event. Ex: While your dude is blocking, you may... Indicates that as long as dude is in battle against a Hero there is an ability you can complete.

Back to I Am Creator. After Nationals 2009 it was ruled to be a one time event that takes place upon activation of the card. If used as an Artifact, that opportunity happens during your prep phase. As far as I know that's still accurate.

"If" and "When" are used interchangeably to indicate a one time event occurring. Ex: If blocked, you may... Indicates that you can perform an ability exactly after the block takes place.

Are If and When completely interchangeable? I thought for something like Dutiful Priest who triggers with "If blocked..." only happens once the first time that battle he is blocked but for something like The Throne of David "When your purple King is blocked..." which triggers each time a blocker enters battle, even if it is multiple times in a single battle.

Also for something like Foreign Wives there is a huge difference between two since the current If requires the draw to have already happened while a when would (or at least should) enable her to gain the protection after already entering.

Darius' Decree is an instant ability, same as I Am Creator, yet that's been ruled to work at a point other than when it is activated even though IAC activates on a condition that can change dynamically and DD is a vanilla ability.

The key word is "may". DD says you may discard it, which means you can do so at any time it is active, similar to Holy Grail. IaC does not have a may, which means you have to perform the ability when it becomes active. Is that the way it should be? Maybe, maybe not. But it would go against a lot of precedent to change it.

Hello?

Sorry, I wasn't ignoring you but forgot to come back to this. Prof A covered it though.