Cactus Game Design Message Boards

This just popped up in a game. Please answer quickly.

He RA's, I block with TAS. Can I put TAS in his LOB if I don't have a human EC in my deck?

Please post abilities.

Yes, you can put TAS in your opponent's LoB.   You must search your deck for a human EC and add it to battle if you have one, but if you don't then you just search and fail to find one.

You must search your deck for a human EC and add it to battle if you have one

I'm not sure this is right.  I seem to recall a discussion a while back that said that you could choose whether to do Y as long as X was met.  In other words, you could send TAS to their LoB and then choose whether you wanted to search your deck, and then choose whether you wanted to add an EC to battle.

I have to take off, but perhaps someone could find that old thread.

The Amalekites' Slave
Type: Evil Char. • Brigade: Gold/Brown • Ability: 4 / 4 • Class: None • Special Ability: If blocking, you may place this card in opponent's Land of Bondage to search your deck for a human Evil Character and add it to the battle. •

Heres the exact SA, and I think from the bolded part you would have to add it to battle.

Oops, missed that part of Gabe's post.  I was under the impression that if you search your draw pile, you DON'T have to choose another EC.  If you do choose, you must add the battle.

In conjunction with the rule where you must prove that you can't fulfill an ability (I Am Something where opponent makes you d/c an evil card from hand [you must reveal to prove no evil cards]), would you have to reveal your entire deck to prove there was no EC?  Obviously not, so I don't think you MUST add one if there is one in deck.

There is no may in the ability, I don't see how you couldn't add one to the battle even if there isn't one.

Please post abilities.

Yes, you can put TAS in your opponent's LoB.   You must search your deck for a human EC and add it to battle if you have one, but if you don't then you just search and fail to find one.

Also not in the ability.

Quote

In conjunction with the rule where you must prove that you can't fulfill an ability (I Am Something where opponent makes you d/c an evil card from hand [you must reveal to prove no evil cards]), would you have to reveal your entire deck to prove there was no EC?

You wouldn't have to, there would need to be an EC added to battle or you wouldn't be able to use TAS.

Unless I'm wrong, In which case why wouldn't you have to reveal your whole deck?

The Amalekites' Slave
Type: Evil Char. • Brigade: Gold/Brown • Ability: 4 / 4 • Class: None • Special Ability: If blocking, you may place this card in opponent's Land of Bondage to search your deck for a human Evil Character and add it to the battle.

The option on TAS applies to whether or not you choose to use his SA and place him in a LoB.  That's the cost.  If you pay that cost, then you must search your deck for a human EC.  If you can find one you must add it to battle.  It's a cost - effect card.  If you choose to pay the cost you must carry out as much of the effect as possible.

Let's compare this to Jephtah, another cost effect card where you complete as much as possible:

Jephthah
Type: Hero Char. • Brigade: Red • Ability: 7 / 4 • Class: None • Special Ability: Once per game, holder may discard any two evil characters in a territory or set-aside area if holder discards the top card from Holder's draw pile. • Play As: Holder may discard the top card from his deck to discard any two Evil Characters in a territory or set-aside area. Limit once per player per game.

With Jeph, you choose whether or not to discard the top card of your deck.  When you do, if there are evil characters that can be discarded you cannot choose not to discard them.  You must complete as much as possible.

Another example that might be what's causing the confusion are cards that use the word may, but allow you to pick and choose which parts of the ability you want to complete:

Reach of Desperation
Type: Hero Enh. • Brigade: Purple • Ability: 4 / 3 • Class: None • Special Ability: Holder may interrupt the battle, draw 3 cards from the top of own draw pile, and play the next enhancement card.

RoD has three abilities, each of which are optional.  With RoD you may do any one or all three of the abilities.  Choosing to do one doesn't impact whether or not you must do any of the others.  That's because it's not a cost - effect card.

It makes sense when you compare it to jepthath, but what if there are no ECs in play / set aside, or like Stalks of Flax.

"On activation, discard this card to exchange two O.T. human Heroes in your territory with two Heroes in an opponent's territory for two turns."

Would you be able to discard it without exchanging any heros if none are in play?

There is an entire thread already where the exchange part of Stalks is discussed.  The short answer is that you can discard it (cost) for no effect.

Atleast everything is consistant.

What happens when i search for a bt# ec?