After reading through this post (first time I've been able to, and I'm sorry to everyone that it was my game at that district that led to all this questioning...), some key points jump out at me:
1. Capturing really would change (and become next to useless in T2), as pointed out above. "You mean I can't capture that disciple because I already had one of his copies of that card captured?" is not something I've ever heard discussed before this thread. Even if it was ruled that any card with 'may' did not allow them to coexist and one to be discarded, then every card with "You may capture..." would still encounter that problem.
2. We've discussed what happens when we have a 'put in play' ability like Sam, but what about exchanges? Would Armorbearer not be able to exchange with a unique character if a copy was already in your territory? What would happen in that case, or the many other exchanges out there? Would having your character captured to your territory stop you from ever getting them out again, basically?
3. Everything we're discussing involves 'in-play'...what about set-aside? Does 'control' default to 'in-play', and if so, what happens if you try to bring (by SA) a character into your territory that is already in your set-aside?
4. If something is NOT a 'may' ability, like both of the Midwives cards, would duplicates be discarded, or would they never enter play?
Midwives (Wo)
Type: Hero Char. • Brigade: Green • Ability: 7 / 6 • Class: None • Special Ability: Each time Midwives enter the Field of Battle, return to Field of Play all Green Brigade Male Heroes from all discard piles. • Play As: Search all discard piles for all green brigade male Heroes. Return them to owner's territories. • Identifiers: Generic OT Female Human, Egypt • Verse: Exodus 1:17 • Availability: Women booster packs (Uncommon)
I also agree with the sentiment that we should have a ruling based on rules and not 'this is how it's always been' because that's how newer players like me get confused. I had seen everyone in RTS do what is being described with Samuel, and then when I asked if I could hypothetically do XYZ in the district, Brad looked at me like I had horns growing out of my skull. (It was a very funny look and response)
Could a suggestion for the rule be, "No player may put a unique character in play or set-aside that is already in that player's in-play or set-aside areas. No unique character may band or enter a battle that involves another copy of that unique character. If a unique character is put in play or set-aside by a special ability and causes a player to control multiple copies, that player chooses copies to be discarded until only one remains in that player's in-play or set-aside areas."
Wordy? Yes. And I obviously don't know how to write in Redemption-rules-speak. Just trying to understand where this is going and how to play with this situation in the future.
