Yo. Yo. Yo. It’s Yoh, again, with some rules, in a corner…
Anyway, I don’t want to bog these articles down with big opening stuff, but I got a couple things to go through, so I’ll try to keep it brief.
1) I did intend to get this second Rules Corner out sooner, but I decided to give Ten (who is the one that ends up taking the article from a document and turning it into a nice looking article here on the Crystarium) some breathing room before and after Worlds, since he needed time to focus hard on card games, then time to stop focusing hard on card games (and related stuff). Then I decided that these articles going forward will be monthly. This allows more time to get a better variety of questions, and also let’s things breath better around my Rules Processing articles (next one coming in like 2-ish weeks, probably), and all the other Crystarium articles.
2) As suggested by a reader, I’ll be included references for certain answers going forward (not all answers will need references, but I’ll always say why I’m not including references in that case). I’ll include an official reference, which will aim to be from the comp rules, if possible, but will probably end up being from Twitter most of the time. I’ll also include a reference from my own advanced rules, because, ya know, gotta plug my shit and also I actually have more of a comprehensive document than the “comprehensive rules” document, humble brag. Plus, I actually update my document more often than once every two years, so anything new that crops up in questions can easily be added.
On with the questions!
Question 1
If I use Kimahri (1-102H) to copy a special ability that includes the Dull icon on the turn Kimahri is played, can I use the copied special ability?
Answer 1
A pretty interesting question to kick off with. The answer is no. Well, until someone tweets at HJ and they change the rules, but don’t worry, they never wrote this one down in the comprehensive rules, so it’s totally fine. Anyway, uh, let me actually explain. Let’s look at the basics first. When it comes to Forwards and Backups using action and special abilities with the Dull icon, they can only dull themselves from active to pay the cost if they Haste or have been under the controlling player’s control since the start of their turn. Chances are if you’ve been playing the game long enough, you know this. If you are new-ish, well, you’ll probably have still heard this. It comes up all the time. What doesn’t come up often is the idea of using an action or special ability with the Dull icon without paying the cost. You might instinctively think “well if the cost isn’t paid, what does it matter if it has the Dull icon in it or not?!” Which is a fair thought, however, the answer simply is that it does matter. The official rule (aka tweet from Kageyama) makes it clear that an action or special ability with the Dull icon cannot be used if the Forward or Backup does not have Haste and has not been under the controlling player’s control since the start of the turn, regardless of the cost actually being paid or not.
Official Reference: Kageyama Tweet
Yoh’s Advanced Rules Reference: 53.1.1a (action abilities) & 54.1.1c (special abilities)
Question 2
If I play Squall (10-033L) to the field while on 4 damage, then use Fusoya (2-146H)’s action ability, which after it resolves will put me on 5 damage, will Squall’s Damage 5 ability still trigger?
Answer 2
There seems to be a bit of confusion for some people in regards to how the Damage keyword works. Basically, an ability with the Damage keyword before it, on a card, doesn’t exist on the card until the controller player has taken that amount of damage. So, in the case of Squall here, when he’s played, his non-Damage auto-ability and Damage 2 auto-ability will trigger. By the time the controlling player goes to 5 damage by Fusoya and gains the Damage 5 auto-ability, Squall has already entered the field and trigger condition for the Damage 5 ability has very much passed.
Official Reference: 15.2.6.1.
Yoh’s Advanced Rules Reference: 81.1.1.
Question 3
I control Leyak (5-071R) and Mira (4-137L). My opponent attacks, triggering Leyak. Does Mira miss the timing to be used?
Answer 3
Missing the timing isn’t a FFTCG thing, it just doesn’t happen. Leyak puts itself into the Break Zone at resolution of its auto-ability, and Mira’s auto-ability will trigger at this point. Leyak will finish resolving, and then after, before priority is given, Mira’s auto-ability will be put on the stack. Also note that Mira dulls at resolution. All that happens when an auto-ability triggers is that any targets are chosen now and it’s put on the stack, so basically everything after the first comma on Leyak and Mira happens at resolution of their abilities.
Official Reference: 11.8.2. (break down of auto-abilities), 11.8.7. (placing triggered auto-abilities on the stack), 11.8.8. to 11.8.12. (process to follow when placing a triggered auto-ability on the stack).
Yoh’s Advanced Rules Reference: 55.1. (break down of auto-abilities), 6.2.2. (placing triggered auto-abilities on the stack), 55.3. to 55.3.5. (process to follow when placing a triggered auto-ability on the stack).
Question 4
Raiden (REVENANT WINGS) is taken as damage, and I use the EX Burst effect. All of my opponent’s Forwards are dulled, do I still draw a card?
Answer 4
Yes. Raiden (REVENANT WINGS) doesn’t have any targets, so it doesn’t matter if your opponent’s Forwards are all dull, or even if they control any Forwards at all. You’ll still draw a card.
Not going to add references for this one, given the lack of targeting, this is basically just resolving a Summon EX Burst.
Question 5
I control Hill Gigas (5-090R) and my opponent controls Hein (10-129L) and another Forward that is 5CP. I use Diabolos (5-062L) targeting Hein (to make it 1k) and targeting the 5CP Forward (to break it). My opponent responds with Hein’s action ability triggering Hill Gigas. They respond to Hill Gigas by using Hein’s action ability again. Does Hill Gigas still cancel Hein’s first action ability usage and thus break Hein?
Answer 5
Well, I’ll tell you up front that Hein is fucked. First, Hill Gigas doesn’t target, so the second usage of the action ability, done assumedly to pick Earth, won’t work, even if it could resolve, which it can’t, because that’s the one that will be cancelled. This is because Hill Gigas is still on the field, so it’ll trigger again for the second use of the action ability by Hein. This harkens back to question 3 in that, like Leyak, Hill Gigas puts itself into the Break Zone at resolution. This is because its not a cost, it’s part of the effect, because auto-abilities don’t have costs. Anyway, let’s break down exactly how this plays out:
- Diabolos targets Hein & the 5CP Forward.
- Hein action ability used, opponent discards card for cost and the action ability goes on the stack.
- Hill Gigas triggers, auto-ability goes on the stack.
- Hein action used again, opponent discards against for cost and the action ability goes on the stack.
- Hill Gigas triggers, auto-ability goes on the stack.
- Top of the stack resolves, so Hill Gigas second auto-ability resolves, cancelling out the second use of the action ability by Hein and breaking Hein.
- Hill Gigas first auto-ability tries to resolve, but it can’t be put into the BZ, because it is already gone, so nothing happens.
- Hein’s first action ability resolves. Your opponent gets to pick an Element, for shits and giggles at this point though.
- Diabolos resolves, breaks the 5CP Forward, other effect that targeted Hein can’t resolve because Hein is gonezo.
Refer to the references for question 3, they basically do the same job for this one.
Question 6
For Arc (10-043H)’s Damage 3 auto-ability, if you choose a Backup, does it come in active or dull?
Answer 6
Backups enter dull unless the effect says otherwise.
Official Reference: Starter Guide
Yoh’s Advanced Rules Reference: 30.2.
Question 7
Cid (FFBE) (10-052L) is played to my field via Ultimecia (9-102H)’s auto-ability. My opponent plays a Forward from Ultimecia’s auto-ability. Does Cid (FFBE)’s auto-ability trigger?
Answer 7
Yes, Cid (FFBE) still triggers. Both Cid (FFBE) and the other Forward enter at the same time, and they “see” each other enter, meaning any relevant auto-abilities related to that will trigger.
Rather than give you more references to auto-ability stuff already covered, let me take a page out of the official rules playbook and just give you a tweet as reference, this one isn’t about Cid (FFBE) and Ultimecia (because there isn’t a tweet for that) but instead about Rinoa entering from Golbez and triggering for the other relevant Forwards entering at the same time, which is a similar situation: https://twitter.com/FFTCG_SQEX/status/1153986130078863362
Question 8
As Lann (7-018L)’s auto-ability is worded similar to Hecatoncheir (4-093R), can Lann’s auto-ability deal damage to Y’shtola (5-068L)?
Answer 8
No. Admittedly the wording is somewhat similar, but there is a clear distinction. The similarity comes from the wording on the amount of damage being dealt, that is Lann’s power in the case of Lann’s auto-ability and each Forward’s respective power in Hecatoncheir’s case. However, the difference is that Hecatoncheir says “each Forward deals damage” while Lann says “deal it damage.” One (Hecatoncheir) indicates that it’s the Forward dealing the damage, while the other (Lann’s auto-ability) simply say to deal it damage, indicating that it’s the effect of the auto-ability dealing the damage, and thus Y’shtola is not dealt damage by it.
Since this is more about phrasing (are we still doing phrasing?!), references not really needed.
Final Question
Can I use Enkidu Uruk (10-067R)’s action ability, choosing himself?
Final Answer
Heh. Yes. You choose before you pay the cost, so it’s totally legal. Of course it will fail to resolve because it has no legal target at that point but, ya know, do it for the lols.
Official Reference: 11.6.5. & 11.6.10 (choosing, then paying the cost).
Yoh’s Advanced Rules Reference: 53.3.3. & 53.3.8. (choosing, then paying the cost).
Final Word
Um, bye.
Rules Material
To submit questions for future Rules Corner articles, use the following: Email Details
Yoh’s Advanced Rules (With References)
“Check out the next Rules Processing article for an update on the ongoing saga of Yoh trying to become a judge.”
– Yoh Ceeza
El. Psy. Kongroo
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
