Council of Elrond

Another one came up last night:

Prowess of Age
Targets and cancels any effect which (declared earlier in the same chain of effects) that would cancel an attack from a unique Dragon manifestation. Alternatively, gives a prowess bonus to a Dragon or Drake attack (must be played before its strikes are assigned) dictated by the number of Prowess of Age cards played on the attack: +1 prowess if 1 played; +4 if 2 played; +9 if 3 played.

An awesome haz-play by Vastor last night: Turn 1 (!), I move my Trolls to the Caves of Ulond to try Black Maze + Thrors Map. Vastor plays the very ugly Agburanar at home and one on guard. No problem I thought. Face 1st AA and crept along the 2nd cleverly. But wtf!?! Vastor reveals Prowess of Age on guard to cancel my cancel!

So the question came up whether this is legal. An on-guard card must be played as if it was played in movement hazard phase concerning playability conditions, right? What do you say?

Unless card text allows otherwise, the target/conditions must have existed during the m/h phase.

The company decides to face the site's automatic-attack. If the on-guard card is a hazard creature keyed to the company's site or a hazard that can modify the automatic-attack, it may be revealed before the automatic-attack is resolved. If it is a hazard creature, it will attack after the automatic-attack is resolved.

Prowess of Age can be played on-guard for its second effect (increase prowess) because this affects the auto-attack.

It cannot be played for its first effect because its target did not exist during the m/h phase and the card text does not override it. Compare Searching Eye:

Cancel and discard any card requiring scout skill before it is resolved or cancel any ongoing effect of a card that required scout skill to play. If this card is played as an on-guard card, it can be revealed during the opponent's site phase to cancel and discard a card requiring scout skill before it is resolved.

Thanks for proper explanation.

thanks as well,

I am always caught when I try to cheat Olt Tooks, maybe I should stop doing that

mfg Nicolai