CoE Rulings Digest #115

[zarathustra]

(1) Although it may seem otherwise according to a literal-minded reading of the MELE rules ("An attack by a hazard creature is defeated if it is not a detainment attack and all of its strikes directed against (i.e., assigned to) a company are defeated."), you cannot defeat an attack by making all of its strikes un-assignable.

(2) Morgul-horse refers to Nazgul permanent-events which were tapped. Therefore it can target and bring back to hand any Nazgul which started out as a permanent-event and was tapped. Morgul-horse cannot however bring back a Nazgul tapped in order to sideboard because that Nazgul was discarded upon declaration and therefore is not a valid target for Morgul-horse.

(3) Mixed companies, i.e., those including at least one ringwraith character and at least one non-ringwraith character are considered ringwraith companies. Therefore, they cannot be targeted by the first use of Heedless Revelry.

(4) A number of questions have arisen regarding CVCC. Here are answers to (I hope) all of them.
(a) Each player may initiate at most 1 CVCC per turn.
(b) A player may not both make an influence attempt against his opponent's resource or character and initiate CVCC in the same turn.
(c) The defender in CVCC is restricted in his play and use of resources, since he cannot normally play any resource cards or initiate any resource effects during his opponent's turn. Before strikes are assigned, he may (i) cancel the attack and (ii) play cards or initiate effects that affect the attack. Once strikes are assigned, he may (iii) play cards or initiate effects as outlined in the strike sequence rules. He may do nothing else.

Regarding (i): this means that the defender can both play cards (e.g., Dark Quarrels) that cancel the attack and initiate effects (e.g. Torque of Hues) that cancel the attack.

Regarding (ii): this means that the defender may play cards like Many Foes He Fought and initiate effects like Usriev of Treachery. These cards affect the attack (the attack normally cannot target the same character with two strikes, but these cards change that). (ii) does not mean, however, that the defender may play cards like And Forth He hastened, or initiate effects like Cram of Foul-Smelling Paste. Cram and And Forth He Hastened allow the defender to bring about a different result according to the rules, but do not override the rules (in the way that Many Foes He Fought does).

Regarding (iii): this means that the defender may, among other things, play And Forth He Hastened, use Cram, play Wizard's Flame, or use Black Arrow. Each of these affects the prowess of a strike, and so is allowed during the strike sequence. However, the use of Cram at this point in CVCC will not allow the defender to subsequently play Concealment or a similar card. Strikes have already been assigned, so the attack may not be canceled.
Note that this is a clarification of ICE 580 & 581, and a clarification or over-ruling of COE 2, 18, 57, 60, and 61.


Best,

Mark Alfano
mark.alfano@gmail.com

Official Council of Elrond Netrep*
http://www.councilofelrond.org/, http://www.councilofelrond.org/forum/index.php,

*Prepared in collaboration with Mikko Vihtemäki (NetRep Team), and Chad Martin, Brian Min, Manuel Cabezali Romero, and Konrad Klar ( NetRep Advisors).

[sly southerner]

Just to make sure I have this right, does this mean you finally agree with me that in CVCC you can't play Cram to untap a character and then cancel the attack?

If so you have made me very happy.