How River works / Incorrect CoE Rulings

Errata issued by the CoE, open discussion of candidate rules for errata, and submissions for the Annual Rules Vote.
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CDavis7M
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How River works:
  • River affects any company that was "moving to this site this turn" regardless of the site they "moved to" or where they ended up. The "do nothing" effect is not limited to a particular site (see card text).
  • River can be cancelled during the M/H phase or at the start of the site phase by a Ranger in any affected company (see most recent card text below).
  • River may only be played on a moving company's new site (CRF - playing hazards).
  • River may not be cancelled by Tom Bombadil, Leaflock, or Great Ship (CRF - Company)
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I know River can be annoying, but I've noticed that many of the CoE rulings on River are wrong. I think it's because the CoE Netreps liked to rule based on how they wanted the game to be played, or for their own competitive advantages, instead of ruling based on the actual rule and card text (other examples: Thrall of the Voice, Carambor, Crown of Flowers, Radagast's Black Bird, etc.). These rulings alleviate the effects of River on already competitive deck types (Balrog, testing at Mt Doom, Minion, FW) while maintaining its power against non-competitive deck types (most hero decks).

Incorrect CoE Rulings on River:
  • CoE 4: Because the River is played on a site, it won't affect your opponent's company if they end up stopping at a site other
    than the one you played the River on.
  • CoE 50 (re Gangways over Fire): River is played on a site. If the company moves on to a different site for the site phase, your River is pretty much wasted.
  • CoE 52 (re Master of Esgaroth and Shadowfax): "Question: They did, in fact, move to that first site during that turn, then they moved away from it" *** Brian ruled in Digest 4: Because the River is played on a site... This ruling is being upheld.
These are wrong. These rulings are not based on any older ICE rulings or the card text. The effect "the company must do nothing during its site phase" is limited to companies that were moving to the targeted site but the "do nothing" effect is not limited to site phases at the targeted site. That is, River does NOT state "the company must do nothing during its site phase at this site." If it isn't there it isn't there.

The CoE assumes that because River is "playable on a site" that its effect must be limited to site phases at that site. However, "playable on" in River merely means that it targets the site. This "playable on" condition does not limit the effects within the card text. Recognize that River doesn't target the company so that it can affect multiple companies moving to the targeted site, and so that it cannot be cancelled by you know who.

Neither play of River nor its effects target a company (it is a non-targeted effect). The effect "must do nothing during its site phase" in River applies to all companies that are "moving to this site this turn." River targets the site so that it can affect and be cancelled by multiple companies, not so that a company can avoid it by moving to a second site. Compare to Lost in Free-domains which is "played on" (targets) a company and only affects that one company, but both "do nothing" effects still apply even if the company moves again such that the conditions would not be met if played during the additional M/H phase.

Also note that the changes to make River more effective (requiring tapping a Ranger vs mere presence) came with the Unlimited errata. Before the Unlimited errata, Tom Bombadil, Leaflock, and Great Ship were ruled such that they could cancel effects targeting the site as well as the company. With Unlimited, River became much stronger and so the rules were changed such that Tom/Leaf/Ship could no longer cancel effects targeting the site (the site is no longer associated with the company), only effects that target the company.

The wording of River was an intentional design decision allowing it to affect multiple companies. That is all "playable on a site" means, nothing more.

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The CoE failed to consider the most recently English printing of River in violation of the Tournament Policy. It's clear from the most recent English printing that the company merely needs to be "moving to the site" during the M/H phase, they do not need to end up at that site during the Site Phase. Once a company becomes "A company moving to this site this turn" they "must do nothing during its site phase."
Council of Lorien Tournament Policy wrote:The mechanics of any given card will be determined from the most recent English printing
River wrote:Most recent English printing:
Playable on a site. A company moving to this site this turn must do nothing during its site phase. A ranger in such a company may tap to cancel this effect, even at the start of his company's site phase.

Outdated Lidless Eye printing:
Playable on a site. If a company that has moved to this site this turn does not tap a ranger, it must do nothing during its site phase.

Outdated Unlimited printing:
Playable on a site. If a company that has moved to this site this turn does not tap a ranger, it must do nothing during its site phase.

Original printing in the Limited set.
Playable on a site. If a company that has moved to this site this turn does not tap a ranger, it must do nothing during its site phase.
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[NetRep] Rulings Digest #74
In Digest #71, it was ruled:
Now my question is: say I have 2 companies moving to the same site, and
a river gets played on the site against the first company. Can a
character in the second company tap to negate this river DURING his mh
phase? Or only after the companies join in the site phase?
*** Only after the companies join at the beginning of the site phase.

*** This is incorrect. A second character can tap to satisfy the River
played on a previous company, assuming that character is moving to the
site in question.
The second company currently moving is still moving. They are not (old UL/LE River) "a company that has moved to this site this turn" until they have already moved to the site. This ruling is only supported by the most recent English printing of River: "A ranger in such a company may tap to cancel this effect, even at the start of his company's site phase. It's unclear how the CoE got to this ruling based on their other rulings. There is no consistency in their rationales (when a rationale was even given).
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