Pilfer and targets

[Wacho]

The subject of Pilfer Anything Unwatched and whether it targets a character was brought up in the Rules forum on Meccg.net. Here's the link http://www.meccg.net/dforum/viewtopic.p ... sc&start=0

I don't really have a big problem with the current interpretation that Pilfer targets a character, although at first I thought it didn't. However, I do find it interesting that it was ruled one way and then later the opposite. So I was kind of wondering why it was ruled one way and then the other. I realize these rulings were made quite awhile ago so maybe the whys are lost in time but if anyone has any insight (Chad?) I'd like to know.

This brings up a larger question as to what exactly constitutes a target. Of course targets have to be specified by type and number, but what exactly does "an entity that an action is played out through" mean.

Highwayman, who brought the topic up, feels that Pilfer is similar to Rolled Down to the Sea in that Rolled makes you discard a ring from any company and Pilfer is worded similarly and so should be played similarly. I think there is something to that, but it brings us back to what exactly is a target.

[zarathustra]

As I recall, Chad first ruled that pilfer does not target because the character Pilfer affects is not mentioned on the "Playable on..." sentence. We later came to the conclusion that, since the character is specified by number and type, and since Pilfer is clearly played out through the character (the whole point is to force the character to save his precious spoons), Pilfer targets the character.

We've discussed the question of "What is a target?" before back at meccg.net. Once again, that source of knowledge is occluded by Wim's childishness. If someone wants to copy/paste everything from over there to here, it might help.

In the meantime, I'm going to close this thread, since the current ruling is clearly correct.

[tharasix]

Yeah, I don't remember. Sorry.

The "What is a target?" thread never really went anywhere, so I don't think there's much to pilfer from the meccg.net forums.


Get it? Pilfer? Man, I'm funny.

[Konrad Klar]

Playable on an untapped agent. Tap the agent. Make a roll (draw a #) for a character in play of your choice with a home site the same as the agent's current site. To the roll add 5 if the agent's current site is also the agent's home site. If the result is greater than the character's mind plus 5, the character is returned to his player's hand (one item may be transferred to another character in the same company).

Why "character in play of your choice" and not simply "character in play"?

Is not taget choosen/specified at declaration? Where in card's texts "choose/choice" is used in reference to target? I know two other cards where "choice" is used. Gloom and Waiting Shadow - both played on company.

Gloom:
"Once character (attacker's choice) in that company suffers -1 to his prowess until the end of the turn."

Waiting Shadow:
"Tap an Orc, Troll, or Man character in that company. (defender's choice)."