BOW OF ALATAR ‐ Permanent‐event (R)
[SP: 2; CP: 1]
Unique. Alatar specific. Place this card on Alatar if he is in play. If on Alatar, you may tap Bow of Alatar to allow him to face a strike from an attack against his company regardless of the attackʹs normal capabilities and his status. If such a strike fails, the attackʹs body is reduced by 1.
I'd like to request a vote to add an errata to specify precisely when this ability may be used.
My proposed errata:
BOW OF ALATAR ‐ Permanent‐event (R)
[SP: 2; CP: 1]
Unique. Alatar specific. Place this card on Alatar if he is in play. If on Alatar, you may tap Bow of Alatar to allow him to face a strike from an attack against his company regardless of the attackʹs normal capabilities and his status. This ability may be activated immediately before any Strike Sequence of an attack. If such a strike fails, the attackʹs body is reduced by 1.
The issue at hand was briefly discussed here:
https://councilofelrond.org/forum/viewt ... tar#p27451
I believe this is how the card's ability was intended to be used, just like tapping a weapon, or playing a Risky Blow, Dodge, Block, etc. immediately before the strike sequence is resolved:
Strike Sequence:
The series of events that resolves an
assigned strike, performed in the following order:
• Start with the defending character’s prowess as a base value.
• The defending character applies a weapon modifier to his prowess if applicable.
• The attacker may play hazard cards that affectthe strike (not strike assignment).
• The attacker may decide to use any or all of his remaining unassigned strikes as -1 modifiers.
» Excess strikes applied as -1 modifi ers do not have to have their body defeated [CRF].
» You may not cancel unassigned strikes [CoE 19].
• A target untapped character may take a -3 modification so that he will not automatically tap following the strike sequence.
• The defending player may play resource cards that affect the strike (up to one card that requires skill). You may also use items if applicable.
• Interpret “may play resource cards that affect the strike” above as “may initiate resource/character effects that affect the strike” [CRF, CoE 4].
Now - what would be the effect of this?
1) An attack with 2 or more strikes would allow Alatar to face 2 of those strikes.
(Hazard player declares Giant Spiders. No cancellation cards are played. Alatar faces the first strike untapped, taps to face the strike and resolves the strike sequence. Alatar's player then taps the Bow of Alatar, and Alatar faces a second strike sequence tapped)
2) An attack where "Attacker chooses defending characters" would allow Alatar's player to decide which assigned strike to face and when.
(Ambusher is declared, defender does not cancel the attack, strikes are assigned to Gimli and Ioreth. Defender chooses Gimli to resolve his strike sequence first. Gimli resolves his strike sequence. Alatar's player taps Bow of Alatar. Alatar faces the 2nd strike of the attack instead of Ioreth.)
-Alternatively, and also valid-
(Ambusher is declared, Alatar's player does not cancel the attack, strikes are assigned to Gimli and Ioreth. Alatar's player taps Bow of Alatar, declaring he is resolving Ioreth's strike sequence first. Alatar resolves the first strike sequence. Gimli then faces the strike assigned to him.)