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Redemption® Collectible Trading Card Game HQ => Official Rules & Errata => Ruling Questions => Topic started by: everytribe on January 20, 2014, 09:45:08 AM

Title: Gates of Hell?
Post by: everytribe on January 20, 2014, 09:45:08 AM
Since we don't use orange very often in Minnesota I thought I would try using Gates of Hell in one of my decks for a change of pace. If I discard Gates of Hell can I add a demon to battle from my hand? Thanks.

The Gates of Hell: At any time you may discard the bottom card of deck. If it is an orange demon or a Lost Soul place it in your territory instead. You may discard this care to add your demon to the battle.
Title: Re: Gates of Hell?
Post by: browarod on January 20, 2014, 10:57:23 AM
Special abilities default to play unless they specify otherwise (or have a default condition specifying otherwise such as banding). Gates doesn't specify otherwise so the demon added to battle must come from play. While it might end up being a band ability if there is already an EC in battle, add to battle is a distinct, separate ability (as far as I'm aware) with different default conditions.
Title: Re: Gates of Hell?
Post by: Josh on January 20, 2014, 12:45:17 PM
Special abilities default to play unless they specify otherwise (or have a default condition specifying otherwise such as banding). Gates doesn't specify otherwise so the demon added to battle must come from play. While it might end up being a band ability if there is already an EC in battle, add to battle is a distinct, separate ability (as far as I'm aware) with different default conditions.

Everyone I've ever played with has played that you can add the demon from hand.  I brought this up maybe a year ago or so, and Prof A commented on it, and basically (if I remember correctly) said that you can still add demons to battle from hand. 

Maybe this should be revisited, because I agree with browarod's reasoning; GoH shouldn't be able to add demons from hand, because it is not a Band ability.  I'm pretty sure that everyone who plays GoH plans to add demons from hand to battle.
Title: Re: Gates of Hell?
Post by: Professoralstad on January 20, 2014, 12:53:29 PM
The two main methods of adding characters to battle, banding and CtB/CtR allow characters to come from territory or hand by default, so I don't know why the generic 'add to battle' ability should be any different, which is why I ruled the way I did. I guess unless it is codified to be that way though, I would probably have to agree with browarod's reasoning. I will keep it in mind to address it with the other Elders.

Title: Re: Gates of Hell?
Post by: TheHobbit13 on January 20, 2014, 01:19:59 PM
We just really need to have Banding/CTB/CTR default to play and be done, lol.
Title: Re: Gates of Hell?
Post by: The Guardian on January 20, 2014, 01:27:15 PM
I would like to at least keep banding from hand a legal play. I believe there's a great deal of strategy in being able to band in a "surprise" character from your hand.
Title: Re: Gates of Hell?
Post by: Minion of Jesus on January 20, 2014, 01:41:41 PM
I would like to at least keep banding from hand a legal play. I believe there's a great deal of strategy in being able to band in a "surprise" character from your hand.

Oh, certainly. That is one of the funnest parts of the game.
Title: Re: Gates of Hell?
Post by: browarod on January 20, 2014, 02:11:29 PM
My post was simply the way I understand it from the current rules. If add to battle is ruled to be able to come from hand I'd be fine with that for consistency and simplicity with banding/CtR/B (as Professoralstad pointed out). Either way, I would suggest that an entry be put into the REG for "add to battle" just to clarify whichever it ends up being (as well as the other default conditions for add to battle).
Title: Re: Gates of Hell?
Post by: Redoubter on January 20, 2014, 04:47:24 PM
I understand browarod's point, and this has been discussed before (a lot).  For the current rules, see the following from the REG, where all of this is actually spelled-out with clear rulings:

Quote from: REG 2.0
Any ability that adds a character to a side of the battle where at least one other character is present is a band ability.

Quote from: REG 2.0
Default Conditions
  Targets must be in a territory or in holder's hand.

So, if there is an EC in battle, GoH's add to battle is a band by definition and may target hand because of the default targeting for a band.  If there is not an EC in battle, then it is not a band (and is just an add-to-battle), which by definition defaults to play for targets because there is nothing that says otherwise for its default targeting.
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