It was recently pointed out to me that in order to activate the Dreamwalkers story card, both players must have a story card in their Won Story Card Pile. This isn't how we've been playing the card, and I wanted to get an official ruling here on the forums.

Dreamwalkers: Each player must choose one of his won story cards (other than this one) and shuffle it back into the story deck.

Apparently, the logic is that the card reads "must choose", and in order for the card requirements to be met and thus trigger the effect, both players must actually have won a card previously.

Before learning of this ruling, we had played it where it could be won and activated by a player who hadn't yet won a story card and thus force his opponent to lose a won story card, effectively reversing the state of the game if that opponent only had a single won story card, or tying the game if they had two.

Playing the card as it has been "clarified" seems to make Dreamwalkers a much more benign card. The state of the game can't be reversed, nor can you gain a card on your opponent. All you can do is extend the game by making the leader have to win four story cards instead of three. I guess this could be advantageous to a slow deck that takes longer to get it's momentum going. Other than that, the only reason I could see to activate the card is to cycle a won story card back into the story card deck in hopes that it might be dealt again if it's advantageous to the activator.

So, my first question is, is that the official ruling - must both players already have a won story card to activate Dreamwalkers. And second - am I missing something that makes the effect more useful? Because it's certainly less exciting and tense than the way we previously played it. Nothing like taking the lead from your opponent by winning Dreamwalkers (or having it taken from you!).

Thanks in advance!

You can activate it even if you don't have a story card to return, indeed effectively reversing the game in the progress.

I d'ont see any "if able" clause which might stop you from resolving the effect even if you d'ont own a story card on your side ...

Marius said:

Doesn't that contradict what's stated in the FAQ about choosing targets?

" (v1.8) Choosing Targets: A player cannot trigger a card effect that requires him to choose a character, support card or story card if there is no such card to choose. For example, a player could not play Opening the Limbo Gate (UT R99) if there were no character cards in each player's discard pile."

For quick reference, Opening the Limbo Gate states " Action: Choose and put into play one character from each player's discard pile." That is worded very much like Dreamwalkers , so since Dreamwalkers prevents you from choosing it, I fail to see how the story effect can be activated without having a second won story on your side to choose.

JimBob said:

No, because the effect initially doesn't target. When triggered it tells all players to do something. That 'something' does target, so, for some players their part cannot be triggered and fails. Others may not be so lucky though.