First off, I apologize if this question or some form of it has already been asked. I've generally not been a vocal critic of these boards, but I must say it has a horrible search function (can't limit forums to search --it searches *every game* forum on FFG!--, can't use quotes to create phrases to search for, can't use "and" or "&" as Boolean connectors) and since I haven't been keeping up with all of the threads in the rules forum...

Can Distinct Mastery be played even though there is no crested character that is kneeling at the time it is played? I believe there must be a crested character in play since DM targets (i.e., it says "choose") and targeting is a play restriction that must be satisfied in order to play an event, but is that character kneeling also a play restriction?

(And if someone is wondering why I'd want to do this, one example is when someone is playing the Winter agenda and I'm looking at having to discard a card at random b/c I'll have the same number of cards in hand as my opponent. If I like all my cards in hand better than the DM I'm holding, then I'd want to play it thereby reducing my hand size enough to avoid the random discard.)

I'd say that you can because it is not written "Choose a kneeling character". The target restriction is about "a Holy, Learned, Noble, or War character.", but it is nowhere said that the character has to be knelt in order to be a valid target.

Actually, no.

Because the card says to "choose and stand a character with a...", having a crest is part of the requirements for the target. So if there is no character with a crest, you have no legal target. If you have no legal target, you cannot play the event.

Is the same consideration valid for To Be a Stag, for example? Can I stand a Bara character (paying the cost of the event) even if I have no characters in the discard pile?

In consideration of Ktom answer I will say no, but I'm not sure...

thorin_81 said:

Actually, you can pay the price of standing the character even if there are no lower STR characters in your discard pile. The reason is that since you do not choose the character in the discard pile, there is no target restriction that must be met. Assuming that all play and target restrictions are met and costs can be paid, you can initiate effects even when they cannot resolve successfully.

Sorry I misread the first message, thought he asked if he can choose a standing character, but WITH a crest

fabest said:

Actually, that's what I was asking, but perhaps my wording was poor. So, can I play Distinct Mastery if there is a crested character on the board, but it is standing?

LetsGoRed said:

Yes. That is fine. Standing is an effect, not a play restriction (in this case). You are more than welcome to initiate an effect (legally) that cannot resolve successfully.

Sorry if I misread the original post. I see where it can be read both ways, especially if you are reading too quickly like I was.

ktom said:

Ok, I understood why To be A Stag (or To Be a Dragon) can be played anyway, but I think it's different for To Be A Kraken, since it is a Response and responses can be played only if a particular condition is satisfied (in this case if there is a triggered effect to counter).

So if I don't play any triggered effect my opponent CAN'T stand a character and play to Be a Kraken in order to oppose my challenge with that character, for example.

Am I right?

You are right, if you do not cancel a triggered effect, you cannot stand your character.

I also think that you cannot play the card if there is no effect that is triggered because a Response can only be played in certain conditions (in this case it's a response to a triggered effect, so no triggered effect => no response).

fabest said:

Correct. You can't just play a Response. It's not just a matter of meeting play restrictions (although that is certainly true), it's a matter the timing structure only allowing you to play Responses as part of another action window. Responses cannot open an action window of their own.

ktom said:

Thanks and no need to apologize for missing the meaning of my rambling, imprecisely worded question.