I never heard of having to announce the specific action before resolving one of Kanan's dice and the card certainly doesn't say you have to do that.

Remember Turns are not Actions and a Turn may consist of multiple Actions and Abilities. in this case [Turn (Kanan) (Action)]. Kanan's ability happens Before the Action and is not linked or embedded in that action, just the Turn. So yes he can focus to whatever. You can then take whatever action you want be it a guard or sync or resolve dice.

This is different than say Maz as her ability is an After ability linked to the action of activating her.

I agree with what you're saying but clarification on kanan does require stating an action. My interpretation is that this is stating "playing a card" not "playing synchronicity".

From the rules reference :

KANAN JARRUS (33) •You must declare what action you are taking before using Kanan’s ability.

I would think that even if you specify, synchronicity isn't checked until kanan has focused the die, right?

8 minutes ago, Dillion said:

I agree with what you're saying but clarification on kanan does require stating an action. My interpretation is that this is stating "playing a card" not "playing synchronicity".

From the rules reference :

KANAN JARRUS (33) •You must declare what action you are taking before using Kanan’s ability.

I would think that even if you specify, synchronicity isn't checked until kanan has focused the die, right?

Correct, the action you’re taking is ‘play a card’. That’s all you have to announce before resolving Kanan’s ability. You don’t reveal or specify Synchronicity until afterwards.

Kanan's ability triggers before you do an action, so first resolve his focus then you play a card and check if its conditions are met. You declare playing a card. You don't have to say what card.

I submitted a rules question on Kanan's ability, and while that was specifically regarding dice resolution, I feel it addresses this as well. Jeremy's response was:

Hi Bobb,

35 minutes ago, Dillion said:

My interpretation is that this is stating "playing a card" not "playing synchronicity".

I concur.

"Play synchronicity" is not an action listed in the rules guide. "Play a card" is.

See also the resolving dice example above.

Thank you all for the responses on this clarification.

Seems unnecessary to state which of the actions you are taking since the Kanan player already know what he is going to do as is. I would understand if that is just to communicate you are using Kanan's ability before the one given action per turn. FFG comes up with so wonky rules.

If you play C3-PO that little data card of Icons is very useful, you get a copy in the starters and the box 2P starter.

Turn it over and you get a list of actions, which is handy for Kanan or Running Interference.

4 hours ago, Mep said:

Seems unnecessary to state which of the actions you are taking since the Kanan player already know what he is going to do as is. I would understand if that is just to communicate you are using Kanan's ability before the one given action per turn. FFG comes up with so wonky rules.

I think it’s just to prevent NPE. I can’t think of any current interaction that would hinge on you knowing your opponent’s action before they resolve Kanan’s die.

18 hours ago, Mep said:

Seems unnecessary to state which of the actions you are taking since the Kanan player already know what he is going to do as is. I would understand if that is just to communicate you are using Kanan's ability before the one given action per turn. FFG comes up with so wonky rules.

I think this is just how each player's turn is intended to happen. You start by declaring what action you are taking. Kanan's ability triggers off taking an action, so you have to have the trigger before the ability can happen. But yes, currently there's no in game effect that would be different if you said "playing a card," resolved Kanan's ability, but then instead resolved dice.

4 hours ago, kingbobb said:

I think this is just how each player's turn is intended to happen. You start by declaring what action you are taking. Kanan's ability triggers off taking an action, so you have to have the trigger before the ability can happen. But yes, currently there's no in game effect that would be different if you said "playing a card," resolved Kanan's ability, but then instead resolved dice.

Well it is a Before effect with the trigger being an action, so yeah, I guess you announce the action to cause the trigger but seriously, what else are you going to do in this game? Pass - in that case all you do is take an action to resolve a die. Maybe it has something to do with Running Interference or Coercion where that might not be possible to resolve a die. Either way, I have never seen anyone play Kanan other than announce his ability and then take whatever action. Seems a little to micromanaged.

1 hour ago, Mep said:

Well it is a Before effect with the trigger being an action, so yeah, I guess you announce the action to cause the trigger but seriously, what else are you going to do in this game? Pass - in that case all you do is take an action to resolve a die. Maybe it has something to do with Running Interference or Coercion where that might not be possible to resolve a die. Either way, I have never seen anyone play Kanan other than announce his ability and then take whatever action. Seems a little to micromanaged.

Passing isn't an action. So you can't use Kanan's effect.

I play at a store, pretty much all I had to do was resolve a Kanan Dice and take an action. Later in the week I was playing a friend that didn't understand the card and he was having a very NPE as he wasn't understanding what I was doing. As soon as I started to step it out he was fine.

4 hours ago, Amanal said:

Passing isn't an action. So you can't use Kanan's effect.

Correct which is why you would have to just resolve the dice as a normal action unless there is a conflict with running interference or Coercion. And everyone tends to have a NPE when they don't understand what is going on. It is just odd you have to name the specific action you take before Kanan.

12 hours ago, Mep said:

Correct which is why you would have to just resolve the dice as a normal action unless there is a conflict with running interference or Coercion. And everyone tends to have a NPE when they don't understand what is going on. It is just odd you have to name the specific action you take before Kanan.

I can see it matter when there's an ability that is triggered off a specific action. Like Jango, for example. Not that it matters mechanically, but in terms of giving them more time to think about whether they want to use that ability or not. But it may matter eventually, if the other ability is also a before ability.

even if you had to name the actual card you wanted to use this would still be legal
You cannot play a card if the conditions are not met, but all you did was declare it you arent playing it yet until kanan went off so the conditions arent even checked until he's done.

But its just declare an action; which is "play a card" so even more in the clear.

Biggest issue i tend to come across with Kanan is people not realizing it only works on his character dice. Irritates the **** out of me when i come across people on TTS trying to kanan the force speed die for "3 actions" - no, you cant do that, but you can totally kanan-focus it to the special side first with his normal dice.

New rules reference. You do not have to declare which action you are taking now. Clumps, unnecessary and removed. GJ FFG.