On the heals of the last fun "leaves plays" discussion, I ran into this today:

========== Neutral ==========

•Guardian Pillar
----------------
Type : Support
Cost : 3
Subtype : Dreamlands. Location. Mutable.
Game Text : If you control more Dreamlands support cards than any opponent, you may exhaust Guardian Pillar to commit it to a story as a character with 4 skill, TCCC, and Invulnerability.

I have a few questions about some strange things with this card, all assuming the effect has been used.

1. The story phase finishes. The effect "turns off". Does this count as a character leaving play?
2. It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, Deep One Assault is played, and the card enters the discard pile. Does it count as a character entering the discard pile? Does it count as a character leaving play?
3. It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, can Burrowing Beneath be played on it or does it lose it's "support card" status in the interim. Also, the previous "does it count as" questions from #2.
4. It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, can Torch the Joint be played on it, or does it lose the "Location" subtype in the interim? Of course, if it loses the support subtype (see #3) the subtype is irrelevant for Torch the Joint.
5. Is there any window in which Repo man could take this card, providing both had been committed this turn?

That's all I can think of right now. #1 actually occurred in our game and it was important due to Muddy Waters and Princess Zura being in play as well as having two copies of Dreamland Fanatic in my hand. But we got to talking about it and the rest of the questions became important.

I had a similar question to this in regards to attaching Tear Gas to the pillar when it is committed to a story. I think when it uncommits, it returns to being just a support card. I don't think the character "left play." When it hits the discard pile it hits it as a Support card. I'm pretty sure it's only considered a character while committed to a story. I could definitely be wrong though.

My thoughts on this one.

=Game Text : If you control more Dreamlands support cards than any opponent, you may exhaust Guardian Pillar to commit it to a story as a character with 4 skill, TCCC, and Invulnerability. =

I have a few questions about some strange things with this card, all assuming the effect has been used.

The story phase finishes. The effect "turns off". Does this count as a character leaving play?

► Story phase finished, the card isn't a character anymore, as, if you refers to the FAQ, an effect that has no specification about the effect's timing only last during a phase. The character doesn't leaves play : The pillar is still a support card, which gains the Character profile and then lost it. Leaving play is something defined on the rules.

It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, Deep One Assault is played, and the card enters the discard pile. Does it count as a character entering the discard pile? Does it count as a character leaving play?

►In this case, I'd say that both a character and a support card reached the discard and do leave play.

It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, can Burrowing Beneath be played on it or does it lose it's "support card" status in the interim. Also, the previous "does it count as" questions from #2.

►Nothing in the card states that it looses it's "Support Card Status". So my bet would be Yes! I would count as a character and a support leaving play.

It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, can Torch the Joint be played on it, or does it lose the "Location" subtype in the interim? Of course, if it loses the support subtype (see #3) the subtype is irrelevant for Torch the Joint.

►Torch the join would work, as nothing states that the card loosed it's Location subtype.

Is there any window in which Repo man could take this card, providing both had been committed this turn?

►this is not really clear in my mind, but you have an Action windows right after the characters uncommit and you should trigger the Repoman (but I don't understand the question, as this has to be done right after resolving the C struggle, so you should trigger Repo man there!)

That's all I can think of right now. #1 actually occurred in our game and it was important due to Muddy Waters and Princess Zura being in play as well as having two copies of Dreamland Fanatic in my hand. But we got to talking about it and the rest of the questions became important.

PRODIGEE said:

Yeah that was are thinking too and how we ruled it during play.

PRODIGEE said:

Sweet, those all make complete sense to us as well.

Yeah, the only confusion we had w/ Repo man would be whether or not the card still counts as a support card. If it does, then no worries, the passive effect triggers and away it goes.

Cool thanks for your responses folks.

Another thing came up.

In a Shallow Grave. I don't have the exact wording, but the salient detail is: "discard all non unique characters from play". While the pillar is committed to the story, is it a Unique Character, and thereby immune to Shallow Grave?

I'm starting to want an entry in the FAQ regarding cards temporarily "counting as" a new type and what all it retains.

My understanding of it would be that it is immune due to it being a unique support card that then becomes a unique support/characater card.

I dont see any reason why gaurdian pillar would lose its original characteristics when it merely gains a characteristic.

1. The story phase finishes. The effect "turns off". Does this count as a character leaving play?

No. It doesn't leave play. It just stops being a character.

2. It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, Deep One Assault is played, and the card enters the discard pile. Does it count as a character entering the discard pile? Does it count as a character leaving play?

Yes, it is a character at that time, and this 'card memory' sticks until the response window closes. Same as, for example, what happens to blanked characters.

3. It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, can Burrowing Beneath be played on it or does it lose it's "support card" status in the interim. Also, the previous "does it count as" questions from #2.

Unclear. But I think card types always overwrite each other unless specified.

4. It is committed to the story. Pre resolution, can Torch the Joint be played on it, or does it lose the "Location" subtype in the interim? Of course, if it loses the support subtype (see #3) the subtype is irrelevant for Torch the Joint.

It doesn't lose the subtype, however it may lose the card type.

5. Is there any window in which Repo man could take this card, providing both had been committed this turn?

See 3 and 4...

Unclear. But I think card types always overwrite each other unless specified

Hoho? Why? Where? Why could the guardian pillar loose his support status? He doesn't become a caracter. He count as a caracter. So, why would it loose his support card status? It's not like encounters.

But the game text is clearly awfully written.