Losing or obtaining nothing

By Norvan555, in Star Wars: Destiny

When faced with cards such as "Aid from above" (ATG 93) or "In a bind" (ATG 43), can an opponent choose the options that would have no effect? For example allowing you to draw 2 cards when you have none left in your deck or choosing to remove two of their dice when they have none (I understand that if they had one only then that would be the maximum effect of the event) or discarding cards from their hand when they don´t have any? It´´´ s difficult to see how cards can give you an option with no effect and these type of things have been giving new players in my store some trouble, which is why I would like to know the official ruling in this particular cases. Thank you in advance.

They can choose any effect even if it will result in no change to the game state. There are many cards where this is the case and the key is timing them so they have to make a choice.

This has been a staple of Destiny from the start. When a card gives your opponent a choice, they can almost always choose the thing that hurts them the least, even if their choice doesn't make any additional change to the game state. There are very few abilities where this is not the case...such as Hondo (Legacies 65), and they are specifically worded so there's no option to choose the 0 sum effect.

CHOOSE- EITHER (P20):
If an ability uses “choose” and “either,” the player using the ability may choose either option, even if the chosen one will have no effect. Once the player has made their choice, they have to resolve as much of it as possible.

  • Some cards force an opponent to make a choice. The opponent can also choose either option.

As much as I love this game this is the thorn in my side. I believe this is a straight cop-out for poor design. Magic did it and look how much they sold. All I can say is be better than what came before you.