There are 2 attachments with "Setup" keyword in Gates of the Citadel. "Copper Link" is for Maester character only, and "Apprentice Collar" give attached character Maester trait.
May I put non-Maester character ,"Copper Link" and "Apprentice Collar" into play from my hand at setup phase? ,"Copper Link" is legal or not?
No.
You cannot place Setup attachments that cannot legally attach to another card placed during Setup. This doesn't give you room to transform card A in setup with card B in setup in order for card C to legally attach to it in setup. Essentially, you need Apprentice Collar to be on the other character before the Link can be placed, and there is no "before" in Setup. So the Link can only be placed on a character with the printed Maester trait during Setup.
Ok, I see. Thanks for your reply. ktom
Characters have no traits in setup...
But there's a ruling about that (the question came with black Amethyst). If I remember well, the ruling was that the attachement attach itself to the cards at the begining of the plot phase, when cards have text and that putting in setup a non-legal combination (like Black amethyst without asshaî character) was forbidden.
Isn't Apprentice Collar + Copper link a non-legal combination ?
Ser Arthur said:
(3.38) Placing Setup Attachments
Attachments with the setup keyword must
legally attach when a player's setup is
revealed. If an attachment card with the setup
keyword cannot legally attach, the card cannot
be placed during setup.
Since this entry does not say anything about combinations being allowed to make attachments legal after cards are revealed, you have to take the cards individually. Copper Link cannot attach to a non-Maester character, so it is not legal to place without a Maester during Setup. You cannot rely on Apprentice Collar to make it legal for placement - hence the above reasoning that "you essentially need Apprentice Collar to be on the character before the Link can be placed, and there is no 'before' in Setup."
Ser Arthur said:
Right result, Ser Arthur. Just the "wrong" reasoning because we have the FAQ entry to follow instead of the Black Amethyst ruling.