Legacy Ruling 11

Status: Discussion (2025-05-09)

The Snapshot Rule on non-Events

Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan (11S146) reads:

 Each time Éowyn wins a skirmish, each other  Man is strength +1 until the regroup phase.

The main question at hand is whether this bonus affects only all the Rohan companions currently on the table, or if new companions played after Eowyn's skirmish (such as those played by Théoden, Tall and Proud (8R92) ) will also benefit from the strength bonus.

Rules Entries

In the Comprehensive Rules, there is an entry describing the "Snapshot Rule":

From the Comprehensive Rules:

Some event cards affect only cards that are currently in play, even though their effects might seem to apply to cards played later in the same turn. These events take a "snapshot" of the current game state, and only those cards are affected.

Eregion's Trails (1C104) ("Maneuver: Exert a ranger to make each roaming minion strength –3 until the regroup phase.") affects only minions that are roaming when that event is played.

Deft in Their Movements (2C99) (Regroup: "Spot 2 Hobbits to make each site's Shadow number –2 until the end of the turn.") affects only sites that are in play when it is played.

- event section

This rule however explicitly only applies to events. It has long been argued that this stipulation thus does not extend to non-events, but that doesn't help us figure out how non-events do function.

Similar Cards

There are too many cards to list that have a similar structure, but suffice to say that this ruling could have a very large impact on a great many number of cards. A few examples are Riddermark Soldier (11S152) , Horn of Helm (5U8) , Confronting the Eye (12C45) , and There and Back Again (1C317) .

Interestingly, there is at least one card that it definitively does not affect, Advance Scout (10U78) :

 Shadow: Exert or discard this minion to make each  minion you spot roaming until the regroup phase.

This card specifies that at the time that the action is performed, the user is to specifically spot a finite number of targets, which then become the only ones affected by the strength bonus moving forward. This is remarkably like the snapshot rule in all the ways that matter.

Gemp

Gemp tends to take the position that non-events always spawn a modifier that does not take a snapshot. However, since each card is coded differently there is room for individual deviations from this default that are not systemic.

The Question

For non-event cards which issue an event-like modifier:

• A: The card is not subject to anything like the Snapshot Rule. Any eligible targets played after the effect is executed (and before it expires) will immediately receive the benefits of the modifier as if they had been in play when it was created.

or

• B: The card is effectively subject to the Snapshot Rule or something like it. Either a new corollary will need added to the Snapshot Rule to cover non-events, or all such cards will need to be clarified to read as if they perform a spot on execution (like Advance Scout (10U78) ).

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