Hello, rulers!
This week will be celebrated the prerelease events of Descent into the Raven’s Catacombs, and, because of that, today we're going to do a Warden Q&A.
Warden cards
First, a minor advance of the CR Update that will be uploaded next week.
1309. Warden Cards
1309.1. Warden cards are a special kind of double-sided cards. One side is a warden card. The other side is a J-ruler.
1309.1a. Warden cards, or J-rulers with a warden side, have two, three or four text boxes in their card area separated by a line with a star.
Each one of the text boxes may have a willpower symbol with a “+”, a “-“ or a “0”. If they do, the effects of that text box are considered a willpower ability. That symbol and its inner value is the willpower cost of the willpower ability.
1309.1b. Warden cards have a willpower symbol on the bottom right of the card. That symbol is the initial willpower of the warden, and is the number of willpower counters that are put on the card when the card is put into the ruler area.
1309.1c. Willpower counters cannot increase or decrease by effects of non-warden cards, by effects of non-(J-ruler with a warden side) cards, or by effects that don’t specify “add or remove (number) willpower counters.”. They can increase or decrease as a result of a battle resolution process.
1309.2. If a warden on its warden side in the ruler area has no willpower counters on it, that warden is put into their owner's graveyard by rule process.
1309.3. Warden cards can be chosen as an attacked object. Check section (800) for rulings of battling wardens.
1309.4. Warden cards can play willpower abilities. Check sections (717) and (905.5) for rulings of willpower abilities.
1309.5. Warden card can be placed in the ruler area via effects or via a warden process. Check section (716) for rulings of warden processes.
Questions about warden cards
Question: How do I play a warden card?
Answer: Warden cards are not played, but are put into the ruler area via a “Warden process”. To perform a warden process, during main timing, choose a warden card in your hand, show it, pay its cost and put the warden process into the chase area.
A warden process in a chase area is neither a spell or ability. Any effects applying to spells or abilities don't affect warden processes.
When a warden process on the chase resolves, put the shown warden card from your hand into your ruler area, warden side face-up. That card enters the ruler area with (Number) willpower counters on it. That number is specified in the initial willpower value of the warden (at the bottom right of the card).
Question: Can I control multiple wardens at the same time?
Answer: Yes, as long as they don’t share a name. If you control two warden cards in the ruler area that share a name, you must put all but one of them into their owner's graveyard.
Question: If I control the J-ruler “Python Archdemoness of Envy” and I perform the judgment process of the warden “Writhing Demoness Python”, what happens?
Answer: The judgment process resolves, but nothing happens. The player who performed the judgment process checks if they control a J-ruler with a warden side in the field that shares a name with the J-ruler side of the warden that is the source of the judgment process. If they do, the warden stays in the ruler area, warden side face-up.
Question: Can I play a willpower ability of a warden card and the [Judgment] process that same warden card the same turn?
Answer: No, you cannot. If you play a willpower ability of a warden, you cannot play that warden’s [Judgment] process that turn. But you can play the [Judgment] process and then play a willpower ability of the J-ruler side of that warden.
Question: Can I remove willpower counters from a warden or a J-ruler with the [Enter] ability of “Alisaris, Minion of Lapis”?
Answer: No. Willpower counters cannot increase or decrease by effects of non-warden cards, by effects of non-J-ruler with a warden side cards, or by effects that doesn’t specify “add or remove (number) willpower counters.”. They can increase or decrease as a result of a battle resolution process.
Question: How do I play willpower abilities?
Answer: To play a willpower ability, it must be main timing. Choose a card they control with willpower abilities that have not played a willpower ability of that side of the card this turn, then check if the card has enough willpower counters on that card to pay the willpower cost of the willpower ability. If that card has enough willpower counters on it, add or remove the amount of willpower counters specified on the symbol on the left of that willpower ability and plays it. Otherwise, the game situation is rewinded back to perform an action (604.1).
If the willpower ability has a “+(Number)” or a “0” as cost, the card always has enough willpower counters to pay the cost of the willpower ability.
When a willpower ability in the chase area resolves, apply the effect of the ability, then remove it from the chase area.
Question: Can I choose a warden as an attacked object?
Answer: Yes. For an attacked object, you may also choose a warden in the ruler area.
Question: And a J-ruler that was previously a warden?
Answer: When a warden becomes a J-ruler, it is considered a J-ruler, so, follow the regular rules for attacking J-rulers.
Question: If a J/resonator I control deals damage to a warden, what happens?
Answer: J/resonators don’t deal damage to wardens. Instead, they remove willpower counters from them. (806.2)
806.2c. If there is no blocking J/resonator, the attacking J/resonator is a resonator with ATK 100 or more, and the object chosen in the declare attack step was a warden, remove X willpower counters from that warden, where X is the total cost of the attacking resonator. If there is no blocking J/resonator, and the attacking J/resonator is a J-ruler, or a J/resonator token, or a resonator with ATK 0 or less, remove exactly one willpower counter from that warden instead.
Question: If I control a warden with no willpower counters on it, what happens?
Answer: If a warden on its warden side in the ruler area has no willpower counters on it, that warden is put into their owner's graveyard.
Question: I have more questions about wardens, and their interaction with other cards. Where do I find that information?
Answer: To know more about warden cards, check the Comprehensive Rules on August 29th. They will be updated that day with all the relevant information.
The Development Team
