Return to Its Master

[Kralik]

This card is a gem -- it really is! But because of the wording I need to make sure I'm reading it correctly. My take on it is something like this:

Return to Its Master:
Cost: Spot the Ring-bearer wearing the One Ring at the end of a skirmish phase
.....to.....
Effect: Cancel all remaining skirmishes and assign a Nazzie to the RB (Ring text does not apply)

So here's the question: If there is only one Nazgul on the table, taking the first skirmish, and he dies, can the card be played to cancel all remaining skirmishes?

I think it can because you do as much of the effect as possible.

Let me know.

[ket_the_jet]

I think that it only cancels the skirmishes if you can assign a Nazgul to the Ring-Bearer. But I could be wrong.
-wtk

[Kralik]

Cancel assignments comes first in the card text.

You'd have to cancel a Nazgul's assignment first to reassign it anyway, so it has to be done in that order.

[ket_the_jet]

But you asked if the Nazgul dies...I feel like when he dies you could not really...well...now I don't know!

Edit: What was the precedent with Sting, Bane of the Eight Legs?
-wtk

[Thranduil]

If the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring at the end of a skirmish phase, cancel all remaining assignments and assign a Nazgul to skirmish the Ring-bearer; The One Ring's game text does not apply during this skirmish.

The Ring-bearer wearing The One Ring is not quite a cost - it's the trigger that RtoiM responds to. It's unclear whether a trigger is a cost, but it seems to me that it better fits a requirement, which therefore must be met before you can begin to meet its costs. This seems to be consistent with the response rules.

Having said that, I'm not sure it's important for this particular card. The rest of its text reads like an effect to me, in which case you would be right. But it is very unclear, and you should get a real opinion.

Thranduil

[Kralik]

Having said that, I'm not sure it's important for this particular card. The rest of its text reads like an effect to me, in which case you would be right. But it is very unclear, and you should get a real opinion.

Well, as far as gameplay goes, it is very important to a certain deck of mine. Let's see what other opinions roll in.

[Elgar]

My opinion is that the cancel all skirmishes and assign a Nazgul to skirmish the RBer are effects of that event, and therefore it can be used to cancel all skirmishes even if there is no Nazgul left in play (assuming you met the requirements [RBer wearing the one ring])

[ket_the_jet]

With Sting, Bane of the Eight Legs, you have to survive the skirmish to be able to use the text. Just a comment.

It's a good deck.
-wtk

[Kralik]

It's a good deck.
-wtk

Don't you be giving anything away now...   

[Alazzar]

Actually, if you go with the ruling that the Nazgul doesn't still need to be in play, then... why did there ever need to be a Nazgul in play in the first place?  If you go with this ruling, you could theoretically put Return to its Master into a deck that doesn't even have any Nazgul, and it would be playable (so long as the Ring-bearer is wearing the Ring, of course).

As far as my opinion goes, I don't see why you can't play the card without a Nazgul in play.  After all, doesn't the comprehensive rulebook say something about "completing as much of the effect as possible"?  You can't assign a Nazgul, but you can sure cancel all remaining assignments!

[Kralik]

Usually it's easier to get the ring on with Nazgul.

[Not a Zombie]

Uruk hia work too

[jdizzy001]

If there is one nazgul on the table and he dies, but the rb is wearing the ring then yes, you would cancel the remaining skirmishes, I'm assuming there are more non-nazgul minions on the table, but why would you use it if all your nazzies are dead?

[Not a Zombie]

you will see if you ever play him

[Kralik]

you will see if you ever play him