General Store Totems and Unprepared Kung Fu-ers

Rules Questions: Doomtown
1

Heya!

Okay, I know these questions have come up before, as I have read the threads. However, I just wanted to ask for clarification about them again, since the threads I read were from several years ago and I saw that the decision had been reversed, so not sure what the current status of these are.

Firstly, can a shaman who is in a location you don’t control place a totem through the general store? According to page 24 of the revised 2017 rulebook, “If that new card is a goods or a spell, a dude can attach it even when booted and/or in a location you don’t control.” From this, it looks like confirmation that they can, but my understanding is the ruling said they couldn’t. If that is the case, can someone please explain to me why that is the case, since it definitely doesn’t seem to match the letter of the rules? Also, this is a little harder and not explicitly stated but, if shamans can attach totems in these conditions, can totems be attached to town square, since the totem rules only refer to locations, not deeds?

Also, is it still the case that kung fu dudes can’t perform kung fu when unprepared is used on them? Again, if so, what is the specific interaction causing this? Unprepared stops the dude from using their abilities, but the kung fu moves are abilities on action cards, not on the dude itself. Neither does the card ever attach. If the ruling is that they can’t use the ability on the card, how is that different from an unprepared dude using the ability on Faster on the Draw, Magical Distraction, Missed, or The Law Goes Underground? It’s still using an action ability, but through one of your own dudes.

1 Like
2

Seen and will respond shortly.

4

"Section 7.2.3 Planting Totems
Totem is a keyword found on some Spirits, representing the charms and fetishes used by
Shamans to focus their tribal spirits and ancestors at a chosen site.

Unlike a normal Spirit, when a Totem enters play it must be attached to a location you control, at
which you have an unbooted Shaman. Some Totems may have further restrictions on the
locations to which they can be attached, such as only to deeds, or only to your home.

Any Shaman at the same location may use a Totem, regardless of the Totem’s controller. A
Shaman uses such a Totem in exactly the same way (and with the same clauses, costs, and/or
restrictions) as they would a Spirit attached to them."

The FAQ on General store only says you can attach to dudes in locations you don’t control, not that you can attach as if you control the location. Meaning you can’t attach Totems to locations you don’t control. The Office of Ancestral Affairs however, will allow you to bypass this restriction, but still pay the ghost rock cost.

Unprepared (post AEG era errata)
“Shootout: Choose a dude. Boot that dude and their attached cards. That dude gets -1 bullets and cannot use their abilities. Their attached cards lose all traits, abilities, and bullet bonuses.”

Kung Fu cards can still be used, as Kung Fu is not an ability.