The Book of Isamu

[nate the dawg]

Originally Posted by flameslayer93

Don't worry, I'm not his 17 y/o nephew.

As far as you know....mwahahahaha!

Seriously, though, the circumstances in which Isamu is prevented from rolling Vanish 9 are few and far between, but they exist. However, if your Isamu often ends up in a spot like this, you should really reevaluate how you're using him!

[Garenex]

Originally Posted by awesomeunleashed

Nope. You cannot Vanish at all if you cannot end not adjacent to enemy figures.

I just recently realized that this was the correct way to use Isamu. I had misread it and thought that he didn't have to move if he didn't want to but he could still avoid the attack. Definitely makes him less of an OP character in my mind now that I know the correct interpretation of the his ability. I once played a game where Isamu avoided my attack like 15 times in a row and prevented me from winning the game. Super frustrating then, and even more so now that I know I should have killed him right away

[awesomeunleashed]

Originally Posted by Garenex

I just recently realized that this was the correct way to use Isamu. I had misread it and thought that he didn't have to move if he didn't want to but he could still avoid the attack. Definitely makes him less of an OP character in my mind now that I know the correct interpretation of the his ability. I once played a game where Isamu avoided my attack like 15 times in a row and prevented me from winning the game. Super frustrating then, and even more so now that I know I should have killed him right away

Just making sure you understand it (sounds like you might have misunderstood me, maybe not); Isamu can avoid damage and not move, but only if he was already unengaged (so he moves 0 for Vanish). Whether or not he moves has nothing to do with whether or not he dodges the attack.

[Garenex]

I got ya. We were playing that he could remain engaged and still avoid the attack.

[awesomeunleashed]

Originally Posted by Garenex

I got ya. We were playing that he could remain engaged and still avoid the attack.

Just making sure.

[squidword]

For vanish 9 can isamu go through the enemy or up 20 levels as one space?

[MegaSilver]

Originally Posted by squidword

For vanish 9 can isamu go through the enemy or up 20 levels as one space?

Isamu can Phantom Walk through enemies, but cannot move 20 levels as one space. You move him normally as you would during his normal movement, except that you can only move 4 spaces and you have to land not adjacent to any enemy figures to use it.

[kevindola]

Originally Posted by Gardevoir

oh ok thanks, i would of thought that you dont have to, i dont know why you wouldnt roll for it though to be honest.

Originally Posted by Kroc

I hope you didn't miss the "may move up to four spaces..." Isamu doesn't have to vanish, though if an attack succeeds against him you might as well. You do have a 5% chance of surviving on lava.

And well played! What a nice little box you put him in.

So I'm seeing (or interpreting) two different answer to this question on this very thread. Can Isamu choose not to vanish? Or if I have to roll to vanish and I do roll a 9+, can I choose to not use the ability?

And the answer to why would I do this is if my own Cyprien wants to eat him to heal a wound (or if my own Nicholas wants to create a new thrall for the VC partial)

[Yodaking]

You have to roll for vanish if able to, however you can only vanish if you are currently not adj. to an enemy figure or can be moved to a place where you would no longer be adj. to an enemy figure after a successful vanish roll. If that is not possible, then you don't roll for vanish. After rolling for vanish, it you did not start adj. to an enemy figure you do not have to move at all.

[greygnarl]

Originally Posted by Yodaking

You have to roll for vanish if able to, however you can only vanish if you are currently not adj. to an enemy figure or can be moved to a place where you would no longer be adj. to an enemy figure after a successful vanish roll. If that is not possible, then you don't roll for vanish. After rolling for vanish, it you did not start adj. to an enemy figure you do not have to move at all.

Sort of right. You have to roll for Vanish, but even if you are able to move and engaged you don't have too.

[Kroc]

I find the wording of this power a little confusing.

Vanish 9
If Isamu is attacked and at least 1 skull is rolled, roll the 20-sided die to vanish. If you roll 1-8, roll defense dice normally. If you roll a 9 or higher, Isamu takes no damage and may immediately move up to 4 spaces. Isamu can vanish only if he ends his vanishing move not adgacent to any enemy figures.

Now it doesn't say "you must" at first, but it seems implicit to me. However it does say "may immediately move" which is clearly optional. So I would say:
a) You must roll.
b) You MAY move.
c) Vanish only works if he ends his vanishing move not adjacent.
In effect, b and c means that a is really optional, and I'd be fine with letting someone use it as optional. However it is clear that as written you don't have to enact vanish even if you roll for it.

Basically I'm agreeing with greygnarl, but my answer seems so much more officious.

[dok]

For what it's worth, the implication of this ruling is that you must vanish if you hit the roll with a ranged attack while Isamu is not adjacent to any figure.