stealth vs naval

[IXIMrPinkIXI 0]

If my opponent uses stealth on my character can it still be declared as a naval defender?

If my opponent use an effect that stops my character from being declared as a defender can it still be navaled in?

Edited May 22, 2014 by IXIMrPinkIXI

[kauai1964 41]

NO.

 

"Naval Enhancement"

 

Any time after an attack is declared, the attacking
or defending player can kneel a non-participating character with
a Naval enhancement on the matching challenge icon and declare it
as a Naval attacker or defender in that challenge.

 

"Stealth"

For each of your attacking characters with the
“Stealth” keyword, you may choose, before defenders
are declared, a character without Stealth
on the defending side. That character may not
defend during this challenge.

[doulos2k 26]

While kauai1964 is correct, there's an important timing element that I want to point out.

 

Quite often, someone will declare a challenge and then declare stealth at the same time, "Military challenge, stealthing your Naval guy."

 

The problem with this is that it's incorrect, timing-wise. There is a player action window preceding the framework window where stealth would be declared. This means that a character that has a Naval Enhancement can be brought into the challenge as a defender BEFORE the stealth window opens, thereby, effectively bypassing stealth because they're already participating before the attacker can choose stealth targets.

 

FRAMEWORK ACTION: Challenge initiated, attackers knelt

PLAYER ACTION: Each player can take actions until both pass consecutively (this is where a Naval character can enter the challenge)

FRAMEWORK ACTION: Stealth targets are chosen, defenders are declared (at this point, any character without stealth, Naval or not, that is not involved in the challenge already can be chosen as a stealth target)

 

It's an important distinction due to the frequency of the "I attack and stealth so and so" shortcut that is often used.

[Khudzlin 734]

Actually, even characters already participating in the challenge can be chosen for Stealth. It won't remove them from the challenge, but if another effect removes them, they can't come back in. Can also matter with cards like Poisoned Knife that depend on Stealth being declared.

[doulos2k 26]

Thanks Khudzlin, that's an important distinction.