AoS Can you attempt to buff the same unit with Star-Stone Staff twice?

[KristalliTapsa]

Hi, I'm attending a tournament this weekend and I'm hastily putting together my list. The list is 1k, so I have to try something a bit different, because I can't optimise a 1K list with my current collection.

The rules question is as follows: can my Bastiladon receive the Star-Stone Staff buff twice? Im planning on using to Skink Priests, so I'm wondering if I can use the other one as back up, should the first one fail in it's 3+ roll.

The rules state: In your hero phase, you can pick 1 friendly SKINK unit wholly within 12" of this model and roll a dice. On a 3+, until your next hero phase, that unit can run and still shoot and/or charge in the same turn, and you can add 1 to save rolls for attacks that target that unit. A unit cannot benefit from this ability more than once per phase.

There are multiple ways this can be interpreted.

1. The Bastiladon can be succesfully targeted by this ability once. Let's say I succeed on my 3+ roll. This means the Bastiladon is affected by the ability. If I try to use the ability again and succeed on my 3+ again, it simply does not give extra benefits.

2. The Bastiladon can be targeted by this ability only once. This means that if I try to use Star-Stone Staff on the Bastiladon but fail my 3+ roll, the Bastiladon can no longer be targeted for another priests Star-Stone Staff.


This all hinges on the meaning of "a unit cannot benefit from this ability more than once per phase". I tried to look for an answer on the FAQ pages but didn't find an answer. Basically, does "benefit" mean "be a target of" or "actually receive the buff from" this ability?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Killer Angel]

This all hinges on the meaning of "a unit cannot benefit from this ability more than once per phase". I tried to look for an answer on the FAQ pages but didn't find an answer. Basically, does "benefit" mean "be a target of" or "actually receive the buff from" this ability?

Thanks in advance!

Unless I'm mistaken, to benefit from something means that you actually take an advantage.
If the first use of the ability doesn't go off, the Bastiladon gains no benefit, so it's eligible to another try.

 

[KristalliTapsa]

Unless I'm mistaken, to benefit from something means that you actually take an advantage.
If the first use of the ability doesn't go off, the Bastiladon gains no benefit, so it's eligible to another try.

I read this in a similar way, but it would be great to find a definitive answer. The phrasing "cannot benefit more than" is quite common to my understanding, so the answer can be hiding somewhere in another battletomes FAQ or something

 

[Putzfrau]

Yes you can. Assuming the first attempt didn't go off, you are free to try again. You're free to try a million times (assuming a million priests) until one of them actually goes off.

 

[KristalliTapsa]

Yes you can. Assuming the first attempt didn't go off, you are free to try again. You're free to try a million times (assuming a million priests) until one of them actually goes off.

Do you happen to have any official ruling for this, in case my opponents or the organisers question the rule?

 

[Putzfrau]

Do you happen to have any official ruling for this, in case my opponents or the organisers question the rule?

I'm not sure what you mean. I don't know if an official ruling exists that says a unit that doesnt receive the benefit of an ability is somehow also receiving the benefit of that ability. The game is super specific about what can be used only once (spells, prayers, etc) and if they had wanted it to say targeted it feels like the path of least resistance is to just state "targeted" instead of "benefits from".

 

[KristalliTapsa]

I'm not sure what you mean. I don't know if an official ruling exists that says a unit that doesnt receive the benefit of an ability is somehow also receiving the benefit of that ability. The game is super specific about what can be used only once (spells, prayers, etc) and if they had wanted it to say targeted it feels like the path of least resistance is to just state "targeted" instead of "benefits from".

I would agree that the word benefit means that the roll actually succeeds, but with the phrase "benefit from" being so universal, I don't know if the wording in this case is an oversight or intentional.

 

[Putzfrau]

I would agree that the word benefit means that the roll actually succeeds, but with the phrase "benefit from" being so universal, I don't know if the wording in this case is an oversight or intentional.

can only go off whats in front of you, and i think the way it's worded at the moment is relatively clear in its meaning. You shouldn't have any issues.