Can you play Toad, Ameiko, etc when it is not your turn?

[David Lockwood]

For example it is my turn and I am at the Waterfront and I come across the Trapped Passageway barrier. Before I roll or play any other cards can another character play a card from their hand, specifically Toad:

Bury this card to add a spell from your discard pile to your hand.

To potentially retrieve a spell to help me in my roll.

Or if they had Ameiko:

Banish this card to add a card from your discard pile to your hand.

So again, they might be able to snag a blessings.

I've played these as yes, but looking for clarification. Or pointing to a rule or FAQ entry I overlooked. Thanks.

[Hawkmoon269]

You can play them when it isn't your turn, but not during an encounter.

RotR Rulebook p10 wrote:

Encountering a Card Players may only play cards or activate powers that relate to each step.

So, you are asking if Toad or Ameiko relate to any step? Specifically, if they relate to attempting a check. Well, you can't play it during "Determine Which Die/Skill You're Using" because the rules say that you can only play cards there to determine the skill. So can you play it during "Play Cards and Use Powers that Affect the Check?" No, because Toad doesn't affect the check. It might give you another card that would, but by itself it doesn't affect the check.

See this thread for some discussion on cards like Toad. The gist is, you can't play a card to get a card if you'd have to play or use that second card. If you had a power that cared simply that you had a card in had, you can do something to get it. But if you power requires any action (revealing, discarding, etc) getting a card doesn't itself directly affect the check.

[David Lockwood]

Thanks for the info!

So to make sure I am getting this right.
So even if I explore a location and I encounter an Ogre before I've rolled any dice or played any other card it is too late me or anyone else to activate Toad?

[Hawkmoon269]

StormbringerGT wrote:

Thanks for the info!

So to make sure I am getting this right.
So even if I explore a location and I encounter an Ogre before I've rolled any dice or played any other card it is too late me or anyone else to activate Toad?

You are welcome. And yes, that is correct. You need to play it before you explore.

[Andrew L Klein]

As soon as you flip the card, you're in the encounter.

[Jason S]

Usually at the start of someone's turn I say I'm doing something (like Curing or Toad) before they explore. That's OK.