Parker Barrows Stick Up

[Rogue1]

,,So I was rereading some things in Ripples of Fate and came across a question due to the wording of the Stick Up action on Parker's upgrade of the same name.  The upgrade states:

 

"Target enemy Enforcer, Henchman, or Master may choose to suffer 4 damage; if it does not, it must discard 1 Soulstones if able and this Crew may add 1 Soulstones to its pool."

 

My question is due the use of the term "if able".  By my reading that would mean that if my opponent no longer has any Soulstones they can freely choose not to suffer the damage provided that they are alright with giving me a Soulstone.  I am not suggesting that is the intent but the wording seems to support it.  Has there been any clarification on this?

[Kadeton]

The enemy model can choose not to suffer the damage regardless of whether they have any soulstones left in their pool.

(If they choose not to take the damage and don't have any stones left, Parker still gains a stone.)

[Tawg]

1 hour ago, solkan said:

mean that "this Crew" adds 1 Soulstone whether or not the other crew had the soulstone to discard.

You're looking at the wrong part of the question.

What's being asked is "Can I not take 4 damage while I have no Soulstones?"  In essence, which @Kadeton answered correctly.

The shtick is that he gains a Soulstone if you choose to not take the damage, which is potentially a dangerous proposition against Parker with how he interacts with SSs in an unusual way.

 

So yes, you may elect to discard a Soulstone when you have none, because the secondary outcome of Parker's Crew gaining a Soulstone is going to happen as well.  And if Parker doesn't simply want a Soulstone, he shouldn't be wasting his time asking people to "Stick'um Up!"

[solkan]

34 minutes ago, Rogue1 said:

,,So I was rereading some things in Ripples of Fate and came across a question due to the wording of the Stick Up action on Parker's upgrade of the same name.  The upgrade states:

 

"Target enemy Enforcer, Henchman, or Master may choose to suffer 4 damage; if it does not, it must discard 1 Soulstones if able and this Crew may add 1 Soulstones to its pool."

 

My question is due the use of the term "if able".  By my reading that would mean that if my opponent no longer has any Soulstones they can freely choose not to suffer the damage provided that they are alright with giving me a Soulstone.  I am not suggesting that is the intent but the wording seems to support it.  Has there been any clarification on this?

I am personally hurt (as a result of over empathizing with the developers) by your implication that the intent and wording of the effect could be different. 

Looking at the various abilities, there are numerous instances of similar phrasing (from Master Queeg's card)

Quote

Seize Contraband: After damaging, the target must discard a card if able. This model's controller may draw a card and then discard a card.

each those two words specifically to both require the described action to be performed and include the statement that it's okay if that described action isn't possible.  Mr Queeg's controller draws and discards a card whether or not the target's controller had a card in their hand.

 

The words

Quote

it must discard 1 Soulstones if able and this Crew may add 1 Soulstones to its pool

mean that "this Crew" adds 1 Soulstone whether or not the other crew had the soulstone to discard.

 

[Rogue1]

Thank you for the responses and Solkan I did not mean to hurt anyone personally.