[LSJ 20051129] states you have to lock it when you announce the action, but this looks like a direct contradiction of [ANK 20170605] about The Line.
(I think the latest ruling wins and should apply to Tshwane, I'd like an RD confirmation for reference).
Powerbase: Tshwane
Master: unique location. Requires a ready Laibon.
Lock this location to reduce the cost of a card you play by 1 pool (this location is not locked if that card is canceled as it is played). Any Laibon may steal this location for his or her controller as a Ⓓ action.
The Line
Unique location.
Lock to reduce the cost of an action card played by a vampire you control by 1 blood (this location is not locked if that card is canceled as it is played). Any vampire can steal this location as a Ⓓ action.
You have multiple opportunities. Basically you can activate it at any time but not after you have paid for the card.
The line can be used to make an action card playable that wouldn't otherwise be; for example pulse of the canaille played by a vampire with 2 blood can be made playable by activating The Line when you declare the action.
But otherwise it can also be activated at the moment you pay for the card. (Which for an action is when its unblocked and resolves)
I imagine same applies to PB:Tshwane (and the upcoming the Shard), although actions that have a poolcost are somewhat rarer..
Smoking craters tell no tales.
—Tex talks Battletech
The wording is not the same for Powerbase: Tshwane and The line.
Powerbase: Tshwane uses present tense, which makes the trigger of it needing to happen at the same time as the card is played even before the "as it is played" window.
The Shard, London should work the same as PB:Tshwane as they use the same wording with present tense.
"Lock this location to reduce the cost of a card you play by 1 pool"
"If you have the Edge, you can lock this card to reduce the cost of a card you play by 2 blood or pool."
The Line uses past tense, which makes the trigger of it needing to happen after the card is played i.e. after the "as it is played" window, and can be use up until the cost is to be paid.
"Lock to reduce the cost of an action card played by a vampire you control by 1 blood"
The Shard, London
Cardtype: Master
Cost: 2 pool
Unique location.
If you have the Edge, you can lock this card to reduce the cost of a card you play by 2 blood or pool. Vampires can steal this location as a action; Ventrue get +1 stealth during that action.
I also don't think the tense matters. But this showcases why I want cards that do the same thing, use the same wording.
> inm8 wrote:
> "Lock to reduce the cost of an action card played by a vampire you control by 1 blood"
>
Note that this sentence doesn't restrict when exactly can the cost-reducing happen. It only needs an action card played by a vampire. Then you can reduce the cost at any time afterwards. Note that the cost is paid only when the action successfully resolves.
And I can sort of see the point of the restriction: that it needs to be a vampire ie. not an ally. Reducing the cost of action cards played by allies might open a can of worms.
Smoking craters tell no tales.
—Tex talks Battletech
Tense might be ruled to not matter... but it is the only thing that makes sense as to why LSJ ruled that the PB: Tshwane is to be locked when you announce the action and that it is done before the "as it is played" window ....if it isn´t the tense of the wording then what would it be?
> inm8 wrote:
> Tense might be ruled to not matter... but it is the only thing that makes sense as to why LSJ ruled that the PB: Tshwane is to be locked when you announce the action and that it is done before the "as it is played" window ....if it isn´t the tense of the wording then what would it be?
>
Do like me: ignore rulings that are 17 years old.
Smoking craters tell no tales.
—Tex talks Battletech