Maneuver with Spirit's Touch

Hello,

With the AUS effect of Spirit's touch, the minion have an optional maneuver in the resulting combat. Can I use this maneuver during the strike phase, for example for stay at close range after than the opposing and acting minion plays "Aid from bats" ?

Thank for your responses !

No, you have to use the maneuver in the Determine Range step.

Aid from Bats is played during Determine Range to maneuver to long.
You may immediately maneuver back to close with any maneuver available to your minion.
Your opponent may then choose to maneuver back to long, and so on.

Once all maneuvering is complete, and range is determined, the Announce Strikes phase occurs. Your opponent is locked into the Aid from Bats strike played during Determine Range.

And, in case it would not be already clear : you can play Spirit's Touch ONLY when you are blocking, not in the resulting combat, and you can play it ONLY if you wouldn't successfully block the action otherwise.

(because the original post let me think he is trying to play Spirit's touch during the combat)

Spirit's Touch is a reaction card that grants you intercept (at both levels). For that reason, it is only usable by a minion attempting to block who is currently lacking intercept (stealth of the acting > intercept of the bloc-attempter).

It is not usable in combat, because only combat cards (and masters) can be played in combat, and Spirit's Touch is a reaction card.

The maneuver it grants at superior can be used in the Determine Range step of any round of the combat resulting from a successful block.

Thank you !

I were maybe not clear in my question, but your answers reveal a probable miscomprehension of a rule point.

My friends and me, when we play, we consider that a strike like "Aid from bats" could permit a maneuver during the strike resolution. So, a minion who plays this card can go to long range AND strike to long range too.

Do you confirm this mistake ?

As said Adonai, if you want to use the maneuver Aid from Bats or .44 Magnum gives you, you must play the card (Aid from Bats) or declare you use it in the "Determine Range" step.
The opponent then gets the opportunity to maneuver, with cards such as Fake Out (and if he does, you can maneuever again with Pursuit, IR Googles, for instance).

There are two important things to notice:
- you cannot use more than one Aid from Bats to maneuver in a single round of combat
- playing Aid from Bats to maneuver restricts your choice of strike to Aid from Bats (handstrikes are no longer an option). This matters most in case Immortal Grapple is played.

Here is an example:

Stick (ANI, 3 blood) is in combat with KoKo (pot, 2 blood).
# "Before range is set"
Before range is set, Stick plays Carrion Crows (sup), and passes.
KoKo plays Torn Signpost (base).
Stick passes.
KoKo plays Trap.
Stick passes.
KoKo passes.

#We now move to the Determine Range step.
Stick plays Aid from Bats (sup) to go to long range. This will restrict Stick's choice of strike to Aid from Bats.
KoKo plays Fake Out to go back to close range.
Stick passes on using maneuvers.

#Range is now close, we're right before the strike declaration.
Stick passes on using pre-strike effects. (there really is just one card that we see played here)
KoKo plays Immortal Grapple (base) (that's the card we usually see).

#Strike declaration.
Stick must choose Aid from Bats (because it was used in the Determine Range step), but cannot, since it is not a handstrike (Immortal Grapple's restriction). Stick thus has no strike.
KoKo declares a handstrike (for 2 damage).

#Strike resolution
Damage inflicted on Stick: 2 (handstrike).
Damage inflicted on KoKo: 2 (Carrion Crows).

#Damage resolution
Stick burns 2 blood to heal 2 damage.
KoKo burns 2 blood to heal 2 damage.

#Additional strikes
Stick passes on declaring effects to gain additional strikes.
KoKo passes on declaring effects to gain additional strikes.

#Press step
There is a mandatory press to continue combat (Trap).
Stick uses the press from Aid from Bats to end combat.
KoKo plays no press card.

#End of round
Stick passes.
KoKo plays Taste of Vitae, and gains 2 blood.
Stick plays Taste of Vitae and gains 2 blood, and passes.
KoKo plays Disarm, sending Stick to Torpor.

#End of combat.