I am new to the forum and also just completed my first game. I had one situatoin I can't get my min around. I believe this may have already been answered but I am still unclear as to how to resolve. Tempest was the third player and had played Shielding Winds as the third card. Haka was the second player and had Ta Moko out as the second card and also had the most hit points. T-Rex came out as an enviroment card. How much damage does Haka take. Is it 2 or 4? Does the player order matter? Does the position of the card played by the Hero matter? I need this reduced to simple logic that even I can understand. Overall, I was very happly how well the game flowed and I am looking forward to many more plays. Thanks.
Some would say that, if Shielding Wind were played before Ta Moko, it would activate first (as it was played first), thus giving the most protection. Others would say that Ta Moko is a static, always in effect modifier, while Shielding Wind is a triggered effect modifier, and the damage would have already been reduced to 4 before Shielding Wind has a chance to protect. I'll leave it alone after this.
As I don't pay attention to card order when it comes to heroes, I'd say Shielding Winds would reduce the damage first, since a hero is gonna be hit for five or more damage, causing it to kick in. Then, you look and see that said hero will be Haka, who has a -1 damage modifier up. So the damage he takes is further reduced by one, reducing his total damage taken in that hit to two.
Technically, what Ameena does is not the `correct' way to play, but personally I find it a much more enjoyable way. Officially it's about the order the cards were played, which is a pain to keep track of between decks, and, as TheJayMann says, even then the answer isn't entirely clear.
My advice: play as Ameena does, it plays smoother. Sure, it'll give you the advantage at times, but it won't happen often, and when it happens, the alternative feels a bit artificial. Perhaps try to keep track of the situations where it would be relevant, and see if you prefer one style or the other.
Could also think about it in a "thematic" way. Which would reduce damage first, some shielding winds blocking the damage from reaching you, or Legacy's bulletproof skin (Fortitude) once the damage reaches you? One would think a shield reduces damage before skin. The thing is also the wording, Shielding Winds says "would be dealt damage" and both Ta Moko and Fortitude say "damage dealt", so it depends if those 2 wordings act in a certain order or not. I'm not sure if we've ever gotten an official ruling or not about this.