Yes, as written it feels like you can place toad if you have unit of Rippers, but nothing about it being on battlefield. Are there any units with close wording? Like "in your first hero phase, place bla-bla"?
The Flamespyre Phoenix may have the same problem. The aptitude phœnix reborn says when the Phoenix is slain he can reborn, but when it is slain the model is not on the table anymore. So he can't use the ability to reborn?
Since you don't specify which units you will summon, you just "save" reinforcement points for later use you can't place a toad. Unless (I think) you summon the unit in your first hero-phase?
Very good point, same for a lot of slain models like the Hellpit Abomination and the Warpfire Dragon which either revive or deal damage on death.
I am sure GW generalised too much the answer to the ability question in the FAQ. The question was about abilities and command abilities affecting other unit. I completely agree on the fact that a unit which is not set up on the battlefield,can't use a command ability or an ability which buff other units. But the toad buff only the rippers. And other units like the Celestant prime for eg use their ability ("Retribution from on high" for the Prime) when they are not on the battlefield.
Each ripperdactyl does 1 beak attack. If the target unit is near a blot toad, each ripper does THREE beak attacks. given that successful beak attacks can generate additional attacks, the toad is pretty much the main key to the use of rippers. The toad is placed in your first hero phase, and cannot be killed (because no one cares about a little frog, right?)
Tbh it really feels like they should place it. Cause there is nothing about them being on field. Just "In your first hero phase, place a Blot Toad for each of your units of Ripperdactyl Riders." Is it silent "on the battlefield"? Maybe it is intended that they can place toad for better tactic advantage. Also, on reddit i found this old post. Tbh the FAQ is too shaky. Cause the question is "can units use abilities or command abilities that affect other units", so it can be read as: 1) "can you buff/attack/debuff from another dimension"; 2) "can you use abilities at all". If we accept first interpretation it can work, cause it doesn't affect other unit per se. If we use second interpretation we totaly can't.
Another way to see it: Fluff wise those Rippers are not far away, they are just hiding in the clouds and not in another dimension or so. Toad can be placed IMO.
Honestly I think you guys are thinking too much about it. I think you can just put the toad down as is intended
I say place it! If you paid for the rippers pointwise... don't if you have reserve points that could also be used for other units... Also it came to my mind that a toad (or several) could be part of a scenario setting or of terrain pieces... like making a toad pond and playing a kind of jungle setting... but that's not part of the discussion here...
If no abilities could be used when a model is not on the table. would that not prevent most deepstrike warscrolls from appearing on the board after being put to a side?
Indeed, and also reborn abilities. I checked the french translation, I know it is not something reliable most of the time, as GW translations are not the best in the world. But the wording is far clearer. As it says in the answer that : Abilities and command abilities "that affect others units" can't be used. As the toad rage affect nobody else but the rippers, we could use the ability...