/rs/ has the PDF's you need

Apparently however there is one edition which is shit, and another which is The Shit.
I'm not sure which.

Anyhow, combat is apparently pretty damn lethal and politics plays a pretty heavy part because of this.
I've never actually played it myself though, so I can't really help you too much.

OP here, thanks for your info i shall go and check /rs/ now

anyone else? the more info the better

Have you seen any of the Lonewolf and Cub series? If not, download it immediately.

Play a Scorpion. Pick one thing to be fucking obsessed about; be it the sanctity of the throne, the mission above all else, getting the most reward you possibly can out of every single encounter, whatever. Be a ninja.
Profit.

OP here, keep it comeing guys

are there any big No-No's and Don't-Do's i should be aware of?

bump

>>6336528
Don't piss off the Crane.
Don't piss off the Crab.

Actually, you probably can piss the Crane off as much as you feel like, so long as he doesn't find any way to PROVE that it's you thats doing it.
Honour and respect are very important in L5R; the Crane would rather die than dishonour himself by attacking you just because he SUSPECTS you might be behind something. Without proof, you can maintain the illusion that you are simply his faithful and honourable comrade, and any sudden aggressive actions he takes will make him seem like a madman and bring embarrassment and shame to his clan.

The Crab, however, will beat the everloving shit out of you if he thinks you're behind everything. Crab clan does not really give a fuck about honour; you OWE them.

Personally i found

"Status: 1 imperial cartographer" to be a solid investment, seeing it was an excuse to go anywhere i wanted, and lord genrally had to help me get there. Note cartography skill is optional.

Along with higher purpose (pick some thing vague that you can genrally work towards)

Blessings rock hard.

Genrally not using a katana is the best way to go.

Play a Monkey have willpower 5. Playing on easy mode.

OP here, thanks for the heads up, i shall be careful around the crane, crab and scorpian

is in party fighting the norm?

what are your opinions about the clans, whats the pro and cons?

can any of you tell me how some of your games went? (i want to be prepared and get some cool ideas)

should i go for a no-dachi? (heard that it was godly or some-such)

keep it comeing and thank you for your time

thanks guys keep it comeing

and as a show of thanks have a danceing milk carten

OP here

is it very combat based or more social based game with intrigue at court sort of thing?

>>6336963
>is it very combat based or more social based game with intrigue at court sort of thing?
depends on what your GM sets the campaign up to be

also the shitty version is the d20 version
"The Shit" version is the 1st edition and the newest edition that use the ruleset like 7 Seas

>>6336892

1. Kinda, to be honest it was more squabbling and one ups manship with us. And there was the time we declared someone Main Character because of his merits, flaws, and clan made act like one.

2, Clans in a nutshell.
The big ones
Crane: culture and duels, a bunch of prissy pretty boys, Amusingly actully have the best "ninja" school
Crab: Stand on a giant wall guard the the empire from forces of hell. Get no respect.
Dragon: be mystic, and monks, also blender two-sword school.
Lion: HONOR and WAR
Mantis: You are a pirate. You also stole a bunch of minor clan including broke archer school.
Phionix: WIZARDS BITCHES
Scorpion: see crane but in a mask and bad
Unicorn: Mongels, good for horses.

Minor clans of note:
Monkey: A clan founded by one awesome peasant mostly made up of nails ronin. Have good at everything bonus's based of willpower.

3.Maybe later.

4. Depends on str if your 4 or more, yes unless your gonna use a heavy weapons instead because they're monster fight-tastic are better but use a different skill.

OP here

awesome guys you all rule :D

whats the magic like in this game? seeing as i normaly play a magic user of some kind

bump for profit

>>6337106
Brutal but short lived.

In current edition it's possible to start off with fire balls

anyone elsse?

GO TO THE SHADOWLANDS
BECOME A POWERFUL SORCERY FOR THE PRICE OF YOUR SOUL
JOIN THE DRAGON CLAN
???/
HILARITY!

>>6336238
>politics

Stab him for loot or stab him for exp.

tell me about your games please

Most of our games tend to evolve into big political duels where the half the party which made diplomatic characters try to keep the world on track and do our best to serve the throne... the other half trying to start a war so that their combat characters can gain honor and glory upon the battlefield slaying our enemies... good dynamic... keeps things moving.

If I have one piece of advice... PLAY. THE. SAME. CLAN. I don't care if you have to have IRL duels in the front yard or what... by hook or by crook... Get your entire party to play a single clan. It will make things a good deal easier on your GM without having to fall back on the classic 'emerald magistrate' plot line... and there are enough in-clan politics and intrigue usually to keep a party going if the GM knows his stuff and that way you can present a unified front towards the other clans...

You will then also be able to actually logically stay on the same side when the inevitable war starts or winter court begins.

Monks can actually be quite fun due to their techniques but they're probably a bit complicated for a first time player. My advice for a first time player who wants safety in combat so that they last long enough for them to learn the system and setting properly is to choose Dragon clan, specifically Mirumoto school, it's very rare that you'll get hit (I did this as my first character and went through two campaigns without taking anything more than a graze). But yeah most of the games i've played have had the social aspect being quite important, which is really how it should be with a setting such as this, just be polite take some craft skills and you'll be fine.

If you are starting L5R, play a bushi (fighter/goon).

The build I recommend for any bushi class is to include bishamon’s blessing (buckets of free raises) and great potential (exploding nine). Build your attack trait (in most cases agility) up to five and max out your attack skill. What ever you do try to max out as many free raises you can, the more free raises the more extra damage. In most case don’t bother buying more than earth three unless the class has tec off it, the value to cost (opportunity to buy other things) decreases rapidly(24 point for 50% hp increase, next is 32 point for 33% hp increase eta eta…..) which after rank three it just not worth it. For purchasing skills other than the great potential skill, raise them up to five to unlock a free raise but don’t bother after that unless it unlocks something.

I recommend for a first timer a bushi because it not that I think the other option are shit, it is that the other option need to know insider ideas to understand them like the fact the lion bushi are the best real courtier in the game.

In Rokugan if anyone disagrees with you, you have the full right to chop them down, which bushi excel at. This is a good bonus for anyone just starting.

PS note that dualist build (agility, reflexes and void maxed, everything else is at two) is a different build to standard bushi.

Read up on Go or Shogi... take the skills and focuses to play the games in character. You may not know even the first step of ever playing those two games IRL but if you have the gaming skill in character, you can play up being some kind of military mastermind and tactician outside of combat and the battlefield, make contacts with other clan commanders and leaders in the right situation, and become rather respected with your knowledge without ever one having to pick up a sword or march onto the battlefield...

That time your character spend talking with that Lion commander or Unicorn Cavalry master might end up giving you an edge with knowing how your now enemy commander thinks...

>>6338493

You can't just cut them down immediately... remember, legal duels require getting permission from the lords of both parties involved. If you are on some frontier back water area, yeah, probably aren't going to get punished too hard... but in areas where the law is strictly enforced, cutting a bushi, shugenja, or noble down quickly for offending or conducting an illegal duel might end up with you cutting your own belly open at dawn just as fast.

In addition, if you are the one challenging with the duel, you might find yourself in a disadvantageous encounter. You might be the master samurai swordsman but by all the rules, you might be having to do origami... loser is dishonored, has to admit fault, or has to kill themselves... its the person challenged who decides that. Or if you force the point of it having to be combat, you might suddenly find yourself up against that non-combat character's second or stand in... who just might be a bad ass super specialized duelist body guard.

Yes, Lion bushi are bad ass... but courtiers... they are not. At least not against someone who actually knows what they are doing.

>>6336892
More in-depth for the pros and cons.

Crab:
Pro: Great bushi school emphasizing on heavy armor and 'unconventional' weaponry like giant axes and hammers. Also, their courtier school is based around being a stereotypical jew who has anything, for a price.
Con: 90% of Rokugan thinks you're a smelly, uneducated dolt, who's only good at beating up Oni and goblins 'n shit.

Crane:
Pro: Your clan invented the conventions of honor and hospitality, as well as formalizing the art of duelling. Your courtiers are awesome, your duelists are awesome, and the Harriers are awesome as hell.

Cons: You're like the teacher's pet in highschool. No one else really likes you, as your clan has a reputation for vanity and excess, oh and then there's the running gag that all cranes are preening women. Did I mention your shugenja are pacifists? Yeah.

Dragon:
Pros: Different orders of monks (Initially the Togashi, and depending on when in the timeline you play, maybe the Hoshi and Hitomi as well) with awesome crazy magic tattoos. Mirumoto Niten masters who use two swords instead of one. Shugenjas who know how to make explody potions.

Cons: Constantly on the fence about everything. Hell, for a thousand years, they pretty much didn't come down off their mountain. Oh, and if you play a Kitsuki courtier, get ready to be laughed at for presenting the notion of 'evidence' as opposed to testimonials.

>>6338561
This pleases me. Moar if you can.

Can anyone tell this L5R newfag if the Seppun family are worth playing?

>>6338601

They are a fantastic family... you are just going to have to pretty much give your GM a blow job every game session to A) Allow you to play a member of one of the Imperial Families and B) Keep the GM from having your fellow players from string you up for abusing the fact that you are playing a member of one of the Imperial Families.

Anyone got pros and cons on the Lion Clan?

>>6338619

Noted, my thanks.

>>6338561
Lion clan:
Pros: Your founder wrote the book on war. No, seriously, he did. You've got the Akodo tacticians, the Matsu bushi, the Ikoma historians, oh and the Kitsu shugenja who've got some funky ancestor magic goin' on. War is your calling, embrace it!

Cons: If it's not war, y'all kinda suck at it. Diplomacy and courtly games are not your cup of tea, blood for the blood god, etc...

Mantis:
Pros: Peasant weapons. Want to weild kama, tonfa, nunchaku or specialize in the bow and arrow? Welcome to your clan. Did we mention they're pir- Privateers?

Cons: People think you're pirates, prepare to be taunted about not using a 'real' weapon, oh and you guys were a minor clan up until the 2nd day of thunder, so prepare to take a beating in court because of your history.

The Pheonix:
Pros: Magic. You are the undisputed masters of magic, in any and all elements, including having the only school for Void Magic, which is pretty pimp. You've got great bodyguards, decent courtiers, and some cool little henshin monks.

Cons: You've also had the most magical fuck-ups. And we're not talking 'oops, I lit my hair on fire'. How about 'oops, I accidentally summoned an oni lord from Jigoku, gave him my name so he can act in this world, and set him free because his will overpowered mine'. yeah. that kind of 'oops.' Also, your bushi are sorta pacifistic, but it's to balance out the sheer number of 'BLASTOR THE FIRE SHUGGIE's in your clan.

>>6338561
Yer doin it al wrong!

>>6338638
Pro: You are the real power that maintains the Emperor, or at least the throne (bear in mind I can only speak to 1e timeline). No army led by a Lion general has ever lost a battle.
Con: You fucking KNOW it, and everybody else knows it, so you're basically the most miserably arrogant sonnuvabitch in a hundred leagues.

THE MOTHERFUCKING SCORPION CLAN
1. kill emperor possessed by demons
2. let the lion usurp you
3. ????
4. PROFIT

>>6338654
>Also, your bushi are sorta pacifistic
Doin' it wrong. The Shiba are opposed to unnecessary death. Sometimes, this means letting yourself be cut down. Sometimes, this means having the shugenja straight up teleport you into the general's tent and slaughter EVERYBODY with your "I can spend all my Void on the first strike" technique.

>about 'oops, I accidentally summoned an oni lord from Jigoku
didn't the phoenix also summon those delicious brain-demons in the novels, thinking they wouldn't be affected because they are so awesome?

>>6338654
The Scorpion clan:
Pros: Amazing courtiers who excel at blackmailing people and finding out what people want to remain hidden. Duelists who're left-handed, shugenjas who're spymasters or wardmasters (Soshi or Yogo). Oh, did we mention Ninjas. Ninjas. Roll that over in your mind for a bit.

Cons: No one in their right mind would trust you. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, knows that the Scorpion are not to be trusted. They lie, cheat, steal, murder, and claim that it's their duty, while trying to turn it back on you that it's your fault. Then there's the Yogo Curse. The entire Yogo family has it, and it's branched out to other families as well. You are inevitably going to betray the thing you love the most, no way out of it. Oh, did we mention that if you're caught being a ninja, your own clan will be the first to crucify you for it? :)

The Spider clan:
Move along here. There is no spider clan.

The unicorn clan:
Pros: Mounted combat. Y'all have the fastest horses in the known world, great scouts, decent diplomats, and your own set of death gods (Bitches don't know about my Shin-Tien-Yeng-Wang). Oh, and your crib can totally be a Yurt.

Cons: You're considered gaijin (foreigners) by a lot of courtiers, and you break social taboos a lot (like wearing leather, eating meat, not bathing from days on the road). Depending on when it's set, you also might be suspected of being a Kolat (during the late jade era), or just being a plain bastard (current era).

I can give a much, muuuuuuuch more in depth look at L5r, should anyone honestly need it.

Oh, and as for resources to check...
http://www.l5r.com/the-clans/ <- the official L5r site. Good stuff, there.
http://www.kazenoshiro.com/ < - a collection of ALL the fiction that has been put up for L5r, including weekly fiction, tournament storylines... hell, if it's happened, it's here.

>>6338658
>>6338675
Hey, I'm trying to keep clan bias out of telling him what to play. That, and I don't think first-timers can grasp the subtle nuances of playing a scorpion. It's not outright "HAHAHA I FOOLED YOU", but more of a sneaky, subtle bastard way.

>>6338675

You're doing it wrong.

1. Play a Dark Sword of Bitter lies bushi
2. Charge the enemy, alone
3. ????
4. VICTORY!!!

>>6338771
i think reading the novels helps a lot with the scorpion, it was full of OH NO THEY DIDN'T THOSE AWESOME MOTHERFUCKERS

OP here

i love you guys

keep it comeing

much thanks :D

and have a moose :3

Get some Minor Clan Love up in here!
Usagi Leap Attack for the win!

>>6338848
Shit, man, what else do you need?

An in-depth look at the clan's philosiphies?
A list of their Families?
A checklist of stereotypes?
A ledger of their schools?

Help me, OP. Help me help you.

Gentlemen, an idea has struck me:

L5R, in space.

Think about it.

>>6338886
Usagi clan? Aren't they all maho-tuskai?

>>6338901
Has potential. I suppose I could modify my L5R2K rules for that...

Inter-planetary clans... with the Crab holding "The Wall", a series of manned asteroids at the outer rim, protecting against the Great Old Ones...

... holy fuck. win.

>>6338901
So, like a Jedi game with clans?

>>6338902
No. I can't remember exactly... Either everyone thought they were and they weren't, or they cleansed themselved (killed the maho-users).
I think it was the first one.
Now the Snake clan... Yeah, really bad maho up in that bitch.

>>6337817

all those are good but whats with the shadowlands thing that >>6338889 is goning on about? would it be possible to achive what he said?

also thank you guys for all the help you've given

>>6338921
Except... not jedi. Samurai!

Also, Space Squid Demons.
Also, Space Pergola Fortress!

>>6338901
So, Warhammer?

>>6338937

As a first-time player, let me give you a tip. The Shadowlands is a bad, bad place. Bad things come from there. It's where The Crab clan go to die, fighting giant beasts of such unfathomable dimensions that to even describe them would be to curse your household.

The only way it would be possible to do it would be to suck some serious GM dick... or read the first half of Kaze no Shiro's archives. Still might have to suck some dick, though.

Next up, a list of the schools, clan by clan.

>>6338901
>>6338920
there is a manga of this, it's called Rai, and its fucking awesome

>>6336846
>Genrally not using a katana is the best way to go.

Uhh, not. Swords in general and Katana in specific have several advantages in L5R that other weapons do not. For instance you cannot use Void to pump damage for most non-sword weapons. Other weapons are not to be ignored but the best general purpose weapon for most samurai is his katana. Heavy Weapons generally require significant investment in strength to be effective, most starting characters are only going to have a 2-3 Strength meaning that 0k3 tetsubo is only going to be inflicting 3k3 at best , meanwhile a 3k2 katana will be inflicting 5-6k2 with the option of Void expenditure for damage. The tetsubo ignores standard armor effectively giving the user 1-2 raises but he is unlikely to have the agility to support those raises from the get go. The katana wielder is more likely to be able to support 2-3 raises and will effectively be dealing 6-7k3.

Socially it is not looked well upon carrying around weapons of war in another clan's territory. The daisho is acceptable as it is also a symbol of the bearer's status as a samurai.

>>6338493
>great potential (exploding nine)
Great potential is overcosted, the exploding nines only happen when you hit Rank 10 in the skill and you get that benny anyways on weapon skills so it is useless for a bushi.

>In Rokugan if anyone disagrees with you, you have the full right to chop them down, which bushi excel at. This is a good bonus for anyone just starting.

No you have the right to challenge them to a duel. If they outrank you they can tell you to go eat a dick. If it is something stupid their daimyo or your daimyo can tell you to go eat a dick and kill yourself.

Also see this thread for the right way to play a Scorpion. About 2/3s the way down is an awesome story of revenge.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/6328248/

>>6338992

>As a first-time player, let me give you a tip. The Shadowlands is a bad, bad place. Bad things come from there. It's where The Crab clan go to die, fighting giant beasts of such unfathomable dimensions that to even describe them would be to curse your household.

Wasn't there a Badger clan that accidentially summoned a demon once, and it killed pretty much the entire clan in their ancesteral mountain home, and nobody knew about it until spring?

>>6339035
Yep, the Shakoki-dogu was a bad ass demon.

>>6338937
The Crab Clan:

The Hida Bushi school.
Like taking hits while wearing heavy armor, not dying from hits (not immediately, anyways), and having a series of techniques that're based around stoicism?

The Hiruma Scout school:
Move fast, hide good, and hopefully, just hopefully those shadowland beasties won't see you coming. It's like being a ninja. Except only against things that have Taint.

Kuni Shugenja:
Do you hate Taint? Really? REEEEEALLLY? Then this is your shugenja school. Dropping tombs of jade here and there, plus getting some wicked face-paint, too. (Pic related)

Yasuki Trader school:
You're a courtier. And a merchant. Occasionally, you hook people up with great deals, for fun, profit, oh yeah and I suppose Honor.

If your gonna play a scorpion clan anything,it helps if your cover story involves not being scorpion untill you get to the just as planned part.
Also,If you want some idea of how L5R works story wise the ccg had alot of stories/flavor text/rule book mini stories that were pretty much the best fluff for anything ever.
For example,you had a ninja bodyguard that protected one of the "seven winds" that had to live in the same house as fu leng (read satan).
Same guy lived through like 5 years of expansions when people got merc'ed left and right,got shadowland taint,lost shadowland taint,killed tons of capital N ninja (as in the faceless horde ala hive mind,not random dudes in PJs) and lived long enough to get old in a ruthless totalitarian regime of backstabbing asshats.

>>6339047

Is the Badger Clan still around? I seem to remember a couple of them were out at the time, came back only to go OH FUCK WHAT THE HELL?

>>6339083
They were on the brink of destruction but are slowly rebuilding. Though with the current shit that is going down might be the final nail in the coffin. Rokugan is getting invaded from all directions and guess who is guarding a border pass...

>>6339124
Invaded by who? Man, why did wizards ever get rid of this game <.<

>>6339048
The Crane:

Asahina Shugenja school:
Pacifists and artists. I hear they're nice people; too bad no one plays them.

The Doji Courtier school:
People have owed you since the dawn of the empire - Time to collect on favors. Try to be nice, though. The nicer you are, the more you can collect.

The Daidoji Harrier school:
Welcome to the military arm of the Crane. It is your duty to delay the approach of enemies until the courtiers can do their job in court. No, I'm not joking. This is how the Crane Military works. On the plus side, it -is- pretty badass :D

The Kakita Duelist school:
This is how duelling is done, forget what any Mirumoto says. They're just jealous that their two swords got beaten by one. Aloof, charming, and most of all, deadly.

Pic related, it's some hot Crane bitch.

>>6339077
This man speaks the truth.

Do not fuck with Bayushi Aramoro.

He is The Shredder.

Take other clans. Replace with Crabs. That is all.

>>6338886
Fox clan here, our shugenja are awesome.

I wish 1e had had stats for the minor clans. :(

>>6339141
From the North the Dark Oracle of Fire has an army of exploding dudes attacking. From the Southwest Kali-ma is coming with an army of monsters. And from the Northwest the Yodotai have started sending in scouting parties.

>>6339196
It does, there is a book called Way of the Minor Clans, guess what is in it?

Basically you're in an RPG if it was made by Koike Kazuo.

Have fun. Oh and watch your ass around the Scorpion Clanmembers, they're kinda like the CIA or MI6.

>>6339216
Daaaamn.

/rs/ing like the fist of the north star.

(I only have the core book).

>>6339196
Truth.
Man, just get a Fox Shugenjz, a Hare Bushi, a Wasp Archer-Samurai, and a Tortoise Ninja/Ranger. Minor Clans seem to specialize to the point that they do that one thing better that any Great Clan can.

>>6339143
The Dragon:

The Esoteric Orders of Dagon. I mean, the Tattooed Monks of the Togashi, Hitomi and Hoshi orders:
Want to be covered in tattoos, each with their own unique magical ability, such as the ability to leap great distances, punch through iron, or... I dunno... BREATHING FUCKING FIRE??? Pic fucking related

The Agasha/Tamori shugenja school:
Depending on your timeline, the Agasha might still be in the Dragon. If they're not, they've defected to the Pheonix by that point (Kaze No Shiro has details). Either way, shugenjas who know how to make things explode, like fireworks, exploding potions, or just plainly calling thunder down from the sky.

Mirumoto Swordmasters:
Face it, you want to use a Katana AND a Wakizashi at once. This is your school. Prepare to be insulted/challenged by most Kakita duellists you see. But don't worry. You can hand those pretty boys their asses.

Kitsuki courtier:
You believe in a radical new concept. What if, instead of extracting testimonials from people who were at scenes of dishonor... you searched the site for... get this... CLUES AS TO WHO DID IT? Does this seem mad to you? No? Of course not, you're a 21s century kid. But to the people of Rokugan, this is pretty wacky.

>>6339243
I suddenly have this urge to play an all-minor clan game.

>>6339259
Expect a team of all monkeys.

>>6339265
FUCKIN' MONKEYS

>>6339259
>>6339259

It's your inner munchkin asserting itself.

>>6339196

Scorpion here.

You know the ST finally shoved you guys in with the Mantis, as of a few months ago, righ?

Ryosei's choice was for noooooooooooooothing :D

>>6339281
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK
YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU


...Did they really? MOTHERFUCKER.

I'm on an iPod Touch, so I'm going to ask in this thread.

How's Legend of the Burning Sands? Playing in an Arab world sounds cool.

4e L5R is coming in 2010. I'd say you keep the fuck away from the currently going edition, as it is more off than the one that used the d20 system. It is fine if you have someone rulelawyering and you do not have to give a shit about rules. Otherwise, clusterfuck without a useful errata.

>>6339280
Probably.

>>6339303
Never played it, unfortunately.

>>6339258

Point of Order: The Mirumoto Swordmasters do not use the Niten technique. That is the domain of the Mirumoto Bushi.

Mirumoto Swordmasters - Duelists on par with the Kakita in fluff.
Mirumoto Bushi - Some of the best damn skirmishers period.

Also Daidoji Uji was referred to as the Shredder far more often than Aramoro.

>>6339258
Trollin' aside, let's look a the Lion Clan.

Akodo Bushi:
Take your pick, do you want to be honorable, a great combatant, or a great leader? Oh, you want to be all three? Yeah, yeah... come on in. Pic Related.

Ikoma Courtier:
Get ready to follow everyone around, telling stories of how awesome Bushi X is, because he is the descendant of Notable Bushi Y. Maybe some spymastering here and there.

Kitsu Shugenja:
It's like, in a clan obsessed with ancestor worship (much more than most clans in L5R), you actually get to talk to the ancestors? Awesome! Now go heal that patrol of Matsu that came back from the front.

Matsu Bushi:
Whereas the Akodo are proud, graceful and noble warriors... The Matsu just live for the fight. Never give up, never surrender. They hit hard, and get hit hard. Oh, and don't forget to brag.

I wanna play so bad /tg/, nobody in atlanta plays anything save for DURR 4th, and "Don't get me wrong I love white wolf but its the way these fuckers play" DURR vampire.

>>6339281
I thought it was just the Mantis, Centipede, and Wasp Clans that were incorporated?
Also, some Wasps still think they're independent.

>>6339336
SHREDDER DO SCORPS DO SCORPS *riveted*

If your feeling like making your GMs head hurt pick a clan and use the different schools advantage to go into a school with a different speciaity than your clan.

I played a scorpion with the Mirumoto Bushi school and no-one noticed for 6 sessions until i drew both swords and dropped 3 bandits in a single turn.

>>6339328
True, but check Aramoro's non-xp card from Jade. Looks more like shredder than Uji.

>>6339383

thats a good idea, i think i'll do that >:D

>>6339408
I've seen a giant Hida with the Kakita Dueling school that was hilarious, pity the player moved away.

>>6339358
Incorporating the Fox into the Mantis is recent metaplot development.

>>6339336
The Mantis:

Yoritomo Bushi:
Peasant weapons, fighting at sea with no penalties... oh, and your rank 5 technique is moving, getting full attacks, and adding +15 to your TN to be hit. Yoritomo's Rolling Wave, WHAAAAT?

Yoritomo courtier:
You cut through the bull that most clans deal with... and just dish out threats. Just call them 'promises', and it's all good.

Moshi Shugenja:
Fire Shuggies, lightin' it up at sea.

Tsuruchi Bowman:
You wanted a bow? THIS is a bow. Sure, you can use a katana now, but why bother when you've got a monster bow that lets you add your STRENGTH.

Play a Mantis, and be balls-out, 24/7. Pic related, it's The Man, Yoritomo.

>>6339446
What? Why did the Fox agree to this?
Last I heard, They were fine on their own.

>>6339445
Along similar lines I once played a Hida with high Courtier and Etiquette skills. He just like being a loud fun guy. When a Crane took offense at something he did and challenged him, he got the duel changed to Sumai and made it stick. That poor Crane did not know what hit him when I switched to polite mode to state my case to arbiter of our case. Hell, it even caught the GM off guard a bit. Good times.

>>6339485
They didn't, the Mantis got it as a temptation during the Race for the Throne.

>>6339498
Wow. Tough break for them. Great for the Mantis, though. Good to have a group who is not only good at "BURNBURNIGNITE!"
Not that all Centipedes are like that. Just most of them.

>>6339485
The in-setting justification was that the Fox were constant under attack from minions of the Shadow Dragon. They petitioned the major clans for support (with the Emperor's throne empty at the time, they had no where else to turn), and the Mantis showed up with an army and small condition for their assistance.

>>6339527
The Mantis now have three fairly diverse Shugenja schools to draw from - the Moshi fire specialists, the Yoritomo water and lightning specialists, and the Kitsune shape-shifting earthy types.

New to thread.

So which edition should I play? Is the revised 3e thing any good or should I play 1e instead?

The Pheonix clan:

Isawa Tensai Shugeja:
You are a master of your element (Even Void!), all other shugenjas pale before you. Hell, you don't even have a clan champion, you have a council of Five Elemental Masters. Live it up, Shuggie. You're in charge of this clan. Pic related.

Shiba Bushi:
As Shiba bent before Isawa and offered his life, you know your role as well. Shugenjas are important, protect them. Oh, and you get ridiculous techniques that allow you to blow all your void in one hit, which -usually- has awesome results.

Asako Henshin:
Pretty zen monks who walk the path to becoming immortal, opening themselves up to hearing the elements themselves. Pretty cool guys, don't afraid of anything.

Asako courtier:
Pretty polite, and excellent hosts. Just not all as awesome as the Doji, who taught them all they know.

>>6339549
Ah. That would do it, then.
The Mantis really will stoop lower than the Scorpion, won't they?
Is that bitch Kitao still running things?

>>6339616
At least they showed up. The other clans were ready to stand by at watch the Fox be annihilated.

>>6339549

Fox fan here.

Still ragin'.

>>6339484
All bows add strength to damage rolls. It is just that the Tsuruchi Longbow has the highest strength cap at 5, and it is not all that much better than a Daikyu with its cap of 4. It gets +1k1 damage while the Daikyu gets 2k0, effectively two raises each. The Daikyu shoots farther and is better on horseback but worse on foot. The Tsuruchi bow does not shoot as far and takes a penalty on horseback. Basically for 10 years worth of rice you are getting 1 strength over the Daikyu.

If I was a daimyo, I'd save my money and outfit a squad with Shinjo Horsebows (9 koku each as opposed to 20 for daikyu and 30 for Tsuruchi bows) and have enough money left over to pay for standard horses and have horse archers.

3e rules.
1e setting.
Final destination.
Some assembly required.

Looking for one missing manual...

Does anyone know where a copy of the Masters of Magic book might reside?

>>6339593
Dude, do you even read the rules...There are no Void Tensai see Four Winds pg 171

>There are no Tensai of the Void; although the Isawa Ishiken specialize in Void magic, their training and outlook is different enough to be distinct from the Tensai.

ie Void Shuggies are from the main Isawa School.

>>6339593
And now we have the Scorpion.

Bayushi Bushi:
Decieve people in combat. Most bushi are right-handed in Rokugan. Therefore, you practice with your left, or are left handed. Nasty, nasty techniques like switching initiatives with people. Fun times.

Shosuro Ninja:
Yep. You're a ninja. Don't get caught, or we'll pretend we don't know you, and shame you into oblivion.

Bayushi Courtier School:
You know all those little secrets that people obsess about, hoping that no one will ever find out. Of course you found out, that's your job. Now the question is... what can they do for you, so you don't go public with the information?

Soshi Shugenja school:
The wind is your ally. You can eavesdrop on conversations on the other side of a town. Use your gifts wisely.

>>6339633
The Mantis aren't particularly cavalry-heavy in their armies. They specialize more in a powerful navy with marine-deployed infantry.

>>6339679
My bad, keep forgetting that not all Ishiken are as cool as Shiba Ningen.

Oh wait, that's because he's a Shiba :D

>>6339646
Why would you want to use 3e rules?

>>6339757
Because they work just fine?

Your favorite edition sucks too.

>>6339698
Shinjo Horsebows work just fine on foot (no penalties and a small bonus) and cost less than a third the cost of the vaunted Tsuruchi Longbow. I can get 3x the Archers and win with numbers. Also it is alot easier to find Strength 2 guys as opposed to Strength 3-5 guys. Point still stands.

>>6339695
Bayushi Bushi does not have an initiative switching tech, it prevents the use of the initiative switching advantage on them. Though many Bayushi Bushi PCs do take that advantage.

>>6339695
And finally, the Unicorn Clan.

Shinjo Scout:
Do you like horses? Of course you do, who doesn't? Now get on horseback, and ride as fast as the wind. Seriously.

Moto Bushi:
You are the Shin-Tein-Yeng-Wang's emmisary to this world. Just kidding, but in all seriousness, you're a war machine, be it on 2 legs, or four. You're a mongol warrior from the burning sands. Act like one. Pic related

Ide Courtier:
You often have to appologize for your clanmate's... unique behavior. But hey, at least you're good at that, right? And you get the unique advantage of Gaijin gear. SPOONS!!!

Iuchi Shugenja:
They're travelling shugenjas, from a travelling clan, who make travelling better. Like transporting people from the Unicorn provinces halfway across Rokugan in the blink of an eye.

>>6339767
What I'm saying is that 1e would work just as well, so why not use 1e rules in the 1e setting?

On a completely unrelated note: Reading the Way of the Minor Clans. Jeez, the Lion have been a dick to everyone so far.

>>6339792
Personal preference.
I like Emphases, I like Mastery Abilities, and we've got all the books.

>>6339792
This just in, Lion clan is jerks.

>>6339792
So are the 3e rules bad?

>>6339787
What happened to the Otaku/Utaku Battle Maidens?

>>6339792
Because that's what the Lion do. Stomp on Minor clans for fun.

Then again, it's not like the Dragonfly have done anything bad...

Oh wait... Tonbo Toryu... The Dark Oracle of the Void...

>>6339819
Personal preference.

I learned the 1e rules first (and I hate 3e's metaplot), so I prefer it.

>>6339818
They're all jerks. The Lion are just the most painfully obvious about it.

>>6339819
My group has been playing it for almost a year now, and we're just fine with it.

OP here

thank you all for everything, i have just finished downloading all the pdf's from /rs/ that i could and all the info you have given me will help me greatly :D

again thank you for your help

>>6339819
Not at all.
I mean, we don't stress-test them the way other groups do - I'm Rank 3 with Kenjutsu 3, but then on several occasions writing a good poem kept me from having kill myself, so it's a different sort of campaign - but I can't find any glaring problems except the traditionally poor organization.

>>6339825
they're still there, but as I'm doing this all from memory at a friend's house, using his shitty keyboard, I'm literally amazed at all I've written.

So yeah, the Utaku battle maidens are still there, riding around... somewhere.

I'm curious as to how duels work Mr. I know Everything about L5R.

It seems like an interesting system. I would love to be informed on how a duel usually goes, who makes the best duelists, and why.

>>6339829
The what now?

He seemed like a pretty cool dude as far as I know.

>>6339829
Hey asshole, Tonbo Toryu is a great hero. He was the Oracle of Thunder until that dickweed Toturi made his wife fuck up the balance of void and cause the need for the creation of the Dark Oracle. Toryu stepped forward to take that role to mitigate the evil a dark oracle would cause. Thus far he as succeeded.

Tombo Toryu is the epitome of sacrifice for the greater good.

-Never forget to take at least one level of Iaijutsu, no matter which faction you are, if you play a samurai.

-If you are a strong character, try to take weapons with a higher keep value. Naginatas are great for that, and they give you an Init boost for their range, which makes all the difference

When packing arrows, be sure to bring a few flesh-rippers. Those things can ruin unarmored opponents' days.

>>6339867
>>6339853
Damn, I need to do some more reading up on the metaplot. Things sure have changed.

>>6339881
>Never forget to take at least one level of Iaijutsu, no matter which faction you are, if you play a samurai.
I disagree. Its perfectly acceptable to name a second if you get challenged to a duel, so long as you don't carry a katana around in public.

>>6339851
Bar changing the venue shenanigans it goes like this.

Both parties make an Awareness/Iaijutsu roll at a base TN of 5. For every raise they call they get to know one of their opponents stats.

Each then chooses one of his opponents stats to be the focus stat.

Then the guy that won the roll decides who focuses first.

Each duelist has a focus pool equal to the stat chosen by his opponent. They then take turns focusing by making a roll Chosen Stat/Iaijutsu. The TN starts at 5 and goes up by 5 with each focus. If a Duelist runs out of focuses he must either spend a void for an extra focus or call strike.

If a focus roll is failed or strike is called the other duelist gets to strike first. The TN of the target is 5 + 5 times the number of successful focuses + Armor. The Striking duelist gets a number of free raises equal to the number of focuses he called. If he hits and it is a duel to first blood he wins, otherwise he has to kill his opponent in one shot. If the other duelist survives the hit and it is not a duel to first blood or if the striker misses, he gets his counterstrike at the same TN.

Then the combat reverts to a standard skirmish.

>>6339845
Remember enough about the Imperial Families?
Seppun, Otomo, and Miya.

I'll do it.

The Seppun
Bodyguards of the Emporer, none question their devotion. On good terms with the bigwigs.

The Otomo
Imperial Courtiers, largely unnoticed. Responsible for many major changes to the law. They ARE the bigwigs.

The Miya
Brave, tireless heralds and messengers of the Emporer. They keep the peace between clans and enforce the law when needed.

>>6339976
By Fluff Kakita and Mirumoto are the best duelists. By the rules, Ide Duelists are better barring Advanced Schools. All things considered a Mirumoto Swordmaster/Hojutsu's Legacy is the best duelist, followed closely by a fucked up multipathing Scorpion build, Hida Bushi/Hida Defender, and Kakita Bushi/Hoturi's Blade/Kenshinzen.

The Reason the Mirumoto is so good is he gets a technique that turns off all other techs. The same applies to the Bayushi one though it can be over come with enough void expenditure. The Hida one changes the game and allows the Hida to use his strong stats to duel giving him a good chance at winning. The Crane one is just a huge toolbox of good dueling abilities, barring technique negation it is damn good.

>>6340106
What about in 1e?

>>6340188
In 1E, Kakita Bushi wins over everything. Their rank 2 breaks the dueling game.

In 1E you did not have to make a focus roll and your focus pool was always your Void. Dump a ton into Void, Agility, and Awareness and you will win.

As long as a Kakita can outfocus his opponent he will win because the Rank 2 Tech lets him set his focuses at any number, even zero, effectively not raising the final TN out of reach and making him perfectly capable of cutting his enemy in half in one shot.

>>6340005
I did, in fact remember. I just didn't think OP would seriously need them.

Then again, playing a Miya cartographer would get you a good sense of who does what in Rokugan.

>>6339143
>hot Crane bitch

That's a man, dude, we can understand how it's hard to tell with Cranes, though.

>>6339383

To be fair, Bayushi Bushi is awesome as fuck. Pump your defense as high as possible, get free raises equal to your Air Ring against any enemy that misses you. Take Combat Reflexes and WIN FOREVER.

There is nothing more satisfying than casually slipping a jitte from your sleeve, getting enough free raises that a disarm attack costs the same as a normal one, and taking the katana right out of a a Crane duelist's hand and using it yourself. Especially since almost everyone uses katanas.

Did I mention your Rank 5 technique lets you spend raises AFTER you roll?

>>6341283
You're a liar.

....Aren't you?

>>6341369

No, every Crane after Kakita is just that feminine.

Making a Bayushi Bushi with the Sworn Enemy disadvantage. Who/what should I take as my Sworn Enemy?

>>6341628
Jesus.

>>6341646
Lion, Phoenix, or Crane for the most lulz.

>>6341283
Implying that cranes can be male... that's funny.

>>6341646
As for your sworn enemy... if you want awesome and fun, make it Mantis. That way, you have an interesting idea as to what constitutes 'honorable' behavior.

>>6341646
Another Scorpion could be interesting.