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The combat system is very deadly whatever the level of the PC may be.
Edit: Do you play a Scorpion character by any chance?
actually yes. I am heading towards a scorpion duelist/yojimbo type. I'll prolly get the yojimbo part first at my next "level" even that is still a bit off from that too. my dm is running us through a bunch of modules from 1st or 2nd ed of L5R its been fun so far
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Bitter Lies Swordsman from The Four Winds, L5R RPG, 3d ed.
Path of Entry Bayushi Bushi 1
Path of Egress Bayushi Bushi 2
The Bitter Lies Swordsman succeeds where any normal samurai would fail. You immediately gain one rank of Luck Advantage, even if you already have three ranks of Luck. Whenever facing an opponent of greater Insight Rank, you roll and keep additional dice on all attack rolls equal to the difference, but never more than your ranks in the Luck Advantage. Additionally, you roll and keep dice equal to your ranks in the Luck Advantage in all life-or-death situations outside of combat (such as attempting to climb over a vat of boiling pirch).
Should you ever retreat in the face of superior numbers or skill, you cannot use this Technique for one full day
"And I am Tsuruchi Nori, Bounty Hunter in service to the Emerald Magistrates." (bows deeply)
I just made second rank. So far, I'm finding the Tsuruchi Longbow to be rude, but if I don't have it, I'm not so hot in combat. On the trail or on an investigation, I do better.
Any advice for a lowly archer? This is my first L5R game.
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"And I am Tsuruchi Nori, Bounty Hunter in service to the Emerald Magistrates." (bows deeply)
I just made second rank. So far, I'm finding the Tsuruchi Longbow to be rude, but if I don't have it, I'm not so hot in combat. On the trail or on an investigation, I do better.
Any advice for a lowly archer? This is my first L5R game.
"Greetings Nori-san." Bayushi Yorinaga takes a moment to consider the man before him. "The Tsuruchi are famed for their use of the bow, Nori-san. Yet I sense that you wish to learn the blade."
Tsuruchi Swordsman
Technique Rank 2
Path of Entry Tsuruchi Bounty Hunter 1
Path of Egress Tsuruchi Bounty Hunter 2 or Yoritomo Bushi 1
Technique Darting Wings
Choose One Kenjutsu Emphasis that you possess; you add you ranks in Athletics to the result of all your melee attacks that use that weapon. While in the Full Attack stance, you may roll Agility/Kenjutsu to cut an in-flight arrow aimed at another individual within 10'. The TN for this roll is the archer's attack roll. If successful, you slice the arrow in two and it inflicts no damage. While in the Full Defense Stance, your TN to be hit versus ranged attacks is increased by twice your Kenjutsu skill.
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"No I have not Bayushi-san, my last venture had me in crab lands investigating a general and his wife who had gone mad. My fellow Emerald Magistrates and I have only recently returned."
"Ah to be young and to be off on many an adventure. Unfortunately, my time with the Magistrates is almost at an end. I am being called back home."
Try for the bitter lies swordsman pathwhat does it involve? and what talent err are they called skills in L5R do I need? I forget the terminolgy sometimes. I know for duelist I need iajistu pretty high and need like two or three rings at 3 or 4 or higher
Bitter Lies is one of the greatest ideas ever, especially the back story. It is about a scorpion samurai (don't remember the name right now) who succeeded in every task he was set to - not because of his prowess (which wasn't that good), but because of sheer dumb luck.
One part in particular was priceless: When someone shoutet to him that he's a worthless fool and if the gods took exception to that, well, they can strike him down. He was killed by a freak lighning storm on the spot.
You know, I tried to get into L5R, but it just wasn't working for me. Of course, I don't know anyone who plays... Or, rather, I don't know anyone who plays who can explain the game to me sensibly, and respond to my concern that charachters seem to be downright disposable...
No, I'm serious; When I told her that I found both the combat and setting to be a bit deadly, and spoke of the apparently very high chance of being killed in a fight, eaten by a Shadowlands creature, or, more likely, needing to eviscerate yourself because you misspoke once, she replied with "Well, yeah. That's what ancient Japan was like."
You can't make stuff like this up, folks.
And yet, I remain fascinated by what little I know. Having a love of Asia and its cultures (not just Japan, mind you), I keep wanting to find some way to make sense of what has thus far been utterly incomprehensible to me.
I mean, a lot of people play it, so the fun's got to be in there somewhere, right? (Well, yeah, but I never did find the fun in oWoD...)
Anyone have any advice as to how I can get in on this seemingly wonderful title?
And yet, I remain fascinated by what little I know. Having a love of Asia and its cultures (not just Japan, mind you), I keep wanting to find some way to make sense of what has thus far been utterly incomprehensible to me.I mean, a lot of people play it, so the fun's got to be in there somewhere, right? (Well, yeah, but I never did find the fun in oWoD...)
Anyone have any advice as to how I can get in on this seemingly wonderful title?
Well, of course you will need people to play. Without fellow players, the best game is no use to you.
But other than that, I can give you a couple of pointers:
1. Yes, combat in L5R is more deadly than combat in D&D. In fact, I think D&D is the exception here, not L5R. My experience could be skewed, but the other game systems I know are all more along the L5R lines than D&D's.
But it is somewhat balanced by the fact that it's supposed to be less regular. You're not supposed to solve every conflict with violence. That difference can be jarring if you're used to D&D - instead of 4 fights a day, you get one a weak, or maybe less. You can see that in the fact that there are a "classes"/roles that have virtually no combat ability.
2. The Shadowlands are not a place you stroll over to get a bunch of XP, like a dungeon in D&D. If you go there, death is the least of your concerns. Unless you're really good (and/or been trained for this sort of thing your whole life) and well prepared, you die - if you're really lucky. If not, you'll probably lose your sanity, purity, honour, and soul.
But you don't have to go there, either. The Emerald Empire is large enough, and contains enough humans to deal with (not just to kill, mind you), as well as other creatures, like Naga, Kitsune, and so on.
3. Things are a lot more lawful than in D&D's average campaign setting. Etiquette is important. People really care about what others think of them, and, more importantly, that others know them. They care about their status. You can't just go and kill someone because you think he did something wrong. And honour (as well as the other virtues of the Code of Bushido) is really important. People die to keep their honour.
But you don't have to write your last haiku just because someone heard you muttering under your breath how much the Noh Theatre bores you. As long as you keep a bit of common sense, you won't have to go ask your lord whether you're allowed to disembowel yourself honourably, ever.
And it has its advantages, too: Yes, there's a strict hierarchy, but your character starts up quite high, since most characters are Samurai (the social caste, not the warrior "class"), so you get to order around peasants from day one. And since money is a crass concern beneath a Samurai, the whole hunt for more and more gold will just be left out. Personally, that's one of my favourites.
"Yoritomo Gobei, Master of the Ono, salutes his fellow Magistrates"
I love L5R, it kept me roleplaying when DnD took a turd on me between 2nd and 3rd ed. The CCG and the RPG were the reason I went to GenCon in 2000 and ended up with the 3rd ed DnD books signed and played in an RPGA game. I still have a strong love of L5R, and love the combat system, the deadliness of it makes for more sensible actions than" I charge him with my +8 dagger of Ogre Slaying". There are almost no magic items in L5R, except for a select few Nemurami, and You will almost never get your hands on one. Think of everyting as Masterwork quality, and you will like it:) My upcoming DnD game is gonna run with most of the variant rules for combat such as the wound system, so It will be more think before you leap.
My .02
Another L5R fan here. Looks like I need to get 4 Winds.
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(points at handle, profile) Seriously, how could I pass this up?
(It's not the HoR Topaz, is it?)
The Topaz Championship is the most prestigious gempukku ceremony in the empire. It is held in the city of Tsuma in the lands of the Crane. Representatives from all the Clans attend in the hopes of gaining the honor for the Clan.
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The Topaz Championship is the most prestigious gempukku ceremony in the empire. It is held in the city of Tsuma in the lands of the Crane. Representatives from all the Clans attend in the hopes of gaining the honor for the Clan.(points at handle, profile) Seriously, how could I pass this up?
(It's not the HoR Topaz, is it?)
I'll take that as a "no." (Heroes of Rokugan, by the way, for anyone who is unfamiliar with it.)
Assuming you're willing to have me, I've been playing too many Crane and ronin recently - I'll wait to see what other players choose and pick the Clan that's left.
If I had the time I would attempt a conversion to a fantasy setting, using the L5R mechanics. But alas, I do not have so much time.
I'm a big fan of deadly rules, grim and gritty all the way.
PC deaths should not be avoided or made inconsequential IMO.
I been trying to wade into a L5R game forever. I would totally play in a game on Paizo boards, just give me the sign up sheet :D.
I am partial to Lion, Dragon, or Crane... so I am willing to wait until other people chose or claim one of them as I noticed someone else mentioned that they are partial to the Lion or Crane as well.
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Ok, I'll be moving the recruitment area to the Gamer Connection Thread here.
Shisumo, TerraNova and Arcmagik, I have also noted your participation there.
nope sorry,just commenting on the system
late to the thread , but can yopu answer me a couple of questions regarding the system?
I own the L5R 1st edition, how different is 3rd edition?
What did they fix? what did they broke?
If I own 1st, should I consider buying 3rd or am I set with 1st?
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I own the L5R 1st edition, how different is 3rd edition?
It is less different, I think, than 2nd Ed was from 1st Ed. But all three are distinctive in some very specific ways.
What did they fix? what did they broke?
The biggest changes involve dealing with the issues that came up in 1st Ed about the relative value of Traits vs Skills. Kept dice ruled the roost, and buying skills was a mug's game.
In 3rd Ed, however, that's changed somewhat, because skills now have value beyond simply adding rolled dice. Abilities including Free Raises, additional Insight points, and special bonuses unique to each skill mean that buying a skill up to 5 or even higher is a very good idea. Traits are still important, and probably still outweigh skills in some respects, but it's no longer so clear-cut as to which is the better choice for your XP.
If I own 1st, should I consider buying 3rd or am I set with 1st?
I personally think 3rd Ed is a much, much better game. What 1st Ed wanted to be, 3rd Ed manages. YMMV, however.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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I'll have to chime in here, having played (albeit briefly) all three incarnations of the system. 3rd is the most fun one, simply because there is neither the dominance of traits, nor 2nd's rather harsh straightjacket where you spend lots of points for no readily apparent gain.
Other (IMHO) noticeable changes include a certain degree of humanization of the background. As described in 3rd Edition, the world actually works to some degree as a society. It still is rough and demanding, but at least the fiction characters would not have had to commit suicide for almost each and every piece they are depicted in. Especially in 2nd Edition, it felt like Fu Leng probably would win simply because all his enemies kill themselves after being hit with a leather ball. ;) Well, unless they were named by the authors, in that case they could get away with showering in the blood of children while flinging their feces at the Emperor, and noone would raise an eyebrow.
But enough ranting. Seriously, 3rd is i think the best edition yet.
I own the L5R 1st edition, how different is 3rd edition?It is less different, I think, than 2nd Ed was from 1st Ed. But all three are distinctive in some very specific ways.
What did they fix? what did they broke?The biggest changes involve dealing with the issues that came up in 1st Ed about the relative value of Traits vs Skills. Kept dice ruled the roost, and buying skills was a mug's game.
In 3rd Ed, however, that's changed somewhat, because skills now have value beyond simply adding rolled dice. Abilities including Free Raises, additional Insight points, and special bonuses unique to each skill mean that buying a skill up to 5 or even higher is a very good idea. Traits are still important, and probably still outweigh skills in some respects, but it's no longer so clear-cut as to which is the better choice for your XP.
If I own 1st, should I consider buying 3rd or am I set with 1st?I personally think 3rd Ed is a much, much better game. What 1st Ed wanted to be, 3rd Ed manages. YMMV, however.
TYVM.
Kradlo, I'm also waiting for the Revised 3rd Edition.
Yeah I was gonna buy 3rd edition until I saw that anouncement now I dunno if I should wait or buy the current edition.
Kradlo once you get it can you let us know how different it is?
BTW from the AEG forums I got this about revised edition:
Legend of the Five Rings, Third Edition Revised
Releases Summer 2008
(hardbound)
Return to the Emerald Empire, where honor is a force more powerful than steel.
In its triumphant third printing, the Legend of the Five Rings RPG Third Edition receives a major update! Now including material such as the Spider Clan, more intuitive combat rules, and more, the Third Edition Revised is everything players both new and old need to jump into the world of the Emerald Empire.
- New and updated character creation and development mechanics including the devious Spider Clan and its new schools.
- Updates to some existing schools such as the Daidoji Bodyguard and the Tonbo Shugenja.
- Updated rules for combat, dueling, and spells.
- Updated Timeline brings the story forward to the Race for the Throne.
- Horses! And much more.
Legend of the Five Rings Third Edition Revised is an excellent time for you to begin your journey in the Emerald Empire. Whether samurai or shugenja, courtier or artisan, your adventures begin here.