j.calvin

Compared to the regular products that L5R has out, Honor and Treachery features a full sized, step-by-step guide on how the decks should be played to give you a better idea and feel for the game play.

The decks provided in the set are designed to be playable right out of the gates without any customization. It features the twin clans, Phoenix (keeper of knowledge) and the Scorpion (keeper of secrets).

I picked up the game as a chance that me and my brother could play it (he finds L5R rules too complex). So we crack open the box, and are surprised to see six decks. We take about five minutes to read through the rules and begin playing.

Getting in the game is simple enough, thanks to the rules being fairly straight-forward. The challenge lies in the tactics that you will employ and the decisions that you will be making. A lot of other players have already mentioned that this game is a cross between a TCG and minis, and I believe that they’ve nailed this on the head.

I’ve already purchased the master set and will be looking forward to buying the other faction decks as well. Trust me, this is one purchase you won’t regret.

The biggest impact of the set has probably got to be the Clan specific Sensei. These Sensei are supposed to create a global effect, representing a major teaching that is associated with your clan. For example, the Crab’s resilience is reflected in their sensei. He makes it more costly for your opponents to target your personalities, by forcing them to discard a card during the first time one of your personalities at his location is targeted by your opponent. Crane and Dragon both employ dueling tactics, albeit in different ways. Mantis represents the hit-and-run tactics of their archers. Lion and Unicorn for their military mastery. Phoenix for their spells. Scorpion and Spider get a little iffy, with Spider edging out the Scorpion sensei (he contributes to your dynasty speed).

Though the cards in the set are impressive, the clan imbalance leaves more to be desired. But understandably, balancing nine clans is much more difficult than five colors.

I wouldn’t recommend buying boxes off the shelves. Instead, take the time to look over the set (using the Oracle of the Void) and purchase what you need from players and online stores.