Game Tips for Legend of the Five Rings RPG: Fourth Edition

10

pookie {Avid Gamer}

Jun 28th, 2012| Tip

21 of 22 gamers found this helpful

“Combat is a Killer!”

When first playing the Legends of the Five Ring RPG stress to new players how deadly combat can be. Especially if they come to the game after playing something like Dungeons & Dragons where combat is more forgiving.

At Rank 1, an average samurai armed with a katana will inflict on average nearly 20 points of damage with a single blow. Without armour or spending Void to reduce this damage, 20 points is enough to inflict a Graze on an average Rank 1 samurai, imposing a +5 penalty to all of his actions until healed. Further damage taken will increase this penalty.

So, GMs, warn your players. Combat is a killer!

10

pookie {Avid Gamer}

Jun 21st, 2012| Tip

17 of 19 gamers found this helpful

“Game Types: Investigative”

When first setting out to run the Legends of the Five Ring RPG, the GM should discuss with his players what kind of game that each one them wants to play. Do they want to play a combat orientated game? A social, courtly game? An investigative game? A game of scum and villainy? All these types and more are possible in Rokugan. A simple way to get to this with just the core book is to follow the themes of the eight great Clans.

Every Clan has its Bushi, Courtiers, and Shugenja, but for an investigative game, one character will usually be appointed to the prestigious post of Magistrate. This gives them the right to conduct investigations and to an extent, to travel in pursuit of their investigations. The Magistrate can be a Bushi, a Courtier, or a Shugenja, and sometimes will be a social posting in that the appointed Magistrate will have someone else conduct the actual investigations for him. These investigators are usually called Yoriki, and make for suitable player character positions if an NPC is the Magistrate.

Conducting investigations in Rokugan is unlike conducting an investigation in the modern day. What matters is Testimony – and the Testimony of someone of higher status will outweigh that of someone of a lesser status – and not evidence. This can sometimes mean that an investigation will be concluded on the basis of Testimony rather than what the evidence might say. The exception to this is Kitsuki family of the Dragon Clan whose members value truth and evidence above testimony. This puts them at odds with the attitudes held by the rest of Rokugani society, but it is a means by which a player can roleplay in Rokugan with a slightly more Occidental attitude.

10

pookie {Avid Gamer}

Jun 21st, 2012| Tip

19 of 22 gamers found this helpful

“Game Types: The Mixed Game”

When first setting out to run the Legends of the Five Ring RPG, the GM should discuss with his players what kind of game that each one them wants to play. Do they want to play a combat orientated game? A social, courtly game? An investigative game? A game of scum and villainy? All these types and more are possible in Rokugan, but what if the players want a mixed group of character types?

A good player group should consist of a Bushi, a Courtier, and a Shugenja, but how they work together needs consideration. Whilst a Courtier might be an expert at handling the subtle jibes and threats of others at Court, he cannot always protect himself when matters escalate and a comment is taken as an insult. Unless the Courtier is wearing a full Daisho – composed of the katana and wakizashi – and is practised in the art of Kenjitsu, he cannot defend himself if attacked in Court or challenged to a duel. In this case, a Yojimbo is not just his bodyguard, but becomes his sword arm and will engage in the duel on the Courtier’s behalf. A Shugenja may also sometimes have need of a Yojimbo, as will a Bushi if he is of sufficient status.

The Yojimbo is the perfect role for a Bushi in the party. He need not come from the same Clan as the samurai he is protecting. The Shiba family of the Phoenix Clan is renowned for its Yojimbo, but the Bushi of the Hiruma family of the Crab Clan, the Bayushi family of the Scorpion Clan, the Kakita family of the Crane Clan, and the Miromoto family of the Dragon Clan all work well as Yojimbo.

10

pookie {Avid Gamer}

Jun 21st, 2012| Tip

11 of 14 gamers found this helpful

“Game Types: Combat”

When first setting out to run the Legends of the Five Ring RPG, the GM should discuss with his players what kind of game that each one them wants to play. Do they want to play a combat orientated game? A social, courtly game? An investigative game? A game of scum and villainy? All these types and more are possible in Rokugan. A simple way to get to this with just the core book is to follow the themes of the eight great Clans.

Every Clan has its Bushi, Courtiers, and Shugenja, but for combat orientated games, the Crab and Lion Clans are good choices. The Crab Clan protects the Empire against the Shadowlands and the insidious Taint its inhabitants would spread across Rokugan if they could. Thus the Crab Clan would be an excellent choice if the players want to play uncouth warriors who battle monsters. The Lion Clan is known for its martial prowess and there is not another Clan that it has warred against at one time or another.

10

pookie {Avid Gamer}

Jun 21st, 2012| Tip

10 of 14 gamers found this helpful

“Game Types: Social”

When first setting out to run the Legends of the Five Ring RPG, the GM should discuss with his players what kind of game that each one them wants to play. Do they want to play a combat orientated game? A social, courtly game? An investigative game? A game of scum and villainy? All these types and more are possible in Rokugan. A simple way to get to this with just the core book is to follow the themes of the eight great Clans.

Every Clan has its Bushi, Courtiers, and Shugenja, but for a socially orientated game, one that takes place at Court – and Rokugan holds many, many Courts of varying status and prestige – then the Crane Clan is the perfect choice. Their Courtiers are the master of the etiquette and manners battlefield. Almost as good is the Scorpion Clan, the masters of secrets and obfuscation whose samurai wear masks to hide their faces or part thereof.

10

pookie {Avid Gamer}

Jun 22nd, 2012| Rule

9 of 20 gamers found this helpful

“Legends of the Five Rings & Dice”

The Legends of the Five Rings employs ten-sided dice to use with its Roll-and-Keep™ system. To ensure ease of play, we ask that every player has access to a pool of ten dice so that we are not swapping dice from one person to another and thus slowing the game down.

Legend of the Five Rings RPG: Fourth Edition - Tips & Strategies

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