Legend of the Five Rings RPG: 4ed Core Book - Tips & Strategies

Disadvantages are a GREAT way to get extra experience points to start your character with. The ratio of points/extra work or problems in-game is very fair. This means you will feel every extra point you get later on, when you have to roll a 3k1 instead of a 6k3 because you’re terrified of the current enemy, or what have you.

I try not to get more than 11 or 12 points from them, and/or no more than five total. this nets me enough to snag those critical extras (like ‘Games: Shogi 3’ for my master tactician-in-training), and I’m not always plagued by their effects.

More than that though, you can use something like a speech impediment or say, obtuse (seeing no point in the arts) as an excuse to actually get into your character, have some fun role-playing!

It sounds kind of redundant, but I’ve noticed new players, and even some vets, tend to get into the “I’m going to” mode.

“I’m going to open the chest” is good, let me know if you find any scrolls in there.

“I’m going to say ‘hello’ to the blue tanuki waitress.” is a bit convoluted, unless you’re saying that to my character in-game.
In which case, you should’ve used the lisp you bought, and:

“I’ll take a shot as well.”
“Hmm…”
“Second thought, you might as well get a bottle.”

FEAR EFFECTS
# Courage of the Seven Thunders will allow a player to reroll against a Fear effect if they currently under the influence by one.
# Jaded Rule: If a player exceeds a Fear effect roll by 10 or more they have the option of becoming “jaded” against further Fear effects from like encounters. Mechanically, a player will have a list of creatures they have encountered that they no longer need make Fear rolls against once they have succeeded in the above roll. Note, this will never apply to any spell effect that generates Fear.

Sometimes a bushi or warrior will find himself suddenly in combat with his katana still sheathed. This means that he will not be able to attack until the weapon is drawn and this can loose the bushi an offensive action during that round.

Mastery of certain skills will negate this problem. A skill rating of 5 in Kenjutsu will negate this problem as it grants a Mastery Ability that makes readying a katana is a Free Action rather than a Simple Action, but a skill rating of 5 cannot be purchased during character creation.

Another option for a starting bushi is to purchase the Iaijutsu at a rating of 3, which is possible during character generation. This grants a Mastery Ability that makes readying a katana is a Free Action rather than a Simple Action. [NOTE: studying Iaijutsu, the art of the duel created by the Crane Clan, is not acceptable to all Clans.]

INNATE ABILITIES
Any time you use an Innate Ability and have the appropriate scroll in
hand, you gain a Free Raise for the casting of that spell.