L5R Ivory Edition card previews – Collapsing Bridge and Strength of My Father

Collapsing Bridge

Nothing too flashy here; simple an elegant design, but that’s all that’s needed from this Holding. Collapsing Bridge was originally printed as part of a mid-arc Learn-to-Play offering, and as such never saw any tournament play. This time it’s releasing with the new Ivory Edition environment, and as such, its playability level will be much higher.

Collapsing Bridge gives defensive decks a great late game option for excess Gold Production that generally accumulates as Provinces are destroyed by their opponent. When this Holding is no longer needed for it’s resources, it’s player can destroy it give himself a bit of a cushion for the ensuing attack. Hopefully the gambit will save their Province, as the bonus will only last the turn…

Strength of My Father

Honor is stronger than steel in Rokugan, and this Strategy proves it! Usually a stat only relevant to defensive decks, Strength of My Father turns Personal Honor into an offensive weapon. Force has already been set up as the defining stat for battles, and with very little directly removing Units from the table, bonuses and penalties to the stat seem to be a battle oriented deck’s bread and butter.

Where the balance of such a potentially large Force swing comes into play is with the Dishonorable mechanic. Against a slandering deck, Strength of My Father will lose much of its impact as dishonorable status reduces Personal Honor to a maximum of 0. Will the power of your Samurai’s ancestors answer his call? Or will their dishonor force their Father’s spirit to abandon them in the heat of battle?

Make sure and check out our next preview of two new Ivory Edition cards on December 18th!