Below are printed only the most recent additions and changes to the L5R FAQ - we simply don't have room to print the whole thing.

SCC is so new that we haven't had many FAQ's. We expect to include more card game FAQ's in the next Herald.

Card Games

Frequently Asked Questions

By Jeff Alexander

Q. There are so many ways of taking an action before the first normal action in a battle now. How do you decide who goes first?

A. Like any other situation where a game event is the trigger, the current player gets the first chance to react. This will typically be the Attacker, though watch what happens during a Counterattack. For the sake of simplicity, all the various wordings - "before the Defender's first action" "before any other actions' "immediately after the battle starts" etc. - are considered equivalent.

Q. When I use the Inexperienced Bayushi Shoju's new ability and play cards from my opponent's hand, whose discard pile do they go in? And what if it's a card that stays in play? Do I keep control of it after the battle?

A. Those cards go into the original owner's discard pile. If you put cards into play that stay in play (for example: you play ~oops from the Woods" to attach a follower to one of your Personalities. then those cards remain under your control even after the hands are switched back You should carefully mark these cards so that you don't accidentally walk away with them after the game, though.

Q. I hear you're changing your card backs for Legend of the Burning Sands! Hasn't this been shown to be a bad idea?

A. It would be if LBS were really the next L5R story arc, but it's not. Burning Sands is a brand-new game and is not designed to be compatible with L5R, though many of its game mechanics will be similar and it will be set in the same world as Rokugarn and a timeline concurrent with L5R's upcoming Hidden Emperor story and and some crossing-over of characters as their stories unfold.

Individual Cards:

• Isawa Tadaka Experienced 2 should have the Shadowlands trait.
  
• The True Lands second ability is a reaction, not a Limited action.
  
• Hojatsu's Blade is a Weapon.
  
• Doji Satsume is a samurai.
  
• The Ancestral Sword of the Scorpion is correct as printed.

Roleplaying Game

Frequently Asked Questions

By John Wick

Q. I have trouble GMing one part of the Rokugan world (apart from the Kolat whom I'm anxiously awaiting in Crab and Lion supplements...); its economy. Though maybe not that important, it does seem to have a large impact on my game, most notably for motive and detail

A. Okay, let's see what we can do.

Q. If a samurai is above hinin and heimin on the celestial pattern, do they just take what they want without payment, or do they pay from the small sum they receive each year from their clan (2-10 koku)? If its okay to slay etc, is it just as OK to take what they have? Would it be considered a crime and punishable; would the ashigaru ignore the offense for fear of retribution? Are the 2-10 koku a year wages used for personal purchases like geisha, with official clan missions paid for out of his/her daimyo's coffer? Any clarifications you can give me, without of course repeating what you would in future supplements, would be appreciated.

A. Very good question. Sure, samurai can kill just about anyone they want. There's no law against killing "lesser" folks, but you may get somebody angry at you (killing a daimyo's favorite concubine, for instance). It all depends on a samurai's honor. A samurai with a high honor recognizes his duty to protect those people, while a samurai with a low honor doesn't care. How much money you give your samurai is up to you. I don't deal with money myself, but I have been known (in other people's L5R campaigns) to do it this way: "My character walks up to the blacksmith and says. 'My name is Bayushi Yojiro. I am a magistrate of Akodo Toturi. The blacksmith who forged me a nezu katana would have great honor and glory brought to his name, and my children would speak his name with great majesty in the Emperor's court." That's how I handle it.

Q. If a Lion clan samurai becomes an Imperial Magistrate, he should make about 160 koku a month + year end bonus (a very rich man). Does he still receive salary from his clan? Can he still take horses from his clan daimyo's holdings for an Emerald Champion mission?

A. "Yes" to both questions. But remember, money isn't important to samurai. When Yojiro goes to pick up his sword, he gives that 160 koku to the smith and does it VERY LOUDLY.

Q. Prices. I don't mean lists upon lists of items and how much they cost, I can always look at the lists you've already made and approximate, just more far reaching examples: housing, room for the night, horses, hinng ashigaru, jade, jade items, etc Just simple examples to aid in GM guesses later on. Right now I have no idea how much items at all relative to how much they make. Is jade so expensive only a daimyo could afford and distribute it?

A. Technically, a samurai really doesn't need to pay for anything. He can just walk in and demand what he wants. Samurai of low honor do this. Samurai of high honor go in and pay too much for everything. Jade is a different matter. Jade is very rare in Rokugan. We'll be handling the rarity of jade in the Shadowlands book (coming out in two or three months), but suffice to say that it may be the one thing samurai have to pay for.

Q. Mostly, I need more of a feel for the economy. I still have trouble envisioning the "line Value" of one koku. In my game right now, 1 koku is a fair amount of money. Samurai and their daimyo: are they a kind of father and son dependence? Where you ask for money and receive it as your father deems fit, or is it boss and employee dependence where you get paid so much and can use it as you like? (2-10 koku doesn't seem like enough for such a relationship).

A. What makes all of this "relative value" worse is that koku is based on the rice harvest. If there's a bad harvest, the value of koku goes up. If there's a good harvest, the value goes down. Koku is, perhaps, the WORST monetary system ever invented. There is no measurable intrinsic value.

Q. When a samurai marries, does his/her daimyo give them a house? Or does he/she have to pay for its construction with personal money? (2-5 koku a year). Assuming that the land does not need to be bought since a daimyo owns it and can give it away?

A. It depends on the situation. Rich daimyos can give away castles, but poor ones cannot. Most lower class samurai live in barracks provided by for their lord. There are two kinds barracks for single samurai and barracks for married samurai. Obviously, the married barracks haue a little more privacy, but not much.

Q. p.73, Innate Abilities. Does the ability have to be one of the spells that the shugenja has a scroll for?

A. I'd say "Yes. " But (as a GM) give me a good story, and I'll probably change my mind.

Q. p. 75, 'Bad Health' Does this also affect healing time? If not, character with Bad Health will actually heal much faster than normal characters...

A. Yes, it does affect healing times

Q. p. 77, 'Small' You drop the highest dice on damage rolls Can this be one of the dice you would have to drop in the first place, or do you drop your highest dice after dropping all the rest?

A. Drop your highest die after dropping all the rest.

Q. Crab Samurai, 'Mountain Does Not Move' Do you spend the Void Points make the roD before or after the attacker hits or calculates damage?

A. After damage is calculated. But, I've heard others do it the other way. Either way is fine. One is just a little more forgiving.

Q. With multiple actions, when do the bonus actions occur in the initiative sequence?

A. Right after your first one. Or, you can hold it if you like, for a later chance that same round

Q. How does a character without special techniques make multiple actions in one turn?

A. He doesn't. That's the advantage of going to school.

Q. Crane Samurai, 'Way of the Crane' Is the adding of the Iaijutsu skill a simple bonus to the result, or is it extra dice rolled?

A. Just a bonus to the result.

Q. Crane Samurai, 'Sudden Strike' The samurai can raise by less than 5 TN, but do they receive extra damage dice for these partial raises, or only for each full multiple of +5?

A. Round down.

Q. How likely are shugenja to get multiple actions for casting spells? If not likely, why does the book make the distinction between Turns and actions on p. 143?

A. In case he gets magically sped up.

Q. In casting a Ritual, do the total number of shugenja count towards the Actions required for the spell? I.e. if 5 shugenja are casting a Ritual, does that count as 5 Actions a turn or only one?

A. No, but ... If you get a bunch of people casting the same spell, that gives you more dice. More dice means that you get to play with Raises. More Raises means you can . . . shorten the casting time.

Q. Can a shugenja pause in the casting process (having completed some of the Actions), do something else and then return to the scroll or is it all in one hit?

A. Oh. That's a mean one. Unfortunately no. Most spells are prayers, and require complete concentration to communicate with the kami who will help you cast the spell Unfortunately, if your concentration is broken, so is your connection to the kami.

Q. When shugenja return to their school for more scrolls, are they still constrained to get only those spells they could possibly Master (as for Rank 1), or can they take any spells?

A. It's the GM's call. "ls our apprentice ready for this spell" kind of stuff. Besides, he may be given spells that are deemed "necessary" for the Clan's betterment ...

Q. p. 190, 'Fear.'. The creatures listed with Fear have no numerical rating, but the rules on Fear refer to a rating.

A. Unfortunately, an oversight kept the Fear Ratings out of the book. Here's the Fear Ratings for anybody interested. Gaki 3 Ubume: 2 Goryo : 3 Kumo: 3 Ogres. 2 Zombies. 4 Skeletons 4 Pen naggolan . 4 Kyoso no Oni 5 Oni no Shikibu. 3 Oni no Akama. 4 Oni no Tsuburu. 4

Q. Finally, a quibble rather than a question. You recover Wounds equal to Stamina every day. That means that you recover from near-death to complete health in 2 weeks. That seems awfully fast...

A. Then change itl (We didn't want samurai on their backs all year recovering from wounds). Someone suggested stealing the Pendragon healing rules (a very good suggestion) In this case, you could naturally heal one level per week.

Q. Also, a few questions about the setting, rather than the rules. Are shugenja classed as Nobles or Clergy? That is, does a shugenja have the same social standing and opportunities for advancement as a samurai?

A. Clergy. However, many retain thar Noble status and PCs should talk to their GMs about how they want to handle this. I've got 3 shugenja in our office game. One gave up hs family name, but the others refused to. It works both ways.

Q. How common is war? Is it the last resort, or do battles occur every second week? Where do wars usually occur - in the countryside, or dose to cities or towns?

A. When you have to march an army on the battle, you've already lost. That's the Rokugani way of looking at war. Of course, not everybody agrees.

Q. I find the map in the back rather hard to read. Where exactly is the town of Tsuma (from the sample adventure)?

A. Sorry it's hard to read. Look at the one on the outside of the GM Pack We're also printing a big, full sized one in CITY OF LIES. The town of Tsurna is where you need it to be. Currently, it's in Crane territory, just south of the capital.

Q. How far out of the Shadowlands do monsters venture? Will they stay close, or can the crafty ones slip out and range far afield?

A. Crafty ones do make it past the gate. That's where the Kuni WitchHunters come into play. (Hint. You'll see them in WAY OF THE CRAB shortly. Man, are they cooL)

Q. Whereabouts in Rokugan would most conflicts between the Lion and the Crane occur? How about the Lion and the Unicorn?

A. Lion and Crane squabble over borders all the time. Lion and Unicom . . . not so often. Not enough to fight about. Besides, Toturi is making good friends with all the Unicorns. He likes the big horsies.

Q. Obviously opposing Clans have battles, but do small conflicts between allied Clans ever spill over into open warfare? Are these conflicts governed by formalized rules, or administered by the Emperor?

A. Depends on which way you want your story to go, I guess. I've got one guy who's running the game who's got a full scale war between the Lion and Crab going on . . . with the Scorpions stuck right in the middle. Anybody smell conspiracy?

Q. I've figured out how to make a character that starts at Rank 2! I can do it with the Moto family, Dragons, Crane, Lion, and Scorpion. Is there any way to do it with the other clans?

A. I've done it with every Clan. Unfortunately, I've also come out with a character that I would never want to play. What's the point?

Q. Why did the game design allow the person who focused last to strike first? What are your justifications regarding this matter?

A. It's a mistake. Try this out: The person with the highest Fire gets the option to focus first. It works better.

Q. What is the basis of the Rank 2 ability of the Shiba bushi school? It is notable that their Rank 1 ability is possibly the most powerful as far as bushi schools go but then penalties on the Rank 2 and 3 abilities are rather large, aren't they?

A. hat's the problem. Shiba bushi aren't as feared as other bushi. Not a game balance problem . . . a world concept problem They were designed to work well with shugenja, and that's what they do best.

Q. Could you please explain the way 01k die roll values are determined? If you do not roll any dice, how can you keep one?

A. Sure. Damage is figured this way: Strength + 0k1. So, it's Strength dice, plus 0, keeping 1. That's how that works out.

Q. How do you stop a True Ronin from taking the Different School advantage and use the remaining 40 character points in creating a powerful character from day 1? Notice that the book does not eliminate that possibility. Ronin may not go to recognized schools but someone must have taught them some martial arts.

A. Dave Williams and I have two different answers. Dave doesn't see a problem with a True Ronin taking Different School. He still doesn't get the Family and Clan bonuses to his hits and he still has the roleplaying disadvantages of being a ronin. While I see Dave's point (and kinda agree with it), I'm a purist. If you don't have a school to begin with (you're a True Ronin) you can't take Different School. Either way you want to run it is very valid. Just different styles.

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