Any L5R players?

[Myiven]

I know this board is mostly focused on d20 3.5e and 4e, but is there anyone who uses the Legend of the Five Rings system? It's my current favorite. Actually, it's one of only two systems I own, the other being Unknown Armies.

I love the combat system and the rules that L5R uses, but the cultural and social aspects of the game can be a little daunting to first time players. I'm actually looking to run a traditional western-style fantasy game using the L5R rules (locally with my friends. this is not a recruitment thread). Are there any people here who share my interest in this game? It'd be great to find others who build schools, families, skills, katas, and other aspects of the L5R system.

[NPCMook]

My group is currently looking at doing a one-shot every week to find something new to play, this might be one of them, I personally wouldn't mind trying it with the Arabian Supplemental book. The great thing about this system was the combat, since the system is built to be more of a Roleplay/Social interaction game, Combat is deadly, the first time we tried it the GM killed one of the other players with a lowly bandit.

I definately find the book and system interesting and wouldn't mind giving it an actual shot.

[Myiven]

I looked through Legend of the Burning Sands (the Arabian-flavored "add-on"), and it actually has everything you need to play. I recommend the main L5R book just because it's more thorough, but LBS will get you started if you're only interested in the Arabian stuff.

They also have the awesome legion of the dead--as holy crusaders!

[Mordar]

I know this board is mostly focused on d20 3.5e and 4e, but is there anyone who uses the Legend of the Five Rings system? It's my current favorite. Actually, it's one of only two systems I own, the other being Unknown Armies.

I love the combat system and the rules that L5R uses, but the cultural and social aspects of the game can be a little daunting to first time players. I'm actually looking to run a traditional western-style fantasy game using the L5R rules (locally with my friends. this is not a recruitment thread). Are there any people here who share my interest in this game? It'd be great to find others who build schools, families, skills, katas, and other aspects of the L5R system.

Have you considered 7th Sea? It's basically the same system at the core, then advanced a bit. European pirate/adventurer feel already with tons of opportunity for intrigue/family byplay/politicking...easy to convert to more traditional fantasy if you want.

That being said, I loved L5R (big fan of the card game as well) but always was "stuck" GMing except at cons. Big fun!

- M

[Dyllan]

I love L5R. With a good GM, it is easily my favorite system.

That said, I find it much harder to GM than D&D, so I usually run D&D. But L5R first edition was the first RPG I really played. We started a few weeks after the original book came out, and have been playing on and off ever since.

I'd love to see what you come up with for a western theme. I've toyed with the idea of modifying it for western, modern or futuristic settings, but never really got anything together with it. But, if you want to throw some of the ideas you have at us, I'd be happy to brainstorm.

[Umael]

I've run both L5R and Rokugan d20.

I've looked at trying to incorporate White Wolf's Storyteller system (old WoD) into the L5R game platform (i.e., instead of rolling Dex + Melee total and counting the number of successes rolled, rolling Dex + Melee, keeping Dex and totally the dice total).

Didn't get too far.

I also really like LBS, but there is just so much detail for L5R and so little on LBS. It's unfair, really. There is this big Japanese culture kick and not nearly so much with the Arabian Nights culture. It's not surprising. Think Japanese culture, and you get anime. Think Arab culture and you get Muslim, which is far less interesting to the average Westerner.

(The above is a gross oversimplification, and please, let it sit as just my opinion if you disagree rather than derail the thread with modern politics. Thank you.)

[Frosty]

I play L5r regularly twice a month with my friends.

[misterk]

I love L5R. The social constraints of samurai leads to excellent roleplaying opportunities: last summer I played a crane duellist (house ruled so the kakita are actually, you know, GOOD at dueling), as we worked our way through winter court. I love the rules of the world- pretending you can't hear through paper walls, proof of guilt being determined by the rank of the accuser, samurai never lying....

[Yora]

I've run both L5R and Rokugan d20.

I also really like LBS, but there is just so much detail for L5R and so little on LBS. It's unfair, really. There is this big Japanese culture kick and not nearly so much with the Arabian Nights culture. It's not surprising. Think Japanese culture, and you get anime. Think Arab culture and you get Muslim, which is far less interesting to the average Westerner.

I did a paper on hindu mythology some weeks ago. That stuff is first class fantasy material! But hardly anyone in the western world knows about it.