Queries About L5R RPG 4e...

[Haruspex_Pariah]

So I was thinking about pen-and-paper RPGs, which in all honesty I will likely not play for the time being, and came across mention of L5R.

I have a few of the novels and am somewhat acquainted with the storyline; less so with the card game it is based on. I have a few questions for those who have played the L5R RPG.

1. In terms of backstory, how does a PC party come together (and stick together) in L5R? I'm guessing that meeting up in a tavern and going to beat up monsters for loot is out of the question. Is it normal for characters of different clans to mix in parties?

2. How do GMs handle storyline continuity? Each time an edition of the CCG is released the metaplot moves a bit. Do you just create an alternate timeline and add the metaplot developments which you like?

That's about all for now. I may have more later.

[Terraoblivion]

The classic way for the group to be united is by means of being Emerald Magistrates together. However, it is far from the only option and the book gives several suggestions such as being Imperial legionnaires, cartographers or a traveling band of samurai on musha shugyo who work together for protection and better job opportunities. Though it's unlikely, you might even just be friends.

As for continuity, 4e focuses more on the constants of Rokugan than on the particulars of the metaplot and tries to pretty strongly encourage you to pick whichever period you like. In general, though, I imagine that you're expected to just overlook any metaplot changes that clashes with your game if you set it at the beginning of the thirteenth century. Seems like the simplest solution to me at least.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Without revealing anything you shouldn't, how's the looting in L5R? Is there a Wealth by Level equivalent or does the GM just guesstimate it. Samurai in Rokugan, if I recall correctly, don't go around selling stuff.

[The Big Dice]

Without revealing anything you shouldn't, how's the looting in L5R? Is there a Wealth by Level equivalent or does the GM just guesstimate it. Samurai in Rokugan, if I recall correctly, don't go around selling stuff.

Money is a non issue. And it's beneath samurai to go round looting dead bodies like they were some kind of eta tasked with handling unclean things like blood and guts. Send the honourable dead's swords back to their family and be done with it.

By that, I mean that killing and looting is exactly what L5R isn't about. You really don't need much equipment past your starting outfit, and what you do need will be provided for you by your lord. In other words, it's a much more social game than D&D.

[Archwizard]

Emerald Magistrates, Jade Magistrates, alliance against the Shadowlands, task assigned by the Emperor (most likely indirectly), clan alliance against bandits, cross-clan honor requirements (repaying familial debts or the like), tales of friendship that have to weather clan obligations, and many more!

And yes, the starting outfit / annual stipend / lord providing gear is really all you need for L5R. I think in all the campaigns I played, for treasure I had a Lion Samurai who found an enchanted sword in an abandoned village that he kept and used to honor the craftsmanship and purpose of the sword while trying to find its rightful owner. And that might be it.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

I've heard that L5R is more lethal, how far is this true? Is there less healing, less hit points, or what.

[The Big Dice]

I've heard that L5R is more lethal, how far is this true? Is there less healing, less hit points, or what.

A katana does on average around 5k2 damage. A typical starting character will have about 38 wounds before they die. Take a look at this chart (http://www.robedy.info/l5r/roll.html). A 5k2 roll has an 80% chance of reaching 30 damage and is going to average 19. Sure, you can use a Void Point to soak 10 damage, but you can only do that once per turn. And damage gives penalties which can rack up very quickly.

4th ed L5R is actually less deadly than previous editions, and I'd still give an average character the ability to take maybe three hits before being out of the fight and four before being killed. With good rolls, you could be one shotted fairly easily.

[Terraoblivion]

Both and you deal more damage on an average hit than anybody unoptimized does in D&D too. In general no system that isn't D&D has healing as readily available as D&D does, so in general you don't need to ask about that. There are also cascading wound penalties that makes it increasingly difficult to actually act once you start getting damaged, making for a system where fights are quite rough. However, they're also far less common in D&D. You aren't supposed to get into four level-appropriate fights on an average day, especially not since the system favors more socially-oriented challenges and if you do play a scenario that favors combat it's expected that some characters are going to die to reinforce how dangerous the Shadowlands/war/The Bloodspeakers/others are.

[Evil the Cat]

It can be difficult to bring a good group together consisting of difficult clans. Magistrates is the easiest method, but there are others.

Combat is lethal compared to most games. This is part of the setting though. In many L5R campaigns, combat usually only occurs if something has gone wrong.

It is very important in an L5R game to let your players know what the primary focuses of the game will be. One game I was in failed because the person running planned on having a game focusing mostly on court intrigue, and didn't tell anyone in the group ahead of time. We wound up with a mix of characters that in no way fit his plans.

In the current L5R game I'm in, we have a fairly mixed group. we're actually running two groups in different time periods, which will ultimately have a story linked across 500 years.

The first group is fairly high level (rank 4), and is a more adventuring style group.

In the group farther in the past (7th century), The Emperor, upon hearing of some unusual problems in Hiruma lands (from the Hiruma Lord actually), has decided that perhaps a different approach may find something that they have missed. He has a put together a small group from a variety of other clans, to show that this is a problem for the whole empire, and not any one clan. The group is sent to meet with Lord Hiruma, and assist him in figuring out what is behind these unusual events.

The second group is lower level (rank 2) and is designed primarily for court.
In the group closer to present day (12th century), some courtiers from different clans have been asked to speak to the students at one of the imperial courtier schools. While there, one of the main sensei at the school, a very elderly man who is friends with one of the party members, wanders off for no apparent reason, and is found in a nearby house where everyone in the house is dead, including the sensei. It appears the sensei's death was suicide.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

So, I managed to borrow a copy of the Rulebook from an acquaintance and have spent some time just digesting it.

As I read through it, one thing has caught my attention: the Ugulu no Oni's superior invulnerability.

Looking at the entries for invulnerability, superior invulnerability, and reduction I got even more confused. Do I have this right?

1. Hit by a normal sword. Reduction 24 and maximum of one wound dealt.
2. Hit by a jade/crystal/obsidian sword. Reduction 12 and full damage.
3. Hit by a non-jade spell. Reduction 24. Full damage.
4. Hit by a jade spell. Reduction 12. Full damage.
5. Hit by a non-armor-piercing arrow. No damage.
6. Hit by a standard armor piercing arrow. Reduction 24 and maximum of one wound dealt.

Thanks for any help.