Tips for Running a Game of L5R - Any edition

[Easy e]

Greetings,

I am pitching a game of Legend of the 5 Rings (3rd edition) to play with my group. They have mostly played 5e D&D and know very little about Rokugan. I am also relatively new, but have listened to a lot of actual plays, read materials, etc to brush up.

What are some tips you guys have for running a L5R game, especially for players that are new to the setting and ideas of the game?

Thanks for your help.

[Black Jester]

From an RPG perspective, the pre-Clan War era is probably the most rewarding to play. The relative peace allows for more individual actions involving a small band of samurai, while a massive all-out war, or the other cataclysm-per-decade that leave fewer freedoms for the characters.
The new-ish FFG Legend of the Five Rings retconned the background to that era as well, if I remember correctly, but I haven't bothered to follow their developments.

The Rokugan setting can be a bit overwhelming, especially for new players. There are a lot of names thrown at you. One way to achieve this is to limit the game to one clan only: all characters belong to the same Clan, doing missions for their daimyo. One outsider might work as a liaison or an outsider, but even that is probably less than perfect. By focussing on a single Clan, you have a narrow focus of "what are we ging to do here" for the PCs, which helps with a new campaign setting, the characters already have a common ground for working together and you can find something to do for them, easily.

Also, introduce setting elements one at a time. Honour and respect is important, so make an adventure about that., but don't do it at the same time you introduce another Clan, the Imperial court or Shadowland creatures. The whole parts about customs and rituals offers a lot of the aesthetics of the setting and are fun to explore, but these too should probably be introduced one at a time.

I have never played 3rd edition, only read it, but to my eye, the characters get a lot of boni on each rank, at least when compared to 4th edition. It might be helpful to make these as clear as possible. It sucks if you overlook some cool ability of your character.

Osagi Yojimbo is a nigh perfect source for further adventures. It is also a really fun read.

[LibraryOgre]

Osagi Yojimbo is a nigh perfect source for further adventures. It is also a really fun read.

Samurai Executioner, Path of the Assassin, and Lone Wolf and Cub can also be great.

My suggestion is to make things a bit easy on them... start everyone as Crab or Unicorn. Both have a bit of social latitude, being barbarians, so you can have a bit of easing into social rules.

[Easy e]

Thanks for the tips this far. I appreciate it.

I have isolated the campaign to be a short, 1 year in Rokugan type experience, where one "adventure" happens per season. This will allow me to slowly introduce key ideas about Rokugan. I am also isolating it geographically as well, for the reasons you mentioned. I am also limiting it to Great Clans only (minus Unicron based on the geography of the setting, horses will have little value), at least 1 Shugenja, 1 Courtier, and 2+ Bushi recommended. No non-samurai in the party, and I think I will have 4-5 players.

In session 0, what do you think players absolutely need to know about Rokugan? I think the first key lesson is that of Bushido and the role of Samurai in the Celestial Order. Your thoughts?

[Schwann145]

I think there are some key things to remember and consider for L5R, especially when the players are mostly familiar with D&D:

•Session Zero is important!
You really really need to explore what kind of game you (and the players) are interested in running, because L5R is not an "adventure" game in the way D&D is. L5R is much more about character relationships and politics, and "treasure hunting" is going to come off more like dishonorable grave robbing than anything else in the setting.
So whether you want to do an excursion into the Shadowlands, or deal with inter-clan politics, or Imperial shenanigans, or whatever... it's important to remember your character serves a lord and a purpose, and isn't just a free adventurer.

•Characters are people, not ideals.
It's super easy (and super common among many L5R players) to play up the cultural, clan, and character stereotypes to 110%. Try to emphasize that these stereotypes are guidelines and don't need to be strictly adhered to.
Give a simple working explanation of Bushido, how it differs a bit from western Chivalry, and which tenets are more important to which clans, and then remind the players that they absolutely don't have to live up to it. Samurai are practical people and just as prone to mistakes or avarice as anyone. Bushido is the goal, but bushido is also impossible to perfectly follow.

•Don't mix up the clans!
I'll echo the suggestion above from Black Jester and recommend that the group decide on a single clan to play from. The clans are always working against each other, and multi-clan parties will (and frankly, should) have pvp - and that's too much to ask of a new group of players.
The traditional answers of how to deal with multi-clan parties are also, frankly IMO, bad for new players. The go-to is "everyone is a yoriki under this Emerald Magistrate," or "everyone is working with/for Imperial Cartographers," or some other band-aid fix to an inherent problem. But new players shouldn't be given that sort of cultural responsibility before getting a better grasp of the setting, and while these suggestions do serve as a way to force different clans into working together, that doesn't actually stop them from also working against one another!
It's just a lot, if done right. Keeping everyone to a single clan is much cleaner.

•Give them some homework!
Yeah, I know, no one likes homework before a game. But at least, in this case, homework is basically just watching some awesome movies. :) My recommendations?
~Anything by Kurosawa (Yojimbo, Seven Samurai, Ran) or Yoji Yamada (Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade, Love and Honor) are absolutely outstanding, but many times come with stories about the struggle of having too small a stipend and money problems. L5R tends to ignore money and assume you always have what you need, so while it's hard to emulate these sources in-game, they're still exceptional for tone and atmosphere.
~The 47 Ronin remake with Keanu Reeves. Yes, I know it wasn't particularly well-received, but in my opinion, it's about as close as cinema has ever gotten to what L5R offers. It wonderfully blends the samurai drama with the fantastical spiritual and magical side that doesn't tend to come up much in other samurai reference sources.
~13 Assassins. This (and 47 Ronin as well) is an outstanding example of what honor can demand of a samurai, and the cost that can come with it. Also, it's a seriously entertaining watch.
~Rurouni Kenshin. While I'd absolutely recommend the manga or anime, that's a lot to ask, lol. Luckily there are 5 live-action movies that do a pretty great job portraying the series. Also, if you want to see a master of iaijutsu in action, look no further!
~Game of Thrones. For real, L5R is almost exactly "Game of Thrones, but in the East." The parallels are... uncanny. The politics. The monsters. The Wall. All of it.

[Easy e]

Good idea on the homework.

I have seen all of those (and a few more; I have a real soft spot for Mifune's Samurai Rebellion an Mikke's Hari-Kari, IIRC) but I am not sure my players have seen any samurai drama. Without those touchstones, and with a strong D&D background it would be really difficult to do L5R correctly.






* There is a Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman version of the 47 Ronin idea called The Last Knights that is not set in Japan, but a westernized, stylized version that is entertaining too.

[Schwann145]

Without those touchstones, and with a strong D&D background it would be really difficult to do L5R correctly.

I think L5R's own system is the superior, but alternatively you could run Adventures in Rokugan which just released. It's L5R designed on the 5e D&D chassis, so it will be incredibly familiar to your group.
It also gives an opportunity for the players to become familiar with the setting using mechanics they already know, so that maybe you can nudge them into trying the roll&keep version once they're more familiar and comfortable with Rokugan. ;)

[Easy e]

Well, part of me selfishly wants me to force them OUT of D&D 5e mechanics and play styles and to see that there are other styles of games out there. They have been making some baby steps lately.

That is why I am leaning away from Adventures in Rokugan and want to go more Roll & Keep L5R.

[Schwann145]

Well, part of me selfishly wants me to force them OUT of D&D 5e mechanics and play styles and to see that there are other styles of games out there. They have been making some baby steps lately.

That is why I am leaning away from Adventures in Rokugan and want to go more Roll & Keep L5R.

Totally support that! :D
The more people that try out other games, the better, imo!

[meschlum]

I might actually argue against having everyone from the same clan, for reasons of player enjoyment.

"I'm a samurai, and I use heavy armor and a hammer. Who are you?"
"I'm a samurai too, and I use heavy armor and a hammer."
"Neat! How about you?"
"Well, I'm a samurai, and I wear heavy armor while wielding my hammer."
"Nice. Looks like a great, diverse, party. What do you do?"
"I'm a samurai, and I use heavy armor and an axe."
"Heretic!"
"It's a very blunt axe."
"Fine."

Rokugan has a significant social component, and unless you're dealing with a party of Crab samurai (in heavy armor, with hammers) who go dungeon shadowland crawling for loot and glory, the combat specialists and going to suffer in the social realm ("I kill him before he starts to speak" is not polite). This feeds into the Session 0 considerations - be clear on which social skills (and how high) are strongly recommended. A party where no one has etiquette is in trouble, but a party where one person has all the etiquette is still not going to be fun, between trying to excuse the other party members, stealing the spotlight, and not pulling their weight in combat (if and when it occurs).

Also as part of session 0, give some thought to the party social rank. Where in D&D your background before becoming an adventurer is of limited interest, and anyone can be recruited to go into a dungeon and eliminate the demons inside, it's a bit more complicated in Rokugan. A party with a ronin and a Crane courtier is going to be rather more surprising than a ronin and a monk (or a monk and a courtier - those monks get everywhere).


Suggestions!

1) The ronin party.

If everyone has low social status, they're cut off from the games of the Great Houses, and so you can have a plain ronin in the same group as a dispossessed Crane and a Scorpion who really doesn't want to draw any attention. Plus, you get to redo the 7 samurai and other classics. The courtier is the one who can get the jobs (and pay), outwit the enemy so they let the party pass, and other useful tasks. The shugenja makes the dirty tricks and traps work better, and can get useful hints (or convince the spirits to provide rain).

Some accommodation with the Honor rules is likely to be needed here, as it is in genre to be somewhat more sneaky than the rules of Bushido recommend. A focus on personal or team integrity over public integrity might work, or a recommendation to play characters who are not mechanically punished for low honor scores - and some way to avoid the GM controlling characters with honor rolls.

You can mix in Rokugani elements progressively, with tainted beasts roaming the woods and needing to be removed (and, if the party is clever, identify who is sending them...) for Shadowlands elements, the players being hired to ensure a Phoenix processing passing through the area is not disturbed (it's set to cross the path of a recently appointed minor daimyo, neither will be willing to give way, and the party will be rewarded if they manage to avoid trouble) adds a bit of politics and the importance of face. Remove some suspiciously well supplied bandits (or convince them to surrender) and the party is suddenly rewarded with authority over the region! They gain Status, some Honor, lots of responsibilities they won't feel ready for (and want to spend experience to deal with better, ideally). And whoever was backing the bandits will, of course, now know who to target...


2) Under the Daimyo.

The party (mixed clans) are all honor bound to serve the same daimyo. Their first priority is advancing his cause - benefiting their clans is secondary. This allows the party to work together and bring in diverse expertise to the issues that arise. Not recommended for players with chronic backstabbing disorder, but ideally workable.

Again, Status should be relatively close (starting characters are not expert infiltrators able to fit into any environment), but you could probably mix things up a bit if you go the Judge Dee route - where the low status characters are hired (more or less willingly at first) for their specialized skills and knowledge. Honor can work more or less as is, again with the focus on serving the Daimyo to keep the clan conflicts out of focus (this is not the Alpha province, we do not serve the Lord Computer).

Rokugani elements, and social aspects, will be a lot more present from the start - but can also be narrower. If the party isn't near Crab territory, shadowlands issues are not a major concern. Start with a tea house with a genius architect the Daimyo wants to hire and the captain of the local guards - who cannot stand each other. The party needs to ensure the two do not meet, while maintaining all the proper forms. A chance to be social, possibly to use a duel to distract one or the other potential belligerent, and to watch the vagaries of Glory and Status change things at problematic times.


3) Revenge of the Lobster!

The tainted beasts came for the Crab, cracked their armor, shoved their hammers (and occasional axes) aside, and killed them. No more! Brave samurai (and shugenja. No courtiers. Really. None.) have been told where the warren of shadow beasts lies, and set forth to cleanse it. With jade and fire, but mostly fire because jade costs money.

Do a dungeon crawl. Offer Taint powers from time to time if you feel like it. Repeat.

[Easy e]

I am going with theme #2 more or less.

The party are all from different clans. Upon their "coming of age" ceremony, they are told by their families to go help a family friend as part of their Spring Patrol. This eventually spirals into a longer term commitment for the rest of the year as events unfold.

There are four "adventures" the first is focused on understanding duty, bushido, and basic social hierarchy with a decent helping of combat. The second involves a run in with "Dark Forces" and the Shadowlands. The third is on interacting with other clans and alternative ways to handle problems than killing to complete their objective; things like dueling, etiquette, social rank pulling, etc. The fourth is a winter court scene and intrigue focused scenario with some fighting at the climax. Hopefully, this will give them a WIDE range and flavor of Rokugan.

[Faily]

I often want to recommend the Topaz Championship (https://l5r.fandom.com/wiki/Topaz_Champion) for beginning players. It is a tournament for young samurai as part of their coming-of-age, so they are technically still children legally and thus have a lot more leeway in their mistakes. Each challenge in the tournament is also a good way to understand the system and try different rolls, and it can also be a learning experience in what is to expect from the setting, as well as learning details in the setting (since you can learn in the test of heraldry and history, as you the GM can provide the answers as nuggets of info, without things becoming an info-dump).

It's also a good place to introduce NPCs you want to use for later in the campaign.

[Easy e]

Pitch made for the game, and pitch accepted.

It will start once we finalized our long running Curse of Strahd game. The L5R campaign will be very different from CoS, that's for sure!

[Easy e]

To "add-on" to some of our thoughts about "homework" for this type of game, I watched Sword of Desperation, The Hidden Blade, and re-watched 13 Assassins.

The first two focus a lot on Samurai politics and your duty, and the main characters are the only samurai with any "real" sword training. The rest are all glorified accountants. 95% talking, that culminates in brutal action and a "special" technique only the main character knows. I.e. pretty standard samurai flick stuff!

The last one,13 Assassins is almost the exact opposite. 75% of the movie is action, with only the smallest bit of samurai drama. I feel like watching this one may give players the exact opposite impression of what L5R is actually like. It is enjoyable as an action flick.

[JLandan]

I know it's a very late reply, but Edge Studio's Adventures in Rokugan is a 5e version of L5R. It uses the 5e engine (mostly) but has all unique race / class / background options. Get the PDF or use it to supplement the physical book because though it is very well written, there are numerous errors. There is also a new level 8 adventure module with a few character options called Tomb of Iuchiban. I highly recommend it.

[truemane]

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