any l5r fans?

[Dross Swordra]

Hello all. I played Legend of the Five Rings card game some time ago....I'm probably going to show my age here.....but it was about a decade ago. I was re-hashing some old stories when my buddies and I decided to take up the call of the Empire again. Does anyone know what the most current edition is? Also, is the L5R role-playing game worth dipping money into?

-D

 

[IcyCool]

I've greatly enjoyed the L5R Roleplaying Game, as well as 7th Sea, their swashbuckling rule set. I've only gotten limited experience with the card game, which looks like it might be fun. If you are looking to get ahold of their products, or want more info, try their website.

AEG

I'm not sure what version they're on. I've got most of the 1st-ed clan books, and the 2nd-ed PHB and GM's Guide.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Latest edition of the card game is Lotus. The game has changed in the last 10 years, but the basics remain the same. The story continues on, with one of Toturi's sons on the Imperial Throne. They update the fiction weekly on the main site.

AEG published the 3rd Edition of the roleplaying game recently, and it's a game I intend to run somewhen. They published alot of material for a d20 version of the game and much of it should still be available. Both are well worth a look into.

 

[Treebore]

I play the L5R RPG. It is great.

 

[Ron]

I just brought a first edition copy of L5R RPG, I'm waiting it at the mai box next week.

 

[WayneLigon]

I quite liked the first edition of it. I have not tried the new edition.

 

[sydbar]

I love the L5R card game, but stopped collecting when they stopped allowing spells, I also like the d6 version of the rpg, but love the D20 version of L5R.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

I've never gotten a chance to play AEG's L5R house system (that's the roll-and-keep system, isn't it?) or the card game, but their d20 products in the line were extremely good. I still consider the Courtier class from the Rokugan d20 core book a core class in every campaign I play, and have used several of the PrCs and feats as both a GM and a player.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I have all the d20 RPG material, and I consider it great. A good read, too, even if you don't intend to use the setting itself, ever.

It's not your average d20 campaign. Politics are important, political intrigue rampant, and the pen is mightier than the katana (So that courtier can't wield a weapon so save his life? Doesn't matter, since he could sic a hundred bushi on you.) Money isn't as important as in other games (most characters will probably be part of the samurai caste and be cared for by their lord)


I also got the 3rd Edition L5R roleplaying game rulebook that contains their own system.

I didn't have the chancer to try it out (I might do so one day, though), but it sounds very intriguing.

You use d10s all the way. It's not a bonus system as in D&D (roll d20, add bonuses to outcome, beat DC), but not a classical pool, either (like in WoD: look up your ability, add/subtract mods for difficulty, roll as many d10s: Every die with 8 or better counts as a success. 1 success makes the roll a success, 5 an exceptional success, and some rolls make further distinctions):

You roll a number of d10s, but only keep a certain number of them: Say you make a damage roll, the weapon has 3k2, your strength is 2, so you have 5k2. You roll 5 dice and keep 2. 10s are rerolled and added to the old result (so 10, 8, 4, 4 ,2 would mean you reroll the 10, get, say, a 5, so your two dice show 15 and 8, for a total of 23). You have to beat the TN (target number). If you want to do a great job (not just getting it done), you can raise. Each raise is a 5 point increase of the TN. You have to beat the higher TN (so in our other example, if the TN had been 20, raised to 25, the 23 would be a failure, even though you would have succeeded without the raise)


It's also not strictly level/class based like D&D, but not as free-form as WoD. You can increase most abilities, and get insight for the increases. If your insight points exceed certain limits, your insight rank (a bit like levels) increases. That allows you to train for the next rank in your school (more or less a class, though it doesn't limit yourself as much as d20 classes, it merely gives you one ability per level)

 

[Kwitchit]

I LOVE the l5r d10 RPG- in fact, I was playing it before DnD. 3rd edition is certainly the best edition, especially as everything is now updated to it. It is basically a mishmash of the good bits of 1e and 2e and the supplements to them, with some extra (like new Schools). The book is also beautiful- brilliant understated cover, and new card art inside (I think the cards might have changed since you last played).
The RnK system is far superior to d20 for the setting, as XP is all story-based and combat is far more deadly.
I now refer you to Chris Hepler's thoughts after the designers outlined their vision for the RPG

"Let me get this straight," I thought. "You want me to play a fantasy RPG in which your characters bathe daily, are literate, polite to one another, and work in a team. You will be given a badge in the form of a pair of very sharp swords. Magic is considered a respectable, skilled profession among the upper classes, so five spellcasters in a group doesn't stretch plausibility. The warriors will be professionals with licenses to kill, but the second they overstep the bounds of their lord, they will be reined in, because the social order will be more powerful than any one man. There will be no mixing of incompatible characters such as thieves and ninja that inevitably lead to intra-party homicide.

"You want a system where you can kill or die in one sword stroke, so you actually have to think about the ramifications of a fight beforehand. You want to get away from the Conan fantasy in which you collect enough treasure to buy your own kingdom and having problems you can't solve with swords will not be reserved for "high-level" characters.

"You want courtly love, moral dilemmas, and loyalty to your lord to play an inherent part of the game system. You will define the role of women among each of the clans, creating a stereotype intended to be broken. You will have a responsibility to those you guard both above and below you, and you will have a license to kill. In other words, I as a GM will have a plausible reason why a mixed batch of armed psychos will get into trouble every week from now until eternity.

"Twist my frickin' arm."