L5R classic vs. L5R d20

[estevans_lackey]

WARNING!!

This is NOT a "bash one or the other" thread. If you want to do that, start a new thread!

I really want to hear some opinions from any and all "L5R"ites (Legend of the Five Rings players and GMs) on your attraction to either L5R classic or d20 and WHY. The "why" is very important. I'm getting ready to start an L5R classic game as a player. The problem is is that I'm hopelessly in love with the d20 system and LOVE all the stuff that AEG put out for the rules for D20 L5R. I'm going to give "classic" a try but I'm very reluctant to do so. Thoughts anyone?

 

[Dark Psion]

Well I spent a lot of time in Classic L5R while waiting for 3rd edition D&D and I would have to say I'm starting to like D20 Rokugan better.

The main reason is that you have more options in customizing you PC. With Skills, Feats, Multi classing and Prestige classes you can do more than with L5R's 5 levels of advancement.

The one area where L5R still rules is with the clan sourcebooks. They are so much better than any of the 3e Spatbooks(Sword & Fist, Tome&Blood). I have very high hopes for some D20 Way of_______ books. (And I am still waiting on the Secrets of the clans books)

 

[Paka]

I liked the Classic L5R's pre-Toturi world. I thought it was most simple and more elegant.

I also liked the fact taht anyone in the former game could possibly be killed by one good shot with a katanna. I liked the deadliness of the world but that could be easily solved with a variant Hit Point system like the ones proposed in D20 Modern or Star Wars.

The supplements in the Classic L5R are well written and non-gaming friends have read them straight through like novels. They really convey the alienness of the world and its thinking and how to get the players into character.

I like the D20 system and I think it is far more balanced than the Classic L5R system. There were a few starting character classes in the Classic L5R that were just not as cool as they should have been or were all together broken.

There are good alternatives to be found on the internet but should you have to go find them?

The D20 sources books are gorgeous to look at, although I haven't read them closely yet. I've paged through Rokugan and it looked nice.

So to sum up:

I like the classic sourcebooks for good reading but I dig D20's system. If I were running the game I would tweak the Hit Point system to instill that very real fear of being hit with a weapon. A well-trained samurai with a sword is really something to fear and I dig that.

I want the threat of a one shot kill.

I pine for the simplicity and elegances of the pre-Toturri setting as I find the collectable card game inspired meta-plot to be rather lame.

Nice topic...

 

[Black Omega]

Part of the furfor me is that with the d20 books they are updated the storyline to the present time with the CCG. This was long overdue, IMHO. And provides a rich background for the campaign.

They've had to change the tone a little moving to d20 since DnD is basically about grabbing gold and magic items. But overall they've done a good job keeping the L5R feel. Given that Rokugan d20 might be a good way to bring in new players, I give it the edge.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Hmmm...

...to be honest, it was the background that first drew me into Classic L5R. The finely detailed descriptions of habits, small or common, the flair the whole rulebook carried...you read it and you where starting to think like a character from the game. The same goes for the clanbooks, I was totally hooked. apart from the fact that it was more like "Lone Wolf and Cup" coupled with magic and demons, rather than a "Flying Heroes" movie from Hongkong.

The rules are pretty simple and easy to use for newcomers, as I had the chance to try out (as is D20 now, but remember that L5R was out before 3E was really more than a whispered rumour), and as Paka already said, deadly, which really keeps the players on their toes to not solve everything with a drawn katana. In the end, the rules are only as important as the group makes them...and with L5R they are simple enough to not break your head over them.

There´s much more I love about classic L5R, but it´s far too much to mention here...IMO, the game is great. But that´s personal taste, and I hope taken as such

 

[Psion]

I was leary of L5R Classic primarily because of the metaplotting and the dice mechanic, which I consider attrocious. But I liked the ideas from playing the card game.

For me, the d20 system made the game playable and made it worthwhile even to consider it. Now Rokugan is one of my most admired D&D settings, and a useful source of inspiration for other OA settings.

 

[Roland Delacroix]

L5R classic is probably my favorite game, ever, but being edged out now by Wheel of Time. For in-depth roleplay it cant be beat. My players were totally into the setting and I ran it rather viciously. Heh, a few times players almost got whacked for adressing a touchy superior wrong. The way the players had to work together as Emerald Magistrates, yet work apart in their clan intrests, led to alot of interesting plots. I didn't even run the game really, i just threw out NPC's doing stuff and the game ran itself.

The mechanics were a bit clunky, but got better with second edition. We liked how deadly it was because it made players look at all the RP options instead of fighting. We loved the Honor and Glory rules too. The most powerfull character in my campaign was not a beat-ass but a pascifistic courtier that EVERYONE loved. Characters who RPed and make friends got places, those who remained silent were sent to guard the wall. Great game.

BTW i highly suggest Bearers of Jade from L5R classic. Best RPG book i've read, ever. Tons of info on the shadowlands and fighting them. Lots of amazing fiction, and rules that can be ported over to d20 easy. Even if you don't play any L5R its a book about the way evil fights, how to fight it, and just why it does what it does. After reading Bearers of Jade i felt sorry for the shadowlands.

 

[estevans_lackey]

excellent reading!

Keep it up, guys and gals. This is exactly the kind of stuff I wanted to see. Thanks.

 

[Florin]

Well, I actually liked L5R classic because of the system behind it. I liked the raises and such. I actually prefer that system to D&D, in appropriate settings, like L5R and 7th Sea.

 

[ascendance]

To me, the real difference between Rokugan D20 and Rokugan original is how fast characters die. If you think characters should be crippled in one hit and die in two, then L5R is the game for you. I'm not bashing it. I think it captures the spirit of Chambara action flicks very nicely. However, I think 'tank' characters like Crabs are much more playable in Rokugan D20. Characters who are built around shrugging off damage are more viable and playable.