samurai and shugenja

[Aust Meliamne]

can a samurai multiclas into shugenja? It says in the rokugan book that shugenja cannot take levels of the samurai, but it doesn't specifically state that the opposite isn't true. Although, it seems to stand to reason, at least to me, that samurai cannot level as shugenja. I was hoping for some help.

 

[DM_Matt]

I dont tihnk its a hard and fast rule. The justification it gives is that both are usually trained form birth, and thus one cannot be both, but on the other hand, if someone who has not trained in the class from birth can later MC into it, such as their example of a fighter taking some sorceror levels before going over the the dark side, it stands to reason that one can do this regardless.

Otherwise, one could never MC into either class without having training in that vlass in their backstory, and such training would usually not logically be able to result in a character in another class. I, for one, would most certainly allow such multiclassng IMC.

 

[Henrix]

Isn't that restriction only true in L5R?

(Edit)
(Duh! That was stupid of me. I didn't read your question as thoroughly as I should have. You said specifically in Rokugan.
My only excuse is that I was thinking of my own chinese-like campaign.)
(/Edit)

 

[Akunin]

No the Samurai cannot multi into Shugenja. In the Rokugan book, it states that you must choose Shugenjua as your first-level class, and that you cannot return to it after taking a level in another class.

Note also that there is a distinction between the Samurai character class and the Samurai social class (of which Shugenja are often considered to belong - hence, their right to carry a Wakizashi). So your Shugenja could call himself a Samurai without taking levels in the class.

If you are using only OE, however, I do not believe there are any such restrictions. It's meant to preserve the story aspect of L5R that describes Shugenja as being "called" to their role from a young age and spending a great deal of time in training, to the exclusion of most other pursuits.

 

[Aust Meliamne]

No the Samurai cannot multi into Shugenja. In the Rokugan book, it states that you must choose Shugenjua as your first-level class, and that you cannot return to it after taking a level in another class.

That is exactly what i am looking for. could you please provide a page reference. I cannot seem to find it. Thanks.