For the Lion Clan this is all that I would like to see from the Lion clan:

• Beastmasters
• Deathseekers
• Tacticians

Now you might be asking: "Why?"

Beastmasters. This group within the lion clan, specifically the Matsu Family, are reknown for training battlecats. What exactly is a battlecat? The Matsu tame Lions and Tigers and use them to attack enemy troops. This is a fairly unique facet to the Lion clan and would help distinguish them from other clans.

Deathseekers. What exactly are they? Well they are dishonored members of the Lion clan. However instead of committing seppuku, they were utilized on the field of battle so that they may regain their honor. In story time, it would mean they would spend around 1 year's time as a Deathseeker to become rehonored.

Tacticians. Now every clan tends to have its tacticians, but the Lion I would say are the most well-known for theirs. Not even joking, the only clan that comes close to the number of Tacticians that Lion has is Unicorn and their 47 tacticians in the twenty years of the game; Lions have a total of 128 tacticians. So what was so special about being a tactician? Easy, the purpose of a Tactician was the ability to pitch cards to the discard pile to buff themselves and turn them into a more formidable force.

Even though I love Beastmaster, I think this is something that we do not going to see any time soon in the LCG. It is just too focused on one clan. I like Deathseekers in the fluff, but don'T think it is needed to make them anything special in the LCG. And sure, keep Tacticians, but unload the keyword, don't let it have any longer an inherent rulebook mechanic.

Even though I love Beastmaster, I think this is something that we do not going to see any time soon in the LCG. It is just too focused on one clan. I like Deathseekers in the fluff, but don'T think it is needed to make them anything special in the LCG. And sure, keep Tacticians, but unload the keyword, don't let it have any longer an inherent rulebook mechanic.

That is like saying the Scorpion shouldn't have anything to do with Poison or that the Crab shouldn't have anything to do with Siege. It feels a bit needless to rip it out of the game when it adds to the identity of a clan.

I understand that things need to be pruned, but on the other hand I would hope that being part of a clan actually has some mechanical and aesthetic differences. That their identity actually means something.

It would be like me taking away the Fire aspect from MTG's Red magic. Its a fairly iconic and long-lasting part of a faction that actually helps define what the faction is about.

Beastmasters are much more niche and less iconic than Akodo Tacticans, Matsu Berserkers, Ikoma Scouts, and Kitsu Sodan Senzo. If you have already 4 major things to represent, you might pass on something too niche. In MTG, it would be like giving priority to Red's ability of "sacrifice X, to cause Y" over "Lightning Bolt for 3".

I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, I often feel that FFG goes a little too light on its keywords (which are called Traits in LCG jargon, by the way - can't wait to watch the hell this causes for migrants from the CCG), and most cards should have three, rather than two, traits. On the other, the most critical elements of Clan identity ought to be reflected in terms of design space: each faction has something it can do that no other Clan does; e.g. the Mantis have naval superiority, the Unicorn have cavalry (whatever these mean in the LCG era), and so on.

What I would like to see more of, and which AEG Design got a lot better about towards the end, are keywords that apply to multiple Clans. For the Unicorn, leave the concept of Battle Maidens as fluff, and instead turn the Utaku women into Paragons, a trait we can share with the Lion, the Scorpion, and the Spider, with a few Paragons sprinkled into other Clans here and there. Same with Tacticians, and [insert third CCG keyword here so that my point sounds more solid].

Something I'd like to see more of in the Lion (although I'm biased by being primarily an RPG player) is Ancestor magic. I don't know how exactly to deal with that in the LCG, but I always thought it was a bit unused in the Card Game the few times I tried to do something with it. Well, heck, in the RPG it took a backseat too, although it was supposed to be a defining part of the Kitsu and the Lion.

I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, I often feel that FFG goes a little too light on its keywords (which are called Traits in LCG jargon, by the way - can't wait to watch the hell this causes for migrants from the CCG), and most cards should have three, rather than two, traits. On the other, the most critical elements of Clan identity ought to be reflected in terms of design space: each faction has something it can do that no other Clan does; e.g. the Mantis have naval superiority, the Unicorn have cavalry (whatever these mean in the LCG era), and so on.

What I would like to see more of, and which AEG Design got a lot better about towards the end, are keywords that apply to multiple Clans. For the Unicorn, leave the concept of Battle Maidens as fluff, and instead turn the Utaku women into Paragons, a trait we can share with the Lion, the Scorpion, and the Spider, with a few Paragons sprinkled into other Clans here and there. Same with Tacticians, and [insert third CCG keyword here so that my point sounds more solid].

I think clan identity can, and mostly should, be something that's displayed in the kinds of abilities they get.

Keywords can and should be more generally available, though it's okay for a particular clan to have easier access to a given keyword.

These two ideas can also interact. Take tactician, for example, which could work the same for everyone, but lion tend to get a bit more frequently, and get abilities that leverage it.

This can also be true regardless of whether it's loaded or unloaded.

Oh I don't mind if the Beastmaster aspect was spread out, but I do mind if its entirely forgotten. However like BD Flory points out, one clan should be better at it than the others.

Like for instance: I don't mind the Unicorn getting Naval from time to time, but I do when they do a better job at it than the Mantis clan. I would also start to care if the Scorpion were better at Cavalry than the Unicorn, stealing their thunder basically.

Beastmasters are much more niche and less iconic than Akodo Tacticans, Matsu Berserkers, Ikoma Scouts, and Kitsu Sodan Senzo. If you have already 4 major things to represent, you might pass on something too niche. In MTG, it would be like giving priority to Red's ability of "sacrifice X, to cause Y" over "Lightning Bolt for 3".

Ahem.

^ that came out two sets ago. Here is an even more recent example of that and is from the most recently released set.

I think the important question regarding Beastmaster would be, how does FFG handles token characters in the first place? Has any of the LCG's anything like that, and thus is it even feasable to expect they would do it for L5R?

I think the important question regarding Beastmaster would be, how does FFG handles token characters in the first place? Has any of the LCG's anything like that, and thus is it even feasable to expect they would do it for L5R?

Conquest has half-size cards. Most (all?) factions have some kind of access to token troops, which are, at least so far, identical within a faction.

So, the Imperial Guard faction, for example, gets a supply of infantry token cards (forget the name), and they all have the same (low) stats, non-unique etc.

It was a little fiddly for my taste, honestly.

I think the important question regarding Beastmaster would be, how does FFG handles token characters in the first place? Has any of the LCG's anything like that, and thus is it even feasable to expect they would do it for L5R?

Conquest has half-size cards. Most (all?) factions have some kind of access to token troops, which are, at least so far, identical within a faction.

So, the Imperial Guard faction, for example, gets a supply of infantry token cards (forget the name), and they all have the same (low) stats, non-unique etc.

It was a little fiddly for my taste, honestly.

Good to know that the possibility is there, still it feels like they wouldn't want to make tokens for everything, that means it would still be questionable if we could see warcat token for L5R.

Good to know that the possibility is there, still it feels like they wouldn't want to make tokens for everything, that means it would still be questionable if we could see warcat token for L5R.

If they cut the two deck system, I would expect this is where followers wind up. And if that's the case, I imagine Beastmaster pets will be a low priority beneath human soldiers.

Unless they're Kodo and Podo.

Beastmasters. This group within the lion clan, specifically the Matsu Family, are reknown for training battlecats. What exactly is a battlecat? The Matsu tame Lions and Tigers and use them to attack enemy troops. This is a fairly unique facet to the Lion clan and would help distinguish them from other clans.

Really? The others I agree with, but I never found the beastmasters to be that common or that iconic. There was one pre-Gold. Three between Gold and the new frames, two of which were Benika, and then 6 that were Twenty Festivals - out of 11 total personalities (one soul of). So about half of them came into being at the very tail end of the CCG era.

Apart from Benika, who was played at all experience levels because she was well above the power curve, I don't remember seeing them at all in the span that I played. I'm not opposed to them existing, but I'd much rather the iconic Matsu embodying the aggressive and impassioned archetype like the Matsu Lion's Pride or the berserkers. I think Matsu Tsuke or Matsu Turi when I think of the Matsu. Even Gohei and the various "soul of" and reworks of him.

I think that it is reasonable to assume that with a smaller base set of around 300 cards, all Clans included in the core set will probably be narrower in focus to keep thematically streamlined and mechanically stable. While Beastmasters, Deathseekers, and Tacticians are indeed iconic Lion keywords and personalities, I imagine that the Lion included in the core will be narrowed to only one, likely Tacticians. Later chapter (or whatever FFG chooses to name them) packs and deluxe expansions might expand beyond this, but I would not imagine anything being done with the keywords beyond Tactician in the initial box.

I think that it is reasonable to assume that with a smaller base set of around 300 cards, all Clans included in the core set will probably be narrower in focus to keep thematically streamlined and mechanically stable. While Beastmasters, Deathseekers, and Tacticians are indeed iconic Lion keywords and personalities, I imagine that the Lion included in the core will be narrowed to only one, likely Tacticians. Later chapter (or whatever FFG chooses to name them) packs and deluxe expansions might expand beyond this, but I would not imagine anything being done with the keywords beyond Tactician in the initial box.

Tacticians, or cards that function mechanically similar, seem like a given during the core set. The same can be said of other cards that supplement that strategy such as scouts or maybe even historians. Beyond that I cannot really see Beastmasters or Deathseekers making an early appearance.

I can easily see Deathseekers being part of a future block because they can be an easy way for the game to encourage the risk/reward of the dishonor mechanic and how different it can feel compared to normal, honorable Lion archetypes.

Ancestors... Very important.

I think that it is reasonable to assume that with a smaller base set of around 300 cards, all Clans included in the core set will probably be narrower in focus to keep thematically streamlined and mechanically stable. While Beastmasters, Deathseekers, and Tacticians are indeed iconic Lion keywords and personalities, I imagine that the Lion included in the core will be narrowed to only one, likely Tacticians. Later chapter (or whatever FFG chooses to name them) packs and deluxe expansions might expand beyond this, but I would not imagine anything being done with the keywords beyond Tactician in the initial box.

Tacticians, or cards that function mechanically similar, seem like a given during the core set. The same can be said of other cards that supplement that strategy such as scouts or maybe even historians. Beyond that I cannot really see Beastmasters or Deathseekers making an early appearance.

I can easily see Deathseekers being part of a future block because they can be an easy way for the game to encourage the risk/reward of the dishonor mechanic and how different it can feel compared to normal, honorable Lion archetypes.

Well, I also feel that we are often viewing what is going to happen through the lens of what AEG has done in the past rather than accepting the fact that the game will differ quite drastically in the Core Set. Since many of the other LCGs run between 150-250 cards, I imagine that we will see a huge contraction of the scope of card types, deck sizes, and factions. The Lion, as they will likely be presented in the new Core Set, will be narrow in mechanics simply because there will not be enough cards available to cover the spread seen in traditional CCG base sets.

Again, this is simply assumption, but I foresee Lion being narrowly focused down to the core elements of strong tactics (maybe including Tactician) and military victory. How this focus will manifest is anyone's guess at this point. Beyond that, there is no telling what FFG plans to do with AEG's engine.

These aren't things that should be supported. They are things that should be doing the supporting.

By which I mean, a Beastmaster personality shouldn't be a personality with a keyword you build your deck around. It should be a personality with a Beastmaster-like ability (eg, "Add a 1F Cat follower token to a personality", like the original Matsu Benika, whether or not they have "Beastmaster" on the card), that can be slotted in support of your Lion decks. The card should exist to support broader Lion archetype that draw upon a variety of personalities from the Lion clan,

If I never hear about "themes" (the way AEG used that term) again, it will be too soon.

I think that it is reasonable to assume that with a smaller base set of around 300 cards...

Closer to 200, just for the record. Game of Thrones is around the 220 card range.

If I never hear about "themes" (the way AEG used that term) again, it will be too soon.

So much this.

Ancestors... Very important.

Underrated Post!

Seriously Lions are huge in ancestor worship and it is one of the concepts you can find in other clans.

The Kitsu are centered around this. This is far more Iconic the Matsu Beast Master.

Ancestors... Very important.

Underrated Post!

Seriously Lions are huge in ancestor worship and it is one of the concepts you can find in other clans.

The Kitsu are centered around this. This is far more Iconic the Matsu Beast Master.

I don't even remember how these were implememted in the CCG. Were they what replaced Sensei as the "Box+" cards?

They had a few implementation. They had the Ancestor card type which served as attachment you could put on a personality while recruiting.

The later got a breeder box which could create ancestor personalities pretty similar to the one box that could pop out Undeads.

They had a few implementation. They had the Ancestor card type which served as attachment you could put on a personality while recruiting.

The later got a breeder box which could create ancestor personalities pretty similar to the one box that could pop out Undeads.

Huh. Neither of those really grabs me.

I do agree that ancestor veneration is significant in setting.

This seems like the kind of thing that would be good for a themed cycle of packs, to me, maybe with token support in core. Ummm, meaning a little support, not support in the shape of tokens.

Although I rather suspect the first cycle after the core is going to be like... "More Powerful than Steel," or maybe just, "Stronger than Steel," and focus on honor stuff. With the core box being more straight ahead mil and less politics. Not to say honor won't be supported in core, because I'm sure it will.

Thinking of expansion, "Focus Packs" and "Strike Boxes" would be a neat little themed nod.

Breeder was a thematic fail. It in no way reflected what ancestor worship is supposed to be in Rokugan. Ancestors stepping in to fight the battle of the living is not it.

Really the most thematic (and, IMO, fun) implementation of Lion ancestor worship was probably the mid-Lotus one, with cards like the original Hall of Ancestors (started the game with a dead personality, you could copy the ability of dead personalities onto living ones), and personalities like Kit Kat (Kitsu Katsuko, shugenja who made your dead personalities honorable dead, and gave your living personality bonuses at the same time.

It wasn,t a wholly developped theme (so much the better), but it did bring the Lion ancestor worship in place as a powerful tool in the Lion arsenal.