One other advantage to having a good selection of clanless schools would be to make a single-clan party a lot more viable. For instance, if you have a Lion party and more than one person wants to play a Matsu, some can take clanless schools so everyone doesn't end up with the same techniques.

This would make it a lot easier to play in certain time periods, like the Clan War.

EDIT: This would also open up the possibility of playing single-clan court-based campaigns, which are normally kinda stale since everyone would be funneled into the same school.

One other advantage to having a good selection of clanless schools would be to make a single-clan party a lot more viable. For instance, if you have a Lion party and more than one person wants to play a Matsu, some can take clanless schools so everyone doesn't end up with the same techniques.

This would make it a lot easier to play in certain time periods, like the Clan War.

EDIT: This would also open up the possibility of playing single-clan court-based campaigns, which are normally kinda stale since everyone would be funneled into the same school.

Wouldn't it be better to have a school have some individual choices in it, but still maintain a particular feeling to it? Think of a talent tree from any rpg (i.e. older WoW) or even the new trees for the Star Wars RPG. With that you could have two Matsu samurai but with different talents that make them play differently but feel similarly enough. For example, both could focus on particular tenets.

But I wouldn't mind something very generic for perhaps ronin or DM created antagonistic mooks/cannon fodder.

I see a few things have transpired since I last came here. Some of them good and thought provoking, others, not so much.

Now, I will address each in the order with which they caught my attention. I was actually queried as to what examples I could provide. So, we will go with the crab clan, which would technically be one of the clans with quite a few basic schools that would wind up not core. There, however, is a reason for this. Bad story/clan design. With the Shadowlands fairly trounced for the most part following the fall of not only junzo, but yori as well, and then taken over by Hantei Daigotsu, there was really very little to be done for the Crab. They had their card arc where they had to reclaim the wall, blah blah blah... broad strokes, because I don't care to go into detail.

Now, what we had as a First Edition for the Crab was the Following: Hida Bushi and Kuni Shugenja (Initial), Hiruma Scout, Kuni Witch Hunter, Kaiu Engineer, Yasuki Trader, Berserkers (WotCrab). Now, for the most part, all serve a functional part of the Crab's role within the greater dichotomy of the Empire. While this has been expanded upon greatly in more recent years and editions, with paths and everything else, for the most part, they are still there. However, in a general, sitting around the table type of general campaign, the ones that will see the most use, are the Hida Bushi and Kuni Shugenja and Yasuki Trader/Courtier. Following that, for a military type campaign, would be the Hiruma Schout and the Kaiu Engineer added, with the Yasuki removed. Now, For a Shadowlands/Taint Campaign, it would include all of them, most likely without the trader/courtier. We have to these base first ed Schools, the Hiruma Bushi, as well as the Toritaka, The Toritaka, in my estimation, should have remained a minor clan separate from the Crab. However, that was in the period where things were getting consolidated from the RPG by the CCG. The Mantis were sucking up all of these minor clans, and it most likely saved alot of money for Wizards/AEG to not have to print each minor clan it's own stronghold when Yoritomo's Alliance essentially folded into the Great Clan of the Mantis.

This points to the fact that consolidation and streamlining can be just as deadly to a game's setting as letting things run wild and allowing everyone to have their niche characters. For what it's worth, the Crab have three bushi types. It's just reiterative. It's redundant. The Hiruma Bushi school was a card game reward in a sense, because "Hiruma's school was uber" and it made sense to restore it. Especially when you are retaking your lands. However, there is the caveat, that as a general campaign bushi, it is better at skirmishing and survival than the Iconic Crab Bushi School. When I hear Crab Bushi, most would agree with me here, I think Hida. However, there is no qualifier to the Hiruma Bushi school, and they made it the core school in 4th, rather than the Hiruma Scout being the core, which would have technically better facilitated covering more ground, while at the same time, not being redundant.

Another example would be the Scorpion. The Best Courtier, outside of Bayushi Kachiko (who was a shosuro) to hit the card game, was Shosuro Taberu. The Shosuro Butei school could have been wound in with the Shosuro Infiltrator. Hell, it all could have been actually the Shosuro Courtier School. You train courtiers to be badass at acting, and they are renowned for it, being almost artisans of theatre. In reality, they use their acting skills to aid in their infiltration. Makes sense to me. Initial Bad Game Design. Yes, it would roll three schools into one. However, one of those schools could be pathed out, rather than rolled into the core school.

Now, there is something I want to bring to everyone's attention, and that would be this: The majority of the Empire lives in the boonies. Most of the samurai within the empire, are not even admitted to one of the great family dojos. This is, of course, handwaved for the most part by GMs. You are, afterall, a heroic character. However, a clan samurai with a mechanically generic ronin school, would be no different than the majority of the rank and file. The lowest rungs. As most clans practice feudal inheritance, the major families, and their closest friends and allies would be the ones that got the immediate training from the named Family Schools and Dojos. Then you have the highest echelons of people that serve a purpose going into those schools. This includes those people calling in favors, and even then, the children have to show ability. Beyond that? You have everyone else. And with a standing army of anywhere between 25k-100k? Yeah, most of the people in that army are going to get the basic training required for their station of samurai. They are going to be taught how to read, how to write, and how to use a katana and their armor effectively. Maybe, they will get taught not how to be cornered by a courtier in a bout of words that winds up with them falling on their swords.

Now, here's the funny part: A generic bushi school was created in 4th edition. It was aimed at ronin and minor clans that don't have listed bushi schools. Every samurai that is a bushi in that minor clan, would get the same level of training across the board. The best training they could get. Ironically, their training would be on par with a great clan bumpkin school, if you technically looked at it.

Here is the next ugly truth: This is where Rokugan as we know it starts to fall apart. It falls apart because the game setting has never been made cohesive. There have been several design teams and companies that have owned the Rights to Legend of the Five Rings. They have wanted it to follow a vision as well as a purpose. The fact of the matter is, however, if the RPG had not been so closely tied to the CCG, and had been an independent product that was part of the L5R franchise, it most likely would not fall apart under such scrutiny. Which brings us back to the original argument.

First edition worked because it was not tied to physical crunchiness so closely. It was a frontier. It was not so harshly defined toward reality. It hadn't mingled with the card game. It was 5 years before the earliest core game set (Outside of Dawn of the Empire, which itself was divorced from the Core Setting of the CCG by nearly 1000 years.) The fact that the empire could be sustained on Fish and Rice alone made sense, because not every military had a designated size, from which a basic population count could be estimated from. We just knew that the Lion had enough military to pretty much fight everyone else. Unless everyone else was Unicorn. because the Unicorn had uber cavalry, and the Lion needed everything they had to put a stop to all of those horses running roughshod. But the Unicorn didn't want to run roughshod except for in the Khan's Defiance. Which, I don't know all of the details of, admittedly. But, the Khan's Defiance doesn't fit the core soul of the Unicorn, and turns Shinjo's Children who are known to be more hippy like in their love for their peasantry and their horses, into a stereotypical Mongolian Horde who was not being steered by the Kolat. Hell, go look at Heaven and Earth ( a samurai movie ), and look at the skirmishes that occur. 500 people max on both sides. That's how I initially envisioned battles.

I understand this could potentially be seen as a completely over the top rant. I can see how people would wonder and balk at what I was saying, because trimming down the schools would be a horrible thing in their eyes as it would remove what is considered game flavor. However, there is only so much flavor that can go into something, before it is just a mess of confusion that makes it unpalatable. Turning the extra special schools into paths, or moving them from core to splat book, and going back to simple corebooks isn't necessarily a bad thing. It could potentially be used to clean up the setting, and set things right. People could still have their snowflake Hiruma Bushi, Shosuro Infiltrator, or whatever other school they desire.

As a final word, I am completely against bland bushi with a flavor tweak here and there, because that would totally kill the flavor of the game. I guess, I am merely for moderation. At times, it can be a good thing, and allow things to go down easier.

Wouldn't it be better to have a school have some individual choices in it, but still maintain a particular feeling to it? Think of a talent tree from any rpg (i.e. older WoW) or even the new trees for the Star Wars RPG. With that you could have two Matsu samurai but with different talents that make them play differently but feel similarly enough. For example, both could focus on particular tenets.

The old Warhammer 40k RPGs also had a similar system and it was absolutely awful.

Wouldn't it be better to have a school have some individual choices in it, but still maintain a particular feeling to it? Think of a talent tree from any rpg (i.e. older WoW) or even the new trees for the Star Wars RPG. With that you could have two Matsu samurai but with different talents that make them play differently but feel similarly enough. For example, both could focus on particular tenets.

But I wouldn't mind something very generic for perhaps ronin or DM created antagonistic mooks/cannon fodder.

So you're saying, let's say for example, two people (Bob and Joe) wants to play an Hida Bushi.

After a while, Bob wants to be a powerhouse while Joe wants a playstyle where he'll work with duel to death. So Bob decides to pick the berserker part of the tree while Joe the duelist part. Later on, Bob wants his berserker to command Ashigaru and lead battles and be feared though intimidation, while Joe wants his character to be a dirty player with tanto once in a while, both pick their parts of the tree. Is that it?

Why I'm using this? Because I feel like this already exists in L5R, not as a core, except for the berserker part. It's through Alternate Path. So basically, Bob starts Hida Bushi, take the Hida Berserker at rank 2 and at rank 4 the Yasuki Taskmaster. While Joe, starts Hida Bushi, pick the Hida Defender at rank 2 and the Crab Knife-Fighter at rank 4. There, 2 Hida Bushi that plays differently but are similarly enough.

Maybe the first supplement may be about Alternate Paths of the corebooks, which will gives this kind of "talent tree" and feeling of not having "clones" when two people are playing the same school. However, I don't think there's a need for a new system since there's already one in it.

To me, Alternate Path and Different School are more than enough to me for the latest problems that are being said.

There's a need for someone to play another school, buy different school. The Storyteller wants a clanless storyline, allows different school advantage for free. There's some people who wants the same school but doesn't want to be clones, introduce them to alternate path or kata. I've seen a different playstyle in my Crab Clan War campaign where 2 of my players where Hida Bushi, one went Hida Berserker while the other was more on the defensive side. The only different, which was seen in the character build was, the selection of the alternate path. Yet, both characters felt different.

Wouldn't it be better to have a school have some individual choices in it, but still maintain a particular feeling to it? Think of a talent tree from any rpg (i.e. older WoW) or even the new trees for the Star Wars RPG. With that you could have two Matsu samurai but with different talents that make them play differently but feel similarly enough. For example, both could focus on particular tenets.

The old Warhammer 40k RPGs also had a similar system and it was absolutely awful.

Also by FFG, yes?

Personally, I am not a fan of the "spec trees" they use for Star Wars classes careers.

Wouldn't it be better to have a school have some individual choices in it, but still maintain a particular feeling to it? Think of a talent tree from any rpg (i.e. older WoW) or even the new trees for the Star Wars RPG. With that you could have two Matsu samurai but with different talents that make them play differently but feel similarly enough. For example, both could focus on particular tenets.

The old Warhammer 40k RPGs also had a similar system and it was absolutely awful.

So because one game system (out of how many?) that used some sort of talent tree system turned out meh, underwhelming, or whatever, then the idea isn't worth it? What about successful systems that used the idea?

@Crawd: Wouldn't the portion about commanding ashigaru come from something like a skill or mechanic that isn't part of the tree? Or are you saying that every tree has to have a command ashigaru talent? If you want a example, we could take two Hida berserkers. One takes a few talents that focuses on just raw strength while another focuses on raw stamina. Relatively simple idea that has worked for numerous systems.

Wouldn't it be better to have a school have some individual choices in it, but still maintain a particular feeling to it? Think of a talent tree from any rpg (i.e. older WoW) or even the new trees for the Star Wars RPG. With that you could have two Matsu samurai but with different talents that make them play differently but feel similarly enough. For example, both could focus on particular tenets.

The old Warhammer 40k RPGs also had a similar system and it was absolutely awful.

So because one game system (out of how many?) that used some sort of talent tree system turned out meh, underwhelming, or whatever, then the idea isn't worth it? What about successful systems that used the idea?

Well, there aren't that many such system if you think about it. Exalted, Path of Exile, Star Wars... and that's pretty much all as far as I know. Wh40k had a system like that, but it was burned with fire and when FFG dared to look back, the fans almost threw a riot on the forums (I know because I was there). So we are looking at a 25% failure rate here, something I don't think we should overlook.

Wouldn't it be better to have a school have some individual choices in it, but still maintain a particular feeling to it? Think of a talent tree from any rpg (i.e. older WoW) or even the new trees for the Star Wars RPG. With that you could have two Matsu samurai but with different talents that make them play differently but feel similarly enough. For example, both could focus on particular tenets.

The old Warhammer 40k RPGs also had a similar system and it was absolutely awful.

So because one game system (out of how many?) that used some sort of talent tree system turned out meh, underwhelming, or whatever, then the idea isn't worth it? What about successful systems that used the idea?

Well, there aren't that many such system if you think about it. Exalted, Path of Exile, Star Wars... and that's pretty much all as far as I know. Wh40k had a system like that, but it was burned with fire and when FFG dared to look back, the fans almost threw a riot on the forums (I know because I was there). So we are looking at a 25% failure rate here, something I don't think we should overlook.

It's probably fair to point out that FFG didn't design the system for Dark Heresy Black Library came up with that just before closing off that part of their business, and I have a black Library logo-ed version of the rules. Now, they did decide to keep using the same system for Deathwatch, Rogue Trader and Only War...

It's probably fair to point out that FFG didn't design the system for Dark Heresy Black Library came up with that just before closing off that part of their business, and I have a black Library logo-ed version of the rules. Now, they did decide to keep using the same system for Deathwatch, Rogue Trader and Only War...

They kept using it only for Deathwatch and Rogue Trader, Only War (and Black Crusade before it) used a different system.

It is also worth pointing out that L5R 4th edition's Alternate Paths system is not that far away from a progression tree-like thing, only that it has a main branch (the Basic School techniques). If anything, it looks like there should be many more Alternate Paths instead of redesigning the whole progression system.

@Crawd: Wouldn't the portion about commanding ashigaru come from something like a skill or mechanic that isn't part of the tree? Or are you saying that every tree has to have a command ashigaru talent? If you want a example, we could take two Hida berserkers. One takes a few talents that focuses on just raw strength while another focuses on raw stamina. Relatively simple idea that has worked for numerous systems.

Maybe, but people are already complaining about "character gimping XP sink hole" in the actual system. By adding these talents, it will required them to be purchasable, which is another XP sink that slows the character insight's progression. I've seen people complaining that Kata doesn't give Insights and they don't cost much...

However, I feel like you've missed my comparaison, and no, the portion about commanding Ashigaru should be as a part of the tree. If I would agree in a talent tree system, it should be in the Willpower tree where the focus is about intimidation which gives bonus on forcing the peasant caste to follow your orders. Thus adding more weight on the system since that's 8 new mechanisms (9 if there's a Void tree) where each trait need specialized focus, because the traits are used for several stuffs. This feels pretty heavy, specially if nothing is removed, specially for new comers.

Why do I prefer the Alternate Path? Because the Path replace the basic school technique. In my example, there is, with just these 4 alternate path, a total of 9 possible combinaision of Hida Bushi and none of them will be exactly the same and they still feels unique, because of the entry path. Hida Berserker is only accessable to any Crab Bushi, the Hida Defender through Hida/Hiruma Bushi, etc.

My question is, what's wrong with the Alternate Path when the main goal is exactly for that purpose? I'm not a fan of system only mechanism, but an Alternate Path supplement may be interesting.

L5R is not a video game. In my opinion, talent trees have no place there.

I can totally understand abilities with prerequisites (before taking this kata, you need this other kata, etc.), but taking SW has an example, you have abilities that are thematically related to another, but it doesn't make sense you have to choose them in a specific order.

''Why can't I choose this cool ability before having to increase my wounds, get another ability I do not want who have absolutly no relation to the first one and increase my proficiency with blasters?''

If the answer is balance, there are many ways to balance things and forcing players to get abilities they do not want is bad design.

If the answer is balance, there are many ways to balance things and forcing players to get abilities they do not want is bad design.

The stories I could tell... But what I can add to this is that an ability the player does not want now is not an ability he will never want. If you know what I mean .

when running an L5R RPG i modify the system to make it more "playable" , so i use a hitpoint based system and completely remove the wound ranks. stamina x 5 which is still quite easy for players to get seriously wounded. this would give the average player 12 to 15 hit points plus i encourage strength of the earth to be chosen with each rank in that added the equivalent of a stamina rank.

i change the armour rating to the rating that removes damage rather than increase of target number

i have the players starting out with 65 points which allows a better starting character without unbalancing the game

i split the glory and create a new rank "status" so players have a glory and status rank

i have changed the clan types to great clans and other clans, this allows for more clans without overbalancing the game.

thought and views to my changes are welcome.

in general however i agree with most of the posts that i have read here, i dont believe you could make the "perfect" system, however you could modify to suit your style and thats the key to roleplaying, keep what works and change what doesnt.

The suggestion of Talent Tree Like Progression has been introduced, and so far, noone has really been able to nail it down other than the fact that it would be too much like an MMO. In my estimation, it has many benefits as well as drawbacks, but there is one point where the two come together.

With a talent tree like system, a character cannot be everything. They cannot cross outside of their main role. This can be good and bad, as it leaves space for another player to not have their light dulled, or even toyed with. However, it means that there is also very little room for customization. As stated previously, too much bland and too much flavor can ruin something.

Again, we have to pay attention to the fact that Samurai are supposed to be well rounded individuals in some respects, while maintaining focus on their core purpose to their lord. The only manner which this could potentially work, would be if we ventured off into a Main and Sub Class system, which I believe would kill the game. From complaints that have been fielded, it would seem that the largest problem as it actually stands, is related to core mechanics (i.e. Rank 1 Kakita Bushi potentially destroying a Rank 5 Bayushi Duelist, etc.) While there is a lot to be said for each clan's specific role within the empire, and the fact that a Rank 5 is in no way obligated to participate in a duel with a Rank 1, sometimes honor demands it, there is no way that should happen. Thus, either the school itself needs to be toned down, or the underlying dueling mechanics need to be altered, taking insight rank and overall experience into play. The fact that Insight Rank plays such a small role other than as a "Level" means is in and of itself one of the main problems within the game. It is only a gateway to the next level, rather than a means to gauge a person's overall abilities by.

All in all, maybe we have been paying attention to the symptoms rather than the illness, and not asking the correct questions.

I find the wound ranks to be very cumbersome and not useful in play. I know what they are trying to do, but it doesn't work for me at the table. It would be one of the things that I would happily jettison from the system.

I find the wound ranks to be very cumbersome and not useful in play. I know what they are trying to do, but it doesn't work for me at the table. It would be one of the things that I would happily jettison from the system.

As a means to an end, wound ranks serve a very good purpose. They show that as you take damage, you are less able to function. As it stands, I have been accidentally cut by a katana, and it just wouldn't stop bleeding. I have had a bone broken, and I couldn't function properly. The wound rank system is a good thing. It's design, is at worst, faulty. It doesn't take into account that living on a razor's edge is an everyday thing for most samurai. It doesn't take into account the fact that Rokugan is a society that, at it's core, requires people to fall on their swords for no reason at all if their lord, or their lord's lord requires it. It doesn't take into account that in the rush of combat, a person can keep pushing and ignoring combat wounds until either their adrenaline winds down, or they suddenly drop unconscious or dead from major blood loss. The only school that remotely pays this heed is the berserker.

Some would say that this is a good thing. It is something that won't, at it's core, allow for a munchkin character to stay on their feet far beyond what they should. If I am a pure dps machine, with relatively low hit points, I am serving the role of Glass Cannon. If that is my character design, then I should be willing to be taken down by one or two good hits, and should be slowed down by a few crappy ones with no other damage. As a matter of course, I have found that the previous suggestion of armor absorbing damage, or using an individual's insight rank+1 as the wound multiplier generally makes things far more balanced as far as being able to stand up to damage. I have played in games that have essentially made the Crab Technique of shrugging off wounds universal, and the Crab Technique of shrugging off wounds merely multiplied that ability. Hida bushi were nigh unstoppable, and Berserkers were god like until they finally hit dead. Of course, that was a full on Shadowlands Campaign, so large amounts of wounds were required for a completely awesome game.

As it stands, 4th edition was touted as L5R your way. Now, we are looking forward to the 5th edition of Five Rings. Tell me whether this is fate that the community finally has a chance to completely influence what comes. I think it is.

i change the armour rating to the rating that removes damage rather than increase of target number

i have the players starting out with 65 points which allows a better starting character without unbalancing the game

We have these two in our homebrew.

The first proposal is cool, but you really need some wound-padding and it also requires some reconsideration concerning certain School techniques. Techniques that boost the Attack roll will suddenly become super-killy while techniques that boost damage will loose prevalence.

Instead of increasing the starting XP value, there should be more starting Skills and some universal starting Advantages. Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Lore: Bushido/character's Great Clan and maybe even Athletics and/or Etiquette should be a starting Skill for every character. In our system, every character starts with 9 basic Skills, 1 clan-specific Skill, 5 school-specific Skills, and 4 Advantages - this way, characters start as fairly well-rounded from the beginning and the 50 points of stating XP they get can go to really shape up the character rather than buy essential Skills.

As it stands, 4th edition was touted as L5R your way. Now, we are looking forward to the 5th edition of Five Rings. Tell me whether this is fate that the community finally has a chance to completely influence what comes. I think it is.

That would require "the community" to present a unified voice for what they want Rokugan and the game system to be.

These threads make it clear that's not going to happen.

The beginning of the word forum is generally associated with a means of all sides of an issue being publicly introduced, so that eventually a decision can be made.

i change the armour rating to the rating that removes damage rather than increase of target number

i have the players starting out with 65 points which allows a better starting character without unbalancing the game

We have these two in our homebrew.

The first proposal is cool, but you really need some wound-padding and it also requires some reconsideration concerning certain School techniques. Techniques that boost the Attack roll will suddenly become super-killy while techniques that boost damage will loose prevalence.

Instead of increasing the starting XP value, there should be more starting Skills and some universal starting Advantages. Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Lore: Bushido/character's Great Clan and maybe even Athletics and/or Etiquette should be a starting Skill for every character. In our system, every character starts with 9 basic Skills, 1 clan-specific Skill, 5 school-specific Skills, and 4 Advantages - this way, characters start as fairly well-rounded from the beginning and the 50 points of stating XP they get can go to really shape up the character rather than buy essential Skills.

i agree in part to what you suggest, and that is why you need to modify the mechanics to suit. i use a scaling system for armour and damage in the following

standard = book value

fine quality + 10 to value

superior quality +15

Master quality +20

nemurani +25

players can pay +5 points per rank above basic to purchase better quality, so clans like crane do have an advantage but this is evened out somewhat, i know this isnt perfect but it does work in my game.

as for starting skills i couldnt agree more, i give each character the following;

lore of their family

lore of their school

lore of their clan

lore bushido (especially dragon shujenja who train with samurai)

ettiquette

kenjitsu (especially dragon shujenja who train with samurai)

and lore rokugan

also as there is an abundance of weapons each player starts with i also allow them to trade in 2 weapons to make another weapon fine quality.

as L5R is a game of status, i encourage this advantage to be purchased.

As it stands, 4th edition was touted as L5R your way. Now, we are looking forward to the 5th edition of Five Rings. Tell me whether this is fate that the community finally has a chance to completely influence what comes. I think it is.

That would require "the community" to present a unified voice for what they want Rokugan and the game system to be.

These threads make it clear that's not going to happen.

Yeah I noticed that too. Gonna plug this again:

Also, it seems the thread hasn't really resolved any of the debates, only brought them up. As a fanbase, we could go a step further and generate some actual data for FFG about what we want in the new version.

I started making a Google form survey that focuses on the topics raised in this threaed (the big picture ones, anyway). Is this something people are interested in? Given that I'm a relatively new fan, I think it'd be super helpful if some of the more dedicated/long term fans wanted to guide the development of the survey as well.

Anyone interested?

I would have to assume it's too far into the development process for any of the data compiled to be of use to FFG, at least in concepting for the revised game system.

I would have to assume it's too far into the development process for any of the data compiled to be of use to FFG, at least in concepting for the revised game system.

It is never too late for FFG. They scrap a full game system in a heartbeat if the fans don't like it (see: Warhammer 40k Dark Heresy Beta).

As it stands, 4th edition was touted as L5R your way. Now, we are looking forward to the 5th edition of Five Rings. Tell me whether this is fate that the community finally has a chance to completely influence what comes. I think it is.

That would require "the community" to present a unified voice for what they want Rokugan and the game system to be.

These threads make it clear that's not going to happen.

Very much this. It has been my experience that this is largely tied to how and when someone got into the game.

I got into 4th and so that is the setting that has been sold to me and I have had arguments/discussions about how the setting that 4th sells isn't the ACTUAL setting of the game because out of print books from previous editions that i can't get a hold of should somehow be required reading.

It also depends on what you want. I want a game where Shugenja are not mechanically superior to every other character option, mostly because the venues I play in are all PVP friendly and **** it I like bushi, and don't want to feel like a chump for choosing to play one.