I had some downtime at work today, and did a little researching on the topic of Meishodo. The current version of meishodo is certainly clearer as to what it is, and what it isn't. It is no where near as flexible, or useful as I was originally led to believe.

This is what I was told about meishodo back in 1997 when I first started playing, and was trying to decide what type of character would be my first Legend of the Five Rings player character. (I ended up creating a Shinjo Horse Archer, but my gamemaster really tried to tempt me to play an Iuchi Meishodo Practitioner.)

I was told meishodo was the western art of spellcasting. He was going to allow me to use I.C.E.'s Spell Law as my spell book. I would need to pick one realm, Essence, Channeling, or Mentalism. Then choose one class set of list. Thus a meishodo caster could basically emulate any western style spellcaster. Animist, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Magician, Mentalist, Mystic, Shaman, Sorcerer, Wizard, ... Anything really. I would also use Spell Laws rules for casting, and be limited to the mana pool system of Rolemaster. I have to say that was tempting in comparison to Rokugani Shugenja. I almost fell for it. That would have opened up a can of worms for us as players, because that would also allow him to throw western sorcerers at us. I am glad I chose a Shinjo Bushi, and so was the rest of the play group.

Another gamemaster also called it western spellcasting. He allowed players to use the AD&D spell lists, and supplements, including item creation. He also used mana pool system for a way to restrict spellcasting while giving it some flexibility. His explanation, or fluff for doing so, was that western spellcasters could sense the ley lines, and nexus wells of the planet, and call upon either that energy, or their own energy to fuel their spells. This was the one I had adopted for the games I ran up until a few years ago. This was my view of meishodo until I researched it earlier today. A long stretch, and much more useful, and powerful than what it was intended to be. I can see that now.

Now I look at how they actually implemented meishodo as name magic requiring a talisman, and sacrificing power, and flexibility for speed of casting. I am like; Wow! this is our ancient secret? It really is no big deal, and well balanced with the rest of the spellcasting in Rokugan. Whatever can be done with meishodo, can also be accomplished by other shugenja, or even outclassed in many ways. After all it would not due to have gaijin magic outshine the magic derived from the kami of Rokugan. I am grateful they did leave it balanced, even weaker in the long run.

Anyways with all the topics on magic, and shugenja. spellcasting out on this board, I just thought I would share some other food for thought. Give those who like high powered games maybe some ideas, or tools to use. Have fun guys go wild if this is your sort of thing. I know we had fun with it for many years.

Meishodo, that's the one that lets you cast up to level 3 spells instantly using a talisman, right?

I have played one of these once, and found it extremely useful.

It was a game set in the colonies and my Unicorn Shugenja was a Trailblazer. A map maker and kind of a loner, he would talisman up most of his transport spells in case he ran into anything nasty out in the bush. Extremely effective at what he was designed to do, but as you said, lost a bit in versatility.

{mechanical approaches to "western spellcasting"}

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Yyyyyyyyyeah, uh, not quite. <lol> I have to admit I've got no clue what to do with meishodo in my redesign. Both that and the Tamori technique are really just "do the same thing in an object" -- and if anything, I think that would only be a path, rather than a whole school.

Meishodo has always been through the use of talismans and never had anything to do with D&D style spellcasting. It was name magic from the start and has been through the editions. It's calling upon the names that were given to things at creation, and it is balanced because, you know, game balance. It has not always been the case in previous editions.

I think Meishodo is a Rank 1 path of the Iuchi school. Or even, as it was back in 1E, a choice made at character creation: does your shugenja use Rokugani magic or the weird mashed together version that the Iuchi put together on their travels. What about an advantage? Or a disadvantage ?

I'd also be tempted to allow it access to some of the spells from the LBS book.

A weakness of Meishodo was that you couldn't do any raises on the spells. I had a house rule prepared that you could put raises into the preparation phase, but had to use the exact combination of raises every time you used the talisman, so you might want to have multiple versions of the same spell. And then, no-one has ever played one in a game I ran.

Way of the Unicorn and Secrets of the Unicorn had Burning Sands spells available to Iuchi shugenjas, but they didn't made it in 4th edition. I have planned to update them in the Yobanjin and Sand Moto section of my Guide to Gaijin.

Yeah, I read through my first edition books, and the only thing I found about meishodo was a short conversation between Iuchi, and Shinjo on the topic. During the conversation he demonstrates the technique. Shinjo basically tells him this method is meant for mortals, not for her. She does not forbid his using it though. Iuchi never accomplished much with meishodo, it was his son, and one of his students that really made many improvements with meishodo, and bent it in a way to make it more compatable with Rokugani style spellcasting. They also were the ones who implemented the talismans. However there was mention of those who possessed djinn blood not requiring a talisman, and being able to cast spells with more flexibility. That was one of the reasons differant gamemasters allowed different ways of implementing meishodo in the past. Keep in mind we also first began playing when the only book released was the core rule book for first edition.

Back in the 80's and 90's there was a whole lot more tendency to house rule. I rarely encounter house ruling any more, all things etched in stone rigid. Makes it feel to me at least that much of the creativity, and uniqueness of gamemaster and player style is now diminished. I will admit though I miss the people I gamed with back then more than I miss the actual game systems. Back in 2005, and 2006 was the last time I actually ran a few games of Legend of the Five Rings RPG. I only had my first edition books, and imagination. We had fun though. Yes when I say a few years back that could mean as many as twenty years. The memories are that fond, even if they are not that fresh. My fondest memories are still those of playing first edition AD&D. A game I will still run even today, it is still that much fun.

Back in the 80's and 90's there was a whole lot more tendency to house rule. I rarely encounter house ruling any more, all things etched in stone rigid. Makes it feel to me at least that much of the creativity, and uniqueness of gamemaster and player style is now diminished.

This isn't true at all! People house-ruled more back then because rules systems were really, really bad, and had obvious places where you would sit down at the table and say "Well, obviously this isn't going to work at all, we have to change it."

If people are house-ruling less today, it's because the rules they are given are way more functional and don't NEED to be house-ruled -- they are rules systems made by people who are better at making rules than laypeople, so laypeople are less likely to think "I have to fix this to make this functional." You're supposed to be creative in RPGs with the stories you tell and characters you play, not the rules you use. A movie doesn't need to invent a new type of camera to be creative.

Now I look at how they actually implemented meishodo as name magic requiring a talisman, and sacrificing power, and flexibility for speed of casting. I am like; Wow! this is our ancient secret? It really is no big deal, and well balanced with the rest of the spellcasting in Rokugan. Whatever can be done with meishodo, can also be accomplished by other shugenja, or even outclassed in many ways.

You see, the reason why the Iuchi still keeps it as a secret is because it is nothing too special. The average Isawa shugenja wouldn't see much in it, but just let the (average, LOL) Isawa shugenja grab the knowledge and the next thing you will know will be some sort of ridiculous f*ckery like instant-summoning Oni when the Isawa combines meishido with maho (let's be honest here, if there is someone who would do this, then it is the Isawa).

Well to be more honest, it was not a matter of "This isn't going to work, we have to change it." More often it was, "There is no mention, no rules covering this, let's improvise." I understand your point though, and I was not clear enough with what I said. Thanks for correcting me.

I think it's probably true that an RPG back then was less likely to be a fifteen-book series covering all possible things you might want to do. :-)