Hi all! New to this forum, but been playing 4e for a few years now.

I'm considering playing a Komori (Bat Clan) shugenja, and I was wondering how their message technique works with their Earth slots at Rank 1. Can you use your Earth slots for messages even if you can't cast spells yet?

Being a rank one shugenja you can cast spells. You have spell slots you rank in each ring. Now Komori shugenja are deficient in earth spells meaning you'd be casting them as one rank lower so at first rank you wouldn't be able to cast them as earth. Now you could use a different ring. As a Komori shugenja you have 3 air, 2 water, and 1 fire spells. And you have affinity with air spells meaning that you cast them as if you school rank was one higher. So ideally you'd be casting your technique as one of those. Does that help and make sense?

I'm considering playing a Komori (Bat Clan) shugenja, and I was wondering how their message technique works with their Earth slots at Rank 1. Can you use your Earth slots for messages even if you can't cast spells yet?

Yup. The Kami's Whispers is not a spell, it is a special ability that uses up a spell slot. Spell restrictions like affinity/deficiency and such do not apply.

Wow rereading the question and rechecking after I'm off lol sorry..... Glad AtoMaki came along....