I recall reading somewhere prohibitions against the use of magic in duels but can't find my much in the way of direct citations. Art of the Duel says that it's dishonorable for shugenja to use kiho or cast spells on themselves and prohibited for them to cast on bushi, and in "Victorious" Shiba Aikune is disqualified in the Emerald Championship for the Phoenix shugenja calling upon the kami during a duel, but this is much more about the Phoenix violating imperial sanction than interfering with a duel.

I was positive that spellcasting was prohibited in duels (not just dishonorable) but I can't find a direct reference. Can anyone help?

AFAIK you can always focus Spell cards in duels.

AFAIK you can always focus Spell cards in duels.

My apologies for being unclear. I was referring to Rokugani culture, not card mechanics. I was looking for information that would be in the RPG books but might be in official fictions.

It is my impression that dishonoravle behavior is worst than illegality in Rokugan.

It is my impression that dishonoravle behavior is worst than illegality in Rokugan.

Very much so. In fact, custom is much stronger than law. After all, laws can be changed but custom endures. That said, I was hoping people might know anywhere else in the sourcebooks (preferably 4e but I'll take other editions) or the official fictions where it is actually spelled out that magic is illegal and/or dishonorable in duels.

There is no actual law indeed, but traditions prevent the use of magic (outside of the spell that prevents everything but traits and skills to be used) and that is more important than anything. But in the end, a duel is a demonstration of skill at arms, not who got the most powerful magic buff.

Since you brought that specific spell up, I can share a discussion that occured within the Imperial delegations during WC IV, with the input of the GMs.

Our resident shugenja knew that spell (which have two functions. First, it dispels any enchantment on the duelist to ensure the sanctity of the duel, and second, if you call enough raise, it prevents you from using techniques and other non-magical bonuses you might have) and used it during every duel that was sanctionned (without calling raises).

It was our way to show imperial support and try to steal everyone's thunder (business as usual). The possibility of one of us having to face a duel to the death was also high. We were at war, politically, against the crane after all. Therefore, the ''raise'' version of it became much more interesting to even the odds. And the weird quirks of Rokugani laws were working in our favor. In the event of a duel to the death, we could cast it without having to fear repercussions.

Because there is no crime if there are no testimonies . If we won, the opposing duelist was dead and couldn't testify he was debuffed through magic. If we lost, even though the duelist knew something shady happened, he couldn't bring it up to light because it would look as if he cheated - since he won. And since the Imperial delegation had higher status, our testimonies had more weight than theirs...

There is no actual law indeed, but traditions prevent the use of magic (outside of the spell that prevents everything but traits and skills to be used) and that is more important than anything. But in the end, a duel is a demonstration of skill at arms, not who got the most powerful magic buff.

Yes, but where is this spelled out? That's my understanding of the setting as well but I can't find and any sourcebook or official fiction that says so.

There is no actual law indeed, but traditions prevent the use of magic (outside of the spell that prevents everything but traits and skills to be used) and that is more important than anything. But in the end, a duel is a demonstration of skill at arms, not who got the most powerful magic buff.

Yes, but where is this spelled out? That's my understanding of the setting as well but I can't find and any sourcebook or official fiction that says so.

It's basically spread over books, but can try emerald empire ?