Based on previous LCGs, how many sets will be needed to play? My local game group fluctuates between 4-6 players for any given game day. If we all wanted to play different clans, could we get by with just one core set or would we need to purchase a second?

I know the game isn't out yet and so it's impossible to say, but I'm curious what the expectation is based on previous LCGs.

Depends on what you mean by "get by." Historically, the core sets are really only designed to support a one-v-one game. I want to say that most of the core sets would let you make four decks, but that they would run into issues because there are key neutral cards that won't be available to everyone (and general neutral card selection issues). The most recent one, Arkham Horror, only let you make two decks, period, but that's a cooperative game and a lot of the card count was taken up by the scenario cards, so I don't think that's controlling.

To the best of my knowledge, there has not been a core set release that would even theoretically let you make more than 4 decks. So if you wanted to let six people play at once, even in a limited way, you would need (at least) two core sets. This should also reduce the demand on neutral cards. Not just for the obvious reason that two sets means twice as many neutral cards, but because you would have more of the faction-specific cards, which would let you make six faction-specific decks without nearly as much need to draw on the neutral cards in the first place.

Or you might just need three (one per two players).

Domo arigatou gozaimasu!

My only LCG experience has been with Game of Thrones 2.0, but that required three cores for a play set, Chris.

Previous LCG's deckbuilding focused on faction cards. L5R decks have tons of neutral cards (most of actions, holdings, spells and followers), so, if this aspect doesn't change a lot (and I wish it doesn't), you probably won't have enough cards to play. Also, core sets usually have cards for just a couple of playable decks.

3 is normal other than Arkham and Star Wars.

1 hour ago, Hinomura said:

My only LCG experience has been with Game of Thrones 2.0, but that required three cores for a play set, Chris.

Thanks, I hadn't realized that.

I also see that Conquest required three, and I was thinking that it only required two.

7 minutes ago, Daramere said:

Thanks, I hadn't realized that.

I also see that Conquest required three, and I was thinking that it only required two.

guess i'm buying 3 core sets...

It has been, in the past,

1 - trying the game out. Almost like an extended demo

2 - more consistency in casual decks and if you're good, you can start competitive play with 1 or maybe 2 decks

3 - full play set and a few extra copies of neutral cards that are in most decks.

Netrunner was the worst with weird card counts.

Thrones with the best with extras and multiple deck support from them.

Now, arkham horror all you need is 2, but that is atypical and also not a competitive game.

52 minutes ago, BayushiCroy said:

Now, arkham horror all you need is 2, but that is atypical and also not a competitive game.

Because there's limit of two same cards in a deck also.

Their other coop game (LotR) requires 3 core sets and had the same problem as Netrunner with weird card counts. The current model is how they made Conquest or AGoT: mostly 1-of's, a few extras. AGoT is an exception in that it allows a 4-player demo out of the box (even though I get the impression they're trying to kill the multiplayer format in competition, they still support it for casual play).

I'm actively collecting Netrunner and AGoT 2ed at the moment, and I picked up 3 cores for each. FFG is pretty good at giving you reasons to want to pick up 3 Cores per player, I'll bet you donuts to dollars that they'll print some sort of Staple Card that all clans would be more than happy to play regardless of strategy.