hehe i have been on such a Samurai trip for so long now, i just cannot wait for the release now

I really liked the first fiction. It makes me optimistic that FFG will adapt the story well and makes me interested to see how they are going to go about awarding story prizes.

I also like the mechanics of the game, for the most part. While the Mono No Aware thing worries me (I don't think anyone isn't worried about this) it will certainly promote faster gameplay and more activity in the game.

In Old5R, in my experience, the person who attacked first was at a massive disadvantage. The first battle often times defined the game, especially in games where armies were built up over the course of 3 or 4 turns with little or no attacks, and the defender had so many advantages (winning ties, first action, seeing how much force their opponent declares before defending). Putting a mandatory clock on each character definitely makes for a faster and more active game, I'd imagine.

I'm not super thrilled by the whole honor bidding for duels and card draw, but it does give the option of filling your hand after you had to exhaust several cards in a battle. In Old5R, card draw was so limited. You not only drew just one card per round, but there also weren't that many good card draw effects. Traveling peddler was a mainstay in decks for 3 straight editions because 3 gold for 1 card (5 gold, if you count having to bow the peddler itself as well) was considered some of the best card draw in the game. Same with a Game of Dice, which was 3 gold and a card (the Game of Dice was a strategy, so you discarded it to play it) for 2 additional cards during your draw step (at the end of the turn). So it wasn't even an immediate card draw. It was 3 gold and a card for 2 future cards, a Card advantage of only 1 card.

The draw effects were limited because, obviously, whoever had more strategies in a battle usually won. I think card draw should be rare, but it'll be nice to see that we're getting a bit more hand manipulation, including the Ring of Earth.

I also really like that the rings will be an integral part of the game now. In Old5R, I didn't run enlightenment ever (always felt super janky), so the most I ever had was a Ring of Water, Void and Earth in my deck. And even then, it was not uncommon for me to just discard them for their use, rather than play them. Having them all in play and being used each turn is going to be great.

I also love the idea of the provinces! The fact that each battle will be surprising or different in some way is extremely interesting to me. It also provides a defensive advantage that was taken away when they made attackers win ties (something I disagree with thematically, but understand from a mechanical standpoint). I'm excited to see all the surprise effects the provinces bring.

I'm a little worried about the new holdings. Sacrificing a production slot for a passive effect seems like it will rarely be ideal. I am, however, interested to see how they affect deck building.

Overall, my favorite part of this reboot: Nearly all of it.

11 minutes ago, Joe From Cincinnati said:

I'm a little worried about the new holdings. Sacrificing a production slot for a passive effect seems like it will rarely be ideal. I am, however, interested to see how they affect deck building.

Well, one thing to notice is that a good number of the Conflict cards revealed so far have a cost associated with them (even non-attachments), as opposed to OldL5R, where most of the Strategies played for free. I think this means that in NewL5R, even if you can afford to buy all four provinces, you'll still often hold some Fate in reserve. As a result, having one or even two of your provinces taken by a Holding shouldn't be as detrimental as it would have been in OldL5R.

Also, I believe they said you can discard face-up cards in your provinces, so if you start getting too many Holdings, or if they've just served their purpose long enough, you can get rid of them.

36 minutes ago, Joe From Cincinnati said:

I'm a little worried about the new holdings. Sacrificing a production slot for a passive effect seems like it will rarely be ideal. I am, however, interested to see how they affect deck building.

In adition to JJ48 comment.

I see holdings more as the old events except that you can choose how long you benefit from it.

And also once a province is broken, it can't be attacked again so a lot less reason to keep the holdings in those provinces (which will force a discard anyway).

16 hours ago, Badmojojojo said:

I have no interest in the story, art, setting, or characters. I really like the revealed gameplay mechanics. It looks like FFG took good stuff from multiple games and made up a cohesive amalgam strategy design.

I have played almost all LCG type card games including some non-FFG titles such as Doomtown and Ashes over the last 5 years. Star Wars is my current favorite, but L5R looks to be the new title to beat. So far the game looks like a lot of fun with potential for high competition. Hopefully, the balance will last for at least the first few years and create a thriving community for local tournaments and worldwide events.

As a fan of L5R, I love this post. It shows that having a fresh start with innovative new mechanics will pull in players that may have never given this game a second glance.

Excited and optimistic about the future of L5R!

The lore and history of the original game drew me in, along with a love of Asian cultures. I still remember being at the bookstore in Las Vegas and picking up Clan War #1: Scorpion and I was hooked from there. Then came Gold Edition, and I was in love with the story, the art, the game itself when I played consistently. Unfortunately, I took a break from the game until Ivory when I started to get drawn back in with the art and the story.

But as a fanfic writer, the lore and world has always been fascinating to me, and now, seeing the story I fell in love with being renovated to a new style and generation, I can get back into the game on the ground floor. The new clan mons look amazing so I can only guess how well FFG will further bring Rokugan to life.

About the setting: Where do I begin? So much modern fantasy stories are set in Tolkien-esque "medieval" "European" settings. I love that L5R takes the unconventional route of basing a world off of Japan (with a little China, Mongolia, and Greek Mythology mixed in for good measure). I love the fact that the old setting was so intricate, and the wide cast of characters it had. I love the seven (or sometimes six, eight, or nine) well-defined clans, and how they all manage to feel unique, yet at the same time connected. I LOVE the artwork. I love the Dragon clan--and the fact that I was able to find a clan that I really identified with, as I'm sure many others have as well. I love...everything about this, really.

About the game: Clan loyalty. I'm what Magic players might call a "Vorthos"--I play games because the world, story, and/or characters excite me. I also play X-Wing, and I've heard some of my friends there say that you could technically take away the little plastic space ships and the game wouldn't be any different. That is completely true--but I would never play a game like that. I am interested in Nu5R because in Old5R, people showed up to tournaments to fight not only for themselves, but for their CLAN. That is something that really interests me.

One of my favorite things about the new game is pretty subtle, but that all your characters are now "singular". While playing almost exclusively casual, a friend of mine and I played with a self imposed restriction that all of our characters were considered unique before singular was even a thing in Old5R. This made deck construction more challenging, interesting, and made a lot more sense in the "story" of our battles.

One thing I'm unclear of in the new game, becase I think I've seen it stated both ways: does a duplicate character add the fate token to the existing character on the board or does it add the fate token to your fate pool when they are discarded?

3 hours ago, Mandalore525 said:

About the game: Clan loyalty. I'm what Magic players might call a "Vorthos"--I play games because the world, story, and/or characters excite me. I also play X-Wing, and I've heard some of my friends there say that you could technically take away the little plastic space ships and the game wouldn't be any different. That is completely true--but I would never play a game like that. I am interested in Nu5R because in Old5R, people showed up to tournaments to fight not only for themselves, but for their CLAN. That is something that really interests me.

I'm exactly the same way, such that the concept of fate drew me in immediately. I recognize that it was likely introduced in large part to discourage the inactivity that the deterministic outcome of battle in the old game tended to inspire in newer players (a trait which FFG seems to have also happily dispensed with).

But for me, mono no aware is an elegant translation of a story idea (namely, the fact that people age, die, or otherwise leave the action) into gameplay. I suppose this makes me just as much a Mel as a Vorthos, but the latter tendecy arises from my interest in seeing a new story spring out of each game, especially one in which I have the agency to help my clan reach the top. Even if it's not top-tier at any given point, the only thing that will influence me to play anything other than Unicorn at a major tournament is if the story prize being contested is something that I, as a story-follower, legitimately feel should go toward a different clan. And even then it's the ongoing narrative that's driving my decision, rather than the cards themselves.

1 hour ago, HirumaShigure said:

One of my favorite things about the new game is pretty subtle, but that all your characters are now "singular". While playing almost exclusively casual, a friend of mine and I played with a self imposed restriction that all of our characters were considered unique before singular was even a thing in Old5R. This made deck construction more challenging, interesting, and made a lot more sense in the "story" of our battles.

One thing I'm unclear of in the new game, becase I think I've seen it stated both ways: does a duplicate character add the fate token to the existing character on the board or does it add the fate token to your fate pool when they are discarded?

It is added to the character in the field apparently.

I can't even express how happy I am that non-unique characters now have non-unique names. This was something I was 99% sure would take place given FFG's style as evidenced in all LCGs to have come before, but there was always the slight chance that they'd feel pressured by the inertia of the game's existing audience into keeping the Old Legend's style of giving specific names to everyone. It always bugged me that you could have two characters with the same name — the same identity — fighting on different battlefields. I can easily accept that my two Border Riders are mounting a two-pronged offensive, but in my head there is only one Utaku Tayoi, and she's only in one province at any given time, regardless of how fast she can ride between them. I get that the intent was for the copies to represent Utaku samurai like Tayoi, but it was just an annoying hurdle in the way of that immersive story experience that I'm seeking when I play, and I'm glad I won't have to deal with it anymore.

1 hour ago, Ide Yoshiya said:

I can't even express how happy I am that non-unique characters now have non-unique names. This was something I was 99% sure would take place given FFG's style as evidenced in all LCGs to have come before, but there was always the slight chance that they'd feel pressured by the inertia of the game's existing audience into keeping the Old Legend's style of giving specific names to everyone. It always bugged me that you could have two characters with the same name — the same identity — fighting on different battlefields. I can easily accept that my two Border Riders are mounting a two-pronged offensive, but in my head there is only one Utaku Tayoi, and she's only in one province at any given time, regardless of how fast she can ride between them. I get that the intent was for the copies to represent Utaku samurai like Tayoi, but it was just an annoying hurdle in the way of that immersive story experience that I'm seeking when I play, and I'm glad I won't have to deal with it anymore.

Now take a deep breath and please explain situation when you still will be facing same named Character fighting each other (mirror match). Or rationalize other gamewise mechanics that stand opposite to logic like being dishonored decrease your pure battle skills etc.

For long time there was rule in CCG that forbade playing same Unique Personality if other player had it on the table. And even if it was a flavourish ruling it caused this "run for Paneki"* kind of playstyle in mirror matches, so they abandoned it afaik in Celestial edition.

CCG had this Follower type card that was reserved for unnamed guys. Otherwise imagine nameless Lion Angry Samurai attaching Raging Lion Samurai card.

Named characters were gateway to "from zero to hero" experience throught the arcs (Oracle shows 1100+ cards with Experienced keyword). Game had Overlay mechanic that also was about named Personalties.

Now after many years i remember plenty of Personalities, their arts, abilities, just because they were named ones. That was something special you could focus on in old game.

* In Samurai edition when you played mirror match of Scorpion DVD dishonor, player who got his Paneki first was nearly sure he win.

38 minutes ago, kempy said:

Now take a deep breath and please explain situation when you still will be facing same named Character fighting each other (mirror match).

*deep breath* Civil strife is a frequent crisis facing the clans. When a character is torn between obedience to his lord and upholding bushido, he may well be facing off against himself, albeit figuratively, which is easier to grok now that battles don't necessarily end in the loser's death.

38 minutes ago, kempy said:

Or rationalize other gamewise mechanics that stand opposite to logic like being dishonored decrease your pure battle skills etc.

Loss of honor equates to a loss of confidence in oneself, opening up a weakness proportional to the honor the character previously possessed. Similarly an honorable character has faith that drives him or her to accomplish greater deeds. In fact the 4th Edition RPG offers an optional rule to represent both of these situations.

38 minutes ago, kempy said:

Named characters were gateway to "from zero to hero" experience throught the arcs. Game had Overlay mechanic that also was about named Personalties.

Indeed. I do recall fondly getting to "Experience" Shinjo Byung. Still, the trials in explaining how Overlay works to a new player are not something I expect to miss very much.

34 minutes ago, kempy said:

Now take a deep breath and please explain situation when you still will be facing same named Character fighting each other (mirror match). Or rationalize other gamewise mechanics that stand opposite to logic like being dishonored decrease your pure battle skills etc.

I gess mirror matches will be a nightmare from a flavor perspective, but that applies to a lot of other games to. You could say that generic personalities being more common makes it more egregious though.

13 minutes ago, Ide Yoshiya said:

Loss of honor equates to a loss of confidence in oneself, opening up a weakness proportional to the honor the character previously possessed. Similarly an honorable character has faith that drives him or her to accomplish greater deeds. In fact the 4th Edition RPG offers an optional rule to represent both of these situations.

I came up with a different justification for the honored/dishonored skill change thing. In a normal state the personality has access to the standard things their lord provides, so they are able to perform adequately. When honored instead they get access to classified information, top notch equipment and the like. When dishonored they have a harder time getting their armor repaired, or they don't get told what the latest fashion is that winter.

Glory determines the significance of the changes because, the more famous they are the more people consider helping them, or, conversely, the harder they fall.

You can probably pick a lot of holes in this explanation (most obvious, how can glory determine equipment if I have attachments for that?), but I still like it.

"It's an ambush! That is the False Daidoji Nerishma!" = mirror match

Oh! Forgot this one, which will be the ultimate example of an old-timer being obtuse and hiding behind a reference that'll likely confuse newbies:

"Flowers."

1 minute ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

Oh! Forgot this one, which will be the ultimate example of an old-timer being obtuse and hiding behind a reference that'll likely confuse newbies:

"Flowers."

Not just newbies.

2 minutes ago, Ide Yoshiya said:

Not just newbies.

"The War of Dark Fire, Part 6"

Quote

Shiba Ningen knelt, eyes closed, at the edge of the village’s westernmost field. The Army of Fire was now close enough that he could catch whiffs of the burning smell that accompanied them, but he had been tracking them in the Void for much longer. As his mind hung suspended in lustrous darkness his body heard the crackle of feet marching through dead grass and the jangle of gear, and then for a short time silence as if those marching had paused at the sight of a lone man meditating in the middle of an empty field.

Ningen had come intending many things, but as he studied spirits of the raiders he felt his intentions fade. They had all the hatred and fury of the attackers at Kyuden Isawa, but in this moment of silence Ningen heard something that he had missed before. Deep in the heart of every man here was a core of inconsolable grief that wondered what had happened to their family, their tribe, themselves.

As the army charged forward Ningen took a deep, shaky breath and reaching out with all of his skill in the Void he gathered all the spirits together, holding all of them in his mind.

“Flowers,” he said.

When he opened his eyes the field in front of him was carpeted with blossoms. The bell-like flowers hung down from short, thin stems, and they were white: the color of death and grief. As the breeze moved through them they seemed to bow and nod to Ningen, and he rose to his feet and gravely bowed back to them.

Way of the Void. Event. Fate Cost 2.

Spell. Void.

Action: Bow a Shugenja you control to bow target character. Remove all fate tokens from that character. Gain one honor for each fate token removed this way.

"Flowers."

(?)

Might be a little too powerful but you inspired me.

Well, even Shiba Ningen, Master of the Void, went into a terminal coma shortly after pulling that one off... so I'd make it MORE powerful, but also force you take out your own guy. Maybe-

"Remove all fate tokens from your shugenja, remove a number of opposing cards whose total fate value is equal to or less than the fate on your character at the time you did this. Gain Honor equal to the number of cards this removes from play (including your own)" or somesuch.

After thinking on it, one of my new favourite mechanics will probably be influence.

Seems to allow for variety without too many restrictions (opposite to WH Conquest, where alliances have been predictible) and keeping the element of surprise (opposite to agot 2, where the chosen ally is public).

Hello variety.

10 hours ago, HirumaShigure said:

"It's an ambush! That is the False Daidoji Nerishma!" = mirror match

I guess mirror matches are the only time Nerishma gets to be the ambusher.