2 minutes ago, Devin-the-Poet said:

So for force powers are pretty well done but very limited early on.

Each technique has several ways to rank up. Number of people effected, distance, power, and usually a special effect. Leaving lots of room to specialize.

The problem was getting force dice. You usually start with one. About half light side half dark side.

Some force powers let you focus a dice, thus losing the dice but gaining the effect for a period of time. Some powers even allow you to focus several dice for a stronger effect like jumping hella high.

Most powers require you to roll the dice and spend the one or two pips of force you roll to activate the power. But using dark side pips usually strained your character. You can often spend many pips for many stronger effects.

Some powers had special effects or upgrades for using only light or only dark side points.

Given three or four dice you could do all kinds of cool stuff, but starting with only one dice has looked really limiting.

This experience all comes from running a total of four sessions.

You are spot on though.

4 hours ago, Tashiro said:

Hmm, now I'm curious. Okay, so let's say they're using Narrative Dice. How would they capture the feel of the School Techniques. Because a big part of the game was the feel of the Clans and the various schools. So, for example, the Bayushi Bushi School - the feint, where you open up the opponent's guard and get a quick hit in - follows up by the 'if you score a solid hit, the opponent has to match you or they miss'. That was a 1-2 punch I really enjoyed - especially when playing an archer.

I can't remember how feints work in SW off hand, but it they do exist

As for how shuggies would work ..I have no idea ??

Anyone have a guess?

Okay, so hearing this, it makes me think this (bear with me, I design games, so now with this limited information my brain's spinning):

Clan School is a 'tree', where you can learn different aspects as you progress, fleshing out different 'themes' for the school. So, for the Kakita School it might be 'duelling', and then 'quick strikes' or 'precision' based benefits. For a Scorpion it could be 'deception' or 'crippling' strikes, while for a Crab it might be 'power' and 'tenacity'. You get the idea.

For Shugenja it would be developing the element. Soshi would be 'Air', Kuni would be 'Earth', and the trees would would be developing how the School uses that element. Crab might be going for 'physical augmentation' or 'wards', while Soshi might use Air for 'information gathering' or 'confusing the senses', while an Asahina's Air school might be for 'divination' or 'purification'. As you develop along the tree as a shugenja you can start augmenting effects - duration, targets, distance, and also work on stronger sense, commune, and summoning abilities.

Okay, so I was really apprehensive of them not using R&K, but talking with you guys... I'm really intrigued! If they do move to this new game system, I really am curious to see how it develops - as long as it has the kind of 'build up lateral and vertical' thing with Clan + Family + School kind of 'plug together' kind of thing... I think I could get in with this. My 'wait and see' is somewhat more optimistic rather than apprehensive.

Thanks to everyone taking part in this conversation!

Take a look at Career Path Trees from Star Wars. Your idea would work very well in that format, and possibility of switching from 5 Techniques Paradigm to School Tree (or "School Scroll") is one of biggest reasons for me to be happy about the chance of game being redesigned from the ground.

6 hours ago, Tashiro said:

Okay, so hearing this, it makes me think this (bear with me, I design games, so now with this limited information my brain's spinning):

Clan School is a 'tree', where you can learn different aspects as you progress, fleshing out different 'themes' for the school. So, for the Kakita School it might be 'duelling', and then 'quick strikes' or 'precision' based benefits. For a Scorpion it could be 'deception' or 'crippling' strikes, while for a Crab it might be 'power' and 'tenacity'. You get the idea.

For Shugenja it would be developing the element. Soshi would be 'Air', Kuni would be 'Earth', and the trees would would be developing how the School uses that element. Crab might be going for 'physical augmentation' or 'wards', while Soshi might use Air for 'information gathering' or 'confusing the senses', while an Asahina's Air school might be for 'divination' or 'purification'. As you develop along the tree as a shugenja you can start augmenting effects - duration, targets, distance, and also work on stronger sense, commune, and summoning abilities.

Okay, so I was really apprehensive of them not using R&K, but talking with you guys... I'm really intrigued! If they do move to this new game system, I really am curious to see how it develops - as long as it has the kind of 'build up lateral and vertical' thing with Clan + Family + School kind of 'plug together' kind of thing... I think I could get in with this. My 'wait and see' is somewhat more optimistic rather than apprehensive.

Thanks to everyone taking part in this conversation!

If they keep the same system the shugenja schools will have special talents and effects but the elements will have their own talent trees that any shugenja could learn. (maybe two, one social and one for combat)

That way the clan flavor can exist, but keeping the use of elements open to everyone. With maybe a few minor restrictions. As most clans have trouble using all five of the elements.

7 hours ago, Tashiro said:

Okay, so I was really apprehensive of them not using R&K, but talking with you guys... I'm really intrigued! If they do move to this new game system, I really am curious to see how it develops - as long as it has the kind of 'build up lateral and vertical' thing with Clan + Family + School kind of 'plug together' kind of thing... I think I could get in with this.

There isn't much good to say here in my opinion. Talent trees are notoriously hard to balance out, and this stand double for the FFG system as its Characteristic and Skill values are extremely limited. Not to mention that the dice resolution system doesn't lend itself too well for anything interesting.

I do doubt that School Techniques can be converted to the FFG system without either making them OP or completely gutting the idea behind them.

12 minutes ago, AtoMaki said:

There isn't much good to say here in my opinion. Talent trees are notoriously hard to balance out, and this stand double for the FFG system as its Characteristic and Skill values are extremely limited. Not to mention that the dice resolution system doesn't lend itself too well for anything interesting.

I do doubt that School Techniques can be converted to the FFG system without either making them OP or completely gutting the idea behind them.

Idk

If the techs are OP compared to SW, I won't be crying in my shochu.

I thought the did a decent job with the lightsaber forms so I have some hope.?

12 minutes ago, Kuni Katsuyoshi said:

If the techs are OP compared to SW, I won't be crying in my shochu.

I intentionally didn't touch the case of the SW Talents .

I'm hoping FFG can release more of the earlier books on DriveThru. I'm looking for 3rd Edition Emerald Empire to use in the 4e game I'm running. I need the information on dojo, and I can't find the PDF anywhere - nobody's selling it. :\ I would pick up the book, but... it's kind of expensive buying the book just for the dojo.

39 minutes ago, Tashiro said:

I'm hoping FFG can release more of the earlier books on DriveThru. I'm looking for 3rd Edition Emerald Empire to use in the 4e game I'm running. I need the information on dojo, and I can't find the PDF anywhere - nobody's selling it. :\ I would pick up the book, but... it's kind of expensive buying the book just for the dojo.

Have you checked the L5R book torrent? Which book is this information in?

Is there a 3rd edition Emerald Empire book? Or is that only a 4th ed book?

9 minutes ago, Tashiro said:

I'm looking for 3rd Edition Emerald Empire to use in the 4e game I'm running. I need the information on dojo

4e Emerald Empire contains dojo info. On DriveThru, 25 USD.

7 hours ago, Manchu said:

4e Emerald Empire contains dojo info. On DriveThru, 25 USD.

Sadly, it doesn't actually have the individual dojos. It has some generic stuff about attending dojos, but it doesn't have the individual dojos and the benefits. Only 3e Emerald Empire and a 2e book have them.

@Tashiro out of curiosity, did you start a thread about this previously?

1 hour ago, Manchu said:

@Tashiro out of curiosity, did you start a thread about this previously?

Not that I'm aware of. o.O