7 minutes ago, Stone37 said:

I've recently expanded on my post that is now the center of the "Unicorn" debate.

You're right "Shisa" would have been a better name, but I think most Westerners (not familiar with Japanese mythology) just call this a Japanese lion.

Still, Unicorn fits thematically into what the Unicorn are. (And obviously the Lion bit was a joke.)

1 minute ago, Kuni Katsuyoshi said:

Since Rokugan has Lions. Halving a different name for 'lion ' would be a little counterproductive.

Yup. I agree. I have no problem with "Lion" as a clan name, as this animal has all the same meanings in Japanese mythology as it does Western mythology. Really, only "Unicorn" sticks out like a sore thumb. I realize there is a back-story attributed to this in the old game... but this is a re-launch and might have been best to stick with the apparent theme.

4 minutes ago, Casanunda said:

So by my count, there's only 1 Unicorn card not spoiled in some way, a conflict character. Am I missing anything?

That's the look of it, anyhow. Oddballs that they are, it looks like they'll be the only clan without 24 cards. The card list spreadsheet shows them with only 23 total, 13 Dynasty and 10 Conflict.

7 minutes ago, Stone37 said:

Yup. I agree. I have no problem with "Lion" as a clan name, as this animal has all the same meanings in Japanese mythology as it does Western mythology. Really, only "Unicorn" sticks out like a sore thumb. I realize there is a back-story attributed to this in the old game... but this is a re-launch and might have been best to stick with the apparent theme.

Outta likes so..

*like*

It's more accurately a 'reboot ' Same world, different story.

It might have been helpful if they gave more info on the Kirin/Unicorn switch for those new to Rokugan

But the 'sore thumb' nature of the name is entirely intentional

1 minute ago, Stone37 said:

but this is a re-launch

Ki-Rin went out and the descendans came back with a whole gaijin family, gaijin animals, gaijin magic and gaijin customs. Same as old lore so far. Steamy encounter of Shinjo (Ki-Rin) and the Unicorn in the Burning Sands may not have happened and the name change for the clan may have had another reason. But the Lion are right when saying that the Unicorn are not the Ki-Rin. They didn't eat red meat, had no issues having unisex baths, used not so curved blades, didn't use leather,...

2 minutes ago, Wintersong said:

Ki-Rin went out and the descendans came back with a whole gaijin family, gaijin animals, gaijin magic and gaijin customs. Same as old lore so far. Steamy encounter of Shinjo (Ki-Rin) and the Unicorn in the Burning Sands may not have happened and the name change for the clan may have had another reason. But the Lion are right when saying that the Unicorn are not the Ki-Rin. They didn't eat red meat, had no issues having unisex baths, used not so curved blades, didn't use leather,...

Everyone uses Leather. most just don't admit to it.

1 minute ago, Wintersong said:

Ki-Rin went out and the descendans came back with a whole gaijin family, gaijin animals, gaijin magic and gaijin customs. Same as old lore so far. Steamy encounter of Shinjo (Ki-Rin) and the Unicorn in the Burning Sands may not have happened and the name change for the clan may have had another reason. But the Lion are right when saying that the Unicorn are not the Ki-Rin. They didn't eat red meat, had no issues having unisex baths, used not so curved blades, didn't use leather,...

It could be different..but I doubt it.

I don't think they'd change it unless there is going to be some new story out of it down the line.

Kirin would have been fine of a name to use. Unicorn always felt like an oversimplification.

37 minutes ago, Stone37 said:

True, but Rokugan at least SOUNDS Japanese/Asian, where as the Unicorn is associated with European mythology. My joke was pointing out how this clan name sticks out like a sore thumb. As a professor of mythology, I would have suggested that they change the name to Kirin (a dragon like horse) that shares many of the same qualities as the European Unicorn in myth.

A Kirin:

The other clan names can easily be defended as fitting inside of the theme of this game:
Crab - this creature plays an important part in the mythical powers of samurai
Crane - an animal found any many Asian myths
Dragon - Don't think I have to defend this one

Lion - The better name would have been "Shisa" but still fits
Phoenix - an actual symbol of an imperial household
Scorpion - a Japanese consolation with a myth attached to it

As you can see, the other 6 clans can easily fit inside the theme. Also, again... My original post was a joke.

They WERE the Ki Rin clan. Then they went out into the world for 8 freaking centuries, and the other cultures they encountered saw what a ki rin looked like, and said, "Oh, hey, that thing is a unicorn!"

Boom. Unicorn Clan.

21 minutes ago, Stone37 said:

Really, only "Unicorn" sticks out like a sore thumb.

Given that the other six (or even eight) clans are all well-known in the west as real or mythical creatures, Ki-Rin probably would have stuck out more.

I look forward to my insane efforts to jam some of these into my Phoenix deck.

"I am here to steal Rings and Momentum. And thanks to Tsukune, we're all out of rings."

1 hour ago, Zesu Shadaban said:

Are those the extra curvy blades, or the straight ones with a curve?

The best of both worlds?

1 minute ago, Mirumoto Saito said:

The best of both worlds?

Oooooo a flamberge.

*like*⚔️

But I'd call that 'wavy' rather than 'curved '?

I'm feeling Charge and Route are gonna be extra groovy in Unicorn games

5 minutes ago, Mirumoto Saito said:

The best of both worlds?

Straight or Curved? And how would a Unicorn define it?

5 minutes ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

I look forward to my insane efforts to jam some of these into my Phoenix deck.

"I am here to steal Rings and Momentum. And thanks to Tsukune, we're all out of rings."

Aaaaagghh!

I've been racking my brain trying to figure the original quote.

So give already ?

I think the whole "Curved vs Straight" sword debate has been designed around a horrid mis-translation. What Alternasty meant when she said "curved sword" was that she always goes first, and all conflicts are MIL. It was misinterpreted because the designers didn't want to spoil their card design. If you go back and read it again it all makes sense.

3 minutes ago, shosuko said:

I think the whole "Curved vs Straight" sword debate has been designed around a horrid mis-translation. What Alternasty meant when she said "curved sword" was that she always goes first, and all conflicts are MIL. It was misinterpreted because the designers didn't want to spoil their card design. If you go back and read it again it all makes sense.

*like*

I think they just wanted to sit back and watch folks virtually throttle each other over it, laughing the whole time ??

I like how Born in War is an attachment that cares about how many rings are unclaimed while the Phoenix have the Shugenja conflict character that cares about how many WERE claimed.

Its a nice little counter there. In fact phoenix and unicorn seem to both have heavy counters to each other built in.

I think we should start calling

21 minutes ago, Casanunda said:

Given that the other six (or even eight) clans are all well-known in the west as real or mythical creatures, Ki-Rin probably would have stuck out more.

That's fine that it could stick out. Part of the appeal of the game originally was the Japanese and Asian setting.

Id be all for changing the Phoenix into the Firebird clan. Vrooom!

I can understand the confidant look of Utaku Infantry with cavalry reserve in the mix.

9 minutes ago, Kuni Katsuyoshi said:

*like*

I think they just wanted to sit back and watch folks virtually throttle each other over it, laughing the whole time ??

Yeah - everyone kept asking "where are the Ide??" What they didn't know was that the fiction was actually an elaborate Ida trap! It served its purpose of explaining why the Unicorn exist in the setting by giving them a really meh story but SUPER STRONG AND DESIRABLE cards... which embodies the Unicorn better than we all realized O_O

4 minutes ago, shosuko said:

Yeah - everyone kept asking "where are the Ide??" What they didn't know was that the fiction was actually an elaborate Ida trap! It served its purpose of explaining why the Unicorn exist in the setting by giving them a really meh story but SUPER STRONG AND DESIRABLE cards... which embodies the Unicorn better than we all realized O_O

*like*

Ide trap?

Is Ide Tang the daimyo already? I didn't think the the Unicorn ? were smart enough to come up with something that devious without Scorpion infiltration.?

8 minutes ago, shosuko said:

Yeah - everyone kept asking "where are the Ide??" What they didn't know was that the fiction was actually an elaborate Ida trap! It served its purpose of explaining why the Unicorn exist in the setting by giving them a really meh story but SUPER STRONG AND DESIRABLE cards... which embodies the Unicorn better than we all realized O_O

By everyone...(Me)

And Unicorn fiction was great. ^-^ great fiction and great spoils.

2 hours ago, Zesu Shadaban said:

Oh yeah? Well mine's only legal in some countries! Oh wait...