I keep seeing mentions of Yoritomo and/or the Mantis clan in relation to the LCG story line from FFG. Are they back? Is there a story I missed somewhere?

There was a passing mention in the second or third fiction, IIRC.

It's highly doubtful they'd make a comeback. The "dynasty packs" are already 60 cards a pop, stretched thin with 2 per faction, + neutral and province cards, little room to start adding other clans.

Mention of Yoritomo in Crane fiction. Pirate Yoritomo. Yarr?

2 hours ago, Teslacrashed said:

There was a passing mention in the second or third fiction, IIRC.

It's highly doubtful they'd make a comeback. The "dynasty packs" are already 60 cards a pop, stretched thin with 2 per faction, + neutral and province cards, little room to start adding other clans.

Then why mention him at all? FFG's not stupid, and know that this would get the attention of Mantis players. Why taunt them?

4 minutes ago, SirEuain said:

Then why mention him at all? FFG's not stupid, and know that this would get the attention of Mantis players. Why taunt them?

Because the second day of thunder is coming, and it is better to lay the ground work for characters involved than to just bring him out of nowhere

4 minutes ago, SirEuain said:

Then why mention him at all? FFG's not stupid, and know that this would get the attention of Mantis players. Why taunt them?

He'll probably get in as a neutral card.

13 minutes ago, SirEuain said:

Then why mention him at all? FFG's not stupid, and know that this would get the attention of Mantis players. Why taunt them?

To let them know that even if they don't get playable clan as the others, they can still get some story time sometimes?

To hint that it's not beyond the realm of possibility that Mantis can be back in some way (later, down the road)?

They are evil and love to taunt Mantis players and Tsuruchi* fans?

* "What? Yoritomo gets mentioned but no Tsuruchi? Occupy FFG!"

1 minute ago, Wintersong said:

To let them know that even if they don't get playable clan as the others, they can still get some story time sometimes?

To hint that it's not beyond the realm of possibility that Mantis can be back in some way (later, down the road)?

They are evil and love to taunt Mantis players and Tsuruchi* fans?

* "What? Yoritomo gets mentioned but no Tsuruchi? Occupy FFG!"

I think it's the last one. I sure enjoy doing it??

1 hour ago, Cambeul no Oni said:

Because the second day of thunder is coming, and it is better to lay the ground work for characters involved than to just bring him out of nowhere

Only necessary if Yoritomo's Alliance is a formidable presence at the Day of Thunder. Removing the faction removes the basis to write about them in the first place.

1 hour ago, Kuni Katsuyoshi said:

He'll probably get in as a neutral card.

Truth be told, I was holding out hope that the Mantis were in as a conflict-only faction, to be made playable on their own at a later date.

1 hour ago, Wintersong said:

To let them know that even if they don't get playable clan as the others, they can still get some story time sometimes?

To hint that it's not beyond the realm of possibility that Mantis can be back in some way (later, down the road)?

They are evil and love to taunt Mantis players and Tsuruchi* fans?

* "What? Yoritomo gets mentioned but no Tsuruchi? Occupy FFG!"

The first is, at best, self-defeating. Mantis players, by definition, want to play Mantis.

The second is what pretty much everyone's already assumed. We all knew Mantis weren't in the core set. Tesla was saying they didn't think Mantis would come back at all.

Maybe the Mantis will be in a special deluxe as a minor clan : enough cards in the box for a legal deck but little to no support in Dynasty Packs. A bit like the mini faction in ANR.

I am certain the first set will be just the 7 Great Clans, 2 cards per clan per dynasty pack - that said, I fully expect additional factions to be added that aren't ever-green, and maybe won't last, but will form and be playable for a time.

7 hours ago, MrMenthe said:

Maybe the Mantis will be in a special deluxe as a minor clan : enough cards in the box for a legal deck but little to no support in Dynasty Packs. A bit like the mini faction in ANR.

Print on Demand is the way to go if they don't want to water down the dynasty packs and at the same time add factions for fun.

A stronghold that is no tournament legal but represents one clan. Let's say: Yoritomo's Pirate Alliance.

Clan themed Dynasty characters, province, holdings. Obviously no tournament legal. Let's say: Yoritomo, Pirate Champion of the Mantis.

Clan themed Conflict events and attachments. Obviously no tournament legal. Let's say: Plunder.

Clan themed Conflict characters that are alternate versions of neutral characters from regular dynasty packs, therefore tournament legal. Let's say: Mantis Raiders.

Neutral cards of any kind to round up and lure regular players to buy this PoD anyway. (you know this would happen)

Different quality in cards is irrelevant in organized play as you must use sleeves.

While it does require time to design and test these, they don't take store space, only people that really wants them buys them, no watering down dynasty packs where space is already at premium, freedom to add any faction (naga, ratling, monk, spirits*, kolat, gozoku, yodotai, zokujin, snake,...).

* please no?

On 8/19/2017 at 5:38 AM, Wintersong said:

Print on Demand is the way to go if they don't want to water down the dynasty packs and at the same time add factions for fun.

A stronghold that is no tournament legal but represents one clan. Let's say: Yoritomo's Pirate Alliance.

Clan themed Dynasty characters, province, holdings. Obviously no tournament legal. Let's say: Yoritomo, Pirate Champion of the Mantis.

Clan themed Conflict events and attachments. Obviously no tournament legal. Let's say: Plunder.

Clan themed Conflict characters that are alternate versions of neutral characters from regular dynasty packs, therefore tournament legal. Let's say: Mantis Raiders.

Neutral cards of any kind to round up and lure regular players to buy this PoD anyway. (you know this would happen)

Different quality in cards is irrelevant in organized play as you must use sleeves.

While it does require time to design and test these, they don't take store space, only people that really wants them buys them, no watering down dynasty packs where space is already at premium, freedom to add any faction (naga, ratling, monk, spirits*, kolat, gozoku, yodotai, zokujin, snake,...).

* please no?

That seems like an awful lot of time and effort, not to mention the cost to the player, for something that's not tournament-legal.

37 minutes ago, JJ48 said:

That seems like an awful lot of time and effort, not to mention the cost to the player, for something that's not tournament-legal.

Yeah - they might as well just make a clan starter that includes a playset of all cards to get that clan going, and then rotate them into the deluxe and dynasty expansions. They probably shouldn't be ever-green but there is no reason they can't be legal during their time in the rotation.

30 minutes ago, JJ48 said:

That seems like an awful lot of time and effort, not to mention the cost to the player, for something that's not tournament-legal.

Well, I did say "add factions for fun".

On 8/18/2017 at 7:42 PM, Kuni Katsuyoshi said:

He'll probably get in as a neutral card.

Bingo.

I will bet the minor clans will come in as neutrals. It makes the most sense. Great clans all technically have the keyword 'X Clan' right? via their mon/color. So they don't bother to list it since it's clear.

So to add a little more flavor and possibility for some card interactions to give a sense of identity etc, they could be neutral but have printed 'Wasp Clan', etc. as a keyword

2 hours ago, Tebbo said:

Bingo.

I will bet the minor clans will come in as neutrals. It makes the most sense. Great clans all technically have the keyword 'X Clan' right? via their mon/color. So they don't bother to list it since it's clear.

So to add a little more flavor and possibility for some card interactions to give a sense of identity etc, they could be neutral but have printed 'Wasp Clan', etc. as a keyword

I think Minor Clans will be playable via Splash. So you will still pick a Major Clan, then splash in a Minor Clan with your Influence, rather then another Major Clan.

~D

14 minutes ago, HoodieDM said:

I think Minor Clans will be playable via Splash. So you will still pick a Major Clan, then splash in a Minor Clan with your Influence, rather then another Major Clan.

~D

That would only work for Conflict cards - I'm sure there would be some Dynasty cards too.

Why @shosuko