There are a couple ways to approach Unicorn in the single core environment. One is to try to fill the holes by selecting an influence splash that gets you some quality effects you are lacking in your clan card suite. The other is to just try to get as many combo pieces into the deck as you can and hope to do something amazing.

Normally I would recommend playing the cards that are consistent and rely on good decisions. In the case of the Unicorn in the single core format I lean towards hoping to combo off. I think Unicorn will be rather formidable in the normal constructed environment, but single core is rather difficult for them to play up to the same level as everyone else.

The Unicorn have been around for far longer than the current MLP craze.

1 hour ago, Moto Dokomo said:

The Unicorn have been around for far longer than the current MLP craze.

That being said, I don't find I mind the association, per se . Since I don't even understand said craze, I can't very well stand in judgment of it. My quibble comes from the fact that it directly contradicts the terms of the setting. We Unicorn don't use ponies. We use horses. All the other clans use ponies because that's all they have access to barring what the Unicorn have gifted them. It's akin to someone suddenly stating Shadowlands is best clan. Other than that, it's fine.

1 hour ago, Ide Yoshiya said:

We Unicorn don't use ponies. We use horses.

Pony is a derogatory nickname foisted on us long ago and well before the modern MLP thing. We smiled and made it our own almost as long ago.

To OP: Nice article. You've covered the bases well.

Great article, and sums up my experience going 2-2 at the Thursday GenCon event w/ Pony.

For anyone irked by the "Pony" moniker or the thread title - welcome to L5R. Most of the old clan boards have/had strategy and tactics threads or deck lists/building posts that make some sort of play on words or exploit the stereotypes of the clan in question. Embracing the ridiculous, often over the top stereotypes of the clans has always been part of the culture. Aaron Barto played in one of the last AEG L5R events at GenCon wearing a lion hat (like, a maned lion head, like he was friggin' Luna Lovegood). I usually wore a Robot Unicorn Attack t-shirt to koteis in the past. I've seen Unicorn players with MLP card sleeves, t-shirts, and/or play mats. There is zero reason to take it so seriously you can't poke fun at your own clan (or others).

27 minutes ago, saunderez said:

Great article, and sums up my experience going 2-2 at the Thursday GenCon event w/ Pony.

For anyone irked by the "Pony" moniker or the thread title - welcome to L5R. Most of the old clan boards have/had strategy and tactics threads or deck lists/building posts that make some sort of play on words or exploit the stereotypes of the clan in question. Embracing the ridiculous, often over the top stereotypes of the clans has always been part of the culture. Aaron Barto played in one of the last AEG L5R events at GenCon wearing a lion hat (like, a maned lion head, like he was friggin' Luna Lovegood). I usually wore a Robot Unicorn Attack t-shirt to koteis in the past. I've seen Unicorn players with MLP card sleeves, t-shirts, and/or play mats. There is zero reason to take it so seriously you can't poke fun at your own clan (or others).

Truthfully - I wore a mask when I played l5r for some time when I first started playing some 20 years ago lol. It was actually very useful because I had a horrible poker face, and it hid my emotions very well. Since then I just learned to always smile so people don't know when it is genuine, polite, or mischievous.

Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold.

Honestly, now I kinda want to get a pic of the chicken from Moana on fire and use it as a faux clan mon...

1 minute ago, Zesu Shadaban said:

Honestly, now I kinda want to get a pic of the chicken from Moana on fire and use it as a faux clan mon...

YES! Or the one from Kubo!

25 minutes ago, shosuko said:

Truthfully - I wore a mask when I played l5r for some time when I first started playing some 20 years ago lol. It was actually very useful because I had a horrible poker face, and it hid my emotions very well. Since then I just learned to always smile so people don't know when it is genuine, polite, or mischievous.

You have learned Shinsei's lessons. Good.

20 minutes ago, shosuko said:

YES! Or the one from Kubo!

This one??