Seems to me that three Techniques for every School is a bit too much, specially considering that there are 5 Techinques available (not counting Maho). I know that School Abilities give now some huge edges, but besides that they are not very different from each other. I think that allowing just 2 Techniques types per School would be a way to further make Schools feel more different, both mechanically and on their own approach to teaching.

As far as I can tell it is really just 2+Rituals (which is frequently not particularly useful)

I think each school should have many techniques since only the first and final ranks give anything on their own.

More techniques would also allow variety within the same school.

School abilities are not techniques and each of the ones in a schools advancement you do not have to take remember it's just about the exp being spent inside that block on stuff in side that block for advancement so having access to 3 categories of techniques gives room for a lot of variant in the styles with in the schools so not all characters are cookie cutter

On 10/20/2017 at 7:51 AM, minoru said:

As far as I can tell it is really just 2+Rituals (which is frequently not particularly useful)

Agree.

On 20-10-2017 at 8:51 AM, minoru said:

As far as I can tell it is really just 2+Rituals (which is frequently not particularly useful)

Yes, but why should everyone have access to Rituals. It feels more at place for Mirumoto or Shiba bushis, but not for a Moto or Hida...

4 hours ago, Oficinaman said:

Yes, but why should everyone have access to Rituals. It feels more at place for Mirumoto or Shiba bushis, but not for a Moto or Hida...

5 hours ago, Oficinaman said:

Yes, but why should everyone have access to Rituals. It feels more at place for Mirumoto or Shiba bushis, but not for a Moto or Hida...

As I said in the thread @Doji Meshou linked, Rituals do not need to be just Theology Rituals.

Tea Ceremony and Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai(Gathering of 100 Ghost Stories) would work well as Aesthetic and Composition Rituals with appropriate effects.

Crafting special items can also be locked behind certain Rituals. Kakita and Kaiu Blades could easily be locked behind Smithing rituals.

Special military drills can also be Rituals.

Rituals do not only need to be Magic.

Also, frankly, the underlying assumption that some bushi schools create bushi who are by definition less spiritual than others seems false to me. See the Halloween fiction, for example: a Ritual would've fit right in.

On 03-11-2017 at 3:41 PM, Doji Meshou said:

Also, frankly, the underlying assumption that some bushi schools create bushi who are by definition less spiritual than others seems false to me. See the Halloween fiction, for example: a Ritual would've fit right in.

You're assuming that some assume "that some bushi schools create bushi who are by definition less spiritual", lol. Anyway, whats a fact is that a school gives you some teachings that mark you for life and traditions that are handed down from nearly the birth of the Empire in some cases. So, many bushi who study under the same tutellage of the same sensei, tend to be similar. Thos creates stereotypes, that are a classic in Rokugan. Notable exceptions are some remarkable NPCs and the PCs, of course.