Greetings L5R Open Beta testers,

We’re still gathering items for a substantial rules update, so we’re going to make our first big set of revisions a matter for next week.

For today, here a summary of the areas for which you should expect major review and likely revisions next week!

• Duels

• Iaijutsu

• Outbursts (terminology, theme, and presentation)—and you can weigh in on this directly in the survey this week!

• Wounds (terminology, theme, and presentation)—and you can weigh in on this directly in the survey this week!

• Readying weapons

• Numerous small corrections

A more detailed breakdown of this list (and the thought process behind it) can be found in our newsletter. We also include some discussion of the things we're not changing just yet (stances, strife as a general concept, outbursts as a general concept, "always-on" passive defense bonuses). If you're not signed up for email updates, you can do so here .

Additionally, if you haven't already done so, you can fill out our Week 3 survey to give us your feedback on some of the ideas here and weigh in on which minor clan you’d like to see previewed in the next content update.

Thanks for all of your feedback so far, and we look forward to continuing to improve the system with you in the weeks to come!

I want to build a character. problem is I want to do a dragon Bushi... but you kind of left that school out. which leaves me in a lurch.

In a pinch, Kitsuki Investigator makes for a good Bushi if your GM agrees that Assessment rolls primary function is to gather information, and thus they get the benefit from Kitsuki technique, making them pretty good at being fast and utilizing the opportunities gained from the Assessment roll.

On 10/23/2017 at 4:09 AM, Daeglan said:

I want to build a character. problem is I want to do a dragon Bushi... but you kind of left that school out. which leaves me in a lurch.

Or just pick a different Bushi school and 'reskin' it.

6 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Or just pick a different Bushi school and 'reskin' it.

The problem here is that the dragon bushi school is about dual-wielding a mechanic that is not supported by any of the current schools.

1 hour ago, tenchi2a said:

The problem here is that the dragon bushi school is about dual-wielding a mechanic that is not supported by any of the current schools.

You could try out the Spinning Blades Style technique as the school ability and see if it feels balanced. That's about dual-wielding. Granted, it's a rank 2 technique, but it doesn't seem too overpowered on a starting character because of the Opportunity requirement.

9 hours ago, MuttonchopMac said:

You could try out the Spinning Blades Style technique as the school ability and see if it feels balanced. That's about dual-wielding. Granted, it's a rank 2 technique, but it doesn't seem too overpowered on a starting character because of the Opportunity requirement.

Well, given 'a Ronin's Path' hands you 24 XP to start with, that's enough to get to school rank 2.

Okay...so making a fake 'Miramoto Bushi' we need to cover the following core concepts for early ranks:
[Goes away to read the L5R wiki]

Quote

Initiates of the Mirumoto Bushi School must master the basic principles of Niten, the two-sword technique founded by Mirumoto himself.

In addition to their focus on the art of kenjutsu, the Mirumoto study the art of the duel as well in order to properly face their traditional opponents among the Kakita.

So... I'd use the Kakita Duellist school and take spinning blades as soon as possible (i.e. Rank 2).

Dragon Clan (+1 Fire, +1 Meditation, Status 30)

Mirumoto Family (+1 Water, +1 Fitness, +1 Tactics, Glory 44)

Kakita Duelist School "Mirumoto Bushi School" ((+1 Earth, +1 Air, +1 Martial Arts (Melee), +1 Fitness, +1 Meditation, +1 Courtesy, +1 Sentiment, Iaijutsu, Weight Of Duty, Honour 50)

Mysticism- because, well, Dragon - (+1 Void)

[Sprinkle with Advantages, Disadvantages, Ancestry & Honour/Glory modifiers to taste]

Then with the 24XP:

Rank 1

Martial Arts (Melee) 2 - 4xp

Martial Arts (Melee) 3 - 6xp

Fire 3 - 9xp

Rank 2

Spinning Blades Style - 2xp

[1 additional Rank 1 skill or Kata to taste]

Resulting character:

Air 2, Fire 3, Earth 2, Water 2, Void 2

Status 30, Glory 44, Honour 50

Courtesy 1

Fitness 2

Martial Arts (Melee) 3

Meditation 2

Sentiment 1

Tactics 1

Iaijutsu

Spinning Blades Style

Weight Of Duty

....plus extras as noted above.

That's a pretty decent cardboard cutout standin for a Mirumoto, at least until the 'proper' rules for them turn up.

Never let any Mirumoto know you created their school starting from "Kakita Duelists"