https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2018/8/22/sun-and-shadows/

It looks like Unicorn and Crane clan packs are next in line. Confirmed to have all clan packs before the end of 2019.

October 10, FFG will announce a new expansion that is not a clan pack for a cycle pack. And they gave us this picture:

Glad. To. Hear it.

There were whispers of accelerating the clan packs; I'm really pleased they're heading down this road.

The picture is Akodo Kage from Underhand of the Emperor.

The notion of speeding up the clan pack releases for this game came out of a sort of throw away answer to the question posed to Andrew Navaro during the inflight report this year (as seen on the TC stream of the event). So it was pretty reliable. Though the details of what that exactly meant were non-existent.

I'm so glad they were listening. It's great news that they are committing to this statement. I really don't want to live through another LCG that releases cards in this way. It's super frustrating to be that last faction in line.

As for what exactly the new product announcement will be it's nice for them to give us something to be excited about in the lull. Not sure what it will be though. They've released Mantis and Shadowlands cards already and until now those would be the obvious choices for a potential big box product. Maybe they'll formally support the multiplayer format with a product. That would be interesting if there was a bunch of strongholds, roles and other player cards designed specifically around that format.

26 minutes ago, Andre Bigler said:

The picture is Akodo Kage from Underhand of the Emperor.

Ah I see. Sorry I've been out of the loop in L5R news. Just started getting back into things.

1 hour ago, phillos said:

The notion of speeding up the clan pack releases for this game came out of a sort of throw away answer to the question posed to Andrew Navaro during the inflight report this year (as seen on the TC stream of the event). So it was pretty reliable. Though the details of what that exactly meant were non-existent.

I'm so glad they were listening. It's great news that they are committing to this statement. I really don't want to live through another LCG that releases cards in this way. It's super frustrating to be that last faction in line.

As for what exactly the new product announcement will be it's nice for them to give us something to be excited about in the lull. Not sure what it will be though. They've released Mantis and Shadowlands cards already and until now those would be the obvious choices for a potential big box product. Maybe they'll formally support the multiplayer format with a product. That would be interesting if there was a bunch of strongholds, roles and other player cards designed specifically around that format.

The voice inside my head keeps hoping its a Mantis deluxe box as the longer they wait to release it the further behind the curve we end up and the harder it is to be competitive with a reduced card pool, but the realist in me expects it will be the announcement of the multiplayer release following the open beta.

It is going to be an Emerald Championship Story Box with a new Emerald Champion Totori from the leaks coming from playtesters.

4 minutes ago, HidaYama said:

It is going to be an Emerald Championship Story Box with a new Emerald Champion Totori from the leaks coming from playtesters.

So something similar to the Terminal Directive box from netrunner.

What does it mean its a story box? That the cards can only br played in "story mode" or some similar kind of special format?

Let's see................Not a clan pack, not part of an expansion cycle.......hmmmmmm

Must be a custom Shadowlands expansion, just for me.

8 minutes ago, RafaelNN said:

What does it mean its a story box? That the cards can only br played in "story mode" or some similar kind of special format?

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2016/11/11/terminal-directive/

If by story box they mean a Netrunner Terminal Directive type box then that would be interesting. You played through a narrative and there were cards in there that were tournament legal and cards in there just pertaining to the narrative story games in the box (and therefore not tournament legal). Also it had legacy game type elements where stuff changed depending on what choices you made.

I think I'd be down for that if it were true. I'd love extra formats for this game to switch it up. Also I think L5R works better as a casual game anyway so this sort of more relax narrative experience would work well with the game.

20 minutes ago, phillos said:

If by story box they mean a Netrunner Terminal Directive type box then that would be interesting. You played through a narrative and there were cards in there that were tournament legal and cards in there just pertaining to the narrative story games in the box (and therefore not tournament legal). Also it had legacy game type elements where stuff changed depending on what choices you made.

I think I'd be down for that if it were true. I'd love extra formats for this game to switch it up. Also I think L5R works better as a casual game anyway so this sort of more relax narrative experience would work well with the game.

Only problem I see is that with Netrunner it was a little easier as you have two main deck types Corp and Runner and its easy enough to print neutrals that don't care which Corp or Runner you are playing as. With the focus on Clan characters on the Dynasty side it may be harder to make a "neutral" deck that applies across multiple factions

Clearly the new product will be a Unique Deck pack for an L5R crossover with Keyforge.

On a more serious note, I'm all for a Mantis/Shadowlands deluxe box. Just because we've have a couple of each release so far doesn't mean a big box would be impossible.

I’ve never played Net Runner so forgice my ignorance, but is the Terminal Directive expansion still played competitively against another player? Does it have an option for solo / co-operative play or does it just add a campaign aspect to the normal game experience?

Hope for a story box with possible 1vs1, multiplayer, solo or co-op format in a setting where customized decks with other cards can be used in 25-35 minute rounds. So a different game really.

3 hours ago, Suzume Tomonori said:

I’ve never played Net Runner so forgice my ignorance, but is the Terminal Directive expansion still played competitively against another player? Does it have an option for solo / co-operative play or does it just add a campaign aspect to the normal game experience?

Terminal directive was a sort of legacy campaign applied to ANR, making you have multiple matches against the same opponent ( between 6 up to 13 if my memory is correct) . The outcome of each game was advancing the story-line and unlocking new cards that could be used only in the campaign context or modifying these cards with stickers. After a certain number of games won one of the 2 factions ( either corp or runner) was reaching the conclusion of the narrative campaign and was instructed it won.

Even if it was designed as a legacy game with stickers and instructions to rip stuff apart, you could easily accommodate the whole thing to be able to replay it as much as you liked. but it relied entirely on 2 players. no more and no solo possibility.

Although us Unicorns got a bit of a boost in the Elemental cycle, I'm really pleased that we're next up for the Clan Packs. Hoping we'll get the 'Ancestral Sword of the Ki-Rin' along with some more reinforcement for our theme of going first in the initiative order, movement shenanigans (both attacking and defending people) and maybe some economy building abilities.

I think it would be cool if there was a product supporting a solo version of the game (as I have no local scene and I’m lucky if I can arrange a game a month with a friend) but I’m not holding my breath for such a product. L5R is a one-on-one competive game at the core of the rule set, and I don’t know how much demand for a solo version would exist.

But thinking about it is making me consider trying to make a house rules solo variant. Hmm ...

I would love to see a 2 vs 2 or 3 vs 1 expansion, where the various clans have to team up against the Shadowlands, similar to what FFG did with the Balance of the Force deluxe expansion for the Star Wars LCG:

Balance of the Force Deluxe Expansion

" Balance of the Force also introduces two pre-built challenge decks, Jerjerrod’s Task and The Hunt for Skywalker , which are each designed to allow one player to oppose teams of two or three. Both of these challenge decks offer their wielder a number of tremendously powerful units, enhancements, and events. Furthermore, these scenarios create unique victory conditions, replacing the standard victory conditions, and thus encourage players to experiment with all-new strategies.

In Jerjerrod’s Task , the Empire has nearly completed its construction of the second Death Star. If it manages to finish its task, it will be able destroy the Rebellion once and for all, and the Emperor will rule uncontested in the galaxy. While a single dark side player uses the Jerjerrod’s Task challenge deck, the other players take the role of the Rebellion and must band together in a last ditch effort to stop this Imperial monstrosity. To succeed, the light side must either destroy the second Death Star or eliminate all the objectives the dark side has in play. But their time is limited! The Rebellion must hurry, or the dark side player will be able to bring the Death Star into play, destroy their objectives, and conquer the galaxy.

Meanwhile, the light side challenge deck, The Hunt for Skywalker , pits a single light side player against two or three dark side opponents. Taking place after their confrontation on Cloud City, The Hunt for Skywalker relates the tale of Darth Vader’s all-out search for Luke Skywalker. While navy officers, bounty hunters, and other shadowy figures all strive to bring this elusive prey before Lord Vader, Luke goes into hiding on Tatooine. Throughout the scenario, the light side player attempts to have Luke outmaneuver his pursuers and stay beyond their reach. If Luke survives until each dark side player has run out of cards in his reserve deck, the light side wins, but if he is destroyed, then the dark side reigns triumphant!"

I'm hoping the new product will be more of a new format for the product itself; do away with the piecemeal release of cycles in six small packs and just load everything up in one bigger, cheaper overall box.

As long as it’s not like the core set with a bunch of one ofs.

8 hours ago, Laurence J Sinclair said:

I'm hoping the new product will be more of a new format for the product itself; do away with the piecemeal release of cycles in six small packs and just load everything up in one bigger, cheaper overall box.

Then I could drop the game entirely and focus on an actual LCG

The old model competitive LCG is dying. I think we are seeing clear signs of that considering the card games slots in FFG's line up are being replaced by co-op's and blind purchase models. As comfortable as the old LCG distribution model was it continued to be problematic for the long term health of those games. So I don't see how going backwards helps anything. That said I think it's clear the current system they devised for L5R is equally problematic (if not more so). So I'm glad they are talking about possible different products. It feels like we are in the middle of half measure and they aren't quite ready to break away from some of the old LCG practices. Kinda like AGOT 1.0 before they settled on the old LCG model right now honestly.

I personally wish they'd just obsolete the core set and move to faction intro decks. Make the game as easy to break into as possible for new players. They've been resistant to factionalized purchases (and I understand why), but I think this is really what's killing the new player adoption rate later in an LCG's life. With the advent of the AGOT intro decks maybe that can be a possibility for this game as well. If a new player could for example pick up an intro deck for their faction, an intro deck for their splash faction and maybe their clan pack for deckbuilding option as a strong base to their collection, then I think we'd be in business. That becomes such a more approachable option for a new player.

4 hours ago, phillos said:

If a new player could for example pick up an intro deck for their faction, an intro deck for their splash faction and maybe their clan pack for deckbuilding option as a strong base to their collection, then I think we'd be in business. That becomes such a more approachable option for a new player. 

I think you're pretty much bang on here. I'm already at the point where I wouldn't try and get any of my friends to play L5R - it's just a next to impossible sell. "What do I need?" Well, you'll really need to spend at least £60 on Core Sets, preferably £90. Then there's £120 worth of packs. And the Phoenix pack if you want to play them, so... just north of 200 quid? Probably?

It never flies - honestly I've found recruitment impossible once you get past one cycle. Nobody I know really likes the feeling of being only partially geared up in the face of somebody who's got everything at their disposal, but the investment is just way too much. I love the LCG structure but only if you get in on the ground floor and ride the elevator all the way to the top. Thrones V2 fell out of fashion where I am after the second cycle (a lot of our regular players never got over the feeling that FF has ripped them off by introducing a second edition), so now even if I wanted to get back in, It's about 2 cycles and a bunch of deluxes to get up to speed.

But then I've got the collector gene, perhaps I could get by if I just picked up a core and a deluxe pack?

What's the alternative? Super aggressive Rotation? I'd actually be cool with that, but again, I know a lot of people who just look at you slack jawed and say "What? I won't be able to use the cards I bought? With my money? **** THAT".