I like the concept of Titles and the little side track of abilities. It’s a nice way to pick up a few abilities that you couldn’t normally get, but more importantly give a little bit of distinctiveness to a character outside of the choices within a school

I also think that they it could also be used to represent other things outside of direct titles like Magistrate. Rather than having a full school for things like the Daidoji Harriers, Hiruma Slayers, Kenshinzen, Lions pride, Isawa Tensai, etc they could all be done using the rules for titles.

Is this something that you would like to see? Do you think it’s a good idea?

I think Titles are a much better way of dealing with Alternate Paths and Advanced Schools from previous editions. The only thing I think is wholly unnecessary and I've already houseruled out in my table is that a character may only have one unfinished title at a time. This really gimps people that could possibly end up with two titles in quick succession. Examp´le: Kuroiban into Jade Magistrate/Legionnaire (if they exist), or vice versa, should happen a lot among the Scorpion and wouldn't work RAW.

I think Daidoji Harriers should be an entire basic (Shinobi) school, since they differ a lot from the bushi of that same family. I'd not like to have things that differ too much from the main school of a given family to become titles (ie. Shosuro Actors, Kakita Artisans, Ikoma Lion's Shadow, Doji Magistrates, etc), I would rather have them as separate schools. However, some things that were separate schools in previous editions can very well work as titles in 5E: Hida Berserker, Hida Pragmatist, Mirumoto Taoist Swordsman, Akodo Elite Spearman, Moto Vindicators, etc. since they actually don't differ that much from their family's basic school.

I am with @omnicrone above. I think that Titles are everything the Alternate Paths and Advanced Schools should have been. They are dynamic, powerful, and a great form of alternative advancement.

I do disagree with the houserule that you can have multiple active Titles at a time, somewhat. I think having a single title you are currently pursuing as "Active" with other Titles you have available to you as "Inactive". You can only pursue one "Active" Title at a time, and to begin pursuing another Title, you have to either complete your current Title or abandon it. You still keep the Title, socially, but you abandon the Status gain, the Special Ability, and the Curriculum it gives you.

2 hours ago, sndwurks said:

I am with @omnicrone above. I think that Titles are everything the Alternate Paths and Advanced Schools should have been. They are dynamic, powerful, and a great form of alternative advancement.

I do disagree with the houserule that you can have multiple active Titles at a time, somewhat. I think having a single title you are currently pursuing as "Active" with other Titles you have available to you as "Inactive". You can only pursue one "Active" Title at a time, and to begin pursuing another Title, you have to either complete your current Title or abandon it. You still keep the Title, socially, but you abandon the Status gain, the Special Ability, and the Curriculum it gives you.

Your Active/Inactive solution is best. I will probably copy it. Let's see what Titles we'll get from Emerald Empire and if that will be relevant.

Given the implied nature that titles are not alternate paths, but job-linked abilities...

I would think alternate advancement paths would be be like titles, but a separate category, simply so that one cannot be holding multiple jobs at a time.

5 hours ago, bgsx9t said:

Rather than having a full school for things like the Daidoji Harriers, Hiruma Slayers, Kenshinzen, Lions pride, Isawa Tensai, etc they could all be done using the rules for titles.

I think at least some things, such a the Daidoji Harrier, should get full school write ups but others should get the Title treatment.

I can easily see Kenshinzen, Defender of the Wall, Lion's Pride, and [Element] Tensai as suitable title for characters around rank 3.

5 minutes ago, AK_Aramis said:

Given the implied nature that titles are not alternate paths, but job-linked abilities...

I'm not seeing that they are always job linked abilities. It might be true for the example title which is a job, but other titles need not be so job related.

Titles such as Manslayer, Kensai, Kenshinzen, Demon Swordsman, Junshin and Hero of [Battle/Location] are all viable titles that are unlikely to have duties directly related to them.

Is there any other example at the moment beyond the Emerald Magistrate? I haven't seen others...

1 hour ago, Franwax said:

Is there any other example at the moment beyond the Emerald Magistrate? I haven't seen others...

Currently no, but Emerald Empire will have 9 more.

7 hours ago, Ultimatecalibur said:

I'm not seeing that they are always job linked abilities. It might be true for the example title which is a job, but other titles need not be so job related.

Titles such as Manslayer, Kensai, Kenshinzen, Demon Swordsman, Junshin and Hero of [Battle/Location] are all viable titles that are unlikely to have duties directly related to them.

It's implied in that they are assigned in play. Not opted for.

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A title is assigned as a result of narrative events, but besides that, it functions much like a school curriculum:

School alternate paths are something that players would demand input on. Titles, as in the term itself, also implies positions assigned to, rather than schooling asked for.

I expect the Daidoji Harrier to be a full school, and somewhen there will be a "multiple schools" protocol.

24 minutes ago, AK_Aramis said:

It's implied in that they are assigned in play. Not opted for.

School alternate paths are something that players would demand input on. Titles, as in the term itself, also implies positions assigned to, rather than schooling asked for.

Being granted by narrative events does not mean that a title is necessarily handed out by NPCs in government positions (though many titles are likely bestowed this way).

And not every title needs to have a position or schooling.

Say a character participates in a major battle and viciously kills a lot of opponents, the survivors of that battle might assign the character the title of "Slaughterer of [Battle]." This title would grant a status bonus representing the character's spreading reputation, the curriculum would represent the character learning to use this reputation and the title's completion ability representing the character fully comprehending how to use that reputation.

48 minutes ago, Ultimatecalibur said:

Being granted by narrative events does not mean that a title is necessarily handed out by NPCs in government positions (though many titles are likely bestowed this way).

And not every title needs to have a position or schooling.

Say a character participates in a major battle and viciously kills a lot of opponents, the survivors of that battle might assign the character the title of "Slaughterer of [Battle]." This title would grant a status bonus representing the character's spreading reputation, the curriculum would represent the character learning to use this reputation and the title's completion ability representing the character fully comprehending how to use that reputation.

Given that they're limited to one, i don't think that's terribly likely to be how it's done.

The exemplar given is a case of you will be USING those skills while working under that title. The ability grows out of the use of those skills after gaining the title.

Your counter is learning after the fact from deeds done only before the title. Plus, what ability is learned from a given battle that isn't learned anywhere else? I can think of a few, but they're already covered with suitable techniques...

The glory itself needs no title to go with it. Nor the status. The Lord can just say, "Follow his lead, my bushi, follow his lead!"

Hm.... I'm pondering how a Topaz Champion title might go. Or is there one in the BB?

6 hours ago, AK_Aramis said:

Given that they're limited to one, i don't think that's terribly likely to be how it's done.

The exemplar given is a case of you will be USING those skills while working under that title. The ability grows out of the use of those skills after gaining the title.

You seem to be locked onto "Only one active Title at a time" limit. That limit is there to prevent characters from gaining a bunch of titles for the privileged access to things they do not normally have access to. A Togashi Monk or non-Kuni Shugenja gains access to Kata from the Emerald Magistrate title.

Heck the EM ability is disconnected from most of the skills and techniques used to unlock it. The ability enhances Social Skill checks and shuji while only Performance and the Shallow Waters Shuji can apply XP for Social sources. You can full unlock Emerald Magistrate ability to expand the targets of Social checks by buying Rank 1-2 Kata or ranks in a chosen Martial Art skill.

6 hours ago, AK_Aramis said:

Your counter is learning after the fact from deeds done only before the title. Plus, what ability is learned from a given battle that isn't learned anywhere else? I can think of a few, but they're already covered with suitable techniques...

The glory itself needs no title to go with it. Nor the status. The Lord can just say, "Follow his lead, my bushi, follow his lead!"

"Slaughterer of [Battle]" was an example of a fairly generic title that a wide variety of battles could give. The "Slaughterer of Beiden Pass" and the "Slaughterer of the Assault on Hisu Mori Toride" would gain the same ability from the "Slaughterer of [Battle]" title.

2 hours ago, Horvagab said:

Hm.... I'm pondering how a Topaz Champion title might go. Or is there one in the BB?

None in the Beginners Box due to everyone being granted the EM Title, but I could see it granting an ability to inspire others if completed.

I think the curriculum should be a mix of martial and cultural/social skills, to emphasize the warrior-poet-scholar angle of being a "proper" samurai. In addition to that, somehow leveraging glory or the title, to be more convincing, either in leadership or persuading people?