So being the way FFG puts out supplemental material, clan books are highly likely going to be a thing. And those of us that have been playing a while are likely familiar with the old Way of clan books. So I pose the question what do you predict/would like to see in said Way of 2.0 books?

To start off for me I'm going to predict in Way of the Scorpion there will be rules for Tejina/shadow brands which I can't wait to see again.

I hope, that like the upcoming Shadowlands book, the topics are more than Clan X.

The Dragon could be about the Tao and Monasteries throughout the Empire. The Phoenix could be a look at kami and spirit realms. The Scorpion could have law and crime as a focus. Unicorn could have the burning sands stuff etc.

Yup, clan books are too specific.

I'd rather a nice hardcover about a cool subject that includes a clan more than the others (or maybe 2 clans).

Winter court and Wargames with cranes and lions

Gaijin kingdoms with unicorns and mantis

Shadows and Void with scorpions and phoenix.

Etc!

Crane wih Politics, Dwelling

Dragon with Monk, Religion, and North Border

Lion with Battle

Phoenix with inovacation, Kami, Shugenja

Scorpion with geisha, ninja, crimes

Unicorn with gaijin, exotic arm

And minor clans ? Like mantis (yes we are the pdf, but...)

Going by a sample size of... one, the Shadowlands/Crab book, it seems the idea will be to have a broad theme to cover:

- One location

- One great clan attached to it

- One related minor clan

- New rules around the whole theme

With a scenario going out at the same time set in that location.

Scorpion could definitely revolve around the City of Lies in that respect. And have the Hare clan bundled with! (but I would mostly like to see what their bushi look like)

I don't want clan-books. I want theme books with new bits for all major clans.

We'll definitely have to see how Shadowlands actually handles things. I do think it's core theme is actually the physical Shadowlands and metaphysical Taint, but that is so inextricably intertwined with the Crab that it is natural to talk about them. But supposedly multiple schools, and if there really is a deeper dive on Maho that could come up anywhere, and from what I have seen of Emerald Empire it is pretty insistent that there's like, three groups all up in that, which are not yet really mechanically supported in-game; Witch-Hunters, Inquisitors and Black Watch, which could spread options "on theme" pretty diversely across Rokugan if explored.

6 hours ago, UnitOmega said:

We'll definitely have to see how Shadowlands actually handles things.

This.

There are several ways they could split it up. Way of the [Clan], The Book of [Element], or 'regional' books (like Shadowlands) to essentially build up an 'Atlas Of Rokugan' collection, as suggested by @Franwax. (From that perspective, it makes sense that the Imperial book is 'the whole empire'....)

A City of Lies one for the Scorpion/Hare would be cool.

If they handle it at all like they did with Star Wars, they won't be going too specific, which is probably wise. My group currently has no Lion characters, for example, so a "Way of the Lion" reboot probably wouldn't hook us at all. However, a book on warfare might just do it. Of course, such a book would probably focus on the Lion, perhaps with a few new schools, but would want to throw a few bones to other clans as well. And unlike the 18 (yikes!) splatbooks for Star Wars, these can be sold as a PDF, so groups with only moderate interest can grab it at a lower price point.

Yeah, I'd expect like a... I dunno famous L5R titles, but like Way of Bushido or "Emerald Legions" or something on the actual ways and means of warfare, maybe on famous battlefields and the like in Rokugan, military history, etc. New Mass Combat rules and Opps and stuff. And you can easily make a good deal of it about Lion because their guy wrote Leadership, they have the mass combat school, some of the largest standing army etc, but not necessarily cut out other clans - talk about how the Phoenix employ Shugenja in their armies, how the Dragon makes up for low population, throw Mantis a bone on Naval Combat, show off some Kaiu siege weapons, etc.

It's been a while but didn't previous editions handle the topics of courts (crane and scorpion), warfare (lion and unicorn), and mysticism (dragon and phoenix)? I love the Way of X books, which are still excellent resources, but don't really see that format going forward.

My prediction would be similar themes as mentioned above (war, court, etc.) but focused on major sites of interest, plot hooks, and player options) rather than comprehensive info and history of the clans.

3rd Edition kind of did that with their Masters of... series. Results IMHO weren't great. The Elemental themed books from 4th Edition were much better in that regard.

17 hours ago, Suzume Chikahisa said:

3rd Edition kind of did that with their Masters of... series. Results IMHO weren't great. The Elemental themed books from 4th Edition were much better in that regard.

I found the opposite. Then again, I didn't run much of 4th, either. I did run 3rd. And I loved the Masters of series. I was unimpressed across the board by 4E.

On 1/3/2019 at 3:36 PM, AK_Aramis said:

I found the opposite. Then again, I didn't run much of 4th, either. I did run 3rd. And I loved the Masters of series. I was unimpressed across the board by 4E.

Well 4e wanted to reign in all the OP that they made with 3rd so that's understandable.

While I agree a larger themed book like they did with the Elemental books would be better IMO and justify their normal price tags I don't see them doing such a thing. Which is why I mentioned they'll likely do Way of 2.0