https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2019/2/19/spirit-hunters/

New Shadowlands preview, this one on player options. The book will contain "new schools, advantages, disadvantages, heritages, weapons, and more".

To this end, they show off the Falcon Clan stats

And outline a bit of detail on the Toritaka Phantom Hunter school. Then we learn there will be 7 more schools, one for each Great Clan in the book. As an example, the Moto Avenger school is also previewed. And some new advantages and disadvantages are described.

Seven other schools, each representing a different Great Clan, are also introduced in Shadowlands to help you fight against Fu Leng’s monstrous hordes, including the Moto Avenger school!

I'm really not sure whether to hope this means a Scorpion bushi school or to hope the Scorpion bushi school will follow in a book that doesn't focus on the Shadowlands.

Given the theme, I'm pretty sure Scorpion will be something Kuroiban related as they're one of three groups consistently mentioned as anti-maho in current fluff.

Scorpion Bushi will probably be published when we get Akodo Brannigan's Great Big Book of War.

Sorry to double post, but also I have just done some some guerilla math, but based on previous titles; we have probably one preview left (GM section) which should be next week, and then the book will probably be out within the month. Not sure why FFG wants to keep that under wraps, perhaps there's some boating involved somewhere which might have delayed things, who knows.

In other news, the Toritaka samurai from OL5R now has pants!

15 minutes ago, UnitOmega said:

Sorry to double post, but also I have just done some some guerilla math, but based on previous titles; we have probably one preview left (GM section) which should be next week, and then the book will probably be out within the month. Not sure why FFG wants to keep that under wraps, perhaps there's some boating involved somewhere which might have delayed things, who knows.

they probably don't have an exact date themselves. When producing stuff, many things can happen that will cause delays. Plus, are they shipping from the port directly to stores ? or they get everything in their warehouse first (more control on the delievery date but higher cost) ?

19 minutes ago, Avatar111 said:

they probably don't have an exact date themselves. When producing stuff, many things can happen that will cause delays. Plus, are they shipping from the port directly to stores ? or they get everything in their warehouse first (more control on the delievery date but higher cost) ? 

I believe based on their "upcoming" tracker (which has been horribly out of date and incomplete always, but still) outlining their steps they recieve it all at their warehouse first, then start shipping it out to customers, including stores.

3 minutes ago, UnitOmega said:

I believe based on their "upcoming" tracker (which has been horribly out of date and incomplete always, but still) outlining their steps they recieve it all at their warehouse first, then start shipping it out to customers, including stores.

hmm.. then they should have a much clearer idea on the date as they can more easily buffer. oh well! they like to keep it a surprise! (or they just don't update their tracker as you said).

+1 Status and a rank of Theology instead of Survival, but I also gave them +1 Void.

It'll be interesting how close my Homebrew came to what they designed.

We shall no longer fear the tyranny of the watermelon!

13 minutes ago, Coyote Walks said:

We shall no longer fear the tyranny of the watermelon!

Don't let the juicy insides fool you, it's really an oni disguised in an Acme watermelon costume.

Pff, that is nothing, in Crane lands they use square watermelons.

Let's hope the Falcon keep their independence this time around...

“This school gains access to various invocations, rituals, and shūji that allow them to commune with spirits, as well as a special attunement to the spirits around them.” So this means it will be a Shugenja School instead of a Bushi one?

Not necessarily, the "gain access to various" probably means privelaged access, otherwise you'd just say "gains access to rituals, shuji and invocations, some of which are specifically for spirits, etc".

Based on previous FFG nomenclature I'm pretty sure this is a "Monk" tagged school, because it's "supernatural but not shugenja", but that's just me.

I was thinking more like a [Shugenja Bushi] a la Kuni tbh...

Could also do that, though Kuni pay a steep price in that they are like, the one school which doesn't get general access to shuji.

37 minutes ago, UnitOmega said:

Could also do that, though Kuni pay a steep price in that they are like, the one school which doesn't get general access to shuji.

tbh, maybe the Falcon are not shuji people also. and between shuji and invocations, if you have katas already, the price of letting go shuji for invocations is clearly not that steep. quite the contrary. or at least, it is kind of even.

4 hours ago, UnitOmega said:

Based on previous FFG nomenclature I'm pretty sure this is a "Monk" tagged school, because it's "supernatural but not shugenja", but that's just me.

Not necessarily. Shiba Defenders have privileged access to a few kiho at higher ranks. The Phantom Hunter is likely to be a bushi school with privileged access to a few invocations.

Ah true, probably depends on how widespread the privilege is. And how exactly their school ability works.

Phantom Hunters could be like the Monk Archer school that I forgot the name of, and get access to specific invocations and using them in a specific method.

Hm, I wonder what other schools will there be?

Crab: Either Kuni Witchhunter, or perhaps something about the Hiruma? Recovering their old stuff?

Crane: Something Daidoji related I guess, perhaps Daidoji scouts?

Dragon: No clue, to be honest. None at all.

Lion: some kind of Ikoma tactician, or some kind of archer? Nothing else comes to mind

Phoenix: I wonder if this is the book where we will see Isawa Ishiken show up? Otherwise Inqusitiors might pop up?

Scorpion: Something Yogo, or bushi might work? Depends on how specific these schools are

9 hours ago, Horvagab said:

Monk Archer school that I forgot the name of

Kaito Shrine Keeper

I'm pretty sure Crab, Phoenix and Scorpion are Witch-Hunters, Inquisitors and Kuroiban on account of their consistent mention all together when talking about combating taint and maho. Because of their association with the Shadowlands, Daidoji something is also probably a pretty safe bet with Crane. Dragon and Lion are just big blanks - I don't think historically they have any groups or schools dedicated to policing black magic BS, nor to they necessarily at this point have any interesting backstory tie-ins I know of like what FFG is using for Moto Avenger. FFG will probably invent something new, or pull out a DEEPEST LORE thing from somewhere in the 20 years of wayback they got.

Or trick us, like the Kolat school in EE.

I think the Purifier actually covers both the old Shugenja and Witch Hunter quite well. I think they're actually going to have a Crab Berserker School.

For Crane, there's a couple of possibilities: Daidoji Harrier is one option, or Doji Magisrate is the other.

Kitsuki Yasu, the first Kitsuki printed and mirror Daimyo, was described as a Justicar, which may be an option.

As said, there's not much in this area for Lion, but maybe the Ikoma Lion's Shadow?

Asako Inquisitor, 'nuff said.

Scorpion is really tempting to say kuroiban, though it would be good to get a bushi.

And Unicorn we have, the Moto Avenger, which is kind of a cross between the Moto Death Priest and the Doomseekers.

17 hours ago, Horvagab said:

Crane: Something Daidoji related I guess, perhaps Daidoji scouts?

In previous editions, the Daidoji had the Iron Warriors, who were founded in memory of Daidoji Masashige, who died at the Battle of the Tidal Landbridge sallying out to fight alongside the Crab.

I'd be surprised if that isn't the Crane school added.