Sorry for what seems like a pretty basic question, as I honestly think I may just have missed reading a paragraph that explains it.... but:

As an Emerald Magistrate I get to take Rank 1-2 Kata in my cirriculum, however, as a Shugenja this seems very powerful, ultimately allowing me to be a Bushi too (albeit without access to the high power Kata). Is this restrcited in any way?

Does anything prevent me from taking multiple Rank 1-2 Katas?

Do people consider this balanced in their experience having played it and am I unecessarily concerned by?

Thank you.

I don't see anything unbalancing about that. Keep in mind Kuni Purifiers already have both tags and access to Invocations and Kata.

It is powerful, but does have some limiting factors that help it from being too much, in my opinion:

1) The Techniques that are available still cost XP to obtain. Having access to Kata does provide options but those options do require opportunity cost; IE - you have 3xp to spend. Do you want a Rank 1 or 2 Kata, or do you want a Rank 3 Invocation or perhaps a Shuji/Ritual? You have to choose.

2) It is limited (iirc, afb) to Rank 1 and 2 Kata, which aren't the most powerful Kata

3) XP spent on Title curriculum don't count for School curriculum advancement, so it will slow down down school rank, which has impact to most (all?) school abilities

4) Kata generally require investment in Martial skills to be effective, again requiring XP to be dedicated, and in a direction that a Shugenja would most likely not be focused

Sure, combining something like Striking as Earth with Fire Katana (don't recall the official invocation name) is cool, but requires the Shugenja invests in the Kata, and invests Martial Melee, as well as the Invocation and Theology.

Not to mention the oft-raised 'stolen knowledge' heritage means any non-peasant samurai can start with a rank 1 kata of their choice if they really wanted to, whether normally allowed kata or not.

In my experience so far, most people try to "stay in their lanes" as far as their school curriculum goes. That's because you get a lot of benefits from "leveling ip" in your school. And no one wants to "loose" xp that could be going toward their advancement by stepping out of their school. I think reasons 3 & 4 listed by Worloch are the most likely limitations.

That said, wearing my GM hat for a moment, I would be mindful of a power gaming player who sets out to build a Shugenja with 2 ranks in a Martial Art skill at creation with an Eye toward gaining the title of EM. Such a character gains A LOT by that access to Katas. I don't know that such a player would outshine other players but I'd be a little cautious. I think such a character is potentially less balanced than a Kuni Purifier because the KP does not get shuji. While a monster in combat they are ... limited in court scenes. The EM shugenja probably has the potential to be dominant in all kinds of scenes.

Greetings from the Sands, Evil-Smelling Brother-in-Law of a Camel!

It doesn't appear to worry Game Designer much, since all the new titles in Shadowlands grant access to Kata.

See you in the Sands.

5 hours ago, Lord of the Seal said:

Greetings from the Sands, Evil-Smelling Brother-in-Law of a Camel!

It doesn't appear to worry Game Designer much, since all the new titles in Shadowlands grant access to Kata.

See you in the Sands.

Shugenja are overall slightly more powerful in the long run than a bushi.

But since most game won't go to like 250xp, you need to make choices that allows you to rank up, so it is not that bad. Of course, if you just check endgame possibilities, shugenja can become a god with all techniques and skills aside kiho or shuji depending on their school. But I don't think it will be a problem for most of the gameplay which is rank 1-4 because a shugenja need to pay out of school price to increase some of their bushi skills or kata which leave them behind in ranks (and technique power) if they decide to take the god path of being good at everything.

There are not a ton of invocations that synergies well with weapon combat. Yeah your weapon-creating invocations (tetsubo of earth, yari of air, etc) will be a lot better with kata. But most other invocations won’t benefit a lot.

Now that said, kiho + kata = tremble in terror.