I'm just curious how often shugenja suffer backlash in actual play. Due to the nature of the R&K system, a careful shugenja could choose to avoid it entirely. I could see the Isawa player in my group doing this, as he is loathe to lose control (tempting his Jedi in our Star Wars game is annoyingly difficult). However, I can imagine a few situations in which it would be well worth the cost, even advantageous to just go full Nova.

So, GMs and players, what have y'all seen?

To save a group-favorite NPC from dying, our Shugenja went for backlash over failure. It was just a Water invocation, though, so nothing too dangerous came out of it.

honestly, i rarely see it happening, outside of powers used that allow you to alter an opponents dice.

Player, did it on a prepared invoication once, as i like the idea of having this paperslip, practically bursting with power.

it was a 3Su 4St 4Op, as a result of an exploding dice funtimes.

the result was an earth grasp that shook an entire cave and threw every opponent to the ground, and reshaped the cave entrance.

Looking at when to do it or not, the greatest drawback of the backlash is that you are barred from casting from that ring.

On 10/22/2019 at 1:58 PM, The Grand Falloon said:

I'm just curious how often shugenja suffer backlash in actual play. Due to the nature of the R&K system, a careful shugenja could choose to avoid it entirely. I could see the Isawa player in my group doing this, as he is loathe to lose control (tempting his Jedi in our Star Wars game is annoyingly difficult). However, I can imagine a few situations in which it would be well worth the cost, even advantageous to just go full Nova.

So, GMs and players, what have y'all seen?

Backlash is an economy for my shugenja. Especially when he needs those opportunities for an effect. Basically, he backlashes when needed, nothing wrong in doing it.