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Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game)
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Legend of the Five Rings started out as a Collectible Card Game created by AEG and later branched out into a tabletop role-playing game and a series of tie-in novels. It gained renown as being a game where the players shaped the metaplot (through which clans won victories in the card game). The game's setting is Rokugan, an isolationist empire which is a mishmash of Japanese, Chinese and Korean mythology and culture. The nation is ruled over by an Emperor and is made up of clans of samurai, each of which vies for the Emperor's favor (or, depending on the era, the throne itself). Players generally choose one clan to identify with and collect.Gameplay for the card game is pretty good, and was well-received. First off, you have to have two decks: your "Dynasty" deck comes with a black design on the back, and the "Fate" deck has green backing. Fate cards go to your hand, whereas Dynasty cards go to one of your four "Provinces" (IE a little patch of territory on your table), where you flip them right side up and then deploy them if you want to (or can). The main kinds of cards you'll find in your Dynasty deck are "Personalities" (characters, essentially) and "Holdings", whose Gold totals are used to deploy things. But there're also "Region" and "Event" cards; one modifies the province it popped up at, and the other modifying the game until the end of turn. Meanwhile, your Fate deck provides you with "Items", "Followers", "Spells" and "Ancestors", all of which which essentially Status Buffs that you deploy on a Personality. There are also "Action" cards that you play out of your ownself.There are Variable Player Goals available. For "Military" victory, destroy all Provinces belonging to anyone who isn't you. An "Enlightenment" victory requires you to play the eponymous Legendary Five Rings, proving their spiritual worthiness to rule. An "Honor" victory, which symbolizes your clan's impeccable reputation and political standing, takes advantage of what is essentially your Life totals, Honor points: if you can get them above 40, you win. Finally, you can also drop a "Dishonor" victory on your opponents by getting their point score below -19, thus proving that they are unfit to rule.The tabletop RPG is known for being deadly and focusing on social interaction as much as combat; the setting was also adapted to Dungeons & Dragons rules in that game's 3rd Edition Oriental Adventures handbook. In 3.5E, it was expanded into its own campaign setting, called Rokugan. Recently, RPG players have also been able to shape the plot through special LARP events held at major conventions, or through a specially-designated forum for online roleplaying known as "Winter Court".AEG also produced a strategy miniatures called Clan War that uses a d10 based rolling system with a card deck to make special moves.The original story arc featured a war between the six Great Clans of the Empire for control of the throne. This war was spurred on by the vengeful yet manipulative consort of the young Emperor, as her clan had been destroyed by the other six years before. As the conflict grew, it was revealed that the Dark God Fu Leng had broken free of his prison to possess the sickly young Emperor, and a band of heroes (reincarnations of the original samurai who defeated him centuries prior) put aside their differences to face him.Several more story arcs followed, including the continued story of the new Toturi dynasty (which withstood the wrath of the reality-dissolving Nothing, a new Dark Lord of the Shadowlands, the return of a heartless sorcerer and his minions, and a few conspiracies from within) only to fall to more political infighting between clans, leaving way for another war of succession. A new dynasty has begun with the coronation of a Divine Empress blessed by the Heavens, but the fledgling ruler was forced to deal with an invasion from Kali-Ma the Destroyer, a threat from outside of the Empire's borders. Ultimately, the Rokugani people were victorious only by embracing the Dark Lord's Spider Clan as allies and allowing Fu Leng to be reborn into the world to destroy her, drastically changing the nature of Taint and the Empire's relationship to the Shadowlands in the process. The most recent story arc has centered around the Empire expanding to colonize new lands outside the Empire's borders, and seems to be shaping up for a succession conflict between the Empress's two sons, the elder arrogant but popular, the younger dutiful but raised among the Spider clan.For those who are interested, the Kaze no Shiro fan site holds a mirror archive of all the official published L5R story fiction from the very beginning. They tend to be a little behind in updating, but the current L5R story fictions are available at AEG's website. For tropes pertaining to the different Clans, go to the character sheet.On September 12, 2015 it was announced that AEG sold the rights to the Legend of the 5 Rings IP to Fantasy Flight Games. In light of this announcement, FFG announced that they would be discontinuing the CCG in its current form for the time being, with intent to relaunch it under their LCG (Living Card Game) design paradigm. This also resulted in a full blown Continuity Reboot. On February 17, 2021, FFG announced that, with the release of Under Fu Leng's Shadow, the card game would be complete, though additional games are in development.Meanwhile, the latest edition of the RPG was released by FFG on October 11, 2018, featuring the ability to play as a samurai in any of the six Great Clans, or as a ronin. It brought back the Game of Twenty Questions and made it the primary structure of character creation, leading players through important moments and decisions in their characters' lives in order to arrive at a fully-fledged samurai. The timeline takes place in the same Continuity Reboot as the LCG, and the game is played with a new variation on Roll and Keep using custom dice.Several sourcebooks followed the core rulebook's release, focused on the various clans and their lands in Rokugan: Shadowlands (March 2019) goes into depth on the eponymous Shadowlands, the Crab Clan that guards the Empire from it, and the minor Falcon Clan. Courts of Stone (June 2019) has information about the various castles and courts of Rokugan, with a particular focus on courtiers and the Crane Clan. Path of Waves (February 2020) focuses on ronin, gaijin, and peasant characters. Celestial Realms (August 2020) discusses the various other realms besides Ningen-do, such as the Celestial Court of Tengoku. It also contains more details about the Phoenix Clan and the minor Centipede Clan. Fields of Victory (April 2021) is about warfare in Rokugan, focusing on soldiers in general and the Lion Clan in particular.A series of tie-in novels, The Daidoji Shin Mysteries, has its own trope page.Like the other RPGs created by FFG, the company's restructuring under Asmodee saw the L5R RPG's development moved to its sister company, EDGE studio. While no details have yet been announced, there has been no indication that this move represents a new "edition" of the game, especially since some announced books for the game line have yet to be released. | |
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Retired Badass | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_112daba0 | comment |
Retired Badass: Since samurai are expected to retire from active duty once they reach old age (usually 50, but varies between the Clans) and go to a monastery, giving up their status as a samurai, there are a lot of old monks in temples who can give you a schooling in strategic warfare, courtly intrigue, or the finer points of smuggling goods, not to mention kick your ass twelve ways to Sunday. | |
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Anyone Can Die | |
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Anyone Can Die: You have a favorite character? Don't get too attached. Matters of honor are usually settled by either a duel to the death or a ritual suicide. And there are few problems in this world that can't be solved by either an all-out war or a strategic murder. There's also old age, but that is incredibly rare. So far the death toll includes multiple Emperors, Clan Champions, and gods. Some of them more than once. Since the game started, nearly 14 years worth of real time and nearly 50 years of in-game time have passed. This, combined with a need to shuffle older characters out of the spotlight to justify new characters being added in each new card set, means that there isn't a single character from the original set who is still alive and/or visible in the game. There is usually a massive character purge every 3 years or so. The 2013 Kotei season aligning with the release of a new, dual-bugged (two edition) set averts this somewhat. After the release of Coils of Madness, players are barred from using characters in the Kotei if they receive a more experienced version in the new set. This makes sense given that any given Kotei tournament can end with the death of a character - and more experienced characters may be ones they may already have story plans for in the near-future. | |
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Instant-Win Condition | |
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Instant-Win Condition: There are four possible victory conditions in the CCG (Military, Honor, Dishonor and Enlightment, though the last one has a reputation for being a Gamebreaker), and most clans are designed with at least two of these conditions in mind. And a well-built deck can win in multiple ways. | |
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Evil Versus Evil | |
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Evil Versus Evil: Overall a popular trope for the franchise: The true saviors of the Empire at the end of the Destroyer War were Fu Leng and Daigotsu, the two most prominent/iconic antagonists of the storyline. Respectively Satan and Satan II: Satan harder. The Lying Darkness is opposed by the Kolat, anti-Imperial Yakuza who's Antitheistic philosophy makes them enemies of otherworldly influence in general. The old Shadowlands posterboy Iuchiban deposing Daigotsu as the Dark Lord after falling out of favor. The end of the Emperor Edition arc has the disciples of Fudo, a heretical sect of the Brotherhood of Shinsei, have been taking on P'an Ku, the Mad Dragon responsible for most of the events of Emperor and the main villain of the following Ivory Edition. | |
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All According to Plan | |
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All According to Plan: Part of the Scorpion Clan's Hat; they would have people believe that everything they do is part of a Xanatos Gambit, including the clear failures where the "just as planned" benefits cannot possibly be worth the costs. | |
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Unreliable Narrator | |
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Unreliable Narrator: The First and Second Edition RPG sourcebooks were all written from the subjective, in-universe point of view of the Clan that was the primary focus of the book. This was done for flavor, and to give the GM the freedom to determine what was true and what wasn't. This approach was abandoned halfway through Second Edition when Wizards of the Coast (which had joint rights to the game at the time) thought this was too confusing for their d20 players. There’s still a certain amount of this even in the fourth edition books, especially when they discuss religious and/or supernatural aspects of the setting. The chapters on pre-human history in Enemies of the Empire, for example, even include a sidebar explaining that the scenario described there is only one possible interpretation of events. | |
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The High Queen | |
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The High Queen: Empress Iweko I is being built up to be this type. Empress Toturi Tsudao also was shaping up to be one of these before she went out with a bang. | |
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Adventure-Friendly World | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_1e75509c | comment |
Adventure-Friendly World: The setting seeks to support both a card game, where the squabbling clans often fight petty wars against one another, and a role-playing game, where players (usually) play as samurai both battling supernatural and common dangers while upholding a social order that is likely to clash with its intended audience's at several points. In order to accommodate all of these, it adds a certain degree of violence and instability to the usual tabletop-world mix, which, following the example of Dungeons & Dragons, is already plenty dangerous at times. Players often jokingly note that Rokugan has had more wars in the last few centuries, following the start of the gameline, than in the millenium-plus that precedeed it. | |
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Wizard Duel | |
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Wizard Duel: There are two formal dueling styles for shugenja: direct spellslinging, and elemental avatar summoning. | |
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Voluntary Shapeshifting | |
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Voluntary Shapeshifting: main tactic of Ninjas corrupted and controlled by the Nothing. More benign spirits can do this as well, to a lesser extent, as can spirit-blooded PCs if they buy an expensive Advantage. | |
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Praetorian Guard | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_21d41a5b | comment |
Praetorian Guard: The Seppun family bushi, known as the Miharu, serve the Emperor in this fashion. | |
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Chekhov's Gun | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_22cf536c | comment |
Chekhov's Gun: In a game with an ongoing storyline in which new items are constantly being introduced, it's inevitable that this trope will come into effect with some of them. One of the Twelve Black Scrolls which appeared during the Clan War arc was known as The Walking Horror Of Fu Leng. Several years later, the patriarch of the Fox Clan finally used it on himself. | |
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Non-Entity General | |
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Nonentity General: an odd case in the CCG, in that many times one must be taking on the role of a character who can't possibly be higher ranked than many characters (daimyos, champions, even undead emperors and dark lords of the Shadowlands) you can play. | |
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Bald Mystic | |
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Bald Mystic: Quite common as shaving one's head is a practice among women who join a monastery, such as the Togashi Monk School or the Brotherhood of Shinsei. | |
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Blade on a Stick | |
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Blade on a Stick: Several families specialize in various forms of polearms rather than the katana. | |
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Blood Magic | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_270c1778 | comment |
While Rokugan considers all non-shugenja magic to be heretical, none are more reviled than Maho. First, maho is powered by blood sacrifice- the more powerful the spell, the more blood you need to make it work. Second, maho draws its power directly from Jigoku, and causes its user to become infected with the Shadowlands Taint. Finally, many monsters that can be summoned through maho (including oni and gaki) can escape the summoner's control, resulting in massive collateral damage. Nevertheless, maho remains a potent draw for certain people, because it can be used by anyone, even those who lack the spiritual potential or training of a shugenja. | |
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Easter Egg | |
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Easter Egg: in the 1st Edition Rulebook, one of the locations marked on the map is "Reihaido Uikku" - "a shrine in honor of the Phoenix shugenja who recorded the Tao of Shinsei". "Uikku" is a Gratuitous Japanese transliteration of the game author's surname, John Wick. | |
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Plot Armor | |
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Plot Armor: An advantage is quite literally that you are deemed too important to die by the heavens. There's a corresponding disadvantage in which you're also too important to die, because you're fated to do something truly horrible. Common to all the Great Clans, since they are never truly destroyed. Though Mantis has twice been slated for such, fan demand led to their revival. | |
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Sourcebook | |
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Sourcebook: Lots of these in the RPG. | |
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The Dreaded | |
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The Taskmasters of the Yasuki family are cruel and ruthless whip-wielding sub-commanders who keep the rank-and-file in check with their whips. They also can control and "discipline" Mujina laborers. All of their techniques involve intimidation. | |
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Ice-Cream Koan | |
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Ice-Cream Koan: Usually a source of hilarity when invoked by Togashi Ise Zumi monks, or by characters quoting Shinsei (the messiah monk who saved the Empire). One of the most hilariously baffling sayings of the Ise Zumi was "Even a goblin is beautiful at eighteen" (they're really not, although admittedly the one and only card to ever feature female goblins, Festival of Long Sticks, did portray them as Cute Monster Girls, although that may have been a joke). | |
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Succession Crisis | |
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Succession Crisis: Quite a few, including the Four Winds arc, often providing the driving force for a year's tournaments. | |
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Shameful Source of Knowledge | |
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Shameful Source of Knowledge: In the RPG version, there are several skills that are classified as "Low Skills" (such as Forgery, Sleight of Hand, and Temptation) which if you ever exhibit or imply knowledge of, will lead to dishonor. | |
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Out of Focus | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_32da91b8 | comment |
Out of Focus: With nine great clans and several other groups, this is inevitable. As of the Emperor Edition arc, the Kolat are next to extinct after their primary stronghold was taken by the Scorpion and now mostly exist as glorified Yakuza. Additionally, the Shadowland Hordes, the traditional Big Bad of L5R have been notably quiet all through Emperor, though this can be attributed to being under new management and the focus mostly being on the Colonies. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_32da91b8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_32da91b8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_32da91b8 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_33f18ad1 | type |
Appeal to Inherent Nature | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_33f18ad1 | comment |
Appeal to Inherent Nature: Thoroughly mocked. While this is a setting based on traditional Japanese ideals of cosmology (and thus, Advantages and Disadvantages tend to run in family lines), the fact that this isn't overall true causes a lot of unneeded misery in setting, since a lot of samurai believe it. For example, the first emperor of the Scorpion Clan told the clan founder the folktale of the scorpion and the frog...except he changed the ending. When the frog asks why the scorpion stung the frog in the middle of a river, drowning them both, the scorpion replied "Little frog, I can swim." And indeed, the Clan as a whole is untrustworthy and dishonorable...as is their purpose, since their explicit title is "Underhand of the Emperor", the people who do the things Bushido prevents. Individual Scorpions are trained specifically how to spin this logical fallacy to their advantage; since everyone expects a Scorpion to be untrustworthy, they can lie by telling the truth. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_33f18ad1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_33f18ad1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_33f18ad1 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_34dd5f3 | type |
La Résistance | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_34dd5f3 | comment |
The Kolat, mostly split between those who think of themselves as La Résistance against divine tyranny, and those that just want to make money and grab power. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_34dd5f3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_34dd5f3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_34dd5f3 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3698e0f | type |
Class and Level System | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3698e0f | comment |
Class and Level System: While not as binding as many examples, a character's School and Insight Rank are basically this. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3698e0f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3698e0f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3698e0f | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3a1c2171 | type |
The Man Behind the Man | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3a1c2171 | comment |
The Man Behind the Man: a popular twist for the metaplot. The most recent example would probably be the Civil War between the Empire and Colonies being caused by P'an Ku, a powerful dragon and more or less the physical embodiment of Madness. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3a1c2171 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3a1c2171 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3a1c2171 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3b5fcbb7 | type |
Artifact of Doom | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3b5fcbb7 | comment |
Shugenja Soshi Bantaro acted this role toward Bayushi Kachiko. When she accepted his offer to arrange a visit from her dead husband, Bantaro used a Black Scroll to revive him as a Shadowlands Zombie. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3b5fcbb7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3b5fcbb7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3b5fcbb7 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3c3f28a5 | type |
Blessed with Suck | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3c3f28a5 | comment |
There's a corresponding disadvantage in which you're also too important to die, because you're fated to do something truly horrible. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3c3f28a5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3c3f28a5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3c3f28a5 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3ec18c6f | type |
Sherlock Scan | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3ec18c6f | comment |
The Rokugani justice system values witness testimony more than anything else for investigating crimes, with physical evidence and logical deduction serving only in the event where there are no reliable witnesses. Unless, of course, the person doing the investigation was trained by the Kitsuki. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3ec18c6f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3ec18c6f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3ec18c6f | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3f0310d6 | type |
Magikarp Power | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3f0310d6 | comment |
On the Advantage side of things, there's Elemental Blessing and Enlightenment, both of which reduce the cost of increasing your traits, making them more than pay for themselves in the long run. It's not even that long of a wait if you spend your points right. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3f0310d6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3f0310d6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_3f0310d6 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40bb59d0 | type |
Blatant Lies | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40bb59d0 | comment |
Blatant Lies: The first edition supplement "The Merchant's Guide to Rokugan" is nothing but this. It has about one page of discussion of economics as cover. The rest of the book is material on the Kolat. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40bb59d0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40bb59d0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40bb59d0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40c57041 | type |
Manipulative Bastard | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40c57041 | comment |
Manipulative Bastard: The Shadow Dragon...who also Cannot Tell a Lie and still manages to be very good at this. Did we mention that the Scorpion Clan does not have a monopoly on Magnificent Bastards? | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40c57041 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40c57041 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40c57041 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40d1bc9d | type |
Ambiguous Clone Ending | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40d1bc9d | comment |
Ambiguous Clone Ending: Subverted during the original Clan War story arc, Bayushi Kachiko uses an Artifact of Doom to create an evil duplicate of Doji Hoturi as part of her revenge against him for killing her son. Unknown to Hoturi, he was actually their son. Hoturi finally faces the False Hoturi in a duel alone and away from any witnesses. But since the loser melted into goo and maggots upon death, it's quite clear that the real Hoturi won. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40d1bc9d | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40d1bc9d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_40d1bc9d | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_424d15ad | type |
Love Hurts | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_424d15ad | comment |
Love Hurts: In Rokugan, it's essentially a given that love will conflict with duty and thus lead to tragedy. Thus, Rokugan has a very ambivalent attitude towards love; love of an abstract ideal of beauty is honored, but love of a specific person is often considered dishonorable (and the point of true love is to blur the lines until they're indistinguishable). Tellingly, True Love is always considered a Disadvantage. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_424d15ad | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_424d15ad | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_424d15ad | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42846e90 | type |
Elemental Powers | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42846e90 | comment |
Elemental Powers: There are five elements, which are represented both in the CCG and the RPG by rings - the titular Five Rings. Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Void (both the absence of the other four, and its presence.) Each Ring represents a physical and a mental stat in the RPG, with the exception of Void. Shugenja usually use their Elemental Ring to cast a spell of the corresponding element, but all classes have a single Ring that they rely on heavily. Also, all non-Phoenix shugenja classes focus on one Element and have a weakness in another. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42846e90 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42846e90 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42846e90 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42beac64 | type |
The Magnificent Seven Samurai | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42beac64 | comment |
The Magnificent Seven Samurai: The start of Toku's rise to fame came during a case of this, though all seven died. More recently, the ronin monk Koan pulled together seven Champions of Bushido to defend a small village. Both sets of Seven Thunders, the seven warriors who battled Fu Leng to secure a thousand year peace for Rogukan. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42beac64 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42beac64 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_42beac64 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43a045de | type |
Dropped a Bridge on Him | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43a045de | comment |
Dropped a Bridge on Him: Everyone in a position of power at the end of Toturi Naseru's reign. Naseru went on a nebulous quest in the Shadowlands that ended in his Heroic Sacrifice, as well as that of his Emerald Champion. With the power vacuum, the Unicorn Clan marched to take the throne. In the ensuing battle, Naseru's wife, his two brothers, and his chancellor are all killed in various ways. The last remaining man with any sort of Imperial authority decides he needs to step down and protect the line of Shinsei. This was mainly so that all of those Imperial positions could be prizes in the next mega tournament. During the Race for the Throne, nearly the entire Nezumi race was destroyed fighting a demonic attack against the Realm of Dreams that humanity didn't even notice. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43a045de | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43a045de | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43a045de | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43f2f606 | type |
Annoying Arrows | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43f2f606 | comment |
Annoying Arrows: Averted in the RPG. An arrow hurts about as hard as a katana, and combined with incredible range means they'll make pincushions of most enemies before they can get too close. Any bushi school that can use bows for their simple action attacks such as the Shinjo Bushi, who also gets a horse to boot can kite most enemies to death. Likewise averted with the Ranged Attack mechanic in the card game - provided it has enough strength to make an attack, it instantly kills the target. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43f2f606 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43f2f606 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_43f2f606 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_445359e2 | type |
Tournament Play | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_445359e2 | comment |
Tournament Play: L5R CCG tournaments eat newbies for lunch. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_445359e2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_445359e2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_445359e2 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_44fc28e8 | type |
Honor Before Reason | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_44fc28e8 | comment |
Honor Before Reason: This is a game involving samurai often working within a very strict interpretation of Bushido. The new Empire at War card "In the Heart of Battle" has the following flavor text: "Dying in service of your lord is one of the greatest honors a samurai can achieve. Many warriors ignore tactics and logic to deal one fatal blow to their enemy." | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_44fc28e8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_44fc28e8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_44fc28e8 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_454bda24 | type |
Ancestral Weapon | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_454bda24 | comment |
Ancestral Weapon: Each of the clans has several of these, usually used by its Champion. There are also the "sacred weapons" that are produced in small numbers by each Clan, which tends to play to the strengths of their Clan's distinctive fighting styles. Of particular note are the Kaiu blades of the Crab Clan, which are stated to be unbreakable. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_454bda24 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_454bda24 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_454bda24 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4565d81d | type |
Single-Stroke Battle | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4565d81d | comment |
Single-Stroke Battle: Iaijutsu dueling is the default honorable means of resolving matters of Honor. The Kakita family of the Crane Clan are the masters of this, with the Mirumoto of the Dragon coming in a close second (or the other way around, depending on the point of view). | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4565d81d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4565d81d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4565d81d | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4599be49 | type |
CCG Importance Dissonance | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4599be49 | comment |
CCG Importance Dissonance: Usually averted nowadays - impressive characters in the story tend to have equally bad-ass and/or useful cards in the CCG. There have been disappointments in the past, as well as happy subversions when a no-name character with a weak or useless card ends up doing something awesome in the story, usually as a result of a tournament prize. Toku being one of the big ones in the subversions category. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4599be49 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4599be49 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4599be49 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_475d592d | type |
You Dirty Rat! | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_475d592d | comment |
You Dirty Rat!: Nezumi (ratlings) were considered vermin by most Rokugani, except for the Crab Clan, before the Second Day of Thunder. Even after that (when they had proven their worth and started to get a civilization together) they were still mistrusted. The race is far from Always Chaotic Evil, but their views on self-preservation and property rights are somewhat dissonant from the Rokugani view of Honor. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_475d592d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_475d592d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_475d592d | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4766ca14 | type |
Volleying Insults | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4766ca14 | comment |
Volleying Insults: the careful wielding of insults is an artform in Rokugan's courts. Dishonoring your opponent with a well-placed verbal low-blow is dandy, but you also have to be careful not to expose yourself to a challenge to a duel. The Crane Clan and Scorpion Clan's samurai tend to be adept at this. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4766ca14 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4766ca14 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4766ca14 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4832a3bb | type |
Always Chaotic Evil | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4832a3bb | comment |
Always Chaotic Evil: The various races of the Shadowlands. Subverted in that it's living in the Shadowlands that makes the non-spirit races Chaotic Evil: uncorrupted ogres and goblins occasionally show up who are no more "evil" than ordinary humans. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4832a3bb | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4832a3bb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4832a3bb | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_48414e75 | type |
The Beastmaster | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_48414e75 | comment |
Matsu Beastmasters are a unit that specializes in taming and training Rokugan's natural predators for combat. Many of the best masters also used them in battle, not only as a weapon but also to direct their orders to their beasts. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_48414e75 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_48414e75 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_48414e75 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4c709317 | type |
Useless Useful Spell | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4c709317 | comment |
Useless Useful Spell: The CCG contained a lot of cards like this, particularly early on, with many cards designed as "magic bullets" that were devastatingly effective against specific targets like Shadowlands cards. The problem was the developers majorly overestimated how influential Shadowlands cards would be- there was little reason to use Shadowlands cards if you weren't playing a Shadowlands deck, and while they could give you some neat advantages if you were willing to pay a bit of honour (such as the corrupted gold-producing holdings, which were free), they were nothing game-breaking. Meanwhile anti-Shadowlands cards like Tomb of Jade were devastating against their targets, but complete deadweight (or if they were personalities, very bad value) against everything else. This happened several times (with other subfactions like Ninja and Kolat) and led to a lot of dead-weight cards that never saw play. There were also a lot of cards that were designed specifically for use in multiplayer, affecting alliances in battle or allowing players to aid each other in various ways. These cards were either meaningless in 2-player games (as opponents would obviously never have reason to aid each other) or literally impossible to play. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4c709317 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4c709317 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4c709317 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4dc88e20 | type |
Stop Being Stereotypical | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4dc88e20 | comment |
Stop Being Stereotypical: Although players are encouraged to do so when creating their characters in the RPG, the rule set subverts this by giving incentives to play towards the characteristics of your clan. Advantages and Disadvantages are cheaper/give more points for traits commonly associated with a clan mainly because everyone expects you to act in a certain way. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4dc88e20 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4dc88e20 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_4dc88e20 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_517ae522 | type |
Loads and Loads of Rules | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_517ae522 | comment |
Loads and Loads of Rules: Despite the rules, a lot of people like the game because of its complexity. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_517ae522 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_517ae522 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_517ae522 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_52aa0c4a | type |
The Caligula | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_52aa0c4a | comment |
Horribly inverted with certain enemies of Hantei XVI, who used his power to name Fortunes to punish his enemies posthumously. This resulted in his enemies being forced to rule over such lovely domains as Torture, Cockroaches and Dung for all eternity. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_52aa0c4a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_52aa0c4a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_52aa0c4a | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_537b4ea | type |
Snake People | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_537b4ea | comment |
Snake People: The Naga, a species of reptilian beings with fundamentally human-like upper-torsos attached to lower torsoes that are gargantuan snake bodies/tails, with females of the species being able to change their tails to human-like legs in a five-hour ritual. Prone to all sorts of mutations, which makes them rather like both the naga of Warcraft and the Yuan-ti of Dungeons & Dragons. Notable for being one of the two non-human races (the other are the Nezumi, which are humanoid rats) that aren't hostile by default. They used to rule the land of Rokugan in eons past, but were forced into a magical slumber. They eventually woke up, and were involved in the Clan Wars and Days of Thunder, but went back to sleep afterwards. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_537b4ea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_537b4ea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_537b4ea | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53c5f30e | type |
Happy Ending Override | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53c5f30e | comment |
Happy Ending Override: The main reason for this is that much like in Warhammer 40,000, if widespread peace breaks out the game ends! However as a CCG with periodic story-themed expansion sets every time some major, world ending threat appears and is defeated, a new one comes along very shortly. It basically means that the Emerald Empire has seen more tumult and chaos in the last 100 years than in the 500 preceding it. Case in point there have been three Dynasties on the throne in the last 100 years. For the past 1100 years there have been only one. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53c5f30e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53c5f30e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53c5f30e | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53dc1e7 | type |
Throw-Away Country | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53dc1e7 | comment |
Throw-Away Country: The Ivory Kingdoms (whose ruins the Rokugani later colonized), and more recently the island-state of Anisrana both get wiped off the map without apparently putting up much of a fight. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53dc1e7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53dc1e7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_53dc1e7 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57bfb2c5 | type |
Sand Bridge at Low Tide | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57bfb2c5 | comment |
Sand Bridge at Low Tide: It includes a location in Crab Clan lands called the "Tidal Landbridge" which... is what you'd expect. Inevitably, it is best known for an incident in which a Crab Clan army and reinforcements from their Crane Clan rivals fought a group of Shadowlands invaders until the tide came back in with inevitable results. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57bfb2c5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57bfb2c5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57bfb2c5 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57d43e40 | type |
Fantasy Counterpart Culture | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57d43e40 | comment |
Fantasy Counterpart Culture: Rokugan is feudal Japan, with splashes of China, Korea, Mongolia, and Southeast Asia. While the original setting was strictly based on feudal Japan and feudal China, the Unicorn were given a more Mongolian flavor and the Mantis more traits of Southeast Asia to make them stand out from the other Clans. The surrounding nations all copy a bit of other ancient civilizations: Burning Sands (Arabs), Merenae and Thrane (firearms suggest Renaissance Europe, with Merenae names like King Diego and Espada Cornejo suggesting Spain and Thrane names like Hawthorne suggesting England), Senpet (Egyptians), Ra'Shari (Roma), the Ivory Kingdoms (India) and Yodotai (the Byzantine Empire). | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57d43e40 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57d43e40 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57d43e40 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57dda60c | type |
The Emperor | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57dda60c | comment |
Hida Tsuneo, to an extent. Although he was slain alongside Hantei XVI, and justifiably so given many of the crimes he committed, most of the history of Hantei XVI's reign was expunged from the books by scholars who did not wish to record such a shameful period in Rokugan's history. As a result, Hida Tsuneo is remembered as one of the great heroes of the Crab Clan, something that became a big problem when he came Back from the Dead. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57dda60c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57dda60c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_57dda60c | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5979acea | type |
Fragile Speedster | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5979acea | comment |
Fragile Speedster: Both the Kakita and Bayushi Bushi schools emphasize the "Hit first, don't get hit in return" tactic. The Hiruma family also specializes in being faster than the Shadowlands monsters trying to smash them. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5979acea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5979acea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5979acea | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5d310fb8 | type |
Sword Fight | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5d310fb8 | comment |
Sword Fight: A majority of its subtropes apply to L5R's setting. It is certainly dishonorable for other people to intervene when two samurai are dueling. But if it's an outright battle, though, Neutral Female never happens unless the woman in question is incapacitated. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5d310fb8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5d310fb8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_5d310fb8 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6243b83b | type |
Armor and Magic Don't Mix | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6243b83b | comment |
Armor and Magic Don't Mix: Zig-zagged as nothing mechanical prevents shugenja from wearing armor; in fact, pretty much any samurai can wear any kind of armor physically, as long as they're willing to put up with the penalties (save for the Hida, whose only heavy armor penalty is to stealth). However, most shugenja choose not to due to cultural constraints. Wearing armor in civilized lands is an insult to those who tend the lands (you're basically saying that they can't protect you) unless you are actively in battle or are given special dispensation. Being in battle does allow shugenja the theoretical opportunity to wear armor, but the choice to do so depends on the situation in which the shugenja is involved, and their personal preferences. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6243b83b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6243b83b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6243b83b | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6320eced | type |
Gameplay and Story Segregation | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6320eced | comment |
Gameplay and Story Segregation: Each certainly influences the other, but there are plenty of features that don't translate directly. Frequently, the result of a clan being under-represented at tournaments or underpowered in game mechanics leads to major story losses at tournaments. The results of these storylines often play out simultaneously with major retooling of the clan's mechanics. The Scorpion were recently subject to two massive invasions and a plague, and the Spider were forced to abandon their major holdings. Both clans are still reeling from their losses in story, even as they're mechanically two of the stronger factions right now, with several recent victories. A great example for much of the CCG's history were the Crab Clan, whose brute force-driven military decks were highly vulnerable to Chi-based dueling decks. In the storyline, however, Crab samurai train for superhuman endurance, making them far less susceptible to one-hit kills in duels than most samurai. More recent iterations of the card game have sought to reflect this, with the Crab receiving cards that reflect their ability to delay or shrug off death. The Naval Invasion mechanic would allow the maritime-themed Mantis Clan to seize initiative during combat by launching an attack from the sea. However, looking at a map of Rokugan reveals much of it to be landlocked and beyond the reach of the Mantis navy. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6320eced | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6320eced | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6320eced | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_635d561f | type |
Black Magician Girl | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_635d561f | comment |
Black Magician Girl: If a female shugenja has significant fire-power, then she's almost certainly this. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_635d561f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_635d561f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_635d561f | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6411dac8 | type |
BadassNormal | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6411dac8 | comment |
Badass Normal: Toku, founder of the Monkey Clan - a peasant who picked up a dead samurai's swords to protect his village and ended up being a large part of kicking the Shadowland's forces heads in. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6411dac8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6411dac8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6411dac8 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6439de78 | type |
Heroic Sacrifice | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6439de78 | comment |
Heroic Sacrifice: Quite a lot over the years. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6439de78 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6439de78 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6439de78 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_671681af | type |
Jackass Genie | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_671681af | comment |
Jackass Genie: This is a possible way that the Nothing might grant "favors." One of the source books includes an example of a Shiba bodyguard who was being blackmailed by the Scorpion Clan and made a deal with an agent of the Nothing to get rid of the blackmail. The agent did so—by telling everyone the Shiba's secret, eliminating the hold that the Scorpion had on him but ruining his life in the process. Shugenja Soshi Bantaro acted this role toward Bayushi Kachiko. When she accepted his offer to arrange a visit from her dead husband, Bantaro used a Black Scroll to revive him as a Shadowlands Zombie. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_671681af | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_671681af | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_671681af | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6bcfbc7e | type |
Fantasy Gun Control | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6bcfbc7e | comment |
Fantasy Gun Control: Guns and gunpowder are illegal in the Empire under penalty of death. They weren't always illegal and gaijin items weren't outright banned from Rokugan until the Battle of the White Stag, the first time Rokugani saw gaijin weapons in action. Seeing the outsiders, not at all within the celestial order upon which all position and status is based on, slaughtering samurai by the hundreds with an ease that even magic users don't have access to, sealed the deal and now their use is considered to be nearly as bad as using Maho. Just so there are no misunderstandings about how strict this is: no one, not the Crab who have been made the ultimate Combat Pragmatists by centuries of warfare with the Legions of Hell; not the Mantis and the Unicorn, for whom under-the-table trafficking of gaijin contraband is a major source of wealth; not the Scorpion, who use every dirty and dishonorable trick in the book without even blinking; no one will show you ANY PITY WHATSOEVER if you get caught using a firearm. Despite that, gunpowder does see some use within Rokugan's borders: The Dragon Clan once waged war on the Crane solely because some of their scouts, the Kakita Harriers, had been using gunpowder. Once the Crane realized this they disbanded the scout group. There are still rules for playing the Harriers in the RPG. Ninja use explosives on a regular basis, often for the "smoky exit" effect as for demolition. Of course, since ninja don't exist, they can get away with it. Gunpowder is also used by the Agasha family to make fireworks. While this is a highly honorable art form, the Agasha are the only ones allowed to make fireworks, and use of gunpowder for any other reason remains illegal. "Iron Rokugan," an AU setting in Imperial Histories 2, averts this trope, by asking what would have happened if things went differently at White Stag. Had the gaijin forces split along national lines due to the Merenae discovering Thrane's treachery, Rokugan may well have developed ties with Merenae, and eventually Rokugani firearms would have been developed on their own, leading to a world where a flintlock pistol is effectively part of the daisho. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6bcfbc7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6bcfbc7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6bcfbc7e | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6d332aea | type |
Driven to Suicide | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6d332aea | comment |
Driven to Suicide: Occurs often in both the CCG and RPG, often as a result of political maneuverings of the Scorpion or Crane. A lot of characters in the story have also done this, either to cleanse their dishonor, or to prevent themselves from succumbing to the Shadowlands Taint. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6d332aea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6d332aea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_6d332aea | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7286e96d | type |
Idiot Ball | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7286e96d | comment |
Idiot Ball: Due to the storyline being affected by what happens in tournament play, sometimes the Idiot Ball has to be handed off to get the results. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7286e96d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7286e96d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7286e96d | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7335ffa9 | type |
Grey-and-Gray Morality | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7335ffa9 | comment |
Grey-and-Gray Morality: It happens, though not quite as often as you might expect due to the modestly-large proportion of the population who really are shining heroes...and the very large number of outright villains. Nonetheless, a lot of wars are fought over generations-long blood feuds, recent hot blood, or matters that make perfect sense to a Rokugani and absolutely none to any sane Westerner. Prominent examples include: The Lion/Crane vendetta which has lasted since the dawn of the Empire because Kakita accused Matsu of being an Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy. Neither side has given ground since. During the Great Famine, the peasants had a very good reason to form the People's Legion and seek to overturn the Celestial Order: because the Emperor at the time was an ass, Rokugan was starving, and the Legion are one of the few groups able to reliably grow, gather and distribute enough millet for everyone to eat. They were also a military dictatorship that forbade peasants from leaving their land, operated through full conscription and random levying of any and all goods needed for the war effort, and (oh yeah) they laughed at the very idea of bushido and the Celestial Order. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7335ffa9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7335ffa9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7335ffa9 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_74150406 | type |
Depleted Phlebotinum Shells | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_74150406 | comment |
Depleted Phlebotinum Shells: Shadowlands enemies are weak to jade, so naturally jade weapons are not unheard of. Crystal hurts Lying Darkness spawn. Tainted characters can wield obsidian weapons, though, which hurt non-Shadowlands targets more. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_74150406 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_74150406 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_74150406 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7464705c | type |
Arc Words | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7464705c | comment |
Arc Words: The game has least two: "A man will kill his lord, the other will save him," for the Hidden Emperor Arc and "Four Winds and Void between them," for the Four Winds Arc. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7464705c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7464705c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7464705c | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_76dc4f31 | type |
"Arabian Nights" Days | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_76dc4f31 | comment |
Legend of the Burning Sands - Legend of the Five Rings IN THE DESERT! | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_76dc4f31 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_76dc4f31 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_76dc4f31 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77b03c0a | type |
Remember the New Guy? | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77b03c0a | comment |
Remember the New Guy?: When the Lying Darkness was defeated, most of its servants were turned into human honorary members of the Akodo family. These new family members are welcomed with surprisingly little fanfare or suspicion despite their horrific origins. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77b03c0a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77b03c0a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77b03c0a | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77f47fea | type |
The Savage South | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77f47fea | comment |
The Savage South: The Crab Clan who occupy Rokugan's Southernmost Provinces are considered by most Samurai to be crude and vulgar. This is justified, however, by the fact that, for nearly their entire history, they have been at war with the Shadowlands just south of them, and courtesy tends to take a backseat to survival. The Shadowlands, themselves, are arguably an even better example of this trope, since they are literally hell on earth. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77f47fea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77f47fea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_77f47fea | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_78c5ce7e | type |
Screw the Rules, I Make Them! | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_78c5ce7e | comment |
Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: The Emperor of Rokugan is considered infallible and can pretty much do whatever he wants. The only real limitation being that he cannot directly contradict an edict made by a previous Emperor. Most of the time, fortunately, this hasn't really been a problem. Most Emperors have been, if not necessarily benevolent, at least competent enough to know that there are limits to how much they can, or should, push things. Unfortunately, on the rare occasion where this trope has been invoked, it's turned out poorly. This trope also applies, to a lesser extent, to the lesser lords and samurai that rule over local territories and fiefdoms. More than one provincial daimyo has abused his authority to fill his coffers (or fulfill other needs), and samurai are essentially allowed to do whatever they want to peasants without fear of reprisal. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_78c5ce7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_78c5ce7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_78c5ce7e | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7919a45b | type |
Duel to the Death | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7919a45b | comment |
Duel to the Death: While conceding to a superior opponent is perfectly honorable, and non-lethal duels are common for minor matters, if you insult someone's honor, one of these will follow. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7919a45b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7919a45b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7919a45b | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aa989ea | type |
Token Evil Teammate | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aa989ea | comment |
Token Evil Teammate: While all the clans have villainous members, the Scorpion are the only clan who have them predominate and are still mostly accepted. The Spider Clan, while also evil, is barely tolerated at best. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aa989ea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aa989ea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aa989ea | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aed9425 | type |
Lady Mondegreen | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aed9425 | comment |
Lady Mondegreen: In-Universe example; according to the 1st edition RPG sourcebook for the Scorpion clan, the origin of the term "ninja" is this- one Kitsuki Ikawa was assaulted by black-clad assassins and heard a shout that sounded like "ninja, tori!" (Rokugani for "Ninja, do what I say!"), assumed the unknown word "ninja" was the name of his assailants and reported as much in his testimony. However, what he actually (mis)heard was "niwatori" ("chicken"), which is the Shosuro clan's nickname for 1st year apprentices, who are forced to dress up in silly black pajamas and use useless, inefficient gear, including the infamous "chicken egg" bombs that provide the nickname, to create a distraction. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aed9425 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aed9425 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7aed9425 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7bb844ec | type |
Villain Decay | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7bb844ec | comment |
Villain Decay: Happened in-universe to Moto Tsume, the infamous leader of the Dark Moto. For years, he operated out of the Shadowlands as a terrorist leader and was the kind of monster that other monsters were afraid of. Since the Second Day of Thunder he has faced one humiliating defeat after another. This eventually led to one protagonist telling Tsume to his face that since the Dark Moto lord had already been slain twice before that he was no longer scary! Needless to say, Tsume did not break the losing streak that day. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7bb844ec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7bb844ec | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7bb844ec | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7f152e56 | type |
Our Mermaids Are Different | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7f152e56 | comment |
Our Mermaids Are Different: The Ningyo are extremely piscine-looking creatures who inhabit the seas around Rokugan; they have bodies covered in scales, a large fish-like tail for a lower torso, prodigiously webbed hands, and faces that look human-like, but eerily smooth and with fang-filled mouths. They're actually a mutated offshoot of the Naga race, and once ruled Rokugan as one of the Five Races before humanity came to be. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7f152e56 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7f152e56 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7f152e56 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7fbb2a3 | type |
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero! | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7fbb2a3 | comment |
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The entire Clan War arc was kicked off by Scorpion Clan trying to exterminate the Hantei family in order to prevent the prophecies of Ukkiku from coming to pass, in which the last Hantei emperor would cause the return of the Dark God. They managed to kill the Emperor, but not his son. Guess what happened. Ironically, their attempt to poison the last Hantei was what weakened him enough to be possessed by Fu Leng. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7fbb2a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7fbb2a3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_7fbb2a3 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80621707 | type |
Arranged Marriage | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80621707 | comment |
Arranged Marriage: All samurai characters are assumed to be in one by default, unless stated otherwise. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80621707 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80621707 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80621707 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80cd1f62 | type |
God of Evil | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80cd1f62 | comment |
God of Evil: Fu Leng, the Big Bad of several arcs. Eventually supplanted by Daigotsu, who manages to take over Jigoku. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80cd1f62 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80cd1f62 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_80cd1f62 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82ebf026 | type |
Minmaxer's Delight | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82ebf026 | comment |
Minmaxer's Delight: Despite the game's nature as having deadly, deadly disadvantages, Legend Of The Five Rings is unique in that many of the disadvantages can simply never come up. A Caster can take Elemental Imbalance at maximum ranks for up to 8 free points, and all they have to do is simply never cast from that element which would otherwise be available to them. A Fire Shugenja giving up the ability to cast Earth spells doesn't lose much. Doubt gives several points, at the expense of being slightly worse at a skill you never use. Ascetic is similarly a good choice for characters who don't rely on equipment, such as monks or most shugenja builds. Disbeliever and Dark Secret also make a great combination, since you can take both to refer to the same flaw (i.e. in a country ruled by religious fanatics with a “purge the heretic” mentality, the fact that you don’t swallow the doctrine is a Dark Secret) but they have minimal actual impact if you’re careful not to blab the secret to anyone. Don't forget Cursed by the Realm: Gaki-do, which causes nearby gaki and undead to give priority to attacking you over everyone else. Bad news if you're a courtier or shugenja... awesome news if you're a crab bushi in heavy armor. There's a reason why taunt abilities are usually the most important part of a tank's toolkit in any game. Touch of the Void has a chance to daze you when you use Void Points, but improves their benefit. Once you have a high enough Willpower trait to resist being dazed, it becomes purely beneficial. What's more, the penalty from daze doesn't last as long as the bonus from using a Void Point for tasks that take multiple rounds to complete. Ishiken (shugenja with the ability to cast Void-element spells) take this one step further. Ishiken have access to spells that can give them extra Void Points (even above their normal limit for a short while) and allow them to, for a while, spend multiple Void Points to improve a roll instead of just one, and dazing doesn't stack. Even on a failure to resist the daze, three Void Points at a time breaks even with not having Touch of the Void, and four or more is just pure benefit. On the Advantage side of things, there's Elemental Blessing and Enlightenment, both of which reduce the cost of increasing your traits, making them more than pay for themselves in the long run. It's not even that long of a wait if you spend your points right. Averted with character Traits. Characters have "Rings" that have two Traits associated with them, one physical and one mental, with the rating of the ring being equal to the lower of the two stats. Since a number of important secondary stats are based on your Ring Rank (such as a character's base speed and health, as well as the power of shugenja spells), people who focus entirely on physical or mental Traits will tend to be weaker than those who diversify. Ring Ranks are also one of the major contributing factors to determining a character's Insight Rank. Without higher Insight, a character can't access the higher level Techniques of their School, so balancing out your character is essentially mandatory to reach higher levels. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82ebf026 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82ebf026 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82ebf026 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82f5ced1 | type |
Conservation of Ninjutsu | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82f5ced1 | comment |
Conservation of Ninjutsu: This is enforced by the culture and traditions of Rokugan. The black-clad, masked, shuriken throwing Ninja are always the apprentices in their school, used as disposable assets by their teachers. Those that survive receive proper Shinobi training, mainly using disguises and flowered words to get their way instead of sneaking. Indeed, wearing the "ninja" outfit is considered degrading and is used as a hazing ritual. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82f5ced1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82f5ced1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_82f5ced1 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8409a385 | type |
Exactly What It Says on the Tin | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8409a385 | comment |
The Naval Invasion mechanic would allow the maritime-themed Mantis Clan to seize initiative during combat by launching an attack from the sea. However, looking at a map of Rokugan reveals much of it to be landlocked and beyond the reach of the Mantis navy. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8409a385 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8409a385 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8409a385 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_84237bbd | type |
ScrewTheRulesIHavePlot | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_84237bbd | comment |
Screw the Rules, I Have Plot!: The Story Team will put aside established rules of the setting for the sake of the Story, (or to give the CCG players a story prize). For example, if the Empire followed the Thousand years of custom, tradition, law and precedent that existed at the time, Otomo Banu would have become Hantei XL after the Second Day of Thunder, but the Lion won the Tournament, so we have the Toturi dynasty. The first character was actually just a minor one introduced long after Toturi's coronation. Not to mention that Toturi HAD just killed the god of Evil and had the support of basically all important lords. Unless Banu were the firstborn child of the previous Emperor, Toturi would still have been crowned Emperor - and possibly even then. The developers also have a history of ignoring or very selectively interpreting tournament results when they don't match with where they had intended to take the story. In the above examples, the Lion Clan won the Second Day of Thunder Tournament, but the storyline prize effectively went to another faction (Toturi's Army), on the basis that their leader used to be a member of the Lion Clan. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_84237bbd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_84237bbd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_84237bbd | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8485d41a | type |
Interspecies Romance | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8485d41a | comment |
Interspecies Romance: Accidentally on both their parts, but Mara (female Naga) and Daini (male Dragon Clan human) both fell in love with each other despite their different species. They go on to have a Half-Human Hybrid son together. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8485d41a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8485d41a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8485d41a | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85474aa1 | type |
Power Creep | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85474aa1 | comment |
Power Creep: A common occurrence in the CCG, particularly towards the end of an arc, when game-ending combos starting showing up and ruthlessly efficient decks start ruling the day. The current Design team is now painfully aware of this, and each subsequent arc sees a lower overall power level in each expansion. It reached its worst with Lotus Edition, which is what prompted the gradual nerfing of power. Emperor Edition (the current) is regarded as the most powerful edition since Lotus, with the same issues of mountains of kill actions, disable actions, and cards with three or four simultaneous effects. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85474aa1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85474aa1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85474aa1 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85e9c342 | type |
Kung-Fu Wizard | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85e9c342 | comment |
Kung-Fu Wizard: All monks in Rokugan fit this to some extent. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85e9c342 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85e9c342 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_85e9c342 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_863fa679 | type |
What Happened to the Mouse? | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_863fa679 | comment |
What Happened to the Mouse?: With so many characters, some inevitably just drop through the cracks. One good early example is Yogo Asami, a relatively significant member of the Scorpion clan, connected to many of the most important characters- Bayushi Kachiko's former body double, trained by Bayushi Aramoro who she fell in love with, married Aramoro (accepting that she was his Replacement Goldfish because of his unrequited love for Kachiko), bore his son Bayushi Aramasu... and never appeared in the story again after her card was initially released in Forbidden Knowledge (apparently she was killed somehow and Aramasu believed Aramoro did it, although we never found out any more than this, even though it's not exactly a small detail). | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_863fa679 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_863fa679 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_863fa679 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_88239e0e | type |
Victory by First Blood | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_88239e0e | comment |
Victory by First Blood: Iajutsu duels are a common way for rival bushi in Rokugan to settle differences, with first blood usually being the winning stipulation as the swordsmen's lives are too valuable to waste. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_88239e0e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_88239e0e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_88239e0e | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8e5c862 | type |
Ancient Conspiracy | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8e5c862 | comment |
Scorpion playwright Shosuro Furuyari did not make any waves after returning through Oblivion's Gate... until he was revealed to be the notorious Bayushi Atsuki who had been quietly rebuilding the nefarious Gozoku. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8e5c862 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8e5c862 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8e5c862 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8f37b | type |
Medieval Stasis | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8f37b | comment |
Medieval Stasis: The Empire has lasted a thousand years with no real advances in technology. (Which isn't that unrealistic, given Japanese and Chinese history... and gunpowder and the like has been spreading in recent decades.) | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8f37b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8f37b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_8f37b | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_906365a2 | type |
Demonic Possession | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_906365a2 | comment |
Ironically, their attempt to poison the last Hantei was what weakened him enough to be possessed by Fu Leng. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_906365a2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_906365a2 | featureConfidence |
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| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_906365a2 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_90c018ac | type |
Justified Trope | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_90c018ac | comment |
Justified in Hida O-Ushi's case, as her birth name was Hida Yoritoko. Her two brothers nicknamed her O-Ushi ("Ox") because of her great strength and stubborness. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_90c018ac | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_90c018ac | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_90c018ac | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_970c790a | type |
Big Bad | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_970c790a | comment |
Big Bad: The story has featured numerous Big Bads over the years, but the longest running were the Dark Kami Fu Leng and the Dark Lord Daigotsu. Both are now dead, and Daigotsu's son, Kanpeki, currently holds the title of Big Bad. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_970c790a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_970c790a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_970c790a | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_984ef9ef | type |
"Not So Different" Remark | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_984ef9ef | comment |
The old Lion Clan-Crane clan rivalry (at least until Doji Kurohito and Matsu Nimuro had their epiphany). | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_984ef9ef | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_984ef9ef | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_984ef9ef | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_987be393 | type |
Gambit Roulette | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_987be393 | comment |
Gambit Roulette: One could say that the whole Clan War arc was the culmination of a thousand year-long plan by Togashi to finish Fu Leng once and for all. Heck, between him, Iuchiban, the Kolat and the Living Shadow, to say nothing of the normal politics and intrigue for the Great Clans the entire history of Rokugan is a really bad Gambit Pileup. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_987be393 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_987be393 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_987be393 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9aaf8eca | type |
Crippling Overspecialization | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9aaf8eca | comment |
Crippling Overspecialization: Pretty much every family specializes in one aspect of Rokugani life to the exclusion of all others, only surviving because the other families within their Clan compensate for what they lack. Sometimes found among Player Characters who aren't familiar with the system- if you don't spend experience in a balanced way, you won't gain Insight quickly and thus won't achieve the higher level Techniques of your School until much later. A lot of cards in the CCG were regularly rendered completely useless because they existed specifically to counter another specific type of card (most commonly Shadowlands) and had no use whatsoever if no opponent was using cards of that type. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9aaf8eca | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9aaf8eca | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9aaf8eca | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9ac6b0c1 | type |
Sociopathic Hero | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9ac6b0c1 | comment |
Related to the above, samurai are valued much more highly than peasants, and can get away with doing just about anything to a peasant without suffering more than a token fine. They are also considered to be much more reliable witnesses by default, so a samurai's testimony will almost always be taken over a peasant's. Of course, running around butchering the damiyo's property for no reason will quickly land him in trouble, but that isn't quite the same thing as equal rights for equal people. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9ac6b0c1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9ac6b0c1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9ac6b0c1 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9b06e314 | type |
Greater-Scope Villain | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9b06e314 | comment |
Greater-Scope Villain: The Dark Lord Daigotsu, formerly the Big Bad, became this after his death and subsequent ascension to divinity. Now the ruler of Jigoku (hell), he is the ultimate force of darkness in the setting. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9b06e314 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9b06e314 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9b06e314 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c8701b5 | type |
A Day in the Limelight | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c8701b5 | comment |
All the Wizards of the Coast-commissioned novels are considered to be non-canon by the Story Team and by RPG players, with the exception of Naseru's viewpoint novel, Wind of Justice. Kaneka's novel, Wind of War, is infamous for being a terrible rip-off of A Fistful of Dollars/Yojimbo and has been expressly contradicted in the canon storyline. All other novels fall under "if the canon stories don't directly contradict it, then they're ok". | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c8701b5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c8701b5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c8701b5 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c9115c1 | type |
ArcherArchetype | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c9115c1 | comment |
Archer Archetype: The Tsuruchi family of the Mantis Clan. Formerly the Wasp Minor Clan, they were drawn into the alliance of Minor Clans by Yoritomo during the Clan War that was eventually formed into the Mantis, when the leader of the clan snapped his katana in half in fealty. Since then, the Tsuruchi have focused on mastery of the bow over all other martial pursuits, though most of them still retain the katana and wakizashi that are symbols of the samurai caste. They most often work as bounty hunters, either alone, or in small groups. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c9115c1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c9115c1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9c9115c1 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e1e14ea | type |
Ambition Is Evil | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e1e14ea | comment |
Ambition Is Evil: there exist a set of four "Bloodswords", powerful weapons crafted by an evil sorcerer. They are named Passion, Revenge, Judgement, and Ambition, and greatly increase the given emotion/feeling in their wielder to an extremely unhealthy level. Throughout the story, two separate individuals have wielded Ambition. Both tried to murder the Emperor and take over his throne. Both ended poorly for the individual in question. Also the tale of the Lying Darkness, citing Desire as one of the three main sins. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e1e14ea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e1e14ea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e1e14ea | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e86e227 | type |
The End... Or Is It? | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e86e227 | comment |
Both of these groups have been almost entirely annihilated ... or have they? | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e86e227 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e86e227 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9e86e227 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9edbda07 | type |
Elite Mooks | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9edbda07 | comment |
Elite Mooks: Each Clan has its own set of Elite Guards who are tasked in defending the Clans important leaders or undertake important tasks such as eliminating tough targets. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9edbda07 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9edbda07 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9edbda07 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9eeb5455 | type |
Evil Virtues | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9eeb5455 | comment |
Evil Virtues: The Code of Shourido, practiced predominantly by the Spider Clan, which emphasizes Control, Determination, Insight, Knowledge, Perfection, Strength and Will. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9eeb5455 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9eeb5455 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9eeb5455 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9f8fc4ba | type |
AndZoidberg | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9f8fc4ba | comment |
And Zoidberg: Even after the Spider Clan is recognized as a new Great Clan by Empress Iweko I, they're not really treated as equal to the other Clans. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9f8fc4ba | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9f8fc4ba | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_9f8fc4ba | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a19cce82 | type |
Merchandise-Driven | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a19cce82 | comment |
Merchandise-Driven: The vast number of characters in the setting is due to the need to print a lot of cards for the CCG. One of the things that most annoys RPG players about the metaplot is the fact the Story Team has an annoying tendency to cast aside established rules of the setting and even simple common sense just to give the CCG players a new story prize for which to play. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a19cce82 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a19cce82 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a19cce82 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a2cbad1 | type |
Half-Human Hybrid | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a2cbad1 | comment |
Half-Human Hybrid: The Dragon Clan contains a number of human/dragon crossbreeds. Also, before her people went back into the Great Sleep, the female naga known as Mara gave birth to a son by the human Mirumoto Daini; Mirumoto Mareshi. Another such hybrid literally hatched from the Golden Pearl; Akasha, an embodiment of the human elements introduced into the Akasha. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a2cbad1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a2cbad1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a2cbad1 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a32334b4 | type |
Canon Discontinuity | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a32334b4 | comment |
Canon Discontinuity: In the most recent edition of the RPG, the timeline goes up to the extinction of the Toturi clan... but the rules all act as though Toturi III is still on the throne. All the Wizards of the Coast-commissioned novels are considered to be non-canon by the Story Team and by RPG players, with the exception of Naseru's viewpoint novel, Wind of Justice. Kaneka's novel, Wind of War, is infamous for being a terrible rip-off of A Fistful of Dollars/Yojimbo and has been expressly contradicted in the canon storyline. All other novels fall under "if the canon stories don't directly contradict it, then they're ok". | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a32334b4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a32334b4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a32334b4 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a414c3f0 | type |
One-Hit Kill | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a414c3f0 | comment |
A great example for much of the CCG's history were the Crab Clan, whose brute force-driven military decks were highly vulnerable to Chi-based dueling decks. In the storyline, however, Crab samurai train for superhuman endurance, making them far less susceptible to one-hit kills in duels than most samurai. More recent iterations of the card game have sought to reflect this, with the Crab receiving cards that reflect their ability to delay or shrug off death. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a414c3f0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a414c3f0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a414c3f0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a4dca67 | type |
Game-Favored Gender | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a4dca67 | comment |
Game-Favored Gender: In the RPG, there are a small handful of female-only schools, like the Utaku Battle Maidens. There used to be male-only schools, but those were taken out over successive editions. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a4dca67 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a4dca67 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a4dca67 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a60f7120 | type |
Physical God | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a60f7120 | comment |
Physical God: The founding kami of the Great Clans all walked the earth in the Empire's early days. One of them, Togashi, even stuck around by pretending to be a series of different Dragon Clan Champions in order to set the stage for Fu Leng's return and subsequent defeat. His character entry in the first edition Dragon sourcebook for the RPG didn't even provide stats for him him, pointing out that even attempting to oppose him is futile and Togashi can basically do anything he wants to, similar to the Lady of Pain from Planescape or Caine from Vampire: The Masquerade. One storyline prize allowed a hero from the winning clan to return from the dead. The Crab Clan won and received Hida Kisada who became a man again while simultaneously continuing to serve as the Fortune of Persistence in Heaven. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a60f7120 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a60f7120 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a60f7120 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a63bb3bd | type |
Ascended Demon | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a63bb3bd | comment |
Ascended Demon: When the Jade Champion, Kitsu Okura fell to corruption and gave his name to a demon, creating Okura no Oni, the demon eventually gained an appreciation for honor and Bushido through her possession of his soul, and turned against the other oni in the Battle of Oblivion's Gate. She was later cleansed of her taint by the Void Dragon and now guards the gates of the Celestial Heavens. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a63bb3bd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a63bb3bd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a63bb3bd | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a65288e2 | type |
Ascended Extra | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a65288e2 | comment |
Ascended Extra: Toku, a throwaway character in the first set, ends up being a General in the Imperial Guard and leading his own minor clan. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a65288e2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a65288e2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a65288e2 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a70223 | type |
Karma Houdini | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a70223 | comment |
Karma Houdini: The Dark Lord Daigotsu, the game's longest-running and most consistent villain. He kills two Emperors, destroys the Imperial City, unleashes the Dark God Fu Leng into the Celestial Heavens, creates the insidious Spider Clan, and unleashes the widest assassination strike in the Empire's history, which claims the lives of dozens of important men and women. For his crimes, he gets to become the new Dark God following his death at the end of the Celestial Arc. Hida Tsuneo, to an extent. Although he was slain alongside Hantei XVI, and justifiably so given many of the crimes he committed, most of the history of Hantei XVI's reign was expunged from the books by scholars who did not wish to record such a shameful period in Rokugan's history. As a result, Hida Tsuneo is remembered as one of the great heroes of the Crab Clan, something that became a big problem when he came Back from the Dead. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a70223 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a70223 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a70223 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8784482 | type |
Primordial Chaos | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8784482 | comment |
Primordial Chaos: The Lying Darkness, aka the Nothing, responsible for "real" ninjas, is the leftover bits of the primal darkness, which hate being forced into shape and so would like to undo all creation. The ninja powers of its servants comes form them being "unnamed": they don't have true names and as such aren't set in reality, so their shape is a matter of whim. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8784482 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8784482 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8784482 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8a04f6f | type |
And I Must Scream | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8a04f6f | comment |
And I Must Scream: The Scorpion Clan's infamous Traitor's Grove; where traitors are executed in a magical ritual and have their souls bound to the trees and removed from the cycle of reincarnation. Also the fate of anyone Lost to the Shadowlands Taint; their souls are also kept from the cycle of reincarnation and tormented in Jigoku for eternity. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8a04f6f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8a04f6f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_a8a04f6f | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_aabe2fb | type |
Deliberate Values Dissonance | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_aabe2fb | comment |
Deliberate Values Dissonance: There are a few areas where the morality of Rokugan will clash with the morality of its audience, particularly its intense focus on etiquette, courtesy and social harmony: The Rokugani justice system values witness testimony more than anything else for investigating crimes, with physical evidence and logical deduction serving only in the event where there are no reliable witnesses. Unless, of course, the person doing the investigation was trained by the Kitsuki. Related to the above, samurai are valued much more highly than peasants, and can get away with doing just about anything to a peasant without suffering more than a token fine. They are also considered to be much more reliable witnesses by default, so a samurai's testimony will almost always be taken over a peasant's. Of course, running around butchering the damiyo's property for no reason will quickly land him in trouble, but that isn't quite the same thing as equal rights for equal people. An in-universe example: do you believe in seeing things through to the end, no matter what? Do you believe that it's important to be in control of your world? Do you believe that truth is more important than personal comfort or social harmony? Do you strive to learn for its own sake, or seek to do everything perfectly? Do you seek to become stronger, and possess the will to do what must be done? Congratulations, you're an adherent of the Dark Virtues of Shourido, and will be considered an enemy of the Empire if anyone finds you preaching your dishonorable ideas! Granted, part of the point of the code of Shourido is that it looks like a perfectly reasonable set of alternative beliefs at first glance, but the deeper one looks into it the more troubling it becomes. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_aabe2fb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_aabe2fb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_aabe2fb | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_abbe5875 | type |
Evil Weapon | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_abbe5875 | comment |
Evil Weapon: The Bloodswords (Ambition, Judgment, Passion, and Revenge). The more you use them, the more powerful they become, and the easier it is to drive the owner into a murderous frenzy. Also, any nemuranai that was awakened by maho or other heretical magic. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_abbe5875 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_abbe5875 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_abbe5875 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac2094ca | type |
Red Shirt | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac2094ca | comment |
Red Shirt: Ashigaru are considered little more than human shields for the enemy arrows. The Crab's attitude towards any other clan samurai who come to the wall. They are referred to as "ponies", after the tithe of lame and crippled ponies the Crab clan are paid.note The Crab stake these otherwise worthless horses out beyond the Wall to serve as bait for Shadowlands monsters, allowing them to refine their archery skills by killing whatever comes after the pony. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac2094ca | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac2094ca | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac2094ca | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac69035c | type |
Master Poisoner | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac69035c | comment |
Master Poisoner: One of the skills that fits under the Scorpion Clan's hat. The Shosuro family in particular kept large gardens full of various plants that could all be turned into some kind of poison. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac69035c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac69035c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ac69035c | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_acf33d00 | type |
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_acf33d00 | comment |
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Fu Leng has been twice defeated as a result of him killing or betraying someone who held the key to exposing his weakness - Togashi the first time (Togashi was hiding the scroll that turned Fu Leng mortal in his heart) and Daigotsu in the second one. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_acf33d00 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_acf33d00 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_acf33d00 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_af11866 | type |
Wizarding School | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_af11866 | comment |
Wizarding School: The Shugenja dojo are one part this, one part seminary. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_af11866 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_af11866 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_af11866 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b09bf442 | type |
Whip of Dominance | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b09bf442 | comment |
Whip of Dominance: Whips in general are an exotic weapon and are mostly seen as a tool to exert control over beasts or other people (who are often enslaved), through pain compliance. Some notable whip users in the lore are: The Taskmasters of the Yasuki family are cruel and ruthless whip-wielding sub-commanders who keep the rank-and-file in check with their whips. They also can control and "discipline" Mujina laborers. All of their techniques involve intimidation. Matsu Beastmasters are a unit that specializes in taming and training Rokugan's natural predators for combat. Many of the best masters also used them in battle, not only as a weapon but also to direct their orders to their beasts. Utaku Stablemasters are whip-wielding horse trainers who use their whips in their taming duties but can also use them effectively in combat, even being able to wield the whip while on horseback. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b09bf442 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b09bf442 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b09bf442 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b1ef5996 | type |
Rat Men | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b1ef5996 | comment |
Rat Men: The Nezumi, or "ratlings", which are four to six feet tall humanoid rats who once held their own empire in what are now the Shadowlands, only for it to be extinguished. This was after the time of the Naga, and indeed the Nezumi used to be animalistic livestock for the Naga. They make up one of the three non-human races in the setting who don't universally want to skin humans alive for the hell of it. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b1ef5996 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b1ef5996 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b1ef5996 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b67be25d | type |
Firearms Are Revolutionary | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b67be25d | comment |
Firearms Are Revolutionary: This is the main reason for Rokugan's extremely strict ban on gunpowder. Their society believes strongly in the Celestial Order, and their legal system is based on duels where the winner is considered to have the blessing of the Kami and thus must be right. Guns and cannons allow untrained peasants and criminals to kill samurai and daimyo with ease, violating the Celestial Order and threatening to eliminate the culture of swordsmanship they had cultivated for millennia. The tipping point was the Battle of White Stag, when a group of Gaijin pirates managed to kill the Empress with cannons during an attempted coup, and gunpowder became illegal and Gaijin deported unless they had sponsorship by a powerful samurai. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b67be25d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b67be25d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b67be25d | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b6cebad3 | type |
Double Standard | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b6cebad3 | comment |
Double Standard: Originally part of the traditional conservative culture of Rokugan in the early stories as well as the First Edition RPG, thus making the Lady Land families necessary. Later averted entirely, and stories set in earlier days were retconned to be more egalitarian. The massive losses that nearly everyone suffered during the Clan War and surrounding events forced samurai cast aside any prejudices they may have had against women in less traditional roles (ie,serving as Bushi hold positions of power, ruling as Daimyo) simply because there were no longer enough men to fill them might explain this. The Lady Land families have, however, stayed just as matriarchal as they always have been. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b6cebad3 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b6cebad3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b6cebad3 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b82ca416 | type |
Rage Against the Heavens | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b82ca416 | comment |
Rage Against the Heavens: The ultimate agenda of the Kolat, though in reality it gets little more than lip service. They are more or less happy being glorified Yakuza. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b82ca416 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b82ca416 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b82ca416 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b90feedc | type |
Schedule Slip | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b90feedc | comment |
Schedule Slip: Storyline tournaments got so popular that some prizes were awarded several years after the win, if ever, contributing heavily to an increasingly frustrated fandom. For instance, the Scorpion's win to control an all-seeing artifact took so long for them to actually use in the story (nearly ten years), it was placed up for a story prize again before its first such fiction was released. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b90feedc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b90feedc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_b90feedc | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba5436eb | type |
The Great Wall | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba5436eb | comment |
The Great Wall: The Kaiu Wall, also known as the Carpenter Wall or the Kaiu Miracle, stands between the Shadowlands and Rokugan, where the Crab Clan spend their lives protecting the rest of the Empire from the demonic forces. It is a point of both pride and annoyance for the Crabs that no other clan knows of how hard their duty is. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba5436eb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba5436eb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba5436eb | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba907fe2 | type |
Entitled to Have You | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba907fe2 | comment |
This trope also applies, to a lesser extent, to the lesser lords and samurai that rule over local territories and fiefdoms. More than one provincial daimyo has abused his authority to fill his coffers (or fulfill other needs), and samurai are essentially allowed to do whatever they want to peasants without fear of reprisal. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba907fe2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba907fe2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ba907fe2 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bd2812b5 | type |
Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bd2812b5 | comment |
Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence: Thanks to the way the setting's cosmology works, virtually anyone can be rewarded with godhood if they put in the requisite work. Otaku Komoko, Hida Yakamo, Hitomi, and Toku are just a few of the high-profile heroes who have achieved divine status since the game's inception. Dead individuals may also be named as Fortunes by the Emperor, essentially becoming minor kami with power over certain conceptual dominions. For example, Inari, the Fortune of Rice, is often prayed to during the harvest, while Benten, the Fortune of Love, is regularly invoked in marriage ceremonies and romantic poems. Horribly inverted with certain enemies of Hantei XVI, who used his power to name Fortunes to punish his enemies posthumously. This resulted in his enemies being forced to rule over such lovely domains as Torture, Cockroaches and Dung for all eternity. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bd2812b5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bd2812b5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bd2812b5 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bdddc73e | type |
Yakuza | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bdddc73e | comment |
The Lying Darkness is opposed by the Kolat, anti-Imperial Yakuza who's Antitheistic philosophy makes them enemies of otherworldly influence in general. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bdddc73e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bdddc73e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bdddc73e | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be248b58 | type |
Pitbull Dates Puppy | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be248b58 | comment |
Pitbull Dates Puppy: What is considered an ideal match in Rokugani society - one spouse does the asskicking, the other spouse takes care of the kids and manages the finances. The most recent example is Dragon Clan Champion Mirumoto Kei and her husband (and Mirumoto Daimyo) Mareshi. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be248b58 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be248b58 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be248b58 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be8f3491 | type |
The Theme Park Version | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be8f3491 | comment |
The Theme Park Version: Of feudal Japanese culture and samurai traditions. Rokugan takes its bushido far, FAR more seriously and inflexibly than the real-life Japanese ever did, which admittedly IS saying a lot. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be8f3491 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be8f3491 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_be8f3491 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bec85a40 | type |
Dojikko | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bec85a40 | comment |
As mentioned earlier, the Otaku family has been renamed Utaku. The Doji and Daidoji families still have their original names (although it may be a matter of transliteration and both were intended to have "long o", pronounced "ou" like Daidouji Tomoyo). There was once a ronin named Kuso, a courtier named Baka (although he ended up living to his name) and the Crab clan poster girl Hida O-Ushi (which means "Great Cow"). And some people refer to the pacifist healers of the Asahina family as the SOS Brigade. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bec85a40 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bec85a40 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bec85a40 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bfaff026 | type |
Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bfaff026 | comment |
The Lion/Crane vendetta which has lasted since the dawn of the Empire because Kakita accused Matsu of being an Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy. Neither side has given ground since. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bfaff026 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bfaff026 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_bfaff026 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c0d1354b | type |
Metaplot | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c0d1354b | comment |
Metaplot: A Merchandise-Driven metaplot, no less. Many of the RPG players have gotten rather sick of it. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c0d1354b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c0d1354b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c0d1354b | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c1c29f00 | type |
Character Level | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c1c29f00 | comment |
Ring Ranks are also one of the major contributing factors to determining a character's Insight Rank. Without higher Insight, a character can't access the higher level Techniques of their School, so balancing out your character is essentially mandatory to reach higher levels. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c1c29f00 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c1c29f00 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c1c29f00 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c28692cf | type |
Mystical Jade | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c28692cf | comment |
Mystical Jade: Jade is the most effective weapon against creatures tainted by the Shadowlands. In fact, in its Dungeons & Dragons conversion Oriental Adventures, effects based on Character Alignment were translated so that Good became jade and Evil became taint (e.g. holy smite becoming an earth-based spell called jade smite). | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c28692cf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c28692cf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c28692cf | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c37813c5 | type |
Ninja | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c37813c5 | comment |
Another, much less well-known magic is tejina, the Shadow arts practiced by the shinobi of the Soshi and Shosuro families of the Scorpion Clan. Given how secretive the Scorpion are about their use of normal ninja, it's no surprise that the existence of tejina is only known to a handful of people, even among the Scorpion. And for good reason- the Scorpion Clan would likely not survive if it were known that they were tapping into the power of the Lying Darkness. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c37813c5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c37813c5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c37813c5 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c4d32b92 | type |
The Dark Arts | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c4d32b92 | comment |
The Dark Arts: While Rokugan considers all non-shugenja magic to be heretical, none are more reviled than Maho. First, maho is powered by blood sacrifice- the more powerful the spell, the more blood you need to make it work. Second, maho draws its power directly from Jigoku, and causes its user to become infected with the Shadowlands Taint. Finally, many monsters that can be summoned through maho (including oni and gaki) can escape the summoner's control, resulting in massive collateral damage. Nevertheless, maho remains a potent draw for certain people, because it can be used by anyone, even those who lack the spiritual potential or training of a shugenja. Another, much less well-known magic is tejina, the Shadow arts practiced by the shinobi of the Soshi and Shosuro families of the Scorpion Clan. Given how secretive the Scorpion are about their use of normal ninja, it's no surprise that the existence of tejina is only known to a handful of people, even among the Scorpion. And for good reason- the Scorpion Clan would likely not survive if it were known that they were tapping into the power of the Lying Darkness. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c4d32b92 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c4d32b92 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c4d32b92 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c78d3e08 | type |
Seppuku | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c78d3e08 | comment |
This occurs n the "Legacy of the Naga" short fiction, the second last fiction of the "Jade Edition". When the Naga arrived to present the Golden Pearl to Emperor Toturi I, his stunned silence at the sight of it caused a courtier named Miya Arugo to instinctively refuse it. In Rokugan society, one refuses a gift twice and then accepts it on the third presentation, in order to show proper modesty. Amongst the Naga, however, things are taken straightforward, in no small part because of the communal mind-link they share through the Akasha, and once a decision is made, they almost never change their mind. As a result, the Naga apologized for bothering the Emperor and took the Golden Pearl to the Unicorn Clan, the next-most-trusted Rokugan faction in their eyes. Miya committed seppuku for his actions. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c78d3e08 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c78d3e08 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c78d3e08 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9790040 | type |
Decadent Court | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9790040 | comment |
Decadent Court: The Imperial Court of Otosan Uchi (later Toshi Ranbo), or for that matter, any High Ranking Daimyo. The Court of Kyuden Bayushi, the central palace of the Scorpion Clan, is probably the deadliest and most decadent of all, especially for anyone with interests that run counter to the welfare of the Empire. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9790040 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9790040 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9790040 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9e5a0db | type |
Legacy Character | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9e5a0db | comment |
In the 4th edition RPG demo the example Lion character is...basically Tsudao. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9e5a0db | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9e5a0db | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_c9e5a0db | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ca3a6dbd | type |
Informed Ability | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ca3a6dbd | comment |
Informed Ability: So common as to be ridiculous. Expect to hear how brilliant Lion tacticians are far more than it shows up in the story, for instance. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ca3a6dbd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ca3a6dbd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ca3a6dbd | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cafdaf4e | type |
Trust Password | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cafdaf4e | comment |
Trust Password: When Shinjo left Rokugan, her grieving sister (Lady Doji, the first Crane) gave her a small wooden fan to symbolize their bond. Centuries later, Shinjo's many descendants showed up in Rokugan...and presented the leader of the Crane with that fan. The Crane welcomed their kin on the spot. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cafdaf4e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cafdaf4e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cafdaf4e | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cc4d190a | type |
Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu? | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cc4d190a | comment |
Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Let's see, Fu Leng (twice) the Dark Oracle of Fire, Lord Moon (not a title, but the actual MOON GOD), the Living Darkness. It's gotten to the point that the current stories are actually trying to distance themselves from this trope. One foreigner who comes to Rokugan lampshades this trope. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cc4d190a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cc4d190a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cc4d190a | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cd6b88cd | type |
Angels, Devils and Squid | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cd6b88cd | comment |
Angels, Devils and Squid: There are the Kami on one side, the Oni on the other side, and then there is the Nothing. Which was on the receiving end of an epic butt-kicking in the previous edition. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cd6b88cd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cd6b88cd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cd6b88cd | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cdc710ad | type |
Cooking Duel | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cdc710ad | comment |
Cooking Duel: The challenged party in a formal duel gets to name what form the duel will take. While swordsmanship is usually the default for bushi, and magic for shugenja, any "cultured" art can be a perfectly acceptable substitute. Origami, poetry, and indeed cooking duels have been seen in the fictions. Bear in mind, however, that it may cost you some face if you suggest something other than the norm. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cdc710ad | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cdc710ad | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cdc710ad | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cf496044 | type |
Smoke Out | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cf496044 | comment |
Ninja use explosives on a regular basis, often for the "smoky exit" effect as for demolition. Of course, since ninja don't exist, they can get away with it. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cf496044 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cf496044 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_cf496044 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d08049db | type |
Taken for Granite | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d08049db | comment |
Taken for Granite: The touch of jade can be fatal to a Shadowlands creature; the spell Tomb of Jade, which transforms their skin into jade, is instantly so. The Bloodspeakers have Tomb of Earth, a similar spell that turns any non-Tainted target into stone. However the targets of both spells crumble into dust 24 hours later. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d08049db | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d08049db | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d08049db | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d19343fc | type |
Glove Slap | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d19343fc | comment |
Glove Slap: Insulting someone's honor in Rokugan is something not to be done lightly - it may end in a duel, or even a generations-long blood feud. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d19343fc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d19343fc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d19343fc | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d4d8d831 | type |
Feuding Families | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d4d8d831 | comment |
Feuding Families: Several. The old Lion Clan-Crane clan rivalry (at least until Doji Kurohito and Matsu Nimuro had their epiphany). The Daidoji/Yasuki trade war. The Dragon and the Phoenix also had something going for a while (and the Agasha and the Tamori still need to make an effort to be civil). The Unicorn and Lion seemed to have become the new Lion and Crane. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d4d8d831 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d4d8d831 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d4d8d831 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d635e82c | type |
Highly-Visible Ninja | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d635e82c | comment |
Highly-Visible Ninja: And if you actually think that, the Scorpion will be very eager to do business with you. Sure, there's a category of shinobi who do this. They're called "still in training" and "distractions so you don't notice your courtier has procured a knife". | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d635e82c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d635e82c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d635e82c | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d8e1b5a3 | type |
Soul Jar | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d8e1b5a3 | comment |
The Scorpion Clan's infamous Traitor's Grove; where traitors are executed in a magical ritual and have their souls bound to the trees and removed from the cycle of reincarnation. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d8e1b5a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d8e1b5a3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d8e1b5a3 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9d2c40b | type |
Amazon Brigade | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9d2c40b | comment |
Amazon Brigade: Two examples in the matriarcal Utaku and Matsu families. The Utaku family (formerly known as the Otaku family) has the Shiotome, or Battle Maidens, an elite unit of shock troops that ride into battle on horses the size of Clydesdales. The Matsu family's elite Lion's Pride is an all-female unit of samurai women that specializes in finding and killing the enemy general and his command staff. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9d2c40b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9d2c40b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9d2c40b | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9ee7048 | type |
Spin-Off | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9ee7048 | comment |
Spin-Off: Legend of the Burning Sands - Legend of the Five Rings IN THE DESERT! There are rumors that 7th Sea was originally planned to exist in the same universe but that Wick was forced to abandon the plan due to copyright issues with Wizards of the Coast. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9ee7048 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9ee7048 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_d9ee7048 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_da6264c7 | type |
Action Initiative | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_da6264c7 | comment |
Action Initiative: In an interesting take of the trope, actions are resolved round-by-round, and are announced from the slowest character to the fastest, so that the faster characters can respond to the action of the slower characters. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_da6264c7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_da6264c7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_da6264c7 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dae5c997 | type |
Action Girl | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dae5c997 | comment |
Action Girl: Pick a samurai-ko, any samurai-ko. Some of the Crane and Phoenix ones even cross into Lady of War territory | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dae5c997 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dae5c997 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dae5c997 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_db39ccfd | type |
Battle Couple | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_db39ccfd | comment |
Battle Couple: Usually averted: when two bushi marry, usually one (not necessarily the wife) becomes the "housewife" and stays at home to manage the estate and raise the kids, while the other goes to fight. However, when both bushi are exemplary and/or of sufficiently high rank, they usually both remain active in fighting, with the woman taking breaks to give birth to their children (if any). Hida O-ushi (Crab Clan Champion) and her husband Yasamura are the best example of this trope, and Tamori Shaitung and Isawa Nakamuro were a shugenja Battle Couple. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_db39ccfd | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_db39ccfd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_db39ccfd | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dcbe8a6e | type |
Chekhov's Gunman | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dcbe8a6e | comment |
Chekhov's Gunman: As with Chekhov's Gun, above, the vicissitudes of a storyline with player-determined outcome means that characters can languish in obscurity for years before suddenly being thrust to center stage. Sanzo, a weak ronin samurai, seemed destined to be entirely forgotten until he almost succeeded in assassinating Emperor Toturi I while under the influence of the Bloodsword Ambition. Scorpion playwright Shosuro Furuyari did not make any waves after returning through Oblivion's Gate... until he was revealed to be the notorious Bayushi Atsuki who had been quietly rebuilding the nefarious Gozoku. Gusai, another Oblivion's Gate returnee, appeared to die off-screen alone with several other returned spirits at the hands of a mysterious murder, only for it to turn out Gusai had faked his death and was the murderer all along. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dcbe8a6e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dcbe8a6e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dcbe8a6e | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dd45df38 | type |
Unfortunate Names | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dd45df38 | comment |
Unfortunate Names: As mentioned earlier, the Otaku family has been renamed Utaku. The Doji and Daidoji families still have their original names (although it may be a matter of transliteration and both were intended to have "long o", pronounced "ou" like Daidouji Tomoyo). There was once a ronin named Kuso, a courtier named Baka (although he ended up living to his name) and the Crab clan poster girl Hida O-Ushi (which means "Great Cow"). And some people refer to the pacifist healers of the Asahina family as the SOS Brigade. Justified in Hida O-Ushi's case, as her birth name was Hida Yoritoko. Her two brothers nicknamed her O-Ushi ("Ox") because of her great strength and stubborness. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dd45df38 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dd45df38 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_dd45df38 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_de9660e8 | type |
Rage Judo | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_de9660e8 | comment |
Rage Judo: The Jester can taunt in a fashion that directs an attack at someone else, making this trope a game mechanic. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_de9660e8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_de9660e8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_de9660e8 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_df77bb33 | type |
Ambadassador | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_df77bb33 | comment |
Ambadassador: The Crane and Scorpion Clans, but particularly the Crane, who are all poise and diplomacy until a Kakita Dueling Academy graduate is cutting you from hip to shoulder. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_df77bb33 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_df77bb33 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_df77bb33 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0207930 | type |
Humans Are Special | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0207930 | comment |
Humans Are Special: Humans in this setting are technically semi-divine (even before the Kami brought their bloodlines in). They weren't originally native to Ningen-do; rather having been created by Amaterasu's tears, they're strictly speaking creatures of Tengoku—the Celestial Heavens. Humans Are Special indeed. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0207930 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0207930 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0207930 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0c00a95 | type |
Absurdly Sharp Blade | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0c00a95 | comment |
Absurdly Sharp Blade: The Kaiu blades of the Crab Clan are renowned for being unbreakable, and are so hard that they literally cannot be sharpened after they're forged- nothing can wear down their edge or corrode them. As a result, they cut through solid rock as easily as they do through human flesh. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0c00a95 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0c00a95 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e0c00a95 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e26f04b4 | type |
Last of His Kind | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e26f04b4 | comment |
Last of His Kind: While they're not technically dead Chi'kel is the sole living Nezumi on Nigen-do, all the rest are trapped in the realm of dreams. Oh, and the Nezumi had a lifespan of about 30 years max. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e26f04b4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e26f04b4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e26f04b4 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e2ccee25 | type |
Animal Motifs | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e2ccee25 | comment |
Animal Motifs: The various clans of Legend of the Five Rings are each named for an animal, and each draws on the symbolism of that animal as inspiration for their clan's nature. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e2ccee25 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e2ccee25 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e2ccee25 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e34ada78 | type |
Authority Equals Asskicking | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e34ada78 | comment |
Authority Equals Asskicking: The leaders of each clan are frequently the most powerful members. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e34ada78 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e34ada78 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e34ada78 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e39ce9 | type |
The Face | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e39ce9 | comment |
The Face: Courtiers are explicitly designed to play this role, as even though most PCs should have basic social skills to survive Rokugan's complicated system of etiquette and conversation, it helps to have someone who can recruit allies and deal with gossip and slander. In a pinch, Air Shugenjas and more politically oriented Magistrates and Bushi (particularly from the Scorpion or Crane Clans) can fill this role. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e39ce9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e39ce9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e39ce9 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e3c20140 | type |
As Long as It Sounds Foreign | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e3c20140 | comment |
As Long as It Sounds Foreign: There are guidelines for players and Game Masters to name their own characters, and so the accuracy of the names used by players varies. There was also Kurohito, a guy born with stark white hair and fair blue eyes, whose name means "Black Man". The name "Toturi" is meaningless in Japanese, even if you see it as an alternative spelling to "Totsuri". Many other names are completely made-up Japanese-looking nonsense. Sometimes the names aren't even Japanese-looking at all, very easily getting into Chinese and Korean territory, resulting in cases where characters have a Japanese surname with a Chinese personal name. Even the Kami haven't escaped this; their names all have a Japanese sound to them (though most of them are nonsense), and then you got Fu Leng. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e3c20140 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e3c20140 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e3c20140 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e5405d4e | type |
Baku | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e5405d4e | comment |
Baku: Bakus are portrayed as more malignant than in folklore as they still eat bad dreams, but they eat their victim's memories as well. | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e5405d4e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e5405d4e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e5405d4e | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e5411cdf | type |
Cult | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e5411cdf | comment |
Cult: The Emperor is also the head of the official state religion, and has official authority in Tengoku. | |
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Expy | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e5421161 | comment |
Expy: Here's Hida O-Ushi. And here's Hida Eijiko. Crab clan personality? Check. Action Girl? Check. Big-ass sleeve tattoo? Check. Wearing armor with nothing underneath? Check. Fighting with a blunt weapon? Check. In the 4th edition RPG demo the example Lion character is...basically Tsudao. This is a game mechanic in the CCG: A card may have the trait "Soul Of" and list a name. This means that the power, chi, costs, and abilities on both cards are identical. This is in place so that if playing an Unrestricted game (meaning expansion and edition don't matter) these older cards count toward the same no-more-than-three rule. Switch around a couple of letters in the Hiruma family's name, and you can see who inspired their fighting style. The Mirumoto fighting style is clearly mimicking the two-handed style practiced and advocated by Miyamoto Musashi. | |
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Nerf | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e545e190 | comment |
Nerf: Tends to happen when GameBreakers make it into the game. Formerly, L5R had ads bragging that they had "Zero Banned, Zero Restricted" games... after which cards started getting erratas if not outright banned. | |
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Determinator | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e567510d | comment |
An in-universe example: do you believe in seeing things through to the end, no matter what? Do you believe that it's important to be in control of your world? Do you believe that truth is more important than personal comfort or social harmony? Do you strive to learn for its own sake, or seek to do everything perfectly? Do you seek to become stronger, and possess the will to do what must be done? Congratulations, you're an adherent of the Dark Virtues of Shourido, and will be considered an enemy of the Empire if anyone finds you preaching your dishonorable ideas! Granted, part of the point of the code of Shourido is that it looks like a perfectly reasonable set of alternative beliefs at first glance, but the deeper one looks into it the more troubling it becomes. | |
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Star-Crossed Lovers | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_e596f27b | comment |
Star-Crossed Lovers: In a society that frowns upon emotional displays, and where all samurai are expected to enter arranged marriages to benefit their family, lord, and/or clan, love is a very dangerous and often fatal thing. Notably, Bayushi Kachiko and Doji Hoturi's romance nearly caused the destruction of the Crane Clan as a result of Kachiko's revenge. Tamori Shaitung and Isawa Nakamuro's romance also would have been this, if not for the intervention of the literal Goddess of Love. | |
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Guns Are Worthless | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_eb4ee9eb | comment |
Guns Are Worthless: Semi-Averted, Guns actually have some advantages, the most notable being that they ignore Armor, Defense, and other Technique based TNtBH modifiers. This is balanced by both the fact they take long time to reload between shots (the only guns available in the world are Flintlock Muskets) and that owning them is tremendously illegal in Rokugan. | |
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Best Her to Bed Her | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ebab0a5b | comment |
Best Her to Bed Her: Not intentionally so, but when a tournament was held by the Crab to determine who would win the honour of marrying Hida O-Ushi, sister of clan champion Hida Yamako, O-Ushi entered herself to compete for her own hand, meaning she would only submit if she was beaten (albeit the one who beat her wouldn't necessarily be her husband unless he was also the last man standing, which is what ended up happening when O-Ushi and Daidoji Uji simultaneously knocked each other out, leaving a bewildered Shinjo Yasamura the winner). | |
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Fantastic Caste System | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_edcc813f | comment |
Fantastic Caste System: Rokugan's society has a caste system mirroring that of feudal Japan's: At its core, you have samurai at the top, farmers and craftsmen below samurai, merchants underneath both, and then the eta; the "untouchables" who do all the "dirty" work such as handling the dead and cleaning latrines, who can be killed by samurai with no social repercussions. Then you move onto the special castes— Geisha are considered special "non-persons" outside of the social order so Samurai can relax and speak freely when with them, without risk of dishonor or losing face. Monks are a puzzle in the pecking order—anybody, even a peasant or samurai, can become a monk, and technically they cannot gain social status, yet due to their reputation of devoutness and their religious duties they are free to interact with samurai and peasants without etiquette getting in the way. Even arrogant samurai who wouldn't think twice about testing their sword's sharpness on a nearby peasant would give a monk some token respect, if only because one can never be sure if a monk has awesome kung fu skills... or fire breathing. Furthermore, asking a monk about their past is considered a breach of etiquette, and since they take new names upon joining a monastery, there's often no way for someone to figure out whether the monk was a peasant or a samurai. As such, honorable individuals tend to avoid insulting monks to avoid insulting former samurai, thus averting potential crises of honor. Rokugan doesn't really know how to handle ronin. They serve no master and have no place in the Celestial Order, but despite this, they are still part of the samurai caste. Most of the time, they're treated like garbage, but individual ronin or families of ronin can win some place in Rokugan, be adopted into a clan, or in one memorable case, become Emperor. The Crab Clan provides one means of circumventing the caste system. During a "Twenty Goblin Winter," anyone who can single-handedly take twenty goblin heads in five months is admitted to a Crab vassal family, no questions asked. The system is designed to allow the Crab to recruit ronin, but peasants have been admitted to the ranks through this as well. | |
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| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_eedee4d | type |
The Starscream | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_eedee4d | comment |
The Starscream: Doesn't come up as often as you'd think in a game filled with so much political maneuvering. One particularly noteworthy aversion involved the evil monk, Kokujin. The story team planned to have Hitomi welcome him back into the Dragon Clan, only for him to ultimately betray and overthrow her. When the new Dragon Champion proved unexpectedly popular with the fans, her story arc was rewritten and Kokujin's turn as a major villain was saved for a later arc. | |
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Did You Just Scam Cthulhu? | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_ef0a5ce | comment |
Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: Shinsei made a career out of being wiser than the Kami, and along with Togashi they masterminded a thousand-year plan to put an end to Fu Leng. | |
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Combat by Champion | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_f0864fd9 | comment |
Combat by Champion: It is not unexpected for Crane or Dragon armies in war to deploy duelists specifically to call out and challenge officers of the opposing army to a duel, usually killing them. It is also acceptable for opposing generals to duel to end a war with little bloodshed, or in some cases the parties that were the cause of the war in the first place. | |
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| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_f16da697 | type |
Undying Loyalty | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_f16da697 | comment |
Undying Loyalty: The Scorpion explicitly view Loyalty as the only part of Bushido worth upholding for its own sake. | |
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| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_f89f164a | type |
Purposely Overpowered | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_f89f164a | comment |
Purposely Overpowered: Many NPC Basic Schools, such as the Dark Moto school and Tsuno Ravager. They have techniques that absolutely hurt, and would make a GM cry if a player ever had access to them. | |
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Faking the Dead | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_f9876f7e | comment |
Gusai, another Oblivion's Gate returnee, appeared to die off-screen alone with several other returned spirits at the hands of a mysterious murder, only for it to turn out Gusai had faked his death and was the murderer all along. | |
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Artistic License – Economics | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_fd76df83 | comment |
Artistic License – Economics: The economy outlined in the RPG is a very simplified version of the medieval Japanese economy- perhaps a little too simplified, to the point where any GM that wants to deal with economic matters in depth is better off homebrewing. To make things worse, the Merchant's Guide to Rokugan was actually a sourcebook for the Kolat. The lead developers themselves went back and forth over whether the koku (standard currency unit) represented enough rice to feed one man for one year, or the expected annual income of a peasant family. Do the math and you'll see the problem here. 4th Edition attempted to rectify this by making a koku worth roughly one month's worth of rice and have nothing to do with peasant income and declaring that previous issues with economics were caused by in-universe mistakes. | |
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| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_fe48cea2 | type |
Lady of War | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_fe48cea2 | comment |
Lady of War: Quite a lot of Crane samurai-ko take this line, as do some Phoenix. Also, Toturi Tsudao, the Sword, Toturi I's eldest legitimate child. | |
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Death Seeker | |
| Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) / int_fff371b4 | comment |
Death Seeker: Most famously, the Lion Clan produces quite a few of these. Corrupted Crab Clan members also sometimes choose this path. As the Tortoise Clan's true purpose involves a hearty violation of Imperial Law, the Daimyos traditionally introduce themselves to the new Emperor during the first week of coronation, reveal what they've done, and offer to commit seppuku. They rarely get the go-ahead. | |
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Legend of the Five Rings (Tabletop Game) |
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