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Post by Stu Venable on Nov 14, 2012 17:26:52 GMT -8
I was listening to Narrative Control #70 which was mostly about revealing mysteries, but they got side tracked on Legend of the Five Rings, and their discussion of the setting made me want to check it out. So I bought the 4th ed core book, and I've been reading it on and off. I JUST finally got out of the setting part of the book into the mechanics part. I would like to run or play in a game in Rokugon, as it is a very rich and complex setting, and it would be a hoot, now that I've invested the time to understand the setting. (btw) part of the NC episode talks about trying to give out setting information in-game, which would definitely be a problem if you had players with no familiarity with the setting at all. Really liking the game book, though. It's got me to start watching a bunch of Japanese cinema set in the Shogun era: Ran, 13 Assassins, 47 Ronin.
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kevinr
Journeyman Douchebag
Posts: 158
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Post by kevinr on Nov 14, 2012 18:57:01 GMT -8
L5R has some of the best fluff out there. every book is filled with such a history. I find it really cool that they tie in the tournaments and events they have with the L5R card game to the rpg setting and world. Unfortunately it does have so much information that a player that does not want to take the time to read at least some of the book will be at a bit of a lose.
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SirGuido
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Posts: 2,127
Preferred Game Systems: L5R, Traveller, Fate Accelerated, Masks
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Favorite Species of Monkey: Anything in a Cage.
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Post by SirGuido on Nov 15, 2012 5:45:22 GMT -8
If you have any questions, I've been playing this game off and on for 16 years and used to write and edit for the fanzine that no longer exists. I wrote "Three Kami Sake" for this system.
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Post by fray on Nov 15, 2012 17:37:10 GMT -8
I ran a game for a couple of years... it's a fun system and world.
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Kveld Ulf
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Posts: 56
Preferred Game Systems: Eclipse Phase, Feng Shui, Savage Worlds, Fate, and most anything else
Currently Playing: L5R
Currently Running: D&D 5th
Favorite Species of Monkey: Bonobo
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Post by Kveld Ulf on Nov 15, 2012 18:41:05 GMT -8
I had a lot of good memories of L5R, though I haven't had the chance to play in a long time. But I get a craving just about any time I watch some good asian flicks. Either that, or Feng Shui. Heh
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SirGuido
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Preferred Game Systems: L5R, Traveller, Fate Accelerated, Masks
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Favorite Species of Monkey: Anything in a Cage.
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Post by SirGuido on Nov 16, 2012 5:42:46 GMT -8
I have never seen a game yet who's flavor and backstory even rivals that of L5R. The backstory itself runs for thousands of in game years, and for around sixteen actual years. Also, because it started as and still is a living story card game, the game is constantly being added to and changing. Players(both rpg and ccg) have different opportunities throughout the year to affect the storyline in different ways and make sure their favorite clan succeeds or that their least favorite clan takes punishment. Its a really nice merging of different game characteristics that results in this amazing thing.
In terms of mechanics, I love the roll and keep dice pool system. L5R was my first exposure to exploding dice and I love how exploding dice means you can succeed on certain tasks even when you aren't well trained in the skill involved(in the new edition you do actually have to be trained in the skill in order for your dice to explode). I think those who have a lot of issues with D&D's combatcentricness(yeah its a word... what?) and its lack of emphasis on rp will love L5R for those differences. Also, there aren't really classes. Technically there are 5 classes, but... not really. Check it out.
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Post by ironnikki on Nov 16, 2012 8:31:51 GMT -8
Back in Texas, the nearest game stores really only carried DnD and Pathfinder. Once I moved, I've noticed that the game stores around here carry DnD, Pathfinder, and L5R. There are a couple other selections too, but I was surprised to see that there must be a market up here for L5R that just wasn't present where I was before. I might get a copy and check it out.
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SirGuido
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Favorite Species of Monkey: Anything in a Cage.
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Post by SirGuido on Nov 19, 2012 5:08:36 GMT -8
Its like that right here in Cincinnati too. Depending on the part of the city you are in either there is a tremendous L5R presence or next to none.
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Post by The Northman on Nov 26, 2012 12:51:37 GMT -8
The decision with 4e to divorce the RPG from the metaplot and settle on an iconic time period was an excellent move, especially for newer fans who haven't been around since the beginning.
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Post by Stu Venable on Nov 26, 2012 15:48:12 GMT -8
I was wondering about that.
Everyone keeps talking about their "living" setting, but the book pretty clearly give you a history up to a certain point, then it stops. The rest of the fluff pretty much reinforces that the stopping point of the history is the era where you'd run a game.
The talk about a meta-plot setting started to give me a headache.
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SirGuido
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Post by SirGuido on Nov 26, 2012 16:23:56 GMT -8
There are resource books that give you the information needed to run a game in just about any time period. History of the Empire specifically. Also, Emerald Empire is an EXCELLENT resource if you want to know more about the culture of the setting.
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Post by The Northman on Nov 27, 2012 14:35:46 GMT -8
During development there were a few blogs by the head honchos about how they felt that the ongoing plot had gotten away from them. So while the card game marches on, the RPG is now officially set in a semi-timeless setting where each clan is presented in its most iconic form.
If you're planning on running a campaign, especially a story in which you're exploring the setting through the plot, I can't recommend highly enough that you pick a clan for the characters to all come from. Our group generally found the Crane to have the most diverse options, but any clan you dig will do. It very much unites the party and gives a culture and set of preconceived notions about the world you can give so that even new players will feel somewhat grounded.
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Post by Stu Venable on Nov 28, 2012 12:30:12 GMT -8
That's kind of what I started realizing as I was reading the setting info: a game w/ PCs from multiple clans would -- at the very least -- include a lot of inter-PC plotting and conflict. Depending on which clans, it might require more than one GM to game out all the various plots and back stabbings that might occur, not to mention the need for another, confidential avenue of communication between players and with GM (like a chat client).
The only way I could see it not turning in to that kind of game is ... strike that -- it would anyway.
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SirGuido
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Post by SirGuido on Nov 28, 2012 12:52:40 GMT -8
I've played and ran both options. For clan diverse games I always found that the party as subordinates to a higher, and likely neutral, authority works just fine. For example, yoriki to an Emerald Magistrate. For clan specific games I always found that either war games or those where all the members have a specific reason for being together made more sense.
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Post by The Northman on Nov 30, 2012 2:35:30 GMT -8
We definitely milked the Emerald Legion for all it was worth when we started playing, too. There are some things you can do there, but it feels like a more standard setting at that point for me, and standard tactics in a group with divided loyalties don't work as well with the threat of dishonor hanging overhead. For the Scorpion to be truly insidious, the Unicorn to be barbaric, the Crab to be terrifying, etc., I think it plays better to keep them a little alien (minus the players' clan of course).
From a GM standpoint it's just a lot easier, too, as you can gradually introduce (and learn) the various subcultures as you go. A more cosmopolitan game puts a lot more pressure on the GM and party to learn the setting quickly.
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