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Appearance
The first thing I noticed about this book is how sturdy it seemed. The binding holds up well, and the pages are thick. The cover design depicts a katana tucked into an obi, and is simple yet elegant. The artwork throughout the book is mostly good with a few pieces that really stand out. Each chapter is marked with a full page picture that reflects the element the chapter is representing. The layout of the book is done in a two-column format with clear headings, and is generally easy to read.
This book is separated into chapters called Books and each Book corresponds to a particular element. The Book of Earth is setting information, history, and family background. The Book of Water is reserved for general game mechanics and character generation rules. The Book of Fire goes into more detail on the rules system, provides statistics and descriptions for equipment and weapons, and explains character progression. The Book of Air describes the religion of Rokugan and the rules for magic. Finally, The Book of Void gives tips and information for Game Masters, and provides a geographical layout of Rokugan.
Setting
The featured setting, Rokugan, is as far from the pervasive European RPG as one can get. The flavor of Rokugan draws heavily from the history, myths, and legends of ancient Japan and Asia. Unfortunately, the information provided seems a little sparse, and it really only touches on the complexity of the setting. Also, if you’re a fan of Legend of the Five Rings, none of the information is new, and at times I noticed several passages that were copied word for word from a previous edition. That’s not to say that the setting information isn’t as compelling and interesting as it was the first time I read it. It definitely evokes images of historical Japan and Wuxia movies. I just wish there were more of it. The GM section is probably the only disappointing chapter in the book with a few enemy statistic blocks, and a geographical layout of Rokugan being the main attractions. A lot more can be said about running a Legend of the Five Rings campaign, and it seems as if new GMs are being thrown to the wolves.
System
Character creation in Legend of the Five Rings is point-based with each character receiving 45 points to purchase increases in traits and skills. The player may also use the points to purchase advantages, or gain extra points by taking disadvantages. The player must also decide which clan, family, and school he will belong to. While each clan has a Bushi, Courtier, and Shugenja school available, each clan also has a unique school that only they have access to. The school the player chooses will decide his starting skills and outfit. The skill based system means that your character isn’t necessarily pigeon-holed into only being able to do one thing. Also, taking advantages, disadvantages, and chancing a roll on the Heritage table can make your character different from every other Lion Bushi.
The rules system in this edition uses what is called the Roll and Keep system. In this system, players use 10-sided dice, and roll an amount of dice equal to their trait plus their skill. The player then keeps an amount of dice equal to their trait. If the player meets or exceeds the Target Number set by the GM, he succeeds. In addition, the player may also choose to Raise, which means the Target Number goes up by 5 for every Raise, but the player may succeed in a greater fashion. There are also built-in rules for what a player can accomplish by declaring a Raise during combat, while casting spells, or performing skills. Of course, if the player fails to exceed the Target Number, even if he beat the original Target Number, he still fails. Also, the player will not always know the Target Number that he’s rolling against. All of this combines to create a system that keeps the game interesting as the players must decide whether or not to raise the stakes. The system is designed to resolve tasks quickly and easily, and is simple for newcomers to pick up. However, it contains more depth than would seem at first glance. Finally, since the rules system hasn’t changed much, previous Legend of the Five Rings products that use the second edition rules can be used without too much of a hassle.
Conclusion
While the setting and gamemaster information may seem a little slim, what is there is very compelling. The land of Rokugan is a wonderfully inspired land with a heavy Japanese flair that fans of samurai films, anime, and history will enjoy immensely. Furthermore, the rules system is easy to use, but allows for a layer of depth and strategy that keep it fresh. If you’ve played previous editions, this is the same great material you’ve come to know and love. If you’ve never played Legend of the Five Rings before, and you’re looking to tell your own tale of the Samurai, this is the book to purchase.
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