 Goto [ Index ] |
Legacy of Disaster is designed to showcase both the new rules for the game and its setting of the Emerald Empire of Rokugan, an oriental setting that is a blend of classical Chinese and Japanese influences, but which primarily has the feel of feudal Japan. All player characters belong to the samurai class and are members of one of the various fractious clans that govern the Emerald Empire. More specifically, characters are either bushi (warriors), shugenja (spell casters), or courtiers (spies, diplomats, scholars, and so on). In Legacy of Disaster all of the provided pre-generated characters are bushi or shugenja, the courtiers being saved for the actual rulebook. One bushi and one shugenja is given for each of the eight major clans, a total of sixteen sample characters. Oddly, none of the sample characters have personal names, only their family names.
The basics of the game’s “Roll & Keep” are explained very quickly. Whenever a character attempts an action, his player gets to roll a certain number of ten-sided dice, but keep only a few of them, adding the results together. These are usually the highest dice, but a player can choose to fail by selecting lower value dice. For example, to attack with his katana, the Crab Clan bushi rolls five dice and keeps two, expressed as “5k2.” Combat is explained in some detail, including stances, actions, and manoeuvres. Also discussed is the lethal nature of combat in Legends of Five Rings, suggestions being given as to how the game can be made less lethal.
The adventure itself explores honour and face as part of life in Rokugan. The player characters are guests at a court held by a minor, but ambitious Crane Clan daimyo when disaster strikes. The daimyo’s most valued treasure has been stolen and if this were to become widely known, the loss of face would curtail any ambitions that he might have once had. As the earliest of guests to arrive, the daimyo asks the player characters to help him. Can the heroes track down the thief and discover why the treasure was stolen? Designed for play using a total of six new or Rank 1 characters – some of the encounters will need to be scaled down if there are less than six players – Legacy of Disaster can be played through in a single session or so. It includes a good mix of investigative, interactive, and combative encounters, with decent advice given for each and every encounter.
Over half of Legacy of Disaster is devoted to the sixteen pre-generated characters and the various spells required by the shugenja. Although this gives your potential players plenty of choice, they all take up a lot of space in the book making each difficult to replicate for use by the players. It is also annoying that none of the sixteen pre-generated characters have personal names and if the GM does not have a copy of Legends of Five Rings 4th Edition Roleplaying Game – which at the time of Free RPG Day, he will not – or a previous version of the game, he will have to rely upon another source for these names. In this way, Legacy of Disaster is not really a set of Quick Start rules, but nor is it a set of Quick Start rules because it does not explain everything. For example, there is no explanation of the elements that make up each character. Essentially, Legacy of Disaster assumes some familiarity with Legends of the Five Rings upon the part of the GM, if not his players.
Nevertheless, Legacy of Disaster is a nicely done booklet, with an eye catching cover and excellent illustrations inside. As an introduction to Rokugan and Legend of the Five Rings in general, it serves very well, though as an introduction to Legends of Five Rings 4th Edition Roleplaying Game after previous editions it is less successful, as the differences between the editions are not as obvious in Legacy of Disaster, except to say that from what is on show here, the new edition looks to feel mechanically lighter.
If you pick up a copy of Legacy of Disaster on Free RPG Day and Legend of the Five Rings is new to you, then you might find it slightly harder to bring this scenario to table. If you are already a fan of Legend of the Five Rings, then Legacy of Disaster will quickly find its way to your gaming table. Either way, Legacy of Disaster is an attractive package with straightforward, decent scenario within its pages.
Help support RPGnet by purchasing this item through DriveThruRPG.
