Schools

Akodo Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

Over the centuries, the primary bushi Schools of many Clans have developed specialties that have narrowed their focus. The Akodo consider such things a mistake, and have carefully avoided it. The Akodo School focus on precision in the art of kenjutsu, the basic swordsmanship style of the Empire. The Akodo believe that if you strike your target exactly as you intend every time, there is no need for anything more complicated as part of your studies. Some regard this as simplistic, but no one argues with Akodo capabilities in battle. The study of battle itself is also a strong component of every Akodo's training, and there are virtually no Akodo-trained samurai who do not possess a rudimentary knowledge of tactics and strategy.

The Akodo Techniques focus on precision and success, transforming marginal successes into greater ones and, at higher levels, changing failure to success. To some extent the School also negates bonuses an opponent might possess, but generally speaking the Techniques exist only to ensure success on the part of the Akodo-trained samurai.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Lion

    Bushi of the Akodo School hone their fury until it is as precise as a blade. You may either ignore the portion of an opponent's Armor TN derived from Armor, or gain a Free Raise when attacking. (You do not ignore Reduction from the Armor when choosing the first option.) Also, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls on your first melee attack against an opponent in a skirmish, or against any opponent who has declared a Raise on an attack against you since your last turn. You add only a total of 1k0 for an enemy who Raises against you, no matter how many times they actually Raised.

  • Rank Two: Strength of Purity

    Akodo-trained warriors are known for their dedication to bushido, and take a fierce satisfaction in defeating dishonorable foes. During a skirmish you may add your Honor Rank to the total of any single roll during your Turn. You may not increase damage rolls in this fashion, nor can you do this while assuming the Center Stance.

  • Rank Three: Strength of My Ancestors

    The Akodo bushi attacks twice, once for himself and once for his ancestor. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while using weapons with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Four: Triumph Before Battle

    No foe is beyond the reach of the devoted Lion warrior. Once per skirmish, you may designate an opponent during the Reactions Stage. You may ignore any Armor TN bonuses your target receives from his Stance during the next Round.

  • Rank Five: Akodo's Final Lesson

    Mastery of the Akodo Bushi School imparts an unshakable faith in victory. When you make Raises on any Bugei Skill Roll, if you meet or exceed the original TN (before Raises) but fail to meet the Raised TN, you still succeed without the benefits of Raises.

Ikoma Bard [Courtier] [CR]

If one examines the greatest storytellers of every generation across the history of Rokugan, the pattern that emerges will indicate clearly that the Ikoma dominate this aspect of the Empire's Social circles. Unlike most courtiers who focus on manipulation and shades of deception, the Ikoma bards or omoidasu strive to live by example, citing historical precedents and mythical tales of heroes in order to demonstrate the desired outcome of whatever discussion they are involved in. While this might seem a curious tactic, there are many courtiers in other Clans who have difficulty conducting themselves against the Ikoma when the Ikoma can demonstratively prove that the individual's ancestors might well have disapproved of a course of action. In a society so steeped in history and tradition, argument via parable is a surprisingly effective technique.

The Ikoma Techniques allow a courtier to inspire others as well as to resist manipulation by his opponents. Furthermore, by comparing others to historical figures, the Ikoma can gain Glory not only for himself but by others far easier than most.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Herald of Glory

    The Ikoma are historians and storytellers, tasked with recording the glorious deeds of others for posterity, ensuring that courageous and honorable accomplishments are never forgotten. You gain the Precise Memory Advantage for no cost in Experience Points (if you already have Precise Memory, you are refunded that many Experience Points). You may use the Perform: Storytelling skill to engage in public bragging on behalf of another person. If you can cite heroic or noble actions by that person and successfully roll Perform: Storytelling / Awareness at TN 20, that person will gain a number of points of Glory equal to your School Rank. This may be done a number of times per person per month equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Two: The Heart of the Lion

    The Ikoma are tasked with conveying the emotions which the rest of the Clan keeps bottled away in stoic rectitude. You do not lose Honor or Glory for displaying emotion in public, so long as you do so on behalf of another Lion or for an honorable cause greater than yourself (such as your clan, the Empire, or the Code of Bushido). At the same time, your understanding of both honor and emotion strengthens your own soul against temptation. Anyone attempting to sway your emotions through the use of the Intimidation or Temptation skills must add +5 to their TN for each of your School Ranks.

  • Rank Three: The Voice of the Ancestors

    The Ikoma act as Battle-Criers for the Lion, inspiring their soldiers on the battlefield with tales of the heroic deeds of their ancestors. Prior to a battle or skirmish, you may inspire your allies by speaking for a few minutes and rolling Perform: Oratory / Awareness at a TN equal to 15 + 5 per person you are inspiring. Targets who are not members of the Lion Clan increase the TN by 5 for each such person. With a successful roll, each person you inspired may add their Honor Rank to the total of any one Skill Roll during that battle or skirmish. (If this benefit is not used by the end of the battle, it is lost.)

  • Rank Four: The Strength of Tradition

    The Ikoma's steadfast encouragement call on the examples of noble ancestors to infuse their allies with a strength they did not know they had. A number of times per session equal to your School Rank, as a Simple Action, you may verbally encourage an ally with a tale of great deeds from the past, rolling Perform: Storytelling / Awareness at TN 25. With a success, the next time during the same day that the chosen ally fails a roll, he may re-roll it, adding your Honor Rank in unkept dice to his roll. However, if he fails this second roll, you lose 2 points of Honor.

  • Rank Five: Every Lion is Your Brother

    The Ikoma's understanding of Bushido, history, emotion, and human nature empowers them in court, filling their arguments with the ringing power of generations of noble Lion, and calling on the precedents of a thousand years and more to support their cause. Five times per session, when you are making a Contested Social Roll against an opponent, you may cite historical precedent to support your views and roll additional unkept dice equal to your Rank in Perform: Storytelling. (In situations where citing history seems inappropriate or strange, the GM has the final say on whether this Technique may be used.)

Ikoma Lion's Shadow [Bushi] [EE]

Although many modern Ikoma no longer recall it, or have chosen to forget, the first Ikoma was not a particularly honorable man. He served his lord Akodo with great distinction and loyalty, but the means by which he executed his duties are frequently omitted from any historical record. Most Ikoma do not consider this an issue, but there are some among them who understand this omission is a means of protecting the family's honor, as the first Ikoma was a ruthless, pragmatic individual who would gleefully embrace dishonorable tactics as a necessary means of completing his duties.

The Ikoma Lion's Shadow are a small and extremely secretive group within the Ikoma family who remember exactly who and what Ikoma was, and they celebrate his memory. They consider themselves extremely practical individuals who exist as a sort of foil to the dire machinations exercised by the Scorpion and other unsavory individuals. Although they frequently are called upon to sacrifice their honor for the sake of their clan, they do so willingly and without regret, and almost always with the greater Lion Clan remaining completely ignorant of their activities.

Techniques
  • Rank One: No Boundaries

    Those who walk the path of Ikoma choose a life of self-sacrifice and questionable actions in order to serve the clan as their founder did. You do not lose Honor for using Low Skills if they are used directly for the goals or glory of the Lion Clan (subject to GM judgement). As a Free Action you may target a number of opponents equal to your School Rank; you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls and Contested Rolls made against these opponents. This bonus may be activated a number of times per day equal to your School Rank, and lasts until the end of the day.

  • Rank Two: The Lion Cannot Fail

    The first true lesson of the great Ikoma is that surrender is never an option, and failure can be overcome regardless of circumstances. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to all Skill Rolls using School Skills.

  • Rank Three: The Spirit of Ikoma

    Although many among the Lion remember him differently, the followers of the Lion's Shadow know that Ikoma was a warrior who cared for victory first, and the means of attaining that victory second. Once per Round, you may lose three points of Honor as a Free Action to add +2k1 to your attack, damage, and Contested Social Skill Rolls until the end of the Round.

  • Rank Four: The Quiet Lion's Claws

    Although their principle battleground is that of the court, those who bear the name Lion's Shadow are sons of Ikoma first and foremost, and carry the ferocity of their ancestor within their veins. You may make melee weapon attacks as Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Five: Ferocious Determination

    The wrath of a disciple of Ikoma is terrible to behold. You may spend a Void Point to take a Free Action to make a Contested Roll of your Courtier / Awareness versus against an opponent's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. If you win the roll, you have shaken his resolve by reminding him of his past failings. The opponent subtracts a penalty equal to your Awareness plus the opponent's own Honor Rank from the total of his attack and Contested Social Skill Rolls against you for a number of hours equal to your School Rank. This technique does not work against those who possess no Honor Rank (animals, oni, etc).

Kitsu Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The ancient rituals of the Kitsu School have remained virtually unchanged since the family's creation, and the notion of putting aside the relics of the past has never even occurred to the family. Because of the Kitsu family's unique origins, they have always possessed insights into the relationship between the mortal world and the realms beyond. Their ability to perceive the bonds that tie the living to their ancestors have gradually expanded to the point that they area also able to sense and even manipulate the bonds that an individual might possess to other realms.

The Kitsu possess a unique ability to interfere with the link another has to other realms, represented by their Technique that allows the disruption of certain kids of Advantages. Their secondary focus is on large-scale magic that can be employed in battle, which is the lifeblood of every Lion samurai, and can allow them to influence the outcome of skirmishes through use of powerful spells.

  • Benefit+1Perception
  • SkillsBattle, Calligraphy (Cipher), Etiquette, Lore: History, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft, any one High or Bugei Skill
  • Honor6.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyWater / Fire
  • TechniqueEyes of the Ancestors - The Kitsu are descended from mystical creatures, and as such are able to reach across the veil between worlds and speak with their ancestors. You may make a Spell Casting Roll (as though casting a Water Spell) against a target's Willpower x 5. If successful, you learn all Spiritual Advantages or Disadvantages that individual possesses. By spending a Void Point, you may negate any one Spiritual Advantage an opponent possesses for a number of minutes equal to your School Rank. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Battle keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Water, 2 Air, and 1 Earth

Lion Elite Spearmen [Bushi] [NP]

At the Dawn of the Empire, the spear was the most common melee weapon among the tribes who lived in what became Rokugan. The tribal warriors who followed Akodo and his chief lieutenant Matsu were particularly skilled in the ways of the spear, both as a hand-to-hand weapon and a short-range missile, and these spearmen formed the backbone of the Lion armies during the First War. In the era of peace that followed under Hantei Genji, the Lion as a whole shifted more toward the way of the sword, which all of Rokugan’s leading figures (including Akodo and Matsu themselves) considered to be the first and most honorable weapon of the samurai. However, within the ranks of the Matsu family there were many traditionalists who continued to uphold the spear-fighting traditions of their ancestors. Matsu Shujo, one of Lady Matsu’s grandsons, took it upon himself to organize their training and founded their first dojo, where he eventually developed their first Techniques.

In modern times, the Lion Clan’s spearman units are relatively few in number and are considered by the other Great Clans to be something of a holdover from a simpler era (as discussed in the L5R 4th Edition supplement The Book of Air, page 35). Nonetheless, they maintain their dojo and continue to serve as useful components in the overall structure of the Lion armies. Although the school is still customarily referred to as the Lion Elite Spearmen, it is maintained by the Matsu family and they form the bulk of its students.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of Magari-Yaritjutsu

    The basic lesson of the Elite Spearman School is to rely on one’s spears for both offense and defense, eschewing heavy armor in favor of the more flexible options provided by a longer weapon. You gain a +1k0 bonus to Skill rolls with Spears and Polearms. When wielding a spear or polearm in the Center, Defense, or Full Defense stance, your skillful deflection of blows awards you Reduction equal to half of your Rank in the Skill.

  • Rank Two: Strike Like The Lion

    The trained Elite Spearman infuses his honor and self discipline into every blow he delivers. When wielding a spear or polearm (in melee or with ranged attacks), you may ignore an amount of enemy Reduction equal to half of your current Honor Rank (rounded up).

  • Rank Three: Strike Through the Eagle

    The Elite Spearmen are trained to advance on the foe while hurling barrages of nage-yari to disrupt their defenses and open holes in their lines. You may ready/draw a nageyari as a Free Action any number of times per Round, and your ranged (hand-hurled) attacks with nage-yari are considered Simple Actions.

  • Rank Four: Strike Like the Wind

    At this rank, the Elite Spearman learns to attack faster than a snake’s flickering tongue. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a spear or a polearm.

  • Rank Five: Strike With the Soul

    The final lesson of the Elite Spearman School is to fight in complete harmony with one’s spear, striking more swiftly than thought, bringing down the foe with a relentless barrage of attacks. When fighting in melee with a spear or polearm, you may perform the Extra Attack Maneuver for only three Raises. When hurling spears as missile weapons, you may make one attack as a Free Action.

Matsu Beastmaster [Bushi]

The Beastmaster organization is completely unique in its approach to war and to animals. Many other clans train animals for combat, but the Matsu Beastmasters take a personal approach to each beast. The lion is a savage creature that fights as part of a group called a pride. The Beastmaster adopts lion warcats into his own pride, bonding emotionally and spiritually to each warcat that charges into battle beside him. The Beastmaster treats his warcats as equals, fostering a sense of family and belonging.

The communication between Beastmaster and warcat borders on the mystical. Once a warcat has trained with her Beastmaster, she can sense what he wants without any words or gestures. However, this intense empathy between human and predatory animal can sometimes hinder the Beastmaster's social abilities among humans. Most Beastmasters tend to stay amongst their own kind rather than share the company of "normal" samurai. Some Lion generals have raised concerns the Beastmasters retort that they are still Matsu above all. Only the Matsu, they say, are strong and proud enough to maintain their hold on Bushido and human traditions under such pressures.

Techniques
  • Rank One: One with the Pride

    You have trained in the highly secretive dojo of the Matsu Beastmasters and have forged a bond with one of the legendary Lion warcats. The lion will accompany you wherever you go and follow basic commands without question. No lion will ever attack you without being compelled to do so in some way. You may direct one of your warcats to Attack as a Complex Action. Any one warcat who is not attacking will use the Guard Action to protect you.

  • Rank Two: Heart of the Beast

    Your training with the warcats has increased your physical abilities as well as your mental bond with your lions. An additional lion joins your pride. You and your companion lions gain the creature trait of Swift 2, and all of your lions gain an additional Wound Rank that changes the end of the progression from a normal lion's to: 36: +15, 60: Dead.

  • Rank Three: The Ferocity Within

    You strike as fiercely as the lions you have trained. When wielding a katana, wakizashi, magari-yari, nage-yari, or any knife, or when fighting unarmed, you may make melee attacks as a Simple Action. Additionally, you may direct one of your warcats to Attack as a Simple Action.

  • Rank Four: All as One

    The fury of the beastmaster and his pride is whispered legend among your clan's enemies, and for good reason. Members of your pride may make two claw attacks per Round instead of the normal one. You and all members of your pride gain a bonus of +2k1 on all damage rolls made when fighting alongside one another. Finally, when you direct a warcat to Attack (a Complex Action for lions), the warcat may also make a Simple Move Action during the same Round.

  • Rank Five: With the Soul of a Lion

    United by your leadership and companionship, your pride has become fearsome indeed. An additional lion joins your pride. All of your warcats gain +10 Armor TN, +2 Reduction, and +2 Fear.

Matsu Berserker [Bushi] [CR]

The great majority of the vast legions of Matsu samurai study at the family's home School, if for no other reason than that most Matsu believe other fighting styles are too conservative and reserved. A true Matsu has no fear of death, and as such the Techniques imparted by their sensei embrace absolute, unwavering commitment to battle. Although this leaves the Matsu vulnerable to an opponent's attacks, the philosophy behind the Techniques is that an opponent who has been defeated has no opportunity to retaliate. It is for this reason that the legions of the Matsu family are so feared on the battlefield: how can one defeat an enemy who does not care if his lives or dies, so long as you are defeated first?

The Matsu Techniques focus heavily upon the Full Attack Stance, which makes them heavy-hitting opponents who have to to position themselves carefully in order to prevent an opponent from exploiting their lower Armor TN. As a secondary focus, the Matsu can generate Fear effects that can further destabilize opponents and make them easier targets for himself and allies.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Lion's Roar

    Warriors of the Matsu School respect their Akodo cousins' leadership skills, but they know that a furious attack often simply overwhelms an enemy. You add your Honor Rank to all damage rolls. Whenever you assume the Full Attack Stance, you may move an additional 5 feet per Turn in addition to the bonus your receive from the Stance. (This does not allow you to move farther than your maximum move per Turn.)

  • Rank Two: Matsu's Fury

    The target of a Matsu's fury has little hope of victory. When you assume the Full Attack Stance, choose an opponent within 30'. If you successfully hit him this Turn, the target is frozen with fear and cannot take Move Actions to move from his current position. During the Reactions Stage, an affected opponent may attempt a Willpower roll against a TN equal to the amount of damage dealt from your latest attack to negate the effects of this Technique (the opponent does not suffer penalties from his Wound Rank for this roll). If he fails, the effects of this Technique end during the next Reactions Stage (the second after he was struck).

    Enemies who are immune to Fear cannot be affected by this Technique.

  • Rank Three: The Lion's Charge

    When a Lion strikes, he grants the gift of final rest to all who stand against him. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Matsu's Courage

    Death means nothing in the face of the loss of honor, and no Matsu will yield while he yet draws breath. You ignore TN penalties from Wounded Levels equal to your Honor Rank, or twice your Honor Rank while in the Full Attack Stance.

  • Rank Five: The Lion's Victory

    The death of an opponent is the only measure of victory for a Matsu. Once per encounter after you roll damage for an attack, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to activate this Technique. You rend the opponent, ripping open his wounds and dealing grievous injury to him. All of the dice you choose to keep explode, re-rolling and adding the result to your damage total.