Bugei Skills

Weapons are the lifeblood of any true bushi, for while they are trained to make war with their hands if nothing else is available, the true strength of the samuri caste has ever been in its steel. The vast majority of weapons commonly found in the hands of samuri are covered elsewhere, but anything can suitably be used as a weapon assuming its construction adequate to the task. A small number of gaijin weaposn have found their way to Rokugan, and while they are socially unacceptable, most samuri can at least recognize that they may have some tactical value.

Teppoudo is the skill of maintaining and firing a Rokugani (non-gaijin) firearm. Taught alongside the traditional arts of Kenjutsu and Kyujutsu, the art of Teppoudo places a great emphasis on mindfulness, calm deliberate intentions, and careful breathing. It is just as much a practice of zenlike focus as it is a test of rote and memory. The samurai does not merely pull the trigger- he pushes the bullet.

The art of unarmed combat is something that all bushi appreciate, although not all pursue it in the dojo. Many rely upon the weapon-based techniques they learn from their sensei to defend them even without their weapons, and while this can be marginally effective, the actual study of unarmed combat is much more useful. Monks in particular devote a great amount of time to the art of hand-to-hand combat, believing they both one the body and unify it with the mind.

Iaijutsu is the form dueling system of Rokugan, an ancient and venerated tradition that even the most irreverent bushi would never imagine slandering . When two parties are in dispute, and the matter cannot be resolved in any other manner, a duel is often the result, and the form of a duel is almost always iaijutsu. The winner of the duel is proven correct, and the defeated party is proven to be wrong. There can be no contestation of a duel's outcome, barring dishonorable conduct on the part of the winner during the duel.

Hunting is a sport favored by warriors, even though game is rarely if ever consumed by members of the samurai caste. The types of game hunted in Rokugan can be quite dangerous, however, and as a result there is a great deal of survival knowledge associated with the sport of hunting. Hunting is never done with a samurai's daisho; it is typically performed either with bow and arrow or, in cases of particularly large game, spears.

The ability to use a mount is essential to participation in cavalry units, and to swift travel through the Empire. It is a utilitarian skill, taught in most bushi schools in the Empire without having any real degree of prestige attached (save among the ranks of the Unicorn Clan, who consider an inability to ride roughly equivalent to a crippling physical disability).

A warrior who cannot defend himself is of little use, for he will serve his lord but once in battle before he falls and must be replaced. The Rokugani understanding of battle does not permit things such as parries and ripostes, but instead involves positioning one's blade and body so that the katana and armor deflect incoming blows.

Defense is an essential Skill necessary to adopt the Defense and Full Defense stances, both of which increases your Armor TN and make you more difficult to hit in a skirmish or a duel.

A samurai's calling is to war, whether on the battlefield with steel in hand, in the courts confounding the enemies of one's lord, or behind the lines, summoning the kami to punish the sins of one's enemies. The study of war is highly regarded among all divisions of the samurai caste, and many lengthy debates can be enjoyed both in court and in the temples over tactics, strategy, maneuvers, and the like.

Note: Mastery Abilites rank 3 and 7 are house rules and are not part of the standard 4th edition ruleset.

The training that every bushi student receives includes vigorous physical conditioning. For some, this results in a lifelong enjoyment of athletics. Like many who pursue a martial lifestyle, some bushi spend their off duty hours engaging in competitions with one another, or simply pitting themselves against challenges designed to test the limits of their physical abilities.