Character Creation Shortcut Sheet

L5R Character Creation: The Shortcut Guide

Step #1) All characters begin with ranks of 2 in all Traits (Strength, Agility, etc…)
All characters also have a rank of 2 in Spirit A.K.A. Void
Thus all character’s Rings (Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Spirit) have a rank of 2.
Remember Rings are the lowest score of the two attributes in the ring!

Step #3) Initial Characters choose Class-Warrior (Bushi), Spell-caster (Shugenja), Courtier(Magistrate, Bard, Artist, Merchant etc… .) or Monk.

Step #3) Character may choose 1 School for free and have 145 Character Points to tailor their characters to their likes. Character Points may be spent on raising Traits, Spirit, Advantages or Skills. Characters who want to sell back the School may do so and gain 20 additional Character points but do not get the benefits of a school. Character Sheet at http://www.l5r.com/archive/rpg/l5r_rpg_3e_char_sheet.pdf

Step #4) School benefits: Additional Honor and Access to secret skills/spells/ etc…
Warrior: +1 to a Trait
Rank 1 in a Set of Skills: Typically 7
The Rank 1 Technique of the School
Spell-caster: +1 to a Trait
Rank 1 in a set of skills: Typically 7
Rank 1 Spells: 3 in 1 Ring, 2 in second, 1 in third
Benefit of the Style
Courtier: +1 to a Trait
Rank 1 in a Set of Skills: Typically 7
The Rank 1 Technique of the School
Monk: +1 to Spirit
Rank 1 in a set of skills: Typically 7
Rank 1 Kiho: 3
Benefit of the Temple
Non-Aligned: +20 Character Points, no benefits of any sort.

Step #5) Spend Character Point! Costs
Raise a Trait 4xRank you are going to
Raise Spirit 6xRank you are going to
Learn New Skill 1 to achieve Rank 1 (Max = Insight Rank+2)
Advance Skill 1xRank you are going to
Take Advantage Cost of the Advantage
Take Disadvantage -Cost of the Disadvantage, Maximum of 10

Step #6) Recalculate Rings and Insight (Rings x10 + 1 point per point of skill)

Step #7) Recalculate Insight, note new Insight Rank, take any School Ranks and note new Techniques(1 per Rank) or Spells Earned(2 Per Rank)
Schools, Advantages, Skills, etc …

There are too many for me to list but here are some of the important ones. Please see the list at http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/clans.php for a fuller list.

Cost Advantages Description
5 Different School You character can purchase a different School, must be
purchased separately for each additional school
2xML Additional Spell You learn an additional Spell, Note that you can only learn
Spells with a Mastery Level of your School Rank or below
2-20 Magic Item/Ally Your character has attuned to a Magical Item. Simple Items
are worth 2-3 points while rare powerful items if far more.
This does not include limited use items such as Potions…
3 Innate Ability You may cast a chosen spell without a Spellbook(Scroll) or
Talisman. This may be purchased for any of your spells but
must be purchased separately for each.
~6 Inner Gift Confers a special power of ability

Magical Types

Spellcasting: Use School Ring+Rank, keeping Ring to cast a spell.
TN is generally 10+5 per Mastery Level of the spell.
If successful mark of one use of the Ring(barring raises for Mastery).
If unsuccessful you may try again, do not mark off the Ring usage.
You may use a Spirit(Void) Point to substitute for any Ring at anytime.

Magic can be cast in 1 of 2 ways, using a Spellbook or via a Talisman. There are important differences. Character may switch between types but this would take a number of weeks “in retreat” to perform and retrain their abilities. In the rules it is not allowed at all but it is fine with this caveat.
Spellbook casters record their spells in a book(scroll). Spells are cast while you possess a Spellbook, it does not need to be out but does need to be on your person or right next to you. Such spell-casters also have access to the Sense, Commune and Summon Elements Spells. They may also take Raises as desired to manipulate their spell effects-such area, duration, extra damage, casting time-but their spells take a number of complex actions (typically this mean rounds) equal to their Mastery Level to cast.
Talismantic (Rune, Symbol, Fetish…)spell-casters are typically referred to as Battle or War before their class moniker in the civilized world. They do not have access to the Sense, Commune and Summon Elements spells, nor may they take Raises to manipulate their spells. However, all of their spells take only 1 complex action per cast.
Characters that are from orders that concentrate on esoteric spells and elemental effects are typically called Mages or Wizards while those who specialize in spirits, healing and community spells are Shamans, Priest and Clerics. Characters who are interested in Elemental, natural and animals would be called Druids. Spell-casters who have innate spells are called Sorcerers. Orders that specialize in mental spells are known as Mind Mages, or if they have innate abilities, Psionics.

Wealth and Resources

I will be treating Wealth as a Trait, similar to Spirit(Void). However I am assigning values rather than making players purchase it, which would be hard to do. A character can afford any number of goods and services from their Wealth Rank or below. If you want to buy something above your Wealth Rank then your Wealth Rank is temporarily lowered by 1. You cannot go below 0 in this manner and even that is not recommended.


Rank Name Affordable Goods and Services
0 Destitute Basic food and clothing only which is nasty and dirty
1 Poor Daily bread and clean water to drink, simple clothes, basic care
such as simple treatment of wounds and security from bandits. You live in a small apartment but do not own it or much else
2 Typical Good food and drink, regular bathing and washing, limited local
travel, medical services, occasionally able to afford special treats or
items such as tools or unusual equipment. You live in a small house
or farm and have a good supply of reserves of basic goods
3 Well Off High Quality food and drink, on demand medical services, regular
accessibility to rare or unusual items, able to afford any basics items or goods in quantity, afford occasional magical services. You probably have a couple of servants or guards and live in a secure home with ample resources and reserves of supplies
4 Wealthy Constantly supply or rare or unusual foods and drinks, able to
travel at will, afford regular magical services, replace vehicles with
ease and have many servants carry out your desires at will. You can
outfit a company of guards at will and conduct research or engage in leisure at your desire
5 Rich You are rich beyond the dreams of avarice. You can afford any
amount of regular goods and have them brought to you. You have
access to magical travel and spell-casting practically at will and
want for nothing, You can buy and sell vehicles in quantity and
have a number of estates and servants whose names you cannot
possibly remember.

In this world there are few people at the level of Destitute as the various noble families or orders have a policy of trying to avoid having too many social issues like this. However such poverty is the standard state for most humanoids. The average villager or city dweller has Typical Wealth and few are well off in the North, in the south these values are typically 1 level higher with the day laborers at Typical and the small family Well Off. Only nobles in the north reach Rich status while many merchant families or craftsmen do so in the South. I will be assigning Wealth Status based on character background. In the future I will probably make this a proper Trait and make people buy it up like Spirit(Void) with Character Points as we have done a sizable amount of role-playing in regards to this, but I am interested in player input here.