New Game Website

Guys and Dolls,

I just wanted to let you all know I have made a new website for he campaign. Check it out here.

https://sites.google.com/site/landsofmagic/

I have added in the latest files and will be adding in more as time and skill permits.

Ray

Rangers

Rangers

There are no real rangers in L5R however one can imitate them fairly well using the following Schools.

The Basic Ranger School is the Hiruma Scout School, found here…

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-hscout.php

Bonus Traits: +1 Perception
Beginning Honor: 2 + 0 Boxes
Initial Skills: Archery (or Crossbow or Firearms), Athletics, Hand-to-Hand Fighting
(Jiujutsu), Swordsmanship (Kenjutsu), a Lore of Choice and Stealth 2

However, unlike the Hiruma Scouts, Rangers may choose from the following list of preferred enemies for Rank Techniques 1) Dance the Razor’s Edge, 3) Smell the Dark Lord’s Touch and 4) Harness the Falcon.

Name Types of Creatures specialized in for slaying and tracking
Tracker Humanoids including Humans and all Humanoids
Hunter Animals, Giant Animals, Magical Beasts
Monster Hunter Magical Beasts/Monsters/Abominations/Elementals
Shadowslayer Undead/Shadowland Creatures

Alternate Schools: Ranged and Melee

In addition to the above changes Rangers may substitute the Techniques of the Wasp Bushi School http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-wabushi.php or the Falcon Bushi School http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-fabushi.php at the appropriate Rank instead of the assigned ones of the Hiruma School as below. While the Wasp Bushi School specifically refers to bows, similar, but separate styles could apply the bonuses to crossbows or firearms instead.

Slaying Ranged Combat Melee Combat.
Dance the Razor’s Edge Never Let the blade Reach you The Falcon’s Eyes
Run Like the Wind Run like the Wind Run Like the Wind
Smell the Wind The Sting of the Wasp The Falcon’s Wings
Harness the Falcon The Arrow Knows the Way The Falcon’s Talons
Veil of the Spirits Veil of the Spirits Veil of the Spirits

Also some Rangers who want to specialize in two weapons could simply use the Dragon Mirumoto school, http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-mirubushi.php, in its entirety instead of any of these options. Keep in mind that switching between Schools still costs 5 character points even for these styles so plan according as you must start each new school at Rank 1 as normal.

Websites of Interest

Gang,

I have been looking for a character creation tool for you all and myself but, alas, have struck out. Here are some useful websites though.

Naturally the game's home website is useful, and the archive site
http://www.l5r.com/
http://l5r.alderac.com/archive/introduction.html

Here is a character sheet
http://www.l5r.com/archive/rpg/l5r_rpg_3e_char_sheet.pdf

And this is the best guide for Clans, Schools, Advantages, Disadvantages and Skills
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/skills.php

And here is a spelllist with Pathfinder/3.5 comparisons
http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/3.5_L5R_Spell_List

hope this helps!

Ray

Skills

L5R Skills

Please see http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/skills.php for the full reference.

High Skills
• [ Acting ]
• [ Artisan Skills ]
• [ Astrology ]
• [ Astronomy ]
• [ Bard ]
• [ Calligraphy ]
• [ Cipher ]
• [ Conversation ]
• [ Courtier ]
• [ Dance ]
• [ Diplomacy ]
• [ Divination ]
• [ Etiquette ]
• [ Falconry ]
• [ Fasting ]
• [ Heraldry ]
• [ History ]
• [ Horsemanship ]
• [ Hunting ]
• [ Ichi Miru ] Cold Reading
• [ Investigation ]
• [ Kagaku ] Chemistry
• [ Law ]
• [ Lore ]
• [ Lore: Ancestors ]
• [ Lore: Festivals & Ceremonies ]
• [ Lore: Ghosts ]
• [ Lore: Literature ]
• [ Lore: Naga ]
• [ Lore: Rokugani Civilization ]
• [ Manipulation ]
• [ Medicine ]
• [ Meditation ]
• [ Mountaineering ]
• [ Music ]
• [ Nagash ] Language of the Naga
• [ Nazodo ] Deductive Reasoning
• [ Omens ]
• [ Oratory/Rhetoric ]
• [ Origami ] Paper Folding
• [ Painting ]
• [ Pearl Carving ]
• [ Poetry ]
• [ Political Maneuvering ]
• [ Puppeteering ]
• [ Research ]
• [ Rokugani Language ]
• [ Sadane ] Witty Repartee
• [ Sensei ] Teaching
• [ Shintao ] Religon
• [ Sincerity ]
• [ Spellcraft ]
• [ Tea Ceremony ]
• [ Theology ]
• [ Tropical Fish ]
• [ Tsangusuri ] Fetish Magic Creation

Bugei Skills (Combat Skills)
• [ Animal Husbandry ]
• [ Archery ]
• [ Athletics ]
• [ Battle ]
• [ Bujutsu ]
o Bojutsu (Bo Stick): bo, jo
o Chisaijutsu (War Fan): tessen
o Jiujutsu (Hand-to-Hand): Mizu-do, Kaze-do
o Kenjutsu: katana, no-dachi, wakizashi
o Kyujutsu (Archery): dai-kyu, yumi
o Nofujutsu (Peasant Weapons): jitte, kama, nunchaku, sai, tonfa (Low skill)
o Subojutsu (Tetsubo): die tsuchi, tetsubo, ono
o Tantojutsu (Knife): aiguchi, tanto
o Umayarijutsu (Lance): lance
o Yarijutsu (Naginata): nagamaki, naginata, yari, nage-yari, sasumata, sodegarami
o Ninjutsu: ninja-to, shuriken, blowgun, nageteppo, tetsubishi, han-kyu
• [ Conceal ]
• [ Defense ]
• [ Explosives ]
• [ Horse Archery ]
• [ Iaijutsu ] Fast Draw
• [ Intimidation ]
• [ Jiujutsu ] Martial Arts Grappling
• [ Kemari ]
• [ Kenjutsu ] Swordsmanship
• [ Know the School ]
• [ Lance ]
• [ Lore: Maho-Tsukai ] Blood Magic
• [ Mai Chong ] Trident Polearm
• [ Obiesaseru ] Authority Intimidation
• [ Siege ]
• [ Tessen ] War Fan
• [ Unicorn Archery ] Agility(Aimed) Archery
• [ Weaponsmith ]
• [ Wrestling ]

Merchant Skills
• [ Appraisal ]
• [ Armorer ]
• [ Commerce ]
• [ Craft Skill ]
• [ Craft: Advanced Medicine/Acupuncture ]
• [ Craft: Mitsugusuri ] Potion Making
• [ Craft: Tattooing ]
• [ Engineering ]
• [ Engineering ]
• [ Fletchery ]
• [ Herbalism ]
• [ Locksmith ]
• [ Mining ]
• [ Navigation ]
• [ Sailing ]
• [ Traps ]

Low Skills
• [ Autopsy ]
• [ Escape ]
• [ Evasion ]
• [ Farming ]
• [ Forgery ]
• [ Gambling ]
• [ Goblin Culture ] Humanoid Culture
• [ Gossip ]
• [ Hisomu ] Urban Stealth
• [ Kuenai ] Criminal Etiquette
• [ Mimicry ]
• [ Ninjutsu ] Special Weapon Skills
• [ Poison ]
• [ Ratling Speech ] Humanoid Speech
• [ Seduction ]
• [ Sleight of Hand ]
• [ Stealth ]
• [ Torture ]

Character Sheet Sample

Player _______________ _______________

Character ______________________________
Class _______________
Insight Rank _________ (150 = 2, 175 = 3, +25/ per +1 Rank)
Insight _________ (Rings x10) + (Skill Ranks) + Bonuses
Schools (Rank) ______________________________________________

Initial Points Allotment, 1 School and 10 Disadvantage Points Maximum (145)
Cost to Increase Traits: 4x Next Rank, so 12 to go from 2 to 3, 16 for 3 to 4…
Cost to Increase Spirit: 6x Next Rank, so 18 to go from 2 to 3…
Cost to Increase Skills: 1x Next Rank, so 1 to get a new skill, 2 to go to rank 2…
Advantage(+ or Cost) and Disadvantages(- gives you Character Points) as Listed

Rings (Rank) Traits Cost (Rank) Traits Cost (Rank)

Earth (____) Stamina _____ ( ) Willpower _____ ( )

Water (____) Strength_____ ( ) Perception _____ ( )

Fire (____) Agility _____ ( ) Intelligence _____ ( )

Air (____) Reflex _____ ( ) Awareness _____ ( )

Spirit (____) Spirit Cost _____ Traits Cost Total _______

Advantages Cost Advantage Total _______
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____

Disadvantages Points Disadvantage Bonus _______
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
________________________________________ ____
Skills/Spells(Note: Spells do not increase Insight) Skills Cost Total ______

Skill Names Notes Cost Rank
______________ ___________________ _____ ____
______________ ___________________ _____ ____
______________ ___________________ _____ ____
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______________ ___________________ _____ ____
______________ ___________________ _____ ____

TOTAL CHARACTER POINTS SPENT ______

CHARACTER POINTS REMAINING ______

Notes:

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.

Update to The Campaign to prepare for the Conversion

Characters and Conversion and 4th Edition Rules

Alright to be honest there is no good way to convert characters from DnD/Pathfinder to L5R. It is simply better to recreate them in the new system. In order to aid in this manner I have created the following charts. Your first decision is to decide to be a martial character (Bushi) or a spell-caster (Shugenja), monk (Monk) or courtier (Magistrate, Artist, etc … not suggested). That is about it for character classes. The major difference is starting skills, techniques and abilities. You then get a number of Experience points to buy things to tailor the character. You can buy virtually anything except techniques as those come as a result of gaining Insight, Insight is roughly equivalent to character level.

Rings and Attributes: In L5R all rolls are based on a Ring (made up of 2 Attributes) and your skill. You roll dice equal to the total and keep dice equal to the Ring. I will be changing this for Tralhali as it makes little sense in the world we have here. Instead we will be doing Attribute + Skill, Keep Attribute.

Hit Points: In L5R each level of Wounding has the same amount of points in it, and this is rather lethal. Instead as you progress in Insight you gain a multiplier for the HP ranks as below. Now this may change since I have yet to see 4th Edition rules but odds are good you will need the HP.
Insight Rank 2+: Double HP for Healthy wounds
Insight Rank 3+: Double HP for Nicked wounds
Insight Rank 4+: Double HP for Grazed wounds

Character Creation: Sadly the 4th Edition Rules are not, quite, out yet. The book is supposed to ship out in early June. I already have a copy on preorder. I really do not want to go too much more in-depth into details until then. We can simply use the 1st edition rules till then since I have those. And, yes, 3rd Edition is more or less compatible and I can adjust as needed till we get it settled out. Characters will be starting at roughly Rank 3, as that is were the party members are more or less.

Tralhali-L5R Conversions: Martial Styles & Houses

Duchy L5R House Primary Typical Secondary Houses Forbidden
Enadar Crane Unicorn, Lion Scorpion, Shadowlands
Mornpale Crane Dragon, Phoenix, Wasp, Fox None, Shadowlands
Naxos-Republic None Any None
Naxos-Bralon Scorpion Shadowlands None, but rare
Pragen Unicorn Lion Crab, Shadowlands
Rhuane Crab Unicorn Phoenix, Scorpion, Shadowlands
Starprius Lion Crab Dragon, Shadowlands
Valeralia None Any Shadowlands
Zeeland Mantis, Wolf Any Shadowlands
Southern City Scorpion Any None

Special Techniques
Special Types L5R Name Source Description
Inquisitor Witch Hunter Crab, Kuni Sense Dark Magic
Ranger Scout Crab, Haruma Stealth and the Senses
Any Ranged Archer Minor Clans, Wasp Ranged Techniques
Assassins Ninja Scorpion, Shosuro Stealth and Poison
Deduction Kitsuki’s Method Dragon, Kitsuki Perception and Reason
Chemistry Kagaku Dragon, Kagaku Creating various small devices
Alchemy Mizugusuri Dragon, Mizugusuri Creating potions and elixirs
Poisons Poisons Scorpion, Ninjutsu Making and using poisons
Explosives Explosive Scorpion, Ninjutsu Making small explosives
Engineering Engineering Crab, Kaiu Various practical skills
Magical Styles

Magical Types: Shugenja is best described as Spell Caster, virtually any type of spell-caster falls into this category. There really is no difference between Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid or Psionic in this system. What School you are in does matter and different Orders specialize in different spells. Italics require GM Permission.

Wizard Normal or Talisman
Sorcerer Innate Ability(3 XP/Spell) Allows use of a spell without a scroll (book), if use book, free raise
Cleric/Druid Any but with medical spells or skills and nature skills and techniques, animal companions etc…
Psionic As Pearl but uses Crystals or Innate Ability instead

Type Subset/Description Notes Source
Shugenja Regular Spells Take Multiple Rounds Base Rules
Talisman Spells take 1 round, no modification Unicorn
May not Sense, Commune or Summon
Void May cast Void Spells, more expensive Phoenix
Pearl Use Mind (Akasha) powers via a Pearl Naga
Monk Spell “like” Kiho Monk Class Shinsei
Fetish Magic Item Creation Skill Creates 1 use magic items Crane
Warding Shugenja Skill Magical Wards and Barriers Scorpion

Ancestor Magic Can Commune with Ancestors Lion
Shadowbrands Bonuses in Darkness Scorpion
Tattoos Empower yourself with tattoo effects Dragon
Maho Blood Magic Use blood for power not elements Various
Shadowlands Darkness/Corruption Various Special abilities, spells, powers Shadowlands