L5R Newbie Part II - Introduction to the Crane Clan

One of my favourite pieces of Crane art of all time. This is Doji Seo (from old5R) hopefully it will be re-used in the LCG at some point to represent another kick-ass duelist.

For the second of my newbie articles I will be looking at one of the most glamorous and powerful of the Clans - The Crane Clan

General

The Crane clan's primary raison d'etre is Court Dominance and probably deadly duellers. The two working very well in sync with each other. They are traditionally the richest clan in the Empire but this fact is not currently present with the Crane lands devastated by a Tsunami and also other clans (historically the Mantis) who seem to steal that crown regularly regardless. Crane have traditionally been the dominant political clan and the 'left hand of the Emperor'. They are often listed as the 'good' side to the Scorpion who are the 'bad' side of much the same coin. They don't have much of a military reputation as their court strength, money and the fact the Emperor tends to live in Crane lands all mean that attacking them is dangerous (not that it doesn't happen it is just 'random raids by ronin' as opposed to full out war which tends to be frowned on). 

The Crane have featured heavily in the story so far primarilly because they are the political power so are a convenient screen to have the other clans work against. I am not complaining though.

Comparisons

If you were comparing the Crane Clan to other fantasy works then pre-heresy Emperors Children are a good match from the WH40k world in terms of numbers and attitude to skill and art. In Lord of the Rings terms there is a lot of 'High Elf' in their make up. They are very much low in numbers but high in skill with a strong regard for talent and beauty. Superiority whether military or in actions/art is a prominent factor in Crane.

Kakita Asami takes some tea after falling over on that highly polished floor. The huge fire outside won't stop her afternoon tea. She has appeared in the storyline most recently here

Locations

Crane lands are spread along the coast which means they are at risk of (minor) attack from a lot of other clans. The long coast is both a blessing in that it increases trade and thus financial stability and also a curse in that it opens the Clan up to pirates (or their more common name of 'Mantis scum' - see here) and freak weather (a Tsunami recently destroyed much of the Crane's crops). The Capital Otosan Uchi is also inside the Northern Crane territories meaning the Emperor himself is usually inside Crane lands with all the advantages that can imply. A further advantage is that the Castle of the Emerald Champion is also inside Crane lands and the Emerald Champion is not only the head Police representative he/she also controls the Emperors armies.

Approximate Crane territories

Kyuden Doji - Also known as 'the Esteemed House of the Crane' this is the primary home of the Doji clan and is a tall castle perches on top of a coastal plateau. Not particularly defensible it is elegant and luxurious in form. It is also noted for containing some impressive flower gardens.

The Esteemed Palace of the Crane.

At this point in the story the castle has not been attacked but it is worth noting that it was taken a couple of times in old5r

Shiro Daidoji - Primary home of the Daidoji family. This family is known as the military protectors of the Crane whether through the 'Iron' Crane heavy infantry or the Scouts and (hidden) Harriers who are more guerrilla like in operation. This castle was originally the home of the family founder 'Doji Hayaku' who famously went on a quest into the Shadowlands where his hair turned white (this is the reason many Crane's die their hair white in honour of that man and his quest). He had the opinion that the Crab could not hold back the Shadowlands forever so made his house into a fortress. Must be a pleasing fact for the Crab to see a close neighbour furiously building fortifications due to fear that they will fail. One other interesting fact concerning this castle is that it is the location of a library on military tactics with a large section concerning the other clans tactics and combat styles. Written documentation of this nature is rare so it is typical of the Crane to ensure they can eke every advantage possible and retain that knowledge as time passes.

A Rokugani Castle. 

Shiro Giji - This is historically the secret training grounds of the Daidoji Harriers - the 'Mountains Shadow Dojo'. At the very least it is a covert training ground teaching somewhat unconventional tactics. In appearance it still appears as a destroyed castle (it had been burnt to the ground in the past) and has been forgotten by most in the clan. Most of the training is in hidden sub levels that have been magically protected by the Asahina clan Shugenjas.

The temple at Shiro Giji

Some Key Characters

Doji Hotaru

The current clan champion is beautiful and apparently completely infatuated by Bayushi Kachicko. She has featured prominently in both the story and RPG setups. Her father, the Emerald Champion, Doji Satsume was recently murdered (I will not say why or how as that story is covered in the downloadable RPG adventure here  - if you dont intend to play it then it is worth a read to see what it says concerning Satsume and Hotaru ). To say Hotaru did not get on with her father would be an understatement and, in a mirror of the Lion Clan Champions issues, there are whispers within the Clan as to whether she did it and whether her relationship with Kachiko 'assisted' in this.

A beautiful picture of Hotaru  armed with a Naginata. I 'think' she has just chopped a tree from all the leaves floating around. Probably gardening.

Though still young she has proved militarily competent drilling a hole through the ex-Lion Clan Champion's head thus making him an ex-champion.

Hotaru features prominently in the introduction story here and also appears defending a Crane city in a Lion story here. Her brother also features prominently in other stories as well such as here

Kakita Toshimoko

The head of the Kakita family and perhaps one of the Empires pre-eminent duelist Toshimoko features heavily in the beginner box story so I again wont cover how (spoilers...). Cursed by unusual art this has not stopped him being an effective Daimyo.

I really don't know what this picture says about Toshimoko. It does not say 'deadly duelist'  but more 'Riff Raff' in a cheap holiday romance story.

Daidoji Uji

Utterly Rocks. I have an entire article already written on him so just read here instead

Uji was a known exponent of using two weapons and usually wore a Mempo (mask)

Uji has only entered slightly in the FFG story so far as the defender of Toshi Ranbo  as a side plot to another Lion story here

Kakita Yoshi

Is the brother of the famous Duelist Toshimoko. A noted curse said that if someone born at Shiro Kakita when the doors were closed ever picked up a sword then he/she would cause the destruction of the clan. As Yoshi  was born during a Lion clan siege when those gates were closed he has never been allowed to touch a sword or study any of the relevant arts.

Technically the Daimyo of the Kakita family Yoshi in practice leaves the military side of it to his brother (who as elder brother should be entirely Daimyo but felt that role would interfere with his training)

Kakita Yoshi in a thoughtful mood. That thought is probably, 'why does the story team keep having the Scorpion utterly outmanoeuvre me?'

Yoshi is currently the aide to the Emperor and the primary liaison between the Crane Clan and the Imperial courts. Though he is regarded as a very skilled courtier the storyline has focused on him being steadily outmaneuvered by the Scorpion so far (see here).

RPG

As with all the other clans a wide variety of play styles can be organised around a Crane character with each family and house providing a very specific focus but, importantly, not one which other clans would match directly.

The default for just being Crane is a +1 in the Air Ring. The Crane are not as aggressive as other clans but are very good defensively. They also gain an automatic +1 in culture skill and a reasonable starting status

Family

Asahina Family - Gives +1 in either the water or void ring along with +1 Aesthetics and +1 Theology. The Asahina are the Crane's Shugenja family so allows focus on magic essentially.

Daidoji Family - The Crane's military heart. A character in this family may choose +1 earth or +1 water. They get +1 fitness and +1 tactics as well. This allows a character to focus on more of the 'iron crane' approach (earth so resisting stuff) or more scouty with water and a more attacking aim

Doji Family - The primary courtier and ruling family. Characters here choose between +1 air or +1 water with the free skills being +1 courtesy and +1 design

Kakita Family - The duelling family these characters can choose between ring bonuses of +1 air or +1 fire with +1 in the Aesthetics and Meditation Skills added in

Schools

Asahina Artificer School (Shugenja, Artisan)

Characters in this school are difficult to categorise. If I was forced to say then  they are quite close to Illusionists. The family is famed for being unwarlike and pacifist so a lot of the abilities are support and help orientated.

You will get automatic ring boosts in both Air and Fire and then, like most Shugenja schools, get to pick only three skills from Aesthetics, Courtesy, Culture, Design, Games and Theology. Characters don't have to to go the Shugenja route and can be more Artisan orientated. Note the total lack of combat skills.

This School does allow no less than three starting invocations chosen out of a pool of five. All being useful

Blessed Wind - Not that sort of wind, this is the Crane clan. Ahem. Anyway this is Support Action with a TN2 Theology Air check and allowing it succeeds if generates a tornado like wind that swirls around a single target and causes anyone attacking that person to be treated like they were in obscuring terrain. Obscuring terrain increases the TN of attacks by one. So if cast on self whilst using air stance then a basic combat TN, to hit our valiant Shugenja, increases to TN4!

It gets better still though as it lasts one round plus bonus successes (which seems par for the course for Invocations) but spending a single opportunity and the effect lasts the entire scene!!

Armor of Radiance - Another support action with a TN2 Theology Fire check. If successful the target is surrounded by a blinding radiance/heat that makes anyone within 0-1 of the bearer automatically suffer the burned and dazed conditions. Normal length conditions but two opportunity can be spent to again make it last the scene and one opportunity can give this magical armour the wargear quality. Dazed means a characters attack and scheme checks increase by two and burning means whenever a character carries out an action they suffer three strife and three fatigue that ignores resistance. Any critical generated on that character increases severity by five.

This is a wonderful combo that allows a pacifist to be successful in conflicts. Imagine if the above two were both cast with the Wind second. Attacks by Katanas and similar would be at TN6 and any action would cause three fatigue and resistance. The Shugenja just has to move close. He/she would just have to remember not to give medical aid to a friend until after the spells have been dismissed or dispersed.

Inari's Blessing - Another support action and a TN2 Theology Water targeting one person at range band one. This auto generates a meal that can feed people up to the water ring + bonus successes. Opportunity can be spent to make the meal 'fortifying' (per person) so that it removes fatigue equal to the water ring. Other opportunity increases the people fed per point spent. 

Reflections of P'an Ku - A Scheme action TN2 Theology water check that targets a single item at range 0-1. Success allows you to scry information concerning that item including curses and sealed techniques. Opportunity can gain further broad information including who has carried it longest (useful in criminal investigations or when tracking) or to target a character.  If character then you can find a technique/ability that that person possesses

Token of Memory - Another Scheme action at Tn2 Theology Air. This allows the Shugenja to create an illusion of an inanimate object. Usual round lengths apply. To resist the impression the target must pass a TN4 Artisan, Smithing or Design check (Earth 5 Fire 2). If two opportunity are spent then the illusion has mass and can be handled and if one is spent then a person can be the illusion (though that person obviously will not be moving)

Crane Shugenja in rehearsals for their production of the Titanic

Shugenja's of this school also get two rituals.

Commune with Spirits -  A downtime activity that allows the character to gain information or relevant assistance dependant on the gift token i.e a water check taking an Elemental gift could allow the caster to use a water Kami to cross a small river, or to make it rain briefly. Lots of opportunities with all the results of this. 

Cleansing Rite - A TN3 Theology Void check targeting up to five characters and success removes spiritual contaminants from the targets (not the Shadowlands trait). If opportunity is spent and one of the targets is 'otherworldly' the Shugenja will be aware of this but not who. Two opportunity can also be spent to cleanse an area if it is 'Defiled'. If that area has been 'Defiled' a while then this might only be temporary.


Finally the school ability is 'Spiritual Artisan' - this allows our Shuggy to add a number of black dice to the check when summoning an illusion or to augment or awaken an object.

Considering the lack of initial martial skills this character starts with a Wakizashi and Yumi.


Daidoji Iron Warrior School (Bushi)

The initial Crane Military school. A Daidoji Bushi was the subject of one of my RPG combat run throughs so you can see one in action (and how skills drastically can change fights) here

Daidoji get +1 Earth and +1 Water representing their resilience and combat approach quite nicely. They also get to choose five appropriate skills from - Command, Courtesy, Culture, Fitness, Government, Martial Arts (Melee) and Tactics. Remember they already have +1 in Fitness and Tactics from the family choice.

Characters can pick Kata, Rituals and Shuji but start with the following

Kata

Iron Forest Style - This interesting technique allows pole arm users to spend opportunity to create a difficult obstacle to get past. The affected character moves as if in Difficult terrain so must pass a TN4 fitness check (Air 2 Water 5) and if they fail they cannot move. When used against someone with a sword this can block attacks entirely (swords are range band one whereas most pole arms are range band two)


and then pick one of

Striking as Earth - This better represents the defensive 'Iron Crane' and opportunity spent here increase your own resistance until the end of the next turn.


Striking as Water - A nice tactical Kata this lowers your opponents resistance  (not below zero) for each point spent and rather than last this round (which anyone in water stance can do) it lasts until the end of the next round allowing different use for that opportunity.

Both allow the player to choose what type of Daidoji is being generated.

An obviously sneakier Scout type Daidoji with art by the amazing Michael Komarck who also did the headpiece of the article. Has a hint of Ash from the Evil Dead films as well.

What do do you think?

The School ability is 'Vigilance of Mind' which allows the character to, once a round, when someone within melee range would suffer physical damage then the Daidoji can intercept that attack. This means the Daidoji receives fatigue equal to his/her school rank (so one at the start) but reduces the damage/fatigue received by twice that amount. It is a good representation of the team work that the house is famed for.

Equipment - This character class has interesting gear. They start with lacquered Armour which has resistance four but is also ceremonial, cumbersome and wargear! The cumbersome is important as it increases the TN of movement checks by 1 (so moving extra range bands or in difficult terrain). They also get a Daisho, yumi and can choose between a Yari (Spear) or Naginata (polearm). This second is also cumbersome and a two handed weapon (so if you attack after moving then your attack TN increases by one. It does an impressive six damage with six deadliness but unlike many other polearms is also razor edged. If works well with Iron Forest Style for a very useful defence (see the rules walkthrough linked above). A Naginata can be seen in the picture of Doji Hotaru in the characters section above.

What is nice is that FFG have managed to make all the military houses very different but also very effective in very different ways. As with the Crab it is almost how you want to style your fighters approach that picks the clan/school.

Doji Diplomat School (Courtier)

Of all the Courtier Houses this one should be the most effective 'pure' courtier house of them all. Characters get +1 Air and +1 water ring bonuses - following the standard Crane template and choose from five, less militant, starting skills from Aesthetics, Composition, Courtesy, Culture, Design, Government, Martial Arts Ranged

They have a very high starting honour of 50.

Doji Shigeru surprised by a wasp. Actually a male. Apparently. This is often a Crane Courtier issue as they are all so pretty.

For techniques they can pick from Kata, Rituals and Shuji and get the following starting Shuji.

Lady Doji's Decree - Once per game session make a Courtesy (Void) check targeting a number of characters up to school rank.TN matches the highest vigilance amongst targets. If successful that target then cannot attack the courtier. Very useful for a mainly non combat character and very representative. Effects of this last one round plus bonuses or until the courtier carries out an attack action. Opportunity can be spent to choose additional targets (but with lower status than first target). Two opportunity can also prevent scheme actions against you so making this useful out of military conflicts as well.

They can then pick one of

Cadence -  When making a Social (Air) check opportunity can be spent to convey a secret message that alters the meaning of what you are saying to another who also possess the technique. Two opportunity allows the same targeting someone who does not posses the technique.

Shallow Waters - Like the previous this adds opportunity chances but for this when making a Social (Water) check.  One point allows the Courtier to learn of something material or worldly that the target desires and two points reveals the targets Ninjo. Either option allows the character to use this information to better facilitate whatever they are trying to do.

Whispers of Court - As a scheme action this allows a Courtesy (Air) check targeting everyone in the scene. TN being equal to lowest vigilance of all these.If successful a rumour can be created  which everyone hears and anyone with vigilance less than bonus successes gives it credence and believes it. Opportunity can be spent to learn one other rumour currently spreading. This is a very strong ability in any non-military situation.

The School ability is 'Speaking in Silence' - where once per scene when making a check to persuade or influence the character may add a number of kept ring dice to an opportunity equal to school rank.

Starting gear - Always well dressed with ceremonial clothes they have a yumi or yari and a wakizahi. Unusually they can also start with an attendant and a pony (high quality courtiers do not 'walk', it damages the clothes and thus the effect). The attendant is an interesting character that can be told to perform an action (requires a support action by the controlling player) as that character advances in  rank their attendant can also gain techniques making them more effective. So an attendant could be trained in more defensive bodyguard things or used for other skill sets.

All in all the Crane courtiers are well able to dominate and control their natural favoured situations. There are a few stories published involving Crane courtiers doing their thing and you can read some here and here (both involving Hotaru's sister Doji Shizue).

Kakita Duelist School (Bushi, Artisan)

The Crane duelists are possibly the most famous school of the Crane and have traditionally featured heavily in both story and game and are possibly the biggest reason for Crane popularity in the old game. A Crane duelist has appeared in one of my RPG fight rules walkthroughs here 

Default ring increases are Air and Earth (that adds more potential to 'last' in fights. The five starting skills come from Courtesy, Design, Fitness, Martial Arts (Melee), meditation (very useful for a duelist), sentiment and smithing

Like the Courtier school their starting honour is also a high 50.

Students of this school can select from Kata, Rituals and Shuji but start with one Kata

Iaijutsu Cut: Rising Blade - This is a duel technique that allows the duelist to draw a sheathed razor edged weapon one handed and strike in the same action. TN3 due to the added difficulty. Extra opportunity can allow a second razor edged weapon to be readied (more for Dragon Samurai I expect)

Actually the experienced version of old5r Doji Seo (who is the headpiece art of this article). Again outstanding

They can then pick one of the following Shuji

Shallow Waters - The same as the Courtier skill listed above so to repeat, 'this adds opportunity chances but for this when making a Social (Water) check.  One point allows the Courtier to learn of something material or worldly that the target desires and two points reveals the targets Ninjo. Either option allows the character to use this information to better facilitate whatever they are trying to do.'


Weight of Duty - When making a Social (Earth) Skill check targeting a person opportunity can be spent to firstly learn one way that person fears failing as a Samurai and with two points to learn the targets Giri. 



The School ability is 'Way of the Crane' which is a once per round ability allowing the character to  increase of decrease the severity of a critical strike he or she inflicts by their school rank.  Decreasing is for when it would be dishonourable to kill/badly injure an opponent (or to deliberately to leave someone alive to dishonour them perhaps!)

They are simply equipped with travelling clothes (armour gets in the way of good sword technique) with a Daisho and Yari or Yumi. Like the courtier they can also have an attendant and small pony.

To a certain extent the Kakita Duelist is a more combat capable courtier but could be played as a Yojimbo or even legal assassin. 

Kakita Swordsmith School (Artisan, Courtier)

This school (Shadowlands Source) allows a elite smith character to be generated. Default ring bonuses are Air and Fire which match Crane and the 'creation' ring. Five start skills are available from Aesthetics, Martial Arts (Melee), Courtesy, Culture, Sentiment, Smithing, Theology. 

Due to the respect artisans are held in the Empire the starting honor is a very high 55.

Characters can pick Kata, Rituals and Shuji and start with the following Shuji

Artisans Appraisal -  Allows the character to know disadvantages/advantages and sometimes demeanour's and desires from studying an object/performance. 

They can then choose one of the following Kata

Soaring Slice - this is an attack action using a one handed grip on a weapon on a TN2 martial arts check targeting one enemy at band 2-3. If successful that weapon is thrown at the enemy doing damage equal to the base plus bonus successes. If that causes a critical then the weapon is embedded 'in' them. 

Striking as Air - For one opportunity you can 'reserve' a rolled dice (plus more per extra two spent per dice past the first). These can then be used in your next check

Striking as Fire - Increases the severity of any critical hit by the opportunity spent. As with most of the 'Strikings' this lasts until the end of your next  turn.

Shouldn't he be 'looking' at the weapon he is making. Plus isn't that a tiny hammer. I am also unconvinced by semi-naked smithing when close to sparks, hot metal and incredible heat.

The school has access to a new ability a 'Pattern' (Shadowlands Source page 109). This is the Kakita Pattern which can be 'applied' to any bladed weapon they create. In this case it increases the deadliness by +1.

The school ability is the 'Sacred Art of Steel' - this allows you top add black dice with opportunity results to any create/maintain/improve weapon rolls so indicating the Schools primary strength.

Starting Equipment. Students get a Daisho (and the Katana is personally forged with the Kakita Pattern so has +1 deadliness they have both travelling and ceremonial clothes and a smithing hammer. Finally they also have access to a pony and an attendent in the same manner as the courtier and duelist.

So the initial Crane houses have many excellent role-playing opportunities with many quite unique skill sets that could easily help out in any party.

LCG

Unlike the original LCG the Crane are surprisingly competent in the LCG. They are not a 'plug and play' type clan and you do need to learn how to play them before getting any success.  They currently have two competitive deck types. The first is the standard jack of all trades glory push and the second is the new duelist decks that may or may not be strong.

Crane is a clan which relies heavily on honouring its characters. It's primary strength is political but due to its many ways of honouring it can be surprisingly effective at military as well. It possess a notable group of cancel and prevention abilities (Voice of Honour and Guest of Honor) but also apparently is supposed to have come degree of hand control (Shigeru and various card draw mechanics - none of which are as decent as say Phoenix, Crab and Dragon draw).

One common Crane technique is to overload characters with fate and steadily build up a large board. This is possible for other clans as well but as the base set Crane Stronghold is a defensive one this is more dangerous for other clans in the early game. The clans's cancels also allow some of these heavily fated characters to last longer than some others who rapidly fall to kill cards/fate distribution cards and the like.

Some Key Cards

Cautious Scout - One of the best early two costers in the game this allows relatively safe 'poking' at opposing promises. If it has a weakness it is that its stats are bad and late game it can become a limiting character

Kakita Yoshi - Basis of the 'Yoshi Storm' deck where the Crane player intends on keeping the favour then using Yoshi to either build up a huge card lead or allow the Crane to bid 1 and keep level in card draw

Guest of Honour - Crane's current restricted cards this can be a hard card to face though if the opponent can ride out Guests attacks/defences then they tend to have a lot of playable cards once she goes away.

Doji Challenger - A key three coster the Challenger can attack in political/military with a happy five in each when honoured and should the opposition play enough cards to stop her taking the province/victory then she can pull in another powerful opponent to reduce their options to attack back/defend again. Her (and guests) strengths will be increasing soon when Daidoji Uji arrives as opponents will be retaining Cloud the Mind for Uji so will be less likely to play it on either of these

Daidoji Uji - Out in the Crane pack IF he can remain unclouded and IF he can get honoured and not be dishonoured or removed first turn then Uji can start giving the Crane a large economic advantage


Crane just cannot get enough cherry blossom action. Apparently whilst carrying tea bags.


Example Deck - As an example of a strong Crane deck this one made the finals of the Paris Grand Kotei and was designed by the current Shogun (note post Children of the Empire and pre- the Unicorn pack). As such it is only relevant for another month or so. It is beautifully designed though. Note that you can easily spend all your fate on a single three or four cost first turn (and following allowing you get them). Even if you do not get the passing fate 75% of your primary province line up will generate a single fate (two with seeker fate and one on manicured). If they hit the other then that's Shameful so your fate stacked peep is honoured which is worth the loss of a later province to a second attack (and that's allowing that they have the political to get over the Stronghold and do not hit Magistrates for a follow up. They are more likely to go after SD again though). Even with that the Fate deck has a low FCPC (Fate cost per card) of 0.4 and take the fate characters away causes that to drop to 0.06. Basically there are only two events that cost one and out of the characters six of them also only cost one so even with no fate almost all your fate hand will be playable and there is a good chance a one cost fate char will be available to poke or further defend.

It is a very skilled deck design. My version dropped the Mystics for Shizue (it aims to hold favour and a cheap char that does not go away is great Way of the Crab protection help) and another quality Crane player I know of switched the Mystics for two Cautious Scouts. 

Noted Weaknesses

Due to the fact the Crane rely on being honoured so much clans which can dishonour them just as fast can switch off many of their strongest abilities so Scorpion can be a hard matchup. Any clan facing Crane needs to attempt to keep good control of the fire ring. Crane also suffers more than most when their hand size drops as they do not currently have a lot of good combat actions on characters. 

Imperial Advisors Crane purchase advice is here (amongst the other clans)

The FFG Clan description by Trevor Cuba is here 

You can also see some solid Crane play in this vod here  , the Crane player has a weenie start but then moves into fate heavy dynasty buys. For those with a lot of patience this vod here shows a Crane vs Crab matchup where the Crane out boards the Crab. It is long (almost two hours) so perhaps avoid that one unless you are really keen.

A Daidoji Scout by Jason Engle