L5R Newbie Part V - Introduction to the Phoenix Clan
Next on my list of beginner introductions is the powerful but peaceful Phoenix Clan.
Comparisons
Easier here than most because the Phoenix are the most magic based clan in Rokugan. In many fictional magic systems the authors sometimes have to find ways to reduce the impact of magic in their systems. i.e In the ‘Wheel of Time’ use of magic increases the risk of madness or perhaps more commonly in other worlds powerful magic users tend to be ‘deux et machina’ out of the action either via literally shipping them away so their unbelievable powers cannot impact things (order of the stick or more recently Captain Marvel deciding to go and help ‘other planets’ in End Game). The problem being that in any unrestricted system a high level magic user would be so powerful as to impact everything.
L5R has an interesting take on this which is, perhaps, more realistic in that the most common users of magic tend to see what the result of its use in military action results in so are more pacifist the more powerful they are. The Crane’s Shugenja School is just this as are the entire Phoenix Clan. Part of this is just wisdom. The assumption is that a skilled magic user would realise that the ability to wipe out an enemy army with a click of their fingers or even as simply done as to move your own forces into engagement instantly would upset the balance of power and following the old adage of ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’ would then result in an ultra-powerful magical tyrant in control of everything. To a certain extent this is what the Shadowlands are and is a permanent example of what unchecked power can do (admittedly heavily tainted). The Phoenix therefore are a bit like Doctor Strange’s group in Marvel in that they almost exist to protect Rogukan against magical threat which usually (but not always) is Shadowlands/Cult based. This allows them to fight like with like so avoids less – ‘I attack with twenty thousand men’, ‘I click my fingers and a Kami drops a mountain on them’ – ‘shit’ sort of one sided encounters.
Though pacifist they do have plenty of military tradition but with a more bodyguard and defensive bent.
Phoenix Territory
Map
Important Locations
Kyuden Isawa – Not a very impressive defensive structure but when its guarded by the strongest Shugenja’s in the land perhaps this does not matter. It holds the largest, and most famous, library in all Rokugan. The Five Elemental Masters of the Phoenix (the leading Shugenja in each of the five elements) are based here along with the Sacred ‘Grove of the five masters’
Great art from FFG here.
Pale Oak Castle – Apparently built around a huge white oak that grew from the ashes of Hantei XVII this is a very spiritual place. The Phoenix would prefer to keep it that way which instantly made it one of the most popular locations for Imperial Courts, Marriages and treaty signings. A bit like a popular rural tourist destination run over by the bragging outsiders in high season.
Less a castle than an executive retreat. You can see why it is a popular location for marriages.
Shiro Shiba – The home base of the Shiba and the second most powerful Stronghold of the clan this is actually a very military defensible structure using an unusual combination of Isawa, Crab Kaiu, Lion Matsu and Unicorn Shinjo defensive techniques to make an unusual defensive structure. It is the only major settlement on the Phoenix coast and defends the Phoenix lands against attacks from the South.
Current important Characters
Shiba Tsukune Clan Champion
Tsukune is an interesting Champion in that she was not really expecting it. She has a close relationship with Tadaka and also appears heavily in the Phoenix novella. Also see here and here for a follow on to the Novella
Isawa Tadaka
Tadaka has been a ‘force’ for .. something in both the LCG and the storyline so far. He has been very driven and in a very Phoenix way seems at risk of taking the wrong turn in his path to power. He appeared in the Phoenix novella and stories here and here. He is also one of the few characters to get more than one card in the LCG having a new version that can be shared with the Crab clan as well (I don’t think it’s as strong as the original but what do I know)
Isawa Kaede
Kaede is a powerful Void Shugenja who is currently married to the Lion Clan Champion Toturi. She has some interesting stories related to her trying to get to know her new husband (arranged marriage so not a love match) here
RPG
Asako Loremasters School (Courtier)
‘Lore master’ sounds cool but seems to be a very good librarian – which is less so. Anyway start ring boosts are in Air and Earth so this is a defensive and thoughtful school. Five start skills are chosen from Culture, Government, Martial Arts Unarmed (what librarian hasn’t had to fight to prevent a tramp from stealing all the newspapers), Medicine (and then ensure he doesn’t die), Performance (before spinning a more heroic tale to the Police), Sentiment (and then feeling guilty about it) and Theology.
Starting honor is a decent 45 with the upgrade groups being the default Kata, Rituals and Shuji
The starting abilities are interesting though. They start with ‘Civility Foremost’ which is a Scheme Action involving either a command or courtesy check targeting one person with a TN equal to the targets vigilance (nice touch, the more vigilant they are the more difficult to trap them into this effect). Success means that the target must lose honor equal to the Asako’s earth ring plus bonus successes and suffer the same amount of strife to attack them or launch a scheme action targeting them. This effect persists until the end of the scheme or until the Asako performs an attack or scheme action of their own. *+ can also be spent to choose additional targets who must have vigilance equal to or lower than the first target. Since Rokugan is so honor heavy this allows the character almost invulnerability in some situations.
Actually a void Shugenja Inquisitor but he looks like a librarian.. Except those candles are probably dangerous around scrolls so maybe not.
They then get to choose between the two following Shuji
Ancestry Unleashed – This is an Earth ability using Scholar or Social skills Extra opportunity can be spent to find out one sworn oath the target family took in the past and whether it has been broken or ‘bent’. Two opportunity allows the Asako to know one secret the target family would prefer to be forgotten or perhaps even tried to bury. Finally three! Opportunity allows the Scolar to know something the target does not know concerning their own ancestry.
What a great ability. This represents the Asako’s librarian powers being used to unearth information to assist, threaten or bribe (situation dependant). Wonderful. It’s a bit like the Yasuki skills and shows how the courtiers can be vastly different from one another.
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.
The School Ability is ‘Wisdom of the Ages’. This is a Scholar skill that treats ranks in the target skill as being equal to the school rank. If the relevant skill rank is greater than or equal to the school rank (or the skill is at level five) then it adds one kept black dice with an opportunity when rolling against the skill. Practically this covers the ability for our Librarian to read up on any subject and get rudimentary knowledge. The better a librarian the more knowledge they can glean faster. So a rank two Asako Loremaster basically can have any of the Scholar Skills (so Government, Culture, Medicine, Sentiment and Theology) functioning at rank two even if they had zero skills in that ability. A starting out Asako will have one extra opportunity if they have any levels in the skill (one school rank). The most useful is probably Medicine but all the others would help (with the possible exception of Theology)
Starting Equipment – Considering his main purpose is research the starting gear is an unsurprising Ceremonial Robes, Sanctified Robes and a Wakizashi. Combat is not this Schools forte.
Isawa Elementalist – Shugenja
This is the Phoenix’s initial Shugenja School and perhaps the most powerful in the Empire. Starting ring increases are in any two different rings – makes sense as Shugenja of this school can choose which element they are training in.
The standard Shugenja three starting skills are from Composition (used to make magical scrolls so not as weird as it appears at first sight), Courtesy, Medicine, Meditation, Performance and Theology. Pure Shungenja’s would probably take Meditation, Theology and Composition.
Starting honor is forty with the upgrade groups selecting from Invocations, Rituals and Shuji.
A starting player then gets to choose three (three?) from the following spells.
Extinguish – As a support action our (presumably fire Shugenja) can make a TN3 Theology fire check targeting up to three mundane sources of fire (mundane basically means not started or fuelled by magic) at range bands 0-3. Success means the Shugenja summons all the fire kamis energy into the caster. Each flame gets extinguished and the Shugenja can remove one fatigue for each flame extinguished in this fashion. Two opportunity can also be spent to end all supernatural effects from fire invocations and fire based supernatural effects (maho and similar) in the area.
Grasp of Earth – As an attack action our valiant Shugenja can make a TN2 Earth Theology check targeting someone at 0-2 range. Success summons (summons? Causes??) cracks in the earth to appear with each target suffering supernatural damage equal to the caster earth ring and must also resist with a Tn4 fitness (Air 2 Water 5) check or be knocked prone. (Prone prevents movements greater than one range band and makes the prone person more at risk from some special attacks). One opportunity can be spent so that each target which fails the resist fitness check is also immobilized (cannot move at all and more usefully change stance). Plus one opportunity can be spent to reduce the damage to zero (perhaps the Shugenja is stopping someone they have been asked to rescue who is mistakenly running). My article on Shugenja combat did involve the use of this Invocation see here
though note that since it was prepared no dice were rolled but that also meant no opportunity could be gained to get that immobilized status. Interesting potential disadvantage with preparation.
Path to Inner Peace - A support action requiring TN2 Theology Water check targeting a single person at range 0-2. This is a healing spell that 'mends' muscles removing fatigue equal to the water ring plus bonus successes. This is only allowed once per scene per target. A single opportunity allows a minorish condition to be removed as well (bleeding, dazed, disorientated or lightly wounded). A single opportunity can also be spent to remove strife equal to the bonus successes. This is a nice heal with the scene restriction to prevent a game breaking ability if used each turn.
Tempest of Air – This is TN3 Air Theology attack action targeting everyone at range 2-3. If successful everyone in that range band is hit by supernatural gusts that do damage equal to the caster air ring and must all resist with a Tn4 fitness (Earth 5, Fire 2) or become disorientated (which adds two to any TGN checks involving movement and support). *+ can be spent to that everyone who fails the fitness check is also pushed back one extra range band for every point spent. This was also used in the Shugenja fight linked by Grasp of Earth.
So the Shugenja gets to choose three out of four decent spells. It is a powerful class..
For a starting Ritual they get the old stand by ‘Commune with the Spirits’ – for which I shall just repeat what I said in all the other previews
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.
The School ability is ‘One with the Elements’ – Once per scene when activating an Invocation and before rolling dice the Shugenja can reduce the TN of the check by their school rank. Only one at the beginning but this becomes progressively more useful and basically can allow some very powerful Invocations to be cast.
Starting Equipment covers Sanctified Robes a Wakizashi and a Knife. Who needs much else.
Shiba Guardian School (Bushi, Courtier)
Historically the Kami Shiba had promised to protect Isawa so generations of Shiba since have specialised in protecting the Isawa so the Isawa can protect Rokugan. This is another interesting school as it emphasises not combative options (but with a Monk like training ‘in’ combative options – just in case) so has a religious feel to it almost.
Default ring increases are in earth and water. The Five starting skills are from Courtesy, Fitness, Martial Arts Melee, Meditation, Survival, Tactics and Theology.
Starting honor is an impressive 45 with the upgrade tech paths running through Kata, Rituals and Shuji.
They get one default Kata and that is ‘Lord Shiba’s Valor’ – this is a once per session (and a rank 2) support action using a readied weapon. The character makes a TN2 Tactics Void check targeting any amount of friends within weapon range. On success those friends cannot be attacked or schemed against and you must be the character they attack/scheme against. Basically the ideal bodyguard ability. Even better an opportunity can be spent to increase the TN of any attacks against you by one which lasts until the end of your next turn.
The character then gets to choose either Striking as Earth (use opportunity to increase your resistance until the end of the next turn) or Striking as Water (use opportunity to decrease your opponents resistance until the end of your next turn)
The School Ability is ‘Way of the Phoenix’ which is a once per scene ability. When any character in range bands 0-3 makes a check containing one or more strife then you can negate all the strife and that character can remove strife and fatigue equal to their school rank. So you can also do this on yourself. Early levels it is less impressive but will be very useful in higher ranks.
Starting Equipment is Ashigaru armour, travel clothes, a Daisho, Naginata and Yari (spear).
This school has a lot of similarities with the Daidoji Iron Warrior School which is not surprising as they are both defensive Schools
Kaito Shrine Keeper School (Monk)
The Kaito are another defensive School and their usual aim in life is not to protect roving Isawa Shugenja but instead static shrines.
School ring boosts are in Air and Water with the Monk start point of four skills chosen from: fitness, martial arts ranged, meditation, performance, smithing and Theology.
Start honor is a decent 45 with the upgrade tree allowing Kata, Rituals and Shuji. No Kiho though.
They get one default kata which is ‘Hawk’s Precision’. This is a ranged attack technique that allows the user to spend *+ to increase the maximum range of any ranged attack by one range band per opportunity spent. Which seems helpful but has a maximum range of six. If you look at the (current) ranged weapons we have
Daikyu bands 3-5
Horse Bow bands 2-4
Yumi bands 2-5
Crossbow bands 2-5
Blowgun bands 2-3
So unless using a horse bow or blowgun then only one band can be increased anyway (beyond the very rare occasions when someone elses technique is ‘reducing’ your max range bands which is improbable but not impossible)
They also get the (more) useful Tempest of Air Invocation which was listed in detail under the Asako Shugenja above
They finally get three Rituals which are the basics
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.
Commune with the 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.
Threshold Barrier - another downtime activity but with a more practical use. At its simplest success can bar a threshold (gate, entrance, prayer gate) etc to a creature type dependant on the ring. Those types can still try to enter (TN3 void meditation check) but the caster gets informed. The caster gets to choose what to block so we have
Air - Otherworldly beings
Earth - Tainted Beings
Fire - Undead beings with corporal form
water - wild animals
void -humans
Time blocked is one hour plus bonus success but if an opportunity is spent then the caster also gets involved if any of the blocked creatures passed in the last 24 hrs.
Finally the school ability is the unusual ‘Sacred Arrows’. As an action the character can ‘augment’ an arrow with a prayer to the Kami. They have to perform a check to pass any (other) Invocation they know (and at start this is ‘Tempest of Air’) reducing the TN by their School Rank and track the result. The arrow is then ‘Sacred’ – now Sacred means when otherworldy beings (ghosts etc) attack someone carrying a sacred item then their attack TN increases by 1. Also if gaining the nasty ‘afflicted’ condition whilst carrying a sacred item then the carrier can elect for that item to be damaged instead (useful). Finally Sacred weapons ignore ALL resistances of otherworldy or tainted beings when successfully hitting. So all in all ‘Sacred’ is useful. It goes beyond that though as when firing this arrow (at someone though with GM approval at a location) then on hitting the character can then initiate the invocation they initially used. *+ can be spent to delay the initiation of the invocation by a number of turns equal to the opportunity spent. Even if you miss two opportunity can be spent to cause the invocation to impact a solitary specified enemy character.
This has many interesting opportunities for clever archery to be role played in the game and as more invocations are picked up the better this becomes.
Starting Equipment: Sacred Robes (they are temple guardians..), Wakizashi and a Yumi plus either a bo (staff) or knife.
This is another example of a very unique class type generated by the system that suits an utterly different style of play/combat that anything else.
Asako Inquisitor School (Courtier, Shugenja)
This is the School introduced by the Shadowlands book and covers a branch of the Phoenix who are dedicated to hunting out and destroying Maho (blood magic) users. They posses an unusual authority within the Empire matching the Emerald Magistrates in that they answer only to the Emperor and the Phoenix Council of Five Masters. Therefore they have a lot of freedom to move around where they decide they are most needed.
Default School ring increases are in Fire and Void which matches both the use of the Kami and an aggressive, creative temperament.
The Three initial skills can be picked from Courtesy, Martial Arts Melee, Martial Arts Unarmed, Meditation, Performance and Theology.
They have a low starting honor of 35. This is more a reflection on the fact that the Inquisitors will do anything to succeed so can over step the boundaries of both politeness and sometimes law in doing so and this is generally recognised.
The Schools upgrade tech tree is the default Shugenja one of Invocations, Rituals and Shuji
I don’t know if there was a misprint here but according to my book they start with ALL the following (not pick 2 from 3 as in most other schools). A couple of matches with other Phoenix schools so I will just paste the same text in.
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.
Commune with the 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.
Divination – This Invocation is basically the Shugenja trancing to attempt to read the future (very Doctor Strange)
An Asako Inquisitor in the Marvel Universe?
This Downtime activity requires a TN2 Theology Void check and if successful one of the following omens can be selected. Each of the omens basically allows the person being ‘divined’ to gain an extra black ring dice on a single check with a success and strife.
Omen of the Azure Dragon – For Artisan Skill checks
Omen of the Black Tortoise – For Scholar Skill checks
Omen of the White Tiger – For Martial Skill checks
Omen of the Vermillion Bard – For Social Skill checks
Omen of the Weaver & Cowherd – For Trade Skill checks
If failing the check then the GM gets to pick the omen. On success you can also spend an opportunity to get a second omen granted as well.
The Schools default Shuji’s are ‘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 possess the technique.
And ‘Truth burns through Lies’ When taking a check to ascertain the truth of a statement opportunity can be spent to see the crux of the argument and exactly which evidence is needed to prove or disprove the statement. Which is a very useful to any ‘Inquisitor’ School
The School Ability is ‘Traces of passage’ – which also ties nicely into the Schools primary aim. Once per scene as a support action the caster can scry to detect whether any supernatural abilities were used within a 0-3 range band within the last day (i.e invocations, maho, kiho). The TN of the check (defined by the GM) is reduced by the School rank.
Starting Equipment – Travelling clothes (incognito travel!), Sanctified Robes (scare everyone when they see you!), Daisho (though this is any single sword of rarity 7 or lower and a Wakizashi so it does not have to be a Katana)
This could be a fun character to role play and avoids the need for a party of magistrates is the group does not fancy the common ‘Emerald Magistrate’ approach. What is interesting about this school as well is that they do not start with the more aggressive Invocations and have the more specifically Courtier ‘police’ support structure. This can change as the character and ranks up though.
LCG
Phoenix have had an unusual path throughout the LCG. After Core released their primary deck type was based on honour manipulation (really) and had too many moving parts to function consistently well. Then in Spring 2018 the Phoenix clan pack arrived which introduced two monsters in their new Stronghold which allowed Spell recursion (recursion is usually a bad idea in card games) and more annoyingly Isawa Tadaka or the Shugenja of NPE (negative play experience). If Tadaka turns up mid to late game then he can shut down opposing decks entirely. The only clan with a decent chance of dealing with him were Dragon and that was only because Dragon tend to be attachment heavy and lost evenly to other clans. Results initially did not seem to go Phoenix’s way though this is more a reflection on the players not working out the best way to play with their new goodies. Later in the year though someone came upon the combo of adding in ‘Consumed by five fires’ and ‘Embracee the Void’ to pay for it and suddenly you could destroy the opposing board then get Tadaka and utterly shaft your opponent. This started to roll result Phoenix’s way (and the band waggoners and elite band waggoners such as Minds Desire started to play Phoenix) thus causing a design reaction with Tadaka being erratered (now the Phoenix player has to control the Earth ring and/or contest it – so basically he is still powerful but the Phoenix player will still have to defend against events at least one engagement every other turn). Plus added Secluded shrine to the restricted list (so you cannot just declare you ‘have’ the earth ring and also added Embrace the Void so you would have to ‘pay’ for ‘Consumed by Five Fires’ with fate you earnt yourself.
So at this point Phoenix can no longer rely on their crutches to win and will have to play again…The default deck is still powerful though and a major threat just not a bad experience to play against.
It is an interesting lesson to all those preaching about how some clan packs will deform the environment as in most cases it takes a while to learn how the new cards work and which is/isn’t strong.
Disadvantages – Phoenix has lots of what I term secondary manipulation effects along with an expensive character line up. Therefore they can be out dominated by clans that focus more on winning conflicts that others. Tadaka would have shut these down as well previously but now they have a chance again.
Key Cards
Tadaka – Still Key and I hate him
Consumed by Five Fires – Wipes opposing board, perhaps less important now the following card is on the restricted list
Embrace the Void – Used to steal your opponents fate so you could fire Consumed by Five Fires for free. Now more an economic boost
Display of Power – Allows you to gain a lost ring. Useful for keeping Tadaka alive and generally annoying your opponents.
A Phoenix Shugenja regretted entering the 'trump over a candle' competition after a curry.
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