L5R RPG Online Campaign Group Recruitment

Greetings! I am looking at recruiting for a new L5R RPG group (FFG 5th edition) starting from the beginner game and moving forward from there. To ensure the best experience for the group there are some requirements that need matching prior to start so if anyone wants to join but cannot match the requirements then please don’t.. I do try and explain the reasons for some of the requirements in case that helps. Blue requirements are 'preferred' - basically if you don't match you can still join but will be behind the queue with someone who is. Red requirements are absolute.

A - Beginners - not necessarily in L5R but basically not any player who has played or read the scenarios including the Beginner game. Why? Experience shows that even if a player attempts to hide their knowledge they will still act in a way that deliberately advances the story line.  That can spoil the experience for the other players. 

B - Characters from the beginners box OR pre-rolled actual characters - If actual characters then the full character sheets would need sending to the GM prior to game start - Why is this a requirement? Because in other games people have entered the game accepting 'either' then started arguing that one or the other should be excluded. That would be an instant drop so accept it or move elsewhere. I am also happy for people to use the beginner box characters with their own names then generate their full character plus experience gained post scenario.

C - Should be willing to play fortnightly as a minimum on the agreed night. This will be around 8pm British time (so BST or GMT dependant on time of year) and will last around two hours. It will be Tuesday/Thursday/Friday  - the day can be any or specific and agreed by the group.. Why is this a requirement? Again I have had players say 'yes' then be not free for two months on the agreed date or try and argue it should be 5pmin the evening US East coast time. Since I work this is the only time I actually have spare so that is when it will occur. Again if you cannot make it then this is not the group for you. This is not to say that the odd longer gap can occur but I don't want 'once every two months' to be the default.

D - Will be an internet game requiring a reasonable internet connection, c. The game will be played over appear.in with discord for organisation and the discord dice bot for rolls.  This will be run over discord chat but will still need a decent internet connection to operate

F - Role-players and not power-rollers please - What does that even mean? Let's give an example. You are fighting. You take a TN3 Martial Arts Melee check in water  to hit a ronin and roll four successes taking three strife with one opportunity

Player A - I hit with one bonus success. I do four damage plus one for the bonus and use the opportunity to cancel two strife taking one

Player B - I sweep forward launching a glancing blow. I use the precision of the attack to calm myself. I do five damage and take one strife clearing two with the opportunity

Or perhaps it is a scheme action and the character is taking a TN3 scheme check to convince a retainer to allow them to enter and rolls zero successes with zero opportunity and two strife.

Player A - I failed. I have to take one strife as all the dice show one

Player B - I do my best but they are unconvinced. As I carry on I grow louder and louder until I notice other people in the area taking notice so blush bright red in embarrassment and take two strife.

It's not possible every roll but I prefer the role playing Player B  style than the mechanics style as it tells a story for the other players even when the dice rolling gets heavy. Though as gm I could keep saying, 'describe what just happened' that gets tiring fast so players who are happy to explain what the dice mean. More simply I prefer a story game to one where people just power roll the dice.

Naturally you will need to learn what the dice/stances actually mean but this is something that the beginners box teaches quite well. This is blue because not everyone 'knows' how to play this way so but it just indicates the sort of player and the sort of experience I hope those players are after.

G - Player total - Looking for three players. Potentially expanding to four after the beginners adventure should the group be solid enough to cope with that total. - Why three? My experience is that five is far too many and in any complex combat/other situation this leave too much time between individual players taking actions. This can cause players to lose interest and though the existence of 'D' makes that more visible I don't want to 'lose' players.

H - Language - The game will be in English and will need decent understanding and ability in that language verbally. A lot of people have English as a second language and have a better use of it than native speakers - which is fine. Some don't and this is a verbal game.

I - Pre-meet. To check some of these values prior to group acceptance prospective players should expect an online meeting prior to join to check some of the above are acceptable.

J - Manners - Rokugan is cultured so no extreme bad language, racism, sexism or any other sort of ism or politics/religion etc etc. Why? Roleplay is escapism and people's own opinions on contentious issues is exactly that. No-one else wants to hear them (beyond perhaps people in the same clique).

K - Player archetypes - No 'I am dedicated to killing the party' etc etc I don’t want to deal with a player who actively is trying to destroy the group. That is for more advanced groups where the rest of the party understands and accepts that is a side issue.

L - This campaign will start with the beginners box, roll through to the Palace of the Emerald Champion then move onwards to other scenarios. Why? Why not. The reason this is here is that I have had people sign up for a beginners box campaign then start arguing for not doing the beginners stuff at all. Since everyone should have followed 'A' this should not be an issue.

M - Characters - It might be nice for a general mix with one Shugenja then either two fighty sorts or a fighty sort and a courtier. Open to suggestions here.

Now perhaps the above is too restrictive and if that is so then fine. If not then get in touch. Feel free to comment here or message on facebook on contact via Discord (Matrim#6049)