New Great Clan Schools
New Minor Clan Schools
New Crab Schools
Toritaka Gaki Hunter School
Description: The Toritaka had long specialized in dealing with spirits and
ghosts, even before they were folded into the Crab Clan. But something vexed them: though they knew all
about yorei and how to defeat them, they struggled with opposing gaki, the troublesome residents of Gaki-do.
Thus the Toritaka resolved to create a new school based on this persistent threat, and after studying with
the Kuni for decades, they were finally ready to unleash their new creation. Today, the Toritaka Gaki
Hunters are the best source to call on if you’re dealing with a pesky vampire ghost infestation.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Spellcraft, Kenjutsu, Defense, Engineering, Lore: Theology, Lore:
Spirits, Lore: Shadowlands, Any 1 Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Robes, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3
Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Water/Fire
Spells: 3 Water, 2 Earth, 1 Air
Technique:
- Sparkle in the Mist: If you spend a Void Point, any gaki
within visual range – including those currently possessing another human being – will be haloed by a
glowing, sparkly outline. In addition, spells you cast with the Jade keyword may now damage gaki.
Hiruma Duelist School
Description: Crab duelists have long taken a singular approach to the art of
iaijutsu: take the first hit and strike back twice as hard. To the Crab’s fatalistic, uncompromising
approach to life, a duel to first blood is pointless; if the offense isn’t worth killing over, it isn’t
worth having a duel at all. But much as they’d like to, the Crab can’t fully ignore the importance of
dueling, and over time, it became clear something needed to be done. With the Hida uninterested in anything
but tetsubo duels, the Hiruma stepped up, creating a school based on their clan’s legendary ability to
endure.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Kenjutsu, Iaijutsu, Defense, Etiquette, Meditation, Lore:
Shadowlands, Any 1 Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling Pack,
3 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Wolf Stands Its Ground: The wolf may take a hit, but
she does not back down. When you spend a Void Point to cancel Crippled Penalties, you gain the
benefit for the current and following Round.
- Rank 2: Wolf Strikes Last: When the wolf fights defensively,
she does so in search of the opportune moment. Add twice your Defense rank to your Armor TN during
the Strike stage of an Iaijutsu duel.
- Rank 3: Wolf’s Bitter Lesson: When the wolf is under threat,
her attacks cannot be stopped. If you were the target of an attack since your last turn, you deal
+1k1 damage to all attacks during the current Round. If you are fighting in a duel or against a
Shadowlands creature, you ignore two points of your target’s Reduction.
- Rank 4: Wolf Strikes Twice: When the wolf does strike, she
does so with unbridled ferocity. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding any weapon
with the Samurai keyword.
- Rank 5: Wolf Lies In Wait: Your defensive fighting prowess is
so great that you gain some of its benefits even when you are not defending. When you enter the Full
Defense Stance, you gain its benefit for the current and following Round.
Kaiu Sapper School
Description: As the restrictions around explosives were lifted over time,
Rokugani bomb experts began to crop up – and unsurprisingly, no family took to the new devices quite like
the Kaiu. Their inveterate tinkering abilities meant they rapidly became the finest demolitions experts in
the Empire, both for offensive and defensive operations. Today, Kaiu Sappers are part of any Crab operation
against a hard point, even if other Crab tend to feel a bit nervous around them.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Demolitions 2, Defense, Engineering, Athletics (Throwing),
Stealth, Any 1 Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Light or Heavy Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Explosives Pack,
Traveling Pack, 3 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Walking Tinderbox: A Kaiu Sapper never goes anywhere
without his kit. Your explosives pack comes filled with 10 explosive devices of your choice (no more
than two each of Dragon’s Fire and Mountain’s Bane). You may prepare an improvised explosive device
(equivalent to a radiant grenade) as a Complex Action with an Intelligence/Demolitions (Crafting)
roll at a TN of 25, and a bakemono cocktail as a Simple Action with an Intelligence/Demolitions
(Crafting) roll at a TN of 15. Additionally, you suffer no Integrity loss when using the Demolitions
skill, even in contexts in which it would normally be considered a Low Skill.
- Rank 2: Controlled Implosion: A Kaiu Sapper knows exactly
where to place his charges for maximum effect – and how to disable them. All of your explosive
devices deal +5k5 damage to structures and objects. Additionally, you may fail any Demolitions (Bomb
Disposal) roll one time without setting off the device you are attempting to disarm.
- Rank 3: Trigger Mechanism: A Kaiu Sapper knows the ins and
outs of every explosive device, and how to get the maximum possible use out of them. You may “cook”
any explosive device on a timer, causing it to detonate at any point of your choosing within the
next four rounds. Additionally, if you have at least 4 hours to yourself, you may refill your
explosives pack for free (with the exception of Mountain’s Bane, which must be paid for) as you
construct new demolitions to replace those that have been used.
- Rank 4: The Stab Locker: Kaiu Sappers aren’t just good at
explosives; they are Crab at heart, and thus capable in combat. You may make attacks as a Simple
Action when using any weapon with the samurai keyword.
- Rank 5: The Red Wire: A Kaiu Sapper’s booms are the biggest
booms. For any explosive you personally construct, the radius is increased by 5’, all Defense TNs to
take half damage are increased by 10, all Demolitions TNs to throw them are decreased by 5, and all
explosives which have a damage effect deal +3k3 damage.
New Crane Schools
Doji War Dancer School
Description: As the Kakita have long-known, the line between art and combat can
sometimes get awfully blurry. In the 20th century, the Doji family finally broke through it thanks to a
particularly gifted dancer named Doji Okuni. Okuni developed a style of fighting using paired, bladed war
fans called surudoi-shisen (“the sharp glance”) – essentially weaponized court fans rather than tessen. Doji
War Dancers move with elegant, deadly grace, as effective at putting on performances with their art as they
are lethal.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Acting, Athletics, Intimidation, Etiquette, Kenjutsu, War Fans, Any 1 Perform
Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Courtier Armor, Extravagant Outfit, Two Tessen, Daisho, Traveling Pack, 10 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Student of the Iron Fan: You know how to wield war fans with
deadly grace. When wielding a war fan in your off-hand, you suffer no penalties of any kind for
dual-wielding. In addition, you deal +0k1 damage with War Fans. In addition, you deal +0k1 damage
with War Fans.
- Rank 2: High Value Asset: As one of the Crane Clan’s illustrious
performers, you are used to being protected. Anyone may guard you as a Free Action. In addition,
gain +1k1 to all Perform Skill rolls.
- Rank 3: Speed of the Stars: You now know how to use war fans to attack
with lightning speed. You may make attacks as a Simple Action with a war fan or any weapon with the
Samurai keyword.
- Rank 4: Intimidating Dance: A Crane dancing around with fans in their
hands shouldn’t be scary. It shouldn’t be, but it is. As a Complex Action, you may perform a fan
dance to create a Fear 3 effect all opponents must roll against. You add your rank in War Fans to
your Armor TN any time you are wielding a War Fan.
- Rank 5: Fan the Hammer: You have attained near-mythical levels of speed
with a war fan. You may Raise for the Extra Attack maneuver twice in one turn.
Kujaku Bushu School
Description: Though the Kujaku are best-known for their affinity with exotic animals –
particularly the peafowl with which they share their name – the techniques they’ve mastered over two
millennia are not to be underestimated. The Kujaku learned well from their Kakita forebears, perfecting a
combat art that utilizes their natural skill at seduction to deadly effect. They are considered particularly
adept yojimbo, and are often used as bodyguards for higher-ranking Crane personnel.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Kenjutsu, Iaijutsu, Defense, Animal Handling (Peafowl), Etiquette, Temptation
(Seduction), Any 1 Perform Skill
Integrity: 6.0
Outfit: Light Armor, Extravagant Outfit, Daisho, Make-Up Kit, Traveling Pack, 10 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Vow of the Peacock: The Kujaku are known for their honorable
stewardship of the regal birds whose name they bear. When performing the Guard Maneuver you may add
your School Rank plus one to the Armor TN of your target, in addition to the normal benefits of the
maneuver. In addition, you have learned that a seductive glance can be just as effective as a swift
sword, and gain a +1k0 bonus on your Temptation (Seduction) rolls.
- Rank 2: Gaze of a Thousand Eyes: Like the watchful and weary peacock,
nothing can get by your gaze. You gain a bonus to your Iaijutsu (Assessment) Roll equal to your
Animal Handling Skill rank. You also gain a +1k0 bonus on all rolls to detect ambushes or other
unseen opponents.
- Rank 3: The Heavenly Array: The spirit of the peacock flows through you,
giving you influence similar to that of a male peacock over its harem. When using the Guard
Maneuver, you may extend the benefits of the maneuver to a number of targets equal to your Air Ring.
Furthermore, you have come to understand that the ways of the peacock are beautiful and glorious,
and not something to be looked down upon. You no longer lose Integrity from using the Temptation
(Seduction) skill.
- Rank 4: An Impressive Display: Mimicking the graceful speed and
deadliness of an enraged mother peahen, you may now make melee attacks with bladed weapons as a
Simple Action.
- Rank 5: Wrath of the Golden Peacock: At the pinnacle of your training,
you realize that the peacock is not just an animal of extraordinary beauty, but that it is also a
creature of extreme wisdom and cunning. During the Focus segment of a duel, you gain a Free Raise on
your Iaijutsu (Focus) roll for every rank you possess in the Animal Handling skill. In addition, if
neither you nor your opponent beats the other's Iaijutsu (Focus) roll by at least 5, you may still
make the first strike in the Strike segment of the duel.
New Dragon Schools
Kitsuki Marshal School
Description: The Kitsuki Investigators were long the finest detectives in the Empire,
trained in methods looked down upon by other clans, but undeniable in their effectiveness. Over time,
however, it became clear that while the Investigators were brilliant at discerning the truth, it was
sometimes
difficult for them to back that up and apprehend the criminals they pursued. The Kitsuki Marshal school was
the natural result, and while it lacks the sheer investigative brilliance of the Investigators, it makes up
for it with ruthless combat efficiency using its signature weapon: the tonfa. Instead of developing a
rivalry,
the two schools often work together – and there is nothing a criminal fears more than staring down the
devoted
efforts of a Kitsuki Marshal and a Kitsuki Investigator working in concert.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Staves (Tonfa), Kenjutsu, Investigation, Intimidation, Demolitions, Lore: Law,
Any 1 Skill
Integrity: 2.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Two Tonfa, Daisho, Traveling Pack, 3 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: The Call of Duty: Nothing can sway the Kitsuki Marshal from the
case. Add your Earth Ring to the result of any Bugei Skill roll.
- Rank 2: Expert Profiler: Your methods to get a read on people may not
be traditional, but others can’t deny their effectiveness. You may use your Lore: Law skill in place
of the Etiquette skill for any roll involving attempting to discern the truth. Gain +1k0 to all
damage with a tonfa.
- Rank 3: Just One More Thing: No matter how often they think they’ve got
you down, you always come back at the last second. Gain a bonus to your Armor TN equal to your
Staves skill.
- Rank 4: To Protect and Serve: You have learned how to use your tonfa
for both offense and defense. You may make attacks as a Simple Action with any stave or weapon with
the Samurai Keyword.
- Rank 5: I Am the Law: When fighting any number of opponents who you
could reasonably suspect to have broken the law (even if you are not currently investigating them),
you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action. Until your next turn, their dice do not explode on any
combat roll. In addition, gain a Free Raise on all Lore: Law Skill rolls.
/ Tonbo Shindoshi
Description: Though the Tonbo Shindoshi are no less priests than their counterparts in
the other Clans, they are acutely aware of the political responsibilities that rest on their shoulders. As
the intermediaries between the Dragon Clan and the rest of Rokugan, the Tonbo are well equipped to survive
the perilous courts of the Empire.The Tonbo Shindoshi School uses all the resources at its disposal to
prepare its students for the courts. A trained Tonbo can use his connection to the spiritual world to
heighten his social graces. This boost is often a necessity with opponents such as the Lion Clan always
watching for a social faux pas.
Benefit: +1 Perception
Skills: Spellcraft, Courtier, Etiquette, Sincerity, Meditation (Void Recovery),
Calligraphy, Engineering, Any 1 High Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Water/Fire
Spells: 3 Water, 2 Air, 1 Earth
Technique:
- Guided By Fate: The Tonbo are adept at court as well as the ways of the
shindoshi, serving as they have as the Dragon Clan's intermediaries almost since their creation. The
kami's whispers can be powerful tools in court. You may expend one spell slot to gain a bonus of
+2k0 on one Social Skill Roll. You may never spend more spell slots than your School Rank to augment
a single roll. You gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Divination keyword.
New Lion Schools
Nakamura Gunner School
Description: The Nakamura vassal family had long served as the specialized archers of the
Lion clan – certainly competent (the Lion would tolerate no less), but not on par with the Tsuruchi or the
Dragon’s Flame. Space travel dramatically altered their roll, however, as it was quickly discovered that
while they were adequate archers, the Nakamura were exceptional at calculating range trajectories and timing
their shots in space gunnery duels. Today, the Nakamura are the finest gunners in the galaxy, and the
biggest reason the Lion are so feared in ship-to-ship combat. The knowledge Nakamura weapons hit like a
truck has led to more than one surrender before battle has even begun.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Gunnery, Kyujutsu, Kenjutsu, Defense, Piloting, Engineering, Any 1 High or Bugei
Skill
Integrity: 6.5
Outfit: Light or Flight Suit Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Bow, Daisho, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Stay On Target: Nobody – absolutely nobody – is as adept at long
range
gunnery as a Nakamura. Whenever you spend a Void Point on any Gunnery Skill roll, gain the benefits
as if you had spent two Void Points.
- Rank 2: Master of Windage: The Nakamura Gunner knows how to apply his
mathematical gunnery abilities even when using small arms weapons. You may use your Intelligence
Trait instead of your Reflexes Trait for attacks with a bow. In addition, when your shot damages an
enemy ship component, make a Perception/Gunnery roll at TN 25. On success, you choose which
component is damaged. If you make this roll at TN 50, you can choose a second component to also take
damage.
- Rank 3: I Have You Now: No one alive can make range calculations like the
Nakamura Gunner. You suffer no penalties when using the Gunnery skill one range from optimal (such
as firing a medium range weapon at long range), and suffer only half-penalties when firing two
ranges from optimal (such as firing a short range weapon at long range). In addition, the Open Fire
action becomes a Simple Action for you.
- Rank 4: In Attack Position: The Nakamura Gunner has learned how to
harness his
abilities for repeated precision strikes. You may attack as a Simple Action when wielding a bow or
any weapon with the Samurai keyword.
- Rank 5: A Lion At Heart: Though they may not fight like the most
traditional of
Lion, the Nakamura is a believer in the Clan of Akodo down to their very core. Once per skirmish,
add your Integrity Rank in unkept dice to a single damage roll – whether using Kyujutsu or Gunnery.
Ikoma Action Star School
Description: When film entertainment became a rising trend in Rokugan, it was only
natural that the Crane and Scorpion take on the role of its biggest proponents (and beneficiaries). They
were, after all, the clans of artists and actors. But one other family saw where the trend was headed and
decided to carve out their own niche: the Ikoma of the Lion. Though the traditionalist other Lion families
scoffed at the fancy prancing tales of the clans of Doji and Bayushi, the Ikoma realized the way to appeal
to their own people (a vast audience that has only gotten more vast since Rokugan took to the stars) was to
specialize in action films. The clan of Akodo couldn’t resist, and eventually, neither could the rest of
Rokugan. Today, the Ikoma are the undisputed masters of action cinema, responsible for such classic series
as Seppuku Hard, Gon Wiku, and Lethal Katana.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Acting (Action Movies), Athletics, Kenjutsu, Jiujutsu, Demolitions, Courtier, Any
1 Skill
Integrity: 6.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Extravagant Clothing, Sunglasses, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling
Pack, 10 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Blade Landing: You know how to strike a pose at the most
opportune
moment. A number of times per mod equal to your School Rank while in any stance, you can add your
Awareness rank as a flat bonus to the result of any Skill roll.
- Rank 2: Dodge This: When you don’t want to be hit, your acting prowess
ensures
you are too cool for blows to touch you. When in the Defense Stance, you add your Acting Skill rank
to your Armor TN rather than your Defense Skill rank. When in the Full Defense stance, you roll your
Awareness/Acting in place of Reflexes/Defense. You may make one attack per round while in the
Defense stance.
- Rank 3: Yippie Ki-Yay: Most people don’t get multiple chances at
greatness, but
you’re not most people. A number of times per mod equal to your School Rank while in the Attack
stance, you can spend a Void Point as a Simple Action to re-roll any roll, taking the higher of the
two results.
- Rank 4: Kung Fu Hustle: You have become a master at rapidly striking,
both on and
off-camera. You may make attacks as a Simple Action while unarmed or with weapons with the Samurai
keyword.
- Rank 5: Get Off My Spaceship: You know how to dramatically end a combat.
When in
the Full Attack stance, you may spend a Void Point while making a Feint maneuver. If the maneuver is
successful, you triple the damage bonus from Feint.
Matsu Beastmaster - Altered
Description: The Beastmaster organization is completely unique in its approach to war and
to animals. Many other clans train animals for combat, but the Matsu Beastmasters take a personal approach
to each beast. The lion is a savage creature that fights as part of a group called a pride. The Beastmaster
adopts lion warcats into their own pride, bonding emotionally and spiritually to the warcat that charges
into battle beside him. The Beastmaster treats their warcat as an equal, fostering a sense of family and
belonging.
The communication between Beastmaster and warcat borders on the mystical. Once a warcat has trained with her
Beastmaster, she can sense what they want without any words or gestures. However, this intense empathy
between human and predatory animal can sometimes hinder the Beastmaster’s social abilities among humans.
Most Beastmasters tend to stay amongst their own kind rather than share the company of “normal” samurai.
Some Lion generals have raised concerns about this, but the Beastmasters retort that they are still Matsu
above all. Only the Matsu, they say, are strong and proud enough to maintain their hold on Bushido and human
traditions under such pressures.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Animal Handling (Warcat) 2, Battle, Defense, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, Any 1 Bugei
Skill
Integrity: 5.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: One With the Pride: You have trained in the highly secretive dojo
of the Matsu Beastmasters and have forged a bond with one of the legendary Lion warcats. The lion
will accompany you wherever you go and follow basic commands without question. No lion will ever
attack you without being compelled to do so in some way. You may use your Void Points to benefit
your warcat (reducing damage, boosting attack rolls, etc.). As a Complex Action, you may direct your
warcat to attack. Once per skirmish, this may be done as a Free Action. When you direct your warcat
to attack, it adds your Animal Handling rank in rolled dice to its attack roll. When your warcat is
not attacking (other than as a Free Action), it will automatically use the Guard Action to protect
you. Your warcat may use the Guard Action at double the normal range (10’).
- Rank 2: Heart of the Beast: Your training with your warcat has increased
your physical abilities as well as your mental bond with your lion, and now you move as swift as the
wind. Neither you nor your warcat provokes attacks of opportunity so long as both of you remain
active. Your warcat gains +2k0 to all damage rolls, and gains one rank of Earth (33 Wounds).
- Rank 3: The Ferocity Within: You strike as fiercely as the lions you have
trained. When wielding a katana, wakizashi, magari-yari, nage-yari, or any knife, or when fighting
unarmed, you may make melee attacks as a Simple Action. Your warcat gains +0k2 to his attack rolls,
and you may now direct them to attack as a Simple Action. Twice per skirmish (but not on the same
turn), this may be done as a Free Action.
- Rank 4: All As One: The fury of the beastmaster and his pride is a
whispered legend among your clan's enemies, and for good reason. You and your warcat gain a bonus of
+2k1 on all damage rolls made when fighting within 20’ of one another. Your warcat also gains +10
Armor TN and +2 Reduction, and one additional rank of Earth (another 33 Wounds).
- Rank 5: With the Soul of a Lion: United by your leadership and
companionship, your pride has become fearsome indeed. Your warcat gains another +0k1 to his attack
rolls. Once per turn, you may direct your warcat to Attack as a Free Action (this replaces the Free
Action bonus from Ranks 1 and 3).
New Mantis Schools
Kitsune Ranger School
Description: The former Fox Clan has long been known as shindoshi with an intimate
connection to Chikushudo, the Realm of Animals – but not every member of the clan is gifted with magical
abilities. So what happens to the other members of the family? Many of them choose to channel their natural
(if non-magical) connection to the forests and jungles to become Kitsune Rangers. Armed with the parangu,
their weapon of choice, perhaps no group is as feared in jungle combat as they are.
Benefit: +1 Perception
Skills: Hunting (Trailblazing) 2, Knives, Kyujutsu, Defense, Stealth, Intimidation
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothes, Two Parangu, Bow, Traveling Pack, 12 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: That’s not a Knife…: You are always armed, even when it doesn’t
make
any sense for you to be. Deal +1k0 damage when wielding a parangu. You suffer no penalties when
wielding a parangu in your off-hand. In addition, if you are not in a formal setting where weapons
are disallowed, you are always considered to have at least one parangu on you, no matter how many
have broken. No one knows where you keep getting these things.
- Rank 2: …THIS is a Knife: Parangu that break deal an additional 5
Wounds as
shards become lodged in the target. In addition, you may draw a parangu as a Free Action with either
hand.
- Rank 3: Two-Weapon Ranger: You have achieved many feats fighting with
weapons
in both hands. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a bow or any weapon with the
Peasant keyword in each hand.
- Rank 4: Silent Stalker: When you make a Stealth roll in a jungle or
forest
environment, you may spend a Void Point to automatically succeed at the roll. In addition, you gain
the Tracking emphasis to your Hunting skill for free. If you already had the Tracking emphasis, you
may choose another emphasis.
- Rank 5: Meriru’s Marauder: Your attacks cannot be stopped when you
fight in the
wilderness. When you are fighting in any jungle or forest environment, add your Hunting Skill rank
in unkept dice to all attack rolls. When fighting in any other environment that contains any sort of
cover, gain half this bonus (rounded down).
Komori Shindoshi School
Description: The Bat Clan rejoined the Great Clan from which they had sprung not long
before the War of the Broken Sun. Their shindoshi have since served as an important role within the Mantis,
helping to provide long-distance communication across the clan’s far-flung territories. Though there has
never been a Komori Mantis Clan Champion, they have been the pivotal vote multiple times.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Spellcraft, Calligraphy (Cipher), Lore: Ancestors, Lore: Theology, Meditation,
Tea Ceremony, Engineering, Any 1 High Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Any 1 Weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 12 Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Air/Earth
Spells: 3 Air, 2 Water, 1 Fire
Technique:
- The Kami's Whispers: The Komori practice the rituals of the koumori
spirits from whom their founder is descended, and ferry messages from one to another via the kami.
You may expend one spell slot to send a whispered message to another individual known to you. This
message must be no longer in length than thirty seconds per School Rank, and may be delivered a
maximum distance equal to your School Rank x 100 miles.
Moshi Guardian of the Sun School
Description: The men of the Moshi family had long been given short shrift within their
ranks. Banned from entering the clan’s shindoshi school (a tradition that persists to the present day), most
took up one school or other of the Yoritomo – but still, the yearning for their own identity remained. The
Moshi Guardians of the Sun were a small, specialized group that had existed since the family’s time as the
Centipede Clan, but it wasn’t until the 18th century that it was formally developed into a full school. Now,
the Guardians of the Sun serve as the Mantis clan’s primary yojimbo and garrison defenders across the
Emerald Stars, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their brethren.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Spears, Kenjutsu, Investigation (Notice), Athletics, Defense, Lore: Theology,
Any 1 High or Bugei Skill
Integrity: 6.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Jumonji Yari, Daisho, Traveling Pack, 12 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Lord Sun’s Light: You are adept at assessing an opponent’s
weaknesses
before a fight even begins. At the beginning of the fight and before initiative is rolled, you may
roll Investigation/Awareness opposed by the opponent’s Weapon Skill/Relevant Trait. If successful,
you may add your Investigation Skill to your Armor TN, to a maximum of Twice your School Rank.
- Rank 2: Dance of the Sun: You are extraordinarily adept at deflecting
opponents’ strikes. Gain +2k0 to all Defense rolls and add +5 to your Armor TN when you adopt the
Defense or Full Defense stances. In addition, when wielding a jumonji yari, anyone who you target
with the Guard maneuver gains +1k1 to their Armor TN.
- Rank 3: Sun Never Sets: A Moshi Guardian of the Sun never lets down his
guard.
Every day, you receive a number of Free Raises equal to your School Rank. They can be used on any
School Skill rolls, but never more than one at a time. The raises refresh after a night of sleep.
- Rank 4: The Light Within: You have learned to wield the jumonji yari
with
deadly speed. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a jumonji yari or any weapon
with the Samurai keyword.
- Rank 5: Sun’s Brilliant Glare: Immediately after an enemy fails to hit
you
while you are in the Defense or Full Defense Stances, you can spend a Void point to activate this
technique. You can immediately attack this opponent, ignoring the restrictions of the Defense or
Full Defense stances, with a +2k1 bonus on both the attack and the damage roll.
Tsuruchi Fighter Ace
Description: Though they are peerless as archers, the advent of space travel showed the
Tsuruchi’s limitations as gunners. The Mantis’s creation and development of fighter craft was a direct
response to this problem: suddenly, the Tsuruchi’s legendary hand-eye coordination could again be harnessed
to the benefit of the clan of Yoritomo. Today, there are no better fighter pilots in the galaxy than the
Tsuruchi Fighter Aces, who make up the bulk of the Mantis’s offensive striking capability in ship combat.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Piloting 2 (Fighters), Kyujutsu, Gunnery, Defense, Athletics, Any 1 High or
Bugei Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Flight Suit Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Tsuruchi Longbow, Daisho, Traveling Pack,
12 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Hangman’s Accuracy: The Tsuruchi Fighter Ace strikes with
deadly
precision. You gain a bonus of +2k0 to all damage rolls while piloting a fighter.
- Rank 2: Iceman’s Calm: The Tsuruchi Fighter Ace has ice water in his
veins. You
may use your Reflexes Trait instead of your Intelligence Trait for Gunnery rolls while piloting a
fighter. In addition, you gain a Free Raise on all rolls to resist Fear effects.
- Rank 3: Maverick’s Daring: The Tsuruchi Fighter Ace doesn’t dedicate
himself to
the bow as thoroughly as his Tsuruchi archer cousins, but he’s no slouch, either. You may make
attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a bow.
- Rank 4: Leaf on the Wind: The Tsuruchi Fighter Ace has a near-mythical
ability
to avoid getting shot down. Once per turn while piloting a fighter after damage is rolled against
you, you may spend a Void Point and roll Piloting Reflexes against a TN equal to the opponent’s
attack roll. If you are successful, the shot misses entirely as you miraculously perform a last
second dodge.
- Rank 5: Target-Rich Environment: The Tsuruchi Fighter Ace’s pinpoint
accuracy
in a fighter is truly terrifying to behold. When piloting a fighter and dealing damage against any
enemy ship larger than a fighter, you may choose to target individual external components rather
than the ship’s hull. In addition, you may now use your Rank 4 technique against attacks targeting
you while in a skirmish.
Watanabe Shipwright School
Description: The Watanabe vassal family had been the shipwrights of the Yoritomo for
centuries before their elevation to mainline family in order to break a tie in the voting for Clan Champion
shortly after Rokugan took to the stars. It made sense, after all; though shipbuilding had always been
crucial to the success of the Mantis, their need for starships and burgeoning galactic ambitions only
heightened the importance of the Watanabe. Today, they are considered the finest shipwrights in the Emerald
Stars, designing craft with speed and maneuverability that outstrips those of any other clan – not to
mention their proficiency with the dai tsuchi.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Craft: Starships, Commerce, Engineering, Lore: Machinery, Piloting, Heavy
Weapons, Any 1 Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Light or Heavy Armor, Daisho, Dai Tsuchi, Repair Kit, Traveling Pack, 12 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: The Best At What I Do: The Watanabe Shipwright is good at what
he does
– and he knows it. When spending a Void Point on a School Skill roll, you gain +3k1 instead of +1k1.
- Rank 2: Hammer the Fan: The Watanabe Shipwright knows exactly what to
do with
his hammer – both in and out of combat. You deal an additional +0k1 damage when wielding a dai
tsuchi.
- Rank 3: Can’t Stop the Signal: Mantis ships can’t be left dead in the
water;
they can only be destroyed. Starships you build cannot have their engines disabled – ever.
- Rank 4: Hammer Time: The Watanabe Shipwright can make two blows count
as one.
You may make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a dai tsuchi. In addition, it only takes you
half as long to repair any starship.
- Rank 5: Strength Of Steel: When you build a new starship or modify an
existing
one, you may make an Intelligence/Engineering roll at TN 30 to either grant it an additional number
of Wounds as if the ship was one class higher, or increase its speed and maneuverability as if it
were one class lower. If this is attempted on an existing starship, it may only be achieved once –
and a failure renders the ship unable to ever be improved in this way. In addition, any attacks with
a dai tsuchi ignore 3 points of Reduction (this stacks with the Heavy Weapons Rank 3 Skill Bonus).
Tsuruchi Archer - Altered
Description: Even before joining the Mantis, when they were the Wasp Clan, there was
little
question that the Tsuruchi were the greatest archers in the Empire. That they have so embraced this as to
virtually put aside the study of the blade, however, has often caused others to look at them with great
suspicion. The Tsuruchi rarely care, however; they believe in the purity of the bow, and while their sensei
teach proficiency with other weapons as well, such are purely secondary concerns. The Tsuruchi Techniques
are
the epitome of the Rokugani philosophy of archery, which is that the arrow knows the way, and should be
fired
without hesitation or aiming.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Kyujutsu (Tsuruchi Longbow) 2, Defense, Athletics, Hunting, Investigation, Any
1 High or Bugei Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Light or Flight Suit Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Tsuruchi Longbow, Wakizashi,
Traveling Pack, 12 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Always Be Ready: The Tsuruchi Archer must be prepared to fight
against his foes with little warning. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls
using a bow. Additionally, you gain a bonus of +3 to your Initiative Score.
- Rank 2: The Arrow Knows the Way: A Tsuruchi must not aim, but simply
allow the arrow to follow its own path. You gain one Free Raise that can only be used to make the
Called Shot Maneuver. Additionally, you gain a bonus of +2k0 to the total of all damage rolls while
using a bow.
- Rank 3: The Wasp’s Sting: Tsuruchi's technique teaches its students
uncanny speed. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using a bow.
- Rank 4: Flight of No-Mind: The true archer does not concern himself
with the arrow, but exists only to loose it. Once per skirmish, you may shoot an arrow that knows
exactly where it must go as a Complex Action. This attack ignores all effects of armor, as well as
any penalties from Crippled or visibility. You may make Raises but you cannot perform the Extra
Attack Maneuver for this attack. You may not shoot a target that is further than your bow's normal
range with this Technique. In addition, you may use the Extra Attack maneuver to target two separate
opponents, although if either attack misses, both do.
- Rank 5: Tsuruchi’s Eye: The final lesson of Tsuruchi is that there is
nothing that cannot be felled by a single arrow. You may make a ranged attack as a Complex Action to
gain a bonus of +4k1 to the total of both attack and damage rolls. You may use this Technique in
conjunction with Flight of No-Mind.
New Phoenix Schools
Asako Nunchako
Description: The nunchaku was always a peasant tool, but there has likewise always
been something beautiful about its use in the hands of a master. In the 14th century, a Henshin named Asako
Li became obsessed with the weapon’s potential for both attack and defense and developed a school based
around the nunchaku’s deadly, twirling dance. The Asako Nunchako School was the result, and today they are
regarded as perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing combat artists in the Empire.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Staves (Nunchaku), Athletics, Defense, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Divination,
Any 1 Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Two Nunchaku, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Party Dude: The Asako Nunchako is nothing if not endlessly
stylish. As
a Free Action before you make an attack, you may declare you are flourishing your nunchaku. Make a
Void/Staves (Nunchaku) roll at TN 15; with a success, you spin your weapon and gain +1k0 to the
ensuing damage roll. You may do this on one roll up to a number of times equal to your School Rank,
with the TN rising by 5 each time. If at any point you fail this roll, you hit yourself with the
nunchaku in a truly embarrassing fashion, costing you a Simple Action and a point of Glory if anyone
was around to witness it. In addition, you suffer no penalty when wielding a nunchaku in your
off-hand.
- Rank 2: Karate in the Garage: No one understands the nunchaku like the
Asako
Nunchako. Gain +2k0 on all damage rolls with a nunchaku. In addition, you add your Staves score to
all Lore: Theology, Meditation, and Divination rolls.
- Rank 3: Chicks Dig Nunchucks: You are one with the ‘chucks. You may
make
attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a nunchaku. In addition, you may spend a Void Point to
re-roll any Void or Intelligence-based roll, keeping the higher of the two results.
- Rank 4: None Can Out-Twirl Me: You are adept at using your nunchaku to
soften
the impact of incoming blows. Gain 5 Reduction.
- Rank 5: The Thousand Strikes: You may spend a Void Point as a Complex
Action
to make four attacks with your nunchaku in rapid succession at the same target. You may not take
Raises on these attacks, but they ignore your target’s Armor TN bonus from any armor he is wearing,
as well as 5 of his Reduction. You may not use this technique on consecutive Rounds.
Isawa Chief Engineer
Description: The Isawa originally made space travel possible, and they’ve never let
the rest of the Empire forget it. To this day, while any shindoshi can power a Rokugani ship, none are finer
at coaxing the very limits from a ship’s engines as an Isawa. A more specialized version of the Isawa
Shindoshi School, an Isawa Chief Engineer commands the engine room on every ship in the Phoenix’s
(admittedly limited) fleet.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Spellcraft, Engineering (Starships) 2, Meditation, Calligraphy, Medicine,
Lore: Theology, Any 1 High Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Engineering Kit, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Fire/You do not have a Deficiency
Spells: 3 Fire, 2 Air, 1 Earth, 1 Water
Technique:
- Giving Her All She’s Got: No one can coax the very maximum out of
a ship’s engines quite like an Isawa Chief Engineer. When using the Overcharge action, you may
expend two additional spell slots to increase the duration of the effect by one Round.
Kaito Mystic Archer School
Description: There may not be a stranger school in the Empire than the Kaito Mystic
Archers. Owing to their legacy of blended Rokugani/Yobanjin origin, the Kaito practice a form of archery
wholly unique within Rokugan, imbuing their arrows themselves with varied spell effects. Though they are
small in number, no samurai in the Empire relishes the prospect of facing a Kaito Mystic Archer in combat.
Benefit: +1 Void
Skills: Kyujutsu, Knives, Defense, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft, Any 1 High
or Bugei Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Bow, Knife, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Barbed Mysticism: The Kaito Mystic Archer’s arrows strike with
otherworldly force. You may spend Void Points on damage when wielding a bow. In addition, your
arrows are automatically considered to possess the Jade quality.
- Rank 2: Mysteries of the Void: The Kaito Mystic Archer draws her
strength from her connection to the kami. During any skirmish, gain a number of Void Points equal to
half your Rank in Spellcraft (rounded down) which may only be used on attack rolls, damage rolls,
and to activate techniques.
- Rank 3: Elemental Arrow: Though she is not a shindoshi, the Kaito
Mystic Archer’s abilities call on the strength of the kami as if she was one. A number of times per
skirmish equal to your School Rank, you may spend a Void Point and fire a mystic arrow as a Complex
Action. If this arrow hits, it deals normal damage and also imbues the non-damage effect of any one
of the following spells on the target for three Rounds: Disrupt the Aura, Ravenous Swarms, Tempest
of Air, Your Heart’s Enemy, Earth’s Stagnation, Time’s Deadly Hand, Suitengu’s Curse, Yuki’s Touch,
or Severed From the Stream.
- Rank 4: The Kami’s Speed: The Kaito Mystic Archer knows that two
arrows are better than one. You may make attacks a Simple Action when wielding a bow.
- Rank 5: Arrow Roulette: The Kaito Mystic Archer can hinder her
opponent in myriad ways – though she can’t always control which one. You may spend a Void Point and
fire an arrow as a Simple Action. Roll a die. If the result is a 1-3, it deals damage as normal with
no additional effect. If it is a 4-6, your opponent is Dazed for one Round. If it is a 7-9, your
opponent is Blinded for one Round. If it is a 10, your opponent is Stunned for one Round. You may
only use this technique once per Round.
Shiba Yojimbo School
Description: The Shiba have long been considered the greatest yojimbo in the Empire;
they had to be, considering the importance to the Phoenix of protecting their Isawa, Asako, and Agasha
charges. Though the Shiba had long had a few specialized techniques for bodyguards, it wasn’t until the wake
of the War of the Broken Sun that they decided to formalize them into an entirely different school distinct
from the Shiba Bushi. The Shiba Yojimbo have since been considered the elites within the clan, afforded
tremendous respect and deference for the life of selfless service they willingly choose to take on.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Athletics, Kenjutsu, Defense 2, Etiquette, Intimidation, Any 1 Skill
Integrity: 5.5
Outfit: Light or Heavy Armor, Sturdy Clothes, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling Pack, 5
Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Priority One Asset: The Shiba Yojimbo can take strength from
their charge’s reputation. At the start of a skirmish, you may designate one ally as your charge for
that skirmish. You add your designated charge’s Glory to both your Armor TN and your Initiative.
- Rank 2: I Am the Shield: No one alive can guard like the Shiba
Yojimbo. The target of your Guard action gains +20 to their Armor TN. Your bonus remains unchanged.
- Rank 3: Fury of the Bodyguard: The Yojimbo’s strikes are as precise as
they are furious when in defense of their charge. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when using
any weapon with the Samurai keyword.
- Rank 4: My Life For My Charge: The Shiba Yojimbo is now the ultimate
instrument of self-sacrifice. Any time your designated charge is hit by a physical attack or a
targeted (non-area-affect) damage-causing spell, if you are within 10' you may make a
Reflexes/Defense roll at TN 25. With a success, you take the damage instead of your charge. If you
spend a Void Point to reduce this damage, it is reduced by 20 instead of the normal 10.
- Rank 5: To The Last Breath: As long as the Shiba Yojimbo’s charge
draws breath, they cannot be brought down. You may ignore all Crippled penalties and the Out rank
for a number of Rounds equal to half your Earth Ring (rounded down) as long as your designated
charge still stands.
Shiba Illusionist School
Description: Though the Isawa and even the Agasha get all the attention within the
Phoenix, the Shiba (thanks largely to intermarriage with the other families) have no shortage of magical
talent themselves. The Shiba Illusionist tradition dated back centuries, but it wasn’t until the advent of
Rokugani cinema that they truly came into their own. Suddenly, there was a significant demand for special
effects – and the Shiba Illusionists were right there to answer the call. The Crane, Scorpion, and Lion now
all call on the Shiba Illusionists when they really need to get a spectacular movie scene right.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Spellcraft, Meditation, Calligraphy, Acting, Defense, Etiquette, Engineering,
Any 1 High Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Any 1 Weapon, Spell Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Air/You do not have a deficiency
Spells: 3 Air, 2 Water, 1 Earth, 1 Fire
Technique:
- The Tejina's Art: The path of the illusionist is one that specializes
in crafting false images. You gain a number of additional spell slots per mod equal to your School
Rank. You may only use these slots to cast spells with the Illusion keyword.
Scorpion
/ Kochako Hacker School
Description: While every clan maintains some presence in cyberspace, no family in the
Emerald Stars is as adept at making computer systems sit up and beg as the Kochako. Long the Scorpion
ombudsman family, the advent of computers was a tremendous boon to the Kochako, who immediately realized the
new technology’s potential for their already existing purpose. It had the dual benefit of further cementing
their value to the clan and protecting them from a repeat of their near-wipeout in the 12th century; a
Kochako Hacker is now an intricate part of nearly every Scorpion covert action.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Computers (Hacking) 2, Knives, Stealth, Etiquette, Investigation, Any 1 Low
Skill
Integrity: 2.5
Outfit: Courtier Armor, Sturdy Clothes, Personal Laptop, Knife, Traveling Pack, 5
Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Fingerprinting: The Kochako Hacker knows his opponent almost
as well as he knows the machines he works with. Add half your Awareness score (rounded down) in
unkept dice as a bonus to all Computers rolls.
- Rank 2: I Can Make You Disappear: If you spend an hour fiddling with
it, you may shift the identity markings of any samurai’s Marking Augmentation Chip. In effect, this
allows them to assume a new identity, as low-level scanners will pick up only the cover identity.
High-level scanners, however, might detect something is amiss.
- Rank 3: Black Hat: The Kochako Hacker is always able to liberate some
emergency discretionary income. Once per mod, you can spend 5 minutes and make an
Intelligence/Computers (Hacking) roll at TN 30 on a nearby RTM (Rokugani Teller Machine). If you are
successful, you gain one koku, plus one koku for every 15 by which you exceeded the roll.
- Rank 4: Unauthorized Access: The Kochako Hacker flits through
cyberspace like a ghost on the wind. You may spend a Void Point to avoid all detection for 5 minutes
while inside a computer system. You may spend multiple consecutive Void Points in this manner to
extend the time you remain impossible to detect.
- Rank 5: Ghost in the Shell: The Kochako Hacker now knows the
intricate weavings of man's technology like she knows herself. Security systems such as scanners,
cameras, and motion sensors simply do not detect you.
Bayushi Outrider - Advanced
Description: Though the Bayushi do not maintain a large standing cavalry force, they
do maintain a small, highly specialized mounted force known as the Outriders. These Scorpion cavalrymen are
trained to operate independently or in small groups, making lightning hit-and-run attacks and harassing
enemy supply lines and high value targets either from horseback or from hoverbikes, rather than the large
sweeping mounted flanking attacks common to Unicorn cavalry forces.
Rings/Traits: Fire 4, Stamina 4, Void 5
Skills: Horsemanship or Piloting 5, Kenjutsu 5
Techniques:
- Rank 1: The Equestrian Connection: The Bayushi Outrider is skilled in
performing deceptive maneuvers from horseback. When fighting from horseback, you may Feint for one
Raise instead of two. In addition, your bonus Feint damage in all situations is no longer limited by
your Insight Rank.
- Rank 2: Saddle Up: A Bayushi Outrider strikes like the wind. You gain
+2k2 to your Initiative Rolls when fighting from horseback.
- Rank 3: Horse Gymnastics: Bayushi Outriders have developed a unique
flying dismount technique that always seems to catch their opponents totally off-guard. Once per
skirmish, you may make a leaping dismount maneuver at an opponent as a Complex Action using
Agility/Horsemanship. This attack ignores the target’s Armor TN bonus from armor and stance, as well
as all Reduction, and gains +4k1 to both the attack and damage rolls.
Yogo Saboteurs - Alternate Path
Description: Though the Kaiu Sappers are considered the finest explosives experts in
Rokugan, there is another family that has learned to make heavy use of things that go boom: the Yogo. A
highly specialized unit of Scorpion infiltrators who specialize in getting into a location, setting an
explosive, and getting out alive, the Yogo Saboteurs accept members from all Scorpion families – so long as
they have the talent for quiet destruction.
Replaces: Any Scorpion Rank 3
Requirements: Demolitions 4, Stealth 4
Technique:
- Yogo Sappers specialize in hiding their explosives in hard to reach places, as well as crafting
numerous failsafe triggers and false shutoffs into their devices. There is no “cutting the red wire”
with a Yogo device, because they consist entirely of red wires. The TNs to locate and disarm any
explosive device you create are increased by 20.
Unicorn
Ide Duelist School
Description: Almost since the Unicorn Clan’s founding, the Ide family has possessed
somewhat of a symbiotic bond with the Moto family, attempting to smooth over their rough edges when
diplomacy was called for. This hasn’t always worked, and quite frankly, the Ide got tired of how, when their
apologies failed, the Moto would take their traditional tack of attempting to hack everything in their way
apart. Thus were formed the Ide Duelists, whose mandate was to win duels with nonlethal means in order to
foster diplomacy and understanding. In keeping with their pacifistic nature, Ide Duelists do not engage in
duels to the death – ever. In duels to first blood, though, even the Kakita have come to begrudgingly
respect their abilities.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Iaijutsu (Assessment), Kenjutsu, Defense, Sincerity, Horsemanship, Tea
Ceremony, Any 1 High or Bugei Skill
Integrity: 6.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Fine Clothes, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Unicorn Riding Horse,
Traveling Pack, 10 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Whispers on the Wind: An Ide Duelist is particularly good at
analyzing his opponents. You gain a bonus to all Iaijutsu Assessment rolls equal to twice your Air
Ring. In addition, you add your Air Ring to your Armor TN at all times.
- Rank 2: Sensing the Wind: The Ide Duelist is implacable and impossible
to provoke. You gain +3k0 on any contested Social roll (this includes the Assessment stage of an
Iaijutsu duel, but not the Focus or Strike stages).
- Rank 3: Wind Blows Twice: The Ide Duelist is one with his sword. You
may make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a katana.
- Rank 4: Wind Blows Gently: An Ide Duelist is a master of subduing his
opponents without killing them. You may make the Disarm maneuver for two Raises instead of three. In
addition, gain +2k0 on all Contested Strength rolls on a Disarm maneuver.
- Rank 5: Wind is my Shield: Once per mod during a skirmish, you may
spend a Void Point as a Free Action. For a number of Rounds equal to your Integrity Rank, add half
your Iaijutsu Skill rank (rounded down) in unkept dice to all rolls. If you kill any human opponents
while this technique is active, lose an entire rank of Integrity.
Tolui Gearhead School
Description: Tolui Gearheads are considered something of an oddity by the rest of the
Empire; many appreciate the machines they make, but don’t think much of them otherwise. Only the Unicorn
understand their true value: no family in the Empire can get a rusted-out hunk of junk working like the
Tolui. The inveterate tinkerers of the Tolui Gearhead School have long since earned their family’s motto:
“If We Can’t Fix It, No One Can.”
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Craft: Hoverbikes, Kenjutsu, Defense, Engineering, Investigation, Piloting,
Gunnery, Any 1 Bugei Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Light or Riding Armor, Sturdy Clothes, Daisho, Scimitar, Traveling Pack, 10
Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Turn ‘Em and Burn ‘Em: All hoverbikes produced by Tolui
Gearheads are genetically locked to their owners. Any hoverbike you build is automatically encoded
so that only its designated owner can start it. You, however, know the trick to disabling this
encoding, and can locked to their owners. Any hoverbike you build is automatically encoded so that
only its designated owner can start it. You, however, know the trick to disabling this encoding, and
can start any hoverbike without difficulty. In addition, once per skirmish, gain the benefits of the
Full Attack Stance without the associated penalties for one Round.
- Rank 2: I Am Iron Unicorn: The Tolui Gearhead can improvise extra
armor from almost anything. By spending an hour and making an Intelligence/Engineering roll at TN
25, he may craft an improvised piece of armor to tack onto his existing armor. This may be a
buckler, a helmet, a leg guard, or any other piece his heart desires. This piece of armor adds +2 to
his Armor TN and 2 to his Reduction until he has taken 30 Wounds (after Reduction), at which point
it breaks.
- Rank 3: Kick The Tires…: The Tolui Gearhead’s bikes leave opponents
gasping in the dust. Any hoverbikes you build have a top speed as if their Water Ring was two ranks
higher for you personally.
- Rank 4: …And Light the Fires: They may not be full-time bushi, but
every Tolui Gearhead still descends from the Moto. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when
wielding a scimitar or a weapon with the Samurai keyword.
- Rank 5: Come On, Baby, Hold Together: Tolui Gearheads are renowned for
taking a busted hunk of metal and somehow getting it moving, even with vehicles they’ve never seen
before. As long as a mechanical vehicle – any vehicle, including starships – remains physically
intact, you can jury-rig it enough to get it mobile – though it won’t be able to take many hits
before it is rendered inoperable once more.
Utaku Battle Maiden - Altered
Description: The Utaku Battle Maidens, also known as the shiotome, are the finest and
most respected cavalry in all the Empire, feared by reputation even more so than their kinsmen among the
Moto and Shinjo families. While the remainder of the Clan trains on gaijin riding horses, a larger and
sturdier breed than the simple Rokugani pony, the Utaku alone have the right to breed, raise, and ride into
battle the legendary Utaku steeds, the finest horses in the world. Like other Unicorn bushi Schools, the
Utaku Battle Maiden Techniques focus on mounted combat, although not to the total exclusion of non-mounted
abilities. On a horse, however, an Utaku is a threat to virtually any human opponent.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Horsemanship 2, Kenjutsu, Iaijutsu, Battle, Defense, Any 1 High or Bugei Skill
Integrity: 6.5
Outfit: Light or Riding Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling Pack,
Horse (Utaku Warhorse), 10 koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Riding in Harmony: The Utaku Battle Maiden understands how to
apply her legendary riding abilities to all sorts of situations. You add your Horsemanship Skill
rank to your Armor TN and to the total of all Iaijutsu rolls.
- Rank 2: Wind Never Stops: The Utaku Battle Maiden strikes not into her
target, but straight through them. Once per skirmish, you may make an overrun attack on opponent in
melee as a Complex Action, charging past them with Agility/Jiujutsu and dealing unarmed damage. You
also make Contested Strength roll to knock them prone. If this technique is used while on horseback,
your charge is made at Agility/Horsemanship instead of Agility/Jiujutsu, you substitute your horse's
Strength (6) for your own, and you deal your horse's trample damage (6k4) instead of your unarmed
damage.
- Rank 3: Sensing the Breeze: The Utaku Battle Maiden strikes with the
swiftness – and silence – of the wind. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when using any weapon
with the samurai keyword. Additionally, your rank two technique becomes a Simple Action when used
unmounted.
- Rank 4: Anything You Can Do: Utaku Battle Maidens are particularly
difficult opponents when facing male samurai. You gain +1k0 to all attack and damage rolls when
fighting against a man. When you are mounted, this bonus is +1k1.
- Rank 5: Otaku’s Blessing: The Utaku carry the honor of their founder
as their shield. At the beginning of your Turn, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to
activate this Technique. You add your Integrity Rank to all damage rolls and Bugei Skill Rolls this
Turn.
New Minor Clan Schools
Any Minor Clan
Minor Clan Alliance Paragon - Advanced
Description: A pact formed out of necessity, the Minor Clan Alliance now represents the interests of
all the various clan samurai outside of the eight Great Clans. Within their ranks are the Paragons,
defenders of the honor of the little guy drawn from every Minor Clan under the suns. Though they may be but
little, the ranks of the Minor Clan Alliance Paragons are fierce.
Rings/Traits: Fire 4, Water 4, Earth 4
Skills: Kenjutsu 5, Defense 3, Lore: Minor Clans 3
Other Requirements: Must be a member of a Minor Clan.
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Sacrifice My Name: The Minor Clan Paragon lives not for his own success, but
for that of his clan – and of all Minor Clans. You may spend one point of your Glory or Integrity to
re-roll any failed roll, keeping the higher of the two results.
- Rank 2: Strength From Obscurity: A Minor Clan Paragon is implacable in the pursuit of
his duty. When defending the interests or honor of a Minor Clan and wearing armor, roll 1k1 any time
you take non-magical damage and reduce the incoming damage by that amount. This die cannot explode,
but it does stack with any Reduction you already possess.
- Rank 3: Little, But Fierce: The Minor Clans feature samurai just as heroic as those of
the Great Clans – even if the Great Clans refuse to recognize it. Any time you are fighting against
Great Clan samurai, gain +1k1 to all attack and damage rolls.
Deer
Toyotomi Fortune Master School
Description: In the wake of Toku Toyotomi’s death, the Deer took to their new task with a
relish. Specializing in the naginata, the Toyotomi Fortune Masters draw strength from the Fortunes
themselves, basing their techniques on the personalities of those legendary figures. Though the Deer are
considered somewhat strange by other clans, they are, much like the Monkey, welcomed among any who
appreciate cheerful samurai with a soul full of adventure.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Polearms (Naginata), Investigation, Sincerity, Divination, Lore: Fortunes 2, Any
Lore Skill
Integrity: 5.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Naginata, Daisho, Traveling Pack, 2 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Sakura’s Longwinded Stories: You can recount the whimsical tales
told by Sakura, Fortune of Stories. You may recount a story as part of any action that requires a
social roll, gaining a Free Raise on the roll. In addition, gain +1k0 to all attacks with a
Naginata.
- Rank 2: Aranisu’s Bitter Irony: You meditate on the absurdist koans of
Aranisu, Fortune of Irony. You may add your ranks in any Lore skill as a flat bonus to any roll as
long as you can justify how your knowledge of that specific subject could help you. Gain +1k0 to all
damage with a naginata.
- Rank 3: Jiro’s Magnetic Leadership: You are inspired by Jiro, Fortune of
Leadership. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a naginata.
- Rank 4: Kisada’s Endless Persistence: You take strength from Kisada,
Fortune of Persistence. Spend a Void Point. You may borrow a Simple Action from your next turn to be
used immediately when wielding a naginata. In addition, you gain one Inner Gift for free.
- Rank 5: Junji’s Final Sacrifice: You recall the last words of Junji,
Fortune of Sacrifice. Once per mod if you have at least one Void Point remaining, you may spend it
as a Complex Action and sacrifice your remaining health pool to deal half your total Wounds (not
remaining Wounds – your total pool) to a number of opponents equal to your Insight Rank. These
Wounds are immune to all Reduction and cannot be negated, either with Void Points or Techniques that
usually negate damage. The actual form this technique takes is up to the PC and the GM. This
technique renders you unconscious rather than dead, but if any opponents remain alive, there is
nothing to stop them from finishing the job…
Dove
Jeong Peacemaker School
Description: The Dove Clan has one mandate: preserve peace between the clans. Though they
don’t always succeed, their efforts have historically borne fruit, preventing at least one major
intergalactic war. In general, the Jeong family’s Peacemakers are welcomed by all Clans – though perhaps
somewhat less so by the Lion and Mantis, whose expansionist tendencies tend to put them at odds with the
Dove.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Courtier (Diplomacy), Etiquette, Sincerity, Piloting (Frigates), Temptation, Any
2 Lore: Great Clans skills
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Courtier Armor, Fine Clothes, Wakizashi, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, 3 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Why Can’t We Be Friends: The Jeong Peacemaker is ever-committed
to de-escalating tense situations. Gain +3k0 to any Social roll to cool tensions in your presence.
- Rank 2: Bird on the Wind: The Dove are extraordinarily adept pilots,
possibly second only to the Tsuruchi. Any ship you pilot functions as if its speed and
maneuverability were one size class lower and its armor were one size class higher.
- Rank 3: A Friend in Every Port: The Jeong Peacemaker makes friends and
influences people wherever he goes. Provided you have been somewhere before, you are considered to
have at least one Ally there with enough pull to open doors for you. In practical terms, unless
story reasons prevent it, not only can you get a meeting with whoever you wish in the city, but most
officials will generally be favorably disposed towards you.
- Rank 4: Olive Branch’s Many Blooms: The Jeong Peacemaker’s greatest pride
is in solving conflicts. Gain 1 point of Glory and 1 point of Integrity every time you amicably
settle a dispute between members of two different clans. In addition, gain a Social or Mental
Advantage of your choice worth up to 4 points.
- Rank 5: Neonlight: The Jeong Peacemaker is a master of convincing those
around them that they didn’t see what they thought they saw and hear what they thought they heard.
Spend a Void Point and make a Contested roll of your Awareness/Courtier (Diplomacy) vs. your
target’s Awareness/Etiquette. If you succeed, you cause them to believe a different (yet plausible)
version of the same events took place, which you present to them.
Kabutogani
/
Sakai Physician School
Description: Rokugani society typically relies on magic for healing, but what
happens when magic isn’t available? That’s where the Sakai Physicians come in: though they may be small in
number, they sit at the forefront of scientific advances in medicine – and their services are available to
all clans equally, regardless of political allegiance. Coincidentally (or perhaps not coincidentally), their
knowledge of the human body leads them to some uniquely deadly combat abilities.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Kenjutsu, Knives, Defense, Medicine 2 (Wound Treatment), Lore: Anatomy, Any
1 High or Bugei Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Courtier Armor, Sensible Clothing, Daisho, Laser Scalpel, Traveling Pack, 3
Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Clear!: Your knowledge of medicine gives you the ability to
see weak points others cannot, both on and off the battlefield. You may re-roll any Medicine Skill
roll, and the ensuing Wound Treatment roll, once. Add a bonus to all damage rolls equal to your
ranks in Lore: Anatomy.
- Rank 2: Surgical Rotation: You are no longer simply a doctor; you
are now a specialist. Add your ranks in Medicine to your Armor TN. In addition, gain one Emphasis
under the Medicine Skill for free, and add +1k2 to the healing conferred by all Medicine rolls.
- Rank 3: Pre-Existing Condition: Your knowledge of medicine has made
you a force to be reckoned with. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when using any weapon with
the Samurai or Small keywords. In addition, you gain +3k0 to any Medicine Skill roll to counteract
the effects of a poison.
- Rank 4: Expert in My Field: You are one of the foremost medical
experts in your field, and you can make sure everyone else knows it. Spend a Void Point and make an
Awareness/Medicine roll at TN 30. Anyone you speak to regards you as a medical expert for the
duration of your current conversation. In addition, you may now use your Medicine skill to heal each
character twice per scene instead of once.
- Rank 5: DNR Order: You know exactly where the line lies between
life and death. When an opponent has less than half of their Wounds remaining, you deal an
additional +3k0 damage on all attacks against them. In addition, gain another Emphasis under the
Medicine Skill for free.
Sakai Paramedic - Alternate Path
Description: Certain members of the Kabutogani Clan train not merely to be doctors,
but to be on-the-spot trauma experts. These Sakai Paramedics are capable of incredible feats in bringing
their patients back from the brink of death, in part because they have seen some serious shit.
Replaces: Sakai Physician 3
Requirements: Medicine 4, Intelligence 4
Techniques:
- Not Dying On Me: A Sakai Paramedic can perform incredible feats to save
patients’ lives in the heat of the moment. As a Complex Action, you may target an unconscious ally
with a defibrillator pack and make an Intelligence/Medicine roll at TN 25. If you succeed, you
revive them to half health. This ability may only be used on any one ally once per mod.
Komodo
Tachibana Acrobat School
Description: The Komodo are but humble acrobats and entertainers; why would you even
suggest otherwise? In point of fact, the Tachibana Acrobats – though certainly talented at their listed
profession – are among the foremost assassins and stealth experts among the Emerald Stars, and certainly the
most gifted you can find outside the Scorpion Clan. In particular, their expertise in poisons is unrivaled,
even by the Shosuro Family.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Ninjitsu, Knives, Stealth, Athletics (Jumping), Medicine (Poisons), Acting,
Perform: Acrobatics
Integrity: 1.5
Outfit: Acrobat’s Attire, Dark Clothing, Knife, Any 2 Ninjitsu Weapons, Traveling Pack,
5 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: The Komodo’s Bite: No one, not even the Shosuro, have mastered
poisons like the Tachibana. The duration on all your poisons is doubled, and any roll to cure them
has its TN increased by 10. In addition, if your poisons would not have their normal effect on a
target (such as an oni or a spirit), they instead allow you to deal +0k1 damage against them.
- Rank 2: Flip-Lizard: The Tachibana Acrobat is adept at using their
Athletic abilities to evade detection. Add twice your Rank in Athletics to the result of any Stealth
Skill roll. In addition, you gain double the amount of Glory from any public performance which
displays your acrobatic abilities.
- Rank 3: Walking Apothecary: The Tachibana Acrobat never goes out
unprepared. Unless you have been thoroughly disarmed, you are assumed to always have at least one
dose of each of the following on hand: Night Milk, Dripping Poison, Venom, Fire Biter, Kirei-ko,
Jeruku Ropu, and Sleeping Breath. In addition, you gain a +2k0 bonus to damage when using any knife
or ninjutsu weapon.
- Rank 4: Swiftness of My Scales: The Komodo may look slow, but it
strikes with surprising speed. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a ninjutsu
weapon or a knife. In addition, any roll to cure your poisons has its TN increased by 20 (replacing
the bonus at Rank 1).
- Rank 5: Ghost on the Breeze: The Tachibana Acrobat can poison a target
in the middle of a crowded room without being seen. Once per mod, you may spend a Void Point when
within 5’ of a target to administer a poison completely undetected. Though those around may suspect
you for other reasons, in mechanical terms, any Investigation or other Skill roll to detect what you
are doing automatically fails.
Monkey
Fuzake Shindoshi School - Altered
Description: The Fuzake originated as a small order of ronin shugenja within Toturi’s
Army, led by a young man named Yasuki Garou (later Fuzake Garou) who was a close friend to Toku. When the
Monkey Clan was formed he immediately swore fealty to it. The Fuzake dedicate themselves to healing and to
an intense but rather eccentric veneration of the Fortunes.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Calligraphy, Defense, Etiquette, Lore: Theology, Medicine, Spellcraft, any one
High/Merchant Skill
Integrity: 5.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 2 Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Earth/Fire
Spells: 3 Earth, 2 Water, 1 Air
Techniques:
- The Sideways Path - The shugenja who came to be known as Fuzake Garou was
originally trained by the Kuni, but spent much of his life trying to protect and heal those around
him. Over time he found ways to call on his Earth magic to support his efforts, and after his
disappearance and apparent death at the Battle of Oblivion’s Gate, his followers pursued and
eventually perfected the crude technique he devised. When casting a spell that heals Wounds or cures
poison or illness (such as Path to Inner Peace or Peace of the Kami), you may opt to also expend one
or more Earth spell slots; each such slot awards three Free Raises on your Spell Casting Roll. In
addition, you automatically possess the spell Path to Inner Peace without needing to purchase it.
Otter
Mori Cyberneticist School
Description: Though the Otter’s creation – and subsequent mandate – involved the
creation and furtherance of androids and cybernetics, they’ve since learned how to apply those techniques to
other forms of technology. The Phoenix may have the best engineers in the galaxy, but the Mori
Cyberneticists have no short of call for their services among the Mantis, Unicorn, and Crab who sometimes
need their electronic expertise.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Spellcraft, Meditation, Lore: Machinery, Craft: Machinery, Engineering,
Computers, Any 1 High Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Any 1 Weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 2 Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Air/Earth
Spells: 3 Air, 2 Water, 1 Fire
Technique:
- Yorei in the Mechanism: You are the ghost in the machine. You may expend an Air
spell slot to gain a +2k1 to any Computers, Craft: Machinery, Engineering, Piloting, or Lore:
Machinery roll. Multiple spell slots may be expended in this manner at one time. Gain a Free Raise
on all spells with the Technology keyword.
Panda
Xiangmei Gourmand School
Description: No clan enjoys cooking like the Panda. Xiangmei Gourmands are rarely found
in groups; instead, they travel the Empire and beyond on solitary pilgrimages, learning all they can about
far-ranging culinary traditions, then returning to share their newfound secrets with the rest of the clan.
They have applied these principles of flexibility and joy to their school, which focuses on two things: the
bo staff and the culinary arts.
Benefit: +1 Stamina
Skills: Artisan: Cooking 2, Staves, Jiujutsu, Meditation, Sincerity (Honesty), Any 1
High or Bugei Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Simple Clothes, Bo Staff, Straw Hat, Traveling Pack, 2 Koku
Technique:
- Rank 1: Jolly Panda Never Falters: The Panda can keep its feet in almost
any situation. The TN of any roll to throw, knockdown, or unbalance you in any way is increased by
20. In addition, gain a bonus equal to your School Rank in unkept dice to any eating contest roll.
- Rank 2: Feast For the Senses: The Panda takes its strength from its
constant love of sustenance. If you have eaten in the last hour, you gain a number of Free Raises
equal to your School Rank on rolls within a single skirmish. Only one Raise may be spent per roll.
- Rank 3: Jolly Panda Has Claws: The Panda can be deceptively fast when it
wants to be. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when unarmed or wielding a bo staff. You gain
an automatic re-roll on any use of the Artisan: Cooking skill.
- Rank 4: The Secret Ingredient is Love: Your skill in the bo staff is
nearly unmatched – both on offense and defense. Gain +2k0 to all damage rolls with a bo staff, and
you may use bo staff damage instead of unarmed damage when you control a Grapple. In addition, you
add your Artisan: Cooking rank to your Armor TN when wielding a bo staff.
- Rank 5: Jolly Panda Bounces Back: The Panda is remarkably resilient.
When you spend a Void Point to reduce damage, you reduce the total damage taken by half. You may now
use your Artisan: Cooking skill as if it were the Tea Ceremony skill for the purposes of restoring
Void to yourself and your allies.
Pangolin
Azai Shindoshi School
Description: No one in the galaxy understands strange stellar phenomena – black
holes, nebulas, spatial rifts, wormholes – nearly as well as the Azai. Their founder’s unique abilities led
to the first true war of Rokugan’s spacefaring era – but the Dark Lady, as Azai came to be known, learned
how to recreate them for her students. At the culmination of their training, the Pangolin expose their
students to energies radiating from a massive black hole. Those who can withstand the immense psychological
stress gain their unique abilities – and find their eyes, like their founder’s, permanently turned black by
the process (though their vision remains unimpaired).
Benefit: +1 Void
Skills: Spellcraft, Meditation, Defense, Piloting, Engineering, Lore: Space, Lore:
Aliens, Any 1 High Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Courtier or Flight Suit Armor, Robes, Wakizashi, Scroll Satchel, Traveling
Pack, 3 Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Void/Earth
Spells: 2 Void, 2 Water, 1 Air, 1 Fire
Technique:
- Into the Endless Abyss: Your Clan’s exposure to the strangest phenomena
space has to offer has granted them the knowledge that the Void runs through everything. You gain 2
Void spells at creation and one at each additional rank (above your normal number of spells), but
you cannot cast them as Void spells. Instead, you must expend one spell slot from each of two
opposed elements (Fire/Water, Earth/Air, or Void/Void), though you do cast them with your Void Ring
as would an Ishiken-do.
Rooster
Takeda Time Walker School
Description: The Rooster are one of the more forgotten Minor Clans; though members of
the Minor Clan Alliance, few among even the Minor Clans other than the Tortoise (their primary trading
partners) spare them more than a very infrequent thought. This is just how the Takeda like it, because they
have spent a millennia mastering something wholly unique within the Rokugani Star Empire: time magic. The
Takeda Time Walkers cannot travel through time at will, but they can manipulate its flow on a small scale.
Whatever Agasha Takeda’s secret was, it granted him abilities beyond those of normal mortal shindoshi, and
he has passed them on to his descendants.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Spellcraft 2, Meditation, Lore: Theology, Computers, Calligraphy, Any 1 High
Skill
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Any 1 Weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 2 Koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Air/Fire
Spells: 3 Water, 2 Air, 1 Earth
Technique:
- One Step Ahead: In combat, your opponents would swear you and your friends
should not have been able to react as fast as you did. When you spend a Void Point to increase your
Initiative by 20, you may also expend an Air spell slot. If you do, you may increase the Initiative
score of one ally within 30’ by 20, or reduce that of one enemy by 10.
Silkworm
Honda Xenodiplomat School
Description: The masters of the Burning Stars Six space station, the Honda
Xenodiplomats occupy a uniquely important place among Minor Clans. All aliens eventually conduct diplomatic
talks aboard Burning Stars Six, and all eventually deal directly with the Honda. No other clan – not even
the Unicorn – is thus as knowledgeable about the intricacies of alien societies as the Silkworm. Every
journey into the far reaches of unknown space seeks the services of a Silkworm crew member – though few are
granted the privilege.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Courtier, Etiquette, Sincerity, Investigation, Lore: Aliens, Tea Ceremony,
Any 1 High Skill
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Courtier Armor, Fine Clothes, Wakizashi, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: Hew-Mon Body Language: Aliens may try to lie to the Honda
Xenodiplomat, but they don’t get very far. You gain +3k0 on any roll to detect falsehoods when
dealing with a nonhuman opponent. In addition, you are considered to possess the Absolute Direction
advantage when on Burning Stars Six.
- Rank 2: Xenolinguistics: The Honda Xenodiplomat is a master of
nonhuman languages. If you spend 15 minutes listening to any nonhuman language you have never heard
before, you may become fluent in it, adding it to your character sheet for no XP cost. This includes
nonhuman languages that originated on Rokugan Prime, such as Naga and Nezumi.
- Rank 3: Samurai in Black: Even the Great Clans have learned to
respect the Silkworm when it comes to dealing with aliens. Outside of Burning Stars Six, you have
legal jurisdiction in any crime or conflict involving nonhumans – superseding even that of Emerald
Magistrates – so long as your Glory is within two Ranks of the magistrate or daimyo in charge.
- Rank 4: Objects in Space: The Honda Xenodiplomat is adept at using
their knowledge of aliens to aid in ship combat. When using Sensors or Communications stations
targeting an alien ship, you gain a number of Free Raises equal to half your Insight Rank (rounded
down).
- Rank 5: We Are Not So Different, You And I: The Honda Xenodiplomat
has learned to use virtually any alien culture’s attributes against them. When any nonhuman opponent
rolls against you on a Contested Social roll, their dice do not explode.
Sparrow
Suzume Bushi School - Altered
Description: The Suzume Bushi's love of storytelling gives him an insight into battle.
He uses that knowledge to see the ebb and flow of combat, allowing him to strike slower or faster to exploit
his opponent's weaknesses. The Suzume Bushi has evolved far from the clan's roots in the Kakita Bushi
School, creating abilities that center on his ability to tell stories in unique ways.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Perform: Storytelling 2, Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Defense, Lore: Theology, Any 1
Lore Skill
Integrity: 6.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling Pack, 1 Koku
Techniques:
- Rank 1: The Story of My Enemies: The Suzume Bushi seems to have a
story ready that applies to every opponent. Add your rank in Perform: Storytelling to all damage
rolls against opponents where a Lore skill you possess would apply (e.g. gaijin for Lore: Gaijin,
yakuza for Lore: Underworld, or shadowlands enemies for Lore: Shadowlands).
- Rank 2: The Story of My Integrity: Though the Suzume Bushi may be
poor, he values his integrity every bit as much as any Great Clan samurai – and in many cases,
moreso. Add +5 to your Armor TN against creatures and against human opponents with lower Integrity
than you.
- Rank 3: The Story of My Sword: The Suzume Bushi strikes with the power
of legends behind him. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when using a bow or any weapon with
the samurai keyword while in the Attack Stance.
- Rank 4: The Story of My Story: No one can inspire his allies in combat
quite like a Suzume Bushi. Once per skirmish as a Complex Action, you may make an Awareness/Perform:
Storytelling roll at TN 25 in combat as you (quickly) rouse your allies with a story of a legendary
battle. With a success, two targets gain a Void Point which must be spent during the current combat.
For every two additional Raises you make on this roll, another target gains a Void Point.
- Rank 5: The Story of My End: The Suzume Bushi knows when his story
will end – and it isn’t now. Once per skirmish, when you would be reduced to 0 Wounds, spend a Void
Point and roll Awareness/Perform: Storytelling. You are instead reduced (or restored) to half that
many Wounds (rounded down).