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Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Core Rulebook
Honor is stronger than steel.
In the land of Rokugan, the Emerald Empire has lasted for a thousand years. Under the guidance of the noble Hantei emperors, the Great Clans of samurai have protected the lands from threats within and without since the time the Kami came down from the heavens and established Rokugan as the most favored of kingdoms.
But after centuries of prosperity, cracks appear in the Empire's foundations. The spirits of the land have become restless and wild. Armies of evil horrors march from the Shadowlands. Members of the Great Clans have begun to wonder if the time of the Hantei is over, and whether the heavens would favor new rulers…
As a samurai of the Emerald Empire, your duty lies in service to your lord, your Clan, and your Emperor. Will you stay true to your duty, no matter what sacrifices it demands of you? Or will you hold true to your own code of honor, even to the point of death?
In this rulebook you will find everything you need to forge your own legend, including:
* Rules for creating samurai characters with rich and detailed histories, personalities, strengths, and flaws.
* An innovative dice mechanic that brings your character's emotional turmoil to life.
* A game where your reputation, conviction, and loyalty matter far more than the strength of your sword.
In the land of Rokugan, the Emerald Empire has lasted for a thousand years. Under the guidance of the noble Hantei emperors, the Great Clans of samurai have protected the lands from threats within and without since the time the Kami came down from the heavens and established Rokugan as the most favored of kingdoms.
But after centuries of prosperity, cracks appear in the Empire's foundations. The spirits of the land have become restless and wild. Armies of evil horrors march from the Shadowlands. Members of the Great Clans have begun to wonder if the time of the Hantei is over, and whether the heavens would favor new rulers…
As a samurai of the Emerald Empire, your duty lies in service to your lord, your Clan, and your Emperor. Will you stay true to your duty, no matter what sacrifices it demands of you? Or will you hold true to your own code of honor, even to the point of death?
In this rulebook you will find everything you need to forge your own legend, including:
* Rules for creating samurai characters with rich and detailed histories, personalities, strengths, and flaws.
* An innovative dice mechanic that brings your character's emotional turmoil to life.
* A game where your reputation, conviction, and loyalty matter far more than the strength of your sword.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published August 1, 2018
24 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 14, 2019
It took this long for L5R to circle back around to the quality of the first couple of editions, and 5E has not just met the level of excellence of creator John Wick's early work, it may have actually exceeded it. This reboot reads beautifully and evocatively, plunging the reader into the Japanese fantasy world of Rokugan and dumping a couple of hundred story and character hooks on them for good measure.
The rules, despite succumbing to FFG's fetish for custom dice, are clean, versatile, and fairly intuitive, and the character options are many, varied, and complex (one of the failings of 1st and 2nd ed was a relative dearth of available character types).
Perhaps most important for an old campaigner like me, the meta-narrative's timeline has been reset back to around 1st ed, meaning all the accrued detritus of decades of coups, approved campaign play, CCG fallout, plots, dynastic struggles and what have you has been swept away. For a good decade now L5R has been nigh-impenetrable for new fans and while the old guard may bitch, resetting the table was absolutely necessary to keep the game viable in the marketplace. Grab the main book, track down a copy of old 1st edition City of Lies box set, and go have some fun.
The rules, despite succumbing to FFG's fetish for custom dice, are clean, versatile, and fairly intuitive, and the character options are many, varied, and complex (one of the failings of 1st and 2nd ed was a relative dearth of available character types).
Perhaps most important for an old campaigner like me, the meta-narrative's timeline has been reset back to around 1st ed, meaning all the accrued detritus of decades of coups, approved campaign play, CCG fallout, plots, dynastic struggles and what have you has been swept away. For a good decade now L5R has been nigh-impenetrable for new fans and while the old guard may bitch, resetting the table was absolutely necessary to keep the game viable in the marketplace. Grab the main book, track down a copy of old 1st edition City of Lies box set, and go have some fun.
May 30, 2021
For samurai themed roleplaying, this is the most well-known game. In this latest edition, the Genesys system is used. For those who are unfamiliar with the system, it is the same system that is used in the latest version of the Star Wars RPG. The thing that I like about this game is character creation, which is based on a series of 20 questions. It's an approach that creates well-fleshed out characters and which makes players think about the backstory of their character while making it.
However, this is a system that has too many rules to do too many things. For example, there is a whole section on holding duels. To be honest, duels don't need a separate set of rules, just use the regular combat rules. Also, there are a lot of abilities and options that are a bit too specific. In order for this to work, GMs would have to plan their campaigns specifically around the abilities that the players have (which is something that is unfortunately a bit rare unless you have an amazing GM). Otherwise, combat characters will get a lot of action, but characters with other skills won't.
However, this is a system that has too many rules to do too many things. For example, there is a whole section on holding duels. To be honest, duels don't need a separate set of rules, just use the regular combat rules. Also, there are a lot of abilities and options that are a bit too specific. In order for this to work, GMs would have to plan their campaigns specifically around the abilities that the players have (which is something that is unfortunately a bit rare unless you have an amazing GM). Otherwise, combat characters will get a lot of action, but characters with other skills won't.
December 2, 2018
As of the time of this review I have not played any edition of the Legend of the Five Rings (L5R) role-playing game (though I have played the pre-Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) version of the card game a few times, so I am a little familiar with the setting). As a previous player and Dungeon Master of Dungeons & Dragons 1st Ed. Oriental Adventures, I have been on the look-out for a game system and setting that would give what I was looking for in Oriental Adventures, but with more thematic opportunity, hence my interest in L5R. Initially I was looking at the 4th Ed. of this game, but with FFG owning the license, and coming out with a 5th Ed., I naturally gravitated to this one since it has been recently released. I was a little hesitant on FFG making this game because, while I absolutely love and enjoy what they did with their Warhammer 40,000 rpg, Dark Heresy, I did not enjoy their Star Wars rpg.
There is a lot of rules crunch to this version with a lot of charts for reference. The system is flexible making it great for players that want a narrative experience, but open to abuse by players who want to work the system to justify always getting large dice pools to roll. Without getting into the mechanics and details of the book for this edition too much in this review, I'm going to direct you to the review by Strange Assembly (https://www.strangeassembly.com/2018/...) which illustrates a lot of the pros and cons of the system.
Despite some of my apprehensions with the game mechanics, I believe that L5R has a rich setting and the potential to be a fun and unique experience for players looking for a magically feudal Japan-style setting (with some inspiration from Chinese and Korean culture), and I hope to run a campaign in the future.
There is a lot of rules crunch to this version with a lot of charts for reference. The system is flexible making it great for players that want a narrative experience, but open to abuse by players who want to work the system to justify always getting large dice pools to roll. Without getting into the mechanics and details of the book for this edition too much in this review, I'm going to direct you to the review by Strange Assembly (https://www.strangeassembly.com/2018/...) which illustrates a lot of the pros and cons of the system.
Despite some of my apprehensions with the game mechanics, I believe that L5R has a rich setting and the potential to be a fun and unique experience for players looking for a magically feudal Japan-style setting (with some inspiration from Chinese and Korean culture), and I hope to run a campaign in the future.
November 10, 2019
I enjoyed the art and the concepts, but the system is a big question mark. Maybe I'd prefer to set up a campaign in Rokugan and use different rules. That's my humble opinion.
November 28, 2020
This is a beautiful book full of exquisite illustrations of Rokugan, the fantasy version of Japan that Legend of the Five Rings is set in. You'll have to get it if you want to play 5th edition L5R, but be aware that the Beginner's Box is a better introduction to the game, for the core rulebook is laid out in a strange manner that will have you flipping all over the place just to design one character.
The core rules also seem rushed in places and could benefit from some tweaking and streamlining, since a lot of stuff is fluff masquerading as crunch - ie, the anxieties/passions system, where a character can be afraid of various things or passionate about stuff but the mechanics behind rolls are exactly the same for everything.
More context on the lore and legends of Rokugan (they want you to buy another supplement, Emerald Empires, for this) as well as guidelines for portraying a culture heavily steeped in real-world Japanese history would also have been appreciated. After playing through a handful of L5R adventures I quickly learned that Rokugan is a setting that often teeters on the edge of falling into an abyss of cultural insensitivity, mostly because it's an Asian world designed by well-meaning white folks who nevertheless are dealing with a game that had its original editions rooted in heavy orientalist ideas. 5th edition excises many of these, but L5R is still an experience flirting with stereotypes about Japanese people, with honor, honor and more honor popping up at every turn.
Players who manage to find a good, sensitive group (and ditch the honor mechanics) can find much to enjoy here, though, so I'm giving this 3.5 out of 5 stars - rounded up to 4.
Finally, best clans are Crab Clan and Mantis - who should have been included in the main book but were instead delegated to DLC on the Fantasy Flight website!
The core rules also seem rushed in places and could benefit from some tweaking and streamlining, since a lot of stuff is fluff masquerading as crunch - ie, the anxieties/passions system, where a character can be afraid of various things or passionate about stuff but the mechanics behind rolls are exactly the same for everything.
More context on the lore and legends of Rokugan (they want you to buy another supplement, Emerald Empires, for this) as well as guidelines for portraying a culture heavily steeped in real-world Japanese history would also have been appreciated. After playing through a handful of L5R adventures I quickly learned that Rokugan is a setting that often teeters on the edge of falling into an abyss of cultural insensitivity, mostly because it's an Asian world designed by well-meaning white folks who nevertheless are dealing with a game that had its original editions rooted in heavy orientalist ideas. 5th edition excises many of these, but L5R is still an experience flirting with stereotypes about Japanese people, with honor, honor and more honor popping up at every turn.
Players who manage to find a good, sensitive group (and ditch the honor mechanics) can find much to enjoy here, though, so I'm giving this 3.5 out of 5 stars - rounded up to 4.
Finally, best clans are Crab Clan and Mantis - who should have been included in the main book but were instead delegated to DLC on the Fantasy Flight website!
January 28, 2020
An excellent new edition of the RPG that’s almost hard to pay attention to with all of the beautiful illustrations throughout. Not only a very entertaining book, but a real looker on the shelf.
February 5, 2020
What an extraordinary upgrade from the previous books.
This is a great sourcebook. Both in the aesthetic as in the content. It's great that they managed to remove all the westernism and orientalism that had plagued previous editions, with some breathtaking panoramas and landscapes.
The rules are explained with great detail and ordered quite in a manner that makes them very easy to understand, along with a presentation that makes them attractive to the eye. The options are expansive for any type of (basic) play one would want for Rokugan and honestly, one of my favorites sourcebooks so far. Loved that the first story, the introduction of the setting, is a quiet scene of the drama that can occur between Honor and Ninjo.
My only criticism is that in the last section, that of NPC, it only gives mechanics for the antagonist without detailing actual characters, with no history or presentation of the drama of desires and duties. Besides that, its I think the best corebook on the entire line by far.
This is a great sourcebook. Both in the aesthetic as in the content. It's great that they managed to remove all the westernism and orientalism that had plagued previous editions, with some breathtaking panoramas and landscapes.
The rules are explained with great detail and ordered quite in a manner that makes them very easy to understand, along with a presentation that makes them attractive to the eye. The options are expansive for any type of (basic) play one would want for Rokugan and honestly, one of my favorites sourcebooks so far. Loved that the first story, the introduction of the setting, is a quiet scene of the drama that can occur between Honor and Ninjo.
My only criticism is that in the last section, that of NPC, it only gives mechanics for the antagonist without detailing actual characters, with no history or presentation of the drama of desires and duties. Besides that, its I think the best corebook on the entire line by far.
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February 19, 2023Ролева игра, в която е вложен огромен труд и предлага една от най-атмосферичните и задълбочени системи за създаване на персонаж. Уви, тя трудно може да бъде ползвана извън играта, както и голяма част от другите правила, които са твърде специфични и ужасяващо подробни. Скелетът е прост, но детайлите, изключенията, таблиците и интерпретациите на резултатите са така обширно разписани, че трудно мога да си представя да събуди достатъчен интерес, че да бъде предпочетена пред алтернативите. Все пак, за обожателите на Япония и японската култура, които имат желание да се впуснат в далекоизточни приключения, L5R предлага страхотен ресурс дори само в базовата книга.
June 18, 2020
Una edición de lujo para esta ambientación que tanto adoro desde que la conocí. Tanto el libro a nivel maquetación, traducción como de contenido es sobresaliente.
Probablemente la mejor edición a nivel de sistema y un libro básico totalmente agnóstico al trasfondo de manera que lo puedes usar en la época que mejor te interese (ya hay otros libros que se encargan específicamente del trasfondo del Imperio Esmeralda en inglés y pronto sale en español)
Probablemente la mejor edición a nivel de sistema y un libro básico totalmente agnóstico al trasfondo de manera que lo puedes usar en la época que mejor te interese (ya hay otros libros que se encargan específicamente del trasfondo del Imperio Esmeralda en inglés y pronto sale en español)
December 17, 2025
un super livre mais qui est tellement riche qu'on en vient à se demander comment tout mettre en place lors d'une partie. Sans doute est ce plus simple avec l'expérience !
February 7, 2023
All the rules are here, though they are kind of all over the place with explaining themselves. It needs another pass by an editor of two. You also need some custom dice, buy the beginner box set to get them - and to see if you even like the system. Q
I didn't care for the rules themselves, I prefer any of the other 4 editions over these.
I didn't care for the rules themselves, I prefer any of the other 4 editions over these.
May 10, 2022
Un dels millors jocs de rol. Un clàssic.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews