Previous editions of L5R RPG were tightly entwined with a constantly evolving world. The L5R Story Team crafts a cohesive tale of heroism and dastardly villains that is set to run its course during one arc of the card game (roughly two and a half years). The interactive story arcs often contain dynamic events that affect all of Rokugan. While this is exciting for the CCG players who are able to affect the direction of the story with tournament results, official canon could negate the story of the individual Game Master’s campaign. Those GMs could find themselves in a pickle if a crucial NPC in their campaign dies in the official story.

The continuing storyline also proved to be a bigger headache for players with each new edition of the RPG. The setting of First Edition describes the Emerald Empire two years before the Scorpion Clan Coup. Second Edition pushes the story forward to the Scorpion Clan Coup, altering details about the setting. While most players adjusted well to the change, those with Scorpion Clan samurai PCs had to figure out exactly how their character fit in when officially their entire Clan was banished. Third Edition changed the setting further by pushing it forward forty years! Players often deviated from the official timeline in their games, but they were forced to make minor adjustments to schools and paths to make the flavor mesh.

So, after conferring with my friend, AEG’s Senior Brand Manager Todd Rowland, the decision was made that the new edition of the core rules would be beholden to no storyline, but emphasize the setting in its most iconic state. No more fluff talking about who is fighting whom at any given point in time, no more mechanics tied to specific incidents in the timeline… none of that. The core rules are now yours to do with as you see fit, New Player. If that should be playing in the official storyline, we’re happy to help you with that. If it’s making your own way, then we’re giving you all the rules you need to make sure you can do exactly that. And as for you, Not-As-New Player, I hope you’ll have everything you’ve always wanted from the RPG this time around.

The most basic element of the new edition is in the Roll & Keep system, a system created early in AEG’s history that has been modified to suit the theme of more than one of their individual games, most notably Legend of the Five Rings and 7th Sea. The basic idea is that a character has Traits that cover all of his innate mental and physical abilities. These Traits are frequently paired with Skills, which represent his learned abilities. Various combinations of the two allow the player to roll a number of ten-sided dice equal to his Trait plus his Skill, up to a total of ten dice, and select a number of those dice equal to his Trait to keep. The total of the kept dice is added together and compared to a Target Number determined by the Game Master; the more complex and difficult the task, the higher the Target Number. This very simple idea represents the basis for every mechanic in the entire game. Experienced players will of course recognize it; the game has been through many different iterations, but we have not abandoned the premise of the Roll & Keep system. I lived through the d20 occupation, after all, and while that system has its strengths, I’m a member of the Roll & Keep Posse for life, I think.

Legend of the Five Rings is a game set in a fictional, feudal Empire that was created by drawing heavily upon the history and customs of cultures like Japan, China, and Korea, with a healthy dash of some familiar Greek and Indian concepts as well. It’s a samurai game, basically, but one that’s unlike any other samurai game you’ve ever played. At first glance it has very simple, iconic concepts that make it easy for a player to grasp, but as you get more into it you’ll discover there are constantly more nuances and intricacies to the setting that make it an incredibly rich role-playing experience for everyone involved. I can say all this without reservation because I started off just like you, as a fan of the role-playing game; I didn’t create the setting, so I figure that makes it okay for me to gush about it.

Be prepared for a setting unlike most you have played in before. As a samurai you are not expected to go off on a whim to fight wandering ogres and steal their vorpal blades. You are a servant warrior, beholden to the honor of your family and Clan. The land of Rokugan is rigid in its social and moral mores; the code of Bushido driving each beat of a samurai’s heart. Those around you will scrutinize every action you take, every word you say. While other games promote personal growth and success (and these things can be featured in L5R, to some extent), the primary driver is the achievement of glory for your Clan. As the old saying goes, to a samurai there is no greater honor than to serve the Emperor, and no greater glory than to die in his name. L5R is one of the few RPG’s where a good death is just as important as gaining a new level or spell.