Difference between revisions of "Character Creation"

Revision as of 18:54, 14 November 2016

A link to the official character creation document - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxHYaHb19-BaeVNRRkRsRU80QkE

Character Creation

Starting Experience:

Any player who played in a previous Heroes

of Rokugan campaign gains a bonus of 5

Experience Points.

Players may gain up to 10 extra Experience

Points for a PC by taking Disadvantages on

that PC. There is no limit to the number of

Disadvantages that can be taken, but no more

than 10 Experience Points can be gained.

No starting PC may begin play with more

than 149 Insight.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

The following Advantages and

Disadvantages are Banned at character

creation; PCs may not start play with them.

They may be acquired through play as

rewards or penalties in modules, and others

will be available for purchase through the

Favor System. (A few may become available

after specific story triggers in the campaign.)

Some (although not all) changes from

previous campaigns have been highlighted.

Advantages:

Blackmail, Blissful Betrothal, Broken Wave

Citizen, Child of Chikushudo, Chosen by the

Oracles, Clear Water Native, Dark Edge

Native, Darling of the Court, Different

School, Friend of the Brotherhood,

Forbidden Knowledge (Kolat), Gentry, Great

Destiny, Higher Purpose, Imperial City

Citizen, Imperial City Veteran, Imperial

Spouse, Imperial Scribe, Inner Gift,

Inheritance: Asahina Blade, Inheritance:

Trained Falcon, Inheritance: Kobune,

Inheritance: Water Hammer Armor, Iron

Heart Native, Laughing Plains Native,

Medium, Multiple Schools, Naga Ancestry,

Naishou Native, Nikesake Citizen,

Reincarnated, Sacred Forest Native, Sacred

Weapon, Sacrosanct, Sage of the Sword and

Fan, Servant, Social Position, Spy Network,

Student of Shourido, Touch of the Spirit

Realm: Gaki-do, Touch of the Spirit Realm:

Yomi, Watanu-trained, Zakyo Toshi Citizen

Disadvantages:

Anachronism, Bad Fortune (all except Moto

Curse, Bitter Betrothal, Blackmailed,

Bounty, Broken Wave Stigma, Clear Water

Stigma, Dark Edge Reputation, Dark Fate,

Dependent, Enlightened Madness, Forced

Retirement, Hostage, Imperial City Stigma,

Lord Moon’s Curse, Member of the

Chrysanthemum Court, Nikesake Stigma,

Sleeper Agent, Trials of the Imperial City,

Water Hammer Stigma, Zakyo Toshi Stigma

Special Notes:

The Ally Advantage may only be taken with

NPCs in the setting primer. All NPCs have

an Influence equal to half their Status,

rounded up. PCs may only begin play with

Allies with a total point cost of 5 or lower.

(As a reminder, Ally cost is equal to their

Devotion, minimum 1, plus Influence.)

Similarly, Sworn Enemy may only be taken

with NPCs in the setting primer. All NPCs

should be considered to be 5-point Sworn

Enemies.

PCs with ranks in a Monk School may not

take the Multiple Schools Advantage (Kuni

Witch Hunters are the exception to this, and

may only move to the Kuni Shugenja

School). Shugenja PCs may only take

Multiple Schools to enter a non-shugenja

(and non-bushi) School.

Hotei’s Curse may only be taken if a PC’s

School has Techniques that require Void

Points to activate; taking a Path or otherwise

preventing access to those Techniques in play

will require buying off the Disadvantage.

Kharmic Tie may only be taken with another

PC.

PCs may take Advantages or Disadvantages

from opposing sets as long as they are not the

same option (for example, Failure of Courage

and Paragon of Compassion would be

allowed, but Failure of Honesty and Paragon

of Honesty is not).

Schools:

PCs must be human Samurai or Monks;

Gaijin, Spider, Shadowlands, Bloodspeaker,

Kolat, and Nonhuman Schools are

disallowed.

PCs who are clan samurai may take the

Dutiful Disciple ronin shugenja School

without requiring Different School. (This

allows them to study an element not preferred

by their clan’s shugenja School, or Minor

Clan samurai who don’t have a shugenja

School in their clan to be shugenja.)

The following Basic Schools are Banned in

Heroes of Rokugan 4:

Asako Henshin, Guru Sainika Fighter,

Hitomi Kikage Zumi, Hoshi Tsurui Zumi,

Komori Shugenja, Kshatriya Warrior, Morito

Bushi, Shinmaki Order, Shosuro Actor

The following Paths and Advanced Schools

are Banned:

Crab Berserker, Crane Aerie Falconer,

Children of Doji, De Bellis Legionnaire,

Dragon Overseer, Hateru Ninja, Imperial

Scion, Isawa Archaeologist, Kakita Jester,

Koga Ninja, Kolat Assassin, Kolat Guardian

of the Hidden Temple, Kolat Master, Machi- Kanshisha, Minor Clan Defender, Rajya ke

Varisa, Second City Guardsman, Sesai Ninja,

the Silent Ones, Sons of Shadow, Snow

Riders, Sword of Yotsu, the Weavers

All Paths and Advanced Schools require

meeting any prerequisites and spending

Favors.

New Great Clan: The Owl Clan

As detailed in the setting primer, the Owl

Clan are a Great Clan in Heroes of Rokugan

4. Their Families and Schools are as follows:

Hantei Family (+1 Awareness)

Chise Family (+1 Perception)

Heichi Family (+1 Willpower)

Hantei Bushi School (Imperial Histories, pg.

26), Hantei Diplomat (Otomo Diplomat,

Imperial Histories, pg. 27), Chise Shugenja

(Seppun Shugenja, Imperial Histories, pg.

27), Heichi Bushi (Core Book, pg. 217)

Other Clan Notes

The Tamori Family listed in the book is the

Agasha Family of the Dragon Clan.

Mechanically, they are unchanged from the

book.

The Agasha Family listed in the book is the

Gennai Family of the Phoenix Clan.

Mechanically, they are unchanged from the

book.

The Bat and Ox Minor Clans do not exist in

this timeline.

The Boar Clan are now the Heichi Family of

the Owl Clan.

The Dragonfly Clan are now the Tonbo

Family of the Dragon Clan.

The Falcon Clan are now the Toritaka Family

of the Crab Clan.

The Fox Clan retain their independent Minor

Clan status.

The Snake Clan are now the Chuda vassal

family of the Dragon Clan.

The Yotsu Family are now the Tiger Clan.

Their School and Trait are notes in Imperial

Histories, page 276.

Kata and Kiho

Kata and kiho require Favors to purchase in

addition to their experience cost, and are

therefore not allowed on beginning PCs.

The Strength of the Scorpion Kata (The Great

Clans, pg. 230) has its Effect changed to:

You gain +1k1 to the Contested Roll to

Disarm an opponent. If you call a Raise on

this roll and succeed, you may catch their

weapon instead of knocking it to the ground.

New Minor Clan: The Frog Clan

Kaeru Family: +1 Awareness

Kaeru Bushi School

Benefit: +1 Agility

Skills: Commerce, Defense, Jiujutsu,

Kenjutsu, Lore: Underworld, Staves (Machi- kanshisha), any Bugei or Low Skill

Honor: 2.5

Outfit: Katana, Wakizashi, Machi-kanshisha

or Bo Staff, Light Armor, Traveling Pack, 5

koku

Techniques

Rank 1: Way of the Frog

The simplest of weapons should never be

underestimated. Kaeru Bushi receive a Free

Raise on all attacks with a machi-kanshisha

or bo staff. In addition, their long tradition of

working alongside the merchant class has

taught the value of trade; the receive +1k0 to

all Commerce Skill Rolls.

Rank 2: Smoke and Mirrors

The Machi-kanshisha were a ronin otokadate

for years, and could not afford to cause

permanent harm to clan samurai; in order to

keep peace in their city, they developed

methods of subduing opponents or rendering

them harmless. At this Rank, Kaeru Bushi

add additional unkept dice equal to their

School Rank to the Contested Rolls for the

Knockdown or Disarm Maneuvers while

using a machi-kanshisha or bo staff.

Rank 3: Wear Them Down

Although a single blow may prove

insufficient to defeat an opponent, few foes

are capable of withstanding a barrage of

attacks. Kaeru Bushi may now make Simple

Action attacks with a machi-kanshisha or bo

staff.

Rank 4: Edonichi’s Lesson

The Frog Clan has been a Minor Clan for two

centuries, and have learned a little about

honorable combat in that time. Kaeru Bushi

at this Rank may make Simple Action attacks

with Katana, Improvised Weapons, and

Unarmed Attacks. In addition, the bonus

from their Rank 2 Technique now applies to

unarmed Knockdown or Disarm Maneuvers.

Rank 5: Clouded Mind

A quick blow to the head can disorient even

the most resilient opponents. Once per

skirmish, the Kaeru may spend two Void

Points after successfully performing a

Knockdown to Stun the target until after the

target’s next Turn.

Mechanics

Changes to Schools:

Asahina Shugenja School Technique

(Core Book, pg. 110)

Add the following text to “The Soul’s Grace”

Technique: Using this Technique is a Simple

Action.

Kitsuki Investigator Rank 2 Technique

(Core Book, pg. 114)

Omit all reference to the Feint Maneuver in

this Technique.

Bayushi Bushi Rank 2 Technique (Core

Book, pg. 126)

Replace the text of the last sentence with the

following: You gain a Free Raise on all

attacks that can be used for any maneuver.

Shosuro Infiltrator School (Core Book, pg.

129)

This School may not be taken at character

creation. Instead, a PC must have at least one

Rank of another Scorpion School and

purchase the Multiple Schools Advantage to

enter it. This establishes a cover identity for

the character, allowing them to travel the

Empire without revealing the existence of the

School. In this instance, you may waive the

favor cost of the Multiple Schools

Advantage.

Usagi Bushi Rank 5 Technique (Core

Book, pg. 221)

Replace the text with the following: When

you successfully strike an opponent twice in

one Round, you may make an unarmed attack

against them as a Free Action. Immediately

after resolving that attack, you gain an

additional Free Move action (even if you

have already taken a Free Move action this

Round) to move away from them.

Snake Clan/Chuda Family (Core Book, pg.

224)

The Snake Clan does not exist in this

timeline. Instead, the Chuda family is a

vassal family of the Togashi, using the

Togashi Family Trait. Only members of the

Chuda vassal family may take the Chuda

Shugenja School, which exists as written

except for the Technique:

Second Chance: The Chuda know the value

of a second chance, and bestow that upon

their allies. When an ally in your view fails a

roll, you may spend a Void Point to allow

them to re-roll it. They must keep the result

of the second roll. In combat, this is

considered a Free Action that may be taken

on another PC’s Initiative. This Technique

may only be used a number of times per

module equal to your School Rank. You gain

a Free Raise on all spells with the Defense

keyword.

Generic Ronin Basic School (Secrets of the

Empire, pg. 236)

This School may be taken by PCs from Minor

Clans that do not have a Bushi School

without the need for Different School. Ronin

and Minor Clan Paths all may replace

Techniques in this School as normal.

Kuni Witch Hunter School (The Great

Clans, pg. 40)

The Rank One Technique adds +5 to the total

of the player’s roll for every rank of the

Shadowlands Taint the opponent has instead

of its normal bonus; this is added by the GM

in secret.

Mantis Brawler Rank 2 Technique (The

Great Clans, pg. 166)

Replace the last sentence of the first

paragraph with:

You may call a single Raise when you make

an attack. If you succeed, you may add +5 to

your Armor TN until the start of your next

Turn (or +10 if you are Prone). This bonus

does not stack with itself.

Other Schools:

The Tessen Path is now an Entry Path for

Hantei Bushi, replacing their Rank 1

Technique.

The Empress Guard is available to Akodo

Bushi and Matsu Berserker PCs as a Rank 4

Path.

The Isawa Tensai Path increases a PC’s Rank

for determining table level by 1.

Emerald Magistrates may take the Emperald

Magistrate Path at Rank 5 if their School

provides Simple Action attacks at Rank 4. A

PC must be an Emerald Magistrate to take the

Path.

The Kitsune Ranger Alternate Path is

exclusive to the Fox Clan.

Changes to Existing Mechanics:

Increased Damage (Core Book, pg. 87)

Add the following text to the Increased

Damage Maneuver:

Two Raises may be used to gain +0k1,

instead of +2k0, if desired. This can also be

used multiple times, for as many Raises as

can be called, in any combination.

Honor:

Instead of using the Honor Chart, Heroes of

Rokugan will use a streamlined system to

indicate how much any given action will

change a character’s Honor. Honorable

actions will be indicated with an “H”,

followed by a number representing its Action

Rank. The amount of Honor Points gained

by any given action is the amount that the

PC’s Honor Rank is lower than the Action

Rank. (For example, an “H8” action gives a

character with Honor 6.3 a total of 2 points.

The same action earns a character with Honor

of 8.0 or higher no gain.) Similarly,

dishonorable actions will be noted with “D#”,

indicating how much is lost by having an

Honor Rank higher than the Action Rank.

Some actions may qualify as both Honorable

and Dishonorable for different Honor Rank

characters; these will be noted as “H#/D#”.

(Following Orders Despite Personal

Misgivings is H3/D6, meaning that a

character with Honor Rank 2 gains one point,

while a character with Honor Rank 9 loses

three points, for example.)

Most Honor gains and losses will be detailed

in the modules; if a GM feels a player has

earned a change in Honor based on

exceptional actions not accounted for in the

module, they may award a gain of up to 2

points of Honor beyond any listed in the

module. No PC should be awarded more

Honor than this per module. (There is no

limit to the amount of Honor a PC may lose

based on their action.)

Honor Rolls will be allowed in Heroes of

Rokugan 4, However, they are limited to

explicitly honorable actions.

Glory:

PCs will lose a certain amount of Glory

Points at the beginning of every module for

inactivity. Any Technique that allows a PC

to gain Glory may only be used once per

module. Otherwise, PCs may only gain

Glory as listed in the modules.

The following mechanics will not be used

in HoR 4:

The Feint Maneuver (Core Book, pg. 86)

Ancestors (Core Book, pg. 241-244)

Heritage Tables (The Great Clans, pg. 292)

Maho is not allowed on starting PCs.