Difference between revisions of "Character Creation"
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A link to the official character creation document - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxHYaHb19-BaeVNRRkRsRU80QkE | A link to the official character creation document - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxHYaHb19-BaeVNRRkRsRU80QkE | ||
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+ | == '''Character Creation''' == | ||
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Starting Experience: | Starting Experience: |
Revision as of 18:57, 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.