Post by Rakugo on Feb 12, 2018 4:46:44 GMT
Character Creation & House Rules
Most of these House Rules will be resolved during the "20 Questions Game" of our first session (our character creation session), but I want to give everyone a heads-up on some house rules so that you can plan ahead. Some of my house rules are restrictive and an exception requires GM approval - I'm pretty open to exceptions, but your "why" and "how" for the exception simply need to be well thought-out to make sure your character will be compatible among a party of Emerald Magistrates, so that you have a fun role in the story. So, if you'd like to do something I've restricted, just ask for an exception, explain why you'd like to use it, and tell me how it will be viable in our Emerald Magistrate campaign. I'll work with you to make it happen.
Character Creation will follow all the rules as written in the Core Rulebook, with the following house rules:
Equipment Issued to Emerald Magistrates
The following list of equipment is provided to you by the Emerald Champion in order to fulfill your duties to the Emperor, the Emerald Champion, and most importantly, the people of Rokugan:
Void Points - House Rules
These House Rules are in addition to the rules found in the Core Rulebook. A player may generally only hold a maximum number of Void Points equal to their Void Ring. Awarding additional, temporary Void Points past that value is up to the GM, and excess points are lost at the end of a session, if not spent (use it or lose it!). The GM also has access to Void Points, and receives one Void Point per player at the beginning of each session.
Awarding Void Points
Character Story: GMs can award a Void Point or Bonus Experience for the completion of a written character backstory. This reward encourages players to take an active role in the history of the game. In addition, the GM can use this backstory to generate a pivotal moment for your character concerning her past. When this key event is resolved, the GM can reward additional Void Points or Experience Points. Alternatively, the GM might award Void Points or Bonus Experience for painting a miniature or drawing a character portrait in the likeness of your character, helping the rest of the group visualize your hero.
Completing Plot Arcs: The GM might award Void Points to each of the PCs who were involved in completing a major chapter or arc in the campaign story. These Void Points are awarded at the conclusion of the arc if the PCs were successful or advanced the story in a meaningful way.
Faith: In a campaign where the gods, spirits, and ancestors play an important role in every character's life, Void Points might represent their favor. The GM can award Void Points to characters whenever they uphold the tenets of their faith (or Bushido) in a grand way, or whenever they take on one of the faith's major enemies. Such Favor might be temporary, and if not spent on the task at hand, they fade away.
Group Service: The GM can award Void Points for acts outside the game as well. Buying pizza for the group, helping to clean up afterwards, or even hosting the game for a night might be worth a Void Point. This should be given out of generosity, not as a payment.
Heroic Acts: Whenever a character performs an exceptionally heroic act, she can be awarded a Void Point. This might include anything from slaying an evil Oni when the rest of the group has fled, to rescuing peasants from a burning building despite being terribly wounded. It does not have to be related to combat. Convincing the reticent Daimyo in Court to send troops to help with a bandit problem or successfully jumping a wide chasm might earn a character a Void Point, depending on the circumstances. Note that a Void Point should only be awarded if the PC involved did not spend a Void Point to accomplish the task.
Using Void Points
Void Points can be spent at any time and do not require an action to use (although the actions they modify consume part of your character's turn as normal). You cannot spend more than 1 Void Point during a single round, unless the required as the cost for a single expenditure. Whenever a Void Point is spent, it can have any one of the following effects.
Act Out of Turn: You can spend two Void Points to take your turn immediately. Move your initiative to just before the currently acting creature. Or spend one Void Point to exchange your Initiative Score with one willing target for the remainder of the current skirmish.
Bonus: Gain a bonus of +1k1 to a Skill, Trait, Ring, or Spell Casting roll (the Void Point expenditure must be declared prior to the roll being made). Damage rolls may not be enhanced in this manner. Or, temporarily increase a Skill rank from 0 to 1 (avoiding Unskilled Roll penalties).
Brace: Reduce the amount of Wounds suffered from one source of damage by 10 (this must be done immediately after the damage total is announced). Or Increase your Armor TN by 10 for one round (This is done before dice are rolled).
Extra Action: You can spend two Void Points on your turn to gain an additional Complex Action this turn. Or spend one Void Point on your turn to gain an additional Simple action this turn.
Inspiration: If you feel stuck at any point in the adventure, such as in Court in a political encounter, you can spend a Void Point and petition the GM for a hint about what to do next. If the GM feels that there is no information to be gained, the Void Point is not spent.
Cheat Death: A character can permanently expend a Void Point to cheat death. This Void Point can never again be recovered. It is lost forever, as this represents your fate running out. Cheating death may have other unintentional consequences, too - again, you've cheated fate. How this plays out in-game is up to the GM, but generally the character is left alive, if barely. For example, a character is about to be slain by a devastating hit from an assassin's arrow. If the character permanently spends a Void Point, the GM decides that the arrow pierced the character's holy symbol, reducing the damage enough to prevent him from being killed. Or a group of bandits leave the character for dead in a bamboo forest, but the character is stabilized by a Kami that takes the appearance of a silver, two-tailed fox... for a favor.
Lastly, Void Points may be spent to activate certain School Techniques, items, or weapons.
Most of these House Rules will be resolved during the "20 Questions Game" of our first session (our character creation session), but I want to give everyone a heads-up on some house rules so that you can plan ahead. Some of my house rules are restrictive and an exception requires GM approval - I'm pretty open to exceptions, but your "why" and "how" for the exception simply need to be well thought-out to make sure your character will be compatible among a party of Emerald Magistrates, so that you have a fun role in the story. So, if you'd like to do something I've restricted, just ask for an exception, explain why you'd like to use it, and tell me how it will be viable in our Emerald Magistrate campaign. I'll work with you to make it happen.
Character Creation will follow all the rules as written in the Core Rulebook, with the following house rules:
- Approved sourcebooks useable at Character Creation: Core Rulebook, The Great Clans, The Emerald Empire, and Imperial Archives (the official 4e errata). Other sourcebooks require GM approval, primarily because I haven't gotten around to reading them all yet! (But I'm working on it)
- Weapons listed in the L5R 3rd Edition sourcebook "Prayers and Treasures" may be used.
- All characters have a free "phantom skill" in the Lore of their clan equal to their character's Insight Rank (i.e. "Lore: Crane Clan, Rank 1" for a Crane character with Insight Rank 1). XP may be used to increase the skill as usual; however, ranks in this phantom skill are not counted toward a character's Insight Rank.
- Emerald Magistrates will start the game with a default Glory Rank of 2, a Status Rank of 4, and an Honor Rank as defined by their School. The default Status and Glory Ranks for other samurai is 1. Monks start with a Status of 1 and a Glory of 0.
- All Emerald Magistrates must invest 3 Skill Ranks in Investigation and Lore: Law at character creation.
- A starting character begins with 40 Experience Points to spend at character creation. Additional Experience Points may be acquired by purchasing Disadvantages, or other Bonus XP opportunities at the GM’s discretion.
- If for any dice roll a character has a result of three or more exploding dice, they may recover one Void Point up to their maximum (Void Ring).
- Void Points may be acquired and spent in several different ways from the Core Rulebook, which are explained in detail below.
- All characters will earn the same amount of experience for each session. There will be other rewards for consistent attendance and great role-playing, such as with Void Points, as detailed below.
- The following requires GM approval: Spider Clan, Ninja, Ronin, Monk, and any non-human race. If this is your first time role-playing in an L5R RPG, it's suggested you start with a Human Bushi, Courtier, or Shugenja from one of the 7 Great Clans. However, I want everyone to have an opportunity to play what they're excited to play. So, if you want to play a Monk, Ronin, Ninja, or Minor Clan, please do the heavy lifting for me by developing the "why" and "how" they can fit in an Emerald Magistrate campaign so that I can approve it more readily.
- A character may not learn from different or multiple Schools, unless they have an applicable Advantage or Disadvantage that specifically allows it.
- Players are responsible for knowing the basic mechanics unique to their character. If you're playing a Monk or Shugenja, for example, I'll be looking to you to help me understand how their specific spells work. Again, please help share the heavy lifting!
- No Ancestor Perks may be taken at character creation. They may be awarded to your next character after an honorable death, at the GM’s discretion.
- Upon a character death (which is quite likely to occur in this deadly system), a player's new character will start at the same XP as his defeated character. If your character died honorably (to be collectively determined by the GM and the other players), the GM will award a Ancestor Perk. "Bushido is realized in the presence of death." -Hagakure, the Book of the Samurai
- The "Honor Roll" optional rule may be used, as described on page 92 of the Core Rulebook.
- My house is a smoke-free zone. Sake and food are welcome, as long as everyone drinks responsibly (I'm looking at you, Crab Clan!).
Equipment Issued to Emerald Magistrates
The following list of equipment is provided to you by the Emerald Champion in order to fulfill your duties to the Emperor, the Emerald Champion, and most importantly, the people of Rokugan:
- Light Armor: Bonus of +5 to your TN when equipped; Reduction: 3 (See penalties)
- Heavy Armor: Bonus of +10 to your TN when equipped; Reduction: 5 (See penalties)
- Daisho (Katana and Wakizashi): The quintessential symbol of samurai nobility; each is ornately emblazoned with the emerald chrysanthemum on the scabbard, hilt, and pummel. Masterwork quality.
- Tanto: Often used for practical purposes such as grooming. Matches the Daisho
- Coin Purse: Contains each Emerald Magistrate's yearly stipend of 100 koku (a fortune by any standard)
- Daisho stand, collapsible for easy carrying, used to display one's daisho and tanto
- Seal of the Emerald Magistrate, personal seal, and wax
- Finger of Jade: rare, used to ward off the Shadowlands' Taint
- Clothing/uniform emblazoned with the emerald chrysanthemum: Hakama, haori, kataginu, kimono, obi, obi pouch, sandals, traveling cloak, wide-brimmed straw hat
- Horse, Rokugani Pony: Sturdy, shaggy steeds used by samurai primarily for travelling. Not combat trained or ready
- Miscellaneous Items: Travelling Pack, Backpack, blanket, several blank journals, blank scrolls/paper/parchment, writing box, charcoal, candles, chopsticks, rope, back banner, tatami mat, tea set, tent, travelling rations, wicker umbrella, whetstone, fishing kit, flint and steel, lantern, latern oil, medicine kit
Void Points - House Rules
These House Rules are in addition to the rules found in the Core Rulebook. A player may generally only hold a maximum number of Void Points equal to their Void Ring. Awarding additional, temporary Void Points past that value is up to the GM, and excess points are lost at the end of a session, if not spent (use it or lose it!). The GM also has access to Void Points, and receives one Void Point per player at the beginning of each session.
Awarding Void Points
Character Story: GMs can award a Void Point or Bonus Experience for the completion of a written character backstory. This reward encourages players to take an active role in the history of the game. In addition, the GM can use this backstory to generate a pivotal moment for your character concerning her past. When this key event is resolved, the GM can reward additional Void Points or Experience Points. Alternatively, the GM might award Void Points or Bonus Experience for painting a miniature or drawing a character portrait in the likeness of your character, helping the rest of the group visualize your hero.
Completing Plot Arcs: The GM might award Void Points to each of the PCs who were involved in completing a major chapter or arc in the campaign story. These Void Points are awarded at the conclusion of the arc if the PCs were successful or advanced the story in a meaningful way.
Faith: In a campaign where the gods, spirits, and ancestors play an important role in every character's life, Void Points might represent their favor. The GM can award Void Points to characters whenever they uphold the tenets of their faith (or Bushido) in a grand way, or whenever they take on one of the faith's major enemies. Such Favor might be temporary, and if not spent on the task at hand, they fade away.
Group Service: The GM can award Void Points for acts outside the game as well. Buying pizza for the group, helping to clean up afterwards, or even hosting the game for a night might be worth a Void Point. This should be given out of generosity, not as a payment.
Heroic Acts: Whenever a character performs an exceptionally heroic act, she can be awarded a Void Point. This might include anything from slaying an evil Oni when the rest of the group has fled, to rescuing peasants from a burning building despite being terribly wounded. It does not have to be related to combat. Convincing the reticent Daimyo in Court to send troops to help with a bandit problem or successfully jumping a wide chasm might earn a character a Void Point, depending on the circumstances. Note that a Void Point should only be awarded if the PC involved did not spend a Void Point to accomplish the task.
Using Void Points
Void Points can be spent at any time and do not require an action to use (although the actions they modify consume part of your character's turn as normal). You cannot spend more than 1 Void Point during a single round, unless the required as the cost for a single expenditure. Whenever a Void Point is spent, it can have any one of the following effects.
Act Out of Turn: You can spend two Void Points to take your turn immediately. Move your initiative to just before the currently acting creature. Or spend one Void Point to exchange your Initiative Score with one willing target for the remainder of the current skirmish.
Bonus: Gain a bonus of +1k1 to a Skill, Trait, Ring, or Spell Casting roll (the Void Point expenditure must be declared prior to the roll being made). Damage rolls may not be enhanced in this manner. Or, temporarily increase a Skill rank from 0 to 1 (avoiding Unskilled Roll penalties).
Brace: Reduce the amount of Wounds suffered from one source of damage by 10 (this must be done immediately after the damage total is announced). Or Increase your Armor TN by 10 for one round (This is done before dice are rolled).
Extra Action: You can spend two Void Points on your turn to gain an additional Complex Action this turn. Or spend one Void Point on your turn to gain an additional Simple action this turn.
Inspiration: If you feel stuck at any point in the adventure, such as in Court in a political encounter, you can spend a Void Point and petition the GM for a hint about what to do next. If the GM feels that there is no information to be gained, the Void Point is not spent.
Cheat Death: A character can permanently expend a Void Point to cheat death. This Void Point can never again be recovered. It is lost forever, as this represents your fate running out. Cheating death may have other unintentional consequences, too - again, you've cheated fate. How this plays out in-game is up to the GM, but generally the character is left alive, if barely. For example, a character is about to be slain by a devastating hit from an assassin's arrow. If the character permanently spends a Void Point, the GM decides that the arrow pierced the character's holy symbol, reducing the damage enough to prevent him from being killed. Or a group of bandits leave the character for dead in a bamboo forest, but the character is stabilized by a Kami that takes the appearance of a silver, two-tailed fox... for a favor.
Lastly, Void Points may be spent to activate certain School Techniques, items, or weapons.