GM Questions

[Jewel]

One more, sorry!

The rules of shields here read:

Bearing a shield imposes a -5 penalty to attack and Athletic rolls. Attacking with a shield uses Brawling (Shield Bash) and suffers off-hand attack penalties based on the size of the shield. When used as a weapon shields have a DR of 1k2.

Which is slightly different from the wording in the LBS 4e document:

(...)shields also use the Wielding Two Weapons rules in L5R 4th Edition (page 141) to determine the penalty that the holder of the shield suffers to all attack rolls. In addition (unlike wielding two weapons) the wielder of a shield also suffers the same penalty to all athletics skill rolls.(...)

(...) A character attempting to make an attack with a weapon in his off-hand (insert: this would be the shield) suffers a penalty of -5 to the roll if it is a small weapon, -10 if it is medium, and -15 if it is large. Additionally, attacks made with the character's dominant hand suffer a penalty of -5 to attacks as long as a secondary weapon is held in the off-hand.(...)

Is the different wording in fact a different ruling, or just a different wording of the same thing? Specifically - if you are holding ONLY a shield and attacking with Brawling, or if you are holding a shield and a knife and have Knives 3 (or some other ability that removes Off-hand penalties with the weapon you're using), does the different wording used here mean you STILL suffer the -5 penalty to attack due to the shield?

And on the same vein - if you would NOT suffer the -5 penalty to attacks if using knife + shield or fists + shield, does that mean you also don't suffer the -5 penalty to athletics skill rolls?

Thanks, and sorry for the numerous questions!

Attacking with your primary hand is -5. Attacking with the shield itself is -5/-10-15 depending on shield size.

Although it uses the mechanics of off-hand weapons as a base it is not the same as using an off-hand weapon (part of the reason for rewording it) and would not benefit from Knife masteries or similar. Keeping a shield interposed between you and an opponent while attacking is a very different matter than being skilled enough with a knife that you can stick someone with your offhand while they're distracted by the primary.

Ack! Two more...

Short Bow
Keywords : Small
Strength: 1 (minimum strength of 3 to wield)
Range: 100'
Special rules: Increases TN of all attack rolls by 10 on horseback.
Cost: 6 Copper

The shortbow seems to be basically the same thing as the Han-kyu ,except that they need a minimum strength of 3 to wield even though it's got a Strength of 1. Is that on purpose?

No must have been a transcription error. Fixed.

And also - if you get a Horse Bow but is not strong enough to wield it.... can you swap it out for a bow for punier folks? XD Or are you stuck with it?

I suppose I'll allow it.

[Bazir]

Can we update our character profile?

[Jewel]

Can we update our character profile?

Yes, just remember it's only been two weeks.

[Al-Haddar]

Readying al-Haddar for his return.

[Arash Karuvah]

When an outfit includes a knife, can we choose anything from the Knives section, or is it specifically a version of the 1k1 knife?

[Jewel]

When an outfit includes a knife, can we choose anything from the Knives section, or is it specifically a version of the 1k1 knife?

A version of the 1k1 but I'll allow paying the 'difference' between that and a variant. So 2 copper to go to a katar or 4 copper to go to a kukri at character creation.

[Arash Karuvah]

Some questions re: Meishodo:

1. Can we start with some talismans already created?

2.

You may only create meishodo from spells of a Mastery Level equal or less than your Shugenja School Rank

Does affinity count here? E.g. can we create rank 2 spell Meishodo with Earth affinity at rank 1?

3.

Creating a meishodo requires a number of hours equal to the spell’s Mastery Level.

How many hours does a timeslot count as? if 2 or more, can we creat emultiple talismans (or at least attempt to) during a timeslot? E.g. Mastery 1 spells take 1 hour to create, can I create 2 in a timeslot if it takes 2 hours?

4. Since there is no casting roll, how should Path to Inner Pace would work as Meishodo?

5. Can we create Meishodo of Commune, Summon and Sense as well?

[Jewel]

Some questions re: Meishodo:

1. Can we start with some talismans already created?

I'll allow starting with one talisman already made of a Rank 1 spell.

2.

You may only create meishodo from spells of a Mastery Level equal or less than your Shugenja School Rank

Does affinity count here? E.g. can we create rank 2 spell Meishodo with Earth affinity at rank 1?

Since affinity is treated as a phantom increase to school rank for spell casting, as opposed to a standalone bonus, I'll allow it to apply here as well.

3.

Creating a meishodo requires a number of hours equal to the spell’s Mastery Level.

How many hours does a timeslot count as? if 2 or more, can we creat emultiple talismans (or at least attempt to) during a timeslot? E.g. Mastery 1 spells take 1 hour to create, can I create 2 in a timeslot if it takes 2 hours?

Despite the Rokugani hour being two Earth hours the books seem to write duration based on Earth time not Rokugani time so with eight timeslots to a day I'll say each is three hours. That said I'd say you can only successfully craft one talisman per timeslot but you could have multiple attempts at crafting the same talisman if they fit within that slot (you go down a wrong path in construction, catch yourself, and try again with the available time).

4. Since there is no casting roll, how should Path to Inner Pace would work as Meishodo?

I've seen it ruled both ways but, since it still burns a spell slot to use it, I'll be benevolent and say you can create a Path to Inner Peace talisman that works. When activated it would heal XkY-10 (minimum 1) with X being the Water and School Rank of the talisman creator at the time of its creation and Y being their Water rank at that time. If your school rank or Water ring go up you would need to craft a new talisman to take advantage of the higher stats. Similarly, if another Meishodo Shugenja were to use your talisman they would roll with your stats at the time of creation even if their own stats are higher.

5. Can we create Meishodo of Commune, Summon and Sense as well?

I'll say yes but each element for each spell is its own talisman. Also remember that they do not benefit from raises which will limit their utility somewhat.

[Arash Karuvah]

Thanks!

So we roll for PtiP when casting as a heal, right?

Furthermore, just to confirm, there's no maximum amount of meishodo talismans we can have, and talismans don't seem to "run out" if I read correctly, so can be used indefinitely (unless stolen).

[Jewel]

Thanks!

So we roll for PtiP when casting as a heal, right?

Correct. I thought of having it based off the craftsmanship roll but then you're motivated to keep churning them out until you get an insane explosion version. This keeps it balanced with other casters while still being useful and not saying 'no roll means no healing'.

Furthermore, just to confirm, there's no maximum amount of meishodo talismans we can have, and talismans don't seem to "run out" if I read correctly, so can be used indefinitely (unless stolen).

Correct. They're basically the same as spell scrolls just they trade flexibility (raises) for speed.