4th ed rules discussion [Chrysanthemum Petals in Rain]

[rcuhljr]

Before I decide if I want to keep my character concept I wanted to clear some stuff up. Are we treating duels as skirmishes? aka can my gain a void rank 3 technique function in a duel?

 

[NoisyCricket]

What is the void rank 3 tech?


I'm not sure how I feel about treating duels as skirmishes (specifically rolling initiative at the beginning). On the one hand, I like that it makes some techs more useful (Bayushi), but on the other, I'm wary of making Kakita even better at dueling.


Other than that, we should discuss a few things:


Void Point usage in a round (Can you only ever use one period, save on techniques or other specific abilities that let you use multiple void in a round?)


Kata: I know Shawn Chambers dismissed the idea of prepping kata before combat, but some of the kata don't make sense otherwise (specifically the ones for dueling and the ones for initiative). I personally don't have an issue with it (since it's not like it's a benefit only some clans/schools have), but I wanted opinions on it from others.


Anything else?

 

[rcuhljr]

What is the void rank 3 tech?
I'm not sure how I feel about treating duels as skirmishes (specifically rolling initiative at the beginning). On the one hand, I like that it makes some techs more useful (Bayushi), but on the other, I'm wary of making Kakita even better at dueling.

Getting a void each round if someone else spends one that round. You can make a duel a skirmish with rounds to allow kata and such without rolling init.

Void Point usage in a round (Can you only ever use one period, save on techniques or other specific abilities that let you use multiple void in a round?)

I'm pretty sure this was covered in errata so that things like ancestors and other things that don't specifically say "enhancement" don't count against the limit. I'd certainly take the more lenient approach.

Kata: I know Shawn Chambers dismissed the idea of prepping kata before combat, but some of the kata don't make sense otherwise (specifically the ones for dueling and the ones for initiative). I personally don't have an issue with it (since it's not like it's a benefit only some clans/schools have), but I wanted opinions on it from others.

I think he was honestly answering incorrectly and thinking about people trying to use combat kata outside of combat and forgetting about ones like void instead of reflexes for initiative. This varies on a kata by kata basis, but some should be on all day.

 

[Zoronos]

1) Duels and rounds


imo, since the rules explicitly state that duels have rounds (for applying the benefits of center stance), they therefore count as rounds for the purposes of a shiba bushi's tech. Also, I'd say they have initiative as well, since the book explicitly states which parts of the duel occur on which participant's initiative scores.


Granted, for most duels it won't matter, since the only participants are the two duelists, and it ends at the Strike anyway.


2) Kata


I'd say as long as you have the time to sit around and prep them, you can. So if you know combat is coming, go ahead and prep kata.


3) Void point usage


I'd have to re-read ancestor rules, but I'm pretty sure void was Once Per Round Period (plus technique activations). Care to cite the rule in question that's being murky? I don't recall the ancestor rules offhand, so it may be more like a technique-thing than a normal void-thing.

 

[Mnemonsyne]

How should I translate my Seppun Magistrate tech into 4th edition? It allows me to roll additional dice equal to my honor rank on all investigation and hunting rolls and to add my perception rank to the total of all attack rolls.

 

[Zoronos]

[zerg voice]We require additional splatbooks![/zerg voice]


Since AEG didn't put out a SUP for this edition, we don't really have an analog... so it doesn't translate. The perils of early adoption of a new edition; some techs and schools won't come across.


So your options are:


a) Go straight seppun guard, and just buy up the investigation / hunting skills with xp.


b) If you don't think 'new' seppun guard works for your character concept, you are free to rebuild the character as you desire based on the 4th ed rules, and we handwave the character interactions (first-3-mods-HoR-style)


(This is why I really miss the SUP from last edition. It at least gave a 'My school is gone, what do I do now?' answer. Now it's just "Grats, you're now a generic 'x' bushi!", which makes me a sadpanda. Not having an replacement for the old paths kind of stinks.)

 

[NoisyCricket]

c) Run the concept by the people on the homebrew forum and see if any of them can crank out something good.


The main thing to keep in mind is now you're completely giving up a school rank, not just delaying it.


Also, there were some imperial/generic paths in the back of the book. You might look at some of those for inspiration.


I can think of a few options off the cuff:


Extra void points per day, usable only for those skills


Minor bonuses per day that you can apply to those skills (+1k0 per school rank per day, add to rolls as you wish)


Situational bonus against people who have violated imperial law/attacked an imperial besides yourself.

 

[Zoronos]

I was actually attempting to indicate my dislike of that option by omitting it from my list.


I'd rather do as little home-brew as possible with 4th-ed until we have a better 'handle' on it as an edition.

 

[NoisyCricket]

I was actually attempting to indicate my dislike of that option by omitting it from my list.
I'd rather do as little home-brew as possible with 4th-ed until we have a better 'handle' on it as an edition.

And I was stating my opinion of it as a valid option.


That said, I don't mind holding off on homebrew for a while, assuming we allow people to do some tweaks as things go by.

 

[Zoronos]

I was actually attempting to indicate my dislike of that option by omitting it from my list.
I'd rather do as little home-brew as possible with 4th-ed until we have a better 'handle' on it as an edition.

And I was stating my opinion of it as a valid option.

Yeah, my fault for not being clear about what I meant in my initial post. My bad.


I'm cool with tweaking later after we have a feel for the system. I'd just rather get at the minimum a few sessions under our collective belts before we start fiddling with things. I know I don't feel like I have a solid enough grasp on how all the gears intermesh yet to really make a good balance call on a lot of things.

 

[Mnemonsyne]

I posted the 4th ed version of the character. I'm thinking about switching to another, but haven't decided yet.