The picture, taken from the Crane forums (please don't kill me, noble Crane!), shows a rule card that was included in EE Demo Decks that made their debut at Gencon. The Crane demo deck included "Soul of" Personalities, a new version of Ring of Earth, a new XP version of Kyuden Otomo as one of the EE Crane strongholds, and some new Personalities. However, what made the Crane board buzz the most, and rightly so, was the rule changes that were revealed on the card pictured above as well as some other rules that were mentioned in that thread about Dishonour and Enlightenment victory timing. That's what I'd like to speak on.
It should be noted that according to Kakita Onimaru, the AEG rep that gave him the deck did say that because these were demo decks, the cards and rules were subject to change prior to release,
but one would have to believe that rule changes as substantial as the ones on the card would likely not change at this late stage. Emperor Edition should be long gone to printer and playtesters should be well into the first expansion of testing, if not the second. Further, Emperor Edition had a long playtest run, far longer than most sets, and I know that these rules got very thorough testing. Still, to be clear, all of these are subject to change prior to EE release. I hope they don't though.
Let's look over the biggest changes:
1) Everyone has a modified City of Tears ability for equipping Spells in battle.
The biggest change is the change to how Spells attach in Battle. Until now, only the amazing Phoenix Stronghold, City of Tears, had the ability to attach Spells in battle, unless the Spell itself had that as an ability (like some Thunder Spells do), and then take an immediate followup action on the Spell. CoT could also do it as an Open action. The newly updated ability is now for all clans and unlike its predecessor, it can't be used as an Open.
A change I also heartily approve of is that the Personality attaching the Spell has to be unbowed and opposed in the Battle. While we don't know if there will be a Phoenix version of a Cav deck like the one that was so prominent in early CE, we do know that Unicorn Deathpriests will be in EE. Not allowing some kind of Cavalry rush deck to just load on force-boosting Spells unopposed if the defender can raise province strength somehow is a nice assurance. We've seen Mantis Followers do it for 4+ years and Phoenix has done it since CoT at times, and I'm happy to see the "opposed" caveat on the ability. Further, its annoyed me for quite some time that a bowed Shugenja can cast Spells, and while this doesn't change that specific ability, it does mean that you can bow out an opposing Shugenja army and know your Personalities won't eat a Consumed or similar style spell that bows itself and not the caster unless the Spell was already attached.
This fundamentally changes how Spells work in the game, and its a fantastic rule change. I really think players will like it.
2) Dishonour and Enlightenment Victories no longer happen instantly, but rather at the end or beginning of the turn.
This is another change that I really, really like. Even if we ignore the horrible angering feelings from SE of crushing a Scorpion's last province just to eat an Assigning Blame to lose (see my Unicorn deck's first loss at the last Portland Kotei), the change to those victory conditions brings them into line with the other victory condition that checks at the start of the turn, that being honour. Its also far easier to explain to a newer player that you check for all these conditions effectively between turns rather than at different times in the game. In the case of both those victory conditions, a military deck attacking in on the final attack often knew that they had no chance because they would be dishonoured out or the final Rings would be dropped, which is certainly no fun. In anything, these changes should make games against both those victory conditions more interactive and nailbiting. I'm fairly sure that dishonour players won't like it as much as I do, but I think its a fair change.
Edit: I added in the correction that has been confirmed that Enlightenment checks at the beginning of your turn, not the end.
3. Proclaiming happens at any time during your turn, rather than only at during the Dynasty phase.
Buying someone for honour has a name now in "Proclaiming", and if we're reading the rulesheet correctly, you can gain honour for a person at any time on your turn, not just during Dynasty. That means that if you bring a personality out without clan discount during a battle or as a Limited action, you can gain honour for them (although you can't then do it again during Dynasty). This presents some interesting potential scenarios in terms of an honour deck perhaps buying someone during the Limited phase to gain enough honour to take the favour, or an attacking deck buying a guy during battle for honour to get above honour requirements for an in-province guy or avoid an ability that is preventing the gain during Dynasty somehow. Either way, its another rule change that also simplifies the rules for a new player. "You can gain honour on your turn for bringing a guy in without clan discount at any time" is easier than "only during Dynasty".
Imperial Yojimbo Tournament
Case Kiyonaga continued his domination of all things L5R by defeating elfiver's own Andrew Moul and his Embassy deck in the finals of the Imperial Yojimbo tournament with Lion Paragons. He chose Matsu Koyama as the Imperial Yojimbo to the Shogun. Congrats to Case on another big win!
What Do You Think?
Let us know what you think of the changes in the comments below. Do you love them or hate them or are you in the "wait and see" camp? Either way, EE is certainly going to shake things up in more than a story-jump way. I can't wait!
I am overjoyed at the changes to Enlightenment and Dishonor, especially Dishonor. With expanding Enlightenment playability, it was likely a needed change.
ReplyDeleteDishonor I especially love because as a Spider player its reduces the autoloss a bit. No more me having enough force to take three provinces, but losing because on my opponents first action he managed to drop me to -20. At least his gives me a chance to win.
So Military remains the only instant win. When are we gonna see that changed? I hate having crossed 40 (or 50... 65 in extreme cases!) and then having a player whose production has been unhampered all game beanie to swing away with everything and take my last province.
ReplyDeleteSeriously however, these changes seem for the best, and I cannot wait to get my hands on EE.
Does the Proclaiming rule imply that you get clan discount at all times as well?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe simple answer to the Military instant victory is that the other conditions will need a relative slight speed up. Then again, it seems the other victory conditions in Emperor will be signifigantly more Battle ready, so maybe they won't need to be sped up.
ReplyDeleteQuery, does Honor still only check at the begining of that players turn, while Dishonor enlightenment checks at the end of each players turn? If so Honor, even with military support might still get a speed up to compensate.
I think that dishonor checks at the end of the player's turn, so IE if you dropped me to -24 on your turn, I would still get a turn and would lose at the end of mine.
ReplyDeleteEnlightenment appears to be the same way, except its start of turn I thought I had seen somewhere.
I could be wrong however, just how I had understood it after talking to a few people who had seen the demo decks.
(although you can't then do it again during Dynasty)
ReplyDeleteCheers mate ;)
I think addressing that spells are only really viable at high level out of phoenix was a good move.
Also, @Benjamin, hopefully never. Military instant win is the only thing that makes sense. If you're getting blown up, well... You're getting blown up. Playing mastermind or being the most popular person in the empire shouldn't save you if there are armies actually at your door...
But then again, that could just be the Spider in me saying that, dishonour having to survive that one crucial turn is very, very welcome to me and mine.
Apparently my sarcasm was lost in to the internets.
ReplyDelete:P
Sarcasm usually is, even when you follow your statement with "seriously, though". :)
ReplyDeleteThe battle ability to attach spells is fine except for giving an additional action. This creates a huge advantage as any shug could unleash the most powerful attachment action in the deck. I doubt they willake spell actions weaker to compensate as we have seen in previews.
ReplyDeleteSpell decks already have to protect their spell slingers so it would be good for them to have to work for it.
It feels less strategic and easy this way. If it was simply to attach it the opponent would gave opportunity to deal with the sudden, often very powerful, threat. Likewise a smart shug will be able to wait out a couple of actions before attaching like mantis dgc.
Without the additional action, the ability is pointless. The additional action makes Spells like Strategies that stick around and usually cost a little bit of money. I'd be just as happy with a battle action that costs money for a bigger effect for Samurai, etc. Shatter the Line and Unnatural Hunger were two examples of actions that cost money that were playable to varying degrees.
ReplyDeleteThis new rule seems to make Shugenja significantly stronger.
ReplyDeleteUsing Samurai I have to put my weapons, armour, attachment on during the limited phase that paints that personality as a big target.
You attached items are vulnerable to item kill actions (claw and shell, what ever).
Your Shugenja face no such problems...AND if they happen to have navel... declare navel, attach a spell, react for the harpoon.
Shugenja have traditionally been weaker from a military standpoint and easier to kill, Spells or not. Whereas your 5F Samurai with +4 from Wyrmbone is a target, he's not going to get pinged off by some random Ranged 4 attack. The Shugenja is often far more vulnerable than your Samurai usually are.
ReplyDelete