by Jeffrey Schaffer

Created on: September 10, 2009

Legend of the Five Rings is a collectible card game based heavily on a Japanese themed world called Rokugan. Players collect cards and build decks in order to compete against one another. Legend of the Five Rings (referred to as L5R for short) is one of the most popular CCG played today.

A L5R deck is composed of two parts: one half, called the dynasty deck, contains the holdings and personalities, while the other half, called the fate deck, has the actions, items and spells in it. A stronghold card is played first to determine one's clan affiliation, who goes first and a person's beginning gold production.

As a player, you represent a feudal lord (daimyo) who belongs to one of nine Great Clans (Crane, Crab, Lion, Scorpion, Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, Mantis and Spider). You hire and command samurai, ninjas, courtiers and shugenja (sorcerer-priests) to fight and win honor for you.

The game is played by drawing cards into your hand from your fate deck, and putting cards from your dynasty deck into four provinces. Using the stronghold, a person brings out holding which produce more gold and allow you to bring personalities into play. Personalities represent the warriors, politicians, assassins, monks, spell-casters and monsters that you control. In you hand you hold various items, followers and spell scrolls that you give your personalities and form armies. Action cards are played to create special effects and manipulate your opponent's cards.

It follows the basic pattern of most CCGs in its form, but stands out for several reasons:

1. Story

L5R has an deep and epic story revolving around a world called Rokugan, where the Great Clans vie for power against each other and against dark forces. Not only is the fiction surrounding the game deep, but it changes based upon the results of tournament play. As the Clans win or lose contests, the story, cards and expansion sets are designed to meet the results of the winners. Therefore, becoming involved in the tournaments changes the very game itself.

2. Depth

L5R has four basic victory conditions: military (destroying you opponents provinces), honor (gaining respect and glory), dishonor (shaming your opponent into disgrace) and enlightenment (becoming a sage). It also has several alternate victory conditions that are created by cards.

This, combined with the nine Clans and fifteen different card types, creates innumerable deck types and card combinations. With many of the cards having multiple keywords, the game becomes

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>