New Guy

[migs6000 364]

Just bought the core, never played the original CCG, don't really know the background. But it looked interesting and one of the guys I play X-Wing with (heavily invested in that) got it so I thought I would. 

 

Good choice? I know I'm gonna need another 2 cores to really build a deck but I want to make sure I enjoy this. Any tips? Thanks in advance!

[HidaYama 127]

Play a few games with each clan deck to get a feel for the game, then look at the clan lore for each clan and player community for each clan.  If you like all of that,  then choose your clan based upon lore, card playstyle,  and player community of clan. 

[PaleRider218 14]

Build these (or your own) and play them. FFG One Core Suggested Deck Lists Make sure you like the game before you invest more heavily. 

Also, Incase it’s not obvious. Make sure your opponent is also playing a One-Core 30 card deck. Level playing field and all that jazz.

I enjoy the game, I hope you will too!

[Duciris 1,109]

With 1 core, you should be able to get a feel for each of the clans as you play them, but they won't be terribly consistent.  Right now, play whatever clan & splash combination you think will be fun.

For story, the core set fiction on the main page is really good.

The first thing I learned by playing was the value of 1 fate.  I had some powerful cards, but I couldn't pay for them and/or get enough characters out in game.

There are 2 currencies in the game.  Fate will buy you things outright, but keeping your honor pool in balance while playing is something else to learn.  If you want a good lesson in that, play against Scorpion.

Team Covenant has put out 3 really good play-throughs.  They explain what they're doing, and why they're doing it.

[migs6000 364]

Cool thanks.

[Hellvlad 171]

And never trust someone on this forum that has a Scorpion clan mon as his avatar

[selderane 148]

16 hours ago, PaleRider218 said:

Build these (or your own) and play them. FFG One Core Suggested Deck Lists Make sure you like the game before you invest more heavily. 

Also, Incase it’s not obvious. Make sure your opponent is also playing a One-Core 30 card deck. Level playing field and all that jazz.

I enjoy the game, I hope you will too!

I saw a single core Lion beat a three core Unicorn.

[Yakamo no Oni 116]

8 minutes ago, Hellvlad said:

And never trust someone on this forum that has a Scorpion clan mon as his avatar

You said it, so does this mean I should trust people on this forum with Scorpion clan mon avatars since I can't trust what you are saying or do I still not trust in scorpion... I'm confused...

Edited November 2, 2017 by Yakamo no Oni

[Hellvlad 171]

Just now, Yakamo no Oni said:

I'm confused...

Good... Good...

[migs6000 364]

I'm kinda of excited, I've been reading the lore, seems like a lot of good background. I usually play the "good guys" in games. Who would that be in this?

[Yakamo no Oni 116]

21 minutes ago, migs6000 said:

I'm kinda of excited, I've been reading the lore, seems like a lot of good background. I usually play the "good guys" in games. Who would that be in this?

Of the top off my head, the good guys are Crab, Crane, Dragon, Lion, Phoenix, Scorpion and Unicorn.

No, seriously. The Clans are the good guys, inlcuding the Scorpion Clan wo are just misunderstood in their philosophy "the end justify the means".

Edited November 2, 2017 by Yakamo no Oni

[Eisenmerc 27]

16 minutes ago, migs6000 said:

I'm kinda of excited, I've been reading the lore, seems like a lot of good background. I usually play the "good guys" in games. Who would that be in this?

Now that is a tough question. One of the things I love about this setting is there are not very many cut and dry examples of true 'good' and pure 'evil' It really depends who you ask, as everyone has their favorite clan and their own point of view. My advice would be to base your decision on the clan story that speaks to you. Each clan embodies different virtues, find the one you relate to most and you will have your clan.

[Hellvlad 171]

I don't think that a good guys/ bad guys distinction can be made at a clan level. They are all serving the empire and protect the emperor. You will find rather good or evil characters in any clan, but just labeling them like this would be too simplistic. THe fluff of L5R is rich and characters are all complex and have twisted backgrounds and stories.

If you really want to push that to the bare bones from the basic motivations of each clan, I would say the best contenders for the "good guys" title would be Scorpion and Crab.

Crab because , well they just spend their entire existence shielding the rest of the empire from an actual demonic/zombi/goblins/ogres/whatever that tries to kill anything invasion.

Scorpion because they choose to take the dishonor upon them and dirty their hands to protect the empire form any enemy from within, returning shady tactics like blackmail, treachery and murder against them; accepting in consequence to be seen as the villains of the empire.

Now that I said that, I'll expect any supporter of any o the 5 other clans, to come and argue why their clan is actaully the one deserving to be called the  "good guys"

 

[Eisenmerc 27]

You can call a Scorpion many things but 'good' is not one of them.   One of the only things all the other clans can agree on is that you must never trust a Scorpion.

That's not to say they don't have virtue, loyalty and sacrifice are worthy traits. But if your looking for the classic 'good guys' don't get lured into the Scorpion's trap.

[migs6000 364]

Hmmmmm, the scorpion clan sounds very intriguing... The crane too as they use straight up political power instead of military. I guess when I get a few games in I can see each play style.

[selderane 148]

Never trust a Scorpion. But you will never have a more loyal friend than a Scorpion.

The Scorpion's job is a thankless one; they keep the gaze of the other Clans on them, so they do not gaze greedily at the Chrysanthemum Throne instead.

Edited November 2, 2017 by selderane

[Nitenman 422]

Scorpion spies on you. Dragon is just watching. 

[Waywardpaladin 419]

11 minutes ago, Nitenman said:

Scorpion spies on you. Dragon is just watching. 

In the future.

[Ishi Tonu 2,853]

2 hours ago, migs6000 said:

I'm kinda of excited, I've been reading the lore, seems like a lot of good background. I usually play the "good guys" in games. Who would that be in this?

None of the "good guys" made it into the core set. FFG's version of L5R takes place during a state of moral decline in Rokugan.  You'll have to wait for the Shadowlands to show up.........

Edited November 2, 2017 by Ishi Tonu

[Go-Go 5]

I definitely feel like a good guy 

[Mandalore525 249]

8 hours ago, migs6000 said:

I'm kinda of excited, I've been reading the lore, seems like a lot of good background. I usually play the "good guys" in games. Who would that be in this?

I kinda tend to do the same thing in most games (unless it has vampires, then I play those), but for this game there's really no one clan that is "good" or "evil." They all have noble traits, and they all do awful things. That actually made picking a clan more fun for me, since there was no clear-cut "good" or "evil" choice. Eventually I settled on the Dragon, due to the fact that their philosophy emphasizes individuality, they tend to make judgements based on facts, rather than testimony, and that they generally tend to take a very rational and open-minded approach to problem-solving in comparison to some of the other clans (plus, you know, they have a cool dragon on their banners and dual-wielding!). But at the same time, they're still just as bound to the caste-system as the other factions, and they're not exactly religiously tolerant. Study each clan's philosophies, weigh the good and the bad of each, and decide which has the virtues you most admire.

[franzvong 249]

9 hours ago, Nitenman said:

Dragon is just watching. 

That's called stalking

Edited November 3, 2017 by franzvong

[kraken78 82]

14 hours ago, migs6000 said:

I'm kinda of excited, I've been reading the lore, seems like a lot of good background. I usually play the "good guys" in games. Who would that be in this?

CRAB - Good Guys who sometimes do necessary bad things

CRANE - Bad Guys in real pretty good guy clothes

DRAGON - These guys contemplate the meaning of GOOD/BAD and DO very little GOOD or BAD

LION - Bad Guys who think they are really good guys and beat you up when you call them bad

PHOENIX - These are the Good Guy nerds who create Atomic Bombs

SCORPION - Good Guys in bad guy clothes

UNICORN - Good Guys who don't know how to behave in civilized society

 

[estyles 3]

I see the Scorpion propaganda machine is in full force.  Scorpion always act in Scorpion's best interest.  When they get caught (and banished to the Burning Sands), they claim it was for the good of the empire.

Mantis are the good guys because they are the underdog fighting for survival in an unforgiving world.

 

Among the 7 clans, Dragon are probably the closest to good guys.

Edited November 3, 2017 by estyles

[Tabris2k 1,106]

17 hours ago, migs6000 said:

I'm kinda of excited, I've been reading the lore, seems like a lot of good background. I usually play the "good guys" in games. Who would that be in this?

As everybody said, there's not a clearly line for good guys/bad guys... but I would recommend you to read all the seven Core Set fictions (in the product page, under the Core Set Fiction section) in publishing order. If you get a "So these are the good guys!" feeling while reading, that's your clan.

Just... don't choose Unicorn, really. I don't have anything against them in lore (well, except for all that unholy meishodo practicing), but right now they're so mechanically inferior that it could drive a new player away. They're just for diehard fans right now. If you really like Unicorn, play with other clan as a secondary and wait for them to get better cards.