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Tournament Reports
I have nothing to tell you about my tournamenting lately, as I haven't played a face to face game of L5R or any other card games for about...six or seven months, although I have been keeping up with them and still writing articles.
Game Articles
Enlightenment after Broken Blades
Building an enlightenment deck is one of the most challenging tasks that can face a player of the Legend of the Five Rings CCG. What was in the pre-Gold Edition environment has now become all but obselete. Asking any player who experienced Jade Edition about FETA can cause him or her to relieve hundreds of games that they have either played or heard about. FETA, or Finding Enlightenment Through Air, was a major deck type in the strict Jade and extended Jade format, which involved Dragon Tattoo and a great deal of repetition of "use the tattoo create zero tokens, zero tokens, zero tokens, air." This was before Finding the Harmony (R.I.P.) was errataed to cause the rings put into play to not count, when using this kiho.
Gold Edition presented a new task to those few and proud enlightenment players of yesteryear. Without such cards as Enlightenment (now brought back into the game as a promotional), enlighteners could not hope to play any rings in their decks, without risk of losing them, and thus having to play "switch", and turn to military or honor victories. This task proved hard, as the decks were so geared toward the five rings victory condition that they could not even attempt to defend themselves. They were forced to use un-orthodox events and cards, like Glimpse of the Unicorn, and Interesting Sticks (tasty, tasty, sticks).
Now, in the post-Broken Blades era, we find ourselves now able to attempt the feat, and as the writer of the article "Achieing Enlightenment" (Imperial Herald, Volume 2, Number 6) points out, GenCon, the jewel of the tournament scene, has not EVER been taken by an enlightenment deck. The author goes on to inspire you to aspire to "be the first". The author of the article points out five main steps.
First, prepare yourself. In other words, think about the components of the deck before you actually go about the business of building it. Think about the rings requirements for playing them. However, I wish to push the point further. Try to ease the requirements as much as you can. Think about ways to FORCE your opponent to let you play the rings. I am not exactly an "elemental item fan" (Candle of the Void, etc.), but they can ease your pain.
Second, be self-sufficient. Honestly, I don't exactly see eye-to-eye with the author on this point. On this point, I would rest at: "Provoke your opponent, but equip your deck with a fail safe. Remember, you have to survive to win the game". While you don't need to attack, or play aggressive, remember that three out of the five require interaction. As I stated in the previous paragraph, tailor your opponent's resposes, like a strategic chess game.
Third, be ruthless. Don't just settle for the "card that fulfills the need". Find the best possible cards. You can potentially use cards like Interesting Sticks (I do) but make sure that it is the BEST POSSIBLE choice for the end. The end MUST justify the means, and if you can get more than just the goal out of the means - you'll be successful.
Fourth, pack resources. Be able to get into your deck, be able to manipulate the card order (legally, I should hope), and draw the cards you need. Don't forsake Walking the Way, don't over look Togashi's Shrine! Be able to customize your hand for the win!
Last of all, walk the long road. Don't quit after a loss. Take notes, take detailed notes on why you lost, and each of your errors. After the game review them and review your deck. Use the previous four steps to reform it. Using another author quote from the same article "The first build will never be as good as the fifth, and the fifth to the tenth".
Now for a decklist from me. Using a few decks published in the Vol. 2 No. 6 and Vol. 2 No. 7 of the Imperial Herald, I built a good start on the enlightenment ideas. Wandering Monk + Enlightenment, Shiro Mirumoto + Tsuges and other high chi personalities: here you go!
Shiro Mirumoto / Toturi Tsudao
Dynasty (40)
1 Oracle of the Void
3 Tamori Chosai
3 Tamori Chieko
3 Mirumoto Tsuge
2 Wandering Monk
1 Shahai Exp
3 Tamori Hiroko
1 Ningen Exp
1 Hoshi Eisai
1 Kaelung
3 Gifts and Favors
3 Gold Mine
3 Hiruma Dojo
3 Jade Works
3 Small Farm
3 Mystic Dojo
Imperial Gift
Harsh Winter
Imperial Ambassadorship
Fate (40)
3 Enlightenment
1 Celestial Sword of the Dragon
1 Drum of Water
1 Candle of the Void
(ring of...)
1 Void
1 Earth
1 Fire
1 Water
1 Air
3 Walking the Way
3 Torrential Rain
2 Touch of Death
3 Interesting Sticks
3 Block Supply Lines
2 Ambush
3 Wind's Truth
3 Arriving at the Imperial Gates
1 Tsutomu no Shiryo
3 To Do What We Must
1 Mirumoto House Guard
2 Purity of the Seven Thunders
I know this isn't at all H&E Updated, look for a link somewhere around here soon to show my H&E work.
Basic Switch Deckbuilding
Creating an effective deck the first time out, for any builder (new or experienced), is possible. It is suggested by all players that one think about the deck that would be ideal for your favorite victory condition before you begin to make it. If you're new, downloading Gempukku (an online L5R program) would be to your advantage, giving you a better view of the cards in Gold Edition, and in other environments. This essay, is however, only concerned with Gold Edition building. In this instance, we will be building a Crane honor/switch deck. Creating an effective deck the first time out, for any builder (new or experienced), is possible. It is suggested by all players that one think about the deck that would be ideal for your favorite victory condition before you begin to make it. If you're new, downloading Gempukku (an online L5R program) would be to your advantage, giving you a better view of the cards in Gold Edition, and in other environments. This essay, is however, only concerned with Gold Edition building. In this instance, we will be building a Crane honor/switch deck.
DYNASTY
Thinking about your deck, the first thing that should go in to building a deck is, of course, stronghold choice. Choose your favorite faction first, and one with a good playability, gold production and comfortable province strength. For this example, we will use Kosaten Shiro. While all other Crane strongholds printed now have very comfortable numbers, Kosaten Shiro (from here on known as "KS") is the most economically advantageous box. With its one gold discount rate, the stronghold can shurn out good gold holdings quickly and efficiently.
Now, begin with holding selection. Consider your options. It is necessary to play your clan holding or holdings with your deck, bear that in mind. With our Crane deck, it will be a gold scheme consisting of holdings that are both affordable, and efficient. With other clans, gold schemes will obviously be different. Our working scheme is as follows:
3x Silk Works
3x Hiruma Dojo
3x Marketplace
3x Small Farm
3x Sanctified Temple
1x Crane Tradesman
This is a sixteen holding deck - the number that seems standard for decks now-a-days. This allows for speed, as well as flexability and versitility. The Silk Works are a main point of the scheme, as they are a "four for four" holding, an excellently efficient choice, as only one other faction can safely run them - Unicorn (consider the speed boost it gives them!). The other holdings are hopefully self-explanatory.
Next, personalities. Based on your deck choice, it is good to choose some that will function as flexibly as possible, and then also achieve your wished conditions. For this exercise, we will choose the following:
3x Daidoji Enai
3x Daidoji Hachi
2x Daidoji Megumi
3x Doji Kurohito
3x Doji Okakura
1x Kurohito Exp
1x Hachi Exp
1x Daidoji Rekai
1x Reju Exp 2
These personalities are high honor for low cost, they are also good force values for reasonable amounts of gold. For example, something that's four force, yet has a gold cost well over eight, should be ignored. Look at a three force for six or seven. Remember, personalities can be brought out at reduced cost. Our gold scheme should help us shy away from that, however.
Next, regions. These are highly optional, but consider your deck type. For a deck that needs to double as offensive/defensive, choose things like Campsite. For some that are more defensive than aggressive, Moat, or Iuchi Plains. These can reduce the opponents force. Also choose things like Campsite for this. Sometimes decks like Lion, need regions like Crossroads, to help them pay for gold, and increase their koku-velocity. Our region choice:
2x Campsite
Lastly, choose events. There are some that people consider "necessary" however, choose what you think you need. For any deck, a general rule of thumb is to include Imperial Gift, and such events. These help you to get honor and a good item. It is also used to prevent others from having it. Consider that events aren't necessary in your deck. They're extra flavor sometimes, and other times they are necessary. After a while of playing, you'll get a good sense for what is needed and what is not. The choice for this deck:
1x Welcome Home
1x Imperial Gift
I'll leave a few open deck spots for you to contemplate. There are some cards omitted from the original design!
FATE
Actions. Choose some that give force (if you're playing military), choose some that help keep the raging armies at bay (playing defensively). Play some actions that stir up the mix, keep the opponent confused (that'll be another essay however : Game Playing Tactics). Our current choice:
3x Arrows from the Woods
3x Iaijutsu Duel
3x Block Supply Lines
3x Superior Tactics
3x In Search of the Future
3x To Do What We Must
3x Geisha Assassin
3x Deeds not Words
2x Iaijutsu Challenge
2x Counterattack
2x For the Empire
2x Fall on Your Knees
1x Flattery
Followers. These are also optional, like events. Some decks don't even run followers, but it's your discretion (like all other choices). For this situation:
3x Elite Spearmen
1x Doji House Guard
1x Empress' Guard
The spearmen are good for force and ranged attacks, helpful in that end-of-game pinch. They Doji House Guard functions well with the high honor of the deck. The empress guard is good for the price, with a helpful plus two force bonus!
Items.
1x Celestial Sword of the Crane
This is..explanitory. All decks should include their clan's sword. The only exception to this rule lies in decks that don't have many in-clan personailites - and don't run Oath of Fealty. Other items, like Naishi and Chukandomo make sense in most decks. Just pick items that don't take up space, and slow your actions. Don't make your decks item-heavy, but not too light.
Ancestors and Rings.
1x Uji no Shiryo
1x Ring of Earth
These are totally extra flavor. Although, they can help in deck construction, they are not necessary. There is an argument, however that the Ring of Void is a preferred inclusion. There is also, a large un-occupied space, for you to consider.
Thanks, and keep playing! Another essay on the more advanced building ideas to come.
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