L5R DiskWars - Pseudo FAQ v1.3

Official AEG Update: 09-30-00
A Q&A with Raymond Lau - L5R DiskWars Lead Designer at AEG

 

GENERAL

• Q: What's L5R DiskWars? Isn't it produced by Fantasy Flight Games(FFG)?
  A: DiskWars is produced by FFG, but "Legend of the Five Rings DiskWars"(L5R DW) is produced by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG). L5R DW is a separate game, but that is completely compatible with Fantasy Flight's DiskWars. In fact it is the same game with a few additions. These additions include Dueling, Item Disks, and Spell Rings.

• Q: So you say they (DiskWars & L5R DW) are compatible? There are a couple of terms that are different from FFG's game, how can they be compatible?
  A: There are terms that do not match FFG's game; however, they mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably. Shugenja = Spellcaster / Daisho = Swashbuckler / Stronghold Disk = Home Disk.

• Q: Are there alignments in L5R DW?
  A: There are no alignments in L5R DW, however if you use L5R DW disks in your DiskWars army, you should consider them neutral.

• Q: What's the rarity distribution of the disks and flats?
  A: There are four levels of rarity. Common disks are on green flats, Uncommon disks are on blue flats, Rare disks are on red flats, and Fixed disks (which are found only in Army Packs) are on black flats.

-Army Pack has eight flats: five black Fixed-rarity flats, two green Common-rarity flats, and one blue Uncommon-rarity flat.

-Booster Pack has four flats: two green Common-rarity flats, one blue Uncommon-rarity flat, and one red Rare-rarity flat.

 

• Q: How many flats are in the entire set (exact count of fixed, common, uncommon and rare flats)?
  A: There are 99 total flats devided up as :30 fix flats (including the 6 counter flats);11 rare flats; 21 uncommon flats; and 37 common flats.

 

RULES OF PLAY

• Q: Can a stronghold activate it's special ability while pinned?
  A: Under a special rule of the Activation section, it states: A Disk cannot be activated (move, cast, or use a Special Ability) if anothe disk is on top of it. Because of this rule, even Strongholds may not use their SA while pinned by another disk. Note: This also includes Items that may Activate independently from a disk it is attached to. While an attached Unit disk is pinned, the item on that disk may not Activate any of it's SA's since it is considered to be part of that unit disk.

• Q: The rule book has some unclear areas and omissions.
  A: Sorry about that. This FAQ should clear up most of the trouble spots. A revised rule book will be available for free download on www.alderac.com soon.

• Q: In rules say there were supposed to be 3 or 6 scenarios included, but there are only 2. What happened to the others?
  A: Four scenarios were deleted just before press and those references weren't updated. New scenarios will be made available for free download from www.alderac.com in the upcoming weeks.

• Q: Do Items count as Unit points or are they akin to Spell Disks? Are they included in the calculation to determine whether or not you have a legal army?
  A: Yes, they are included in the calculation to determine whether or not you have a legal army. Treat them as you would a Unit Disk that isn't affiliated with your clan.

• Q: The rules mention that to use a Stronghold's SA, at least 75% of your points have to come from your clan opposed to the 50% of units to have a legal army. However, it's not clear if that's meant to be 75% of total points or 75% of the unit points.
  A: You need 75% of your Unit and Item points to be from the clan of the Stronghold you are using to use the Stronghold's SA.

• Q: When I take a spell at the reduced cost does that require the spell to be cast by the Shugenja of that ring?
  A: No, you must have a Shugenja of the same Ring that is able to cast the reduced cost spell in your Army. i.e. Level III spells require a Level III Shugenja of the same Ring for reduced cost. After Army Stack construction, any Shugenja can cast that spell as long as it is not opposite their Ring and they are of sufficient level.

 

DEFINITIONS

• Q: What's Ambush?
  A: You may Activate a disk with Ambush by picking it up and placing it on top of any enemy disk within the specified range, thereby attacking (this should read pinning & then fighting) that disk in the process.

• Q: What's Double Chi?
  A: Disks with the Double Chi trait are samurai & heroes who are so great at Dueling, it almost becomes a natural extension of their minds. In a duel, after a you drop dueling counters for a disk that has Double Chi, you may pick up the counters that missed the enemy disk and make a second attempt to drop them on your enemy.

• Q: What's Loyal?
  A: Disks with the Loyal trait may only be in an Army and Stronghold of that same clan.

• Q: How does Dueling work? Can any disk with the ability to duel call out any other disk? And do they have to accept? Do they drop disks once and return to the table or do they go until someone is dead? Can they die as a result of dueling? Finally, is this damage cumulative; if I have a disk with a T of 5 and he gets 4 points damage dueling, then an arrow in the archery phase kill him? Note: A detailed example of a duel from start to finish is needed!
  A: Yes, they have to accept, they drop dueling counters once and they can die as a result.. Only disks that have the ability to call out duels can start duels. It is not an innate game mechanic, dueling can only be started through disk text or spells. It is cumulative in the same way that missile counters are cumulative. The damage incurred stay on the disk until the end of the turn

• Q: In L5R DiskWars is Instant Blow and First Blow the same thing?
  A: No. As a quick fix, all occurrences of Instant Blow throughout the L5R:RoP (there are 4 of them, including one under the "Other Important Rules" heading) should be replaced with First Blow. Hopefully there are not any disks in the set that call for the real Instant Blow, 'cause its not in the L5R:RoP. (designer's note: we're switching First Blow / Instant Blow to match with FFG's Diskwars, errata will be issued accordingly)

• Q: Hida Yakamo lists "Samurai" as if it is a skill. What does this mean if anything?
  A: It's a trait that can be affected by certain other disks. For Example, Fox wife has this text "All friendly Samurai within 3" gain +1D and +1T. No disk may be affected by more than one Foxwife at a time". Therefore since Hida Yakamo is a Samurai, if he were within 3" of the Foxwife, he'd gain +1D, +1T.

• Q: Many Disks list "Shadowlands" as if it were a Skill and are also listed as "Unaligned". What does this mean if anything? i.e., Skeletal Troops
  A: See above question.

 

GAME DISKS

• Q: I assume Asahina Tomo should be played as noted in the rulebook examples (12" maximum) even though his card reads differently and cards supposedly override the rules...
  A: Yes, Asahina Tomo has a 12" maximum effect radius and should be errata'd as such

• Q: Has there been any clarification as to whether Mujina having shadowlands is a misprint? Minor point of course but in the CCG they are not SL, just checking.
  A: This disk is not being errata'd as there is a possibility that mujina might be able to take on the Shadowlands trait. I'd rather not going into the storyline implications that this might have as the trait causes no significant balance nor confusion problems.

• Q: Akuma We know he's also broken but the important thing is whether he can wound himself (I think not). Also can you use Command the Mind to force wound taking/suicide on Akuma.
  A: No, he cannot wound himself with that ability. Yes, you can use Command the Mind to force him to wound / suicide himself.

• Q: Fires from within says to drag it flat on the table. If my attacking disk is completely above the disk it is pinning (say a dragon centered perfectly on a small disk) is it to be assumed that the fires cannot hit my disk?
  A: Yep.

• Q: Kisada "cannot be target of spells". Is this targetting in the l5r sense or is he just immune? Affected by earth stagnation on a nearby disk? Does he still take Shield of Fire damage? Also on the missle lines does Kisada take damage from Asahina Tamako's ability?
  A: Yes, he can still be effected by "area effect" spells or other non-targetting spells.
  
• Q: Shield of Fire If I put this on the Iron Warriors will it deal the extra damage when they deal their damage?
  A: No, that Shield of Fire damage occurs simultaneously with the Attack damage in the Combat Segment, therefore after the Defensive damage that the Iron Warriors deal.

• Q: The Flight Spell disk has no cost printed on it.
  A: The cost is 5 and can be referenced in the rule book.

• Q: The Moto Tsume disk has a Wound icon (red blood drop) on his disk, but no number in it. How many Wounds does actually he have?
  A: That Wound icon is a graphical error. It shouldn't have been there. He has only one Wound.

• Q: I found a Level II Spell Disk called Spirit of Osano-Wo, but couldn't find it in the rule book. On the other hand, the rule book has Fire of Osano-Wo, but I have yet to find a Spell Disk of that name.
  A: They are the same spell. It should have been printed Spirit of Osano-Wo in the rule book.

• Q: Dragon Archers, do they do damage as well as cause activation or just activation to occur?
  A: Damage is also inflicted.

• Q: When a disk reads "SA: Without A." are you saying the SA can be done without activating? i.e., Ninja Shapeshifter
  A: Yes

• Q: Shinjo Thunders state they place on "Damage" counter on any disk they touch. Does this mean they kill all on wound disks they touch? Does this include Enemy disks that have attacked them?
  A: No, it means they would take one damage in much the same way a Disk would take 2 damage when hit by a standard Arrow. Note: Shinjo Thunders doesn't say that you place a 1 damage counter on the disk for each time the Shinjo Thunders touches it. It just says place a 1 damage counter on a disk that it touched that turn. Means only one damager counter per disk per turn.

• Q: Matsu Gohei reads "Matsu Gohei gains +2 A while attacking."
  A: I am sure this is a typo. It should read "... gains +2 AT while attacking..." etc. al...

• Q: Otaku Kamoko reads "Otaku Kamoko gains +1A while attacking non-Calvary or flying disks."
  A: I am sure this is a typo. It should read "... gains +1 AT while attacking..." etc.al...

• Q: The equipment are both listed as the Star of Laraman, one is a sword (0,+1,0), one is a necklace(0,0,0). Do they both give double Chi?
  A: The necklace is the Star of Laramun, and reads - The attached disk gains double chi. The sword is a misprint. It is a Bloodsword, and should actually read, "Attached disk gains +2 dueling counters in duels. SA: A the bloodsword to challenge an enemy disk that the attached disk is pinning to a duel."

 

 

AEG SUPPORT

• Q: Is there any Internet support for the game?
  A: Within the next few weeks, new scenarios, updated FAQs, and errata will be issued on the Alderac Entertainment Group website at www.alderac.com. If you have any other rule questions, you may subscribe to the official L5R DiskWars mailing list where the design team regularly answers rule questions. To subscribe, email majordomo@darkedge.com and type the following in the body of the message. Subscribe L5Rdiskwars@darkedge.com <your email address>

SLDWeb master's notes: I would like to thank Raymond and AEG from becoming a proactive gaming company in regards to this FAQ. Hopefully it is the first sign of many good things to come. If you, the reader, have a question about L5R DiskWars that is not answered above, by all means send it in. But remember to choose your questions and verbiage wisely. And always check the L5R DiskWars printed rules sheet and this F.A.Q. for the answer.We certainly don't want to flood AEG with tons of common questions that might result in conflicting and hastily written "official responses" that could differ from coast to coast and game group to game group.