L5R DiskWars - Pseudo FAQ v1.3
Official AEG Update: 09-30-00
A Q&A with Raymond Lau - L5R DiskWars Lead Designer at AEG
Note: The Q
& A in red are from the official FAQ, or questions
from the L5R DiskWars listserv. See end notes...
-
- 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.