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Silo - Tips - Official 4th Edition Errata and Clarifications
Silo - Tips - Official 4th Edition Errata and Clarifications
into Rounds rather than invent some other unique term for
the three phases of the duel (Assessment, Focus, Strike). Defense Skill applying to duels (“make you more difficult
Also, by structuring a duel in Rounds, it can take place to hit in a skirmish or duel”) is an error and should be
during a larger skirmish scene – for example, a duelist ignored.
102 PC and a bandit leader might engage in an iaijutsu duel Initiative and Duels: The references to Initiative in the
while the rest of the PCs and the remaining bandits fight dueling rules are included purely as a convenience for
a normal skirmish. However, it cannot be emphasized GMs who are running duels as part of a larger skirmish
The Imperial Archives
enough that the duel itself is NOT a skirmish; players scene. They are intended to provide “timing cues” for
should not assume that the normal skirmish rules and when the GM should have the duelists perform their
mechanics, such as Initiative, apply to duels. Assessment and Focus rolls in the Round. Initiative has no
Center Stance and Duels: In a normal skirmish, a actual effect on the duel itself, and Techniques which rely
character cannot stay in Center Stance for more than one on Initiative cannot be applied to iaijutsu duels.
Round. However, in an iaijutsu duel, the two duelists are Duels and Actions: Again, a duel is not a skirmish, so
assumed to enter the Center Stance at the beginning of the rules on what Actions can be taken during a Round do
not have any real applicability to a duel. Characters do not
need to worry about whether they have an Action
to draw their weapons, for example. Similarly, a
character who can attack as a Simple Action
will still only get one attack during the Strike
phase.
The Physical Nature of a Duel: The ideal
form of a duel consists of two duelists facing
off, a few paces apart, with their blades
sheathed until the moment of the Strike – at
which point they leap forward, drawing their
blades near-simultaneously. However, a duel
does not have to exactly conform to this ideal
– for example, many Dragon samurai will
start a duel with their swords already drawn,
and battlefield duels routinely take place with
the characters already having their swords
drawn. The one universal principle is that a
duel is fought only with swords, and usually
the katana. A contest fought with other
weapons is not an iaijutsu duel – it is merely a
one-on-one skirmish. Mechanically, these physical details Page 114, Togashi Tattooed Order School: The School
make no difference to how an iaijutsu duel is resolved – should have the Artisan: Tattooing skill (instead of Craft:
the same Assessment/Focus/Strike format is followed. Tattooing).
Mirumoto Rank 2: The bonus from this Technique Page 118, Kitsu Shugenja School: The Kitsu technique
applies to all three rolls in an Iaijutsu duel (Assessment, does not allow them to detect the Shadowlands Taint
Focus, and Strike). Disadvantage.
Page 120/219, Kitsune Family: Two different family
Errata, 4th Edition Core Book: Trait bonuses are listed for the Kitsune family. This is
not actually an error; the +1 Willpower bonus applies
General clarification of rounding-off: Situations may
to the Kitsune as a Minor Clan, while the +1 Awareness
arise where a number is halved. What happens when
bonus applies to the Kitsune as a family of the Mantis
this is applied to an odd number? In most cases, the GM
Clan. However, GMs who find this to be unrealistic may
chooses, but there is one specific case where the numbers
opt to restrict the Kitsune to one or the other Trait bonus
are always rounded down: When determining the XP cost
throughout their history.
of Kiho for non-Brotherhood monks.
Page 128, Bayushi Courtier Rank 5 Technique: This
Page 80 and page 140, Unarmed Attacks and
Technique refers to a nonexistent “Bad Reputation”
Improvised Weapons: An unarmed attack normally has
Disadvantage (a legacy term from previous editions of L5R).
a base DR of 0k1. A character who uses the “Improvised
In 4th Edition, this should be the “Social Disadvantage”
Weapons” emphasis of Jiujutsu to attack with a physical
Disadvantage (found on page 162).
object will have a DR of either 0k1 or 0k2, as chosen by
the GM (the GM should base this judgment on the size and Page 131, Iuchi Shugenja School: The absence of a
effectiveness of the object in question). Scroll Satchel from this School’s Outfit is an oversight.
They should have a Scroll Satchel like the other shugenja
Appendix
the Age of Exploration, the Black Steel Blade’s Taint-
Points to purchase additional Skill Ranks. GMs may opt
bestowing abilities no longer work. GMs are of course free
to change this, but be aware that this will dramatically
to homebrew a replacement Sacred Weapon Advantage for
increase the value of School Skills.
the “modern” Spider Clan.
Page 103, Example of Character Creation: The School
The Rise spells (pages 173, 180, 192, and in the Book
Skills listed for the Phoenix character are incorrect. The
of Fire supplement): The four Rise spells have caused
Skill list under the actual School (page 123) is correct.
some confusion with players who try to interpret the
General Clarification of Bushi School Techniques: Some summoned kami as a Creature, leading to questions about
School Techniques refer to “melee attacks” – this category mechanical effects like Initiative, how it takes Actions, and
does not include Unarmed attacks unless it specifically so forth. However, the summoned kami is not a Creature
mentions them. – it is an ongoing spell effect. Thus, it does not have to
General Clarification of Shugenja School Techniques: take “Move Actions” in the conventional sense, it simply
The Asahina Shugenja technique, Kitsu Shugenja technique, moves the distance desired by the caster (up to the allowed
and Komori Shugenja technique require Complex Actions maximum). It can be assumed the kami will act on the
to activate. The Tonbo Shugenja technique is a Free Action caster’s Initiative, since the caster is controlling it. It is the
to activate. GM’s judgment whether the kami will act on the Round
Pages 110 and 128, Clarification of Doji Courtier that the caster summons it – given that these are Rank 6
Rank 3 and Bayushi Courtier Rank 3 Techniques: These spells, however, they probably should be able to do so. It
Rank 3 Techniques refer to “2-point Allies” and “2-point is presumed these spirits are immune to the effects they
Blackmail” which seemingly contradicts the descriptions impose on others’ movement. They can also generally
of the Allies and Blackmail Advantages on page 146. ignore effects which would target Mental Traits or Rings,
These Techniques bypass the normal point-restriction although it is possible an odd situation might arise where
of the Allies and Blackmail Advantages. The “2-point” such an effect could have an impact on them – the GM
benefits are mechanical representations of the fact that the should use common sense and good judgment in such
character now has a bit of influence with this NPC – dirt situations.
for the Scorpion, friendship for the Crane.
Page 321-322, creatures: Horses and falcons have
the same Skill listing (Hunting and Intimidation) as the
Unicorn War Dogs. This is an error. Falcons and horses do
not have any Skill Ranks.
Page 329, Ugulu no Oni: The oni should have the Special
Ability of Huge.
Page 398, Index, entry for Off-hand Weapons &
Multiple Attacks: The correct page is 141.
Map error: On the map in the front and back inside
covers, there is a “SC11” marked, indicating a Scorpion
holding. However, the description of Scorpion holdings
on page 354 makes no mention of a “SC11” location. The
inclusion of “SC11” on the map was a layout error.
Page 255, Iuchi Traveler Path: The flavor text of the Path
Page 187, Tsuno Ravager School and Tsuno Soultwister
says that multiple spell slots can be expended to travel
School: Both of these Schools incorrectly list “Kenjutsu
greater distances. This is incorrect (the Technique does not
(Tsuno Blade)” under their School Skills. This should
actually grant such an ability) and should be ignored.
104 actually be “Heavy Weapons (Tsuno Blade)” as shown in
Page 231, “Playing a Monk” Sidebar: The sidebar states the Core rulebook (page 330) and the Tsuno Blades sidebar
that Brotherhood monks start with Glory 1 and Status 0. (page 189 of Enemies of the Empire).
The Imperial Archives
Appendix
Doji Warrior-Poet: The Path refers to the skill of Perform: Page 238, the Fuzake Shugenja School: The school is
Poetry; as both a requirement and part of its technique. missing its Trait Benefit. It should be +1 Willpower.
However, in the Core rulebook, Poetry is an Artisan Skill.
Although Poetry could be seen as both a Perform skill and
an Artisan skill, depending on how it is being used, for Errata, Book of Water
the sake of simplicity it is best to assume it is always an Page 179, the Seppun Astrologer Path: The Skills listed
Artisan skill and adjust the Path’s wording accordingly. in the Requirements section are incorrect. Replace them
Shadow Blade: This alternate Path requires the Skill of with Divination (Astrology) 4, Lore: Omens 5
Ninjutsu 3, but the Technique refers to “weapons with the Page 178, the Battle Healing Advantage: This was
Ninja keyword.” However, there are no such weapons – mistakenly given the [Mystical] tag (due to confusion with
the concept of a [Ninja] Weapon tag was dropped late in the Kiho rules). It should be [Spiritual] instead.
the development of 4th Edition. To correct the Technique,
allow it instead to apply to all weapons using the Ninjutsu
Skill, and to the Ninja-to sword.
Agility: 4 Perception: 4 Reduction: None Wounds: 25: +5; 50: Dead: Dead
Appendix
Agility: 3 Perception: 4
Skills: Jiujutsu 2
Initiative: 5k4 Armor TN: 25
Special Abilities:
Attack: Sword 7k3 (Complex) or Damage: 4k2 (sword) or
c c Amulet – Any person who possesses the wyrm’s
Beak 3k3 (Complex) 1k1 (beak)
amulet can infallibly command the wyrm, but it
Reduction: 3 Wounds: 15: +5; 30: +10; 45: will take no action if not commanded. If the amulet
+15; 60: Dead. is destroyed the wyrm instantly vanishes from the
mortal world.
Skills: Defense 3, Etiquette 3, Iaijutsu 5, Kenjutsu 4
c c Aura of Anguish – Any shugenja who casts spells
Special Abilities: in the vicinity of a wyrm will sense the anguished
c c Duelist: The Tsuru can assume the Center Stance spiritual nature of the creature and must roll Insight
and perform Iaijutsu duels. When dueling, the Rank/Willpower at TN 30 or be overwhelmed and
Tsuru uses its Air instead of Void for Focus rolls. Stunned (as per the rulebook Condition).
c c Shapeshifting c c Constriction Attack: A Wyrm’s Constrict attack
c c Spirit is considered a Grapple attack, but inflicts 5k5
c c Swift 4 (when flying) damage instead of normal unarmed damage.
c c Fear 3
Wyrms c c Huge
c c Spirit
“These deadly Yobanjin warriors bring their fearsome
steeds into the middle of combat, where man and beast c c Swift 2 (Swift 4 when flying)
fight as one. Gruesome, and effective.” – Mirumoto Kei,
twelfth century
Wyrms are huge warm-blooded reptilian serpents, often
as much as thirty or forty feet in length, with colorful
bodies and heads covered in baroque shapes and whiskers
that superficially resemble the heads of the legendary
Elemental Dragons. They are encountered in the lands