The stage is set. The Empire awaits.
This book introduces new rules for live action role playing in the Legend of the Five Rings setting. Based on rules used to conduct successful LARPs at major conventions, this volume is a catalogue of the information players need to plan, organize, and conduct their own live action role-playing game. An example adventure is included, as well as tips on costuming, judging, and etiquette.

* Contains long-awaited live action role-playing rules for L5R.
* Earlier versions of these rules were used in many highly successful LARPs, including the L5R LARPs at Origins and GenCon.
* Engaging and useful for those new to live action role-playing as well as for experienced veterans.

FORMAT: 256 pages Anthology size (5.9 x 8.89)

AUTHOR: Kim Hosmer

A new novella set in the world of Legend of the Five Rings and focusing on the Unicorn Clan!

Across the Burning Sands features a full 110 page novella, a sixteen-page full-color insert detailing the history of the Unicorn Clan, and two alternate art cards for use with Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game!

Strange Lands
It is a turbulent time for the Unicorn Clan in Rokugan. War with the Lion has put the clan that rides in a precarious position. With so many enemies in Rokugan, they must make sure their holdings outside the Emerald Empire remain secure. This task has fallen to Shinjo Shono, who travels west to meet with the caliph of al-Zawira. But more than a simple negotiation awaits. Shinjo Shono is about to embark on an adventure fraught with peril. What awaits the young Unicorn on his journey?

Also included in Across the Burning Sands is a sixteen-page color insert detailing the history of the Unicorn. From knowledge about their unique use of spells and sorcery to the hidden records of their journey outside of Rokugan, this document is the ideal source for anyone who wishes to learn about the clan that rides.

The Conflicts Ahead
Across the Burning Sands also features two alternate art cards for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. The first of these cards is a new take on Shinjo Shono (Across the Burning Sands, 5), straight from the cover of the novella! Originally found in Breath of the Kami, Shinjo Shono leads your Cavalry characters into glorious battle, and boosts their skills when you have more participating characters than your opponent. Shinjo Shono is a born leader, and when he is on the field, you gain the ability to run down your opponents during any conflict!

But what is cavalry without steeds to mount? The second alternate art card featured in Across the Burning Sands is the Utaku Battle Steed (Across the Burning Sands, 6). This card, that will also be featured in Warriors of the Wind, allows any Unicorn character to gain the Cavalry trait. It also gives that character additional military and political skill, and honors them when they win a military challenge. This gives any character a significant boost, even if they are already a Cavalry character. Cards like Moto Juro (Fate Has No Secrets, 89) can take advantage of their glory stat to become an even more intimidating presence with the Utaku Battle Steed.

On the Sand Road
Shinjo Shono’s adventure is just beginning. What awaits him in his journey outside of Rokugan? Find out in Across the Burning Sands by Daniel Lovat Clark!

A Phoenix Clan Pack for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game

The mystical Phoenix mediate between worlds—the physical and the spiritual, appealing to the very soul of the land. Mountains collapse at their whispered requests, dry rivers are convinced to flow again, plagues are banished, restless ghosts return to slumber, and crops flourish in previously barren wastelands.

More than that, the Phoenix are the caretakers of the Emperor’s soul. In tune with the spiritual side of Rokugan, they would be the first to know if things were to fall out of balance...

What Is a Clan Pack?
Somewhere between a Dynasty Pack and the deluxe expansions found in our other Living Card Games, this Clan Pack contains 78 new cards (three copies each of twenty-five different cards and one copy each of three different cards). Primarily focusing on the Phoenix Clan, Disciples of the Void features a different spell for every element, a legion of Shugenja with powerful effects, a new Role card, the highest-costed character yet to enter the game, and much more.

Elemental Prowess
Near the dawn of the fifth century, a time of great strife for the Empire, a demon appeared in the lands of the Phoenix Clan. This demon terrorized the northern mountain range bordering Rokugan, desecrating shrines and destroying villages, and threw the entire Garanto Province into disarray. With the Phoenix Clan Champion’s attentions fixated on greater events in the Empire, it seemed that nothing could stop the demon. But then, a lone woman, with only her bow and the aid of the kami, confronted the demon on a tall mountaintop. Unflinching beneath the great beast’s shadow, she slew the demon with her arrow, and then gave her life to trap its spirit, freezing it deep in the bottom of a well.

That woman was Isawa Kaito. She was an accomplished archer and priestess, and her teachings have informed many of the shrine-keeper traditions still observed to this day. Her legendary battle with the demon saved the Garanto Province—and perhaps all of the Phoenix lands—from a terrible enemy. In honor of her sacrifice, her family was raised in status, becoming a vassal family of the Isawa.

Her ancestors still maintain Isawa Kaito’s skill with the bow, with the Air Shugenja Kaito Kosori (Disciples of the Void, 18) using her archery skills to assist in conflicts with no danger to herself. So long as you control at least one character during an Air conflict, Kaito Kosori contributes her skill to the conflict from your home area. Not only does this protect Kaito from events like Fallen in Battle (Core Set, 201), it ensures that she will not bow at the end of conflict resolution, allowing her to remain standing for battles to come. This also can give your total skill a boost when Seeker of Knowledge (Core Set, 171) is played in the midst of a conflict, as Kaito Kosori begins contributing her skill as soon as the conflict gains the Air element. Not only that, but Kaito Kosori has the ever-valuable Shugenja trait, synergizing with many other cards found in Disciples of the Void.

The Phoenix Shugenjas' main focus is the powerful Spells they produce. Disciples of the Void features a new spell for every element, including Katana of Fire (Disciples of the Void, 20). A Spell that’s the first of its kind, Katana of Fire gives the attached character additional military skill for each Fire card you control. Furthermore, the character wielding the Katana of Fire gains two additional military skill while you have claimed the Fire ring. Plenty of previous Spells have required the presence of Shugenja, but this is the first spell that grows in strength as you control characters aligned with a certain element. If you build a deck around Fire-centric cards, Katana of Fire is a very strong addition.

Disciples of the Void also features the mythical Fushichō (Disciples of the Void, 11). At six cost, this Creature is the highest-costed character in the game, dwarfing the various Clan Champions. It's true that Fushichō’s stats of six military and six political skill will remain mostly static, with zero glory and text that prevents any attachments from you or an opponent. Still, six political and military skill is enough to make a difference in any conflict. Furthermore, when the mythical creature’s time is at an end, one of the characters in your dynasty discard pile can be brought into play with one fate. Ultimately, Fushichō can give you incredible value, especially if you bring back a character like Isawa Kaede (Tears of Amaterasu, 9) or Shiba Tsukune (Core Set, 93).

While the Phoenix stronghold of Isawa Mori Seidō (Core Set, 5) focuses on the Phoenix theme of glory, many cards in Disciples of the Void forgo this theme in favor of Spells. As such, the Phoenix receive a new stronghold to reflect this, Kyūden Isawa (Disciples of the Void, 1).

During a conflict, you may bow Kyūden Isawa to play any Spell event from your conflict discard pile as if it were in your hand, removing it from the game after it's played. This means that any Spell event you play during the game essentially goes to a second hand, where it can be played during a conflict at a later time. This makes cards like Supernatural Storm (Core Set, 175) doubly effective and dramatically increases your options during conflicts.

Mystical Foes
Of course, the Phoenix aren’t the only Great Clan who field Shugenja. Disciples of the Void features characters for the six other clans, many of which directly counter the powerful Phoenix strategies found in the Clan Pack.

Yogo Kikuyo (Disciples of the Void, 25) serves the secretive Scorpion Clan as a Shugenja, and like many of the clan’s best, she excels in the shadows. Whenever the effects of a Spell would initiate, you may put Yogo Kikuyo into play from your hand to cancel those effects. Not only does this erase the effect of the Spells the Phoenix so often rely on, you gain a new character on the field for free, putting you in a very favorable position. Any Clan running Spells is a perfect target for Yogo Kikuyo.

The Disciples of the Void
Shugenja, Spells, mythical Creatures—this is the domain of the Phoenix Clan. Will you study the elements and align with this mystical clan?

Like the Imperial Cycle before it, the Elemental Cycle will be released over the course of six weeks, with one pack hitting store shelves every Thursday starting in the third quarter of this year.

Whereas the Imperial Cycle invited you to journey into the capital city, the Elemental Cycle places on emphasis on the five elemental rings of Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Void. These elements have been thrown out of balance in the world of Rokugan, and you'll find their themes running throughout this cycle. The first five Dynasty Packs of the Elemental Cycle all correspond to a different element and how each clan relates to it, with neutral cards representing various creatures and spells associated with the element. These five Dynasty Packs build toward the sixth pack, which ties the cycle together, focusing on a mix of all five elements.

Over the course of the Elemental Cycle you will see ancient creatures return to the Emerald Empire, a new set of provinces that receive a boost based on your clan’s role, and a minor clan seizing control of its destiny and taking part in the military and political battles of Rokugan.

Harness the power of the Air with the Breath of the Kami Dynasty Pack for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game!

Enter the Elemental Cycle with three copies of twenty-new cards focusing on the most ephemeral element. Explore new Shugenja and Spells revolving around the Air element, a new stronghold, and the first Mantis character to enter the game with Breath of the Kami.

Unseen, but ever-present, Air surrounds every samurai in the Emerald Empire. It gives life, but its absence can just as quickly end it. Representing precision and skill, empathy and politics, Air is subtle and light. But in the hands of a skilled shugenja, the element can become a raging storm, capable of wiping out any enemy.

Breath of the Kami introduces the themes of the Elemental Cycle, and lays the groundwork of things to come. The Shugenja of Rokugan take center stage as they manipulate the elements around them, casting powerful Spells that will shape the events of conflicts to come. But while these powerful shugenja study the elements, destiny moves other pieces into place. The Mantis Clan makes its first appearance in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, ancient Creatures return to conflicts, and to the south, the ever-growing threat of the Shadowlands continues to expand...

Reflexive and Reflective
As with each of the five elements, while Air is an essential part of Rokugan, every clan relates to it in a different way. Some use Air's powerful energy to reflect the world around them, while others use it for more direct methods.

The Dragon are known to harness the elements for use in their Kihō techniques. Augmenting martial arts with the mystical elements, few in Rokugan can compare to a Dragon Monk in hand-to-hand combat. The Hurricane Punch (Breath of the Kami, 17) is an Air technique favoring speed over power, overwhelming your opponent with a barrage of fists. During a conflict, you can play this event and choose a participating Monk character—that character increases its military skill until the end of the conflict and you can draw a card. The event costs zero fate and replaces itself with the card draw, meaning it's a low-risk investment that can mean the difference between a failed conflict and breaking a province. You have little to worry about with resource depletion, and the Hurricane Punch can potentially set up additional Kihō techniques that you may draw into. What is lost is gained, and all remains in balance.

While the Dragon see Air as a means to enhance their Kihō techniques, other clans see the benefits of Air with illusionary Spells. The Crane, in all their beauty, have perfected The Mirror's Gaze (Breath of the Kami, 15). This two cost attachment can only be controlled by a Shugenja, and as a Reaction after the effects of an opponent’s event resolves, you can immediately resolve that event again as if you had just played it, ignoring costs and choosing new targets as you please.

The Mirror’s Gaze is powerful magic, able to mimic the effects of some of the most powerful events in the game without paying their fate cost. An opponent’s Banzai! (Core Set, 204) will essentially be negated as you pump your own character. Even if your Shugenja suffers A Fate Worse Than Death (Fate Has No Secrets, 98), he won’t be suffering alone—you'll be able to mimic the terrifying Scorpion effect for free. When you take on a Crane Shugenja, you face a reflection of your own actions and must be prepared for the consequences.

Winds of Change
The Elemental Cycle brings the Mantis Clan to the forefront of the conflicts in Rokugan. But just because the Mantis are a minor clan doesn’t mean they don’t have their own Shugenja, and their own way of relating to the elements. Kudaka (Breath of the Kami, 13) is one of Yoritomo’s most trusted confidants, a tenkinja who guides the Mantis as they traverse the seas. Now, Kudaka enters Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game as a Shugenja of the Air, and asks the Kami to aid in the fortune of her prolific minor clan.

When Kudaka is on the field, you gain one fate and draw one card immediately after you claim the Air Ring. If you claim this ring on the offensive, you'll also be gaining honor, meaning you can get a boost to card draw, fate, and honor all at once. These resources are all connected and Kudaka’s boost can provide a massive swing in momentum. You'll also notice that Kudaka’s ability is limited to twice per round, meaning if Kudaka finds herself fighting alongside the Phoenix, you can use cards like Know the World (Core Set, 178) to get the most out of her ability.

Kudaka is the vanguard of the Mantis, the calm before the storm—more are coming, and they will not be silenced.

Overwhelming Force
While the elements fall out of balance and Shugenja work abstract magic for powerful Spells, careful attention must also be paid to the physical plane. The politics of Rokugan are as deadly as ever and all the Great Clans must maintain their standing armies to protect the empire and themselves.

Hisu Mori Toride (Breath of the Kami, 1) is a new stronghold that houses the Lion Clan, and it lets you call the full military force of the Lion Clan to your aid. After you win a military conflict by five or more skill, you may bow the stronghold and sacrifice a friendly Bushi to declare an additional military conflict this phase! If you can successfully mount a proper military offensive, you can put major pressure on your opponent and force them to treat every military conflict as a do-or-die situation. Cards like A Legion of One (Meditations on the Ephemeral, 116) can create a favorable conflict with little character investment, while the Kitsu Spiritcaller (Core Set, 74) can provide additional bodies for a second military conflict. With overwhelming pressure, the Lion can overrun their foes and become even more fearsome with the help of Hisu Mori Toride. As long as the proud clan controls the formidable stronghold, few will be able to stand against their might in pitched battle.

A New Breath
Breath of the Kami is the start of a new era of Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. With the elements falling out of balance, Shugenja and their knowledge are more important than ever. The Air is all around us, but what happens when it becomes angry? When the wind roars and threatens to overtake everything, can Rokugan weather the coming storm?

Direct, thorough, complete; the Earth is unmovable in its will. This persistence provides comfort to Rokugan. As the Earth’s will is immovable, so too is the great Kaiu Wall unbreakable. Like the great Earth, the wall will not falter.

But the Crab Clan know this to be merely a comforting falsehood. The Shadowland forces are relentless, and it is the duty of every Crab to keep the wall impenetrable. As the task becomes more and more difficult, how long can the great Earth protect them, and Rokugan, before it cracks under the pressure?

Tainted Lands continues the themes of the Elemental Cycle, introducing many different Earth based cards to the Great Clans of Rokugan, as well as a powerful new Shadowlands character who will aid you for a price. Look for Shugenja and Spells that expand upon the mystical side of Rokugan and the growing imbalance between the five elements.

At Any Cost
The Crab are willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill their duty to the Emperor and defend the land from threats on the outside. But how far is too far? And what price must be paid to protect the Emerald Empire from the monstrous creatures that slither and shamble toward the Kaiu Wall?

Those who meet Kuni Yori (Tainted Lands, 25) never forget his piercing eyes, eerie voice, and sarcastic smile. As the Kuni family Daimyō, Kuni Yori believes in the mission of the Crab, and he believes that every resource must be put forward in battling the enemies to the south, that nothing should be wasted. An expert at studying Shadowlands creatures, Kuni Yori knows his enemy well and this knowledge serves him well in conflicts.

With four military skill and four political skill, Kuni Yori is already formidable in any conflict. However, as a Daimyō, his presence can be inspiring, and during Earth conflicts, each character you control increases its military and political skill. It's also important to note that Kuni Yori doesn’t need to be participating in the conflict—he can simply be present in your home area. This is also true for his Action, which lets you lose one honor during a conflict to force an opponent to discard a random card from his or her hand.

This ability, while dishonorable, synergizes well for Earth conflicts, which already see you discarding cards from your opponent’s hand if you win on the offensive. The more cards you discard, the fewer options your opponent has, and the more tempting a high bid during the draw phase becomes. Kuni Yori is a powerful Shugenja wielding mysterious magic, but he also wields the deeper power of knowledge and uses it to pick his foes apart.

Of course, it takes more than just cunning warriors to hold back the horde of Shadowland monstrosities continuously marching on Rokugan. The Crab need every resource that they can muster, and as they become more desperate to defend their home, some fall to a corruptive influence.

Blood magic is powerful in Rokugan: powerful, but dangerous. While many would never resort to the corruption of Mahō to defend their land, others embrace more extreme methods. Spreading the Darkness (Tainted Lands, 32) is a zero-cost Earth Spell that has an additional cost of losing two honor. But its benefit can be game-changing, drastically increasing the military skill of one of your participating characters and making them impossible to target with your opponent’s card abilities. Both of these abilities are potent. An additional four military skill can easily swing a conflict in your favor, and with your character’s immunity, there is very little your opponent can do to stop them. Not even the tricks of the Scorpion can stop your character from spreading the darkness. The cost is just two honor. With two honor for unlimited power and the strength to win the game, the decision is easy.

The monsters the Crab face are the center of nightmares in Rokugan. From manipulative Spirits to terrifying Oni, Rokugan would sleep easier knowing each of these enemies were slain on the battlefield by the mighty Crab. But the Great Clan has limited resources, and must sometimes do terrible things to defend the Emerald Empire, even if it means enlisting their greatest enemy.

The Marauding Oni (Tainted Lands, 31) is a neutral Dynasty Character that has massive value. Costing two fate for four military skill, the Oni is a powerhouse. However, there is always a price to play for invoking the Shadowlands. After the Marauding Oni is declared as an attacker or defender, you lose one honor. This is a recurring cost for keeping the Oni around, but if you use the Marauding Oni in conjunction with Spreading the Darkness, you can very quickly find yourself with eight military skill for just two fate. That may just be enough to end a game, and what does honor matter in the face of victory?

Understanding the Elements
To the Phoenix, nothing can necessitate the use of Mahō, not even the threats to the south. They best know the power of the kami, and their understanding of the elements can be used to defend your provinces.

Teachings of the Elements (Tainted Lands, 21) in an Earth Province that increases in strength as players claim the elements. For every claimed ring, Teachings of the Elements gains one province strength. And what's more, with cards like Wholeness of the World (Disciples of the Void, 22), the Phoenix can give Teachings of the Elements a strength boost at the very start of their turn, making it a difficult province to get through. In order to break Teaching the Elements as easily as possible, your opponent will have to target it first, meaning that simply having this card on the field can thwart your opponent’s plan and have them focus on this powerful province. The longer a round goes on, the stronger the Phoenix defenses can become thanks to their understanding of the elements and their ability to remain grounded.

The Will of the Earth
The Shadowlands are marching towards Rokugan, and without support, the Crab may turn to extreme measures to protect the land of Rokugan. Earth is defensive and thorough, and the Crab harness this element to keep the Shadowlands at bay, but is it enough? The Phoenix would never fall to such depths, and they defend themselves through the knowledge of the elements.They know the elements protect, but they can also break. What will happen when the Earth becomes less tempered and unleashes its rage on Rokugan?

Illuminating Rokugan, Fire is an element of passion, love, and obsession. In moderation, this element is vital to the Emerald Empire, inspiring creativity and ingenuity across the land. However, when stretched beyond its boundaries, Fire can turn into a raging inferno, destroying all in its path. It is a difficult balance to maintain, and the scales are beginning to tip.

The Fires Within explores the explosive element of Fire with new Spells and Shugenja focusing on the element, as well as a new card for the Mantis and a new ancient Creature to aid the Unicorn.

Strange Allies
While the Unicorn are known for their fearsome cavalry, their battle maidens, and their meishōdō wielders, they sometimes must rely on other, stranger allies—ancient creatures who have long called Rokugan their home. As the Elements fall out of balance, these elder beings take up arms to assist the Great Clan.

The Shiksha Scout (The Fires Within, 57) enters the game as a conflict character who aids the Unicorn Clan in their time of need. This strange Creature may be unlike anything a samurai has ever seen in Rokugan before, and it offers a similarly unnatural effect: while the Shiksha Scout is participating in a conflict, you are considered to control an additional character in the conflict.

While this may appear to do very little on its own, the Unicorn receive new support in the Elemental Cycle that encourages them to control more participating characters than their opponent. For example, the Shiksha Scout can be used to activate the ability of Shinjo Shono (Breath of the Kami, 11), boosting your number of characters and raising the political and military skill of your Cavalry. While you may be outnumbered at the start of a conflict, Shiksha Scout can easily even the odds and provide a surprise boost to your forces. Even if you don’t outnumber your opponent, a balance of military and political skill makes the Shiksha Scout a flexible warrior who can slot into any conflict.

The Unicorn have other ways to increase their numbers as well. As an inexperienced warrior, Battle Maiden Recruit (The Fires Within, 50) has zero military skill and zero political skill, but she can also be placed on the field for free. While the Battle Maiden Recruit is untested, she is still a Cavalry character, meaning she can be boosted by effects like Shinjo Shono’s. Furthermore, she can grow on her own as she learns. If you have claimed the Water or Void Ring, the Battle Maiden Recruit gains two military skill, allowing her to hold her own in military conflicts. This conditional skill boost, along with her traits and ability to help you outnumber your foe makes the Battle Maiden Recruit a great investment for zero fate.

Fire and Brimstone
Creativity and individuality is the domain of the Dragon Clan, and they often harness the element of Fire to disorient their foes and gain unique advantages in their conflicts with the other Great Clans.

Smoke (The Fires Within, 54) is a one-cost attachment Spell that raises the military skill on one of your characters. Furthermore, while the attached character is participating in a conflict, you may bow and sacrifice Smoke to reduce the military skill of each non-unique participating character until the end of the conflict! Smoke is a powerful tool, but it doesn't discriminate in its targets, and even your own characters will be affected by the skill reduction if they are not unique.

Obviously, Smoke works best when you have built up a named character like Agasha Sumiko (The Chrysanthemum Throne, 65) with a variety of attachments. That way, Smoke simply hits your opponent’s characters, greatly impacting their skill value, and potentially allowing you to break a province with a single character. Smoke is also a great defensive tool—the more characters your opponent sends at you in a conflict, the more effective Smoke becomes, and it may singlehandedly save you from losing a province.

A second Dragon card in The Fires Within can also help you defend your lands. The Wrath of the Kami (The Fires Within, 45) is a holding that's limited to one per deck, and as an Action during a conflict at that province, you may lose one honor to boost the province's strength until the end of the turn. The kicker is this ability is unlimited! This means that if you're willing to lose your honor, you can ensure this province is nearly unbreakable. As with all things, this must remain in balance. Playing too far into The Wrath of the Kami can lead the Dragon to the brink of disaster if you're not cautious.

With Smoke and The Wrath of the Kami, the Dragon receive several new tricks in The Fires Within that make their provinces difficult to take down—giving them the opportunity to strike at their foes in a balanced and focused manner.

Playing with Fire
The Elements are out of balance. Fire can provide: it can be warm, it can stoke creativity. But when a lingering passion turns into a blazing inferno, will Rokugan be safe? And who will rise to protect it?

Like the rock eroded by the river, the land of Rokugan is undergoing great change. With the elements out of balance and the clans continuing to quibble, this change comes in the form of battles and alliances, of territory control and political intrigue. Indeed, some would like to see an even greater change, to see the traditional seven Great Clans become eight...

The Ebb and Flow focuses on the element of Water, introducing new Shugenja specializing in this element, including a Phoenix Elemental Master. Also look for a new Crab Province, a holding for the Scorpion, and the infamous leader of the Mantis Clan, Yoritomo.

Master of the Waves
The Water Ring is essential to gaining momentum in a game of Legend of the Five Rings. Whether you're bowing a character with no fate or readying one of your own characters, the benefits of the Water Ring can change the momentum of a turn. Asako Azunami (The Ebb and Flow, 66) is not just a Shugenja, but an Elemental Master who can unlock the full potential of this ring.

When Asako Azunami is on the field, whenever you would resolve the Water ring, instead you may choose and bow any character and ready a different character. This means the Water Ring’s effect is no longer a difficult choice—you are free to use both of its effects, with no fate restrictions on which character you can bow! This kind of power can seriously dampen your opponent’s ability to mount a successful counterattack, as their best characters find themselves unable to join a conflict, and your own characters remain ready for battle. Not to mention Azunami herself holds four military and four political skill, making a huge difference in any conflict she appears in. And with three glory, it is possible Asako Azunami could be the biggest target on the battlefield.

Manipulating the Water Ring to unlock its full potential can be a difficult task, but with Asako Azunami, the ability to lock down your opponent is within your grasp.

Reverence for the Dead
The Lion have a reverence for the history that defines them. As noble warriors, they never forget their ancestors and the sacrifices made in the name of the Emperor. This reverence not only reminds the warriors of who they are, but it can aid them in the conflicts to come.

My Ancestor’s Strength (The Ebb and Flow, 77) is a one-fate Spell that allows you to choose a participating Shugenja you control and a character in your dynasty discard pile. Until the end of the conflict, you'll set your Shugenja’s base military and political skill to the printed military and political skill of the other character. This essentially means that the base stats of your Shugenja become equal to those of the character in your discard pile.

Currently, the Lion don't have the same numbers of Shugenja as some other clans, relying on the Kitsu Spiritcaller (Core Set, 74) for their elemental needs, but the Elemental Cycle offers several new targets for My Ancestor’s Strength, including a new character found in The Ebb and Flow.

Even in defeat, the Tireless Sōdan Senzo (The Ebb and Flow, 65) never rests. This Shugenja is always a solid choice to send to a conflict, as he does not bow after the conflict if you lost the struggle. While this is convenient, his one military skill and two political skill may not make the biggest difference in your battles. However, with the Strength of his Ancestors, he may become as mighty as Akodo Toturi (Core Set, 79), and even if he should fail, the Tireless Sōdan Senzo is always willing to enter another conflict, even if it is only with his own strength.

Son of Storms
Throughout the Elemental Cycle, the Mantis have made their presence known to the Great Clans. Demanding a place at the table, the Mantis Clan have received several neutral cards to further their cause. In The Ebb and Flow, their Champion, the notorious Yoritomo (The Ebb and Flow, 70) joins the fight!

Yoritomo is a five-fate Champion with three military skill and three political skill. While this may not be as impressive as other Champions, Yoritomo is enhanced by the resources around him. For every fate in your fate pool, Yoritomo's military skill and political skill will increase! At the start of your turn, if you claim the traditional seven fate, Yoritomo becomes massively powerful, with ten military skill and ten political skill. Of course, you’re likely to spend this fate throughout your turn, lowering Yoritomo’s effectiveness. Luckily, with the support of the Mantis Clan, the Son of Storms' strength can be fully revealed. It is a rarity for a card in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game to grant extra fate, but the Mantis excel in it, and now every additional fate you keep serves as a boost to the Champion of the clan. For example, Kudaka (Breath of the Kami, 13) can allow you to collect even more fate, feeding into the strength of Yoritomo. With the full strength of his clan behind him, little can stand in the way of the Son of Storms.

The Flow
Water is flexible, ever-moving, and this adaptability is essential to surviving in Rokugan. But when the calm river transforms into an overwhelming storm, will Rokugan still stand?

Representing both the eternal nothingness and vast makeup of the universe, the Void is an element of contradictions. Those who seek enlightenment must come to terms with this contradiction, searching to understand its deeper mysteries. Shugenja that can harness the Void must always be cautious to not be overtaken by the emptiness that awaits. But in this nothingness, there is power, and as the elements fall out of balance, the Void could overtake all.

All and Nothing features three copies of twenty new cards, and continues the themes found throughout the Elemental Cycle. Expect to find powerful new Shugenja, a holding for the Phoenix, a neutral Philosophy, and more!

Pragmatic Purifiers
Even in their darkest hour, the Crab continue to defend the Emerald Empire from the nightmares to the south—giving no thought to enlightenment, they do what must be done to protect the Empire, lest Rokugan dissolve into nothing. The Tainted Hero (All and Nothing, 83) knows the task at hand, and even if he must soon succumb to the encroaching darkness, he will continue to fight for the safety of Rokugan as long as he can. However, this hero can only attack or defend should one of his allies make the ultimate sacrifice, allowing the Tainted Hero to blank his own text box and join the battle. Sacrificing an ally may seem like a heavy cost, but there are other ways to calm the Tainted Hero without spilling blood. As a Berserker, the Tainted Hero can also be moved into the conflict via Crisis Breaker (Fate Has No Secrets, 82). Since moving the Tainted Hero into the conflict does not constitute declaring him as an attacker or defender, he is free to contribute his sizeable skill to the battle.

This vicious warrior can singlehandedly break provinces, but is the sacrifice worth it? While the Tainted Hero is a powerful character, the Crab must ask themselves if they are willing to go to such lengths to defend Rokugan. Is it worth it to repurpose their tainted warriors into killing machines and risk further exposure to the darkness of the Shadowlands?

Dueling Wordsmiths
The Crane, meanwhile, use much more civil methods to defeat their foes. Rather than tetsubos and berserk fury, the Crane battle with their words and art, acting with incomparable finesse. The Callow Delegate (All and Nothing, 85) is inexperienced in the ways of the Crane, but he has potential. His stats are unimpressive, since he only offers a single political skill. However, when he leaves the battlefield, you may honor a character you control. This makes the Callow Delegate an ideal target to play on the field with no fate. You'll immediately receive an advantage when he leaves the field, and it gives you a chance to honor a powerful character like Kakita Yoshi (Into the Forbidden City, 43). The Callow Delegate may not be threatening on his own, but provides a strong benefit when he leaves play. And of course, if you have the Asahina Storyteller (Core Set, 50) on the field, you receive an even bigger boost from honoring your Crane characters in the form of more conflict cards!

The Crane are master wordsmiths, but this does not come easy. Every aspect of Crane life assists them in becoming a better orator, and even their recreation puts these skills to the test. Sadane is a game of verbal sparring and polite insults, and it's no surprise that it's extremely popular among the Crane. A Game of Sadane (All and Nothing, 93) enters Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game as a political duel, with the winner becoming honored and the loser becoming dishonored. Since you get to pick both of these targets during a conflict, you can nearly ensure your victory, lowering your opponent’s overall skill while raising yours. This verbal contest can lead to major swings in skill, especially if you manage to honor a high-glory character like Doji Hotaru (Core Set, 52) herself.

Watchers of the Void
Of course, All and Nothing also contains cards examining the mysteries of the Void. Those who study the element face danger and wonder every time they stare into the vast emptiness and all-encompassing mass of the element.

The Ethereal Dreamer (All and Nothing, 89) is a Phoenix Shugenja who is flexible enough to become a major player in any of your conflicts to come. At the start of your conflict phase, you choose a ring, and the Dreamer skills are greatly increased while you are contesting that ring. Of course, you have to be able to plan ahead and keep in mind what rings you’d like to take for the turn, or the Ethereal Dreamer won't be able to contribute greatly to your success. This is especially true if you are looking to claim a specific ring to trigger an effect, such as the one found on Isawa Tadaka (Disciples of the Void, 10). If you can use Ethereal Dreamer to claim the Earth Ring with the Elemental Master on the field, you can lock your opponent out of their best events, helping you to claim a resounding victory.

All and Nothing
The Crab’s struggle to defend, the Crane’s words as deadly a blade, the magic of the Phoenix, all are insignificant next to the Void. The Void is nothing, the Void is all. And with the elements out of balance, the Void threatens to overtake Rokugan.

Complete the Elemental Cycle with the Elements Unbound Dynasty Pack for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game.

Throughout the Elemental Cycle, Rokugan has teetered on imbalance. The Air swirls into raging hurricanes, Water coalesces into raging tsunamis, Fire becomes a raging inferno, the Earth heaves and shakes, and the Void threatens to consume all. Amid this chaos, the clans still bicker in the courts and clash on the battlefield. But if these samurai don’t recognize the signs at hand, will there even be an Emerald Empire left to fight over?

Elements Unbound ties the themes of the Elemental Cycle together, introducing new Shugenja and Spells, as well as three new ancient Creatures, a new way to duel, and a new stronghold representing the changing world of Rokugan.

From the Depths
With the elements out of balance, ancient creatures aid the Great Clans in the conflicts to come. Elements Unbound introduces three more of these ancient beasts, including new additions to the Scorpion and Crane Clan.

The Reclusive Zokujin (Elements Unbound, 109) is as sneaky as it is deadly, a perfect fit for the shadowy Scorpion Clan. During an Earth conflict, the normally subterranean Zokujin gains covert and is immune to enemy card effects. This means that the Zokujin can help you slip past one of your opponent’s best characters, while protecting itself from any kind of retaliation.

Traditionally stronger in the political arena, the Reclusive Zokujin also gives the Scorpion a key boost to their military skill, and is likely able to negate the impa your biggest threat. While this effect only works during an Earth conflict, the Scorpion are often looking for ways to refill their conflict hand, and the Zokujin and Earth conflicts can be the perfect way to accomplish that.

Still, your efforts may be stymied if your opponent’s biggest threat also happens to bear the covert keyword. The Crane are some of the greatest Duelists in the Empire, and the Tengu Sensei (Elements Unbound, 105) excels among them. An ancient and noble Creature, the Tengu Sensei can not only defeat your opponent’s characters, but completely immobilize and prevent them from counter-attacking. When the Tengu Sensei bypasses a character with his covert ability, that character cannot be declared as an attacker for the rest of this phase! This can completely lock down even the strongest of foes, and with four military skill on the Tengu’s side, he is already an impressive attacker in its own right. With two glory and a full suite of ways to honor Crane characters, including the Way of the Crane (Core Set, 146) and the Callow Delegate (All and Nothing, 85), the Tengu Sensei can be the centerpiece of your forces, negating powerful characters while breaking provinces with exceptional military and political skill.

Masters of the Elements
No one truly understands the state of the elements like the Phoenix. They have seen the signs heralding destruction, and despite the fact that the elements are becoming unbound, they still maintain control and call on these elements to fuel their Spells. In impressive displays of skill, the Phoenix can remind Rokugan of the wisdom—and power—that they wield.

A Taryū-Jiai (Elements Unbound, 119) is a duel between two Shugenja, both trying to prove their superiority with the elements. Now, you can challenge your opponent to a Taryū-Jiai duel in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. During a conflict, you can play this event to select two Shugenja characters, one controlled by you, one by an opponent, and have them participate in a glory duel! The winner can resolve a ring effect as if they were the attacking player. With the Phoenix's trademark high-glory Shugenja like Adept of the Waves (Core Set, 81), they immediately have the advantage in a glory duel. Should you succeed, resolving the ring effect can also trigger cards like Asako Azunami (The Ebb and Flow, 66), giving you an even greater reward for winning the duel.

The Phoenix also receive a new way to manipulate the state of the rings in Elements Unbound with the Roving Michibiku (Elements Unbound, 118). The Roving Michibiku is a balanced character who can contribute to military and political conflicts equally, but their true power comes with their ability to steal a ring your opponent has claimed when you win a conflict. While this does not give you the effects of the ring, the Phoenix have plenty of ways to take advantage of this effect. For example, with Isawa Tadaka (Disciples of the Void, 10) on the field, you can completely take away your opponent’s ability to play events already in their discard pile. Or, you can give your Henshin Disciple (Fate Has No Secrets, 87) an appropriate boost. Either way, the Roving Michibiku is extremely synergistic with the rest of the clan, and can set up some impressive combos.

Edge of Disaster
Rokugan sits on the edge of disaster. Air, Earth, Fire, Water and the Void are all falling out of balance, and the catastrophes that have already struck the Emerald Empire are just the beginning. When these five elements come together into a raging fury, what Clan will come out on top, and will Rokugan still be standing?