4th ed. had the Paths replace, instead of add to, your School Ranks. Don't like it. For one thing, it logically follows that if you don't really need one Technique to continue to the next Technique after all, what's really holding the School together? It's just a collection of Techniques around a theme that can be switched in and out with any other Techniques. Hard to argue for tradition's integrity and discipline if that's the case.
Some of these Paths reflect old ones; some are fairly original or heavily modified. I gave each O-Shosei three Paths, and the other three Basic Disciplines have two each. Why? I figure the older, larger, more prominent Shosei have the prestige and resources to field more Paths, but also to limit the beginning choices to a manageable selection for a Player. 27 choices is pretty good, I think.
This isn't the limit to all Paths, or even all Basic or Advanced Disciplines, of course. Certainly more exist (that's part of Phase 2). The mechanics are here, and they suggest flavor and context I'll write later.
The Akodo Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Ikeda Metsuke
Uji/Profession: Ikeda Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Akodo Bushi 2
Okuden
Rolling Thunder: None can run from justice when you're in the saddle, even if you're under a sky black with arrows. When mounted, you can spend an Honor Point to negate a ranged attack against you; the foe's attack roll fails automatically. Additionally, any attack roll against you by someone with lower Honor has a TN penalty equal to your Honor x 2.
Path Discipline: Seizuka Sekko
Uji/Profession: Seizuka Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Akodo Bushi 2
Okuden
Honor in the Shadows: If it be your daimyo's will, there is honor in the shadows. The Stealth Skill is considered a Bugei Skill for you, if your use of it is in service to your superior. Additionally, you can spend Actions in a round observing a foe unseen (this can include a Yowamushi group or force). For every Action spent this way, you gain Free Raises on your attacks against the foe until the end of the Scene.
Path Discipline: Tsume Yari-sha
Uji/Profession: Tsume Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Akodo Bushi 1
Okuden
None Shall Pass: A foe only succeeds in burying their blade in your flesh after you have buried your yari in theirs. If successfully attacked with a melee weapon while wielding any weapon using the Yarijutsu Skill, you can spend an Action to make an Active Defense. You roll Yarijutsu/Reflexes. Unlike a normal Active Defense, this does not negate the initial attack. Instead it acts as an attack roll against your foe, who cannot attempt an Active Defense in response. If successful, you not only deal damage but have impaled the foe as well. You both roll damage against each other simultaneously. The foe remains impaled unless they spend an Action to disentangle themselves, taking an additional 1k1 Wounds in so doing. You, as an Action, can twist the blade in deeper or remove it, causing an additional 1k1 Wounds in either case. Except for the initial damage roll, none of your damage rolls add your Strength.
The Bayushi Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Kochako Yojimbo
Uji/Profession: Kochako Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Bayushi Bushi 3
Okuden
Salvation From Darkness: From the shadows you defend your charges. When you spend an Action to perform the Guard Defense Maneuver, instead of the normal defense you may attempt an attack against the original attacker. You must make a Stealth/Agility roll as an Active Defense against the attacker’s TN to be Hit as if they were unaware of you. If they already were unaware of you before the attack, you gain Free Raises equal to your Stealth Rank. If your roll succeeds, you roll damage as normal and the original attack is canceled. But if you fail your attack, the attacker's roll is applied against the original target's TN as normal.
Path Discipline: Kuroban Infiltrator
Uji/Profession: Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Bayushi Bushi 2
Okuden
The Face of Evil: You are trained to sense and simulate the Shadowlands Taint with your spirit. By spending a Void Point as an Action, you can detect Shadowlands Taint within 5' x your Awareness. With a successful Stealth (Disguise)/Awareness roll (TN 20), and sufficient time and materials, you can mimic the visual and mental degradations of the Taint, fooling any physical observation. You can choose any single Shadowlands Defect, plus one per Raise. By spending a Void Point, you also shift your spiritual aura so that magic and other unorthodox means detect a Shadowlands Taint Rank equal to 1, plus a rank per additional Defect your are mimicking. It's important to note that this is not the same as actually having the Taint; you will not be harmed by magic that only harms Tainted targets, for instance.
Path Discipline: Ujina Kenshi
Uji/Profession: Ujina Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Bayushi Bushi 1
Okuden
Thunder's Tanto: A foe who keeps his eye on your sword instead of you dies. If you successfully Feint, you can immediately attack with a weapon in your off-hand, drawing and attacking in one action if necessary. This weapon must be smaller than a katana (such as a wakizashi or tanto). You can even perform this Feint in an Iaijutsu duel, but doing so is gravely dishonorable.
The Hida Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Hida Kimabushi
Uji/Discipline: Hida Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Hida Bushi 1
Okuden
Overrun: On horseback you are a mountain of metal crashing down on the enemy. When mounted, you gain Free Raises on all Yarijutsu rolls equal to your Earth. Additionally, if you make a Full Attack using Yarijutsu and use the Charge Maneuver, you can spend remaining Actions in a round to increase the damage roll of a successful attack. Each Action so spent gives you a +2k2 bonus.
Path Discipline: Moshibaru Tetsubo-sha
Uji/Profession: Moshibaru Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Hida Bushi 2
Okuden
Avalanche of Iron: Your devotion to subojutsu brings you martial and spiritual excellence. Your Subojutsu Skill gains the Mastery Abilities of the Iaijutsu Skill. In addition, when using Subojutsu in a duel you gain Free Raises equal to your Earth and using Subojutsu in an Iaijutsu duel is considered legally honorable.
Path Discipline: Raikuto Sumatori
Uji/Profession: Raikuto Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Hida Bushi 2
Okuden:
Smiling Upon the Wall: The sumatori are taught to use their great strength as an asset both in and out of the sumai duel. In a Sumai Duel, you may Focus additional times equal to your Strength. Additionally, you can add your Strength to all Social Skill roll totals.
The Kakita Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Asahina Yojimbo
Uji/Profession: Asahina Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Kakita Bushi 1
Okuden
Blade of Water: For the Asahina, steel is no substitute for spirit and flesh. You can learn the Mizu-do Skill even if you are not a Doji or Kakita samurai, and can use it instead of Defense when performing the Guard Maneuver. You also add your Iaijutsu to all unarmed attack roll totals.
Path Discipline: Kakita Kenshinzen
Uji/Profession: Kakita Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Kakita Bushi 5
Okuden
A Single Moment: There is no past or future once your blade is drawn; only victory exists. There is no limit to the number of times you may Focus in a duel. In a Skirmish, you can sacrifice all remaining Actions in a round to gain a bonus to a single damage roll. Each sacrificed Action grants +2k2.
Path Discipline: Kenshin Teishin
Uji/Discipline: Kenshin Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Kakita Bushi 2
Okuden
Blade of Whispers: You see no difference between excellence with blades and excellence with words. You add your Iaijutsu to all Social Skill roll totals, and you can Focus additional times equal to your Insight Rank on all duels not involving Bugei Skills.
The Kitsune Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Hiramori Shinobi
Uji/Profession: Hiramori Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Kitsune Bushi 2
Okuden
Truth In Shadows: The honor of your uji is paramount; yours is dispensable. When acting to protect your uji, you lose no Honor Points for Acts of Vice. Also, all of your Okuden are usable even in urban environments.
Path Discipline: Hiruma Sekko
Uji/Profession: Hiruma Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Kitsune Bushi 2
Okuden
Dance the Razor's Edge: A Hiruma is your only hope for survival deep in the Shadowlands. You gain a bonus to your TN to be Hit equal to 5 x your Insight Rank, but only versus Shadowlands creatures. When rolling to resist gaining Taint Points, you gain a +XkX bonus, where X is your Insight Rank. Finally, no matter how deep you are in the Shadowlands, you can spend a Void Point to know which way the Wall lies, and where the quickest paths back survive.
The Mirumoto Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Goraiku Ito
Uji/Profession: Goraiku Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Mirumoto Bushi 3
Okuden
Dragon's Flame: The fire from beneath the mountains flows up through your bow; no one can get near you or yours without being scorched by arrows. When firing a bow you can spend a Void Point to awaken the dragon within and burst your arrow into flame. The arrow gains a +XkX damage bonus, where X is your Fire. It continues to harm any target it strikes at the end of the round, dealing Xk1 Wounds, losing after each roll until it is extinguished (0k1). In addition, all cover bonuses to your TN to be Hit are doubled.
Path Discipline: Shiba Kenshi
Uji/Profession: Shiba Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Mirumoto Rank 3
Okuden
Down Dragon's Teeth Road: To strike you, one must travel down the maw of the dragon. You can wield a naginata instead of a katana in your primary hand, and a katana instead of a wakizashi in your off-hand, and still use all of your previous Mirumoto Okuden concerning the daisho. However, all damage rolls with either weapon suffer a -1k0 penalty when wielded in such a manner.
Path Discipline: Togashi Musha Shugyo
Uji/Profession: Togashi Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Mirumoto Bushi 1
Okuden
Blades of Mercy: You are a wanderer, placing mercy and the protection of the weak before the tenets of Bushido. You gain the Musha Shugyo Advantage for free, but can continue to learn Mirumoto Okuden without renouncing the Advantage. You can spend a Glory Point to negate any Honor or Glory loss if you are defending or serving a non-samurai, non-Shadowlands Tainted individual, group, or even cause. In addition, you add your Honor + Glory to all Social Skill roll totals when dealing with non-samurai, non-Shadowlands Tainted individuals. If you ever commit any act that changes your Glory to Infamy, you lose all benefits of this Okuden.
The Shiba Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Kitsu Bushi
Uji/Profession: Kitsu Bushi
Path Discipline: Shiba Bushi 2
Okuden
Dance of the Elements: You can feel the elements dancing around you, and can even protect others from their energy. You can use the Sense and Counterspell Emphases of the Spellcraft Skill even though you cannot cast magic, but only as regards elemental magic. In addition, any Ashram, Seido, or Shinden Holding you possess grants you free shelter in any Season. You can extend this boon to a number of individuals (including Wa members) up to your Insight Rank.
Path Discipline: Seppun Yojimbo
Uji/Profession: Seppun Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Shiba Bushi 2
Okuden
No Illusions: You allow nothing to separate you from those under your protection. You may spend one hour meditating with an individual and spend a Void Point to put that individual under your charge. Afterward, you will always know in which direction your charge lies, as long as the charge remains alive and in the mortal world. This will not, however, inform you of distance or exact location. In addition, you gain Free Raises equal to your Insight Rank on all Perception rolls.
Path Discipline: Shiba Naginata-sha
Uji/Profession: Shiba Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Shiba Bushi 1
Okuden
One With the Strike: Your naginata becomes one with your spirit and flesh. Your Yarijutsu Skill gains the Mastery Abilities of the Iaijutsu Skill, but only if you are wielding a naginata. In addition, when wielding a naginata you gain Free Raises equal to your Void and increase your TN to be Hit by your Yarijutsu Skill.
The Shinjo Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Ide Kenshi
Uji/Profession: Ide Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Shinjo Bushi 2
Okuden
Cunning of the Seas: Your katana can block as well as attack. You can spend an Action using your katana to block an incoming Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, or Yarijutsu attack as an Active Defense, making a Kenjutsu/Agility roll against your foe's attack roll. If successful you negate the attack, and can immediately counterattack with a thrust of your own, rolling Kenjutsu/Reflexes.
Path Discipline: Matsu Beastmaster
Uji/Profession: Matsu Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Shinjo Bushi 1
Okuden
Tongue of the Beast: Wild animals loyal to you are fierce avengers. You gain animal Yowamushi loyal to you, a pack whose TR is equal to your Insight Rank. These are all animals of the same kind from the following list: bear, falcon, tiger, or wolf. In a Skirmish, this pack acts as one per your command whenever you spend an Action. If any animal dies under your care, you cannot replace them by spending a Season Action to train a new one, assuming one can be acquired.
Path Discipline: Onshigawa Sekko
Uji/Profession: Onshigawa Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Shinjo Bushi 1
Okuden
Onshigawa's Grace: Your steed understands the need for silence and shadows. Stealth is considered a Bugei Skill for you, and you are given a steed specially trained to allow you to use the Stealth Skill while mounted (with the understanding that there is only so stealthy a large horse can possibly be). In addition, when mounted and in a Battle, your commander gains bonus Battle Actions equal to your Water on Phase 1 of the first Wave, but can only assign them as “ground” Actions (“Deadly Ground”, etc.).
The Tsuruchi Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Koritome Ito
Uji/Profession: Koritome Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Tsuruchi Bushi 3
Okuden
Cherry Blossom Arrows: You fill the sky with arrows and your enemies drop like blossoms in spring as you speed past. When mounted, you can spend an Action and a Void Point to make a number of Kyujutsu attacks with a daikyu equal to your Void; each attack roll gains Free Raises equal to your Void. You can combine this with the Charge maneuver (even at a gallop) without needing a Raise.
Path Discipline: Yasuki Bounty Hunter
Uji/Profession: Yasuki Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Tsuruchi Bushi 1
Okuden
The Emperor's Hunt: Your pursuit of the Celestial Order's enemies is as keen and focused as an arrow flying from your bow. You can spend a Glory Point when making Skill rolls versus those who have Infamy to gain a bonus equal to your Kyujutsu on the roll total. Also, you can spend a Void Point and an Action to scan your location and visually identify any known criminal or individual with Infamy when you step into a room or space.
The Yoritomo Bushi Ryuu
Path Discipline: Hogosha Kama-sha
Uji/Profession: Hogosha Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Yoritomo Bushi 3
Okuden
Way of the Mantis: When wielding a kama in either hand, you gain a TN to be Hit bonus equal to your Nofujutsu. You can sacrifice this bonus until your next Action to make two simultaneous attack rolls instead of one against a foe with your kama. You can make these two rolls any time you could have made a single attack roll with your kama.
Path Discipline: Watanabe Anjin
Uji/Profession: Watanabe Bushi
Discipline Requirement: Yoritomo Bushi 1
Okuden
Blessing of Suitengu: You soul is only free at sea. When aboard ship, you gain a bonus to all Skill roll totals equal to your Water. Double this bonus when using Athletics or Sailing. When not aboard ship, you still gain a bonus to all Social Skill roll totals equal to your Sailing if the target also has ranks in the Sailing Skill.
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