Rings & Traits

Tonight, I'll be putting up some stuff about the Rings and Traits. No really big changes here, but I am trying to be thorough. And there is one big change: how Void Points work. Not quite a big change, more some serious reduction. Each addition just kept adding more and more Void awesomeness--to the point where actually remembering how it worked became a nightmare. So, I'm simplifying it back to basics, and even more taking a lot of paperwork out of GM's hands so he doesn't have to keep constant track of dozens of different NPC's everchanging Void Point totals. Personal recommendation I don't ut in the rules but use: get a bunch of art stones, like at Michael's, and use one color for Void Points. They spend, you get'em in a bowl, and everybody knows what everybody has at any moment.

Open secrets. More fun then the mental masturbation of keeping secrets.

Rings & Traits

Each Ring represents an elemental balance in the character’s make-up, a force that can both be quantified together as a Ring or separately as a pair of Traits. Rings and Traits each are measured in Ranks, with Rings equaling the lowest of the two Traits. Cultivating one's Traits is not merely a zero-sum calculation, however, but requires spiritual purity and understanding to unlock the highest virtues of the samurai. Thus, Traits cannot exceed 5 Ranks unless you have the Theology (Shintao) Skill with at least 5 Ranks, and while the Traits each have descriptions of qualifiers at each Rank, these are only rough guidelines and not carved in stone limitations of the Ranks.

Air

The Ring of Air (“kaze”) is the element of intuition, divided into the Traits of Awareness and Reflexes.

Awareness (Mental Trait): This represents the character’s intuition and empathy, often used when interacting with others socially.

Ranks

1. You almost always find a way to say the wrong thing.
2. You’re able to get along with people who get along with you.
3. You can usually sense deeper emotions than those that are shown on the surface.
4. You can pick up hints even from those who are skilled at hiding their emotions.
5. You know everyone’s secrets... sooner or later.

Reflexes (Physical Trait): This represents how quickly the character can react to stimuli, and is used when defending oneself quickly from attacks or using Rokugani archery.

Ranks

1. You take a moment or two to decide to jump out of the way of large onrushing objects.
2. Average reflexes, not well refined.
3. Able to react before just about anyone else.
4. Cat-like in your ability to sense danger.
5. You’re out of the room before anyone knows you’re gone.

Earth

The Ring of Earth (“chi”) is the element of passive strength, resistance, and fortitude, divided into the Traits of Willpower and Stamina.

Willpower (Mental Trait): This represents the character’s capacity to just say “No.”

Ranks

1. Timid, easily frightened, unassertive, and easily manipulated.
2. Average, easy to convince if your goals are the same.
3. Not a strong will, but not one easily dissuaded from action.
4. Almost unshakable in resolve.
5. Iron-willed, steadfast, and resolute.

Stamina (Physical Trait): The higher a character’s Stamina, the longer he can push himself to his physical limits.

Ranks

1. Weak immune system, prone to chronic illness and disease.
2. Average health, might catch a cold every so often.
3. Walk on a sprained ankle without a wince and run long distances before getting winded.
4. Robust and mighty, able to perform incredible feats of endurance.
5. Can swim great distances with ease, recover from illness without medical attention, and ignore serious wounds.

Fire

The Ring of Fire (“hi”) is the element of active energy, divided into the Traits of Intelligence and Agility.

Intelligence (Mental Trait): This represents the character’s ability to acquire and apply information.

Ranks

1. Easily confused and slow thinking.
2. Average thinker, can follow difficult conversations with concentration.
3. Can figure out puzzles and decipher codes with little work.
4. Intellect of a scholar, not easily deceived by even the most clever lies.
5. A genuine genius, clear-thinking and brilliant.

Agility (Physical Trait): The ability to move with style, grace, and coordination, usually used in melee combat.

Ranks:

1. Clumsy and stumbling.
2. Average coordination, requires concentration for difficult actions.
3. Even your average actions are graceful.
4. You have almost a second sense for motion.
5. Even your most minute movement is like a dance.

Water

The Ring of Water (“mizu”) is the element of strength and clarity, divided into the Traits of Perception and Strength.

Perception (Mental Trait): The character’s ability to perceive the world around him using his five senses.

Ranks

1. You miss even important and obvious details.
2. You pick up on things when you pay attention.
3. You’ve learned how to look for important details.
4. You take one look, close your eyes, and list the details of a room.
5. No matter how insignificant and minor, no detail gets past you.

Strength (Physical Trait): This represents your ability to lift, push, pull, and deal damage.

Ranks

1. Weak and physically unimposing.
2. Average, able to lift app. 100 lbs.
3. Strong enough to lift app. 200 lbs.
4. Your strength is well-known, able to lift app. 300 lbs.
5. Your strength is legendary, able to lift app. 400 lbs. or more.

Void

The Ring of Void (“ku”) is unlike the other Rings, for it represents the character’s ability to use all Rings as a single Ring (and rule them all... um, no, wrong story...). The higher his Void Ring, the more he understands that elements are really the same element.

At the beginning of each day, the character gains a number of Void Points equal to his Void Ring. He cannot have more Void Points than his Void Ring, except in special circumstances (such as through Okuden). He can spend these Void Points for a variety of different effects, but cannot spend more than a single Void Point per roll. To recover Void Points, he must get a full night’s sleep (at least 8 hours); if he goes without food, water, or sleep for more than one day, he cannot recover Void Points naturally.

Void Point Uses

• Enhance Roll: You can spend a Void Point to gain a +1k1 bonus to any attempted action, be it a Skill, Trait, or Ring roll. This must be defined as an attempted action, not the result of a previous action, making damage rolls ineligible for this bonus. This use must be declared and paid for before the roll is made.
• Additional Action: You can spend a Void Point to gain an Action in the current Phase. This may not be an attack, but can be used for any other purpose.
• Activate Ability: Some Techniques, Advantages, Kiho, Kata, or other abilities require Void Points to use them.
• Final Strike: You can spend 3 Void Points if reduced to the Down or Out Wound Levels immediately to still be able to use your next Action in the round before falling. If actually killed, you can spend 5 Void Points for a Final Strike.

The Void Pool

Unlike your character, NPC's (Non-Player Characters) do not gain Void Points as normal. Instead, they access the Void Pool, administered by the GM. At the start of every session, the Void Pool is empty. Whenever you spend a Void Point, for any reason, the GM adds a Void Point to the Void Pool. An NPC can still use Skills and other abilities to gain Void Points, but even these Void Points are not entirely their own, but go into the Void Pool. Any NPC at any time (subject to normal limitations) can spend the Void Points for the normal effects. Once spent, these Void Points vanish, and the Void Pool empties at the end of every session.