BoLS Unboxing: Legend of the Five Rings

Join the BoLS Crew as we take a look inside the newly released Legend of the Five Rings.

Got something exciting for you today folks, we’re opening up the core set for the Legend of the Five Rings living card game from Fantasy Flight Games. And let me just say, this game is beautiful. The box itself is pretty elegant, and the cards are, of course, chock full of the art you’ve seen if you’ve seen any of our L5R previews, but why wait when you can see the whole thing below.

It’s here at last. And the game is amazing. It’s an LCG, which means that unlike other collectible card games, in each boxed set you’ll get all the cards in the core set. If you want a complete set of everything you might have to grab more than one core set, but otherwise, you can check on Fantasy Flight Games’ website to find what you need for your own deck construction.

Inside the box, in addition to the cards, you’ll also get the rules you’ll need to make decks, your guide to the lore, and your introduction to the ongoing story. It’s a great time to hop into the game, if you’ve been thinking about it. The new expansion’s just been announced. The next story cycle is The Imperial Cycle, and will introduce some deeper mechanics for some of the roles in the game, so both the story and mechanics will be evolving over time.

Legend of the Five Rings – $39.95

Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game is a player-influenced LCG® that sees two players take on the role of one of the seven Great Clans of Rokugan, vying for military and political control of the land while maintaining Rokugan society’s strict code of honor.

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Each player commands their forces with two separate decks: A Dynasty Deck fills their provinces with characters and holdings and a Conflict Deck consisting of tactics, maneuvers, followers and attachments that can be used to turn the tide in a struggle for supremacy. During a game, players will engage in conflicts, both political and military based, with the goal of breaking their opponent’s stronghold and winning the game. But the rules of society are absolute, and even in the fire of battle and heat of Rokugan’s courts, clans must remember the tenets of Bushidō, lest they lose everything in their single-minded pursuit of glory.

The Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game Core Set comes with everything a player needs to explore the seven great clans of Rokugan, the Crab Clan, Crane Clan, Dragon Clan, Lion Clan, Phoenix Clan, Scorpion Clan, and Unicorn Clan. It also includes a variety of tokens, cards, and rule sheets that make the Core Set the definitive starting point for the Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game.

The battle for Rokugan begins with you.

Author: J.R. Zambrano

Bell of Lost Souls Staff Writer and DM, J.R. covers RPGs of all stripes and on occasion eats sandwiches. You can ask him about either at [email protected]