45
Chapter 2:
Creating a Character
In addition to specific skills, techniques, and rings, school advance-
ment tables include a skill group: this means that as long as you have
spent XP on a skill found within that skill group, it will count toward
advancement. Note that you cannot count XP twice:
if a school includes
both the Martial Arts [Melee] skill and the Martial skill group on the
advancement table, you do not get to list XP for both lines if you increase
your ranks in the Martial Arts [Melee] skill—that XP counts only for
the more specific line. There is no limit to how much XP can be spent
within a skill group. Also note that techniques and skill ranks gained dur-
ing character creation do not count toward the XP needed to rank up in
your school.
Emily’s character is a Hida Defender. She’s rank 1 within her school,
and she wants to spend 2 XP on increasing her character’s
Martial
Arts [Unarmed] skill rank to 1. That counts as 2 XP toward the Mar-
tial skill group: e.g., 2 XP toward graduating to school rank 2. She
decides at a later time to spend 4 XP on increasing Martial Arts [Un-
armed] skill to rank 2. Now, she’s spent a total of 6 XP in the Martial
skill group line, and all 6 XP count toward getting to the 16 XP she
needs to achieve rank 2 in her school.
Once you have spent the specified amount of XP needed for the
rank on items listed on the school advancement chart, your character is
considered eligible to take the test to rank up.
You do not need to learn
everything within a rank, but you need to have invested enough time and
effort (in the form of XP) studying the general curriculum.
Once a character has finished the fifth rank in their school, they are in-
vited to learn the deepest mysteries of that school’s techniques. The Rank
6 Mastery ability is the capstone to the samurai’s studies and allows them
to unlock their true potential in their service to the Emperor.
46
Chapter 2: Creating a Character
Chapter 2: Creating a Character
Advances_Type_Purchases_(_____XP_/_32_XP_)'>Advances_Type_Purchases_(_____XP_/_24_XP_)'>Advances_Type_Purchases_(_____XP_/_20_XP_)'>Advances_Type_Purchases_(_____XP_/_16_XP_)'>Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 16 XP )
Martial Skills
Skill Group
Command
Skill
Medicine
Skill
Survival
Skill
Rank 1 Kata
Technique
Category
Rushing Avalanche Style
Technique
Honest Assessment
Technique
Rings
Ring
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 20 XP )
Martial Skills
Skill Group
Command
Skill
Tactics
Skill
Theology
Skill
Rank 1–2 Kata
Technique Category
Slipper Maneuvers
Technique
Touchstone of Courage
Technique
Rings
Ring
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 24 XP )
Trade Skills
Skill Group
Fitness
Skill
Martial Arts [Melee]
Skill
Meditation
Skill
Rank 1–3 Kata
Technique Category
Iron in the Mountains Style
Technique
Rallying Cry
Technique
Rings
Ring
R
ank 1
R
ank 2
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 32 XP )
Scholar Skills
Skill Group
Fitness
Skill
Martial Arts [Melee]
Skill
Meditation
Skill
Rank 1–4 Kata
Technique Category
Striking
as Void
Technique
A Samurai’s Fate
Technique
Rings
Ring
R
ank 3
R
ank 4
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 48 XP )
Martial Skills
Skill Group
Command
Skill
Survival
Skill
Theology
Skill
Rank 1–5 Kata
Technique Category
Rouse the Soul
Technique
The Immoveable Hand of Peace
Technique
Rings
Ring
R
ank 5
Hida Defender School Advancement Table
The Mountain Does Not Fall (Rank 6 Mastery Ability)
At the beginning of your turn, you may spend 1 Void point. If you do, increase your resilience and composure by your Void Ring and ignore all disad-
vantages, conditions, terrain, and negative effects of techniques and abilities you are currently suffering. If
you would die during this time, you cling to
life for a few moments longer instead (but still die when the effect ends). This effect persists until the end of your next turn.
47
Chapter 2: Creating a Character
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 16 XP )
Martial Skills
Skill Group
Skulduggery
Skill
Survival
Skill
Theology
Skill
Rank 1 Earth Invocations
Technique Category
Bind the Shadow
Technique
Biting Steel
Technique
Rings
Ring
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 20 XP )
Scholar Skills
Skill Group
Command
Skill
Performance
Skill
Skulduggery
Skill
Rank 1–2 Water Invocations
Technique Category
Essence
of Jade
Technique
Symbol of Earth
Technique
Rings
Ring
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 24 XP )
Trade Skills
Skill Group
Martial Arts [Unarmed]
Skill
Sentiment
Skill
Theology
Skill
Rank 1–3 Fire Invocations
Technique Category
Rise, Earth
Technique
Open Hand Style
Technique
Rings
Ring
R
ank 1
R
ank 2
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 32 XP )
Martial Skills
Skill Group
Medicine
Skill
Survival
Skill
Theology
Skill
Rank 1–4 Earth Invocations
Technique Category
Tomb of Jade
Technique
Flowing
Water Strike
Technique
Rings
Ring
R
ank 3
R
ank 4
Advances
Type
Purchases ( ___ XP / 48 XP )
Social Skills
Skill Group
Government
Skill
Theology
Skill
Tactics
Skill
Rank 1–4 Air Invocations
Technique Category
Stagnation
Technique
Earthquake
Technique
Rings
Ring
R
ank 5
Kuni Purifier School Advancement Table
Purge the Darkness (Rank 6 Mastery Ability)
Once per game session, you may spend 1 Void point to wield an invocation against all the wicked in your sight. Instead of affecting its usual number
of targets, the next invocation technique you perform targets each being in range that you know to possess the Shadowlands Taint disadvantage or
Shadowlands Creature ability.