This is a consolidated list of Advantages and
Disadvantages. The notation of a Clan or family name at
the end of a descripointion means that group may
purchase the advantage for one point less, while a
disadvantage with the name of a group means that this
disadvantage is particularly deleterious to the group and
grants an additional point when taken. Note that fulfilling
the criteria more than once has no effect.
Advantages
Advantages marked with a * can be bought with experience
points and/or roleplaying after character creation.
Absolute Direction (Mental) 1 point
You can always tell which direction is true North. This
ability does not function if you are more than one day’s
travel inside the Shadowlands.
Allies (Social) Variable Cost*
You have carefully nurtured social connections. The
amount of points you spend determines the power level
and devotion of your ally. Crane
Influence Effect
1 Minor; no land or appointments
2 Moderate; some land or political influence
4 Major; vast lands or prestigious position
Devotion Effect
1 Ally will help, but will not risk honor.
2 Your ally might risk honor, but would not do
so openly.
4 Your ally would do anything to aid you.
Balance (Mental) 2 points
You possess an inherent calm and serenity such that others
have a hard time antagonizing and taunting you. When
adding your Honor to the total of any roll made to resist
Intimidation or Tempointation, you may roll an additional
1k0.
Blackmail (Social) Variable points*
You possess knowledge and proof of someone else’s dark
secret. The cost of this advantage is equal to the status
rank or the person you are blackmailing. Scorpion.
Bland (Physical)
You are unremarkable in every regard and others have a
hard time recognizing you unless you deliberately draw
attention to yourself. Whenever someone rolls to
determine your Honor rank or identity, you may choose to
increase the TN by 10.
Blind Fighter (Physical) 9 points*
You have trained long and hard to fight in conditions of
near-zero visibility. You still suffer the 3k3 penalty to
ranged attacks, but now you only subtract 5 from your
melee attack rolls and as long as you can hear your
opponents, your armor TN is unaffected by your
blindness. This does not allow you to see where you are
going, just to detect opponents. Ninja.
Blissful Betrothal (Social) 3 points*
Your marriage has been arranged, and against all odds, you
and your spouse actually get along and may even love each
other! Your new connections and your spouse’s support
allow you to purchase the following Advantages for 2 less
points: Gentry, Kharmic Tie (your betrothed), Social
Position, Wealth.
Chosen by the Oracles (Spiritual) 6 points
One of the elemental Oracles has noticed you. Select one
Ring when taking this advantage. You gain a bonus of 1k1
to all Ring rolls for that Ring.
Clear Thinker (Mental) 3 points
You have a sharp mind and keen powers of percepointion.
When someone is attempointing to confuse or deceive
you, you gain +1k0 to the contested roll. Dragon.
Crab Hands (Physical) 3 points*
Your natural affinity for weapons means that, whenever
you are wielding a weapon with which you have no skill,
your skill is considered 1. Crab.
Crafty (Mental) 3 points*
You have an instinct for crime. Whenever you would be
forced to make an unskilled roll for a low skill, you are
considered to have 1 rank in that skill. Scorpion, Spider,
Ninja.
Dangerous Beauty (Physical) 3 points
You are nearly irresistible to people who might be sexually
attracted to you and your presence makes them quite
pliable. You gain a bonus of 1k0 on all Tempointation
skill rolls against such opponents. Scorpion.
Daredevil (Mental) 3 points
You have a natural flair for athletics and no regard for
your own personal safety. When spending a void point to
enhance an Athletics roll, you gain a bonus of 3k1 instead
of 1k1. Mantis.
Darling of the Court (Social) 2 points*
You did something that gained the notice of your host
resulting in an instant increase in your importance among
that court. Choose a court. When attending this court,
your status is effectively one rank higher. You may take
this advantage multiple times, each for a different court.
Different School (Social) 5 Points*
Considerable resources and favors have been sacrificed to
sponsor you into the school of a different clan. You are
still a member of your own clan, but now have sworn
oaths to a new sensei. Only a truly sadistic GM would
ever use this against you.
Ear of the Empress (Social) 5 points
By familial connections, blackmail or some other means,
you have the ability to make your words appear before the
Empress. The nature of this connection should be clearly
defined before this Advantage is taken.
Elemental Blessing (Spiritual) 4 points
Kami of a particular element have taken a shine to you.
Increasing traits associated with that element cost 1 less.
Phoenix.
Enlightened (Spiritual) 6 points
You are nearly at the end of your journey along the
celestial wheel. In addition to whatever else the GM feels
is appropriate, when raising your Void, the cost is 2 less.
Dragon, Monk.
Fame (Social) 3 points
As a result of your actions, there are many in the Empire
who know your name. You gain +1 Glory Rank.
Forbidden Knowledge (Mental) 5 points*
You possess an embarrassing amount of knowledge about
a subject that most people consider forbidden or taboo. It
would raise many embarrassing questions if the extent of
your expertise were known…
Some subjects of forbidden knowledge are…
Polvora, Gozoku, Kolat, Lying Darkness, Maho, Oni,
Yodotai, Yobanjin, Merenae, Thrane, Syrneth, Togashi
Yokuni, etc.
Hare.
Forge Brother/Sister (Mental) 4 points*
You are the MacGyver of Rokugan. Whenever you are
called upon to make an unskilled roll with a Craft skill, you
are instead considered to have 1 rank in that skill. Oriole,
Crab, Sparrow.
Friendly Kami (Spiritual) 5 points*
A particular kami has befriended you and is always near
you. You gain a bonus of 1k1 to all Sense Commune or
Summon spells using that element. You may not select
this Advantage for an element in which you are deficient.
Friend of the Brotherhood (Spiritual) 5 points*
You have studied among your allies in the Brotherhood of
Shinsei and may now purchase Kiho as though you were a
Monk of the Brotherhood. You must still meet all of the
requirements to purchase the Kiho and you may not start
with this Advantage. Dragon.
Friend of the Elements (Spiritual) 4 points
You are aligned strongly with a particular element. When
making trait rolls associated with this element, you gain a
free raise. Shugenja.
Gaijin Gear (Material) 5 points
You possess a single piece of equipment that is from
beyond the Empire. It may be a weapon, such as a
Yobanjin crossbow, a Senpet Kukri, a Merenae rapier or a
Yodotai Pilum. Alternatively, you might possess a non-
weapon item such as plate armor, spyglasses, scissors, or a
compass. Mantis, Unicorn.
Gentry (Material) Variable points
You have been given a duty to oversee (and therefore tax)
an area larger than most of your peers will ever have to
manage. Consult the table below.
Point Cost Holding
8 Village
15 Large Village
18 Unique Holding (Sake Works, paper factory,
etc)
20 Town
25 City
30 Province
Note that in addition to overseeing it, you must also
defend your holding.
Great Destiny (Spiritual) 5 points
You are destined to do some great, powerful thing, so it is
written by the Celestial Order. Once per session, when
you suffer wounds that would kill you, you are instead
reduced to a single wound. You are important to the
heavens, but not that important.
Great Potential (Varies) 5 points
You possess the potential to excel at one particular
undertaking. Select a skill when this advantage is
purchased. When you make raises on a skill roll using that
skill, your maximum raises are limited by your ranks in that
skill rather than your Void ring. If your Void is higher,
you may use that instead. Oriole.
Hands of Stone (Physical) 6 points*
You possess the unusual combination of confidence, grace
and immunity to pain which make you an excepointionally
deadly unarmed opponent. Or you just hit like an Ogre.
You keep an extra die on unarmed damage rolls. Monk,
Badger.
Heart of Vengeance (Social) 5 Points*
One faction has earned your eternal, incandescent hatred.
Select a group such as Kolat, Ninja, Brotherhood of
Shinsei, Crab Clan, etc. You gain a bonus of 1k1 against
any contested roll against a member of this group. You
may take this advantage multiple times though its effects
never stack. Instead, they apply to different groups. For
example, if you chose Crab and Kolat, and you were
making a contested roll against a Samurai who was both
Crab and Kolat, the bonus does not stack. Spider, Ronin,
Crab.
Hero of the People (Social) 2 points*
Among Samurai, you do not stand out much from your
peers. But among common castes, you are considered to
have an extra Rank of Glory.
Higher Purpose (Mental) 3 points*
You have devoted your entire life to a higher purpose that
will take decades or even more years than you have to give
it. In any session in which you and the GM agree that you
have made demonstrable progress toward it, you gain one
additional Experience Point.
Home in Ashes (Social) 2 points
You are an orphan; both of your blood parents dead. You
were fostered with distant relatives, but it was very clear
that after your gempukku, you were on your own. While
you serve your family Daimyo, you have no immediate
family to call on for help. Crab, Lion.
Imperial Spouse (Social) 5 points*
You are married to a minor member of the Imperial
families. Your spouse is not so important that you must
take his or her name, but you gain .5 ranks of Status and a
bonus of 1k1 to all interactions with members of the
Imperial families. Crane, Lion.
Inari’s Blessing (Spiritual) 3 points
The fortune of Rice smiles upon you. When deprived of
food, you regain Void Points as normal, though the other
penalties still apply. Monk, Dragon, Crab.
Inheritance (Material) 5 points
At your Gempukku, you were honored with an heirloom
passed down by your ancestors and you would surely die
before you allowed any harm to befall it. When making
any non-combat skill roll, you gain a bonus of 1k1.
Inner Gift (Spiritual) 7 points
You have an ability that even the most powerful Shugenja
of your Clan cannot fully understand. Choose one of the
following:
- Animal Ken: you can sense the mood of an
animal and all animals initially regard you as
friendly. Lion
- Empathy: You gain a bonus of 1k1 to Courtier
rolls to determine another person’s
feelings/desires. Unicorn.
 - Foresight: You are difficult to surprise and gain a
bonus of 1k0 to Initiative rolls. Crab
- Lesser Prophecy: You sometimes have vague
dreams of the future. Dragon
- Spirit Touch: You may make an Awareness roll vs
TN of 20 to see the last person to touch an object
you are holding or touching. Phoenix
Irreproachable (Mental) 2 points*
For you, a life of virtue is its own reward. In any
contested roll to bribe or tempoint you, you gain a bonus
of 1k0.
Ishiken-Do (Spiritual, Shugenja only) (8 points)
You are one of the few to survive being touched by the
Void with your sanity intact. You can now cast Void
spells. Phoenix.
Kharmic Tie (spiritual) 1-5 points
Your destiny is bonded to another person in some
fundamental way. It may been a friend or lover from a
previous life, or perhaps your destiny requires the presence
of theirs. Select one person when purchasing this
Advantage. For each point spent on the Advantage, once
per session, you may gain a bonus of 1k1 to all attack or
defense rolls while fighting for or defending your Kharmic
tie.
Large (Physical) 4 points
You are significantly taller and broader than the average
Rokugani. You gain a bonus of 1k0 on melee damage
rolls. Crab, Falcon, Badger, Boar.
Leadership (Social) 8 points
You have an innate ability to inspire others. Once per
round, you may add half your Battle skill (rounding up) to
the Initiative totals of all allies under your command. Lion.
Luck (Spiritual) 3/6/9 points
You are one lucky punk. You may choose to re-roll a
number of rolls equal the levels of this Advantage you
possess.
Magic Resistance (Spiritual) 2/4/6 points
For some reason, the Kami are reluctant to involve
themselves with you. For each rank in this advantage, all
elemental spells which target you (or include you in their
area of effect) have 3 added to the TN needed to cast
them. This does not work against maho, gaijin or non-
human magic.
Multiple Schools (Social) 10 points*
You have the rare opportunity to study at multiple schools.
Next time you gain an insight rank, you may instead gain it
in a new school within your Clan. You may combine any
classes excepoint for Bushi/Shugenja. You must have at
least 1 rank in all skills taught at the school.
Musha Shugyo (Social) 4 points*
You have elected to go on a Warrior Pilgrimage and left
the ways of your clan to seek wisdom through experience.
You are treated as a Clan Ronin and must remain such for
a minimum of one year, or you must complete some
mission set by your sensei at which time you are welcomed
back to your Clan with open arms.
Paragon (Mental) 7 points*
While you are a paragon of Bushido, you have taken one
tenet to be your way of life. Any time you would gain
Honor for exhibiting the virtue for which you have
purchased this advantage, you gain an extra point.
- Compassion: Any time you spend a Void Point to
improve a roll that directly helps those of a lower
caste than you, you gain 2k2 instead of 1k1.
Crane
- Courage: You add a bonus of 1k1 to any toll to
resist Intimidation or Fear. Lion
- Courtesy: Any time you make an Etiquette roll to
avoid embarrassment or a breach of honor, you
add a bonus of 2k0.
- Duty: You may spend a Void Point on any Skill or
Spellcasting roll to negate all TN penalties for that
roll (including wound penalties). Crab
- Honesty: On any Sincerity (Honesty) roll, you add
a bonus of 1k1. You still get this bonus if it
applies, even if you do not have the emphasis.
- Honor: you add twice your Honor Rank to all
rolls to resist Tempointation or Intimidation rolls,
instead of the normal bonus.
- Sincerity: You may add a bonus of 2k0 to all
contested rolls using Sincerity.
Perceived Honor (Social) 2 points per rank
For whatever reason, your honor appears higher than your reduction.
Crane Kakita Blade 5 4k2 Katana; may re-roll
frequently questionable actions might dictate. For each damage once per Iaijutsu duel.
rank in this Advantage, you gain a full rank of Honor for Dragon Twin Sister 3 Daisho; +5 to TN of all
the purposes of a person attempointing to discern it with a Blades Disarm Maneuvers against
you.
Lore: Bushido roll. Mantis, Scorpion, Tortoise. 4k2 Katana; Honor Rank
Lion Akodo Blade 4
considered +1 while carried.
Precise Memory (Mental) 3 points Can be used for semaphore.
Mantis Storm Kama 6 2k2 Kama; +1k0 to attack
You have an uncanny ability to recall events with perfect (pair) rolls when wielding both.
clarity. In any situation where you must remember Phoenix Inquisitor’s 6 3k2 Wakizashi; considered
Strike Jade vs Tainted targets.
something exactly as it was, you add a bonus of 1k1 to
Scorpion Shosuro 5 4k2 Katana; +5 to resist
your Intelligence roll to do so. poisons applied to the blade.
Blade
Spider Black Steel 6 4k2 Katana; wounds inflicted
Prodigy (Physical) 12 points heal half as quickly; magic
Blade
heals at ½.
You are true disciple of your dojo and have taken its Unicorn Moto 6 3k3 Scimitar; +3 to damage
teachings to heart. Whenever you make a skill roll for one Scimitar rolls made on horseback.
of your school skills, you gain a bonus of 1k0. Any Tsi Weapon 4/8 May be any weapon. May
have any one per rank of the
following:
Provincial Hero (Social) 4 points* Wielder gains +1k0 on attack
Balanced
rolls
You are excepointionally loved in a particular province. Swift +5 to Initiative when wielded
The peasantry look on you as a proven hero and champion Unbreakable +2 damage, weapon cannot
and local magistrates may choose to overlook some of be broken.
Radiant Counts as Jade
your more eccentric actions and you can generally always
Honed Wielder gains +1k0 to damage
find room and board (though you may still have to work rolls.
for it). Monkey. Subtle Wielder gains free raise to
disarm maneuver.
Quick (Physical) 6 points*

You are much faster to react than your other traits would
seem to suggest. You gain a bonus of 1k1 on your
initiative.
Quick Healer (Physical) 3 points
Your excellent physical condition allows you to bounce
back from injury faster than most. Your stamina is
considered two higher for the purpose of natural healing.
Sacrosanct (Social) 4 points
This Advantage has no effect if your Honor Rank drops below 6.
Because of some great service you or your parents
performed on behalf of the Emperor, the Son of Heaven
has placed you under his protection. No one with an
Honor Rank of 5 or higher may attack you unless you
attack them first. This will not protect you in a duel you
enter willingly. Imperial.

Read Lips (Mental) 4 points* Sage (Mental) 4 points*

When you are in a situation where others are speaking and You are a fountain of occasionally useful knowledge about
you cannot hear them, you can understand by making a an incredibly broad array of topics. Whenever you would
Percepointion Trait roll against a TN equal to 15 +5 for be forced to make an unskilled roll for a Lore skill, you are
every 20 feet between you and the speakers. instead considered to have 1 rank in that skill. Phoenix.

Sacred Weapon (Material) Sensation (Social) 3 points*

You possess a weapon created by the master smiths of You are capable of capointuring the minds and hearts of
your Clan. See the table below: the crowd, no matter where you are. Any time you would
have to make an unskilled roll for a Perform skill, you are
Clan Weapon Cost Mechanics instead considered to have 1 rank in that skill. Scorpion.
Crab Kaiu Blade 6 3k3 Katana; unbreakable and
ignores 2 points of tgt’s
Seven Fortune’s Blessing (Spiritual) 4 points
One of the Seven Fortunes has taken an interest in your
exploits and showered you with his or her blessings.
Choose one of the following:
- Benten: The fortune of romantic love has given
you a pleasing appearance and manner. You gain
a bonus of 0k1 to any attempoint to persuade
someone. Scorpion, Crane.
- Bishamon: The fortune of strength has given you
a portion of his might. Whenever you declare
three raises to increase damage, you get a fourth
free. Free raises do not count toward this. You
also gain a bonus of 1k0 to any Strength trait rolls.
Crab, Badger, Boar, Lion.
- Daikoku: The fortune of wealth has blessed you
with gold and hookers. You gain a bonus of 1k1
to all Commerce rolls. Mantis, Unicorn
- Ebisu: The fortune of honest work thinks you are
swell. You gain a bonus of 1k1 to all social rolls
dealing with non-Samurai citizens of Rokugan.
Phoenix, Dragon
- Fukurokujin: The fortune of Wisdom favors you.
Select one Lore skill. You gain a bonus of 1k1 to
this skill.
- Hotei: The fortune of contentment and serenity
likes your flow. Whenever an effect of any sort
(spell, advantage, technique, whatever) would
cause you to lose void points, the instigator of its
effect must beat you in a contested Void roll. If
there is already a contested roll, you get +10.
- Jurojin: the fortune of longevity has elected to
prolong your agony in this mortal world.
Whenever you are rolling to resist a disease or
poison, you get a bonus of 2k0 to the roll.
Silent (Physical) 3 points*
You are naturally sneaky. You gain a bonus of 1k0 to all
Stealth rolls. Ninja.
Social Position (Social) 6 points
You have received an illustrious social appointment. Gain
+1 Status.
Soul of Artistry (Mental) 4 points*
You are the very soul of creativity and industry. Whenever
you are called upon to make an unskilled roll with an
Artisan skill, you are instead considered to have 1 rank in
that skill. Crane, Dragon.
Strength of the Earth (Physical) 3 points*
Your training has hardened you to the worse effects of
injury and pain. You reduce all wound penalties by 3.
Bushi.
Sunscarred (Physical) 4 points*
You have spent so much time outdoors that unbearable
temperatures are things that happen to lesser people. You
suffer no penalties for extreme heat or cold. You
automatically pass all stamina rolls related to temperature
effects. This does not alleviate the need for food or water,
merely ensures that you will be at your best when you go
looking for it. Dragon, Crab.
Tactician (Mental) 4 points*
You are very good at sensing the ebb and flow of battle.
When making a roll on the Mass Battle table, you may
elect to raise or lower your roll by 5.
Touch of the Spirit Realms (Spiritual) 5 points
You have been touched by one of the spirit realms.
Choose one of the following:
- Chikushudo: Your connection to the realm of
animals gives you a bonus of 1k1 on Animal
Handling rolls.
- Gaki-Do: Your connection to the realm of hungry
dead gives you a measure of their vampiric power.
If one of your attacks kills someone, you gain five
wounds.
- Jigoku: Your connection to hell gives you some
power over your Shadowlands Taint. You may
add your Taint Rank to any attack, skill or trait
roll. If you are Lost, you add twice your Taint
Rank, rather than the normal bonus.
- Maigo No Musha: Your connection to the realm
of lost heroes inspires you to greater glory.
Whenever you gain glory in excess of 3 points,
you gain an additional point.
- Meido: Your connection to the realm of Waiting
makes you adepoint at navigating bureaucracy.
When you are attempointing to interact with a
bureaucracy, you gain a bonus of 2k0 to the roll.
- Sakkaku: Your connection to the realm of
mischief has made you an adroit liar. You gain a
bonus of 1k1 on all Sincerity (Deceit) rolls.
- Tengoku: Your connection to the Celestial
Heavens has fortified your body. You gain a
 bonus of 2k0 on all Earth rolls to resist the
Shadowlands Taint.
- Toshigoku: Your connection to the realm of
slaughter has given you a natural bloodlust. When
making a move action to get into range of an
opponent, the distance you move is increased by 5
feet.
- Yomi: Your connection to the realm of
enlightenment has given you the strength of your
ancestors who reached the end of their path
before you. Choose a school skill. You gain a
bonus of 1k0 on all rolls using that skill.
- Yume-do: Your connection to the realm of
dreams means that part of you is always dreaming.
You require only four hours of rest to recover
your Void Points instead of the usual eight.
Virtuous (Mental) 3 points
You embrace Bushido in every way, cleaving to it in the
face of any challenge. You gain one rank of honor.
Voice (Physical) 3 points*
Some quality in your voice ensures that when you speak,
others listen. You gain a bonus of 1k1 on any Perform
skill roll that uses your voice.
Wary (Mental) 3 points*
A life of battle has made you ever-vigilant for threats.
When rolling Investigation (Notice) against an opponent’s
Stealth (Ambush) to detect an ambush, you add a bonus of
1k1. Dragon, Monkey.
Way of the Land (Mental) 2 points*
You are intimately familiar with a particular province, or
Great Clan family-sized domain. While in your domain,
you never get lost and know the location of any available
resources to be found there. This may be taken multiple
times, though after character creation, a character must
spend a minimum of (8 – Character’s intelligence) months
there to gain it. Unicorn.
Wealthy (Material) 1 point/2 koku.
Your part of the family is particularly wealthy and have
elected to bestow some of their bounty on you. For every
point you spend at character creation, you gain 2 koku on
your starting outfit. Mantis, Unicorn, Imperial (note that
the 1 point discount is off the total cost of this
Advantage).
Ronin-Only Advantages
Patron (Social) 4 points*
A Samurai in a position of prestige or authority recognizes
your professionalism and discretion. From time to time,
this person retains your services and compensates you well
for your troubles at his behest.
Personal Mon (Social) 1 point*
You have crafted an eye-catching, evocative banner for
yourself and put in the necessary work to make it mean
something. While there is no immediate mechanical
benefit, wearing your mon makes you more memorable to
everyone who witnesses your deeds.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages marked by * can be bought off with
experience points at a cost equal to double the points
yielded by the Disadvantage initially.
Adopointed (Social) 3 or 6 points
Either you or one of your parents was adopointed into the
clan. For three points, your roots lie with the Empire’s
Ronin, or possibly another clan and you must gain 15
points of Glory before your Glory Rank rises. For six
points, your roots are with the peasant class, and you must
gain 20 points of Glory before your Glory Rank rises. In
either case, these penalties drop by two for every Glory
Rank you attain.
Antisocial (Social) 2 or 4 points*
You find the presence of others uncomfortable. Your
desire for solitude often causes you to behave rudely. The
2 point version places a penalty of 1k0 on all social rolls.
The 4 point version is a penalty of 1k1. Crab.
Ascetic (Mental) 2 points
You have no taste for or interest in praise or material
things. Whenever you gain Glory, you gain only half. If
you are a Monk, this stacks with the Glory penalties
Monks already suffer. Also, your starting outfit contains
only the tools necessary for you to function in your
school’s capacity. Dragon, Monk.
Bad Eyesight (Physical) 3 points
Your sight is poor or you are missing an eye.
Percepointion-based rolls and ranged attacks all suffer a
penalty of 1k1.
Bad Fortune (Spiritual) 3 or 5 points*
Kharma has taken a burning shit on your life. Choose one
of the following, or, for 5 points, the GM chooses one of
the following for you:
- Secret Love: Somewhere, someone is madly in
love with you and will do anything to sabotage any
romance or marriages you might be looking
forward to.
- Disfigurement: You have a visible birthmark or
nasty scar which causes people to shy away from
your cursed countenance.
- Evil Eye: One of your eyes is discolored.
Members of polite society will do virtually
anything not to make eye contact with you, even
taking it as a threat if you force them to.
- Allergy: You are allergic to a common substance
(silk, cotton, sushi) and break out in a rash
whenever exposed to it.
- Lingering Misfortune: At some point in the future,
you will spectacularly fail an important roll and by
no mechanical means can you re-roll it. The GM
will probably be lenient and beneficent. Probably.
- Unknown Enemy: Someone somewhere wants
you dead. You have no idea who or why, though
you might soon.
- Moto Curse: (Unicorn only) Your family have an
unusual suscepointibility to the Shadowlands
Taint. You suffer a penalty of 1k0 to rolls to resist
the Taint.
- Yogo Curse: You are cursed to betray the one you
love most, just as the first Yogo was cursed by Fu
Leng. Yogo receive 4 points for this
Disadvantage, but even a drop of Yogo blood may
manifest the curse which manifests as pressure on
the soul. After the betrayal, you know that the
curse has been fulfilled and you family will throw
you a party! Party time!
Bad Health (Physical) 4 points
You suffer from a chronic illness and general bad health.
Your Earth Ring is considered 1 point lower for
determining Wound Ranks and for resisting disease.
Bitter Betrothal (Social) 2 Points
You have been promised to another and neither of you are
particularly pleased with the situation. While there are no
mechanical penalties for this, surely only a truly madcap
GM would use this to ruin your life. You cannot be both
blissfully and bitterly betrothed. Imperial.
Blackmailed (Social) [points are equal to your status rank]
Someone knows your darkest secrets, and they have let it
be known that they periodically require certain things of
you, lest your private shame become public.
Bounty (Social) variable points
Someone has put a reward out for you whether your
actions merited this or not. Points gained determine the
nature of the bounty.
Points Example Bounty
Crime
2 Public 1-5 koku. Magistrates where the
Nuisance crime was committed know to
(Detainable) look for you.
4 Assault 6-15 koku. Civic-minded Ronin
(Wanted) and traveling magistrates are on
the lookout.
6 Murder 15-50 koku. A Wasp bounty
(Manhunt) hunter, or band of Toku
vigilantes track you even now.
Black Sheep (Social) 3 points
You have done something spectacularly humiliating and
are no longer welcome at your family’s home. If you
attend one of your own family’s schools, you will not be
able to rank up unless you go to extraordinary lengths to
secure a teacher.
Blind (Physical) 6 points
You have no natural eyesight at all. You suffer a penalty
of 3k3 to all ranged attack rolls and of 1k1 to melee attack
rolls. Your base armor TN is equal to your Reflexes + your
worn armor. Any attempoint at simple movement requires
an Athletics/AGI roll vs TN 20, or you fall prone.
Brash (Mental) 3 points*
You have a very short fuse and tend to answer any slight,
real or imagined, with threats at the very least. If you are
threatened or insulted, you must roll Will (adding your
Honor rank to the total) vs TN 25. Lion.
Broken Daisho (3 or 5 points)
You are either a very unlucky Ronin or the last owner of
your Daisho committed some great crime that has now
passed unto you to make right. For three points, your
Wakizashi is broken and you take a penalty of 1k0 on all
social rolls with Samurai. For five points, your katana is
broken. You suffer the same social stigma as with the
three point Disadvantage, but you are now without a
primary weapon. You may only take the five point version
of this Disadvantage if your starting outfit contains a
katana. Only the truly honorless would give up a broken
katana, even if he received a new one.
Can’t Lie (Mental) 2 points
You cannot lie. Ever. You will tell as truth something you
believe to be true. So honest and forthright are you that if
someone in your presence says something you know is
untrue, you must roll your Will (adding Honor) vs TN 20
or correct them. This will, of course, make dealings in
court incredibly hilarious for everyone but you.
Cast Out (Social) 1 or 3 points)
You (or your family) were denounced by an order of
Monks. The one point version refers to only a single order
of Monks, while the three point version makes you the
target of a large sect’s animosity. In either case, affected
Monks treat you as though your Glory were actually
Infamy.
Compulsion (Mental) 2 to 4 points
There is some activity or ritual in which you must partake.
Something that is such a part of your character that
forsaking it, even in dire circumstances, requires a great act
of will. To do so, you must roll your Will vs the following
table:
Points spent Will roll TN
2 15
3 20
4 25
It could be as simple as a desire to make rubbings of
gravestones, or as complicated as an addiction to heroin
and prostitutes.
Contrary (Mental) 3 points*
Your rigid, clearly-defined view of the world demands that
during even the most light-hearted debate, you must weigh
in and try to persuade others to see your point of view. To
avoid this very annoying behavior, you must roll your Will
vs a TN equal to whatever number amuses your GM,
depending on the situation (will not exceed 25). Dragon,
Imperial.
Cursed by the Spirit Realms (Spiritual) 4 points*
You have been touched by one of the spirit realms, and
not in a good way. You cannot be both blessed and
cursed by the same spirit realm, but you could be blessed
by one and cursed by another (excepoint Toshigoku).
Choose one of the following:
- Chikushudo: Your connection to the realm of
animals gives you a penalty of 1k1 on Animal
Handling rolls.
- Gaki-Do: The hungry dead crave your life force
and will always attack you first.
- Jigoku: The powers of hell crave your soul. You
suffer a penalty of 1k1 to resist the Shadowlands
Taint.
- Maigo No Musha: Your very existence thwarts
destiny somehow. Suffer a penalty of 1k1 on any
social rolls that deal with spirits.
- Meido: Your connection to the realm of Waiting
makes you easily bored. When unoccupied (such
as on guard duty) you lapse into a trance state and
suffer a penalty of 1k0 to percepointion rolls.
- Sakkaku: Your connection to the realm of
mischief means that you are plagued by prankster
spirits and, at least once per month, are the target
of an elaborate and seldom practical joke. The
spirits of mischief may even involve nearby
mortals in your misery.
- Tengoku: You are considered unclean in the eyes of
Heaven. If you are ever on Celestial holy ground
(temple or monastery) the TN of all of your rolls
is increased by 10.
- Toshigoku: Slaughter is in your blood. At the sight
of a wounded opponent, you must succeed at a
Will roll vs TN 15 or attack that person
immediately.
- Yomi: The ancestors have turned their backs on
you. You may never have any ancestral
Advantages or abilities.
- Yume-do: You are plagued by nightmares beyond
your comprehension and require 10 hours of sleep
to regain void points, rather than the normal 8.
Dark Fate (Spiritual) 3 points
Before you die, you will commit some grand atrocity or
usher in the next great threat to the Empire. So
instrumental in this are you that fate conspires to ensure
your survival. Once per session, when you suffer wounds
that would kill you, you are instead reduced to a single
wound. You are important to the dark powers, but not
that important.
Dark Secret (Social) 4 points
The most common disadvantage in the game! You
possess some terrible secret that, if revealed, would be
disastrous to you. A good litmus test of whether your
secret is dark enough is: If someone publicly called you out
on your secret, would you be compelled to commit
sepukku? Ninja (in fact, if you are a Ninja, this itself is a
dark secret)
Dependant (Social) varies
Someone incapable of defending themselves is dependent
upon you to look after them. It could be an infirm relative
or child, or a truly incompetent spouse. See the following
table:
Points Nature of Dependant
gained
1 Naïve, but basically competent spouse, capable
sibling who is very young.
2 Retired, but disabled family member.
3 Incompetent Spouse
4 Able child
5 Young child entirely dependent on you
6 Insane relative; catatonic spouse.
Dishonored (Social) 5 points
You have failed so spectacularly that your name has been
stricken from family records and everyone related to you
proceeds through life as though you are dead. However,
the Clan has given you the opportunity to wash away your
dishonor if you perish in battle.
Disbeliever (Mental) 3 points
You have concluded (perhaps erroneously, perhaps not)
that the Fortunes and the kami are bizarre alien beings
with no real interest in the affairs of mankind. Or you
think that the Tao of Shinsei is nothing but empointy
promises. If made public, all properly pious individuals
would shun you as an unbeliever. You are naturally
uncomfortable around Shugenja and have the TN of all
social rolls when dealing with them increased by 5.
Disturbing Countenance (Physical) 3 points
People find something about your manner unnerving or
threatening. The TN of all of your social rolls is increased
by 5. Spider.
Doubt (Mental) 4 points*
Something has happened to cause you to question your
training. Choose one of your school skills when you take
this Disadvantage. Each time you use this skill, you must
declare a raise that confers no benefit.
Driven (Mental) 2 points
You are possessed by some goal and will sacrifice anything
to accomplish it.
Elemental Imbalance (Spiritual) 2 points/rank
(Shugenja only) The kami of one element favor you to the
exclusion of all others. Choose an element in which you
do not possess a deficiency. Whenever you cast a spell of
this element, you must make a Willpower Trait roll vs a
TN of 15 + 5 per rank of this Disadvantage. If you fail
this roll, something disastrous happens. The spell may fail
outright, but only a boring GM would do that.
Epilepsy (Physical) 4 points
You possess a poorly understood condition which causes
you to have seizures and enter a trance-like state. When
you are exposed to high stress, or flashing lights, such as a
fireworks display, you must succeed at a Willpower roll vs
TN 15 to avoid falling into seizure. If you fail, you may
roll Willpower vs TN 10 each minute to escape it. Crane.
Fascination (Mental) 1 point
You are completely fascinated by one subject and will go
to great lengths to learn more about it. Your judgment is
severely impaired with regard to your fascination. Surely
no well-adjusted GM would ever hold this over your head
or use a mere 1 point Disadvantage to lure your character
to ruin.
Failure of Bushido (Mental) 3 points*
Though you try to adhere to the code of Bushido, one
tenet of it is constantly beyond your grasp. You may not
take Paragon and Failure of Bushido for the same tenet,
although it is entirely appropriate and accepointable to take
them for separate ones.
 - Compassion: Lower castes are beneath your
notice. You must spend a Void Point to act on
behalf of anyone of lower station.
- Courage: Your confidence crumbles in the face of
superior opposition. When facing an opponent of
higher Glory or status or a Shadowlands creature,
the TN of all of your rolls is increased by 5.
- Courtesy: You know you are right. Any time you
make a social skill roll to apologize or avoid giving
offense, you must call a raise for no benefit.
- Duty: You cannot bring yourself to commit to
your obligations. When you spend a Void Point
to negate wounds, you negate 5 instead of 10.
- Honesty: You cannot spend Void Points to
augment any Sincerity Roll to which the Honesty
emphasis could apply.
- Honor: Your honor is made of porcelain; easily
shattered when struck. You may not add your
Honor Rank to tests to resist tempointation or
intimidation.
- Sincerity: You appear inherently untrustworthy.
Any time you attempoint to convince someone of
what you are saying, you must declare a raise
which gains you no benefit.
Filthy (Social) 2 points*
Most Samurai bathe several times per day and maintain
rigid standards for personal cleanliness. You are not most
Samurai. Your duties or circumstances force you to live in
constant filth and you have long since given up on
hygiene. You are frequently denied entry to courts,
households, and many cleaner Samurai will not deal with
you at all.
Forced Retirement (Social) 4 points
You have been forced into early retirement in a monastery,
perhaps because of disgrace. Next time your insight rank
rises, you must take a rank in an unaligned Monk school.
You are no longer considered a member of your clan.
Frail Mind (Mental) 3 points
You have difficulty concentrating. Any time you are
involved in a contested Willpower roll, your opponent
gains a bonus of 2k0.
Gaijin Name (Social) 1 point
Either due to your lineage, or your parents’ fascination
with another culture, you possess a personal name that is
clearly not Imperial. Your dice on a social skill roll can
only explode once each (giving each die a maximum
contribution to your roll of 20). To cause extra strife, put
an L or a V in your name and sit back and laugh while
highly educated Courtiers struggle to pronounce it.
Unicorn.
Greedy (Mental) 3 points*
Material wealth is important to you. It may be the most
important thing to you. Attempoints to influence you
using cold hard cash as an incentive gain a bonus of 1k1 to
do so. Mantis.
Gullible (Mental) 4 points*
Your trust is given easily and often to the wrong people.
Opponents attempointing to deceive you received a bonus
of 1k1.
Haunted (Spiritual) 3 points
One of your ancestors has chosen to give you his or her
personal attention. Perhaps he has some task for you to
finish, or just really likes you. You must show all due
deference and respect to your ancestor and at least make it
look like you are doing what he says. If you don’t, your
ancestor becomes angry at you. For each day that your
ancestor remains angry at you, your ancestor can impose a
penalty of 1k1 to one of your die rolls once per session.
Hostage (Social) 3 points
You are a hostage. You are being fostered by a family that
was once an enemy of your family. A similar hostage lives
with your family. If either of your parents decide that war
is more important than your lives, well, you can’t make an
omelet without murdering children. You are treated well,
though escorted everywhere.
Idealistic (Mental) 2 points*
You have impossible standards that even the most heroic
individual could not hope to meet. Whenever you lose
honor, the loss is increased by one point. Lion
Infamous (social) 2 points
You are well known, but not in a good way. Infamy
replaces your Glory Ranks, but instead of glorious
recognition and the adulation of your fans, villagers are
likely to evacuate at the sight of you.
Insensitive (mental) 2 points*
Your primary interest is in yourself and the very small list
of things you care about. With the excepointion of those
who contribute directly to your well-being (such as your
lord), you must spend a Void Point to place yourself at risk
for others.
Jealousy (Mental) 3 points*
You believe that you deserve all of the things that another
has had. Choose a character (who may be a PC). You are
obsessed with overcoming them at all costs and will go to
any lengths to do so. Once you have bested the target of
your jealousy, you may buy off this Disadvantage with
experience. If you choose not to, your jealous nature puts
another person in your crosshairs.
Lame (Physical) 4 points
One of your legs is damaged, either by accident, wound or
birth. Your Water Ring is considered to be 1 for the
purposes of moving. Any Agility or Agility-based skill
rolls add 10 to their TN.
Lechery (Social) 2 points*
Some people can forsake physical pleasure for duty. You
are not one of those people. Anyone attempointing to
influence you and using physical pleasure as an incentive
gets a bonus of 1k1.
Lord Moon’s Curse (Spiritual) 3, 5 or 7 points
The madness of Onnotangu, the Lord Moon lives in your
soul. You gain a Void Point at sunset and lose it at sunrise
if it is not spent. Sounds great, right? When the moon is
full, you must roll your Willpower vs TN 15 + 5 per level
of this Disadvantage you have taken. If you fail this roll,
you lose control of your character for the night and have
no recollection of what happened between that point and
the time you awaken the next morning. The GM would
never use such a thing to further the ends of his own plots.
The GM is your friend.
Lost Love (Mental) 3 points
You are one of the few souls in Rokugan who knew a
bond of true love—this need not be romantic, it could be
a child, a sibling or a true friend. That person is lost to
you now, either dead, or so far beyond your reach that it
makes no difference. When you are reminded of your loss,
all of your TNs increase by 5 until you spend a Void Point
to regain your focus. This disrupointion cannot happen
more than once per day.
Low Pain Threshold (Physical) 4 points*
You lose focus quickly when you are in pain. You add +5
to your wound penalties at each rank, excepoint 0.
Missing Limb (Physical) 6 points
One of your limbs is missing in action. If you take an
action which normally requires the use of that limb, the
TN to do so is raised by 10.
Momoku (Spiritual) 8 points
Just keep reading. Serious Roleplayers only.
There is a fundamental spiritual imbalance that no one can
explain or rectify. Harmony with the elements is a state
that is unknown to you. You may not spend Void Points,
excepoint to activate school abilities, overcome your
Disadvantages or activate your Advantages.
Obligation (Social) 3 or 6
There is someone to whom you are indebted who exists
entirely outside your usual command structure. The first
level represents a small favor which you must nonetheless
fulfill. The second is a significant obligation that could
demolish the Honor of both you and your family if you do
not take it very seriously.
Obtuse (Mental) 3 points*
The point of fine things escapes you. Poetry, art and
music are all meaningless to you. The experience point
cost for increasing a High Skill is doubled. Crab.
Overconfident (Mental) 3 points*
Your opinion of your own abilities is grossly inflated and
you are very bad at deciding when a situation is no longer
going your way. When faced with a superior foe, you must
roll Percepointion vs TN 20 in order to retreat. Lion,
Mantis.
Permanent Wound (Physical) 4 points
Swords are sharp and some wounds leave more than a
cool scar. Your first wound rank is always considered full.
Phobia (Mental) 1, 2 or 3 points*
You possess an irrational fear that you cannot overcome.
When presented with the object of your fear, all of your
TNS are increased by 5 per point of this Disadvantage.
Rumormonger (Social) 4 points*
You cannot resist the urge to spread gossip and rumors no
matter how outlandish or unlikely. When presented with
the opportunity to do such, you must succeed in a
Willpower roll vs a TN equal to 5 times the Glory rank of
the highest Glory individual involved with the gossip.
Courtier.
Seven Fortune’s Curse (Spiritual) 3 points
One of the Seven Fortunes has made it his or her personal
mission to see that your life as miserable as their powers
can make it.
- Benten: You are ugly or somehow extremely
unpleasant. The TN of all of your Etiquette rolls
is increased by 10.
- Bishamon: Your weakness is an affront to the
Fortune of strength. Your Strength is considered
1 point lower for the purposes of any damage you
deal.
- Daikoku: Wealth is generally something that other
people get to enjoy. You suffer a penalty of 1k1
to all Commerce rolls. Also, your starting outfit is
reduced by 1 koku.
- Ebisu: You have the stink of laziness on you.
Such is your perceived indolence that you suffer a
penalty of 1k1 to all social rolls with those of
lower class.
- Fukurokujin: The fortune of wisdom has forsaken
you. All Lore rolls you make have +5 to their TN.
- Hotei: The Fortune of happiness is decidedly
unhappy with you. Any technique or advantage
that requires you to spend a Void Point now
requires two.
- Jurojin: You are not destined for long life. You
suffer a penalty of 2k0 to resist disease.
Shadowlands Taint (Spiritual) 4 points
You start the game with .5 points of Shadowlands taint.
You may decide whether you are aware of it, as it is
generally not detectable.
Small (Physical) 3 points
You are noticeably smaller than average. You suffer a
penalty of 1k0 on all damage rolls.
Social Disadvantage (Social) 3 points
You have slipped from your position within the Celestial
order and start with a Status of 0. This is necessary for
Ronin and most Ninja.
Soft-Hearted (Mental) 2 points*
Life is precious to you and it is very difficult for you to kill.
When faced with the opportunity to kill another sentient
being (but generally not a Shadowlands monster), you
must succeed at a Willpower roll vs TN 20 or you are not
able to bring yourself to do it. Phoenix.
Sworn Enemy (Social) 3 or 5 points
You have earned an enemy who is of comparable level to
you who will stop at nothing to have you killed. For five
points, your enemy is your Kharmic Nemesis. You may
not spend Void Points when opposing your nemesis.
True Love (Mental) 3 points
This sounds like an Advantage, right? Not so fast.
Choose a character. Whenever you must choose between
duty and this character, you must spend a Void Point to
choose duty.
Unlucky (Spiritual) 2, 4 or 6*
Fortune may favor the mortal man, it just favors some
other mortal man. A number of times per session equal
the number of ranks you have in this Disadvantage, the
GM may force you to re-roll a die roll you just made.
Void-Scarred (spiritual) 3 points
Monks talk of touching the void as being in harmony with
all things. You have touched the Void and it has burned
your sanity. Whenever you spend a Void Point to
augment a roll, you get a bonus of 2k1 instead of 1k1.
Every time you spend a Void Point, you must also succeed
on a Willpower roll vs TN 30 or be dazed for one round
after you complete your action. Phoenix.
Weakness (Physical) 6 points*
You are weaker in one area than your traits might suggest.
Choose a trait when you take this Disadvantage. That trait
is considered one point lower for all rolls and trait-based
mechanics, excepoint experience point expenditures to
raise it.
Wrath of the Kami (spiritual) 3 points
Spirits of one of the elements despise you and will move
heavens and earth to harm your life. Select one element
when you take this Disadvantage. Spells of that element
that target your, or even include you in their area of effect
gain a free raise.

Ronin Only Disadvantages

Heimin (Social) 10 points

You are not Samurai-born at all. Your Daisho may have

come from an adopointed Ronin parent or been scavenged
from a forgotten battlefield. If anyone were to find out
your secret, you would be mercilessly executed for
violating the Celestial Order. Your complete unfamiliarity
with Samurai customs make it very difficult for you to
function socially among nobility. Raising high skills cost
double for you. Your starting Glory cannot rise above
zero at character creation. You cannot also take Social
Disadvantage.