Welcome to the land of Rokugan, the Emerald Empire where honor is stronger than steel. The seven Great Clans have defended and served the Emperor for over 1,000 years both on the battlefield and in Rokugan's courts. Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game is a Living Card Game® that puts players in the roles of these clans, each boasting a unique play style as they fight for glory and honor.
Through military and political conflicts, your clan will prove their superiority. But the rules of Rokugan's society are absolute, and the Great Clans must always maintain their honor, lest they lose everything in the pursuit of glory.
The conflicts of the Emerald Empire's clans are legendary. Whether it's on the battlefields of Rokugan or in the Emperor's Court, tales of the clans' skills in diplomacy and battle spread across the Empire. The core of Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game is bringing these struggles to life. Players will take turns declaring military and political conflicts against each other in order to break their opponent's provinces and make their way to the enemy stronghold.
Players will use all of their clan's resources to acheive this goal. Everything from conniving courtiers, to mystical shugenja, to honorable samurai to the very champions of the clans themselves. These warriors lead the charge both on the battlefield and in the courts to bring glory to their clan.
A clan's provinces are something to be defended. Not only do they house citizens you are honor-bound to protect, but they produce powerful warriors and holdings, and provide special effects themselves. Four provinces sit in between a player's dynasty and conflict decks, filled with warriors to send to the battlefield. A fifth province is attached to your clan's stronghold, a base of operations that provides a powerful effect for your clan.
Through the course of a game, players will attack each other's provinces in an attempt to break them. Once a player has broken three of their opponent's provinces, they may try to break an opponent's stronghold. If they are ever successful, they win the game!