9 November 2017 | Legend of the Five Rings LCG

An Imperial Invitation

Tears of Amaterasu Is Available Now

“Goblins? Impossible. Goblins have never been spotted this far from the Wall.”

Rokugan sits poised above a time of great turmoil. The internal and external conflicts of the clans only blind them to the threats waiting for the right time to strike. That time is now fast approaching. The epic tale of Emerald Empire continues today, with the release of the first Dynasty Pack!

Tears of Amaterasu, the first Dynasty Pack in the Imperial Cycle for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game is now available at your local retailer!

Tears of Amaterasu features three copies each of twenty new cards and expands on the themes and mechanics found throughout the Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game Core Set while also introducing new themes that will be explored in the Imperial Cycle.

A Lurking Threat

The signs of danger are all around the land of Rokugan. Shadowland attacks are becoming more and more frequent, despite the Crab's valiant defense of the Wall, and some other monstrosities are becoming ever bolder in their infiltrations into Rokugan.

The Goblin Sneak (Tears of Amaterasu, 19) is a neutral conflict character, able to show up in any Clan's conflict deck at an unexpected time. Though the Goblin Sneak only has one military skill and a political –, he can still spell trouble for your opponent. When the Goblin Sneak enters the field, one fate is immediately placed on it—from your opponent’s fate pool. Not only does this steal a fate from your opponent and limit their options, it also allows the Goblin Sneak to stay on the field for at least two turns. The Goblin Sneak likely won’t be breaking provinces on its own, but it has an undeniable ability to disrupt your opponent's plans, if you are willing to accept a creature from the Shadowlands into your deck.

Defending the Wall

Opposing the encroaching darkness of the Shadowlands are the forces of the Crab. Trained from birth, the Crab are more than willing to sacrifice their lives to defend their home, to keep the darkness at bay, and to form a shield protecting Rokugan.

Tears of Amaterasu introduces the Staunch Hida (Tears of Amaterasu, 3) to the Crab Clan. As a Yōjimbō, the Staunch Hida has no time for political conflicts, instead focusing on military battles… and specifically defensive action. Any time you win a conflict in which the Staunch Hida is participating as a defender, you may use the claim ability of the ring as if you were the attacker. This ability is strong on its own, but becomes doubly effective when the province the Staunch Hida is defending is Defend the Wall (Core Set, 8). Both effects will trigger independently, meaning you get to resolve a ring twice for successfully defending. This could give you a massive honor swing with the air ring, refill your hand and empty your opponent's with the earth ring, or any other effect the rings can offer. The Staunch Hida plays perfectly into the Crab’s passion for defending their lands, and she rewards you for doing your job well.

Weapons of Necessity

The Crab have many different ways of keeping the Shadowlands at bay, as evidenced in the special Halloween fiction “Better to Be Certain”, but few are as effective as jade. This element has been shown to be strikingly effective against tainted foes, stopping these infected in their tracks. That is why Finger of Jade (Tears of Amaterasu, 20) is an exceptional protective card to defend those who take up your Clan’s cause. Whenever a card effect would target a character who bears a Finger of Jade, you may sacrifice the attachment to cancel that effect. After all, when pitted against the might of the Shadowlands, the Crab have little reason to be affected by cards like For Shame! (Core Set, 207)—they need to stay focused on the conflicts at hand. Though it is the Crab who most often use jade when venturing into the Shadowlands, the protective qualities of Finger of Jade make this card important to any Great Clan.