#Tactics Guide & FAQ (戰術案內)
Contents
Tactical advice and frequently asked questions for players.
#Tactical Basics: 5 Principles
#1. Do Not Scatter Your Energy
If you try to do "move + attack + command + reserve" all in one round, none of it will work properly. Focus on 2~3 core actions and give up the rest.
Bad example: Move(2) + attack(2) + attack(2) + command(2) + reserve(2) = 10 Energy. You did everything, but none of it was decisive.
Good example: Move(2) + attack(2) + attack(2) + attack(2) + reaction reserve(2) = 10 Energy. You focus fire the enemy with 3 attacks and prepare a counterattack.
#2. Squads Are a Domination Resource, Not an Energy Resource
If you try to move squads every round, you run out of Energy. The default is to leave them where they are deployed and raise Domination. Commands are for decisive moments only.
- Usually: the squad stands in the Front Zone and contributes Domination +2~3.
- Decisive moment: "Spearmen, advance!" (2 Energy) -> push the line.
#3. Do Not Send Just Anyone Into the Core Zone
The Core Zone is the battlefield of the 6 free-entry classes (ronin/shinobi/esoteric monk/shugenja/wildlander/hanyo). If a samurai enters the Core Zone, they need 3 Energy + a Courage check; to get out, they need 4 Energy or a check. The samurai's place is fighting in the Front Zone, not the Core Zone. A puppeteer can freely enter only with the puppet, not the puppeteer themself. Canon: co-05-04-simbu.md.
Exception: when a lord-grade enemy is in the Core Zone. In that case, everyone rushing in can be the right answer.
#4. Save Fate Intervention — But Use It When It Matters
Thinking "maybe there will be a better chance later" is dangerous. Combat lasts 3~5 rounds. With Fate +2, you can use it 2 times; if combat lasts 4 rounds, that is 0.5 times per round. If you hoard it, the fight ends first.
Good moments to use it: when you can make a Critical Hit (turn 4-5 into 4-4), the final blow against a lord-grade enemy, or a reaction check that can prevent Wounds 0.
#5. Use the Lull
The Lull Phase is not a "nothing happens" phase:
- Entertainers/Pure Land Monks restore Wounds + restore Cohesion.
- Yoma encounter checks — if combat drags on, yoma intrude.
- If you cannot decide the fight within 3 rounds, you become disadvantaged.
#Combat Tips By Class
| Class | Core Tactic | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| samurai | Hold a harrying posture in the Front Zone. Anchor Domination. | Entering the Core Zone (high breakthrough cost) |
| ronin | Rush into the Core Zone with a tanto. Chain 1 Energy attacks. | Harrying from the Front Zone (not the ronin's strength) |
| shinobi | Outside Zone -> enemy Rear Zone ambush. The default is enhanced ambush; with 3rd-dan [Surprise Attack], the first hit is an automatic Critical Hit. | Frontal combat (low Defense/Wounds) |
| esoteric monk | Free Core Zone entry + katana Energy -1. Strong against yoma. | Waiting in the Rear Zone (melee is the job) |
| onmyoji | Use shikigami/sorcery/barriers from the Rear Zone. No direct combat. | Front Zone deployment (you die) |
| scholar | Energy transfer + squad command for 0~1 Energy. | Direct combat (no fighting power) |
| gaijin | Fire teppo from the Rear Zone. [Pierce all]. | Core Zone (cannot use teppo) |
| entertainer | Free recovery during lulls. Manage squad morale. | Staying fixed in the Front Zone (keep mobility) |
#FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions
#Checks
Q: I rolled a double, but I do not know whether the check succeeded or failed. A: First check whether total + bonuses meets or exceeds the Target Number. If it succeeds, it is a Critical Hit; if it fails, it is a Fumble.
Q: I used Fate Intervention to make a double, but the total changed, so success/failure changes too. A: The value changed by Fate Intervention is the final value. Judge success/failure using the total after the change.
Q: My Wounds became 0. Can I use Fate Intervention on that attack? A: Yes. You can intervene in the enemy's attack check and make it miss. "One enemy die by ±1" — no, wait. Fate Intervention applies only to your own rolls. If you make an evasion check through a reaction reservation, you can use it then.
#Combat
Q: Can I attack an enemy in the enemy Front Zone from my Front Zone? A: Yes. Front Zone <-> Front Zone is directly adjacent. Melee attacks are possible.
Q: How much Energy does a yari cost in the Core Zone? A: yari base 2 + Core Zone long-weapon modifier +1 = 3 Energy.
Q: Can squad commands target only squads in the same zone? A: No. You can command a squad in any zone. However, the squad's action (movement/attack) is based on the squad's position.
Q: If I attack a Mob (雜), do I really not roll a check? A: Yes. Declare + spend Energy = instant death. No dice needed.
Q: If Cohesion becomes 0, does the squad really flee? A: Yes. It immediately Retreats. Domination contribution becomes 0. It can return during a lull with a Presence >= 13 check.
#Characters
Q: Can I raise an attribute to +3? A: Yes. You gain +1 each at 2nd/4th/6th/8th dan and Tatsujin. You can raise it 5 times, so in theory you can go from starting +2 to +3 in 2 raises. But if you stack everything into one attribute, the others become weak.
Q: Can any class take Master (4-point) skills? A: No. Only the 6 skills specified for each class can become Master. All others are capped at Licensed (3 points).
#Tactics Tips By School
Learning a school changes your tactics. Understand the difference between basic maneuvers and school maneuvers, then use tactics suited to your school maneuvers.
| School | Core Tactic | Caution |
|---|---|---|
| Katori Shinto-ryu (Swordsmanship) | Maintain First Strike Stance -> +3 on the first attack. Heaven-Earth-Man is 1/round = focus it on the boss. | When the stance ends, Defense -2 (debuff). Dangerous if you cannot reserve a parry. |
| Yagyu Shinkage-ryu (Swordsmanship) | After Muto (disarm), counterattack with the enemy weapon. Katsujinken is a nonlethal build. | Failed Muto wastes 3 Energy. Use it after securing a reliable Finesse bonus. |
| Jigen-ryu (Swordsmanship) | The first attack of the first breath each round is an automatic Critical Hit (secret art). Tonbo-no-Kamae gives +5. | From the second attack onward, cumulative -2. One-kill build. If you cannot kill, you are disadvantaged. |
| Hozoin-ryu (Spearmanship) | Use Jumonji-no-Kamae (stance) for harry + automatic disarm. Guren deals 3 Wounds to yoma. | Monk discipline. Prioritize yoma extermination. Restricted in fights against humans. |
| Iga-ryu (Ninjutsu) | Poison effects 2 times. Killing Fragrance (zone-wide poison mist) wipes out Minion squads. | If exposed, all of Iga is in danger. Keep secrecy. |
| Shugendo-ryu (Exorcism) | Maintain Goma Formation (stance) -> 1 Wound to yoma each lull. Mobs die instantly. | Holy Fire is useless in human combat. Specialized for yoma. |
| Shingon Exorcism School (Exorcism) | Dainichi Mantra (hit all yoma in your zone + adjacent). Vajra Shot (3 Wounds + curse removal). | After use, Negotiation/command -3. If mantras are abused, trigger a spiritual corrosion event. |
| Inatomi-ryu (Archery) | Use Rapid Fire Method (reload 1 Energy) to shoot every breath. Three-Stage Firing (4 Wounds). | No infiltration ambush shots. Frontal firing only. |
| Nanban-ryu (Archery) | Foreign Design (range 3 zones). Cannon (2 Wounds to everyone in zone + terrain destruction). | Negotiation with conservative factions -2. Cannon is 1/combat. |
| Manase-ryu (Medicine) | Acupuncture and Moxibustion (restore 2 Wounds + remove condition). Battlefield Surgery (return from incapacitation). | Cannot refuse an enemy's request for treatment. Expulsion risk. |
#Tactics Against Yoma
Countermeasures against newly discovered yoma.
#Urban Yoma
| Yoma | Weakness | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|
| nurikabe | Defense 11 against low attacks | Do not panic at Defense 16. "Aim low." Spearmanship/Unarmed Combat is effective. |
| rokurokubi | Only the true form can be hit effectively | The stretched neck is intangible. Find the true form and attack it directly. Locate it with Perception>=13. |
| tsukumogami | Destroy original object / resolve lingering attachment | Can be solved without Exorcism. If the tool is used again, it vanishes voluntarily. |
| bakeneko | Corpse control lasts only 1 round | The nekomata (Veteran-grade) has dangerous ghost fire. Cut off at range first. |
#Underground Yoma
| Yoma | Weakness | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|
| gashadokuro | Sutra text (Exorcism) adds 1 Wound | Giant skeleton. Regeneration (restore 1 Wound each lull) is the key. Prevent regeneration with Exorcism + focus fire. |
| jikininki | Cannot recover without corpses | Do not leave incapacitated allies unattended. It grows stronger by eating corpses. |
| dorotabo | Only sealing/Exorcism removes it permanently | Even if killed, it revives 3 times. Physical attacks cannot finish it. Exorcism is required. |
| onryo | Resolving the grudge = voluntary disappearance | The correct answer is to solve it through the scenario, not combat. Release the grudge. |
#Spirit Realm Yoma
| Yoma | Weakness | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|
| Konryu Fragment | Zone sealing/barrier | It regenerates even if destroyed. Put up a barrier and block its appearance itself. |
| shikome | Loses Wounds each round in the mortal world | Buying time works. It loses 1 Wound every 2 rounds. If you endure, it weakens. |
| seed of Izanami | Returns when the Spirit Realm rift is sealed | Rather than killing the seed itself, sealing the rift is the root solution. |
| yumekui | Does not attack Three Ways and Six Hearts Compassion/Truth | Harmless depending on alignment. It attacks only Hegemony/Demon. Let the party's Compassion/Truth character handle negotiation. |
#FAQ Addendum
#Schools
Q: Can I have two schools? A: Only 1 for the same skill. You can have separate schools for separate skills. Example: Swordsmanship (Katori) + Unarmed Combat (Takenouchi).
Q: What happens if I am expelled from a school? A: You lose school license/secret art maneuvers. You return to basic maneuvers. The trait slot does not come back. You cannot re-enter.
Q: Self-Taught Style has an advantage only in the first duel. Is it not weak in long fights? A: Correct. Self-Taught Style is good for one-shot scenarios; in a campaign, the network of a Famous School is more valuable. "Not learning a school" is also an option.
Q: Can NPC enemies also have schools? A: Yes. Giving schools to Elite-grade or higher enemies makes combat more dramatic. Example: a Jigen-ryu samurai lord-grade enemy has an automatic Critical Hit on the first strike.
If you have read this, take up your sword. The battlefield is the fastest teacher.