HOMEBREW

MANEUVERS for
L5r 4
th
ed.





Version 0.1
By Luca Cherstich

NOTE: This is fan made material designed for
purely game & fun purposes (No profit!). If AEG or
any other copyright holder complains about this
document I agree on deleting it.
You strike your enemy where he will more likely bleed
more. If your attack is successful the target must make a
Earth Ring roll vs a TN equal to the damage dealt. If
failed the victim will suffer 1k1 Wound per Round (this
do not explode) at the start of the victims Turn. This
effect continues every Round, indefinitely, unless the
injury is bandaged with a successful Medicine (Wound
Treatment) / Intelligence roll at TN 20. Magically
healing the target to full Wounds will also end the
bleeding.
Only the following weapons can be used for Bleeding: all
knives, all swords, all bows, all Spears, Masakari, Ono,
Kusarigama (only the Kama end), Shuriken, Bisento,
Nagamaki and Naginata.
This is not a new maneuver but rather a clarification of
Called Shot (Eye). If you successfully strike an opponent
with a Called Shot to the eye for 4 Raises, he must make
an Earth roll vs. your damage. If he fails, he suffers the
Bad Vision Disadvantage for the remainder of the
encounter. If your opponent already had this
Disadvantage, either from previously possessing the
Disadvantage or having been previously target of this
maneuver, he instead suffers the Blind condition (and
Disadvantage) for the remainder of this combat. At the
GM's discretion, if an opponent fails the check by 10 or
more, the Disadvantage may become permanent.
With this manuver one tries to cut off the enemy's head
with one single blow.
It can be used only with the following weapons: all the
Swords, Ono, Masakari, Bisento, Nagamaki and
Naginata. If the attack is succesfull it deals +0k2 dmg. If
the blow kills the victim the head is considered to have
been cut off.
You can try this techinque with Huge creatures but it

1
by Suburbaknght, AEG forums.
costs 6 Raises and only if you can reach the head (GM
judgement, maybe with a jump).
As a Simple Action you attempt to keep one of the
opponents focused on you, giving your allies an
opportunity to strike. Make a Courtier (Manipulation),
Intimidation (Control), or Weapon Skill / Awareness
check (depending on whether you are distracting,
taunting, or threatening your opponent, subject to GM's
discretion). Your opponent makes an opposed Battle
(Skirmish) / Willpower check. If you succeed, your
opponent suffers a -1k0 penalty to all Bugei Skill rolls
until he attacks you (successfully or not). This maneuver
may only be performed once per skirmish.
This is an attack which attempts to disarm an opponent
more through skill and ability that through the sheer
strength of a hit on the weapon. If the attack is successful
you deal no damage but trigger a contested Agility roll. If
the attacking character wins, the target drops the weapon
in question. Recovering a dropped weapon requires a
Simple Action on the part of a character who has been
Disarmed
This attack can be used only with Chain Weapons. You
try to entangle the weapon of your enemy with one end
of your chain weapon (e.g. see the famous duel between
Miyamoto Musashi and Shishido Baiken). If the attack is
succesfull it deals no damage but the defender's weapon
and one end of the chain weapon cannot be used until
they both remain entangled.
As long as the weapons remain entangled the attacker
can still use another end of the chain weapon (e.g. the
Kama end of the Kusarigama or one of the weights of
the Manrikikusari).
Later on, any of the two involved characters (Chain
weapon wielder and victim) can trigger a Contested
Strength roll as a Complex Action. The one who fails the
roll must let his weapon go 1k1 feet away or he falls
down and he is considered prone. If none of the two
contenders spend a Complex Action for triggering the
Contester str roll, the weapons remain entangled.
NOTES:
1) The bonus from Chain Weapon skill Rank 5 applies to
all these contested rolls.
2) The "Student of the Cliff's Edge" Mantis alternate
path (Book of Water p.176-7) gives one Free Raise on
this maneuver.
You exploit the superior length of your weapon in order
to make your enemy's life harder. You can use this
maneuver only against somebody with a weapon shorter
than yours and who has not acted yet in this round. Only

2
by Suburbaknght user, AEG forums, I added the action
type.
1

for the sake of this maneuver consider the following
order of sizes, from smallest to largest: Small Weapons <
Medium Weapons < Large Weapons < Spears and
Polearms.
Polearms and Spears are in effect considered longer than
other Large weapons but for the following exceptions:
- Nage Yari are considered "Medium weapons", since
they are shorter spears.
- Nagamaki are considerd "Large Weapons" since they
are shorter than other polearms.
Attacks from Huge creatures are considered of the same
length of Spears and Polearms. This maneuver usually
requires 2 raises, but it requires only 1 raise if used
against a weapon which is two or three sizes shorter than
yours.
Examples:
A Spear vs a Kama (Small weapon) requires 1 Raise.
A Spear vs a Katana (Medium weapon) requires 1 Raise.
A Spear vs a No Dachi (Large weapon) requires 2 Raises.
A Katana (Medium weapon) vs a Kama (Small weapon) requires
2 raises.
If you are successful and you strike an opponent who has
not acted yet this round, he will suffer a penalty of -0k1
to his attack roll vs you (but not vs others). If you use
Spears and Polearms vs any Non-Spear or Non-Polearm
the penalty increases to -2k1. Note that this maneuver
cannot reduce an attack roll lower than 1k1.
You drive your foe back with the threat and ferocity of
your attack. This maneuver differs from "Push Back"
since its aim is to threat enemies. Roll the attack and, if
you hit, your target has the opportunity to go back (for
free) of 5ft or he will suffer your damage but +1k1. You
can force more than one enemy lashing your weapon in a
wide arc. They must all be adjacent one to the other. The
maneuver requires 1 more raise for each additional
enemy up until a maximum of 4 enemies (and therefore 6
Raises). You roll a single attack roll against all the ATN
(augmented by the raises). This means that the same roll
can overcome some ATN but maybe not all.
Special: Because of the way they work, Chain Weapons
used for this attack always target all the people around
the chain weapon wielder, whether they are enemy or
friends. On the other hand, Chain Weapons can be used
for this maneuver with only 3 raises.
If you have at least one hand free you can make one
Jujutsu attack roll to grab the shaft of a weapon.
If you fail with your Jujutsu attack roll you suffer
automatic damage from the weapon with no attack roll to
be made and with no raises but Free Raises.
If you are successful make a contested Jujutsu/Strength
roll versus your target Weapon Skill/Strength roll. If you
win the contested roll, you have grabbed your targets
weapon. If you have failed the weapon remain contested
between you and your targets. Both of you have to spend
Simple Actions in your turns for making Contested Rolls
and try to recover the weapon. Those who fail in their
own turn do not lose the weapon: you musy win in your
turn to grab the weapon.
Possible Targets: this maneuver can be used only against
the following weapons: all the spears, all the polearms
except the nagamaki (shaft too short), all the heavy
weapons, all the staves. At GM approval this can be used
vs all other weapons but suffering automatic damage
with no added Strength (grabbing the blade of a Katana
or of a Tanto is not exactly safe).
You thrust a piercing weapon with tremendous strength
into your target's flesh.
The following weapons can be used for this maneuver:
All the spears but the Mai Chong (which cannot impale),
Nagamaki, Naginata, all the knives, all swords but the
No-Dachi (which cannot impale). All other weapons are
not adapt for this maneuver: they have no long points or
even if they have points the shape is not adapt, or their
blades are too large or too curved etc...
If you successfully hit the target you inflicts + 0k1
damage and ignore 2 points of Reduction.
However, if you inflict more than your Str x5 damage
you lose control of your weapon and it remains stuck
into your enemy's flesh.
You can also lose control of the weapon on purpose, but
it must have dealt at least 20 wounds.
The victim will suffer 1 Wound per Simple Action he
performs or 2 Wounds per Complex Action.
Removing a weapon (by either the attacker, the victim or
by anybody else) requires a Complex Action and deals 2
automatic wounds.
A medicine (Wound Treatment) / intelligence TN 15 roll
will remove a single impaled weapon without inflicting
wounds with a Complex Action. A failed roll will inflict 2
wounds of automatic damage.
NOTE: If you have 3 ranks in the Weapon Skill "Spear"
you will get a Free Raise on this maneuver when using all
spears with straight blades such as Yari, Lance, Nage-Yari
and Kumade (pointed end). This does not apply to spears
with lateral spikes/blades such as Mai Chong and Magari-
Yari.
Rather than delay an entire Turn, a skilled warrior can
plan to interrupt a slower rival character in the midst of
their actions.
Declare the Simple or Complex action as well as related
free actions you will take and all choices that need to be
made as well as a trigger for your interruption.
The trigger must be clear but can be variable and react to
a wide range of related circumstances.
1 Raise: your action takes place after the first trigger
occurs but before other actions can be taken by the
triggering character.
2 Raises: the interruption takes place after the trigger is
declared but before the action is attempted.
NOTE: Once all turns have occurred or passed in a

3
From an idea of Ikoma SenahBirdR user, AEG forums,
but modified by my ideas.
2

round without any triggering condition happening you
can still act at the end of the (and with no Raises, since
this is like having delayed until the end )
Example: Kakita Rahitaka is observing the street brawl between
his compatriot Hida Shiro and a Machi-Kansisha tough.
Suspecting that another nearby Machi-Kanshisa will interfere in the
two man brawl, Kakita Rahitaka declares he will draw and
disarm any third party who strikes at Shiro. The other Machi-
Kanshisha draws his pipe and attacks as a simple action. After
missing, Kakita Rahitaka then draws his katana and attempts to
disarm with an additional raise for the interrupt before the lout has
a chance to perform another action.
Example: The Ronin Gijiro gets the jump on two richly garbed
Unicorn off their steeds. Seeing his advantage but not wishing to get
into a battle he declares he will shoot either of the Unicorn if they
attempt any action other than tossing aside their swords, then
declares "Thrown down your swords or your lives." When the first
Unicorn attempts to ready instead of tossing aside his scimitar,
Gijiro fires at him making two raises for the interrupt.
This maneuver can be used only with Kama-Yari
Spears (e.g. Mai Chong and Magari-Yari in Naishou
Province p.7), Naginatas, Sasumata, Sodegarami and
Kumade (Rake end). You use the prongs and spikes of
your weapon to hook a target and pull him down. If you
hit an enemy you inflict normal damage and trigger a
contested roll Strength/Spear or Polearm vs the
defender's Strength /Horsemanship (if he is mounted) or
Strength /Iiujutsu if he is on foot.
If the defender fails the roll he falls down and is
considered prone. If he falls from a horse he will suffer
1k1 damage.
If you do not want the original attack to inflict damage
this maneuver costs +1 Raise (for a total of 3 Raises).
NOTE 1: Sasumata and Sodegarami can be used to
grapple and throw targets. This maneuver is conceptually
different from grappling and throwing since it is not a
grappling option but an action available also for non-
grappling weapons: it cannot be used to block somebody
but only to pull him down.
NOTE 2: If you have at least 3 Ranks in the related skill
(Spears or Polearms) you will get 1 Free Raise for this
maneuver.
This maneuver aim is to physically push an enemy
through the strength of your hits.
Make an attack roll with 1 Raise, if you succed, your hit is
so powerful that the enemy is pushed back. After you hit
the target you deal normal damage and you trigger a
contested Strength roll. If you are successful you push
the target back 5' (but he is not prone, just pushed back).
You can add Raises to this contested Str roll, and each
Raise push the target another 5' back
This is my own note: The pushed target (or primary
target) can ends up in a space already occupied by

4
From an idea of Franwax user, AEG forums, + some
ideas of mine.
somebody else which is now considered a secondary
target.
The primary target cannot move beyond the secondary
target, but there's a chance somebody will become prone.
If any of the two targets (primary or secondary) have a
Earth Ring lower than the attacker, that target will
become prone.
If the secondary target is not an NPC but an unliving
object (e.g. a rock) only the primary target risks to
become prone.
In this special maneuver you throw yourself towards an
enemy trying to push him. This maneuver does not need
any Raises and it deals no damage. To perform this
maneuver you must be in Full Attack stance. This
maneuver is a Complex action. You can move up to your
Water x 10 ft. If you intercept an enemy check if he has
an Air ring higher than you. If his Air ring is higher than
yours, he can decide to let you pass or not. Otherwise he
cannot do anything else but blocking you.
If he lets you pass you can move on until your
maximum movement, ignoring the enemy.
If he block you, make a contested roll Jujutsu/Strength
vs Jujutsu/Earth (if the target has no ready weapon) or
vs Weapon Skill/Reflexes (if the target has a ready
weapon.). If you fail and your enemy has a ready weapon
you suffer an automatic hit and you stop there. If you
succeed your enemy is pushed back for 5ft per every 5
points (or fractions of 5) for which he loses and until
your maximum movement (you can follow him or not).
If the victim meets any obstacle in this obliged
movement follow rules similar to those in the "Push
Back" Maneuver: The pushed target (or primary target)
can ends up in a space already occupied by somebody
else which is now considered a secondary target.
The primary target cannot move beyond the secondary
target, but there's a chance somebody will become prone.
If any of the two targets (primary or secondary) have a
Earth Ring lower than the attacker, that target will
become prone. If the secondary target is not an NPC but
an un-living object (e.g. a rock) only the primary target
risks to become prone.
This maneuver mimic the positioning or bracing of a
spear or spear-like weapon in order to resist a charge.
It presumes the use of AoO (see related section above).
This maneuver can be used only with Spears, Naginata
and Nagamaki (other polearms work less like spears)
The maneuver can be used only against enemies in your
front of you or, at most, slightly from the right or the
left. It cannot be used against somebody who charges
you at your sides or at your back.
To set the weapon you must spend a Simple Action and
remain firm, doing no Move Actions.
The damage of any AoO you make is augmented by+2k0
bonus since your enemy is effectively throwing himself
on your weapon.
This bonus keeps as long as you remain firm with the
weapon set.
3

You try to strike the head with the specific task of
stunning your opponent. The following weapons roll
their normal damage: Tetsubo, Dai Tsuchi, all staves,
unarmed attacks, chain weapons (only the weight ends),
war fans, Tsubute.
The following weapons deal only 0k2 because they use
non-primary forms of attacks (shaft, flat of the blade,
handles, pommels etc..): Masakari, Ono, all spears, all
polearms, all swords.
Other weapons (e.g. knives) cannot be used for making
Stun attacks.
If you hit, roll the damage and check how much of it
goes beyond Reduction and it is effectively subtracted
from wounds.
If the target suffers at least his Earth x 5 wounds from
this Stunning Attack he becomes Dazed.
If the target suffers at least his Earth x 10 wounds from
this Stunning Attack he becomes Stunned.
NOTE no.1: As per normal rules for the Dazed and
Stunned Condition (Core Rules p.89) an Earth Ring at
TN20 is allowed during the reaction phase to nullify the
Dazed/Stunned condition. If this check is failed you will
recover at the end of the next combat round.
NOTE no.2: With 4 raises you can try to make non-
lethal attacks: check if the target becomes Dazed or
Stunned against the total of wounds which pass
reduction. After that check only half of the wounds are
effectively subtracted.
You try to break your enemy's weapon with your own
weapon. At the GM's discretion some weapons may not
be used to make sunder attempts. Make an attack roll
with raises but the enemy's Armor TN is not modified by
the armor (Armor does not protect weapons!). A
successful Sunder attack inflicts only 2k1 damage from
the jarring impact of the strike, regardless of the weapon
used, and characters executing this Maneuver do not add
their Strength to the number of rolled damage dice.
Furthermore, you roll the normal damage (with Str
bonus) but it is not applied to the enemy's wounds but to
the enemy's weapon wounds which are calculated as
follows. Each weapon has basically 20 wounds. These
wounds are changed by the the following conditions
(minimum wounds: 5):
Small, Fragile (e.g. Ninja-to, Parangu), Peasant, Weapon
with wooden shaft: -10 modifier for each condition.
Large, Sacred, Samurai: +10 modifier for each
condition.
Unbreakable (e.g. Kaiu blade): the wounds are not
meaningful, this weapon cannot be broken!
If you deal the required damage the target weapon is
considered to be broken. It cannot be used anymore
unless it is repaired with a Craft (Weaponsmithing) check
at TN = to 10 + any Wounds over the weapon's
threshold.
If the weapon received double its amount of wounds it is
considered shattered beyond any possible repair.
The following weapons are considered to have a
"wooden shaft": all spears, all heavy weapons but the
tetsubo (which is all metal), all staves, all polearms but
the nagamaki (shaft too short to be meaningful).
NOTE: Heavy weapons are the best tools for making
sundering attempts, if you have at least 3 ranks in the
Weapon Skill "Heavy Weapons" you get a Free Raise for
using this maneuver.
The Trip Maneuver is an attempt of making the
opponent prone in a more tricky way than through the
Knockdown
maneuver. For example using one of your feet as a
leverage to move your opponent's feet.
This maneuver can be used against 2-legged and 4-legged
opponents, requiring respectively 1 and 3 raises. Monster
with
more than 4 legs cannot be targeted by a Trip attack.
The Trip attack is usually made through an unarmed
attack (hand or foot) and therefore the attack roll uses
the Jiujutsu Skill.
Some weapons (and therefore related weapon skills) can
be used to make Trip attacks:
all the staves
all the spears (using the butt)
all the heavy weapons (using their "T" and "L" shaped
head to hook feet) except the tetsubo (different head,
more proper
use is knockdown).
all the polearms (using the butt) except the nagamaki
(the shaft is too short).
If successful, the attack deals no damage at all but forces
a Contested roll of Agility (by the attacker) vs Reflexes
(by the
defender).
If the attacker is successful, the target is knocked prone.
Due to their shape one can choose to use either the butt
or the the blade of some spears and polearms. If one uses
the blade
he will also deal damage before triggering the contested
roll. This applies to the following: Mai Chong, Sasumata,
Sodegarami, Kumade, Magari-Yari (Naishou Province
p.7) and in general to all Kama-Yari.

This fantastic, cinematic maneuver is not adapt for those
who prefer a more realistic approach to combat. On the
other
hand, it can help making an epic scene for high-ranking
characters surrounded by many enemies.
You make a single attack roll against all of those who
surround you. You roll a single attack roll against all the
ATN (augmented by the raises). This means that the
same roll can overcome some ATN but maybe not all.
Chain weapons are easier to use in this way: they require
only 5 rises.