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As the Emerald Empire descends into chaos, the Crab must keep their duty firmly in their mind. They can’t afford to become entangled in the politics of Rokugan, remaining ever vigilant against Fu Leng’s armies that threaten them to the south. But while the Crab focus on external threats, does their true enemy await within Rokugan itself?

Join us today as we preview the tools of the other Great Clans in Defenders of Rokugan, a new Clan Pack for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game!

As per tradition, every Great Clan receives one new card in the Crab’s Pack, many of which are designed to counter the strategies of the clan that guards the wall. The Crab’s eyes are pointed south, but their true undoing may come from within the Emerald Empire itself.

Finding the Flaw

The Crab defend the land of Rokugan at all costs, occasionally even sacrificing their honor for the good of the Emerald Empire. This is a weakness the Lion Clan are all too ready to exploit through Matsu Agetoki (Defenders of Rokugan, 20). A brilliant tactician, Agetoki can change the location of an entire conflict, potentially saving the Lion from a precarious situation and providing vital information for future attacks. With the Crab’s sometimes less than honorable tactics, the Lion can avoid the pitfalls awaiting them at unknown provinces.

As the last line of protection against the dreaded shadowlands, the Crab are known for their stalwart defense during conflicts. However, how can the Crab defend against what they don’t see coming? Famously, the Unicorn’s speed and swiftness surprised the Crab long ago when they re-entered Rokugan. To this day, the Unicorn’s perplexing methods can still confuse the lateral and straightforward Crab. Shinjo Yasamura (Defenders of Rokugan, 22) cannot only evade the Crab’s mightiest warriors with the covert ability, but those targeted by this ability can’t defend at all during the phase. This can eliminate a major factor in considering where and when to attack your opponent, and can leave the Crab Clan utterly defenseless if used to strike at the right time.

If the Unicorn can outwit the Crab with military tactics, the Scorpion can take advantage of their lack of political prowess. Yogo Asami (Defenders of Rokugan, 21) acts as a stand-in for Bayushi Kachiko at court, just one of many layers of deception the Scorpion excel in. This allows Bayushi Kachiko (Into the Forbidden City, 56) complete protection, unable to be the target of your opponent’s abilities while Asami is on the field. Furthermore, in military conflicts, Asami can lower the skill of even the most-skilled samurai, perhaps denying your opponent a valuable victory through shrewd political manuevering.

Though few would question the Crab’s devotion to their duty, there are certain holes in their philosophy and skills that can be exploited as the Great Clans of Rokugan prepare for war.

The Land of Corruption

Defenders of Rokugan also includes a variety of neutral cards, each representing the dreaded Shadowlands. Including these cards in your deck is a risky proposition, as your very honor is at stake by allying with the corrupted creatures lurking at the border of the Emerald Empire.

Once an honorable samurai of the Unicorn, the Moto Eviscerator (Defenders of Rokugan, 23) now lives on as an agent of corruption and evil, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his uses. For the cost of an honor, you can add the Moto Eviscerator to a conflict. With three military skill, this single honor may be a small price to pay to assure your victory.

If you want to invest in the Shadowlands further, you can use the Kansan Haunt (Defenders of Rokugan, 24) as a holding. While this holding actually lowers your province strength, you can harness its power in other ways. If you manage to successfully defend this cursed land, you may lose two honor to resolve the effects of the contested ring as if you were the attacker. While this is a heavy cost to pay, resolving ring effects is vital to victory, and can give you the edge over an overzealous opponent.

While these new tools can be used by any clan, think carefully before including them in your deck. Honor is a precious resource in the Emerald Empire, and abandoning it makes you no different than the armies of Fu Leng. Will you do whatever it takes to achieve victory?

Defend the Wall

As the clan’s prepare for war, the Crab keep their eyes firmly planted on the threats to the south. But will this singular focus be their fatal flaw? Does the real threat come from within? Find out when Defenders of Rokugan releases on November 8!