Autumn’s voice falters

Visions of days together

Fade with the new snow

Everything ends. From the changing of the seasons to the passing of old legends, the Emerald Empire is no stranger to the impermanence of time. Change is coming to Rokugan, and new champions take up the mantle to lead their clan. Unseen forces pull the strings of war. And a new Emerald Champion shoulders the responsibility of keeping Rokugan together.

Join as today as we preview Meditations on the Ephemeral, the sixth and final Dynasty Pack in the Imperial Cycle for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game! As the finale to the Imperial Cycle, Meditations on the Ephemeral expands on each clan's strategies first introduced in the Core Set, as well as offering an assortment of Imperial cards, and a new neutral character that ties them all together.

Imperial Strength

The Imperial Cycle has introduced a wealth of cards with the Imperial keyword to the world of Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. From the magistrates of every clan to various districts in the Imperial city of Otosan Uchi, it is entirely possible to construct a deck focusing on these powerful Imperial fixtures. Miya family Daimyō Miya Satoshi (Meditations on the Ephemeral, 112) is not only a powerful force in political conflicts, he ensures that you can find the Imperial cards in your dynasty deck. As an Action with Miya Satoshi, you may discard cards from the top of your dynasty deck until you discard an Imperial card. Then, you'll switch that card with a card in one of your provinces, placing it faceup and ready to be brought into play. You may use Miya Satoshi to ensure that you can find your respective clan’s district of the Imperial City, since these holdings are generally limited to one per deck. Of course, there is no way to tell how far down your Imperial cards are in your dynasty deck, and you may set aside some important characters and holdings along the way. Still, this is a small price to pay for the gatekeeper to the Son of Heaven.

Aside from his ability to tutor through your dynasty deck, Miya Satoshi has an impressive amount of political acumen with four skill. Not only will he be a force in any political conflict, his status as a Courtier allows you to use cards like For Shame! (Core Set, 207), or even Forged Edict (Core Set, 184), should you include him in a Scorpion deck.

Miya Satoshi gives you consistency when it comes to the clan-specific districts of the Imperial Cycle, including the new Phoenix district included in Meditations on the Ephemeral. The Kanjo District (Meditations on the Ephemeral, 108) is a holding that provides an additional two strength to the province it is occupying. This already provides ample protection, but the Kanjo District also provides a powerful effect that takes the bite out of your opponent's forces. As an Action during a conflict, you may discard the Imperial Favor to send a participating character home and bow it! Kanjo District can even be used during conflicts where it's not being attacked, allowing you to conceivably use this ability every turn, as long as you maintain control of the Imperial Favor. With Kanjo District on the board, your opponent will have to account for their best character suddenly becoming a non-factor in conflicts, as their fate slowly drips away and they come one step closer to leaving the battlefield.

The Changing of the Season

Of course, no one can remain on the battlefield forever. From the least significant politician to the Clan Champions themselves, everyone’s time must come to an end as their fate is slowly removed. Impermeance has always been vital to the essence of Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, and what better way to bring the Imperial Cycle to a triumphant conclusion than a card that exemplifys that very concept.

Mono No Aware (Meditations on the Ephemeral, 120) is a neutral conflict card that can be used by any clan, and it simply removes one fate from every character on the field before allowing you to draw a card. When played in the right circumstances, Mono No Aware can absolutely destroy your opponent’s board. Whether it’s completely wiping out the boost provided by For Greater Glory (Core Set, 168) or simply taking a massive step forward in clearing the board, Mono No Aware can completely change the game. Of course, this card affects all characters, even your own… but there are always ways to extend a character’s time in your service.

The Crab defend the Emerald Empire with everything they have, extending their time in conflicts in the unsubstantiated hope that their service and sacrifice will help defend Rokugan. While their new province, Iron Mine (Meditations on the Ephemeral, 103), doesn’t provide any additional strength to provinces, it can still activate cards like the Shrewd Yasuki (Core Set, 29), as well as providing a vital ability. When a character that you control would leave play, you may sacrifice the Iron Mine instead. The Crab defend the wall, and they will give their all to remain in the field of battle or in the courts of Rokugan, extending the time that they provide their service and breaking through the limits normally enforced by the fate mechanic. Filling your dynasty deck with Iron Mines and your conflict deck with Repreive (Core Set, 132) will allow your brave Crab warriors and courtiers to remain in you service, to continue to fight against the encroaching evils of the south.

All Things End

The Imperial Cycle comes to an end with Meditations on the Ephemeral. Complete your journey into Otosan Uchi with the final Dynasty Pack of the Imperial Cycle. Which clan will come out on top when all is said and done?