Pyramid: Pyramid Review: The Way of the Phoenix

Pyramid Review

The Way of the Phoenix

The Way of the Clans: Book Seven

Published by Alderac Entertainment

Written by Patrick Kapera & Ree Soesbee and others

$14.95
There are Seven Major Clans in the world of Rokugan. The Way of the Phoenix is the last major clan to get it's own individualized book. Each of the clans has something that stands out about them. For the Phoenix, that is spellcasting, mysticism and magic in general.
Like previous books in the series, this one is broken up into five chapters with some additional material thrown in. The book starts off with a short story, and in the first chapter, another story. These stories help the player, and more importantly, the GM, find the feel of the clan. The way that the Phoenix clan relates to the other clans is also detailed ranging from the Crab, who are considered to be the "most ruthless, vicious, ill-bred members of our noble Empire," to the Scorpion -- "No other clan has as many secrets as the Scorpion."
The main characters of the Phoenix Clan are described, with all of their families getting a detailed history, with the Mon of their families and other major characters getting full stats. For players wishing to create members of the Phoenix Clan, there are new ancestors to take, new skills, abilities, and specialized background tables. For those who wish to jump right into the game, there are premade characters that utilize the new rules and allow the players to start without delay. Failing that, they have . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.

Article publication date: March 12, 1999

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