Disciples of the Void (L5R LCG) Clan Pack Review - Rising from the Flames

Disciples of the Void is the first Clan Pack for the Legend of the Five Rings (L5R) Living Card Game (LCG) by Fantasy Flight Games (FFG). Disciples follows the release of the Core Set and the six Imperial Cycle releases. Our reviews of both of those products can be read here:

• Legend of the Five Rings LCG Core Set review
• Legend of the Five Rings LCG Imperial Cycle Dynasty Packs review

For anyone interested in L5R, or FFG's LCG system, we advise you to check out the Core Set review first.

The previously released Dynasty Packs contained sixty cards (three copies of twenty cards), which meant you didn't need to purchase multiple packs as the maximum copies of each card are available to everyone on purchase. The Clan Packs continue this theme with Disciples of the Void, the Phoenix Clan Pack, which adds seventy-eight cards (three copies of twenty-five cards and three unique cards).

The pack contains:

One copy of each:

• Kyuden Isawa (new Phoenix stronghold)
• Sanpuku Seido (Phoenix Province)
• Support of the Phoenix (Phoenix role card)

Three copies of each Phoenix card:

• Fire Tensai Initiate
• Pacifist Philosopher
• Shiba Tetsu
• Inquisitive Ishika
• Fire Elemental Guard
• Kaito Temple Protector
• Isawa Tadaka
• Fushicho
• Secluded Shrine
• Kaito Kosori
• Favor of the Kami
• Katana of Fire
• The Path of Man
• Wholeness of the World
• Clarity of Purpose
• Karmic Twist

Three copies of each of these card for other clans:

• Hida Amoro (Crab clan character)
• Doji Shigeru (Crane clan character)
• Togashi Tadakatsu (Dragon clan character)
• Ikoma Tsanuri (Lion clan character)
• Moto Negui (Unicorn clan character)
• Kikuyo (Scorpion clan character)
• Guardian Kami (Neutral character)
• Kami Unleashed (Neutral character)
• Walking the Way (Neutral spell)

For our Disciples of the Void review, we're going to look at three Phoenix cards and one from another of the other clans.

We've chosen:

• Isawa Tadaka
• Fushicho
• Clarity of Purpose
• Ikomo Tsanuri

Isawa Tadaka - Aside from looking incredible, this Elemental Master is a very powerful card for the Phoenix and will be seen in most Phoenix decks. After playing him, by checking your opponent's discard pile, you know which events you won't have to play around and will also force you opponent to contest the Earth ring, for which Phoenix have a few plays already. Tadaka is a meta changing card in that players will either diversify their decks to play around him or focus on his removal if he enters play.

Fushicho - This fire spirit hits the board with a high cost (the highest cost character in the game currently) and solid stats and the ability to bring back any Phoenix character in your dynasty discard pile. This makes for some very aggressive options for the Phoenix and likely to be played in tandem with some combo cards (Charge!). We will be seeing Fushicho in a lot of Phoenix decks.

Clarity of Purpose - A solid and interesting spell for the Phoenix. Stopping bow effects and also not bowing during resolution for one cost is solid and will make this seen in all, if not most Phoenix decks, and with combination effects, especially some of the Phoenix's spell drawing effects means that finding this card won't be too difficult.

Ikoma Tsanuri - A big part of the non-Phoenix clan cards in Disciples of the Void was that they aim to counter some of the Phoenix strategies—Tsanuri doesn't. She just goes ahead and boosts the Lion's strength. Tsanuri is very viable in Lion swarm decks, and also boosts Political, an area Lion previously suffered in.

Also included in the Disciples of the Void Clan Pack is the first chapter of the Sword and the Spirits, a novel soon to be released by FFG. FFG have really put a huge focus on the L5R storyline and have previously released free to download fiction via their website.

 

The Bottom Line:

If you're a competitive or Phoenix player, this Clan pack is essential, as it provides some key very powerful cards. If you only play one or two cards, and the cards for your clans in this pack don't interest you, you can avoid it, but having the flexibility to play multiple clans is the beauty of the Living Card Game line. Isawa Tadaka and Fushicho are both huge cards and add some big power to Phoenix decks.

 

Get this game if:

You want to play the L5R LCG competitively.

You play Phoenix, which makes this pack essential.

You want more deck construction options.

 

Avoid this game if:

You don’t want a complex card game.

You didn’t enjoy the L5R LCG Core Set.

You don’t own the L5R LCG Core Set yet.

You prefer the randomness and collectability of TCGs and CCGs.

 

This copy of the L5R Disciples of the Void Clan Pack used for this review was provided by Asmodee UK.