The L5R Experience, a Gold era Learn-to-Play product. Decklists and other info.
The L5R Experience was one of several Learn-to-Play (LTP) products. designed by AEG as a free promotional tool to encourage existing L5R players to teach the game and expand the player base.
This product included two small, basic preconstructed 50-card decks (Crane vs. Scorpion) created to be balanced against each other, while showing the core mechanics of the game. It used only existing cards, none of them valuable (one worry being that players hoarded those cards for themselves, thus diluting the intent of the product). Maybe the most valuable cards, then and today, were the two Strongholds (easily found at the time as starter-fixed cards).
If you don’t care to get the actual L5R EXP cards in the decks, but you ‘d still like to put them together to teach somebody (or just to remember old times) you can easily do it for cheap, using mostly common and uncommons from the early Gold Edition era card pool, using the decklist found below:
CRANE DECK
Stronghold (1)
- Kosaten Shiro
Wind (1)
- Toturi Sezaru
Events (1)
- Glimpse of the Unicorn
Holdings (10)
- Jade Works x2
- Kabuki Theater Troupe x2
- Marketplace x3
- Port
- Provision Storehouse
- Silk Works
Personalities (13)
- Asahina Handen
- Asahina Kimita x2
- Daidoji Enai x2
- Daidoji Gudeta x2
- Doji Nagori
- Doji Yasuyo x3
- Yasuki Hachi x2
Actions/Strategies (11)
- Block Supply Lines
- Contentious Terrain
- Diversionary Tactics
- Duty to the Clan
- Entrapping Terrain x2
- High Morale x2
- Iaijutsu Challenge
- Iaijutsu Duel x2
Followers (7)
- Archers
- Elite Spearmen x2
- Light Infantry x2
- Medium Infantry x2
Items (3)
- Dragon’s Claw Katana
- Naginata
- Wakizashi
Kiho/Strategies (3)
- Hitsu-do
- Purity of Spirit
- Strength of My Ancestors
SCORPION DECK
Stronghold (1)
- The Towers of the Yogo
Wind (1)
- Toturi Sezaru
Events (1)
- In Time of War
Holdings (10)
- Armory
- Geisha House x3
- Jade Works x3
- Sanctified Temple
- Small Farm
- The Hiruma Dojo
Personalities (13)
- Bayushi Churai x2
- Bayushi Kwanchai x2
- Bayushi Paneki x3
- Bayushi Shixiang x2
- Bayushi Tai x2
- Soshi Angai x2
Actions/Strategies (11)
- Block Supply Lines
- Charge x2
- Diversionary Tactics x2
- Encircled Terrain x2
- Kolat Assassin
- Rallying Cry
- Slander
- Test of Might
Followers (8)
- Ashigaru Archers x2
- Light Infantry x2
- Heavy Infantry
- Medium Infantry
- Spearmen x2
Items (3)
- Dai Tsuchi x2
- Jade Bow
Kiho/Strategies (2)
- Kaze-do
- Remember the Mountain
COLLECTORS’ DETAILS
This set was released July 2002.
It also included a mini version of the Imperial Herald. and a poster. The illustration was also used in an add in InQuest #86 (and possibly other gaming publications at the time).
The set indicator is: «L5R Exp.» However, a few card have «L5R EXP» instead (all capitals, no period).
The event «In Time of War» uses the wrong art. The one for «Proposal of Peace» has been switched in, instead, which results in the art attribution to be wrong, too.
The full decks add to 100 cards, which makes sense for the card sheet size (10×10) used by AEG at the time. However this doesn’t account for the two inserts (You are Clan X…) found in the decks. Probably these inserts were printed separately.
Unlike other LTP products around that time, there seems to be no storyline detailing a particular conflict between both involved factions. The Crane Clan one, even refers to a conflict with the Crab, instead of the Scorpion. I guess it makes sense, for a free product, not devote too many hours of developement, but on the other hand, they even made that mini Herald and the poster, so it’s a little surprising after the fact.