This is a list of the card sets for the Legend of the Five Rings collectible card game ("L5R") published by AEG. L5R is marketed through base sets and expansion sets. Base sets are typically composed primarily of reprinted cards from prior sets with a smaller number of new cards. Expansion sets (which are smaller than base sets) are composed entirely of new cards. Cards are sold in 60-90 card semi-randomized starter decks and booster packs which have a smaller number (typically 11 or 15) of random cards. Starters feature a particular faction, including new fixed rarity cards and a Stronghold card for that faction. They also include cards from previous sets and are intended to be fully playable decks.
In addition to starters and boosters, there is also the occasional "learn to play" set containing two fixed decks and an expanded rulebook for new players and a fixed "direct to player" set unavailable except directly from AEG.
For the purpose of tournament format/legality and the storyline, L5R's sets are divided into "arcs". From the beginning of the game's second arc with Jade Edition, cards have featured a "bug" (a kanji approximation of the edition's name) in a lower corner of the card's text box showing that card's legality. The only cards legal at most official tournaments are those printed with the current bug (or earlier printings of those cards). These bugs are shown next to each arc's title.
Originally, sets were differentiated by the color of their borders. From Gold Edition on, cards have an expansion code, card number, and rarity symbol listed on their lower edge. The rarity symbols are circle for common, diamond for uncommon, star for rare, triangle for promo, hollow diamond for "premium" (bonus cards found in Emperor Edition and later boosters), and star within a circle for fixed cards.
Clan Wars
Set Release date Featured Factions Size Border Notes Pre-Imperial 8/1995 - 84 Red-Orange unbroken line Cards made available at GenCon prior to commercial release. Imperial Edition 10/1995 Crab, Crane, Dragon, Lion, Phoenix, Unicorn 309 Yellow-Red broken line First base set. Included "Ancestral Swords" for each clan. Shadowlands 5/1996 Naga, Scorpion 155 Purple & Green swirls Forbidden Knowledge 8/1996 - 150 Rust-colored swirls Introduced Region card type and Ritual spells. Emerald Edition 8/1996 Same as Imperial Edition 312 Black marble Second base set. Included "Ancestral Armors" for each clan. Battle of Beiden Pass 11/1996 Crab, Dragon 118 Black "Learn to Play" boxed set. Anvil of Despair 12/1996 Junzo's Horde, Toturi's Army 152 Blue swirls Introduced Ancestor card type. Crimson & Jade 4/1997 Brotherhood, Yoritomo's Alliance 161 Green Introduced Kiho card type. Obsidian Edition 8/1997 Same as Imperial Edition 312 Brown marble Third base set. Included "Ancestral Standards" for each clan. Introduced actual cards for Strongholds, instead of using back of deck box. Time of the Void 9/1997 Crab, Phoenix 229 Brown with white cracks Included "story-backed" stronghold cards for the twelve factions at the uncommon rarity level. Scorpion Clan Coup, Scroll 1 12/1997 Scorpion 53 Black with red cracks "Prequel" expansion, released in 3 monthly installments as part of the "Rolling Thunder" campaign. These did not have rares. Scorpion Clan Coup, Scroll 2 1/1998 - 50 " Scorpion Clan Coup, Scroll 3 2/1998 Lion 52 " Promotional Cards Various - 28 Golden waves
Hidden Emperor - "Jade"
With Jade Edition, L5R introduced the concept of "arc legality". Newly printed cards were now marked with a "Jade bug". This allowed tournament rules to limit the card base allowed to be used: either "Strict Jade" in which only cards with the bug were legal or "Extended Jade" in which all Actions, Followers, Items, Kihos, and Regions were legal but all other types were required to have the bug.
Set Release date Featured Factions Size Border Notes Jade Edition 5/1998 Brotherhood, Crab, Crane, Dragon, Lion, Naga, Phoenix, Scorpion, Shadowlands, Toturi's Army, Unicorn, Yoritomo's Alliance 330 Green waves Fourth base set. Included "Clan Charters" for each clan. The Hidden Emperor, Episode 1 6/1998 Naga 52 Wood grain The Hidden Emperor expansion was released in small monthly episodes as part of the "Rolling Thunder" campaign. These had two levels of uncommon rather than true rares. The Hidden Emperor, Episode 2 7/1998 Dragon 52 Wood grain The Hidden Emperor, Episode 3 8/1998 Monk 52 Wood grain The Hidden Emperor, Episode 4 9/1998 Unicorn 52 Wood grain The Hidden Emperor, Episode 5 10/1998 Mantis 52 Wood grain The Hidden Emperor, Episode 6 11/1998 Crane 52 Wood grain The Hidden Emperor: The Dark Journey Home 2/1999 Ninja, Phoenix, Toturi's Army 154 Wood grain Pearl Edition 5/1999 Same as Jade Edition 364 Purple ripples Fifth base set. First to feature revised card design. Included "Clan Weapons" for each clan. Siege of Sleeping Mountain 5/1999 Brotherhood & Dragon, Naga & Toturi's Army 64 Red-Green ovals "Learn to Play" set including two pairs of decks. Honor Bound 6/1999 Crab, Scorpion, Shadowlands 173 Red whorls Introduced Sensei card type. Included "Clan War Saga" foils reprinting older cards. Ambition's Debt 11/1999 Lion, Naga, Shadowlands 180 Dark blue whorls Included "Clan War Saga" foils reprinting older cards. Fire & Shadow 3/2000 Brotherhood, Dragon, Yoritomo's Alliance 186 Olive whorls Included "Clan War Saga" foils reprinting older cards. Top Deck Booster 3/2000 - 20 Black Simplified cards included in demo booster for Top Deck Magazine. Heroes of Rokugan 5/2000 - 27 Golden spheres First direct to player set. Packaged in cloth covered box and binder. These cards also had the Gold bug. Soul of the Empire 6/2000 Crane, Toturi's Army, Unicorn 200 Dark green whorls Included token cards with red backs. Included "story-backed" stronghold cards for the thirteen legal factions at the uncommon rarity level. Storms Over Matsu Palace 6/2000 Lion, Unicorn 55 Black and red "Learn to Play" set. Spirit Wars 11/2000 Lion, Phoenix, Spirit 197 Thick red diagonal lines Some cards in this set also featured the Gold bug. First set to feature new card backs. Promotional Cards Various - 51 Golden lines on black
Four Winds - "Gold"
With the new Gold Edition, AEG reduced the number of factions in the game from 14 to 8 by removing the Brotherhood, Naga, Ninja, Spirit, Toturi's Army, and Yoritomo's Alliance factions. The Mantis and Ratling factions were then introduced in expansions later in the block, bringing the total to 10. All sets in this arc included random foil versions of rare cards.
Set Release date Featured Factions Size Code Notes Gold Edition 6/2001 Crab, Crane, Dragon, Lion, Phoenix, Scorpion, Shadowlands, Unicorn 541 GE Sixth base set. Introduced Wind card type. Included "Celestial Swords" for each clan. A Perfect Cut 9/2001 Crab, Crane, Scorpion 155 APC An Oni's Fury 12/2001 Dragon, Shadowlands, Unicorn 156 AOF Reprints in this set are not marked with an expansion code. Dark Allies 4/2002 Lion, Mantis, Phoenix 161 DA Yoritomo's Alliance Officially Changed To Mantis Clan The L5R Experience 6/2002 Crane, Scorpion 62 L5R EXP. Free "Learn to Play" set. Broken Blades 8/2002 Crab, Scorpion, Unicorn 156 BB 1,000 Years of Darkness 9/2002 - 94 KYD Direct to player set. Included binder. Some cards also had Diamond bug. The Fall of Otosan Uchi 12/2002 Crane, Dragon, Mantis 156 FOU Cards also had Diamond bug. Heaven & Earth 4/2003 Lion, Phoenix, Shadowlands 157 H&E Cards also had Diamond bug. Winds of Change 8/2003 Crab, Mantis, Ratling 155 WoC Cards also had Diamond bug. Promotional Cards Various - 100 Various
Rain of Blood - "Diamond"
Set Release date Featured Factions Size Code Notes Diamond Edition 10/2003 Crab, Crane, Dragon, Lion, Mantis, Phoenix, Ratling, Scorpion, Shadowlands, Unicorn 487 DE Seventh base set. Included "Celestial Swords" for each clan. Training Grounds 11/2003 Lion, Shadowlands 95 TG "Learn to play" set. Reign of Blood 12/2003 Dragon, Phoenix, Unicorn 157 RoB The Hidden City 4/2004 Crab, Lion, Ratling 156 HC Wrath of the Emperor 8/2004 Crane, Scorpion, Shadowlands 156 WotE Dawn of the Empire 11/2004 - 108 DotE Direct to player set. Included binder. Most cards also had Lotus bug. Web of Lies 12/2004 Mantis, Phoenix, Unicorn 156 WoL Cards also had Lotus bug. Enemy of My Enemy 4/2005 Crab, Dragon, Ratling 156 EoME Cards also had Lotus bug. Code of Bushido 8/2005 Crane, Lion, Scorpion 156 CoB Cards also had Lotus bug. Promotional Cards Various - 126 Various
Age of Enlightenment - "Lotus"
Set Release date Featured Factions Size Code Notes Lotus Edition 10/2005 Crab, Crane, Dragon, Lion, Mantis, Phoenix, Ratling, Scorpion, Shadowlands, Unicorn 500 LE Eighth base set. Included "Clan Swords" for each clan. All cards in the Crane starter deck were initially released separately in an all-foil deck to commemorate 2005 GenCon victory. Path of Hope 1/2006 Crab, Crane, Shadowlands 156 PoH Drums of War 5/2006 Dragon, Lion, Unicorn 156 DoW Training Grounds 2 7/2006 Crane, Dragon 112 TG2 "Learn to Play" set. Test of Enlightenment 7/2006 - 124 ToE Direct to player set. Rise of the Shogun 9/2006 Mantis, Phoenix, Scorpion 156 RotS Khan's Defiance 1/2007 Crab, Crane, Ratling 156 KD Cards also had Samurai bug. Tomorrow 3/2007 Ratling 56 Tomorrow Cards also had Samurai bug, All foil set including the 2006 World Championship deck and 21 new cards. The Truest Test 5/2007 Dragon, Spider, Unicorn 156 TTT Cards also had Samurai bug. Promotional Cards Various - 92 Various
Race for the Throne - "Samurai" The Ratling faction was removed, and the Shadowlands faction became the Spider Clan, although not all Shadowlands cards transitioned. This brought the total faction count to 9, establishing the factions that have been in play since. Set Release date Featured Factions Size Code Notes Samurai Edition 7/2007 Crab, Crane, Dragon, Lion, Mantis, Phoenix, Scorpion, Spider, Unicorn 412 Samurai Ninth base set. Included unique armors for each clan. Stronger than Steel 10/2007 Lion, Mantis, Phoenix 157 STS Test of the Emerald and Jade Championships 12/2007 - 52 E&JC Direct to player set. Honor's Veil 2/2008 Crane, Dragon, Scorpion 156 HV Words and Deeds 5/2008 Crab, Spider, Unicorn 166 W&D Samurai Edition Banzai Same as Samurai Edition Tenth base set. Reprint of Samurai Edition with bonus rares from expansions. Cards had a 2008 copyright date instead of 2007; rares from other expansions included a star symbol but no set numbers. The Heaven's Will 10/2008 Dragon, Lion, Mantis 166 THW Glory of the Empire 1/2009 Crab, Crane, Phoenix 166 GotE Dual Bug (Samurai & Celestial). First to feature revised card design. The Imperial Gift 1 1/2009 - 28 Imperial Gift I Free expansion, Dual Bug (Samural & Celestial) Death at Koten 4/2009 - 84 DaK Direct to player set, Dual Bug (Samurai & Celestial) Promotional Cards Various - 257 Various
Destroyer War - "Celestial"