How long have you been playing?

[Joe Fulgham]

> Had an interesting conversation and wanted to test a theory....
>
> When did you first start playing l5r?  (what set)

  Just before Crimson and Jade.

> Was dragon your first choice of clans?

  Yes.

> Why did you choose dragon?

  My first experience with L5R was at a (horrible) game convention in
Calgary.  Mindy's husband Phil was doing demos and running a Sealed Deck.
The game I'd signed up for (Shadowrun RPG) didn't go through, so I tried L5R
by joining the Sealed Deck.

  Going through my cards, I loved Mitsu and how buff he could get.  I loved
the duelling aspect of the game, and I loved how "mysterious" the clan was.
Getting a Togashi Hoshi "7/7 CAVALRY?  THIS GUY RULES!" as a Rare really
helped cement the deal.  I was completely heartbroken when the non-exp Hoshi
lost his Dragon Clan trait.

  Out of 8 people, I took third place, and when the other players found out
I was a totally new player, they started going through their decks and card
they had brought and gave me the cards that I'd need for my deck.

  As I'd recently quit competitive Magic because the other players were all
jerks, this was quite a surprise.  "Oh, you've only got one Mirumoto Daini?
You'll definitely need two more, hold on."  <goes through his collection>.

  I also fell in love with the story, and the idea that players could affect
it.  Though early on I tinkered around with cards no matter the story
implications ("Hey, Mitsu and Shuten Doji is a strong combo!") when we got
the letter from Shinsei warning us that "the seeds of darkness remain" I
knew we had a dark time ahead, and started talking to other Dragon players
about doing something about it.  I didn't want to become the next Phoenix
clan, foolishly dealing with evil to accomplish our goals.  We were better
than that.

> How would you rate your skill level as a player?
> (beginner, intermediate, highly skilled, top rate)

  I'd say I'm a highly skilled player, but an intermediate deck builder,
mostly because I'm out of practise.  At GC'98 I went 5-0 in qualifiers and
lost in the first round of the finals to Dave La, who went on to win it and
say that my deck was the one that scared him the most.

  At GC '99, I took a Monk Enlightenment deck (I didn't think I'd be able to
play 'cause I was working, so I didn't have another deck ready!) 5-0 in
qualifiers, but lost the next two games due to "no gold for four turns".
They were still both quite close -- one was against a Phoenix honor runner
and I got every ring out but Earth (and attacked with the Armor to get it
out, but failed), the other being against Toturi's Army, and had Doom of the
Brotherhood not hit at *exactly* the right time (I'd already avoided it
once), forcing me to bow my last defender to Dharma Technique it, I would've
dropped Earth, then on the next turn a Rise and Ring of Void, and from there
gone on to win (she had no way in-hand to stop my Entrapping, and the next
cards I would've drawn would have guaranteed the rest of the cards).

  Ah, good memories.

> What age are you?

  32, for the next... 20 days or so.

> Have you noticed any trends about players that favor another clan?

  Most Unicorn and Shadowlands players I know are playing those clans
because they're easier to play.  My fiancee has a rule with Unicorn "If
you're not sure if you should attack, you probably should just go for it."

> On the Toturi's army list I noticed that majority of it members
> are in the
> older range of players, and most have been in the game since
> anvil of dispair
> or emerald. We got into discussing each players of the clans and
> the theory,
> is that most of the dragon players (at least locally in our
> groups) tend to be newer players in comparison.

  I guess I'm the exception that proves the rule.  :)

Joe Fulgham | Hitomi Pukku | puck at holycow.com
Dragon Clan Shugenja * Master of the Web * Dragon in Black
Secret Master of L5R | http://www.holycow.com/l5r/
L5R Code (2.1): DR++ S++ G++ Y+ P:M- O- EJ+ SJ+ I C++++ E++ M- T- D++ K H++
Tk IC++ U++