Imperial Cycle

The Imperial Cycle is the first cycle published for the L5R LCG.

Promotional cards with full extended art were released with the Imperial Cycle icon .

Cards

ID	Name	Clan	Deck	Type	Traits	Text Box
93	Test of Skill		Conflict	Event	—	Seeker role only. Action: Name a card type. Reveal the top 3 cards of your conflict deck (top 4 cards instead if you control a Duelist character) – add up to 2 revealed cards of that type to your hand and discard the rest.
106	Beastmaster Matriarch		Dynasty	Character	Bushi.	This character gets +2 for each ring in each opponent’s claimed ring pool.
2	Tears of Amaterasu		—	Province	Shrine.	Keeper role only. Reaction: After this province is revealed – gain 1 fate for each attacking character.
19	Goblin Sneak		Conflict	Character	Goblin. Shadowlands.	Reaction: After this character enters play – place 1 fate from an opponent's fate pool on it.
13	Disdainful Remark		Conflict	Event	—	Keeper role only. Action: During a conflict, if you control a participating Courtier character – until the end of the conflict, the attacked province gets +X strength. X is equal to the number of cards in your opponent's hand.
15	Time for War		Conflict	Event	—	Seeker role only. Reaction: After you lose a conflict, choose a Bushi character you control – put a Weapon attachment with printed cost 3 or lower into play from your hand or conflict discard pile, attached to that character.
18	Smoke and Mirrors		Conflict	Event	Technique.	Action: During a conflict, choose any number of attacking Shinobi characters you control – move each chosen character home.
4	Karada District		Dynasty	Holding	Imperial.	Limit 1 per deck. Action: Give an opponent 1 fate. Choose an attachment on a character that player controls – take control of that attachment and attach it to an eligible character you control, if able. Otherwise, discard it.
10	Swift Magistrate		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Imperial. Magistrate.	While this character is attacking, each other character that has 1 or more fate on it does not count its skill toward the resolution of this conflict.
6	Kitsuki Yaruma		Dynasty	Character	Courtier.	Courtesy. No Poison attachments. Reaction: After this character enters play, choose an unbroken province – turn that province facedown.
9	Isawa Kaede		Dynasty	Character	Shugenja. Void.	Immune to opponents' ring effects. While this character is attacking, the contested ring gains the element. If this character wins the conflict as an attacker, instead of choosing an element to resolve, resolve each of that ring's effects.
111	Shinjo Scout		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Cavalry. Scout.	Rection: After you gain fate for passing in the dynasty phase – gain 1 fate.
105	Togashi Mendicant		Dynasty	Character	Monk. Tattooed.	Reaction: After the fate phase begins – look at the top 3 cards of your dynasty deck. Then, put them back in any order.
107	Asako Tsuki		Dynasty	Character	Courtier. Scholar. Shugenja. Water.	Reaction: After the ring is claimed, choose a Scholar character – honor that character.
102	Kuni Ritsuko		Dynasty	Character	Shugenja. Earth.	Reaction: After this character wins a conflict as a defender, choose an attacking character – remove 1 fate from that character.
1	Blood of Onnotangu		—	Province	Shrine.	Seeker role only. During conflicts at this province, each player cannot spend fate from his or her fate pool.
101	Along the River of Gold		—	Province	River.	Water role only. Action: During a conflict at a province, choose a participating character – switch that character’s base and skill until the end of the conflict.
104	Silver-Tongued Magistrate		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Imperial. Magistrate.	While this character is attacking, each other character that has no fate on it does not count its skill towards the resolution of this conflict.
103	Iron Mine		Dynasty	Holding	Mine.	Interrupt: When a character you control would leave play – sacrifice this holding instead.
108	Kanjo District		Dynasty	Holding	Imperial.	Limit 1 per deck. Action: During a conflict, discard the Imperial Favor. Choose a participating character – bow that character and move it home.
113	Pillow Book		Conflict	Attachment	Item.	Action: While attached character is participating in a conflict – reveal the top card of your conflict deck until the end of the conflict. While it remains revealed, you may play that card as if it were in your hand.
112	Miya Satoshi		Dynasty	Character	Courtier. Daimyō. Imperial.	Action: Discard cards from your dynasty deck until you discard an Imperial card. Then, discard a card in a non-stronghold province you control and put the discarded Imperial card into that province, faceup.
120	Mono no Aware		Conflict	Event	—	Action: Remove 1 fate from each character. Draw 1 card. (Max 1 per round).
118	Seal of the Unicorn		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Seal.	Attached character gains the clan symbol and the Cavalry trait.
114	Seal of the Dragon		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Seal.	Attached character gains the clan symbol and the Monk trait.
110	Illustrious Plagiarist		Dynasty	Character	Courtier. Shugenja. Air.	Action: Choose the topmost event in an opponent's conflict discard pile – this character gains each of that event's action abilities until the end of the phase.
109	Sake House Confidant		Dynasty	Character	Courtier. Shinobi.	Action: While this character is participating in a conflict, discard the Imperial Favor – each Shinobi character you control gets +2 until the end of the conflict.
116	A Legion of One		Conflict	Event	—	Action: During a conflict, choose a character that is participating on your side alone – until the end of the conflict, that character gets +3. You may remove 1 fate from that character to resolve this ability twice.
14	Jade Masterpiece		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Jade.	Action: Bow this attachment. Choose an unclaimed ring – move 1 fate from the chosen ring to another unclaimed ring.
20	Finger of Jade		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Jade.	Attach to a character you control. Interrupt: When the effects of a card ability that targets attached character would initiate, sacrifice this attachment – cancel those effects.
119	Talisman of the Sun		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Meishōdō.	Keeper role only. Action: During a conflict in which you are the defending player, bow this attachment – move the contested ring to another eligible province and reveal it, if able. That province is now the attacked province.
78	Backhanded Compliment		Conflict	Event	—	Keeper role only. Action: Choose a player – that player draws 1 card and loses 1 honor.
66	Mountaintop Statuary		Dynasty	Holding	Temple.	Reaction: After this holding is turned faceup – move it onto your stronghold province. Action: During a conflict at this province, sacrifice this holding. Choose and attacking character with printed cost 2 or lower – move that character home.
63	Kaiu Inventor		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Engineer.	Action: Choose a holding you control – you may trigger each of that holding's triggered abilities an additional time this round (or specified period).
68	Implacable Magistrate		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Imperial. Magistrate.	While this character is attacking, only this character and honored characters count their skill toward the resolution of this conflict.
69	Haughty Magistrate		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Imperial. Magistrate.	While this character is attacking, characters with lower glory than this character do not count their skill toward the resolution of this conflict.
71	Utaku Mediator		Dynasty	Character	Courtier.	This character gets +1 and +1 while you do not have the Imperial Favor.
70	Fawning Diplomat		Dynasty	Character	Courtier.	Interrupt: When this character leaves play – claim the Imperial Favor.
65	Agasha Sumiko		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Champion.	While you have the Imperial Favor, this character does not bow as a result of conflict resolution while attacking.
72	The Imperial Palace		Dynasty	Holding	Imperial.	Limit 1 per deck. This holding adds +3 to your side during each glory count.
74	Curry Favor		Conflict	Event	—	Reaction: After a character you control bows as a result of conflict resolution from a second conflict you declared this round – ready that character.
75	Centipede Tattoo		Conflict	Attachment	Tattoo.	Monk character only. Attached character gains the Tattooed trait. Attached character does not bow as a result of conflict resolution in conflicts which it lost.
77	Seal of the Phoenix		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Seal.	Attached character gains the clan symbol and the Scholar trait.
79	Gaijin Customs		Conflict	Event	—	Action: If you control a card, choose a non- character – ready the chosen character.
73	Pit Trap		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Trap.	Attach to a character. Play only on an attacking character. Attached character does not ready during the regroup phase.
16	Embrace the Void		Conflict	Attachment	Spell. Void.	Play only if you control a Shugenja character. Interrupt: When 1 or more fate would be removed from attached character – instead, move that fate to your fate pool.
80	Way of the Chrysanthemum		Conflict	Event	Imperial. Philosophy.	Reaction: After 1 or more honor is given to you from an honor bid – gain that much honor. (Max 1 per round.)
67	Akodo Toshiro		Dynasty	Character	Bushi.	Action: While this character is attacking – it gets +5 until the end of the conflict. Provinces cannot be broken during this conflict. At the end of the conflict, if you do not control a Commander character, discard this character.
61	Before the Throne		—	Province	Imperial.	Cannot be a stronghold province. Interrupt: When this province is broken – take 2 honor from your opponent.
64	Doji Shizue		Dynasty	Character	Courtier. Storyteller.	During the fate phase, if you have the Imperial Favor, this character cannot lose fate or be discarded.
76	Guard Duty		Conflict	Attachment	—	Keeper role only. Action: If attached character is defending – honor it.
5	Doji Representative		Dynasty	Character	Courtier.	Action: During a conflict – move this character home.
7	Gifted Tactician		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Commander.	Reaction: After this character wins a conflict – draw 1 card.
8	Hito District		Dynasty	Holding	Imperial.	Limit 1 per deck. conflicts cannot be declared against this holding's province.
11	Windswept Yurt		Dynasty	Holding	—	Action: Sacrifice this holding, select one – each player gains 2 fate or each player gains 2 honor. Refill this province faceup.
17	Meek Informant		Conflict	Character	Peasant. Shinobi.	Reaction: After you play this character – look at an opponent's hand.
12	Seal of the Crane		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Seal.	Attached character gains the clan symbol and the Duelist trait.
3	Staunch Hida		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Yōjimbō.	Reaction: After this character wins a conflict as a defender – resolve the ring effect of that conflict as if you were the attacking player. (Max 1 per conflict.)
115	Written in the Stars		Conflict	Event	Omen.	Action: Select one – place 1 fate on each unclaimed ring with no fate or remove 1 fate from each unclaimed ring.
117	Oni Mask		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Mask.	Seeker role only. Attach to a character you control. Action: During a conflict, remove 1 fate from attached character. Choose a participating character – treat that character as if its printed text box were blank (except Traits) until the end of the conflict.
82	Crisis Breaker		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Berserker.	Keeper role only. Action: During a conflict, if your opponent counts more current skill than you, choose a Berserker character you control – ready that character and move it to the conflict.
88	Master of Gisei Toshi		Dynasty	Character	Shugenja. Earth.	Reaction: After the conflict phase begins, chose a ring – while that ring is contested this phase, non-Spell events cannot be played.
27	Magnificent Lighthouse		Dynasty	Holding	Landmark.	Action: Look at the top 3 cards of an opponent's deck. Discard 1 of those cards, place another on top of that deck, and the other on the bottom of that deck.
26	Ikoma Ujiaki		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Courtier.	Action: While this character is participating in a conflict, discard the Imperial Favor – turn each facedown card in each of your provinces faceup. Then, put up to 2 characters from your provinces into play participating in this conflict.
24	Kabuki Hero		Dynasty	Character	Courtier. Actor.	Action: Spend 1 fate – this character gets +X until the end of the conflict. X is equal to its skill.
23	Stoic Magistrate		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Imperial. Magistrate.	While this character is defending, each character with printed cost 2 or lower does not count its skill toward the resolution of this conflict.
22	Riot in the Streets		—	Province	—	Action: During a conflict at this province, if you control 3 or more participating Bushi characters, choose a participating character – bow that character.
21	Frostbitten Crossing		—	Province	—	Air role only. Action: During a conflict at this province, choose a participating character – discard each attachment on that character.
31	Pathfinder's Blade		Conflict	Attachment	Weapon.	Seeker role only. Interrupt: When the effects of a triggered ability on the attacked province would initiate, if attached character is attacking, sacrifice this attachment – cancel those effects.
25	Northern Wall Sensei		Dynasty	Character	Bushi.	Keeper role only. Action: While this character is participating in a conflict, choose a participating character you control with 1 or more attachments – until the end of the conflict, that character is immune to events.
86	Miwaku Kabe Guard		Dynasty	Character	Bushi.	Pride. (After this character wins a conflict, honor it. After this character loses a conflict, dishonor it.)
81	Massing at Twilight		—	Province	—	Void role only. While resolving conflicts at this province, each character counts its combined and skill.
91	Fair Accord		Conflict	Event	—	Action: During the dynasty phase, discard the Imperial Favor – gain 2 fate.
89	Moto Juro		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Cavalry.	Action: Select one – move this character into a conflict or move this charcter home from a conflict. (Limit twice per round.)
87	Henshin Disciple		Dynasty	Character	Monk. Scholar.	While you have claimed or are contesting: the ring, this character gets +2. the ring, this character gets +2. the ring, this character gains pride.
28	Bayushi Yojiro		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Imperial. Magistrate.	While this character is participating in a conflict, ignore the effects of each status token on each participating character.
100	Waning Hostilities		Conflict	Event	—	Reaction: After the conflict phase begins – each player has only one opportunity to declare a conflict this phase.
95	Seal of the Lion		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Seal.	Attached character gains the clan symbol and the Commander trait.
90	Seppun Ishikawa		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Imperial.	This character gets +1 and +1 for each other Imperial card you control.
97	Cunning Magistrate		Conflict	Character	Bushi. Imperial. Magistrate.	While this character is participating in a conflict, each other character that is dishonored does not count its skill toward the resolution of this conflict.
85	Itinerant Philosopher		Dynasty	Character	Monk.	Action: While this character is participating in a conflict, discard the Imperial Favor. Choose an opponent's participating character with 1 or more attachments – bow that character.
92	Young Harrier		Conflict	Character	Bushi. Scout. Shinobi.	Action: Dishonor this character – each character you control cannot be dishonored until the end of the phase.
99	Ride Them Down		Conflict	Event	—	Action: During a conflict, discard the Imperial Favor – set the base strength of the attacked province to 1 until the end of the conflict.
96	Consumed by Five Fires		Conflict	Event	Spell. Fire.	Seeker role only. Action: If you control a Shugenja character – remove up to 5 fate from among characters an opponent controls.
98	A Fate Worse Than Death		Conflict	Event	—	Action: During a conflict, choose a participating character – bow that character, move it home, dishonor it, and remove 1 fate from it. Until the end of the phase, treat its printed text box as if it were blank (except for Traits).
84	Origami Master		Dynasty	Character	Shugenja. Air.	Pride. Action: Choose another character you control – move an honored status token from this character to the chosen character.
83	Yasuki Taka		Dynasty	Character	Wily Trader. Daimyō.	Reaction: After a character leaves play during the conflict phase – gain 1 fate. (Unlimited.)
94	The Stone of Sorrows		Conflict	Attachment	Item.	Seeker role only. While attached character is ready, opponents cannot remove or gain fate from rings.
36	Shrine Maiden		Conflict	Character	Monk.	Reaction: After this character enters play, reveal the top 3 cards of your conflict deck – add each Spell and each Kihō card revealed by this ability to your hand and discard the rest.
29	Ide Tadaji		Dynasty	Character	Courtier. Daimyō.	Action: While this character is participating in a conflict, choose a ready non-participating character with printed cost 2 or lower controlled by each player – move each chosen character to the conflict.
60	Censure		Conflict	Event	Imperial.	Play only if you have the Imperial Favor. Interrupt: When the effects of an event would initiate – cancel those effects.
47	Back-Alley Hideaway		Dynasty	Holding	City.	Interrupt: When a character you control leaves play – attach that character to this holding facedown instead of placing it in its owner's discard pile. Action: Play an attached facedown character from this holding as if it were in this province. Then, sacrifice this holding.
59	Tattered Missive		Conflict	Attachment	Item.	Attach to a Courtier character you control. Action: Bow attached character – search the top 5 cards of your conflict deck for a card, reveal it, and add it to your hand. Shuffle.
54	Test of Courage		Conflict	Event	—	Action: During a conflict, if your honor bid is lower than your opponent's, choose a character you control – move that character to the conflict. Then, honor it.
53	Ageless Crone		Conflict	Character	Courtier.	During a conflict in which this character is participating, increase the cost for each player to play each event by 1.
52	Mantra of Water		Conflict	Event	Kihō. Water.	Reaction: After your opponent declares a conflict, choose a Monk character or a character with a Monk attachment – ready that character and draw 1 card.
51	Seal of the Crab		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Seal.	Attached character gains the clan symbol and the Berserker trait.
50	Hiruma Skirmisher		Conflict	Character	Bushi. Scout.	Reaction: After you play this character – it gains covert until the end of the phase.
49	War Dog Master		Dynasty	Character	Bushi.	Reaction: After this character is declared as an attacker, discard the top card of your dynasty deck – this character gets +X until the end of the conflict. X is the printed cost of the discarded card.
48	Child of the Plains		Dynasty	Character	Cavalry. Scout.	Reaction: After a province this character is attacking is revealed – the attacker has the first action opportunity this conflict.
57	Misinformation		Conflict	Event	—	Action: During a conflict, if your honor bid is at least 2 higher than your opponent's – each participating character your opponent controls gets -1 and -1 until the end of the conflict.
56	Bayushi Kachiko		Conflict	Character	Courtier. Imperial.	Action: While this character is participating in a conflict, choose a participating character with lower skill than this character – move the chosen character home. Then, you may bow it.
46	Prodigy of the Waves		Dynasty	Character	Shugenja. Water.	Action: While the ring is claimed – ready this character.
45	Enigmatic Magistrate		Dynasty	Character	Bushi. Imperial. Magistrate.	While this character is attacking, only characters that have an odd printed cost count their skill toward the resolution of this conflict.
55	Benten's Touch		Conflict	Event	Spell. Air.	Action: During a conflict, bow a (friendly) Shugenja character. Choose a participating character you control – honor that character.
30	Miwaku Kabe		Dynasty	Holding	Imperial.	Limit 1 per deck. Interrupt: When this holding's province is broken – shuffle this card back into your dynasty deck.
44	Chisei District		Dynasty	Holding	Imperial.	Limit 1 per deck. conflicts cannot be declared against this holding's province.
43	Kakita Yoshi		Dynasty	Character	Courtier. Daimyō. Imperial.	Action: While this character is participating in a conflict, discard the Imperial Favor – draw 3 cards. Reduce the cost of each event you play during this conflict by 2.
42	Public Forum		—	Province	—	Cannot be a stronghold province. Interrupt: When this province would be broken, if there are no honor tokens on it – place 1 honor token on it instead.
41	Feast or Famine		—	Province	—	Fire role only. Interrupt: When this province is broken, choose an opponent's character – move 1 fate from that character to a character you control.
58	Chasing the Sun		Conflict	Event	—	Seeker role only. Action: During a conflict in which you are the attacking player – move the contested ring to another eligible province and reveal it, if able. That province is now the attacked province.
39	Shinjo Saddle		Conflict	Attachment	Item.	Cavalry character only. Action: Choose a Cavalry character you control – attach this card to that character.
38	Seal of the Scorpion		Conflict	Attachment	Item. Seal.	Attached character gains the clan symbol and the Shinobi trait.
40	Policy Debate		Conflict	Event	—	Action: During a conflict, choose a participating character you control and a participating character your opponent controls – your character challenges the opponent's character to a duel. The controller of the losing character reveals his or her hand. That player's opponent chooses and discards 1 card from it.
37	Harmonize		Conflict	Event	—	Keeper role only. Action: During a conflict in which you are the defending player, choose a defending character and an attacking character with equal or lower printed cost – move each chosen character home.
35	Kamayari		Conflict	Attachment	Weapon.	Bushi character only. Restricted. Reaction: After a character triggers an ability during a conflict in which attached character is participating – bow that character.
34	High Kick		Conflict	Event	Technique.	Action: During a conflict, bow a (friendly) participating Monk character. Choose a participating character controlled by your opponent – bow that character. It cannot trigger abilities during this conflict.
33	Kakita Blade		Conflict	Attachment	Weapon.	Restricted. Attached character gets +2 while it is involved in a duel. Reaction: After attached character wins a duel – gain 1 honor.
32	Raise the Alarm		Conflict	Event	—	Action: During a conflict in which you are the defending player – turn a dynasty card in the attacked province faceup. Then, if that card is a character, put it into play as a defender.
62	Guardians of the Seikitsu		—	Province	—	Earth role only. Reaction: After this province is revealed – bow each character with printed cost 2 or lower.