Of Fighting Fear

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Recently, our troupe of Samurai was faced with a Yurei, a haunting ghost. It was indeed a powerful one, and it possessed the power of Fear 3, sending some of us fleeing and making it nigh impossible to fight. While we managed to retreat to a place that the ghost could not reach, I do wonder:

Fear effects are given a Rank, ranging from 1 to 10, to represent their severity. To resist a Fear effect, a character must roll Raw Willpower at a TN equal to 5+(5 x Fear Rank). Thus fighting a Fear 3 effect requires a roll at TN 20. Those of high Honor, however, are better able to overcome this test – all characters may add their Honor Rank to the total of their roll. 1

What means are available to fight or reduce the effects of fear but the Willpower roll + Honor Rank to evade the effect when it starts?


1 – Legends of the 5 Rings, Core book 4th Edition, page 90.

Best Answer

Below are all of the sources I could find to combat fear in the Core, Secrets of the Empire, and Element Books.

Stances

  • Center Stance, if you can take the time, grants +1k1+Void to one roll in the next turn

Advantages

  • The Paragon(Courage) advantage is explicitly +1k1 against fear, plus the extra honor rank
  • Friend of the Elements(Earth) advantage is a free raise for Willpower trait rolls
  • Virtuous advantage increases starting honor rank
  • Luck advantage for the reroll
    • Toku Ancestor (Secrets of the Empire 244) One free rank of Luck
  • Seppun Ancestor (Secrets of the Empire 243) One free void point effect per session
  • Kaimetsu-Uo Ancestor for +1k1 to Willpower rolls as long as it's not for transcending a taunt

Schools & Tattoos

  • The Mantis tattoo of the Togashi Tattooed Order negates fear
  • Shiba Bushi School allows the use of a second void point when using it for +1k1 to a roll
  • Temple of Persistence Monk (Book of Earth 205) can ignore all penalties, so that will include a marginally failed fear save
  • Seppun Astrologers School (Book of Water 179) to confer a spiritual advantage, e.g. Luck or Friend of Elements above

Spells

  • Courage of the Seven Thunders (Earth 1) is a spell specifically for countering fear (+5k0 for Great Clan, +3k0 anyone else)
  • Never Alone (Fire 1) spell is a raw bonus to trait rolls
  • Reversal of Fortunes (Water 1) for the reroll
  • Drawing the Void (Void 1) for the void points
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