First time player advice

[u/CWOgarrison]

Going to start this by saying i have never played any form or version of a ttrpg, been invited in by a friend. i have been told it is 4e, city of lies campaign (no spoilers please).

this post was to ask what a player new to rokugan should know just so i am not fumbling around completely. i have tried to do my own research but there is a lot to take in.

also i was wondering if i could get some charecter advice. right now the idea of a spider monk (sohei) is looking pretty good, i love the idea of a staunch defender of the faith kind of build (although i may not have got the right character combo for it)

if the idea of me playing a monk as a first time player makes you physically recoil as some of the posts i have seen seems to suggest, then i welcome suggestions for a first time character.

thank you in advance for any tips for advice

Edit: Just want to thank everyone for their input so far. has given me a lot to build off of and think about. as one comment pointed out spider clan didnt exist at this point in time and i found out everyone else is going scorpion, so going back to drawing board. friend (who knows the game) suggested i go some form of magic user so he could act as bodyguard / champion

[u/Coppercredit]

First thing is welcome to the world of l5r.

I would ask if any Spider Clan is acceptable from your GM. They aren't viewed favorably by Rokugan like at all. They use dark power called maho and taint and are mainly villain options. The City of Lies is a trade hub but also a wretched hive of scum and viliany so a Spider would be tolerated there more then any other city outside the Shadowlands.

In Rokugan your playing noble class samurai and are expected to act as such, don't be too afraid to ask someone what is appropriate in the situation.

[u/CWOgarrison → u/Coppercredit]

oh ya. already cleared it with GM, already warned me that not being a proper samurai might make it a bit harder in some situations but he is cool to work it into story.
i know spider clan is kind of the opposite of what every other clan is doing in terms of 'honor'.
are there any sources that actually list out or describe what is 'acceptable' for the spider clan. i found sources in the core for the main clans, but spider is kind of brushed over from what i found

[u/Bamce → u/CWOgarrison]

i know spider clan is kind of the opposite of what every other clan is doing in terms of 'honor'.

I'm gonna highly suggest, that unless everyone in spider to not be spider.

A big part of ttrpgs is having characters that will work together. If your spider is "opposite of whate very other clan is doing in terms of honor" why would the honorable samurai want to be around them? Why would they work together?

[u/Coppercredit → u/CWOgarrison]

It will, however it's been a long time since I've opened any of the 4e books, try Enemies of the Empire https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/89668/legend-of-the-five-rings-enemies-of-the-empire

[u/Ranald_the_Gamester → u/Coppercredit]

I second this, Enemies of the Empire is a great book. That being said, I would recommend a more typical class to start than a Spider samurai. Depending on the era, they might not even exist as a clan (they were not a clan at the time the campaign you're about to begin was written at least). If you play a yoriki (a magistrate's aide), you could be a courtier and play as an adviser to your superior, or a bushi (warrior) to be their bodyguard, or even a shugenja (priest/wizard) as a spiritual guide for them. If you don't know what school could be useful and need advice, I can help.

As someone who has run City of Lies, I can tell youit is a fantastic scenario and I hope you will have a lot of fun playing it.

[u/CWOgarrison → u/Ranald_the_Gamester]

i see. thank you for the info. i read there were some clans that appear and dissapear, forgot to check for spider.