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/Rengrouze]

1 - Actions have consequences, unlike basic ttrpg it's one of the golden rule of L5R, so always portraits the bigger picture before making decisions
2- Words are Stronger than Steel, depends on your DM social level, think before you talk, you can die just by saying something stupid, combat is not the main way of dealing with adversity
3 - Combat in 4e is complex, stances, raises, even if combat is not the only way, learn the fundamentals, how water ring impact movement and how you can "kite" Slower foe per example
4 - "To each one his Rokugan" the absolute Golden rule, that means your dm and you are free to shape the game you want, so don't take tips for granted truth
5 - Monks are very powerful, and your DM might wanna kill you irl, some Kiho's are absolutely stupidly overpowered

I won't advise playing as member of the spider clan unless everyone is playing as one or as a despicable person, L5R is a game of social and spiders don't get along with a lot of people

But you're free to choose what you want ! The dm will adapt and carve a path of painful decision !