Disciples of Sun Tao [Bushi] (Core Rules p234)

The ronin who call themselves the disciples of Sun Tao are a group that have taken the teachings of the legendary ronin tactician Sun Tao, who is said to have studied with each of the Great Clans in turn, and applied his wisdom to the art of the duel. Although they lack the skill and recognition of dueling traditions within the Great Clans, those who follow dueling have, over time, come to grudgingly acknowledge their strength.

Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, any 2 Skills
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, 1 koku
Technique: The Gaze of Sun Tao - Students of Sun Tao understand the relationship between honor and skill. You may add your Honor Rank to the total of all Iaijutsu Skill Rolls.

Forest Killers [Bushi] (Core Rules p234)

The Forest Killers are perhaps the most ruthless and fearsome bandit organization in the history of the Empire. For centuries they exploited the superstitions surrounding the
Shinomen Mori by hiding within its depths. They were eventually eradicated by the Emerald Champion, but their demise proved short-lived, and within a few years a new group of Forest Killers was plaguing the lands around the Shinomen once more.

Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Stealth, any 1 Weapon Skill
Honor: 1.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, 2 koku

Technique: Strength of the Forest - The Forest Killers are a formidable group who recruit only the toughest and most durable of warriors to join their band. You gain additional Wounds per Wound Rank equal to your Stamina. You may also add your Stamina to the total of all damage rolls resulting from melee attacks.

People's Legionnaire [Bushi] (Imperial Histories p123)

After the commoner Asahime began organizing her army of peasants, she worked with her monk adviser Rojin to develop a spear-fighting technique that would allow simple ashigaru soldiers to stand their ground against samurai opponents. The technique was designed to capitalize on working together, using numbers and discipline to overcome the superior fighting skills of samurai opponents. Unsurprisingly, in Rokugan’s canon history the technique did not survive the ultimate defeat of the People’s Legion, but creative GMs can use it to represent any peasant or ronin army that lasts long enough to develop some discipline and organized training.

Benefit: +1 Stamina
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Knives, Spears, Stealth, any 1 Merchant or Low Skill
Honor: 0.0 (peasant fighting technique)
Outfit: Ashigaru Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Yari, any 1 Peasant weapon, Backpack, 5 zeni

Technique: Unity of Purpose - The People’s Legionnaires drill endlessly, learning to act in unison on the battlefield. After Initiative is rolled at the beginning of a skirmish, you may take a Free Action to lower your Initiative score to match that of an ally who is also trained in this technique. If you and an ally with the same Initiative attack the same opponent, you each gain a +1k0 bonus on your attack roll for each such ally striking the same foe. The maximum number of bonus dice you can gain on a single attack roll is equal to your Insight Rank +1.

Tawagoto's Army [Bushi] (Core Rules p235)

Inspired by the young and charismatic ronin Tawagoto, this group of ronin and peasants rallied together to protect the innocent people of Rokugan from the rash of violent peasant revolutions inspired by the mad monk Kokujin while the Great Clans were engaged in another war of succession. Eventually the clans recognized the threat and sanctioned Tawagoto’s activities, lending him aid to complete the task of hunting down Kokujin’s forces and destroying them.

Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Battle, Defense, Etiquette, Investigation, Kenjutsu, Spears, any 1 Skill
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, 1 koku

Technique: The People’s Will - Those who are guided by honor carry the strength of the Empire’s people in their actions. When you spend a Void Point to add a bonus of +1k1 to any Skill or Trait Roll, you may also add your Honor Rank to the total of that roll.

Tengoku's Justice [Bushi] (Core Rules p235)

Ruthless in the extreme, the mountain bandits known as Tengoku’s Justice could threaten the reputation of the Forest Killers as the most reviled bandits in the Empire if they
survive long enough. Their heretical name, however, gives additional reason to hate them, likely shortening their expected survival. The Tengoku’s Justice band makes their home in the Dragon mountains, pillaging and laying waste to entire villages to gather the supplies and wealth they desire. They trust in the traditional inaction of the Dragon to make their apprehension less likely, but have drawn the unwavering attention of the magistrates of the Mantis Clan due to their actions.

Benefit: +1 Strength
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Horsemanship, Hunting, Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, any 1 Skill
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Ashigaru or Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Bow with 20 Arrows or Knife, Traveling Pack, 1 koku

Technique: Heaven’s Curse - The sheer ruthless, murderous nature of the Tengoku’s Justice fighting style could rival even that of the Forest Killers. Whenever you surprise an opponent in a skirmish, you may double your Strength for the purposes of determining how many damage dice you roll on that attack.

The Tessen [Bushi] (Core Rules p235)

Composed primarily of former Crane and Lion, the Tessen came together to attempt to protect the people of Toshi Ranbo, centuries before it became the new Imperial City. The constant changing of hands between the two clans left the city in a terrible state, often plagued by criminals who knew the clans were too busy with one another to bother hunting them. Because the Crane forbade any save themselves to carry a blade within the city, these ronin took up the tessen as their weapon of choice, and continue to patrol the streets of the Imperial City today, albeit with only grudging acknowledgment from the city’s Imperial protectors.

Benefit: +1 Stamina
Skills: Battle, Defense, Investigation, Jiujutsu, War Fans, any 2 Skills
Honor: 3.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, War Fan, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, 2 koku

Technique: Folds of the Iron Fan - Few in Rokugan have mastered the facets of the iron fan with the same fluency as the Tessen. When wielding a war fan in your off hand, you suffer no penalties for attacks made with that hand. You also add your rank in War Fans to the total of your Armor TN at all times while wielding a war fan.