Mooks: Ahhhh mooks. Call them brute squads, mooks, nameless thugs, or "those who I beat up in great numbers.

" Mooks represent the faceless (and nameless) masses of antagonists in any good action movie. They fight in groups and die in swarms. Typically skilled so that even noncombat characters can fight them off, a skilled bushi will mow through them like a chainsaw through a butter factory. A good fight should allow for two or three mook squads PER bushi and one for each non-bushi. Maybe more depending on the fight capabilities of the party. Often these guys support henchmen, drawing fire or slowly whittling down the PCs so the henchmen can drop them. Special Rules: Mooks are a entirely separate breed from all other characters. They are calculated as entire groups and lose effectiveness as the group is cut down. Each squad has several different values: threat Rating, Size, ATN, Damage, and Skill Level. They will be each explained below, but typically the higher the numbers the more dangerous the mook squad. Threat Rating: A numerical value that determines how tough a given squad is, it is also the number of dice that the squad keeps for all actions. This includes combat rolls, social rolls, and spell casting rolls. It can range from a 1 (representing peasants, goblins, or low level undead) through 5 (representing ogres, minor demons, Elite House Guard). Note, just because a Threat Rating is high does not mean that they WILL keep that many dice, if a group can not roll as many dice as they keep, they get no special benefit. Size: A wildly variable amount, most mook squads start at a 5 or 6. This represent how many people/creatures are in a actual squad. As the mook squad takes damage, this number drops off. It also determines in large part how many dice the squad rolls for each action it takes. Size is seldom above a 6, but in a few cases can be larger. ATN: A Squad's ATN is calculated by its Threat Rating x 5 and may add to that their Defense Skill rating (not often more than 1 or 2) and Armor Value. Damage: Mook Squads do not roll for damage, but rather deal a flat amount of damage. this damage is equal to their Threat Rating + the average damage dealt for a weapon they wield. Calculate this as follows: Each Kept dice of damage for the weapon (the number after the K in the dR) adds +6 to their damage. Each Unkept dice (the number before the K in their damage rating IF it is higher than the kept dice) adds +2 to their total. For example, a Katana has a DR of 3k2. It deals Threat Rating + 14 damage to each target it strikes, and is affected by Armor Reduction as normal. Skill Level: Some Mook Squads are more skilled in a given area then their Threat rating indicates. In these

cases they may have a Skill with one or more skill ranks. For example, a Mook Squad comprised of Yojimbo may have a Defense Skill at 2 to supplement their threat rating of 3. When making Defense Skill rolls, they will roll Size +2 and Keep 3 (threat Rating). Special Effects: Some Mooks will have additional effects that can range from needing extra damage to defeat to invulnerability to even a weakness against some kind of damage type. This varies based on the creature type. Defeating a Mook Squad: Each time a mook squad is struck in combat, one of its member is slain unless the PC wishes to deal non-lethal damage, in which case the mook is knocked unconscious. Anyone may raise to strike an additional mook in the squad and may raise as often as he or she likes for this effect. In any case, the mook squad's size drops by one for every mook struck in this manner (Raising three times will defeat 4 mooks in a squad). When the last mook is dropped, the squad is defeated. Note that as the size drops, so does the number of dice the squad rolls, reducing their effectiveness with every injury. If there are two mook squads with less than six people, any ally (mook, henchmen, or villain) may make a Battle (Skirmish) or Intimidation (Control) roll with a TN equal to the Threat Rating x 5 of the higher group's threat rating to combine them. The new group will use the LOWER of all stats, except for Size. Ex: A Size 2 Threat Rating 1 and a Size 3 threat rating 2 squad are merged. It will be counted as a threat Rating 1 squad with a Size of 5. The weapon damage will be the weaker value, as will the ATN, and Skill Rolls. A mook squad is only as effective as the weakest link. Initiative And Mooks: Mooks roll only their Threat Rating, keep threat rating for initiative. Mooks and Raises: A mook may raise, but only up to their Threat Rating. Doing so grants a +2 to damage or the normal effects for a maneuver (or for skill rolls it works as a normal raise). Mooks and Spell Casting: A mook may cast spells, though it must have the Spell Caster Special Ability. It may roll Threat Rating + Spellcraft versus the spell's normal TN. They may only know a number of spells equal to their Threat Rating and only from a number of rings equal to their threat rating. Mooks and Targeting: All effects target the entire Mook Squad. In cases where damage is dealt, one mook is disabled and one additional mook is disabled for each raise. In cases where the damage is applied to an entire area of effect, the entire unit is destroyed (For example, many magical spells with a AoE. Mooks do not like magic. At all.). Mooks and Fear:

A mook makes a fear test using their Threat Rating as their stamina. The Fearless Quality represents honorable mooks, mooks with training, and mooks with grit that enables them to push past the Fear. Mooks and Shadowlands Mook Squads that have the Shadowlands trait or traits with the [Shadowlands] tag are considered to be tainted, lost, or otherwise affected by the powers of Jigoku. As such all spells, techniques, items, and abilities that target or are affected by the Shadowlands taint is triggered by this mook squad. Examples of Mook Squads: Peasant Mob Threat Rating: 1 Size: 6 ATN: 5 Weapon Damage: Kama, Nunchucku: 13 Skills: Craft (Peasant Craft) 1 Special: Weak Morale. "Sigh, Life is tough." Ashigaru Squad Threat Rating: 1 Size: 6 ATN: 8 Weapon Damage: Spear: 13, may be thrown for 13 Skills: Yarijutsu 1 Special: Ashigaru Armor "Join the Army, they said. See the World, they Said." Elite Ashigaru Squad Threat Rating: 2 Size: 6 ATN: 14 Weapon Damage: Spear 14, Maybe be Thrown for 14 Skills: Yarijutsu 1, Defense 1 Special: Ashigaru Armor, Elite. "We are here to defend our homes. You will not take them this day, Ronin." Town Guard / Yorikki Threat Rating: 2 Size: 5 ATN: 15 Weapon Damage: Sasumata 14 Skills: Yarijutsu 1, Investigation 1, Law 1

Special: May deal Incapacitating damage, may initiate and continue a grapple, Light Armor "Move along, nothing to see here." Samurai Warriors Threat Rating: 3 Size: 5 ATN: 21 Weapon Damage: Katana 17 Skills: Kenjutsu 1, Defense 1 Special: High Morale, Light Armor "For a Thousand years! Yaaaahhhh!" Elite Samurai Warriors Threat Rating: 4 Size: 5 ATN: 32 Weapon Damage: Katana 18 Skills: Kenjutsu 2, Defense 2, Etiquette 1 Special: High Morale, Elite, Light Armor. "We are the finest warriors in our Clan, shall we fail and shame our Ancestors? No? Then, onward to Victory or to Death!" House Guard Threat Rating: 5 Size: 5 ATN: 38 Weapon Damage: Katana 19 Skills: Kenjutsu 3, Defense 3, Etiquette 1, Investigation 1 Special: High Morale, Heavy Armor, Elite. "Hai, My Lord! None shall disturb you, we swear our lives and honor on it!" Goblins Threat Rating: 1 Size: 8 ATN: 5 Weapon Damage: Spear 13 Skills: Hunting 1 Special: Weak Morale, Shadowlands. "We're all gonna die!" Magic Mud Goblins Threat Rating: 2 Size: 8 ATN: 10 Weapon Damage: Spear 14

Skills: Athletics 1 Special: High Morale, Magic Mud, Shadowlands. "We got Magic Mud! We got Magic Mud! AIIIIEEEEEEE!" Zombies Threat Rating: 1 Size: 6+ ATN: 5 Weapon Damage: Claws 5 or by weapon. Skills: Special: Strike the Head, Taint Carrier, Undead, Controlled, Mindless, Shadowlands. "Uhhnnnnn...." Lesser Ogres Threat Rating: 3 Size: 3 ATN: 20 Weapon Damage: Tetsubo 18+5 Skills: Athletics 2 Special: Strong as an Ogre, Ogre Armor, Durable, Shadowlands. "SMASH! RAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!" True Ogre Threat Rating: 4 Size: 3 ATN: 25 Weapon Damage: Tetsubo 19+5 Skills: Athletics 2, Heavy Weapons 2 Special: Strong as an Ogre, Ogre Armor, Durable, Shadowlands. "Destroy the soft-skins! Glory to the Dark Lord! No Mercy!" Courtier Threat Rating: 2 Size: 4 ATN: 10 Weapon Damage: Wakizashi 14 Skills: Courtier 1, Etiquette 1, Sincerity 1 Special: Statesman. "I must say, you wear that kimono so ironically, no one would know it is last season!" Shugenja Threat Rating: 2 Size: 5 ATN: 11 Weapon Damage: Wakizashi 14

Skills: Spellcraft 1, Theology 1, Defense 1 Special: Spell Caster. "The kami are not pleased with you." Ninja Threat Rating 2 Size: 4 ATN: 14 Weapon Damage: Ninja-to 12 Skills: Stealth 2, Defense 1, Poison 1 Special: Stealthy, Poison, Light Armor "We are a bush." Monk Threat Rating: 3 Size: 5 ATN: 17 Weapon Damage: Fist 8, Staff 15 Skills: Jiujutsu 2, Theology 1, Defense 2 Special: Monk "Kiiiiii-ya!" Random Special Abilities: Ashigaru Armor: +3 to ATN Athlete: May add _5 to Athlete rolls involving running, climbing, or swimming. Controlled: Will follow the orders of the one controlling them to the letter. Will not stop until told to. Crab Technique: +3 to Damage Rolls, +5 versus Shadowlands Crane Technique: +3 to initiative, +5 when alone Dragon Technique: +5 to ATN, +3 when mook squad suffers injury Durable: Must raise at least once to damage unit. Further raises are as effective as normal. Elemental: Choose a Ring. Gains a +5 to cast spells from that Ring, but a -2 to cast spells from other rings. Elite: May make raises for combat maneuvers at -1 difficulty per raise (Each raise increases the TN by 4, rather than 5). Fearless: May add +2k0 to Fear Tests. Heavy Armor: +10 to ATN High Morale: will fight to the last Man Invulnerable: Requires Four raises to damage. Further raises may not be made to damage. [Shadowlands] Kensai: +5 to ATN and Attacks when wielding a Sword Light Armor: +5 to ATN Lion Technique: +3 to Melee attack roll, +5 when mook squad suffers injury Magic Mud: On Activation of Mud: opponents AND allies within 3' will take 5 damage (ignores armor reduction). Mook Squad is destroyed at the end of the encounter.

Mindless: No independent Thought or Creativity. Provides a +1 CP for construction, rather than costing CPs. Monk: May Learn One Kiho. Ogre Armor: +5 to ATN [Shadowlands] Phoenix Technique: +3 to ATN, +5 to ATN when Guarding Poison: Opponents struck must make a TN 15 + Poison Skill level Stamina roll or suffer +5 damage. Scorpion Technique: +2 to Stealth, +2 to Initiative Shadowlands: Carries the Shadowlands Taint and may, a number of times per fight equal to its Threat Rating add its Threat Rating to the total of any skill roll. [Shadowlands] (Obviously) Spell Caster: May Cast Spells. Statesman: +5 to Courtier and Etiquette Rolls. Stealthy: +5 to all Stealth skill Rolls. Strike the Head: Must Raise one time to even affect this unit, two raises are need for each additional kill Strong as an Ogre: Add +5 to all damage rolls and Skill rolls involving Strength Taint Carrier: Target must make a Earth Roll TN 5+1 for each time struck this combat by a zombie using claws or suffer one point of Shadowlands Taint. [Shadowlands] Undead: Immune to mind affecting effects, immune to most status conditions. [Shadowlands] Unicorn Technique: +2 to all skill rolls while mounted. Vulnerability: choose Jade, Crystal, Obsidian, Fire, or other substance. When dealt damage with this source it automatically damages one additional target and ignores Invulnerable. [Shadowlands] Provides a +1 CP for construction, rather than costing CPs. Watchman: +5 to Investigation (Notice Rolls) Weak Morale: Will run if more than half the squad is destroyed. Provides a +1 CP for construction, rather than costing CPs. New Advantage: Mook Squad Retainer (5+) A mook squad retainer is a group of servants that serves your character directly. When reduced in number they can be replenished by visiting your Daimyo's quartermaster or Minister of Retainers and requesting more people. Assuming the unit was not lost in some ridiculous or frivolous manner, they will be replaced. The base cost of a Mook Squad is 5 CPs and this purchases a Size 5, Threat rating One Squad. You may purchase additional Threat Ratings at a cost of 2 CPs per Threat Rating and may purchase skills at a cost of 1 CP per Skill level (no more than 3 Skill Levels may be purchased in any skill). Size may be increased OR decreased at a rate of 1CP per Size. Increasing size costs CPs, decreasing grants a cost reduction. Special Qualities may be purchased at a cost of 1 CP per Quality, but at GM's Discretion and only as it fits the theme of the Squad and Campaign. Mook Squad Cost Reductions: Bushi: May Purchase warrior mook squads for -2 CPs (Ashigaru, Samurai, Budoka, etc) Courtiers: May Purchase Courtier, Servant, or Yojimbo Mook Squads at -2 CPs. Ninja: May Purchase Monk, Warrior, Courtier, Servant, or Ninja Squads at -1 CP as it fits the Cover Story of the Ninja.

Shugenja: May Purchase Squads that have the Spell Caster Quality. (Note: Other Classes may NOT purchase Spell Caster Mooks). Crane: All Mook Squads may choose one of the Following Skills for Free, at One: Courtier, Etiquette, Defense Crab: All Mook Squads may choose one of the Following Skills for Free, at One: Defense, Weapon Skill, Shadowlands Lore Dragon: All Mook Squads may choose one of the Following Skills for Free, at One: Weapon Skill, Investigation, Thelogy Lion: All Mook Squads may choose one of the Following Skills for Free, at One: Weapon Skill, Battle, Etiquette Phoenix: All Mook Squads may choose one of the Following Skills for Free, at One: Spellcraft, Courtier, Etiquette Scorpion: All Mook Squads may choose one of the Following Skills for Free, at One: Weapon Skill, Stealth, Sincerity Unicorn: All Mook Squads may choose one of the Following Skills for Free, at One: Weapon Skill, Horsemanship, Investigation Status 3+: you may gain 1 CP towards purchasing a Mook Squad. Status 5+: You may gain +3 CPs Towards purchasing a Mook Squad. This stacks with Status 3. Glory 3+: you may gain 1 CP towards purchasing a Mook Squad. Glory 5+: You may gain +3 CPs Towards purchasing a Mook Squad. This stacks with Glory 3. Unit Does Not Replenish: -4 CPs from final cost. The only way to restore more units to this Squad (even if it drops to zero size) is by hiring in game or by training to the level of the mook squad. This is commonly used on Lost, Undead, and Mook Squads created through magical rituals, such as Zombies. Example of Mook Creation: Bill is a Hida Bushi with a Glory of 3 and a Status of 1.. He wishes to purchase a group of lesser Samurai that will help him fight the Shadowlands. Right off the bat we can see that he gets 1 CP towards this unit from his Glory of a 3. His status does not help since it is only a 1. Further, as a Bushi all warrior type Mooks are 2 points cheaper. so he choose to make a group of Samurai with a Threat Rating of 2. By spending 3 CPs (5 Base cost - 2 for being a Bushi) he has a Mook Squad of Size 5 and Threat Rating 1. Bill feels that's a bit low for Threat rating, so he uses another 2 CPs to make the Threat Rating a 2. So far so good. As a Crab, he also gets to choose one skill to grant them at a 1. Bill decides he wants the Squad to know what they're fighting so he gives them Shadowlands Lore of 1. This is a free rank and does not cost him anything. With the +1 he got from his Glory, Bill decides to increase the Size by 1, giving them a slightly higher pool of dice in all situations as well as allowing them to take another hit. He chooses to drop another CP on getting them the Heavy Weapons skill, so that brings his total to a 7 for this squad (with a free CP from his Glory, he only spent 5 of his Character Creation points on the squad, but the total value of the unit is a 7. This may be important for other techniques or advantages). As they are Samurai, the GM allows them to have Light Armor, Katana, and Wakizashi. Since they use Heavy Weapons, Bill asks for Tetsubos and the GM allows it. Bill's Samurai Squad looks like this: Name: Hida Bill's Killer Samurai Squad (7 CPs)

Threat Rating: 2 Size: 6 ATN: 15 Weapon Damage: Tetsubo 20, Katana 16, Wakizashi 14 Skills: Shadowlands Lore 1, Heavy Weapons 1 Special: Light Armor Not a terrible unit for 7 CPs, it gets to roll 7k2 when attacking with its Tetsubos and can make skill rolls for Shadowlands Lore with the same pool. All other rolls, are made at a 6k2. Pretty good for a group that will back him up in combat, but Bill wants a bit more. He asks if he can purchase the Crab Technique for his guys, but the GM decides that Hida bill is still too green and inexperienced to be trusted with such well trained Mooks. The GM says that he will allow Bill to upgrade his Squad with the Crab Technique later in the game, but right now he will not be able to do so. Bill laments on his cruel GM, but wisely does so under his breath.

Template for Mooks: Name: Threat Rating: Size: ATN: Weapon Damage: Skills: Special: