It’s an oldish preview now that The New Order dropped, but it’s existence had me thinking about the 2 for 2 holdings in TNO in a whole new light. I’m talking, of course, about Forgotten Legacy.

This card is going to have enormous impacts on how we design our gold schemes. At first glance it just looks like a reverse Jade Pearl Inn, but in reality it’s much better.

I hate Forgotten Legacy, but that’s a subject for another article. For now, it’s just important to point out one thing:

With the printing of Forgotten Legacy, 1 for 1s become awesome

That’s not to say 1 for 1s aren’t already awesome, but it does make it even more true thanks to context. 2 for 2s are already being pushed out for a 3 for 1 and 1 for 1 scheme. It’s entirely possible the 3/1 scheme is more powerful than the 2 for 2 scheme in strict. Clearly, 2 for 2s are being pushed out.

Before gold pooling, a 2 for 2 was the smallest holding anyone played because wasting gold was terrible. They are where utility effects ended up, as small kickers that made them more attractive. There have been a ton of 2 for 2s printed (259, actually). For the most part, and as recently as The New Order, they blow up to do something or bow to create incremental advantage.

Non-telescoping 2 for 2 holdings have always been hit or miss, but there are general themes. If we want better 2 for 2s, we should look at the best of the bunch and try to learn some lessons. Let’s take a trip down memory lane!

They generate (a lot) or force

I’m not talking about Humble House or one of the +1F effects I mocked from The New Order. I’m talking about real force. At least a reusable +2F. Well-Defended Farm was too pushed, and the Chi bonus on Temple of the Ages was why that card was played, but L5R is full of 2 for 2s that were played for their force bonus. Saiden Sanzo, Standing Stones, Venerable Master, and Revered Sensei all count.

Lesson: Produce at least 2 force, with an additional cost of bowing the holding, or limited what it can target.

They draw cards

Drawing off the top is a risky proposal. A single fate card sometimes can win the game on the spot, and other times has no effect at all. The value of a fate card relative to a dynasty card isn’t always clear. En masse, however, the power of drawing cards can’t be denied, and 2 for 2 holdings are a great home for these sorts of effects, provided they price is right.

Good costing mechanisms restrict when you can draw, what you can draw, or how much the card costs.

The actual cost of a card has varied over time, but 5 gold or a dynasty card seems about right. Too low and degenerate combo decks start to come online.

Cycle effects are another subject. Some see some play, but only with no cost beyond bowing the card. Cards with additional costs have been misses.

Lesson: Make the cost high enough to matter, but always draw a whole card rather than cycle if there is any cost beyond bowing.

They have the power to swing the game at pivotal moments

These cards disrupt your opponents plans, make your attacks safer, and give you that final push. They blow themselves up because when you do you’re going to win the game.

The effects cards like these produce vary, from very marginal (Akodo’s Grave, Family Library) to board warping (Chugo Seido, Shrine to Osano-Wo, Yobajin Fortress). At the lower end, though, these cards represent what 2 for 2s used to be – the cheap holdings you could sacrifice for some on-board advantage. Now that 1 for 1s exist it seems cards like Akodo’s Grave and Family Library should be 1 for 1s.

It’s hard to draw a concrete lesson from cards like these, except to say that the value of a 2 for 2 holding is much higher now than it was pre-gold pooling. Their opportunity cost is higher, so they need to be more powerful to compensate. The value of their effect also varies with their context. For example, Living Blade Dojo was crazy good but Delicate Forge is trash. Why? Because Living Blade Dojo picked up Iaijutsu Challenge, while Delicate Forge gets Stockpiled Weapons. QED.

Lesson: Cards that destroy themselves must be impact the board right away, either by getting powerful cards or having powerful effects.  Marginal destruction effects should be moved to 1 for 1s.

2 for 2s are terrible, but they don’t have to be

The history of L5R is littered with examples of successful 2 for 2s. In the past, design was forced to print a lot of them, but times have changed. These holdings can get much better, especially considering how must cost there is to running them.

Good 2 for 2 holdings should:

• Generate card advantage with reasonable costs and restrictions
• Generate permanent force, or generate more than 1 force with minimal hassle
• Only blow themselves up for long-lasting or very powerful effects

With a few intelligent changes to holding design, we can push back against the tyranny of Forgotten Legacy 3/1 gold schemes. You have nothing to lose but your chains, Mr. Reece!