Well in the last few days, I've been thinking of a concept for a ronin character, which I think would be feasable and quite entertaining to play, despite (or maybe due to) the inherent difficulty of such a character.

The very short version: Born of two orphan kinfolk.

So what are your thought about the Ronin? As a player would you want to play one, and as a ST would you allow them?
This message was last edited by the user at 21:21, Mon 23 July 2007.

I have played Ronin, but it's rare--and difficult to manage.  It takes a really talented ST.  After all, wolves are pack animals and lone wolves are NOT meant to survive.  Sure, the Garou might not kill the Ronin outright, but they won't help them.  Period.  Not even a kind word on a cloudy day.  In a world filled with evil, darkness, and death, a Ronin simply CAN'T survive for long.  If he does manage to live, then he's useless.  He cannot sleep, hunt, eat, gather information, and fight all the while staring over his shoulder.

So yes, they CAN work, but it's dang hard!!  They're ultimately ineffectual, pointless, dead-man-walking type characters in modern settings.  It's slightly easier to work them into Dark Ages, but still hard  =/

And a Ronin isn't the same as a Garou with no Tribe.  A Ronin is specifically cast from the Nation.  So your concept would be an orphan or some other tragedy that would--likely--be allowed to undergo the Rite of Passage under whichever Tribe accepts him.  Depending on you and the ST, he'd likely be tossed in with another Pack, based upon his experiences to that point and the trustworthiness he shows.  If he is beyond feral, THEN he might earn the name Ronin.  Just depends.

As a player ronin appeal to me, I've always had a soft spot for characters which find life an uphill struggle.
As a ST I'd be very wary of such a concept, as it's somewhat awkward to fit in your average game. Still, I'd be prepared to have a long, hard sit-down with the potetnial ronin player and see if we couldn't work something out. I think maybe they're more feasible in the kind of games on RPoL than at the tabletop.