About the Game


Welcome to Shoshin: The Path of Ascension, an immersive tabletop skirmish game set in a mythical version of the tumultuous era of feudal Japan. Step into the roles of cunning warlords, fearless yokai, and legendary heroes, navigating the intricate dynamics of warfare and strategy. Shoshin combines historical inspiration, mythological elements, and strategic depth, offering an unparalleled wargaming experience where honor is won through cunning tactics, mastery of the battlefield, and bonds forged in the crucible of war.


Game Premise


In Shoshin, you lead a clan of elite warriors or walk the path of the Ronin, mastering the art of strategy and combat to achieve ultimate victory. Engage in fast-paced skirmish battles, utilize terrain and tactics, and dive into rich, story-driven campaigns and one-off adventures.


Age Requirements and Player Count


Designed for players 12 years and older, Shoshin captures the essence of strategic decision-making and tactical prowess. While typically played with a minimum of 2 players, the game can accommodate any number of participants based on agreed-upon game types and scenarios, fostering camaraderie and competition among players.


Strategic Depth and Accessibility


Shoshin is built on a straightforward universal d6 system (Ud6), ensuring ease of adoption for both new and experienced gamers. With uncomplicated mechanics and intuitive rules, players can quickly grasp the fundamentals of gameplay, allowing for seamless immersion into the rich world of feudal Japan. The accessible nature of the game promotes inclusivity and enjoyment for all players.


Flexibility and Extensibility


The Ud6 game system serves as a solid foundation for creativity, encouraging the development of unique campaigns, characters, items, and special abilities. This flexibility allows players to tailor their gaming experience to their preferences, crafting intricate narratives and dynamic scenarios that reflect their vision. Official game expansions are meticulously designed to integrate seamlessly with the base rules, enhancing gameplay while preserving the core mechanics that make Shoshin captivating and immersive.

Traditional Characters of the Era

Shoshin: The Path of Ascension offers a grounded, yet myth-touched experience rooted in the warrior traditions of feudal Japan. As a player, you'll take command of a carefully curated roster of historical archetypes — each drawn from real-world roles that once shaped the fate of clans and empires.

Daimyo – Strategic and commanding, these powerful warlords lead from the front, balancing ambition with the burden of leadership.
Samurai – Honorable and deadly, the samurai are elite warriors sworn to duty, martial skill, and code.
Ashigaru – Common-born foot soldiers whose discipline and numbers form the backbone of any battlefield force.
Sohei – Buddhist warrior monks wielding spiritual conviction, often caught between temple and war.
Ninja – Masters of infiltration, subterfuge, and silent elimination — shadows in human form.
Onmyoji – Court-appointed mystics and diviners who blend natural philosophy with esoteric rituals to control unseen forces.

Your Ethereal Allies

While Shoshin: The Path of Ascension remains firmly rooted in the historical context of feudal Japan, it also acknowledges the deep cultural significance of folklore — especially the enduring presence of yokai in the Japanese imagination.
Though traditional accounts speak of hundreds of these supernatural beings — from mischievous spirits to vengeful apparitions — Shoshin introduces twelve distinct yokai in the core game. Each is carefully chosen and adapted to reflect a unique spiritual threat or cultural archetype, providing a mythic counterpoint to the otherwise human struggles on the battlefield.

Oni – Hulking demons of strength and savagery, Oni thrive in chaos, breaking ranks and bodies with unstoppable force.
Kitsune – Cunning and enchanting, these fox spirits weave illusions and manipulate fate with a smile and a flick of the tail.
Tanuki – Shapeshifting tricksters who blur the line between mischief and mayhem, hiding chaos beneath a jovial mask.
Tengu – Proud and militant, these winged warriors test mortals through trial and combat, serving as both threat and teacher.
Kappa – Amphibious menaces from riverbeds and lakes, Kappa disrupt flow and formation with unpredictable aggression.
Yurei – Bound by sorrow or vengeance, these restless spirits drift across battlefields, drawn to suffering like moths to flame.
Itsumade – Omen of pestilence, ruin and flame, this serpent-like bird cries through the night, marking the guilty for death.
Ame-Onna – A weeping woman cloaked in constant rain, she spreads sorrow and despair, drawing strength from misery and neglect.
Nure-Onna – A serpent-bodied woman of eerie calm, she lures victims with false sympathy before striking with paralyzing precision.
Jubokko – Twisted trees that drink the blood of the fallen, they ensnare the wounded and thrive where battles linger too long.
Tsuchigumo – Giant earth spiders lurking beneath the surface, they collapse the unwary into pits and bind them in silence.
Gashadokuro – Colossal skeletons formed from unburied dead, these silent giants crush anything beneath their unseen steps.

Gameplay

Strategy Without the Strain

Streamlined. Intuitive. Fast. Shoshin is built on the Universal d6 (Ud6) system—a core resolution mechanic designed for immediate understanding and effortless play. Say goodbye to complex modifiers, bloated dice pools, and forgotten conditions that bog down the action. With Ud6, every roll moves the story forward.

One Die to Rule the Game

Every action resolves with a simple roll of a six-sided die.

Pace That Keeps You Hooked

Turns stay fast and fluid—even in multi-player battles.

Beginner-Friendly, Tactician-Approved

Easy to learn, challenging to master.

Minis, Minis, Minis!

We will be offering amazing sculpts of minis and terrain by the amazing Kyoushuneko Miniatures and 3D Alien Worlds!

Starter Clans with plenty of Add-ons will be available, ready to paint or print, to build your experience how you want.

Miniatures

Yokai

Terrain

Outstanding Items


Mechanics / Playtesting

99% Complete. The game is mature as it has been developed over the past 24 months and playtested countless times with newbies and professional gamers alike. Shoshin has been showcased at several conventions such as GenCon, StrategiCon, Mini Wars (hosted by the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society), receiving much fanfare and overwhelmingly positive response. If anything occurs here it would be one or two very minor rule tweaks. We will leave an open window for player feedback and suggestions prior to sending the rulebook to print.


RuleBook

85% Complete. The rulebook is currently written at 185 pages of rules, historical context and beautiful artwork - think Dungeon Master's Guide meets Players Handbook or your favorite Codex. The rulebook is also prepped per commerical printing specs. What remains is to hire 2 or 3 talented artists in very specific styles to replace some placeholder art - this will be the most time consuming out of everything that is left to do.


Components (Box, cards, tokens, dice, etc.)

95% Complete. Prototypes of all game components have been developed and a few copies have been printed for convention showcase and pre-release copies. As our artists release updated imagery, we plan to explore a re-design of the prototype card layouts incorporating the best feedback we receive from our backers.


Miniatures

95% Complete. All of the variations of the main player characters are inventoried and all that remains to be designed and sculpted are special one-off creations for all of the yokai characters (which is actively being sculpted).


Clan Creator Tool (Optional)

90% Complete. While not necessary to play the game at all, we are developing a clan creator tool which would allow players to create their own rosters and save them to a database for quick retrieval. Unfortunately, we are out of resources and are blocked by a paywall that unlocks the critical functionality to complete this tool. We cannot move forward unless we get approximately 50 paying subscribers to our website which would offset the monthly cost OR appropriate funds from the successful launch of this project.


Website Redesign

As new artwork is created, we will introduce them to align all physical and digital assets so that visually everything remains copacetic going forward. Currently, we are utilizing a no-code provider to host/build our site and must operate within their paywall limitations.

Join the Community


At Pelican House Games, we believe in the power of community and collaboration. Join our growing community of Shoshin players, share your stories, and connect with fellow enthusiasts. Whether you’re a veteran strategist or a budding tactician, there's a place for you.


Embark on your journey in Shoshin: The Path of Ascension today, and prove your worth in the fierce and honorable world of feudal Japan. The path to greatness awaits!


For more information and to stay updated on the latest developments, visit our Discord and help shape the future of the game.