Master the Blade.
Embrace the Spirit.
Enter a realm where myth walks among mortals. In this tactical skirmish game, lead fearless warriors, summon ancient yokai, and forge your legacy in a world where the veil between spirit and steel grows thin.
Shoshin: The Path of Ascension is a fast, flexible, miniatures-agnostic tabletop skirmish game inspired by the warriors, clans, and folklore of feudal Japan. Built on the lightweight Universal d6 Gaming System (Ud6), Shoshin delivers tactical depth without the slowdown—letting players focus on strategy, storytelling, and the thrill of combat.
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 Engaged
Turns stay fast and fluid—even in multi-player battles.
- Beginner-Friendly, Tactician-Approved
Easy to learn, challenging to master.
- Play What You Love
Balanced gameplay with historical or mythical options.
Gameplay
(Prototypes shown for illustrative purposes only)
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.
(Prototypes shown for illustrative purposes only)
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.
Original Artwork Development
Production advances and our original art can now move from concept to completed, print-ready illustrations.
Development Roadmap
Every milestone is a step toward a greater vision: building an entire ecosystem around the core game!
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