D&D 5E Oriental Adventures 5e: How would you do it?

Given the wealth of folklore of curses, id like to see some kind of cure magic/subclass (warlock would be perfect for it).

Id love to see a shiva like cleric domain (a mixture of destruction and chaos)

A ninja assassin rogue subclass

A gurkha style ranger subclass (gains limited sneak attack)
Thats all i can think of at the moment, but im sure theres more

Elfcrusher said:

Oh Jeez it's become a thread about racism. And to think I was here to answer the question.

I would release an adventure path in Kara-Tur, or whatever we call it, and make the place a mish-mash of different cultural elements so that it's not identifiable as China or Japan or Korea or Vietnam. (Or Bhutan. Can we have some Bhutanese elements, please?)

Then provide new subclasses...ideally one per class...designed to evoke the flavor.

(Here's my own entry for monk subclass.)

Click to expand...

It *is* tricky to do it right isn't it? I think it's better (and safer) to do something that is only "inspired" as opposed trying to be accurate, which takes a *lot* of work. So it should be really clear that it's not trying to be accurate. (Yoon-Suin succeeded very well in that regards)

CubicsRube said:

We could have a muay thai fighter subclass, or a filipino escrima fighter, yogic avatars, etc

Click to expand...

CubicsRube said:

Given the wealth of folklore of curses, id like to see some kind of cure magic/subclass (warlock would be perfect for it).

Id love to see a shiva like cleric domain (a mixture of destruction and chaos)

A ninja assassin rogue subclass

A gurkha style ranger subclass (gains limited sneak attack)
Thats all i can think of at the moment, but im sure theres more

Click to expand...

What would these entail that isn't already in existing rules?

I mean outside of defining some of these by real life race, what new mechanics would they need that would require a new class or subclass?
What is "Gurkha style", and what would it need that ranger, scout rogue, or a mix cannot provide?

What would the two fighter examples require that isn't likewise provided by monk, fighter etc.

Ninja has already been mentioned as being covered several times, depending on your preferred flavour of ninja. What do you think is missing?

I know this thread has generally been derailed on this subject, but as a Canadian of Chinese descent, I feel that the term "Oriental" is roughly in the same category as "Negro" is for Black People or "Indian" is for First Nations, it's not necessarily offensive but it's dated and probably shouldn't be used in polite conversations with North Americans of said backgrounds. There's also quite a world of difference between Asians from Asia, and Canadians or Americans of Asian backgrounds.

As for the existence of such a book in 5e, I feel that there shouldn't be a source book in regards to the game content, rather all the game content should be spread out among different source books. Since there's been no setting books so far, I feel that only adventures cover should cover the setting material. The previous books had too much of the design of "it has to be different, because it's a different place", I see no justification for having some of the classes in the 1e version exist. Many of the things are already covered in the PHB by Battlemaster Fighters, Assassin Rogues, the Monk class in general and the fact a lot of the classes are already culture-neutral. Xanathar's guide covers even some of the specific examples, and the Mystic/Psionics might cover more.

I'm also against the Japan-centric approach all versions of that book took. I also feel it makes books on real-world cultures from Wizards less viable, even taking European culture into account, you should ask yourself how well-covered Eastern European culture has been in D&D so far, and I doubt they're even going to bother with Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea or India with such a book. That's the sort of thing I feel the DM's Guild might handle better anyways.

Elfcrusher said:

Oh Jeez it's become a thread about racism. And to think I was here to answer the question.

I would release an adventure path in Kara-Tur, or whatever we call it, and make the place a mish-mash of different cultural elements so that it's not identifiable as China or Japan or Korea or Vietnam. (Or Bhutan. Can we have some Bhutanese elements, please?)

Then provide new subclasses...ideally one per class...designed to evoke the flavor.

(Here's my own entry for monk subclass.)

Click to expand...

There's already a Bhutan in Kara-Tur. It is called, in the most unimaginative way possible, "Bhutan". No, I am not kidding, look it up. And it's right next to "Tabot".

Cap'n Kobold said:

What would these entail that isn't already in existing rules?

I mean outside of defining some of these by real life race, what new mechanics would they need that would require a new class or subclass?
What is "Gurkha style", and what would it need that ranger, scout rogue, or a mix cannot provide?

What would the two fighter examples require that isn't likewise provided by monk, fighter etc.

Ninja has already been mentioned as being covered several times, depending on your preferred flavour of ninja. What do you think is missing?

Click to expand...

Flavour mostly. Thai fighters could be monks with capacities to absorb damage (maybe gaining limited resistance or sonething) as well as more powrful leaping attacks.

Gurkhas could get advantage to attacking while stealthed or fighting in favoured terrain, gain a dagger fighting style, advantage on navigating and enduring harsh conditions.

These are just rough ideas. I havent really thought much about them. But it would mostly be making new combinations of existing class features that might open up slightly different play styles.

Obviously the real life backgrounds would be used for starting inspiration and then d&d ized from there. I'm not meaning to emuulate real groups.

But when i think about it, i like the idea of a holy wrestler, a monk with limited rage, a spellcaster that can summon and contain demons.. theres a lotof possibilities

Ok heres a stab at one.

Monk: way of the 8 limbs

At 3rd level, your tough training emables you to endure heavy blpws. You may spend a ki point to gain resistence for one non magical attack that hits you

Overwhwlming assault. At 6 level, your training has taught you to use every part of your body as a weapon. You may spend an additional ki point to make a 2nd flurry of blows this turn.

The iron soul. At 11th level your training has permeated your spirit. You cannot be charmed or frightened. In addition, you may cast the fear spell once per long rest.

The walking death. At 17th level your strikes become so precise and your body has become so toughened that you have become death incarnate. You score a critical hit on a 19-20


Obviously above needs to be playtested, but its a class id be excited about playing. A high offense furious monk!

QuietBrowser said:

Races should kick the "sacred cow" of the 1e OA square in the gonads. Oriental Fantasy is filled with all manner of mystical and magical beings living alongside or not too dissimilarly from humans; what does it say about D&D when the sourcebook on Oriental Fantasy actually results in a less fantastic world than most urban fantasy manga! Name of the game is to bring in strong, distinctly Oriental races, which makes for an interesting replacement to the classic Elves & Dwarves & Orcs.

Click to expand...

That wouldn't be a 5E version of the Oriental Adventures supplement. I suggest you come up with a new name and drop the not-so-veiled digs at OA.

ad_hoc said:

#2 - The reason it was called Oriental Adventures and we don't have European Adventures is because of ethnocentrism. It is the idea that Whiteness is the default and everyone else is 'other'. That's the real problem. It treats white people as special while others are less than white.

Click to expand...

With respect to "Othering", use of the term Oriental in Oriental Adventures to indicate they're different from the generic is kind of the point. In other words, "These aren't your standard fantasy ideas as written by people of European descent using their own cultural histories as the default." The term is supposed to mark them as different - as "other". That, however, doesn't imply anything about being lesser or the default being special in this particular context. In fact, the presumption in publishing it at all had been to provide something that people clearly wanted to check out and incorporate into their gaming. How exactly that makes them less than white is beyond me.

That said, there is a lot of baggage associated with the term Oriental in Western societies. The mysterious East, the machinations of Fu Manchu, the hidden plateaus of secret societies, the exotic tales of Arabian nights, all stereotyped and fetishized for the enjoyment of imperialist societies of the 18th-early 20th centuries yet blanketed under one term and its derivatives "the Orient". That is why the term should be considered with caution, if you ask me.

That doesn't mean that someone shouldn't try to develop source material based on non-European cultural influences. I'd say "Bring them on" instead. Just put good research into them and cover them with some cultural sensitivity rather than grossly stereotype.

billd91 said:

With respect to "Othering", use of the term Oriental in Oriental Adventures to indicate they're different from the generic is kind of the point. In other words, "These aren't your standard fantasy ideas as written by people of European descent using their own cultural histories as the default." The term is supposed to mark them as different - as "other". That, however, doesn't imply anything about being lesser or the default being special in this particular context. In fact, the presumption in publishing it at all had been to provide something that people clearly wanted to check out and incorporate into their gaming. How exactly that makes them less than white is beyond me.

That said, there is a lot of baggage associated with the term Oriental in Western societies. The mysterious East, the machinations of Fu Manchu, the hidden plateaus of secret societies, the exotic tales of Arabian nights, all stereotyped and fetishized for the enjoyment of imperialist societies of the 18th-early 20th centuries yet blanketed under one term and its derivatives "the Orient". That is why the term should be considered with caution, if you ask me.

That doesn't mean that someone shouldn't try to develop source material based on non-European cultural influences. I'd say "Bring them on" instead. Just put good research into them and cover them with some cultural sensitivity rather than grossly stereotype.

Click to expand...

It would be fine if it weren't for colonization.