Rokugan

[Macbrea]

Ah, Last weekend we decided to play a game set in Rokugan. We discovered there are somethings that people need to be used to when playing in that world.

1. Because low skills are not trained by most characters traps are far more deadly.
2. Armor Classes are much lower because only samurai and warriors wear armor. Leather being a dead animals flesh isn't worn by any person in Rokugan.
3. The game is much more political in nature then most of our Western type games.
   [/list=1]
   
   I have come to the realization though, how deadly a game can be when noone wears armor and noone is a rogue. On a whole, though the setting has potential.

 

[Gaiden]

I am currently setting up a campaign to be run in Rokugan (spawned off of a game I already had going) and I must say Rokugan is absolutely incredible. The story that is inherent and the roleplaying potential on Rokugan is in short: like nothing I have ever seen before.

About low AC's, I must say that some of the higher level characters I have been designing as NPCs are certainly in no way lacking in power or defense. Because Rokugan has so many new feats and skills I would imagine that it will take time for players to become as accustomed to the system as they are for standard Greyhawk D&D. But after thoroughly going through the rules I must argue that most characters need not at all concern themselves with a low AC.

First off, because societal rank plays such a strong roll in Rokugan it would be literally unheard of for anyone of lower rank than a samuraii to ever even wield a weapon (never mind have armor). With out too much analysis, the point of the above comment is that at least with regard to other characters and NPC's (not monsters) most characters ought not be getting into too much combat so AC is kind of a moot point. Combat is only particularly important to samuraii or those guarding the border to the shadowlands.

Second point is that their are actually a number of ways to improve AC outside of armor for characters in Rokugan. The Ninja for example gains the equivalent of stackable dodge feats every 4th or 5th level (I forget which - don't have books). Next look at some of the feats like Hida's technique or Armor focus. These increase your AC. Finally, I can't imagine many characters who would not have the feat Void Use, in Rokugan (who are martially oriented anyway). Void Use and its derivative clan feats can make your AC higher than any armor could.

Case and point - phoenix Samurai with PrC from way of the samuraii that causes max void point to be an automatic permanent bonus to AC. With a few depths of the void this guys AC while flat footed exceeds 25. Combining this with the kiho feat enabling the character to spend a void point to add his max void point to AC as an armor bonus (as opposed to void bonus) gives him a normal AC above 40 for several minutes.

I also have a high level crab Samurai with a PrC from Way of the Samuraii that has an unarmored AC over 30. (Took Hida's Technique 6x with the PrC ability tripling the natural armor bonus from Hida's Technique).

For non-Samuraii you have several cases - monks (who don't wear armor anyway), inkyo who can do the same thing as my phoenix above to even greater effect as they will most likely have a higher number of void points, rogues, and other fighter types. As rogues/ninjas will most likely be considered dishonorable due to their technique of fighting - hit and run/surprise/flank/etc. They are not likely to need armor especially with the amplified social consequences of fighting.

Other Fighter types are really the only ones that are important. And if you look at the clans most of those other fighter types (nonsamurai) are going to originate in the Crab clan fighting the shadowlands. In these cases they are going to want the really heavy armor as is (and they have access to Way of the Crab, if they want to focus on mobile fighting as opposed to tank fighting).

 

[hong]

First off, because societal rank plays such a strong roll in Rokugan it would be literally unheard of for anyone of lower rank than a samuraii to ever even wield a weapon (never mind have armor). With out too much analysis, the point of the above comment is that at least with regard to other characters and NPC's (not monsters) most characters ought not be getting into too much combat so AC is kind of a moot point. Combat is only particularly important to samuraii or those guarding the border to the shadowlands.

Bandits, ninja assassins, wild beasts, Shadowlands monsters -- there are plenty of ways to introduce the gratuitous violence that we know and love into Rokugan.

 

[evileeyore]

But Macbrea, my Crane Courtier wore no armor, had no low skills, and yet I remained very healthy and untouched by those pesky Crab Clan traps.

What you say, that is because I was at the back and allowed the foolish Dragon Samurai lead from the front? That I stepped away from the shapechanging Bakamono to allow my Inkyo servant better access to fight them?

Aha, you have grasped my political tactics exactly...

Yeah I have found that Courtiers really don't belong anywhere near the battlefeild. Atleast not with the feats I choose... With an AC of 10, 10 HP, a to hit of +2, doing only a d6 damage... Of course at 2nd level I had a Diplomacy of +20!!! And that was off a 25pt stat buy. (I had argued our newbie DM into using 'iconic' stats-mostly because I think that they are viable, and I believe that thaey are the level that the game designers balanced the game for...)



Aside: Yeah, Macbrea that was a real rough game with no Rogues. Of course the module was designed for a D&D party, not necesarily a Rokugan party. I may have to take a Rogue level or two in the future just to circumvent those traps. But that would take away from my true destination should we ever play those characters in a campaign. Hmmm, maybe a few Ninja levels...

As a side note I liked the Courtier class so much that I will be taking atleast one level of it on my Sorceror in cstrube's Thracian campiagn. I've decided that Fjhull's Dragoons need a rich sponsor... and who better than me?

 

[Black Omega]

Ah, Last weekend we decided to play a game set in Rokugan. We discovered there are somethings that people need to be used to when playing in that world.

It is a change of pace, make no mistake.

[*] Because low skills are not trained by most characters traps are far more deadly.

This is more true in the classic L5R game than in Rokugan, where it's fairly easy to have rogues with a party. The classic L5R you won't run into traps often, so it's rarely an issue. Real samurai don't use traps!

[*] Armor Classes are much lower because only samurai and warriors wear armor. Leather being a dead animals flesh isn't worn by any person in Rokugan.

But chain shirts and ashigaru armor are light armor and work fine for lower class, roguish types. Only samurai will wear samurai armor, but Inkyo get a simple armor prof. Ninja often multiclass with classes that give armor prof. So far in my Rokugan game AC doesn't seem that different.

[*] The game is much more political in nature then most of our Western type games.

That does fit the theme. Though it can depend on the PC's. A mob of Crab Samurai aren't going to deal much with politics. On the other hand, it's nice to be able to say "Perhaps you'd care to show us your great skill at Go." and have the PC feel like he's under attack.

I have come to the realization though, how deadly a game can be when noone wears armor and noone is a rogue. On a whole, though the setting has potential.

The biggest adjustment for many groups would be not the lethality, but that Raise Dead, Ressurection, etc don't exist in Rokugan. Barring some form of reincarnation, once you are dead, you are dead.

Hong 'Aggressive Negotiation' Ooi is right, though. Plenty of enemies to fight, when action is desired. And let's not forget the Bloodspeakers. Always good for a evil cult plot or two.