What if Japan was a D&D nation?

[Snapdragyn]

I voted Kalashtar as this allows an even greater cultural divide with the introduction of a 'different magic' (i.e. psionics). I would, however, change the appearance so that they are hobgoblins with the stats of Kalashtar.

 

[The Edge]

Catgirls.

Hah! The answer is so clear now!

Though in seriousness, I'm not sure. So far it almost seems like the goblinoids are simply replacing humans. A race to match the Land of the Rising Sun huh. You need to think of what the players will be doing when they visit the island and how they are going to encounter the natives. Think of anything iconic of ancient Japan, and try to imagine the race matching it.

For exotic, yuan-ti could work well. Although I'd have them nearly all be the more humanoid variation of yaun-ti, with only powerful/high standing ones achieving the complete snake like form. With the ability to morph 'down' into the humanoid form, when they so choose. I could picture snake like people in kimonos and common traditional dress around the Japanese style shrines. Not sure about how well Samurai fit with them. Dunno whether they'd appreciate rice either. (though maybe rice isn't at the most of your concerns)

hmm hmm hmm...

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Hah! The answer is so clear now!

Though in seriousness, I'm not sure. So far it almost seems like the goblinoids are simply replacing humans. A race to match the Land of the Rising Sun huh. You need to think of what the players will be doing when they visit the island and how they are going to encounter the natives. Think of anything iconic of ancient Japan, and try to imagine the race matching it.

For exotic, yuan-ti could work well. Although I'd have them nearly all be the more humanoid variation of yaun-ti, with only powerful/high standing ones achieving the complete snake like form. With the ability to morph 'down' into the humanoid form, when they so choose. I could picture snake like people in kimonos and common traditional dress around the Japanese style shrines. Not sure about how well Samurai fit with them. Dunno whether they'd appreciate rice either. (though maybe rice isn't at the most of your concerns)

hmm hmm hmm...

Then I would say hengeyokai..

 

[Byrons_Ghost]

Another vote for tiefling. This is because of an early D20 setting, Gothos, which had a Japanese-like empire ruled over by the tainted descendants of a demonic invader. This created a feudal caste system similar to Shogun Japanl, whereby one's proximity to the emporer/god (and, therefore, one's Infernal taint) determined one's station in life.

I always thought that was an awesome way of doing things. Of course, you could probably do similar with the Yuan-ti and their purity of blood.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

To get more to the point, what period of Japanese history are you looking at basing your Japan on?

 

[Gez]

As much as I loathe the tinker gnome archetype, I have to point out that Japaneses are of small stature and completely obsessed by building robots and various strange, useless gizmos.

 

[Mokona]

what period of Japanese history are you looking at

The Kamakura period of Japan and the Shogunate.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

The Kamakura period of Japan and the Shogunate.

So pretty solidly 900s. I would recommend elves then. That's around the period that the bow was still held in highest esteem (katanas and melee weapons not until the Onin War, and Bushido didn't come around until the Edo Era), reverence for nature spirits, house/clan holdings organized around grants by the Emperor vs. centralized holdings based on province.

 

[Mokona]

So pretty solidly 900s.

Per Wikipedia: The Kamakura period (1185–1333) is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 by the first Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Per Wikipedia: The Kamakura period (1185–1333) is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 by the first Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo.

D'oh! Still elves/bows/nature, still fractured clan holdings.