D&D 5E Do you think we will get an Oriental Adventures setting for 5th edition?

[S'mon]

Yeah, the use of 'oriental' is rather problematic. (Wuxia could work, except that that's overly specific.) Plus, there are issues with cultural appropriation that were less of an issue even a decade ago.

Maybe they could just have a Cultural Appropriation sourcebook detailing a variety of non-Western settings? They could call it Orientalism Adventures.

(Personally I hate Cultural Marxism and its destruction of culture).

 

[delericho]

Maybe they could just have a Cultural Appropriation sourcebook detailing a variety of non-Western settings? They could call it Orientalism Adventures.

(Personally I hate Cultural Marxism and its destruction of culture).

FWIW, I agree. But given Monte Cook's recent experience with "The Strange", it's something WotC may consider.

 

[Bagpuss]

Not if "Grumpy RPG Reviews" and those sorts have their way.

 

[Shasarak]

Maybe they could just have a Cultural Appropriation sourcebook detailing a variety of non-Western settings? They could call it Orientalism Adventures.

And we probably should not use the term "Western" either.

 

[Remathilis]

Yeah, the use of 'oriental' is rather problematic. (Wuxia could work, except that that's overly specific.) Plus, there are issues with cultural appropriation that were less of an issue even a decade ago.

Honestly, I think we'll see some conversions of classes and the like in a UA article, but any actual Asian-themed setting is most likely to come out of the third-party scene. Which may be no bad thing.

Which is why WotC will probably Stealth release it in an AP like Paizo did with Jade Regent. You give the AP a proper name (like Mask of the Oni Lord), and you avoid the OA name. You lump all the new monsters you want into the appendix, then you do a player give with with PC crunch and Bob's your uncle.

1. Realms compatible for AL
2. Update OA without the name
3. Look multicultural for delving into Asian myth
4. Some people would buy it for the PC crunch, some for updated Kara-tur info and monsters, some for the AP itself.
5. Only a portal away from the SC for the Mmo crowd.

 

[SkidAce]

Which is why WotC will probably Stealth release it in an AP like Paizo did with Jade Regent. You give the AP a proper name (like Mask of the Oni Lord), and you avoid the OA name. You lump all the new monsters you want into the appendix, then you do a player give with with PC crunch and Bob's your uncle.

1. Realms compatible for AL
2. Update OA without the name
3. Look multicultural for delving into Asian myth
4. Some people would buy it for the PC crunch, some for updated Kara-tur info and monsters, some for the AP itself.
5. Only a portal away from the SC for the Mmo crowd.

I just did some quick research (google) and it seems to me that oriental is still used in Europe without and negativity. Might be considered old fashioned, but not negative.

 

[delericho]

Which is why WotC will probably Stealth release it in an AP like Paizo did with Jade Regent.

That's a possibility. Though Jade Regent has the twin benefits of starting in a 'standard' area and then travelling, and also being released a couple of years ago before "cultural appropriation" became the bete noire of our times.

I just did some quick research (google) and it seems to me that oriental is still used in Europe without and negativity. Might be considered old fashioned, but not negative.

Maybe, but I think I'll avoid asking my Chinese co-worker if that's really the case.

 

[Remathilis]

That's a possibility. Though Jade Regent has the twin benefits of starting in a 'standard' area and then travelling, and also being released a couple of years ago before "cultural appropriation" became the bete noire of our times.



Maybe, but I think I'll avoid asking my Chinese co-worker if that's really the case.

At the risk of making this political, there is a fine line between using a cultural trope and appropriating it. One can argue the oni (former ogre mage) and monk class are better examples of appropriation since they take obvious Asian elements and present them without context. An actual adventure set in that cultural area would instead showcase the elements in a culture far closer to its native than traditional D&D does.

Of course, sensitivity to avoiding harmful stereotypes would need to be exercised, but I can see it better spun as "D&D inspired by myths and legends from all cultures" than "D&D in funny costumes".

 

[SkidAce]

At the risk of making this political, there is a fine line between using a cultural trope and appropriating it. One can argue the oni (former ogre mage) and monk class are better examples of appropriation since they take obvious Asian elements and present them without context. An actual adventure set in that cultural area would instead showcase the elements in a culture far closer to its native than traditional D&D does.

Of course, sensitivity to avoiding harmful stereotypes would need to be exercised, but I can see it better spun as "D&D inspired by myths and legends from all cultures" than "D&D in funny costumes".

I never see any conversation about "cultural appropriation" concerning Viking or Norse cultures. Or even Germanic or Greek culture and D&D is riddled with that. I wonder why?

 

[delericho]

At the risk of making this political, there is a fine line between using a cultural trope and appropriating it.

Oh, I agree. And, frankly, I have very little time for complaints of "cultural appropriation" anyway.

But I don't get to dictate the actions of the Twitter mob. After after what happened wrt "The Strange", I can easily see WotC choosing to err on the side of caution.