D&D 5E Adventures in Rokugan Arrives August 5th

Adventures in Rokugan is Edge Studios' official 5E version of Legend of the Five Rings, announced last year. Legend of the Five Rings is an East Asian inspired setting which goes all the way back to the 1990s, and was purchased by Fantasy Flight Games in 2018, before being moved over to FFG's sister company, Edge Studios in 2020 (which has taken over all the TTRPG operations from FFG, including Star Wars).

The 5E version includes new classes -- Shinobi, Pilgrim, Courtier, Ritualist, Bushi, Duelist, Acolyte -- and various new shapeshifting animal species.

It's coming out on August 5th and will cost $49.99.

Adventures in Rokugan brings the famous setting of Legend of the Five Rings to the ever-popular ruleset of the 5th Edition SRD. Players can explore this rich setting in a whole new light, and the familiar rules promise to engage an entirely new audience of roleplaying fans. Alongside a new focus on roleplaying activities such as dungeon delving and monster hunting, Adventures in Rokugan promises to provide something for all fans of Rokugan.

 

[Weiley31]

It seems to me that they basically that the L5R setting as a whole was not appropriate for a 5e book (perhaps for social reasons, perhaps not) but were unwilling to give up the temptation of brand recognition. So, they created a new setting in name only.

The thing is, the 2022 reasons why not to port Rokugan over to 5e would also apply to any current exploration of the setting, regardless of rule set. I really don't understand what audience they're expecting to buy this.

Potentially, it could be for a number of audiences. Those for the LR5 crowd who can't successfully persuade their fellow Tabletop players to try something that isn't DND, DND players who enjoy asian mythology/anime stuff, and those who were fans of the card game. Or maybe those who heard of the IP but never checked it out originally.

Honestly, it seems like it could cover a number of audience bases based upon what they are looking for. Heck, the biggest shock about it seems to be that it's a 5E rpg that apparently takes some "hints and cues" from 4E of all things.

Granted, I am more curious to check out how the Tengu/Kitsune are on their actual page with the mechanics. I've yet to find a Kitsune pc option that I was happy with in 5E, but that could partly be a bit of my fault for wanting something that has a focus on the tails, when that seems to be more of a Milestone/DM reward type thing to a player.

Also: it'll be nice to add more weapons to the 5E list in my games.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It’s a contemporary version of Rokugan for people who like the 5e system. Why is that complicated.

It has plenty of Samurai, Japanese mythology and culture.

There are no more dice to track than the Battlemaster or Bard.

This sounds like sour grapes because a couple of minor changes have been seized upon by purists.

Rokugan did not require a strict honour code to be Rokugan. Devotion and the Code covers the same ground - just in a way that doesn’t offend people quite so much.

Please point out to me a change that will fundamentally change how the game plays at the table for the worse. Rather than just upsetting the longbeards who want to preserve the setting in amber.

How many people were offended? They are literally making a L5R game right now that has all the classic cultural elements. If offense were the issue, they'd change that game too.

 

[Weiley31]

The Bushi class looks amazing though!

Ya as a Battle Master player, I dig the fact that it has Focus points that can be used to fuel its class features.

 

[Shardstone]

But it's true. And it's always the same people on here that's never happy.

Note: I didn't say it to ruin the discussion. You view it your way and I can view it my way, so don't let me ruin your cereal.

I'm all across this forum giving as much praise as I give criticism. So, whatever you're implying is a straight lie.

 

[overgeeked]

Keeping the setting more or less the same as the other Rokugan RPG that they are currently making is an unreasonable standard? No.

Right. Because if they're hoping for cross-pollination and sales, the lore should line up, at least roughly. Having people relearn a new lore set with many familiar names is the worst way to go. Keep the lore, change the rules. Make it easier for your customers to dip into your standing line of books...not harder.

 

[Weiley31]

I'm all across this forum giving as much praise as I give criticism. So, whatever you're implying is a straight lie.

Never did I specify you.

 

[Shardstone]

Never did I specify you.

Seems like a pointless comment to make. In my book, taking cheap shots at people (I mean, @Micah Sweet is the obvious target, love you micah) also ruins discussion.

Instead of getting mad that people are unsatisfied, we should take efforts to understand why. Yes, sometimes we go in circles, but disagreement and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is important for hobbyist's to engage in. Potential improvement should never be looked at something to mock.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Seems like a pointless comment to make. In my book, taking cheap shots at people (I mean, @Micah Sweet is the obvious target, love you micah) also ruins discussion.

Instead of getting mad that people are unsatisfied, we should take efforts to understand why. Yes, sometimes we go in circles, but disagreement and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is important for hobbyist's to engage in. Potential improvement should never be looked at something to mock.

I freely admit there are many things in 5e in the last few years I don't care for (although not everything; my love for Level Up is well-documented), but my issue here is with what I see as an unnecessarily wide-spectrum mangling of the setting of Rokugan, a setting I've loved since I started playing the CCG back in the mid-90's. I think it's reasonable to presume that Adventures in Rokugan, like Adventures in Middle-Earth, would be an honest attempt to translate the source material, already adroitly handled in their earlier RPG, to the 5e system, in an understandable attempt to bring in 5e fans and introduce them to the setting the designers have already invested so much into. It appears they instead are following a completely different philosophy, which in my opinion stands a very good chance of alienating fans of the very setting the book advertises, but does not display. That is an issue for me, but if you like it, don't let my nay-saying stop you.

None of this has anything to do with the mechanics, which might still be enough for me to buy the book. I actually like a little more complexity that vanilla 5e provides, as evidenced by my affection for Level Up. Jury's still out on that.

 

[Dragonhelm]

So how does AiR handle shugenja?

 

[Weiley31]

Seems like a pointless comment to make. In my book, taking cheap shots at people (I mean, @Micah Sweet is the obvious target, love you micah) also ruins discussion.

Instead of getting mad that people are unsatisfied, we should take efforts to understand why. Yes, sometimes we go in circles, but disagreement and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is important for hobbyist's to engage in. Potential improvement should never be looked at something to mock.

I don't even know what your issue is.