Pathfinder 1E How do you homebrew Orders for Samurai and Cavaliers?

[Puxido]

I would have posted this in the homebrew section, but I have nothing in mind, it's a question so I felt it fit better in here.

What should I do and keep in mind when I create a new order for my Pathfinder campaign. I know you gain special abilities at 2nd 8th and 15th levels, but how do I do it fairly, balanced, and within the pathfinder rules. Also, what else should I keep in mind?

 

[gamerprinter]

I guess it depends on what you have in mind. Although Jonathan McAnulty did the work, not me, Way of the Samurai, one of the products for the Kaidan setting of Japanese horror (PFRPG), which is my published homebrew, has 3 samurai orders specific to the Empire of Kaidan - the Order of the Shogunate, Order of the Undying Emperor, and Order of the Tajiya (this one is kind of a "paladin" order of ronin).

The basic process is to look at all the existing orders, and each of their conferred abilities at each level and compare them, to get a general idea of the mathematical/mechanical common ground at each level, to help you place your own unique granted abilities at appropriate levels. Sometimes you want to do something really weird and its hard to define its equivalence in power/balance. In those cases chuck the weird idea or redefine it in a way fits to existing abilities so you know at what level it should be placed.

 

[Puxido]

I guess it depends on what you have in mind. Although Jonathan McAnulty did the work, not me, Way of the Samurai, one of the products for the Kaidan setting of Japanese horror (PFRPG), which is my published homebrew, has 3 samurai orders specific to the Empire of Kaidan - the Order of the Shogunate, Order of the Undying Emperor, and Order of the Tajiya (this one is kind of a "paladin" order of ronin).

Well, a lot of the stuff in my campaigns have a lot of influence from Narnia, so what would you suggest for orders such as...

Order of Aslan: An order of men and women who fight to spread Aslan's way through all the lands of the world. The order abstains from violence unless it is in defense of people. Other classes can join the order, but do not gain any of the benefits a Cavalier gets per lvl advancement, but gain services exclusive to members and a +2 to diplomacy checks against members of the order unless it is for an immoral action disdained by the order.

Order of Calormen: Finally rid of the Tash cults (I know that never happened in the books, I rewrote the lore to fit my campaign better), and the way of Aslan in their lands, the Caloremen of Calormen are finally glad to have rid themselves of their slavery (again, campaign lore), but many are wary of their new allies. Not trusting strangers in their land and of other nations, they fear the risk of another nation, whether under the influence of a dark evil as before, or simply an imperialist nation, swarming and putting them back in their bonds. The Order of Calormen fight for Calormen's safety, sabotaging nations and nobility of other nations they feel put their desert homeland in risk, and root out cults, witches and other evils in their own nation. Inquisitors, paladins, rangers and rouges are welcome into the order, but do not gain any class benefits, but do gain a +2 diplomacy roll towards members, excluding immoral actions unless for the good of Calormens nation.

I also have other oders in mind, but you get the idea. I thank you for your help though. I'm worried about balance mostly.

 

[gamerprinter]

Something else to look at as a way to create a knightly/aristocratic organization, especially since your orders implied in your last post really doesn't offer any abilities by level as appropriate to a cavalier order, is using 3PP Kaidan rules regarding the creation of a Samurai Clan. I've adapted the rules from the Gamemastery Guide for creating a city stat block to fit an organization.

You'll note 4 stats of importance are Honor, Morale, Society and Lore. These stats are common to city stat block as well and has the same meaning, except when dealing with the organization, even if located in a city with its own differing stats - when dealing with the organization, its stats trump those of the city they are found. Honor involves the organizations level of an internal code it follows as well as individuals williness to lie. Morale involves how likely or unlikely members of the organization are willing to accept bribes or break from the organizations code for other activities. Society stat involves what the community in the same environs of the organization feel about that organization and how they are treated by them. Lore is the amount of knowledge kept, studied upon and maintained by such an organization. Using the stats, an adventuring party can have certain expectations when dealing with that organization based on these stats.

I'm not suggesting not to use Cavalier orders, but in addition to your orders, the samurai clan rules can better help define your organization and specifically how dealing with that organization works with members not in the organization.