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D&D 5E Quick-and-dirty Oriental Adventure class conversions

  • Thread starter Thread starter Elderbrain
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Elderbrain

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I'd like to figure out the easiest way to incorporate the "Oriental" classes into 5th edition, using the existing classes in the 5th edition PH, and I'd like your advise/criticism/suggestions. This is what I've come up with so far...

Oriental Barbarian = Barbarian
Bushi = Fighter (Champion?)
Kensai = fighter (not sure how to simulate mastery of single weapon - feats?)
Monk = Monk(Open Hand)
Ninja = Monk (Shadow) (as suggested in the PH)
Samurai = Fighter (Battle Master)
Shukenja = Cleric (Nature) (This is the class called a "Shaman" in the 3rd edition "Oriental Adventures" book) I considered "Druid", but since Shukenja aren't known for their shapechanging abilities, I went with "Cleric"
Sohei = Paladin (because a Sohei is a religious warrior who can cast Divine spells)
Wu Jen = Wizard
Yakuza = Rogue (Thief)
 

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I would have put Wu Jen as an Elemental-themed Sorcerer. There's a really good Air/Thunder model in the Waterborne Adventures pdf on the WotC site.
 

I'm waiting to see what it looks like in the new Swordcoast Forgotten Realms book. Also what the other options are in that book (there are more elemental spells in Princes of the Apocalypse, incidentally...) Of course, using those options gets away from the core premise of the thread, that we're using the core rulebook(s) to (sort of) re-create the Oriental classes, to the extend possible. (It depends on how important it is to mimic specific powers and abilities; if one isn't too hung up on getting every bell and whistle, then the core classes should suffice. A Battlemaster Fighter doesn't have the Ki Shout ability of a OA Samurai, but otherwise is a nice substitute, for instance. Other features - a Samurai's traditional two swords, etc. are just a matter of selecting the right equipment, armor, skills, background, etc.) Also, these aren't intended as rigid rules for anyone playing an Oriental character; if a player envisions his Samurai as having the abilities of a Paladin rather than a Battlemaster Fighter, so be it...
 
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I'd like to figure out the easiest way to incorporate the "Oriental" classes into 5th edition, using the existing classes in the 5th edition PH, and I'd like your advise/criticism/suggestions. This is what I've come up with so far...

Oriental Barbarian = Barbarian
Bushi = Fighter (Champion?)
Kensai = fighter (not sure how to simulate mastery of single weapon - feats?)
Monk = Monk(Open Hand)
Ninja = Monk (Shadow) (as suggested in the PH)
Samurai = Fighter (Battle Master)
Shukenja = Cleric (Nature) (This is the class called a "Shaman" in the 3rd edition "Oriental Adventures" book) I considered "Druid", but since Shukenja aren't known for their shapechanging abilities, I went with "Cleric"
Sohei = Paladin (because a Sohei is a religious warrior who can cast Divine spells)
Wu Jen = Wizard
Yakuza = Rogue (Thief)

Yep this looks like a good rough conversion to me. Then just make a few custom feats, rename or reflavour some spells, and possibly tweak a few of the subclass abilities, and you should be good to go.
 

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