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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Griffith Dragonlake" data-source="post: 3295036" data-attributes="member: 40379">Secrets of the Samurai: A Survey of the Martial Arts of Feudal Japan (Hardcover) by Oscar Ratti, Adele Westbrook.  Available online for $9.99 — which is an unbelieveable freaking bargain!SotS is the definitive book on Mediæval Japanese martial arts.  I can't overstate the value of this book in terms of understanding what the Samurai were capable of doing.On a related note, there should be samurai prestige classes as well. Some samurai become great commanders, some nobles, some duellists, and some founded fighting styles like nitoh-ryu by Miyamoto Musashi. Some became masters of Zen Buddhism and well you probably get the message. Also take a look at The Book of Five Rings (Go Rin no Shoh) by Miyamoto Musashi for a look at 5 different fighting styles.IMHO bushidoh is not what differentiates the samurai from the knight. Rather it is that the samurai has already died. The ideal European knight was inspired by love and excelled by love. The samurai believed that thought and action should be one and the same. That in victory, you should tighten your helmet-strap. But most importantly to cultivate the Buddhist detachment, to die of this life. For if you are already dead, you care not for your life anymore.I have never seen TSR/WotC publish a samurai that was comparable to the real or legendary ones, except maybe for the American interpretation.And FWIW, I hold a degree in East Asian Studies and used to be fluent in Japanese.  I studied kenjutsu and ninjutsu as well.I applaud your attempt at a better samurai and respect your noble intentions. Before you go any further, please read through Secrets of the Samurai and the Book of 5 Rings.  There are many others that are quite good as well, but those two are the best way to get started.Oh and take a look at Bushido RPG by Fantasy Games Unlimited. It's OOP but I'm sure you can find a copy on eBay for cheap.</blockquote>

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