RPGObjects: Legend of the Samurai

[Vigilance]

Well we're getting close to the first PDF release, I thought I'd post the list of core classes to whet everyone's appetite

Ashigaru: A footsoldier of common birth, skilled with the bow or the spear, Ki abilities include enhancement of physical ability scores.

Kuge: The noble- a fierce combatant specializing in mounted archery as well as guile and court intrigues. Ki abilities involve enhancement of Charisma and the ability to add Charisma modifier to saving throws.

Ninja: The shadowy assassin of legend, this class blends the legendary ninja with a hefty dose of research to give the man in black a cutting edge (we hope) you haven't seen before. Ki abilities involve the "9 signs" of ninja mysticism.

Ronin: The masterless warrior or "wave man". A somewhat roguish Samurai.

Samurai: The definitive warrior, skilled in the sword, spear and bow. Ki abilities involve fear auras and smite-like attacks (Charisma added to attack roll, level to damage).

Shokunin: The craftsman, able to instill his own personality into blades, allowing them to be enchanted. Ki ability involves the temporary enchantment of weapons (a la the magic weapon spell).

Thief: The street urchin, conman and card shark common to Japanese fairs and city peasant wards. Ki abilties involve evasion and escape.

Yamabushi: The mountain warrior, also known as the warrior monk. This class can specialize in either the staff, the spear or unarmed combat. Ki abilities involve using his superior concentration to launch deadly Haragei attacks.

Those interested in learning more can ask me questions here or check out the game's site below (which will give an overview of the PDF line as well as a look at the cover and the map of Japan when available).

http://www.rpgobjects.com/index.php?page=los

 

[JoeGKushner]

1. Will this be using any existing OGC from the L5R series or other sources?

2. Will it have a specific timeline or have a larger timeline?

3. What impact will magic have on the setting?

4. How do you see this? More like the previous Legends of Excaliber or more like Relics & Rituals Excaliber? (I suspect the former over the latter but thought I'd ask for clarity.)

5. How compatible with the core rules with the material be? Will these characters easily fit into a standard L5R setting?

6. Will there be any notes for other OGL game systems like Arcana Unearthed or Conan?

 

[Vigilance]

Whew quite a list of very cool questions... here goes

1. Will this be using any existing OGC from the L5R series or other sources?

My instinct is "no". However my boss Chris has all the L5R books so he might have a few choice bits he wants to borrow. I only have the first couple.

2. Will it have a specific timeline or have a larger timeline?

The timeline is done, I started there so I would refresh my memory of Japanese history. This a Japanese-centric game, with a timeline running from antiquity to the Meiji Restoration in the 1800's.

Historical notes are dropped into the text as well, letting you know that after the 1600's you cant move between social classes anymore, when firearms are introduced and so forth.

Basically one thing that left me, as a consumer and lover of Oriental fantasy unsatisfied with some other games on this topic was the tendency to feel like 6,000 years of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian history all had to be blended together.

So I wanted something a little more grounded and specific.

3. What impact will magic have on the setting?

Significant. The second PDF will be all about magic. We are seperating it, in PDF and in the final print book (magic will all be in its own chapter) to make running a historical campaign/game easier. The GM can say "dont look at that chapter"

4. How do you see this? More like the previous Legends of Excaliber or more like Relics & Rituals Excaliber? (I suspect the former over the latter but thought I'd ask for clarity.)

If you have read Blood and Fists and Legends of Excalibur you could probably do a fair job of writing this book yourself or at least predicting what you will see

It will have Honor instead of alignment (which will work exactly like Nobility from Excalibur).

It will have spell points instead of slots, basically a balance tweak of the Excalibur magic system.

It will assume all human PCs with social classes instead of races.

And from Blood and Fists will come the martial arts system.

That and its historical basis will make this very much a book building on everything we think we did right from Excalibur.

5. How compatible with the core rules with the material be? Will these characters easily fit into a standard L5R setting?

One of my main goals for doing this book was to allow me (or anyone since the mechanics will be OGC) to write oriental adventures (sorry couldnt resist!) that would work with the other products on the market.

As with Excalibur I think conversion will be fairly easy. I know we ran many of our Excalibur adventures straight from Dungeon in playtesting... its more of a "feel" tweak than a serious rules tweak that is needed.

6. Will there be any notes for other OGL game systems like Arcana Unearthed or Conan?

No plans for that at present.

Thanks for all the questions!

Chuck

 

[Zoatebix]

Wow! good answers! I'm really excited about this project. Thanks for the information. I'm reading the website now.
-George

 

[TroyXavier]

I'll wait for the hardcover, but it looks interesting.
Are those the only classes or will some of the core classes be involved?

 

[lp]

Well I am really looking forward to this release, however I have a final to write on friday. Please don't put it out until the weekend.

Seriously though, just reading the little preview got my mind racing. I expect some fun times to be had with this one.

 

[Vigilance]

I'll wait for the hardcover, but it looks interesting.
Are those the only classes or will some of the core classes be involved?

Those are all the classes (but keep in mind there are magical core classes on the way in the next PDF- these classes will get their own chapter in the print book as well for the reasons I detailed above- so you can run a historical campaign if'n you wanna).

In Legends of Excalibur I used some of the PHB classes (Fighter, Rogue, Barbarian, Bard, Druid) however balance issues kept cropping up- some felt the Fighter compared poorly to the Knight (I disagree) that the Bard was unnecessary (partially agree) and that the Druid was a little too powerful with his spell list intact and his ability to take advantage of the spell point system (totally agree).

So this time I decided that even though it was extra work I would rebuild from scratch any of the core classes I needed with the setting in mind.

I'd also like to point out that there will be Prestige Classes in the books- I didnt really name them because, while the rest of the book is about 90% complete (I am working on the Armor but its almost done- and the Ronin class hasn't been started yet which is why there was less of a preview of it than the other core classes) I have saved the Prestige Classes for last- haven't written a single one.

Chuck

 

[Vigilance]

Well I am really looking forward to this release, however I have a final to write on friday. Please don't put it out until the weekend.

Seriously though, just reading the little preview got my mind racing. I expect some fun times to be had with this one.

Well the boss is on a working vacation for the next couple of weeks. So while we are in contact and working on the manuscript as it nears completion I do not think he plans on doing any layout until he gets back home.

So at least a couple of weeks

Chuck

 

[Krieg]

Chuck,
I have been extremely happy with everything I have seen from you so far, so this will definitely make my must buy list.

Furthermore I can't tell you how thrilled I am that you didnt title it:

Blood & Samurai

 

[JoeGKushner]

Sounding better and better.

On the OGL issue, I suspect, but obviously have no numbers, that at least some conversion notes for AU would help sell to a ceretain market, especially if it came out at about the same time as... Arcana Evolved, due to hit shelves soon. (And of course Conan has that whole region nebulously detailed so more possible converts...)

Since it sounds like it'll work with standard D&D, I'm assuming that it'll be a breeze to combine elements of this with Legends of Excaliber.

Do you see a seperate monster book for the setting or just an appendix in the main book? This is an area where Green Ronin's own eastern style monster book may come in handy as it hasn't been updated to 3.5 yet and could easily fit into such a setting (and update some of it to work within the system...)

In terms of the magic book, will that include the different magic items as well?

Will any prominent NPC's of the timelines and periods be written up into game terms?

How much role playing advice will be included to help players understand the vast differences between a samurai-Japan style campaign and the more dungeon crawling efforts of standard D&D?