Sohei in play?

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Has anyone ever played or run a game for a Sohei character, from Oriental Adventures?

I'm trying to find more classes for use in my game, and Sohei seems like a decent candidate, but at the same time, I'm not sure what role they fill. They seem like a bit of a cross between Monk and Paladin, but at the same time, they get a Rage-like ability, DR, and abilities related to staying conscious. They get a limited selection of lawful and buff spells.

This is a Gestalt game, so they will be combined with other classes-- which may affect their power and possibly their flavor.

Also, can they be used effectively without holding them to their Lawful alignment restriction, or is it too important to the archetype? What would they most logically combine with, and what combinations do you think would be incompatible? Are there balance issues I need to watch for?

edit: For reference, the only 3.5 updated OA class I'm currently using is the Shugenja. Samurai, like Knights, are Noble/Fighters, while Ninja are Monk/Rogues and Wu Jen are mostly Wizards. (I'm considering Spirit Shaman, but I think it's not enough unlike Druid. I may simply modify Druid to be more similar.)

 

[carolina]

Sohei is my favorite OA class. They are a monk-paladin cross. They I have no idea how it will run in a Gestalt game. I think the lawfulness is key to the archetype, but in practice, much less a straitjacket than a western paladin. If the PC thinks "singled-minded," they are on the right track.

 

[PatrickLawinger]

sohei

I allow Sohei (without the oriental flavor) as a type of neutral" paladin. They worship a particular god of knowledge in my campaign world and are highly respected (and a bit feared).

The only class I ever allowed anyone to multi with was fighter. Didn't have any problems.

Nobody has taken this option for a really long time. I believe there are some 3.5 revisions somewhere for the class. I don't recall everything about the class at the moment but I think it is relatively safe in the hands of a player that doesn't want to tweak everything as a power-up. I am sure you could combine it with something (or several somethings) to make something rather brutal.

Patrick

 

[Romnipotent]

I like them, they mix well with druid I'd guess

They were also updated in Dragon #319(???) I think

 

[Arkhandus]

I haven't had any real opportunity yet to play in an Oriental Adventures game or any one that uses OA material, but I do use that material myself in my campaigns. No one's played a sohei yet though, unfortunately, so I can't offer any experience-based advice......

In general though, the sohei fills a role similar to that of the barbarian or paladin; he or she has little skill outside of combat, but is a very good, solid defender, able to unleash some decent butt-kicking when needed. The sohei can use Ki Frenzy to run down foes and strike with a flurry of blows while wielding something like a greatsword (no-dachi!), naginata, or kusari-gama. Their BAB may only be average, but with Ki Frenzy, free Weapon Focus, and some spells, they can manage a fair degree of accuracy and hitting power, slightly behind the fighter but ahead of the monk. Sohei can shrug off various stuff; a sohei can kick a monk's behind since he/she becomes immune to stunning around 5th-level or so, has better hit points, has better AC probably from armor, and can use composite longbows (hurrah daikyu!). The sohei can deal with casters better than a fighter or barbarian generally, with the help of spells, Mettle, fast movement, and such. Overall, a sohei would make a fair replacement for another warrior-type in the party, but doesn't really fill any other role.

Sohei aren't, so far as I can tell, abusable. They shouldn't present any balance issues or worries. They can make a good jab at attaining one of the Martial Arts Masteries (at least one or two of their bonus feats are on some of the Martial Arts Mastery prerequisite lists), but they lack the unarmed hitting power of the monk so it's not at all unbalancing. They can multiclass well I think as Rogues, Fighters, Shamans, Clerics, and Rangers. They can also make great Devoted Defenders or the like.

 

[diaglo]

Has anyone ever played or run a game for a Sohei character, from Oriental Adventures?

yeah, around 1985 or so one of the players introduced this class to the game.