The End of Rokugan d20

[Truth Seeker]

"OR"???

What's Oregon got to do with Oriental Adventures?

okay, okay, I slipped, blast it, this weekend was rough...gaming wise.

 

[Truth Seeker]

I liked Swachbuckling Adventures too. I was really disappointed when they dropped the CCG and RPG.

I think AEG may end up making a new D20 system for L5R eventually. The OA and Rokugan books, while good, could have been done better.

Any first book that comes out, I consider as a alpha stage material. I await the day, that one book, that will be a stand alone, correct, and no need for errata...

Wishful thinking on my part..

 

[ivocaliban]

It just featured only one specific asian setting, mostly Japanese with a dash of Chinese flavor. OTOH, Kara-Tur is the "Asia Pacific" of Toril.

Why does it matter so much that Kara-Tur includes mock-ups of every historical Asian culture, yet Faerun is fine as simply good fantasy? They happen to be in the same world and yet you can't say that Faerun represents Europe to any real degree. Sure you can find similarities, but that's going to happen in any setting. Even in Rokugan you have families like the Moto who are very similar to Mongols, but it's clear the creators never intended to create a real-world historical campaign. I'm sure Ed Greenwood didn't have that in mind for Faerun either.

When all is said and done, however, I agree with the idea that Rokugan was not the best choice for Oriental Adventures. Not because it isn't historically accurate, but because it isn't generic enough to fit easily into pre-existing worlds. Still, I don't fault Rokugan for not being something it was never intended to be.

 

[Ranger REG]

Why does it matter so much that Kara-Tur includes mock-ups of every historical Asian culture, yet Faerun is fine as simply good fantasy?

Why not?

 

[ivocaliban]

A. I am dishonorably intoxicated and for that I apologize.

B. I was very impressed with Secrets of the Crab (even before my excessive partaking of sake). I admit that the Crab are perhaps my favorite clan (although competition is fierce), but I found it nearly as engaging as the Way of the Crab, which was one of those few RPG supplements that is an entertaining read regardless of whether or not you play the game.

C. I'm not going to miss d20 Rokugan (at least RR and I can agree on that), however, I can't help but be excited reading Secrets of the Crab and anxious to catch up on those that came before (Lion, Scorpion and Mantis) as well as those to follow (Crane, etc.).

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I admit that the Crab are perhaps my favorite clan (although competition is fierce)

My favourites are Crane and Scorpion. Let's have a Clan War to decide who is right

but I found it nearly as engaging as the Way of the Crab, which was one of those few RPG supplments that is an entertaining read regardless of whether or not you play the game.

I felt that with all the L5Rd20-Books I read. They're good to read even if you don't play.

When all is said and done, however, I agree with the idea that Rokugan was not the best choice for Oriental Adventures.

I say it was. Because without that, I would never have found Rokugan. I bought OA, and at first thought that this Rokugan was a bad choice, because so many things (including most races and several classes) they introduced in OA weren't used in Rokugan. But I like the stuff they wrote about Rokugan, and when I heard that there was be a Rokugan d20 Book, I had to buy it. Now, I have all d20-Books of L5R and the two novel series and I regretted not a single purchase.

And I'm sure I'm not the only one who learnt about Rokugan with OA, either.

Now, I say if they ever make another OA, they really should feature another standard Campaign (if any at all), one that actually uses all the stuff they have in there (that would probably rule out Kara-Tur), not that I know Rokugan.

 

[ivocaliban]

My favourites are Crane and Scorpion. Let's have a Clan War to decide who is right

Well, the Crab would certainly get involved if they weren't so busy sacrificing themselves to keep the Empire safe from Fu Leng!

Seriously, though, it's a difficult thing for me to choose a favorite because I really enjoy all the clans. Before reading The Way books I wasn't terribly interested in the Crane, Lion, or Phoenix, but after absorbing the (then) new information I discovered that all of the clans have extraordinary depth and variety.

I didn't care much that the Mantis became a Great Clan, but the fact that it incorporates the Centipede and the Wasp is nice. I only wish there was more detailed information on the minor clans (Fox, Hare, and Monkey in particular), however. Perhaps, there'll be hints in the other Secrets books. In that same line of thought, it would also be nice if the Imperial families were detailed in the same fashion as the Clan families (and all in one book would have been nice)! Ah, well.

I felt that with all the L5Rd20-Books I read. They're good to read even if you don't play.

I think this was the one thing I was concerned about...especially considering the reviews I read tended to claim the Secrets books were rather dry though heavy with information. For me, however, the way the clan books (old and new) were written provides a great deal of inspiration to me as DM. Rokugan was a wonderful book, as was Legend of the Five Rings, but they don't allow you to feel you really know or understand the various people of Rokugan. The clan books give you the right balance of stereotype and individualty to make each Clan shine.

I say it was. Because without that, I would never have found Rokugan. I bought OA, and at first thought that this Rokugan was a bad choice, because so many things (including most races and several classes) they introduced in OA weren't used in Rokugan. But I like the stuff they wrote about Rokugan, and when I heard that there was be a Rokugan d20 Book, I had to buy it. Now, I have all d20-Books of L5R and the two novel series and I regretted not a single purchase.

And I'm sure I'm not the only one who learnt about Rokugan with OA, either.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very glad OA introduced people to Rokugan, because I personally think it's one of the finest settings available in any system. For anyone who takes time to really read the supplemental material there's a wonderfully rich, detailed world that has a great deal of life.

The upside is that the d20 system brought Rokugan to a wider audience, the downside is that there are potentially other great settings out there we're missing out on simply because they don't use this system.

Now, I say if they ever make another OA, they really should feature another standard Campaign (if any at all), one that actually uses all the stuff they have in there (that would probably rule out Kara-Tur), not that I know Rokugan.

Yes, this was more to my point. OA attempted to present both the tools for a generic setting and describe a pre-existing setting from a different system all in a single hardcover book. The result was that both were slightly watered down. That said, I still think OA was a fine book, but it seems more reasonable that they would have used OA for the generic "So you want to run an Asian-themed campaign?" style book...and saved all the Rokugan stuff for...Rokugan.

Sadly, this means that many people wouldn't have every discovered L5R/Rokugan at all. Now that everyone's had the opportunity to jump on the L5R train (or thumb their nose at it), it's certainly the direction I think they should go in the future.

 

[Ranger REG]

Now, I say if they ever make another OA, they really should feature another standard Campaign (if any at all), one that actually uses all the stuff they have in there (that would probably rule out Kara-Tur),...

I disagree wholeheartedly. Kara-Tur can make use of most if not all of the stuff in the new OA. After all, Kara-Tur cover more asian cultures than Rokugan (one culture with many asian toppings).

For further proof, I recommend you pick up Dragon magazine issue #315 (theme: Campaign Classics).

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I disagree wholeheartedly. Kara-Tur can make use of most if not all of the stuff in the new OA. After all, Kara-Tur cover more asian cultures than Rokugan (one culture with many asian toppings).

For further proof, I recommend you pick up Dragon magazine issue #315 (theme: Campaign Classics).

So Kara-Tur has Hengeyokai, Nezumi, Korobokuru, Spirit Folk and Vanara?

 

[Ranger REG]

Yes.