What Oriental Classes would you use?

[Ashanderai]

For anyone interested in d20 oriental games, what base classes do you/would you use for a campaign and do you think some of the new archetypes in this poll are needed as base classes for an oriental setting?

Exorcist Warrior - a warrior class that uses sutras & o-fuda against evil creatures. These guys might be like demon hunters from Inu Yasha, Taoist demon exorcists, militant buddhist priests who fight only undead and evil outsiders, miko (shrine maidens), or any other oriental demon hunting exorcists.

Martial Artist Scholar - a class that focuses on unique, knowlege-based, special abilities, martial arts, and a little bit of spell casting (like the sohei or ranger). These guys might be the adventurous physicians, martial scholars, and teachers of setting. They would have the option of choosing their field of knowledge specialization.

Kensai - a martial arts warrior dedicated to the mastery of a single weapon martial art style

 

[Psion]

I think I'd be for both:

A more mystic monk or warrior type, with spell like combat abilities.

And a less mystic monk, a martial artist who is all about technique, not spirituality (the fighter could possibly be reworked into this, but it would take some work. Beyond Monks's martial artis is about the right speed.

 

[Crothian]

Personally, I'd just use Legends of the Samarai by RPGObjects. That's all you really need.

 

[Vigilance]

As you can imagine I voted "other" since I use the classes from Legends of the Samurai when running oriental games.

Chuck

 

[Turanil]

Personally, I'd just use Legends of the Samurai by RPGObjects. That's all you really need.

This book is certainly excellent. But no need to limit to it. I would personnaly add the core classes from Oriental Adventures, and most of the PHB classes. With relevant fluff, many classes could fit:
-- Cleric with a special domain of flying spells would make a great Ghost Hunter (saw Chinese Ghost Stories?).
-- Druid can fit if you rename it into Sien Jen, a taoist hermit who seeks immortality and becoming in total harmony with the Tao. For example, "Tchouang Tseu dreamed he was a butterfly, or was it the butterfly that dreamed it was Tchouang Tseu?"; in any case, taoism is also about metamorphosis and everchanging nature, so Wild Shape is appropriate, as later is Timeless body for a Taoist seeking immortality.
-- Rogue, Wizard, and even Bard can fit fairly well.
-- Psion, Psychic Warriors, and Wilder would also be fine for Buddhists (powers derived from Meditation rather than spells given by deities).

 

[Corsair]

I voted on the assumption I'd be running a magic and demon-infested oriental flavored game, in the path of darker anime styles, rather than a historically accurate shoguns and samurai game.

 

[Ashanderai]

Personally, I'd just use Legends of the Samarai by RPGObjects. That's all you really need.

That book is fine for Japanese-like areas of the campaign, but how would you depict classes from other parts of an oriental setting (i.e. Chinese, Korean, Tibetan, Thai, Mongol, Burmese, etc.)? If you are focusing only on the Japan-like area, then fine. But, do you just focus your Euro-centric fantasy campaigns on just one European-like area (i.e. Germany, Rome, England, France, etc.)? I don't and I wouldn't for an oriental campaign either, but you guys might feel different. If I play Forgotten Realms, all the lands are open for adventure, not just Thay or Rashemen.

EDIT - I forgot to mention that I do like the book. I just find a lot of the classes incompatible for the magic system (I don't like the point buy system) and for the culture emphasized when I want a Chinese-like game.