Rokugan d20 Review

 

It seems that a lot of people from China are viewing my blog, based on my blog's statistics. Although, I'm no Communist -- and I'm not for dictatorships either -- it seems that I am at least ready to review the Rokugan Campaign Setting for the d20 system.  Produced by Alderac Entertainment Group in 2001, it was written by Rich Wulf, Shawn Carman, and Seth Mason.  This is a beautiful book, lavishly illustrated like the Oriental Adventures book for third edition.  I'm reviewing a PDF copy of this book, and I do own the hardcover.

 The first thing to remember is that Rokugan isn't Japan.  It's a high fantasy land based on the culture of Sengoku era Japan and Miyamoto Mushashi's Book of the Five Rings.  There are some Chinese elements in Rokugan, but it's not China either.  Like I said, it's a High Fantasy land that borrowed a lot from Japan and some from China.  I love this book, Rokugan -- next to Greyhawk -- is a place where I would set an ongoing game.  Also, I did another review of this book on RPG.net. 

So, lets go for it.

The Introduction

The introduction of Rokugan goes on to explain  to players of the d20 system all about Rokugan, the Five Rings, and explains to players that they take on the roles of noble Samurai, mysterious Shugenja, enlightened monks, shadowy ninja, and finally wily courtiers.  Whole games can revolve around one or more of these elements. 

Next, it explains how one can use this book with Oriental Adventures. Since this book, Rokugan, expands on the information explained in Oriental Adventures.  Finally, it does explain why Rokugan is based on Miyamoto's Book of the Five Rings.  The roleplaying opportunities are endless.

Character

 This section goes over the Great Clans of Rokugan, their families, and favored classes for each major family.  Like for instance, the Doji of the Crane Clan make good Courtiers.  While the Isawa family make good Shugenja.  And the Shoshuro family produce good ninja, or so they say. After this, they talk about the minor clans and their schools, along with the Naga (an Indian aspect), and the Nezumi (Rokugan's take on ratfolk).

After this part on creating your character, the various character classes from the 3rd Edition Player's Handbook are talked about.  Along with two classes from Oriental Adventures (3rd Edition).  The Samurai and the Shugenja.  After that, the monk, ninja, and courtier classes are discussed.  

After all this, the Feats are discussed.  And yes, there are a lot of Feats here that are talked about.  Each great clan gets their own feats.  From Kakita's Techique, to Way of the Crab, to Akodo's Technique, to Way of the Unicorn.  All are included.  Especially one of note is Void Use.  This feat, which you can take instead of a Ancestor Feat, grants you two points of void.  Which of course you can use to modify your die rolls.

 After the feats, you get a discussion on Rokugani equipment.  Including new weapons, and old weapons that are expanded upon, new armor types, and other considerations.  After that, Religion in the Emerald Empire is discussed.  After that, Honor is discussed, along with the alignments of the d20 system -- and how they work together.  Like for instance, if someone is Lawful Good, he's considered to have an honor rank of 5.

After that, some prestige classes are introduced.  Although none of these are needed, some are recorded.  As prestige classes are meant for NPCs originally, players would take them.

Magic

 Magic in D&D is supposed to be presented as mysterious. For Rokugan, this is no different.  There are more Samurai than Shugenja in Rokugan. Magic revolves around the Kami, the great kami as well as the lesser and minor kami.  A shugenja learns to importune the kami to produce magical effects.  This can be from a simple sleep spell to a magnificent void spell worked by the mysterious Ishiken of the Isawa family.

Each clan has their own special magical technique.  The Crane works on Tsanguri, or magic items -- for example.  The Unicorn shugenja work with meishodo.  Finally, the Isawa family of the Phoenix teach the Ishiken-do -- or magic of the void.  There are four other examples of magic of the great clans.  Other aspects of magic are also discussed.  After that, there are some new spells for Shugenja to select, learn, and cast. 

Life in Rokugan

This chapter goes over adventures in Rokugan.  It discusses what a Samurai might be and how to act.  Also, the chapter goes over Rokugan itself, and how a party of disparate Samurai and Shugenja (and possibly ninja) might operate.

The culture and layout of Rokugan are discussed.  Along with how campaigns operate in the Emerald Empire.  Also, magic and magic items, how they are viewed -- are discussed.  Also, social hierarchy is discussed.  A lot of Rokugani culture is discussed in this book. This is the most important chapter in the whole book.  If you want to role play your Samurai as authentically as you can, you must read this section.

Geography

The Geography of Rokugan is discussed in this chapter.  This is the geography of the Emerald Empire, as of the Four Winds saga. Important details of each Clan's holdings are discussed in some detail.  Along with writeups for certain NPCs as of the Four Winds saga.

Cosmology 

This chapter teaches the cosmology as seen by the Rokugani.  There are several realms, including the mortal one, that are discussed.  These realms are discussed more simply in the Fortunes and Winds supplement (to be reviewed later).  Also, the worship of the Fortunes and who they are is presented.  There are seven major Fortunes, and thousands of lesser ones. Then Rokugan's mythology is presented.  Including the creation of the world as the Rokugani understand it.

History

The history of Rokugan is presented.  Nearly complete and up to the Four Winds saga.  It's enough to fill a Rokugani DM with adventure seeds and beginnings of a good campaign.  After that, a few appendixes discuss magic items, magical creatures, and finally an index.

Hits

 The colorful aspect of the book is definitely a hit.  There are colorful illustrations throughout the book. Including pictures of Shugenja, Samurai, and even a Ninja.  The writing is concise and well edited.  DJ Trindle, the editor, did a good job of editing the book for press.  The writing is top notch, definitely different than what you get in a modern D&D book (modern D&D books are atrocious in writing, editing, and illustration).  There is more, the layout is in two columns, and uses a ten point font.

 Misses 

 There is little that's missed in this book. The metaplot of the Legend of the Five Rings card game at the time -- used as a backdrop for the campaign -- is definitely a miss.  This book is for players and DMs to get into the setting of Rokugan, and the Metaplot does restrict some aspects.  Is it something I'd change: probably.  I would have started the plot during the Pre-Scorpion Clan Coup saga, as that is the most popular era setting for L5R rpgs.  Including the fifth edition of the L5R RPG.

 The Future

Again, the future looks uncertain.  It seems that Asmodee might keep the L5R property. However, they aren't expecting that someone might come to them and buy Legend of the Five Rings from them.  Fantasy Flight bought L5R from Alderac Entertainment Group in 2017, then Asmodee bought them. However, Legend of the Five Rings is a good property, one I wanted to purchase from Wizards of the Coast when they put it up for sale.  Looks like I'll have to buy it from Asmodee.  Oh well, cheers!

CRPGs vs. Table top RPGs

 

Something has come up.  And that is my feeling on table top RPGs and computer RPGs.  Obliviously, there has been some good ones on both sides.  For me, it's the Elder Scrolls series and the Dungeons and Dragons game.  I play both, although I have been playing table top more as of late.  And I'm still looking forward to the Elders Scrolls 6 game from Bethesda Studios.  So, the question is, which is superior to the other?

 Actually, the table top experience is actually superior to the computer RPG experience. At least, until Wizards of the Coast decided that their audience is toxic and they decided to expand their player base.  They show this with bad writing, bad illustrations, and bad editing.  So, lets talk about computer RPGs first, obviously they have the upper hand, correct?

 Computer Roleplaying Games

 Actually, I should be showing Starfield up there.  However, I don't play Starfield, I'm looking forward to playing Elder Scrolls 6.  Obviously, computer gaming has advanced since the first four Ultima games.  You've got first person view along with beautiful landscapes and modularity.  You can mod Skyrim, and many people have. I also modded Skyrim. I added new things to my Skyrim that I liked.  Skyrim, being a first person CRPG, has revolutionized leveling.  You choose your skills as you go up and you also customize your character to how you like.

With me so far?  Good.  The Elder Scrolls series is one of the best series for computer gaming.   They have four things going for them:

* Their Creation2 Engine.

 * Modified games.

* Exemplary graphics.

 * (Usually) good stories.

Skyrim is great to play and is a good diversion.  And while I can modify my game, no one Skyrim is the same (modually) as another Skyrim. However, the game gets old and it's tiring to play the same game after a few years.  So you hope that the next BethSoft game will be as good or better than the last. 

Tabletop Roleplaying Games

 So we come to tabletop RPGs.  So to me I get more satisfaction from running a tabletop roleplaying game than playing one on computer.  Sure you get amazing graphics (thank INVIDIA for that) from a computer RPG.  And sure you see amazing spells as flashy.  I mean look at your computer screen.  The difference is, with a tabletop game, I'm telling my own story.  And my players interact with that story. 

I'm currently running a Shadowrun 4th edition game and playing in a Rolemaster game.  Sure, I'm doing it over roll20, but very few people in my area have time to play face to face.  Although a face to face game is ideal, roll20 is a backup. 

So, what is the problem with Wizards of the Coast?  Well, they lie to their customers.  They treat their customers as toxic.  They consistently pay for bad illustrations, and they blame us for their shortcomings.  Still, I think that Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition is the best version to play.  Although other people may think that older or newer editions are the best to play from.  However, D&D 3e allows for greater player customization.  This way, my players can make different fighters, different Wizards, and different clerics.  All this based on their feat selections.  It's a win-win situation.

So, are CRPGs better than tabletop RPGs?  It's mostly how you play both games. 

The Grand Duchy of Karameikos Review

 

My first Basic Dungeons and Dragons product review.  The Grand Duchy of Karameikos is the first in a series of Gazetteers done for the Known World, the campaign setting of Dungeons and Dragons (BECMI).  It's also called Mystara, but that came later. Anyhow, is the product worth it to buy?  Lets find out.  This product was written by Aaron Allston for TSR.  Cover artist was Clyde Caldwell.  I got a hard copy from Lightning Source and also a pdf copy as well.  Note, if you buy the hard copy, you will find that the cover has a lot of red (magenta) in it.  The hard copy is paperback instead of hard back.

The Grand Duchy of Karameikos is a small book, and comes in three sections.  The Introduction: where Aaron talks about the book.  The Gazetteer Section and finally the Adventures section.  Which is for the Dungeon Master.

Introduction.

Here, Aaron says he is pleased with the book.  He mentions that fantasy worlds often grow in leaps and bounds.  The world started with a map and a few lines of text in D&D Expert.  But that has grown into the Known World through published adventures that TSR, inc. had put out.  A lot of these adventures are available on Drivethru.   He gives thanks and shout out for a few adventures that he referenced to put together the Grand Duchy. 

Part One: the Gazetteer Section

Here is where the most of the detail about the book was written.  You get into the Grand Duchy's history, some of which is for the players to read.  And you also get into region's customs, cultures (there are two human cultures: one is the Traladara culture and the other is the Thyatis culture), and also talk about the demi-humans of the Grand Duchy.  The history of the region is recounted.  How the Traladarans had a golden age, but that came to an end.  How Thyatis conquered the region, and how a duke traded favors for the land.  You also get into detail about the economy of the Grand Duchy.  A calendar was made, and a list of NPCs for the land.  A lot of information was packed into sixty-four pages.  Which was an astounding feat for writers for TSR.

The Adventures Section

 This is for the Dungeon Master or DM.  It lists some adventures you can run for your players.  They are all short form, allowing the DM to use his creativity to flesh out and present to his or her players.  At the end of the section are the maps detailing the Grand Duchy, castles, cities, and other items. 

Hits

TSR at this time, relied on a full color cover.  Inside, they use a fortified tower to add visual interest.  The book is laid out in three columns.  The type is ten points small, and the art is awesome, even though it's black and white art.

Misses 

The (new) hard copy's cover has a lot of red tones.  Which takes away from the original.  The maps are printed in 81/2" by 11" inches, and it can be a little confusing at first when you see these maps.  Otherwise, if you like Mystara content, I would start with this Gazetteer.

The Future

Again the future is uncertain.  Although I will tell you that I'm buying the trademarks and copyrights to ten (10) D&D worlds.  One of these worlds is Mystara.  So I can say with confidence that the first project we are working on is the Grand Duchy of Karameikos.  

Strixhaven: a Curriculum of Chaos Review

 

The mission of Strixhaven University is to discover and preserve magical knowledge, to disseminate that knowledge from one generation to the next, to promote free and open study of magic in all its forms, and to enhance the lives of people through out the world through the use of magic.

-- Strixhaven mission statement

 Hello everyone, today I'm reviewing Strixhaven: a Curriculum of Chaos for Dungeons and Dragons. I received the book from Amazon and have been reading it forwards and backwards. This book was produced and released in November of 2021, and it describes a magical University setting coming out of the Strixhaven set for Magic: the Gathering.  Strixhaven: a Curriculum of Chaos is a Wizards of the Coast product.  The original designers for Strixhaven are Doug Beyer, Taylor Ingvarsson, Jess Lanzillo, Meris Mullaley, Fox Allison, Annie Sardelis, Emily Teng, Andrew Vallas, James Wyatt, and Art Zirulnik.

 Strixhaven University is a college setting that is set in the World of Arcavios.  It was originally a Magic: the Gathering product produced by Wizards of the Coast.  Apparently, the people at Hasbro felt that it was such a success that they told Wizards to cross it over in D&D.   And so they did. What we got is Strixhaven: a Curriculum of Chaos.

First of all, I think this product is twenty years too late. With the Harry Potter craze in the early nineties as well as the early 2000s, this product could have cashed in on the Harry Potter mania that swept the world with the Harry Potter movies. However, we know that Wizards did approach J.K. Rowling about doing a Harry Potter roleplaying game based on then, the d20 System.  She didn't like the idea. However, great ideas take time.  I think, while not a direct translation of Hogwarts to D&D, you can't help but wonder if Strixhaven was actually inspired by Harry Potter.

 Strixhaven, itself is divided into seven chapters, although most of the relevant information is in the Introduction.  Unlike Hogwarts, which is designed to teach very young wizards and witches, Strixhaven is an University.  Designed to teach older, college age kids.  Strixhaven's university is laid out like Cambridge or Oxford.  There are colleges mixed in a town.  Currently, there are five colleges. The first college is Lorehold, which explores the past and preserves the history for future generations.  It was founded by the dragon Velomachus Lorehold.

Second is Prismari College, and students of Prismari use the elements to practice the arts.  It was founded by the dragon Galazeth Prismari. Quadrix college is third, and it focuses on the mathematical aspects of nature.  Quandrix was founded by the dragon Tanazir Quandrix.

The fourth college of Strixhaven is the Silverquill college.  Students of Silverquill study the magic of rhetoric, poetry, oration, and writing. It was founded by Shadrix Silverquill.  The last is the college of Witherbloom.  The college teaches the magics associated with life and death. The founder was the dragon Beladros Witherbloom. 

Although the University can be placed in any world, again the University takes place on the world of Arcavios.  The world itself was formed when two other worlds collided and coalesced into one.  At least according to Arcavian legends.

Chapter One of the book goes over life on Campus. It gives an overview of the entire University.  From the Central Campus to the various colleges.  And there are maps to the whole thing.  This part of the book isn't very detailed, allowing players and DMs to fill in the blanks with their own creativity.  although there are a few locations that are given detail, DMs and players can fill in the blanks and cracks.  This is a good thing about the book, in my opinion.

 Chapter two of Strixhaven provides Character Creation details for Dungeons and Dragons 5e (2014). It introduces a new race called the Owlin, and provides character options for different characters, although I feel that the whole world is geared towards mages.  But there are options for the other classes of D&D.   Included are new feats, new spells, and new magic items.

  The next four chapters of the book include a campaign designed to take Freshmen (level 1 characters) to all the way to the end of their senior year (level 10).  Naturally, this is the part I don't like.  The adventures, which will go down in history as being classics for adventures set in a school; are not what they could be.  That is, adventures that actually challenge the characters according to the classics.  While fun (I've seen the adventures run in action), and people could have fun with it, because of space they are lackluster and lack potential.

Chapter seven includes the monsters of Strixhaven.  From the dragon founders, right down to the students.  This chapter contains stat blocks for forty different new monsters.  From those who learn to those who are trying to undermine the college.  They are all there.  In the back of the book is a map you can tear out.

 

 Hits

The art in the book is beautiful.  Taken from the Magic: the Gathering cards, the art is expressive, full color, and bring Strixhaven to life.  Wizards hits it out of the bull park with the art.  The art is expressive, gorgeous, and takes you to a world where the University of Strixhaven could exist.  The art is Realistic.  Whether oil paintings, or digital, it's very expressive.

The  layout of the physical book is two columns, with no justifications.  The book is laid out so it's a fast read.  With a simple layout such as that, I suggest getting a copy of the physical book.  I must have read it ten times before doing this review.

Misses

 The book could have been bigger.  The art of storytelling is part of roleplaying.  The adventures seem rather luckluster.  More could have been a part of the adventures.  They could have actually got real storytellers to work on the adventures and make them better.  The villain in the story is well developed, but when you see the art for him, he's rather comical.  They should have focused on the Oriq, as they are real threats to the campus than a bullywug looking for revenge.

 The Future

 So, what holds to the future of Strixhaven?  Well, that remains to be seen.  There is a rumor that Magic the Gathering might return to Strixhaven for their 2026 line up.  If you play Magic the Gathering, this is good news to revisit the world of Arcavios.  However, I must tell you that I bought the book for business purposes.  I'm going up to Wizards of the Coast to buy the copyrights and trademarks to eight campaign settings, and Strixhaven is one of them.  I'm also buying the copyrights and trademarks to D&D 3e.  I'll own Strixhaven.  I'll be able to develop Strixhaven for Dungeons and Dragons 3.0.

Is this what the future holds?  Well, I'm old school D&D, and Old School is best.  There are things that can be done for Strixhaven to improve on it.  Especially in the adventure department.  But we will see what the future will hold.  Maybe Wizards will change their mind and not let me have Strixhaven.