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!

Oriental Adventures (1e) Review

 Oriental Adventures, for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (1e) is one of the best books for AD&D.  I wanted this book since it came out, and I managed to lay my hands on a copy during the late nineties.  My copy shows it's age, but it's my favorite AD&D book.  For it talks about the Orient in a gaming context.  It was because of this book that I wanted to learn all I can about culture in Japan, and it's the main reason why I picked up the Sengoku RPG in the early 2000's.  Oriental Adventures is credited to Gary Gygax, but David "Zeb"Cook did the writing.  It was this book that helped inspire the game Legend of the Five Rings. Without this book coming in the market during 1985, I don't think Legend of the Five Rings would have been possible.  This book is available on Drivethru.

Overview

by Hokusai

The book, Oriental Adventures (OA) allows several players to create characters in an Oriental context.  You first generate your scores, then you choose your race, and then your class.  It introduces some new races including:

• Korobokuru: an oriental dwarf.
• Hengeyokai: shape changing animals who can take human form, of which there are several types.
  
• Spirit Folk: the oriental equivalent of elves, of which there are three kinds.
   

The book also introduces a few classes.  Including the Samurai, which is a type of the Cavalier; the Shukenja, an Oriental Cleric; Sohei, a type of monk; Kensai, a person devoted to perfection of their weapon.  Bushi, a fighter variant in oriental worlds; Barbarian, a foriegner taught in the ways of weapons; Wu Jen, a magic user based on Chinese mythology; Monk, a martial artist class; Ninja, a class for spies and assassins; and Yakuza, a class for organized crime.

Of the new classes, the Samurai and Ninja was what was shown on the cover.  Plus, the whole book is nuanced for Japanese culture except for the wu jen, which was from Chinese mythology.  The idea of the book was for AD&D players could explore the realms of the Orient in their worlds.  The book includes caste and family rules, along with rules for honor, and money and equipment.  Weapons are talked about, including proficiencies -- which are skills.

After that, the spells are discussed.  Starting with shukenja spells -- which are divine spells.  And then wu jen spells, which are arcane spells. After that, they discuss combat rules and martial arts.  Then they discuss a number of monsters that exist in the orient.  Then Kara-Tur, a setting for  Oriental Adventures, is introduced.

By Yoshitoshi

 

Hits

This book was a revolution for AD&D.  It expanded the realms of AD&D from the Occidental to the Oriental.  The mysteries of the East was revealed for fantasy roleplaying and players could visit the East.  Although the book was designed with Japanese culture in mind, especially the Warring States Period (Sengoku) of Japan, the book has a few Chinese influences.  A first for the Roleplaying games, eventually after this book is published, Steve Jackson Games would come out with GURPS China,  and GURPS Japan, both of which would have Sengoku by Gold Rush Games following in their footsteps.  As for Legend of the Five Rings, which is now owned by Fantasy Flight Games -- I think OA inspired the legends of Rokugan in the first place.  OA was a revolutionary book in that it would inspire books that came after it.

Misses

I wasn't too impressed with the Martial Arts rules in the book.  This is because I'm a martial artist myself and I felt that the book didn't capture the martial arts.  I felt more could have been done with the Martial Arts rules in the book.  Especially with designing your own martial arts (which was followed in The Complete Ninja Handbook).  Also, I felt that Chinese mythology could have been represented more in the book.  Although all the monsters came from several oriental sources, the book is certainly lacking in several aspects.

Conclusion

Several of the classes could have been worked on more.  The Ninja class, for instance, didn't work until you had a disguise (multi-classed).  The Samurai class was good, but they could have done more with it.  Of course, when Oriental Adventures came out for 3rd edition, we would see an update to the original OA in several respects.  Done for the 3rd edition of Dungeons and Dragons, we would see a better treatment for Oriental Adventures as well as a new setting: Rokugan.

Way of the Ninja Review

 

The Way of the Ninja book is a sourcebook on the ninja and shinobi of Rokugan.  It was published containing mechanics for both Legend of the Five Rings second edition by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) and the d20 system by Wizards of the Coast (WotC).  It was published by AEG.  It was written by Shawn Carmen, Rich Wulf, Seth Mason, and Aaron Medwin.  This book is no longer available on Drivethru, and must be downloaded via torrent.

What Way of the Ninja is

It's a book describing how the ninja work in Rokugan, the land of Legend of the Five Rings. If you were expecting something like Kishimoto's Naruto, you're mistaken.  There are no mystical ninja clans with Genjutsu or even Taijutsu; just ninjutsu.  However, the ninja in Rokugan are treated as a myth and fairy tale around Rokugan, which helps the ninja of Rokugan immensely. Unlike the lands of Naruto, where the ninja operate fairly in the open, the ninja of Rokugan operate in the shadows.  However, like the ninja of Naruto, the ninja of Rokugan fulfill various contracts -- which can be anything from espionage to assassinations.

Way of the Ninja also goes into the history of the ninja and how Hantei I, Rokugan's first Emperor, was the first person to give the ninja a job.  He told his brother Bayushi to watch, and thus from this order, the ninja were born.  Of course, the Bayushi and Shosuro ninja first gathered intelligence on each of the Great Clans, and then started to strike on opportune moments to prevent terrible things to happen.  When one of the later Hantei learned of the ninja and their dishonorable acts, he called the then Scorpion champion to explain himself.  His brother, who was daimyo of the Bayushi ninja, was executed. This forced the ninja to work underground.  Splitting up into various factions and ninja families.  And they continued their tasks to watch over the Empire.  For the Hantei never rescinded his order, which was to "Watch!"

Overview 

The book begins describing what a ninja is, and of course they are more than just men and women wearing black and a mask committing the most heinous dishonorable acts.  Some of them do have access to Magic (the Shosuro), some of them work for the shadowlands (the Goju), some for the nefarious Kolat (the Kolat).  Still the book goes into other clans that might have ninja operations.  The Crane Clan, for instance, have the Daidoji harriers -- which act a lot like the ninja -- so they are included.

The book also goes into possible Ninja types that can be played, and a few contracts. Like sabotage and of course, assassinations.  This book also has various information on the dojo of the ninja families, which the Scorpion has two (two different families of ninjutsu is controlled and maintained by the Scorpion).  And also the Kolat has several ninja families working for them.  However, the book doesn't get into genjutsu or taijutsu.  But, it has suggested character classes and prestige classes that are trained in the book.

After the major ninja families are explained, minor ninja clans are covered.  Including a whole village of peasants that operate as ninja.  After this, the enemies of the ninja are explained.  Yes, in Rokugan, the ninja do have enemies.  While in Naruto the ninja war was conducted against another ninja faction, Rokugani ninja face enemies who are investigating their shadowy and criminal acts.  After this, the ninja's equipment, in Rokugan, is given.  Then new treatment on d20 skills and feats are given at the end of the book.

Critical Hits

This book is a valuable book for GMs as well as players.  The first, for information on conducting a ninja campaign within Rokugan.  The second, because it expands on the information given in Rokugan, which will be reviewed later.  While the ninja is given a full class in Rokugan, before that was the ninja spy prestige class given in WotC's Oriental Adventures (which will also be reviewed later). Much of the mystery of the Ninja of Rokugan is explained in this book.  Although to add mystery to an all Ninja campaign, the GM should read the Ninja and their Secret Techniques by Stephen K. Hayes.  Watching Naruto might give the GM some ideas on how to run a ninja campaign, but there are some high fantasy elements in Naruto that won't work in a Legend of the Five Rings campaign.

Critical Misses

The book doesn't go into Taijutsu or Genjutsu, which would frustrate a lot of Naruto fans.  However, it does what it does.  It describes how the ninja work in Rokugan and how they employ their secret arts in the world of Legend of the Five Rings.

Conclusion

You should get this book if you are planning a ninja campaign in your Rokugan game.  Although EDGE Studio hasn't put out a ninja book yet for Legend of the Five Rings 5th edition, they should because there are a lot of ninja fans out there.  Of course, you can get this book and use the information therein to convert to the current edition of Legend of the Five Rings. I would say that the EDGE Studio is missing out on an opportunity to put out a ninja book for their version of the game.  This book is useful, however, if you are running a d20 campaign based in Legend of the Five Rings.