Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Darryl_Licke 01-07-08, 05:46 PM	Granted I'm aware that any and all classes can fit but I can't conceptualize what to deem acceptable for my campaign class wise. And it doesn't seem fair to only allow swordsage.
narukagami 01-07-08, 09:36 PM	Warblade fits great, I honestly don't see how you wouldn't allow it. Crusader can fit, religious devotion is religious devotion no matter how you look at it, and pious warriors are part of the folklore and history of nearly every region the world over, so it shouldn't be hard to find an archetype. Flavor text isn't a hard ruling on how classes must be portrayed, change it as you will.
KLGChaos 01-08-08, 09:07 AM	Yeah, you could have the Crusader be a different version of the Sohei if you wanted-- Martial Monks dedicated to defense of the temples and people. They're going to be something similar in my game (once the book comes in the mail). I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the Warblade myself, as seeking power and glory (as their text describes), as that kind of stuff doesn't fit with the OA setting as well. Can't wait to see the Swordsage, though. :)
narukagami 01-08-08, 11:28 AM	as seeking power and glory (as their text describes), as that kind of stuff doesn't fit with the OA setting as well. 1) Again, fluff is mutable, Warblades don't have to be any different than standard fighters in fluff. 2) Where do people keep getting the crazy idea that seeking power and glory doesn't fit in OA? :confused:
The_Shaman 01-08-08, 11:31 AM	Yeah, you could have the Crusader be a different version of the Sohei if you wanted-- Martial Monks dedicated to defense of the temples and people. They're going to be something similar in my game (once the book comes in the mail). I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the Warblade myself, as seeking power and glory (as their text describes), as that kind of stuff doesn't fit with the OA setting as well. Are you kidding? The warblade's devotion to the mastery of combat makes them about as oriental as the swordsages. Apart from some theoretical fluff, there's nothing about the warblade features that even remotely hints that you need to be a reckless thrill-seeker. Even then, seeking glory is one of the goals of every self-respecting samurai - Wablades can just be members of certain schools or some such.
narukagami 01-08-08, 11:56 AM	Fun facts: Before about the 15th century, power, rewards, and personal glory were more important to samurai than practical tactics, victory for their side, and even loyalty. The taking of heads in battle came about so that samurai could prove their glory gains and try to claim greater rewards. It actually became fairly common after awhile for samurai to kill local bystanders and claim their heads as enemies for greater rewards. Also, if a well known warrior was killed in battle, it wouldn't be uncommon for several people to bring forth a head and claim it to be said warrior's. The reason loyalty got emphasized so much in law codes in later centuries was because before then it was common practice to switch sides right in the middle of battle if things weren't going well for your current side. Loyalty meant nothing if you weren't getting payed. The invading Mongols thought Japanese war practices were hilarious, and thoroughly trounced the silly samurai while they were too busy trying to seek out glory opportunities to put up a proper defense against the well disciplined and regimented Mongolian army. Still think that the Warblade's default flavor text is unfitting for OA? :P
CrimsonDeath 01-08-08, 02:33 PM	Considering how often ToB has been accused of being "too anime", I'm somewhat surprised this question even came up.
KLGChaos 01-08-08, 03:53 PM	Huh, I just thought I read somewhere that creating a party in OA is different than regular D&D because it's considered beneath them to go dungeon delving for wealth and glory, so parties have to be considered a bit more carefully. I suppose that doesn't mean that they don't seek it out... they just find other ways to do it. :) Of course, I was just going off of what I read elsewhere. I don't have the ToB book yet-- waiting to receive it in the mail over the next couple of days. Getting ready to play a Gestalt OA game... something tells me it's going to be interesting. None of the above really matters in my campaign, though, as it combines Japanese and Chinese cultures, anyway. I've never really been a rules-monger, either. Heck, I've got Dragon Shamans in my game (though with an Asian twist and Asian Dragons substituting for the regular D&D ones).
narukagami 01-08-08, 04:13 PM	Huh, I just thought I read somewhere that creating a party in OA is different than regular D&D because it's considered beneath them to go dungeon delving for wealth and glory, so parties have to be considered a bit more carefully. I suppose that doesn't mean that they don't seek it out... they just find other ways to do it. :) That was a Rokugan thing, I think most people have these kinds of difficulties with deciding what to and what not to allow in their OA games because the book was alittle too Rokugan-centric. So some people get the idea stuck in their heads that all the nuances of Rokugan are some kind of universal rule. None of the above really matters in my campaign, though, as it combines Japanese and Chinese cultures, anyway. I've never really been a rules-monger, either. Heck, I've got Dragon Shamans in my game (though with an Asian twist and Asian Dragons substituting for the regular D&D ones). Those were just examples to get the ball rolling on where Warblade (as their default flavor text portrays) analogs would fit using a real world culture that some people's OA games might adopt ideas from. In China (which I'm certainly no expert on, mind you), I believe quite a few historical and legendary heroes were thrill seeking glory hounds. I'm sure you can even find other examples in nearly every East and Southeast Asian culture. Hell, every culture the world over. That, and I like crushing people's misconceptions they have of Japanese culture. :P I kid, I kid. Anyway, like how you changed the Dragon Shaman to utilize different dragons, nothing is stopping you from changing the warblade as well. Heck, it'll actually be easier to do, as there isn't a single mechanic that'd need to be changed at all, just some flavor text.
Hanzo187 01-08-08, 07:00 PM	The reason loyalty got emphasized so much in law codes in later centuries was because before then it was common practice to switch sides right in the middle of battle if things weren't going well for your current side. Loyalty meant nothing if you weren't getting payed. The battle of Sekigahara springs to mind for me.
Count Arioch the 28th 01-08-08, 07:18 PM	I'd allow characters from my asian themed world areas to take levels in any of the martial adept classes.
narukagami 01-08-08, 07:35 PM	The battle of Sekigahara springs to mind for me. Actually, pretty much every battle or conflict from about 794 to around 1467 (the Onin war). And started tapering off slightly after the concept of "gekokujo" (low overcoming the high, or world turned upside down) took full swing, and the families of the provinces stopped giving a crap about the Emperor and the Shogun. :P Sekigahara was complicated, both sides actually claimed loyalty to the same person (Hideyoshi's heir), but clashed over other ideals. Anyway, thats all off topic.