Oriental Adventures
Encyclopedia
Oriental Adventures is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions
of the Dungeons & Dragons
(D&D) fantasy
roleplaying game. Each version of Oriental Adventures provides rules for adapting its respective version of D&D for use in campaign settings based on the Far East
, rather than the medieval Europe
-setting assumed by most D&D books. Both versions of Oriental Adventures include example campaign settings.
, David "Zeb" Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval
, and published in 1985 by TSR, Inc.
as a 144-page hardcover for use with the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) 1st edition rules. The book was edited by Steve Winter
, Mike Breault, Anne Gray
, and Thad Russell. The book's cover art was by Jeff Easley
, with interior illustrations by Roger Raupp
, James Holloway, Easley, and Dave Sutherland
.
The book provides rules for ten character classes
and three races to be used in place of standard AD&D classes and races. The book presents new versions of the barbarian
(here a steppe warrior or forest and jungle dweller) and monk
, as well as new classes such as the ninja
, kensai, wu-jen
, and shukenja
. Kensai "seek to perfect their weapons technique to the exclusion of all else. They are deadly in combat, but cannot use magical weaponry because it detracts from the appreciation of their skill". Wu-jen are magic-users who must obey their personal taboos to avoid losing all spell powers, and shukenja are clerics that become penalized if they kill enemies too freely. A ninja character must take one of the other classes as well the ninja class, as in keeping with their secret nature, ninja use their normal class as a cover identity; a ninja must be careful to keep his identity secret, as loss of honor (and sudden death) may occur if the PC is unmasked. The other classes introduced in the book are the sohei, the bushi (peasant warriors), the samurai
, and the yakuza. The three new character races are the korobokuru (equivalent to dwarves
, without the bad temper and greediness), the hengeyokai (intelligent animals who can shapechange into human form), and the spirit folk (humanoids whose lifeforce is tied to a particular location). The book draws on the history of China, Korea, and Japan, and covers information on families, clans, caste, and honor.
The original Oriental Adventures introduced two major innovations to the AD&D system. Although previous TSR publications (such as Deities & Demigods
) had touched on using non-European settings for the game, Oriental Adventures was the first official supplement entirely devoted to roleplaying in a non-Western setting. Oriental Adventures also introduced a new game mechanic
to Dungeons & Dragons; it was the first official supplement to include rules for non-weapon proficiencies. Every character is expected to possess proficiencies in the noncombat arts, and include skills such as calligraphy, etiquette, animal handling, iaijutsu
(fast draw), and bowyer
. Both non-weapon proficiencies and non-European settings were explored in more detail in 2nd edition AD&D rules.
The book included an honor system, in which honor points are lost when a character fails to behave in a correct fashion or uphold the family name; eventually the character sheet is simply thrown away, if such behavior continues. Personal honor is also reflected in the honor a character's family. The character's family background is also determined by a system which generates a character's immediate family and ancestors, which determines family honor and status, and also provides characters with their birthrights.
The book includes detailed rules for karate
and other martial arts
styles, and allows the DM
to construct new martial arts styles and techniques by choosing from a range of menu options. All characters may study martial arts, providing they can find masters to teach them, although monks and shukenja start their adventuring lives with some martial arts training. Each character classes also has its own unique ki
powers, which become more effective as characters increase in levels.
The original Oriental Adventures includes a long background section on the fantasy setting known as Kara-Tur
. Kara-Tur was later made a continent of Abeir-Toril
. TSR went on to produce eight adventure modules
using the Oriental Adventures rules and the Kara-Tur setting.
Gary Gygax intended to incorporate the material from Oriental Adventures into revised versions of the Players Handbook
and Dungeon Masters Guide
, but left TSR shortly after announcing the project. Oriental Adventures was TSR's biggest seller in 1985. Little if any material from Oriental Adventures was incorporated into the AD&D 2nd Edition core books, and Oriental Adventures itself was never revised for the 2nd Edition.
magazine, giving it an overall rating of 9 out of 10. Shepherd felt that the book was not so much a sourcebook as "a completely new version of AD&D. The old stand-bys of the AD&D system are still in the rules, but the elements have been intelligently modified to produce something that is far greater than the sum of its parts." The reviewer felt that the character classes all had a twist which makes them interesting and worth playing, noted that the monk is in its proper Eastern context, and said the ninja was the best version the reviewer had seen. Shepherd stated that the skill system of "proficiency slots" was a "sensible extension of the character rules, and should be extended to cover the whole system, not just this Eastern supplement". Shepherd also felt that the honor system was a good touch, and that the real strength of the new martial arts system was that the Dungeon Master
was now able to construct any number of new styles. Shepherd compared the sourcebook favorably with Bushido
, another oriental role-playing game of the time, feeling that Oriental Adventures was a better choice as a game system. Shepherd concluded the review by saying, "By remaining compatible with the rest of AD&D, Dave Cook has written an excellent set of rules which should be very popular. Oriental Adventures has even persuaded me to start playing AD&D again."
Jim Bambra reviewed Oriental Adventures for Dragon
magazine #134 (June 1988). Bambra felt that with Oriental Adventures, the AD&D game made the transition to the Orient, and "it makes the change with style", complete with new character classes and spells that "admirably capture the flavor of the Orient, and the inclusion of nonhuman character types". Bambra felt that the book's martial artist system "really shines", as it "gives practitioners a wide range from which to choose and adds a very interesting dimension to combat". He concluded that "Oriental Adventures is solidly Oriental in feel and is an excellent addition to the AD&D game."
, Night of the Seven Swords
, Ochimo: The Spirit Warrior
, Blood of the Yakuza
, and Mad Monkey vs. the Dragon Claw
) were released for first edition AD&D; the sixth module (Ronin Challenge
) was released for second edition, as was the seventh module (Test of the Samurai
) which did not have the Oriental Adventures logo. The last three of these modules also had the Forgotten Realms
logo. The Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms
boxed set, also for Forgotten Realms, was billed as an expansion for Oriental Adventures. Also released for second edition was a volume for the Monstrous Compendium
series.
and published by Wizards of the Coast
in October 2001. It uses the D&D 3rd Edition rules. The book includes five new races, including the spirit folk
, nezumi
, and vanara
, five new classes, over two dozen new prestige classes, one hundred new spells, and seventy-five new monsters. The featured campaign setting of this edition is Rokugan
, a campaign setting originally created for the game Legend of the Five Rings
.
The second Oriental Adventures won the 2002 Ennie Award for "Best Campaign Setting".
In 2005, AEG dropped the D20 version of Legend of the Five Rings (and 3rd edition Oriental Adventures with it). The main reason was because the 3rd Edition Oriental Adventures rulebook was out of print.
2 as a leader based on the primal power source. The monk appears in Player's Handbook 3.
As of Dragon Issue 404 (October 2011), samurai and sohei have been added as character themes. The ninja is now a build for the assassin class.
Editions of Dungeons & Dragons
Several different editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of Dungeons & Dragons , Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the game...
of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
(D&D) fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
roleplaying game. Each version of Oriental Adventures provides rules for adapting its respective version of D&D for use in campaign settings based on the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, rather than the medieval Europe
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
-setting assumed by most D&D books. Both versions of Oriental Adventures include example campaign settings.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
The original Oriental Adventures (ISBN 0-88038-099-3) was written by Gary GygaxGary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
, David "Zeb" Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval
François Marcela-Froideval
François Marcela-Froideval is a French role-playing game, videogame and comic scenarist.Froideval had a major influence on the introduction of role-playing games in France, mainly as editor in chief of the now-defunct Casus Belli role-playing magazine...
, and published in 1985 by TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
as a 144-page hardcover for use with the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) 1st edition rules. The book was edited by Steve Winter
Steve Winter
Steve Winter is a game designer who has worked on numerous products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR and later Wizards of the Coast.-Early life:Steve Winter was born in Dubuque, Iowa on December 8, 1957...
, Mike Breault, Anne Gray
Anne Gray McCready
Anne Gray McCready is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR.-Early history:...
, and Thad Russell. The book's cover art was by Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
, with interior illustrations by Roger Raupp
Roger Raupp
Roger Raupp is an artist whose work has appeared in games such as the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR, and the collectible card game Magic: the Gathering from Wizards of the Coast....
, James Holloway, Easley, and Dave Sutherland
David C. Sutherland III
David C. Sutherland III was an early Dungeons & Dragons artist. Sutherland was a prolific artist and his work heavily influenced the early development of Dungeons & Dragons.-Early life and inspiration:...
.
The book provides rules for ten character classes
Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)
A character class is a fundamental part of the identity and nature of characters in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A character's capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses are largely defined by his or her chosen class; choosing a class is one of the first steps a player takes in order to...
and three races to be used in place of standard AD&D classes and races. The book presents new versions of the barbarian
Barbarian (Dungeons & Dragons)
The barbarian is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Creative origins:The barbarian is based on Robert E...
(here a steppe warrior or forest and jungle dweller) and monk
Monk (Dungeons & Dragons)
The monk is a playable character class in most editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A D&D monk is a fantasy martial artist, specializing in unarmed combat.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
, as well as new classes such as the ninja
Ninja (Dungeons & Dragons)
The ninja is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :...
, kensai, wu-jen
Wu jen
The wu jen is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :The wu jen was introduced in the original 1st edition Oriental Adventures book...
, and shukenja
Shugenja (Dungeons & Dragons)
The shugenja or shukenja is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :...
. Kensai "seek to perfect their weapons technique to the exclusion of all else. They are deadly in combat, but cannot use magical weaponry because it detracts from the appreciation of their skill". Wu-jen are magic-users who must obey their personal taboos to avoid losing all spell powers, and shukenja are clerics that become penalized if they kill enemies too freely. A ninja character must take one of the other classes as well the ninja class, as in keeping with their secret nature, ninja use their normal class as a cover identity; a ninja must be careful to keep his identity secret, as loss of honor (and sudden death) may occur if the PC is unmasked. The other classes introduced in the book are the sohei, the bushi (peasant warriors), the samurai
Samurai (Dungeons & Dragons)
The samurai is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :The samurai was introduced in the original first edition Oriental Adventures book....
, and the yakuza. The three new character races are the korobokuru (equivalent to dwarves
Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters...
, without the bad temper and greediness), the hengeyokai (intelligent animals who can shapechange into human form), and the spirit folk (humanoids whose lifeforce is tied to a particular location). The book draws on the history of China, Korea, and Japan, and covers information on families, clans, caste, and honor.
The original Oriental Adventures introduced two major innovations to the AD&D system. Although previous TSR publications (such as Deities & Demigods
Deities & Demigods
Deities & Demigods , alternatively known as Legends & Lore , is a reference book for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game . The book provides descriptions and game statistics of gods and legendary creatures from various sources in mythology and fiction...
) had touched on using non-European settings for the game, Oriental Adventures was the first official supplement entirely devoted to roleplaying in a non-Western setting. Oriental Adventures also introduced a new game mechanic
Game mechanic
Game mechanics are constructs of rules intended to produce an enjoyable game or gameplay. All games use mechanics; however, theories and styles differ as to their ultimate importance to the game...
to Dungeons & Dragons; it was the first official supplement to include rules for non-weapon proficiencies. Every character is expected to possess proficiencies in the noncombat arts, and include skills such as calligraphy, etiquette, animal handling, iaijutsu
Iaijutsu
, the art of drawing the Japanese sword. One of Japanese martial disciplines in education of the classical warrior .-Etymology:"Iaijutsu" was known before the Tokugawa period but it is unclear exactly when the term "iaijutsu" first came into use, or when exactly drawing the katana from its...
(fast draw), and bowyer
Bowyer
A bowyer is someone who makes or sells bows. Bows are used for hunting and for archery. The development of gunpowder and muskets slowly led to the replacement of bows as weapons of war which decreased the importance of bowyers. Someone who makes arrows is a fletcher.-History:Historically, a huge...
. Both non-weapon proficiencies and non-European settings were explored in more detail in 2nd edition AD&D rules.
The book included an honor system, in which honor points are lost when a character fails to behave in a correct fashion or uphold the family name; eventually the character sheet is simply thrown away, if such behavior continues. Personal honor is also reflected in the honor a character's family. The character's family background is also determined by a system which generates a character's immediate family and ancestors, which determines family honor and status, and also provides characters with their birthrights.
The book includes detailed rules for karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and other martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
styles, and allows the DM
Dungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
to construct new martial arts styles and techniques by choosing from a range of menu options. All characters may study martial arts, providing they can find masters to teach them, although monks and shukenja start their adventuring lives with some martial arts training. Each character classes also has its own unique ki
Qi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...
powers, which become more effective as characters increase in levels.
The original Oriental Adventures includes a long background section on the fantasy setting known as Kara-Tur
Kara-Tur
Kara-Tur is a fantasy world created by David Cook in the Oriental Adventures rulebook for the First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game in 1986. Kara-Tur's cultures and peoples are fantasy analogues of medieval China, Korea, Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, Tibet, and other regions of...
. Kara-Tur was later made a continent of Abeir-Toril
Abeir-Toril
Abeir-Toril is the name of the fictional planet that makes up the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, as well as the Al-Qadim and Maztica campaign settings and the 1st edition version of the Oriental Adventures campaign setting.The name is archaic, meaning "cradle of life." It...
. TSR went on to produce eight adventure modules
Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an adventure or module is a pre-packaged book or box set that helps the Dungeon Master manage the plot or story of a game...
using the Oriental Adventures rules and the Kara-Tur setting.
Gary Gygax intended to incorporate the material from Oriental Adventures into revised versions of the Players Handbook
Player's Handbook
The Player's Handbook is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons . It does not contain the complete set of rules, but only those for use by players of the game...
and Dungeon Masters Guide
Dungeon Master's Guide
The Dungeon Master's Guide is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
, but left TSR shortly after announcing the project. Oriental Adventures was TSR's biggest seller in 1985. Little if any material from Oriental Adventures was incorporated into the AD&D 2nd Edition core books, and Oriental Adventures itself was never revised for the 2nd Edition.
Reception
Ashley Shepherd reviewed Oriental Adventures for issue No. 74 of White DwarfWhite Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
magazine, giving it an overall rating of 9 out of 10. Shepherd felt that the book was not so much a sourcebook as "a completely new version of AD&D. The old stand-bys of the AD&D system are still in the rules, but the elements have been intelligently modified to produce something that is far greater than the sum of its parts." The reviewer felt that the character classes all had a twist which makes them interesting and worth playing, noted that the monk is in its proper Eastern context, and said the ninja was the best version the reviewer had seen. Shepherd stated that the skill system of "proficiency slots" was a "sensible extension of the character rules, and should be extended to cover the whole system, not just this Eastern supplement". Shepherd also felt that the honor system was a good touch, and that the real strength of the new martial arts system was that the Dungeon Master
Dungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
was now able to construct any number of new styles. Shepherd compared the sourcebook favorably with Bushido
Bushido (role-playing game)
Bushido is a Samurai role-playing game set in Feudal Japan, originally designed by Robert N. Charrette and Paul R. Hume and published originally by Tyr Games then Phoenix Games and subsequently by Fantasy Games Unlimited...
, another oriental role-playing game of the time, feeling that Oriental Adventures was a better choice as a game system. Shepherd concluded the review by saying, "By remaining compatible with the rest of AD&D, Dave Cook has written an excellent set of rules which should be very popular. Oriental Adventures has even persuaded me to start playing AD&D again."
Jim Bambra reviewed Oriental Adventures for Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine #134 (June 1988). Bambra felt that with Oriental Adventures, the AD&D game made the transition to the Orient, and "it makes the change with style", complete with new character classes and spells that "admirably capture the flavor of the Orient, and the inclusion of nonhuman character types". Bambra felt that the book's martial artist system "really shines", as it "gives practitioners a wide range from which to choose and adds a very interesting dimension to combat". He concluded that "Oriental Adventures is solidly Oriental in feel and is an excellent addition to the AD&D game."
Other releases
Several products with the Oriental Adventures logo were also released. This included a series of modules numbered OA1 to OA7, the first five of which (Swords of the DaimyoSwords of the Daimyo
Swords of the Daimyo is a 1986 adventure module for the Oriental Adventures rules of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:Swords of the Daimyo contains three adventures...
, Night of the Seven Swords
Night of the Seven Swords
Night of the Seven Swords is a 1986 adventure module for the Oriental Adventures rules of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:Night of the Seven Swords includes four linked scenarios...
, Ochimo: The Spirit Warrior
Ochimo: The Spirit Warrior
Ochimo: The Spirit Warrior is an adventure module published in 1987 for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:Ochimo the Spirit Warrior is intended for use with the Oriental Adventures supplement...
, Blood of the Yakuza
Blood of the Yakuza
Blood of the Yakuza is a module in the Oriental Adventures subset of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms product line.-Plot summary:...
, and Mad Monkey vs. the Dragon Claw
Mad Monkey vs. the Dragon Claw
Mad Monkey vs. the Dragon Claw is an adventure module published in 1988 for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:Mad Monkey vs...
) were released for first edition AD&D; the sixth module (Ronin Challenge
Ronin Challenge
Ronin Challenge is an adventure module published in 1990 for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:...
) was released for second edition, as was the seventh module (Test of the Samurai
Test of the Samurai
Test of the Samurai is an adventure module published in 1990 for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:...
) which did not have the Oriental Adventures logo. The last three of these modules also had the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
logo. The Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms
Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms
Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms is an accessory for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms details a Forgotten Realms campaign setting for use with Oriental Adventures, which describes the eastern land of Kara-Tur and its geography, population,...
boxed set, also for Forgotten Realms, was billed as an expansion for Oriental Adventures. Also released for second edition was a volume for the Monstrous Compendium
Monstrous Compendium
The Monstrous Compendium is a series of accessories for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Volumes:MC1 Monstrous Compendium, Volume One was published by TSR in 1989...
series.
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
The second version of Oriental Adventures (ISBN 0-7869-2015-7) was written by James WyattJames Wyatt (game designer)
James Wyatt is a game designer and a former United Methodist minister. He works for Wizards of the Coast, where he has designed several award-winning supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
and published by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
in October 2001. It uses the D&D 3rd Edition rules. The book includes five new races, including the spirit folk
Spirit Folk
"Spirit Folk" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 17th episode of the sixth season.-Plot:The crew continues to enjoy the Fair Haven holodeck program. After Tom Paris' suggestion, the holoprogram is set to run continuously, but over time, the strain put on the holotechnology begins to cause...
, nezumi
Nezumi
-Real life:* The Japanese word 鼠 literally meaning "rat" or "mouse"* Nezumi Kozō was the nickname of a thief in the 19th century* Previous name of Yuuki Matsuda-Software:* Mobile Application for monitoring applications...
, and vanara
Vanara
Vānara popularly refers to a group of ape-like humanoids in the Hindu epic Ramayana who were brave and inquisitive by nature. They possessed supernatural powers and could change their shapes...
, five new classes, over two dozen new prestige classes, one hundred new spells, and seventy-five new monsters. The featured campaign setting of this edition is Rokugan
Rokugan
Rokugan is the fictional empire which is the main power in the Legend of the Five Rings setting, the basis for the Legend of the Five Rings Collectible Card Game, Legend of the Five Rings Role-Playing Game, the board game Art of War and the now out of print Clan War Miniatures game, all from...
, a campaign setting originally created for the game Legend of the Five Rings
Legend of the Five Rings
Legend of the Five Rings is a fictional setting created by the John Wick and published by Alderac Entertainment Group in 1995. The setting primarily involves the fictional country of Rokugan, though some additional areas and cultures have been discussed. Rokugan is based roughly on feudal Japan...
.
The second Oriental Adventures won the 2002 Ennie Award for "Best Campaign Setting".
In 2005, AEG dropped the D20 version of Legend of the Five Rings (and 3rd edition Oriental Adventures with it). The main reason was because the 3rd Edition Oriental Adventures rulebook was out of print.
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition
A number of the monsters from the Oriental Adventures setting, such as the oni, have been included in the Monster Manual. Wizards of the Coast has not yet announced if Oriental Adventures will be released, or if player classes such as the ninja, samurai, shugenja, sohei, and wu jen will appear in future products. The shaman is in the Player's HandbookPlayer's Handbook
The Player's Handbook is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons . It does not contain the complete set of rules, but only those for use by players of the game...
2 as a leader based on the primal power source. The monk appears in Player's Handbook 3.
As of Dragon Issue 404 (October 2011), samurai and sohei have been added as character themes. The ninja is now a build for the assassin class.
Further reading
- "...And a Step Beyond That", Dragon #122
- "A Menagerie of Martial Arts", Dragon #127
- "A Step Beyond Shogun...", Dragon #122
- "Flying Feet and Lightning Hands", Dragon #164
- "Hand-to-Hand Against the Rules", Dragon #139
- "New Kicks in Martial Arts", Dragon #136
- "Sage Advice", Dragon #121
- "Sage Advice", Dragon #122
- "Sage Advice", Dragon #151
- "Taking the Mystery Out of the Orient: Updates and Errata for Oriental Adventures", Footprints #9
- "Things Your Sensei Never Taught You", Dragon #164
External links
- Kohler, Alan D. Oriental Adventures capsule review, retrieved June 1, 2006
- http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_7441.html