So I did a brief once over of the Samurai and I'm glad the fine folks at Paizo didn't make the Ronin what happens when you break a code of conduct or something like that. I'm very happy that you can just be a Ronin. It seems like a lot of times I've seen games with a Samurai class that being Ronin makes a Samurai weaker.
I was thinking though, a Ronin seems like they would be the easiest to work into an adventuring group then a Samurai in service to a lord. A Samurai has a lord that they have to serve and a steady income. A Ronin needs to find a way to feed themselves that still is appropriate for a Samurai. Adventuring would probably be a great way to do this and allow them to test their skill. It seems to me that a Samurai with a lord would need a lot more shoe horning into an adventuring group then a wave man, due to their duties. Somethings might need to be changed around, like changing the flavor text for Orders a bit so it represents the techniques taught by their sensei and additional abilities they gain show how the perfect those techniques, or something.
I feel the same way about a ronin, however i don't think the samurai order is supposed to be any different as far as restricting the PC, than the othe cavalier orders.
I feel the same way about a ronin, however i don't think the samurai order is supposed to be any different as far as restricting the PC, than the othe cavalier orders.
I was thinking flavor text, not the mechanics. Of course the term Order doesn't really work for me for even for Samurai that serve a lord either.
Remember Samurai can choose any other Cavalie order as well,
so they are mostly going to fit into PC parties as well as any other Cavalier.
Not much different than a Ranger Variant archetype really, but they don`t get their own artwork.
Remember Samurai can choose any other Cavalie order as well,
so they are mostly going to fit into PC parties as well as any other Cavalier.
Not much different than a Ranger Variant archetype really, but they don`t get their own artwork.
My thinking is that Ronin are Samurai without the extra baggage. No lord that can demand a PC kill his or herself on the spot, PCs demanding their salary, etc. You don't have to anger your lord enough that he or she makes you ronin. Many were just born as Ronin or got permission to leave their lord's service to perfect their skill so that they can come back and better serve them. Having the Samurai class be written up from the point of view of a Ronin would make the most sense.
I'm willing to bet that, in most games were a pc wants play a Cavalier, they're effectively Ronin. Their lord isn't showing up to tell them who to fight, collecting what they want from the loot, or yelling at them for neglecting their other duties because they're off adventuring all the time. In a Samurai's case they just have a name for this kind of lifestyle.