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The Shugenja class is "Abandon Ware" by Wizards of the Coast, secondly, it also appears in the OGL-compliant ROKUGAN book. Legend of the Five Rings is my favorite Oriental Fantasy setting, by the way. It's been my dream to purchase the Legend of the Five Rings Intellectual Properties myself. Why? So I can write and publish adventures in the L5R game world without lawyers busting down my gates! (A lot of you will be quick to point out that AEG will charge a lot for the property. I don't care.)
Ahem -- this conversion is a Academic Exercise. The Cleric and Druid in Pathfinder works as a great replacement, although if you loved 1st Edition OA as much as I do, this Academic Exercise should be a fun place to start.
Ahem.
The Shugenja is the magical counterpart to the Samurai and the Courtier in Rokugan. Mechanically, it was developed from the 3.x Sorcerer. So, in the spirit of the 3.x OA book and the ROKUGAN d20 book, it's a sorcerer variant.
CLASS SKILLS:
The following are class skills of the Shugenja: Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Hit Points and Skill Ranks are per Sorcerer.
*Divine Magic Focus!*
The Shugenja are Divine spellcasters that specialize in casting spells by invoking their will through the lesser kami -- or the spirits of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Void. They are adept at casting divine spells, some of which have Arcane power (i.e. the Ishiken's void bolt is a good example). The Shugenja still use Charisma as their base Ability and they cast spells from ofuda or magic scrolls.
*Kami*
All shugenja are adept at speaking to the kami, and they receive the Kami language for free.
*Orisons*
Orisons are the 0-level divine spells, and they replace the cantrip ability at level 1.
*Element Focus*
Another ability gained at level 1. All Shugenja have a favored element: Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. Usually, shugenja's choice of element is determined by the clan school at which he studies. Strangely enough, this replaces Bloodline Power. However, bonus spells are determined by the school the Shugenja studies with.
Air -- Air spells are subtle, and thus involve travel, intuition, influence, divination, and Illusion. For the Dragon Empires of the Pathfinder Game -- there is a Generic Air School you can use (either from the APG or from the spell list I'm giving you below). If using Rokugan there are two major families and two minor families that practice Air magic. The Asahina of the Crane and the Soshi of the Scorpion are the major families, and the Moshi is the minor family.
The Schools of the Asahina include: Shinden Asahina and the Ashina Battle School. The school of the Soshi is The Dojo of the Closed Eye.
Earth -- Earth Spells involve resilience and resolve, so Earth Shugenja must choose Air as their barred element (and Air shugenja must choose Earth as their barred element). The families that practice Earth magic include the Kuni of the Crab, the Tamori of the Dragon, the Horiuchi family of the Unicorn, and the Yogo of the Scorpion. The Kitsune family of the Fox also practice Earth Magic.
The School of the Crab is the Kuni Wastelands. Mountain Home Dojo and the Dragon's Heart Dojo are the schools of the Dragon Clan. Similarly the Yugo train at the Kuroiban. Finally the Horiuchi train at Honor Winds Castle.
Fire -- Fire spells are utterly destructive and blatant. Similarly, they also deal with intelligence, inspiration, and creativity! Fire Shugenja must choose Water as their prohibited element. The only family that specializes in Fire Magic is the Agasha of the Phoenix Clan.
Kyuden Agasha is where the Agasha are taught their brand of fire magic.
Water -- Water spells involve transformation, cleansing, and healing -- also friendship. Water shugenja must -- as you guessed -- choose fire as their prohibited element. The Kitsu school of the Lion clan, and the Iuchi school of the Unicorn clan specialize in Water Magic.
The schools where the Shugenja of the Lion and the Unicorn include: Bishamon Seido and the Kitsu Tombs for the Lion; and the Gatherer of the Winds Dojo.
The final family of Shugenja are the Isawa family of the Phoenix Clan. From them, all traditions descend from, and it is also the Isawa that train in all four elements. They are also the only family that have a tradition in training in the fifth Element -- the Void. The Isawa family teach their magic at the hidden city of Gisei Toshei.
* Sense Elements *
One of the first "spells" a shugenja learns -- which is a magical effect so basic that it becomes a spell like ability -- is the Sense Elements ability. As a full round action, a shugenja can become aware of all sources of one chosen element (air, earth, fire, or water) within ten feet of him. The shugenja learns of the size of the source but not the precise location or actual nature.
[ It's late, and I'll add to this later. ]
Plans:
In Way of the Shugenja you can get benefits from School training. There are also a couple of 5 level prestige classes available for some Shugenja of certain schools. Bloodline Feats will be replaced by School feats.
bloodline spells will be replaced by School specific spells taken from the Original school lists. The Isawa Family trains in the spells of the Generic Schools. :)
So kind of a divine sorcerer?
I too am an old fan of OA, but not L5R per se, although I possess the L5R 3rd Edition Handbook.
It probably doesn't fit your idea, but in Kaidan (Japanese Horror) setting for PFRPG by Rite Publishing, the Yamabushi, which is a paladin archetype is the replacement for the Shugenja. You can find the archetype in Way of the Samurai supplement for Kaidan. In fact Kaidan which is my IP, part of my goal in creating it was to fix the many errors made when the orient was brought to RPGs. Fixing many issues gotten wrong in OA and L5R.
Shugenja, the Japanese word was taken out of context when first used by Gary Gygax in original Oriental Adventures (borrowed by AEG) and never should have meant a divine spellcaster. Shugenja is any follower (child, commoner) to the Shugendo religion. Shugenja to Shugendo is equivalent to Christian to Christianity. A shugenja is not a priest nor a spellcaster, only a worshipper. A yamabushi is a priest of Shugendo, and the proper term for what Shugenja was used instead in D&D and L5R. You should really use Yamabushi for your class idea as the correct term.
I don't really get basing your class idea from Sorcerer, especially since there are so many divine options in PF, like Cleric, Inquisitor, Oracle, as well as Paladin. Since 3x lacked two of those classes perhaps basing your shugenja on sorcerer is not the best way any longer. Have you thought about these other divine classes instead?
So far Kaidan has two arcane spellcasters, both wizard archetypes (onmyoji and horimyo), four divine spellcasters: kannushi = cleric, mikko = oracle, and yamabushi = paladin, and inquisitor = metsuki. Among the yokai (non-human races of Kaidan) kannushi = druid.
While again, not designed to emulate L5R, Kaidan has many releases to fulfill your Japanese predilictions. There is a 3 part intro mini-campaign (The Curse of the Golden Spear trilogy), a free one-shot module called Frozen Wind, 3 racial supplements, 2 faction supplements and a haunts book so far. We are currently developing setting handbooks following our successful Kickstarter to fund those books, as well as 2 more one-shots. So there's more and more content being released to fill your needs.
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Well, the Legend of the Five Rings Collectible Card Game is almost 20 years old. This is where this version the Shugenja comes from.
The reason why for the Shugenja conversion is because that's how they do things in Rokugan. Also, the reason why it's a variant of the Sorcerer is that's how they did things in Oriental Adventures, 3rd Edition.
In Rokugan, the Shugenja is a Divine Spellcaster that cast spells based on the 5 Elemental Rings -- Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Void. The third Edition of the game should have explained this to you. Besides, I'm hardly in a position to buy Kaidan. L5R is my favorite setting for Oriental High Fantasy, but for gaming of a more Chanbara perspective, I have a copy of Sengoku. But congrats on going with Rite Publishing. I'm their layout artist for Pathways Magazine.
BTW, you did read my disclaimer that this is an Academic Exercise, yes? And you also did read that the Shugenja has access to hurting spells, correct? The last time I read OA, 3rd Edition; the Agasha could throw fireballs, the Soshi could air walk, and the Iuchi can cast Horrid Wilting. These spells are not on the Oracle list. Plus, there is the Void Disciple -- which is supposed to represent the Ishiken -- which is a way of blunder bussing your way through combat with the Void.
Suggesting the Oracle or Inquisitor is a noble effort. However, of all the classes you suggested: the Oracle is the only one that really fits in the Rokugani scheme of things.
I have never liked the d20 version of the Shugenja. Shugenja are clearly divine casters, but the division between divine and arcane are absolutely alien to them.
Also, they are incredible versatile, for some shugenja some spellcasting similar to Sorcerer is appropiate, but I can not really see Tamori or Kuni with slow BAB.
Oriental Adventures and Rokugan are good books, but I don't like the Shugenja conversion. Really a pity, I like much more the Augments mechanic than not Metamagic.
Edit: What I like d20 Shugenja for is like a "elementalist arcanist" kind of character, more than some other workings on the idea.
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I have never liked the d20 version of the Shugenja. Shugenja are clearly divine casters, but the division between divine and arcane are absolutely alien to them.
Also, they are incredible versatile, for some shugenja some spellcasting similar to Sorcerer is appropiate, but I can not really see Tamori or Kuni with slow BAB.
Oriental Adventures and Rokugan are good books, but I don't like the Shugenja conversion. Really a pity, I like much more the Augments mechanic than not Metamagic.
Edit: What I like d20 Shugenja for is like a "elementalist arcanist" kind of character, more than some other workings on the idea.
Eh, there's no pleasing all of the people, all of the time. :) Until I can get a license from WotC, or until Krakatoa blows up, or until Mount Rainer has an Episode, there's going to be no new "official" conversion of this class. So make up a competing version if you like in the spirit of Academic exercise! :)
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[continued from last night]
By concentrating longer, a shugenja can either extend her magical senses or gather more information about the elements she has detected. Each additional round spent in concentration
allows the shugenja to add 5 feet to the radius of her sense ability, to a maximum of 5 additional feet per shugenja level. Thus, at 4th level, Kitsu Mari can sense elements to a maximum range of 30 feet by concentrating for five full rounds. Alternatively, the shugenja can focus on one source of the sensed element per round, attempting a Spellcraft check to determine more about that single item. The amount of information she learns depends on her Spellcraft check result:
Check Result Information Learned
20 or higher Item’s general location (5-foot square
containing it, or its nearest boundary if it is
larger than a 5-foot square).
25 or higher Whether the item is natural or a spell effect.
(A normal Spellcraft check against DC 20 +
spell level can then determine the nature of
the spell effect.)
30 or higher Whether the item is a creature or an object.
35 or higher The exact nature of the item (for example,
whether a creature is a human or an oni,
whether an object is gold or stone, whether
air is breathable or not).
In subsequent rounds, a shugenja can either retry her Spellcraft check on the same item, shift her attention to a different item, or extend the range of her senses.
A 1st-level shugenja can use this ability three times per day. Every five levels she advances as a shugenja allows her to use the ability an additional time per day (four times at 5th level, five times at 10th level, and so on). Like many divination spells, a shugenja’s sense elements ability is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. This replaces the eschew materials ability.
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Schools
The Agasha school
You are trained to harness the power of fire in the Agasha way. Which can be, in all ways, utterly destructive. The Agasha also has a tradition to investigate chymisty (Alchemy) for the Phoenix clan. Agasha Shugenja may multiclass as alchemists freely.
Class Skill: Craft (Alchemy).
School Spells: 1st: Isawa's Eye (flare); 3rd: Burning Hands; 5th: Summon Flame (Produce Flame); 7th: Sun's Anger (Searing Light), 9th: Fireball; 11th: The Thunder's Strike (Flame Strike), 13th: Fires of Purity; 15th: Tempest of Fire (Firestorm); 17th Delayed Blast Fireball; 19th: Tears of the Heavens (Meteor Swarm).
Bonus Feats: Blessing of Fire, Craft Potion, Dodge, Elemental Versatility, Empower Spell, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes]), Weapon Finesse, Void Use.
The Asahina School
The Asahina school was founded by Isawa Asahina as a school of peace after several vengeance strikes against the Crane. The Asahina devote themselves to peaceful creativity and expression of the soul. The Asahina have a tradition in making magical items called Tsangusuri.
School Spells: 1st: Guidance, 3rd Detect Snares and Pits; 5th Detect Thoughts; 7th: Clairvoyance/Clairaudience; 9th: Divination; 11th: Commune with Nature; 13th Find the Path; 15th: Legend Lore; 17th: Vision; 19th: Forsight.
Bonus Feats: Blessing of Air, Craft Tsanguri, Dodge, Empower Spell, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes]), Weapon Finesse, Void Use.
The Asahina Battle School
Several events in the past few years have tested the Asahina's resolve to keep the peace. However, this has left many an embittered Asahina. Asahina Mataro wanted to call on the Kami to make whirlwinds and cause mighty winds to destroy his enemies. He founded a school that is in the spirit of a vengeful Isawa Asahina.
School spells: 1st -- Guidiance, 3rd: Shocking Grasp; 5th: Reflecting Mirror; 7th: Gust of Wind; 9th: Hallucinatory Terrain; 11th: Control Winds; 13th: Cloudkill; 15th: Control Weather; 17th: Whirlwind; 19th: Winds of Vengeance
Bonus Feats: Blessing of Air, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Elemental Versatility, Empower Spell, Heighten Spell, Improved Disarm, Intensified Spell, Maximize Spell, Widen Spell, Void Use.
Associated PRC: The Asahina Sohei (see Way of the Shugenja page 32.)
[more later, need food!]
Well nothing wrong with making a Rokugan conversion for PF as an academic exercise, nor using such a class in your home games. However, shugenja first made an appearance in TSR's Oriental Adventures published in 1985. L5R, the card game didn't start until 1995, so the OA shugenja preceeded it by a decade. Had Gygax or AEG looked more closely they would have discovered they used a word out of context and shugenja, as mentioned in my previous post is the wrong word to describe a divine spellcaster.
I have copies of Sengoku and Bushido as well, having always been a fan of Japan based RPGs. Besides you shouldn't need to buy Kaidan products, Steve will give you free copies of all Kaidan publications being you're a freelancer for Rite.
All the classes, archetypes and rules of Kaidan are based on Japanese lore, not Oriental Adventures nor L5R conversions - as neither game/setting effectively emulates ancient Japan much. Kaidan is the first RPG game setting to attempt to get the facts and lore correct. In Japan, the yamabushi and shugenja followers were outcasts of society, declared an illegal practice by the emperor of Japan and exiled to an island in Tokyo Bay and declared so during the lifetime of it's founder. Shugendo was never a force to be recognized in historical Japan. So making them the default casting class of a Japan based game is problematic at best.
The onmyoji (wizard archetype of Kaidan) is based on the Ministry of Onmyodo and it's onmyoji adherents, which was an actual arcane or divine caster declared so by the Japanese government from the Heian Period (circa 790 AD) up to the 19th century. They were primarily charged with protecting the imperial court from evil spirits at each New Year celebration, as well as determining the calendar of Japan each year based on astrological projections. Had Gygax or AEG actually looked they would have used onmyoji as their probable spellcasting class.
Sohei are the fighting monks of the Temples of Mount Hiei near Kyoto and Nara. These were Buddhist monks, and had nothing to do with shugengja, which was a completely different religion. The sohei were effectively destroyed by the Shogunate, following a rebellion by the sohei called the Ikka Ikki. Still they fit a Buddhist monk concept in a Japan based fantasy game very well.
Anyway just trying to get the background facts to these class choices up front. Continue with your conversions, I'll leave your thread alone.
You ever think of tweaking this into an oracle? seems you could build a mystery around spirit pacts. And their spell list could be from their "school"
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ou ever think of tweaking this into an oracle? seems you could build a mystery around spirit pacts. And their spell list could be from their "school"
No, I can't twist this into an oracle Archetype right now, I checked the Oracle Class -- I'm pretty sure I have to rebuild the class spell list. Many of the spells come from the L5R RPG -- AND -- the flavor of the Oracle fits the Oracles of the 5 Dragons, Shinsei, and the spirit of the Reibai PRC.
Sorry about sounding snarky earlier. I just wanted to point out that the actual Pathfinder Oracle would not be as common as the Shugenja.
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Well nothing wrong with making a Rokugan conversion for PF as an academic exercise, nor using such a class in your home games. However, shugenja first made an appearance in TSR's Oriental Adventures published in 1985. L5R, the card game didn't start until 1995, so the OA shugenja preceeded it by a decade. Had Gygax or AEG looked more closely they would have discovered they used a word out of context and shugenja, as mentioned in my previous post is the wrong word to describe a divine spellcaster.
I have copies of Sengoku and Bushido as well, having always been a fan of Japan based RPGs. Besides you shouldn't need to buy Kaidan products, Steve will give you free copies of all Kaidan publications being you're a freelancer for Rite.
All the classes, archetypes and rules of Kaidan are based on Japanese lore, not Oriental Adventures nor L5R conversions - as neither game/setting effectively emulates ancient Japan much. Kaidan is the first RPG game setting to attempt to get the facts and lore correct. In Japan, the yamabushi and shugenja followers were outcasts of society, declared an illegal practice by the emperor of Japan and exiled to an island in Tokyo Bay and declared so during the lifetime of it's founder. Shugendo was never a force to be recognized in historical Japan. So making them the default casting class of a Japan based game is problematic at best.
The onmyoji (wizard archetype of Kaidan) is based on the Ministry of Onmyodo and it's onmyoji adherents, which was an actual arcane or divine caster declared so by the Japanese government from the Heian Period (circa 790 AD) up to the 19th century. They were primarily charged with protecting the imperial court from evil spirits at each New Year celebration, as well as determining the calendar of Japan each year based on astrological projections. Had Gygax or AEG actually looked they would have used onmyoji as their probable spellcasting class.
Sohei are the fighting monks of the Temples of Mount Hiei near Kyoto and Nara. These were Buddhist monks,...
I think you already have gotten the facts straight in your first post, GamerPrinter. Thanks for pointing them out. I was just pointing out that this is Rokugan, not Kaiden. In Rokugan, the Shugenja are what they are. And in Kaiden, the Onmyoji are what they are. *shrug* So, John Wick made some mistakes, and the Japanese think it's funny because it's inconsistent to Sengoku Era Japan.
There is little I can do to add Onmyoji to the game or call a Rokugani Shugenja an Onmyoji. If I did that, a lot of people would be -- to put it mildly -- angry. Some on this forum would be, I suppose. Although ten years is a long time.
ou ever think of tweaking this into an oracle? seems you could build a mystery around spirit pacts. And their spell list could be from their "school"No, I can't twist this into an oracle Archetype right now, I checked the Oracle Class -- I'm pretty sure I have to rebuild the class spell list. Many of the spells come from the L5R RPG -- AND -- the flavor of the Oracle fits the Oracles of the 5 Dragons, Shinsei, and the spirit of the Reibai PRC.
Sorry about sounding snarky earlier. I just wanted to point out that the actual Pathfinder Oracle would not be as common as the Shugenja.
Doesnt mean it could not be in a homebrew game :)
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Doesnt mean it could not be in a homebrew game :)ou ever think of tweaking this into an oracle? seems you could build a mystery around spirit pacts. And their spell list could be from their "school"No, I can't twist this into an oracle Archetype right now, I checked the Oracle Class -- I'm pretty sure I have to rebuild the class spell list. Many of the spells come from the L5R RPG -- AND -- the flavor of the Oracle fits the Oracles of the 5 Dragons, Shinsei, and the spirit of the Reibai PRC.
Sorry about sounding snarky earlier. I just wanted to point out that the actual Pathfinder Oracle would not be as common as the Shugenja.
You are right. After I am done, I'll comply with your wishes.
Why don't put this the arcanist casting spell, since sugenja cast from and ofuda as a focus like a cleric you can put all the spell in there, and to be a little different from rokugan use the 5 elements (wood, metal, water, fire, earth) instant the normal 4 )(5 if u annex good but it will be a pain to convert all the spell's)