Looking for some help. We are creating an Oriental/Japanese Shogun setting and were creating new classes for the setting. We wanted to do elemental classes:
Water = Healing/Communication
Earth = Strength/Endurance
Air = Agile/Sight/Weather
Fire = Increase/Decrease heat/ Fire based attacks/Aggressive
Wood = Plant life/Archery/Camouflage
Metal = Swordplay/Quick
Thoughts?
For example, Water: (*new move)
Lay on Hands [starting]
*Sense Motive [starting]: able to read emotions.
*Steamed [starting]: when engaging or using a fire move, take -1 ongoing until the fire is removed.
*Youthful [starting]: do not show aging effects, look continually young.
A Little Help From My Friends [2-5]
*Blindsense [2-5]: able to sense what’s around you out to near distance.
*Disguise Self [2-5]: able to change physical features to look like a different person with similar size and build.
*Message [2-5]: able to communicate with another person within a limited range (near), need pool or saucer of water.
*Multiple Elements Trainer [2-5]: choose one advanced move from another class, treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.
*Water Shape [2-5]: ability to shape water, steam and ice.
Doppleganger’s Dance [6-10]
*Multiple Elements Master [6-10]: as Multiple Elements Trainer.
*Sending [6-10]: replaces Message, able to communicate with another person within Far range, need pool or saucer of water.
*Shape Shifting [6-10]:replaces Disguise Self, able to change form completely.
*Radar [6-10]: replaces Blindsense, able to sense whats around you out to Far distance.
*Water Companion: create a companion made of water, steam or ice. Treat like Ranger Animal Companion and Druid ShapeShifting.
What do you mean when you say “shōgun setting”?
… for that matter, what do you mean when you say “Oriental setting”?
Eastern/Elemental setting
Legend of the Five Rings/Clan Wars
I’m not sure I see the need for all new classes? Classes are a LOT of work and require very fine tuning of each of their complete set of moves.
I’d give the Codex Alera a scan first. Might umm “synergize” some ideas.
Also I’d point out what level of magic and how level of “combatyness”. Is my feckless wave man literally the case?
Okay. I don’t know much about L5R but I’ll help if I can. What specifically are you looking for help or thoughts about?
That’s 180 separate moves that you need to think up, write up and playtest. That represents easily 3-6 months’ worth of work.
Is there any reason why you’re not using the normal classes? Between the nine official ones and the countless third party ones you’ll have more than enough to cover pretty much every archetype you want to use, and you can just create variant classes and compendium classes to cover any holes.
If you want a touch more flavour, rename the D&D stats to Metal/Fire/Earth/Air/Water/Wood, or something like that.