Asian-esque Goblinoid Tribe

[gurgleflep]

Okay, in my campaign I've got an idea for an Asian style tribe kind of thing. Orcs and half-orcs as samurais, goblins as ninjas, and hobgoblins as something else. I'm unable to think or locate any class that might be suitable for them. I'm wanting something of a spell caster or shaman for them. Anybody got a suggestion?

Edit:
As a group we own basically all the books for 3.0 and 3.5.

[TaiLiu]

Complete Divine has the Spirit Shaman and the Shugenja.

[gurgleflep]

Thank you, I'll have to look them up.
Is one like a healer and the other damage, or they do a little bit of everything?

[Yora]

Hobgoblins should be Mongols!

The shugenja is kind of a sorcerer-priest. Works like a sorcerer but with divine spells.
The spirit shaman is... strange. It's a bit like a spontaneous casting druid, but his list of spells changes every day and I think he also got auras and other weird things. I only looked at it once, but I think it looked like a terrible amount of constant bookkeeping and keeping track of active effects on the party.

I would rather take the Shaman from Oriental Adventures, if you have it. It's a 3.0 class, but the only thing that really changes in the official update is the list of bonus martial arts feats, and I think you can just keep the original list without problems.

[Psyren]

I would have the hobgoblins be oriental-style barbarians like Sohei.

Also, another oriental class not yet mentioned are Wu Jen.

[gurgleflep]

Thank you both. I'm going to have to look up the mongol and sohei, but the wu jen and Oriental adventures are thing I've heard/seen/have within my party.

You guys have helped me immensely and if I could, I'd give ya both a hug!

[eastmabl]

If I remember correctly, there may be an tribe of goblins in Oriental Adventures you might be able to adapt easily.

However, as I don't own it, I may remember that a DM used goblins when we went east in a campaign and suddenly started to reach for OA a lot more.

[ArcturusV]

You know... I'd actually flip it around. Hobgoblins are Fighters and Samurai (And Shugengas), and Orcs as Barbarians, Mongols, Sorcerers, etc. Typically Hobgoblins are written as being a highly regimented, trained, militaristic, ordered, disciplined society. These aren't people who fight in a "horde", they fight in Phalanx, they use regular tactics, maneuver, squad work, etc. Where as orcs are generally described more as the screaming bloodthirsty rage barbarians.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Actually, I'd do the opposite of what Psyren suggested - Hobgoblins are a firmly Lawful race, while Orcs and the like clearly have a more... Chaotic bent.

I'd put the Hobs as Samurai and the like and Orcs as a refluffed Barbarian-type.

EDIT: If you're having Goblins as ninjas, might I suggest looking at Eberron fluff? The Silent Clans are deadly ninja/assassins .

[gurgleflep]

Okay, so goblins stay ninjas, the orcs become an asian style barbarian, the hobgoblins become the samurais and shugenjas.

Any other suggestions? I'd like to get a few more races (possibly kobold and ogres) in the village as well. And I appreciate all the help ladies and gentlemen. :smallbiggrin:

[Kuulvheysoon]

You have read OA? If you haven't, you really should.

The entire section on oni could be helpful here, as I know that Ogre Mages are counted as them (but I'm unsure of for regular ogres).

[ArcturusV]

Nezumi are always good, and kind of under used. Nagas too. Nagas would imply a more "Foreign" but civilized power. So they would probably have more normal classes. Rangers, Paladins, clerics, etc. Stressing their difference from the Oriental Cultures... considering Naga often get fluffed as a lost race that predates the current civilizations and is as/more advanced. Nezumi could fit the natural rogue/scavenger niche, and use "Natural" classes like Druid and Shaman (OA style).

[gurgleflep]

I have skimmed through OA, but not as thoroughly as I ought to. I'll be looking through it ASAP though. Would the ogre mages use any specific spells, or would it be better to select some appropriate spells for the campaign from among the various books?

Nezumi are the rat/mouse looking people, I remember seeing them. Naga I haven't heard of but once, and if memory serves me right, they're a human faced serpent. Do they have a shape change/shift ability so they can take a humanoid form?

[ACSherman]

I know somebody on the boards has a really interesting homebrew/revision of the Half-Orc classes and racial substitutions for the half-orc sohei that really seemed to fit what you're going for. You might think about going from there (possibly even making the half-orcs half-hobgoblin as well? HobOrcs, if you will.)

[ArcturusV]

Honestly with Nagas it depends on the source. Sometimes they can shift into Legs. Sometimes not. They always have arms however.

[Chained Birds]

Honestly with Nagas it depends on the source. Sometimes they can shift into Legs. Sometimes not. They always have arms however.

I thought those were yuan-ti and Nagas were the serpents with human head thing?

[Yora]

It's a bit fuzzy. The work naga only means snake or cobra in Sanskrit as far as I know. (With the base "nag" still existing in the english "snake".)

The "common" variety is mosty human upper body with snake tail, but there are some "naga-gods" that are simply giant snakes with several heads.

[gurgleflep]

On the whole naga vs yuan-ti debate: isn't there a book for a Faerûn styled campaign based off of the reptilian races?

[DMVerdandi]

On the whole naga vs yuan-ti debate: isn't there a book for a Faerûn styled campaign based off of the reptilian races?

serpent kingdoms

[gurgleflep]

Thank you :smallsmile:
You've all helped me, and I thank you all for it.


On a completely unrelated note: Happy Valentines Day or if you're going solo Singles Awareness Day!

[Mjollnir075]

I know somebody on the boards has a really interesting homebrew/revision of the Half-Orc classes and racial substitutions for the half-orc sohei that really seemed to fit what you're going for. You might think about going from there (possibly even making the half-orcs half-hobgoblin as well? HobOrcs, if you will.)

Do you mean this? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=238705)

[gurgleflep]

That looks about like what he was describing, and it's got a great.. well, for lack of a better term "feel" to it. Thank you for linking to that thread, by the way :smallwink:
How would I go about making a "hoborc" though? The only race I've ever attempted to make was an "illithorc," and only a month or two later was informed of the half-illithid template, so I'm a bit skeptical nowadays.

[mawexzon]

Don't forget Bugbears, they are goblinoid and pretty much thugs, probably barbarian/rogue, also, blue goblins can be used if you use psionics, Sarlona in Eberron is pretty much psionic asia.

[nedz]

It's a bit fuzzy. The work naga only means snake or cobra in Sanskrit as far as I know. (With the base "nag" still existing in the english "snake".)

The "common" variety is mosty human upper body with snake tail, but there are some "naga-gods" that are simply giant snakes with several heads.

Nagas are from Indian mythology.

[gurgleflep]

Bugbears aren't something I'd even thought about honestly, thank you for mentioning them.
I haven't used psionics, but I learn pretty easily. Where would I find a blue goblin?

[mawexzon]

Blue goblins are found on the XPH and in the SRD:http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/blue.htm

[gurgleflep]

The blue looks pretty promising, I'm looking at both the one in the link and in the book, and I'm liking them both quite a bit. Thanks :smallwink:

[ArcturusV]

Hmm. Was just thinking that you lack a proper "Tengu" sort of tribe so far. Least it sounds like it. So that might be a consideration for something like a race of winged goblins who live high on mountains, practicing mystical arts, etc.

[gurgleflep]

I know there's a winged template I could quite easily tack onto a goblin, but is there a premade winged goblin already?