Resources for a chinese-themed wuxia campaign

[EisenKreutzer]

I'm planning a wuxia-campaign which will take place in a chinese-inspired fantasy setting.

What are some good Pathfinder resources, Paizo or 3rd party, to help me plan a campaign like this? I already have Heroes of Jade Oath and Celadon Shores (for Cerulean Seas) which I hope will give me some ideas and material to use. Path of War is a natural fit for a campaign like this as well.

Any ideas?

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Oh good, you mentioned PoW so none of us have to. The later bestiaries are chock-full of monsters from Chinese mythology. My only other recommendations are to consume Wuxia media to get inspiration.

[Elricaltovilla]

I recommend consuming Wuxia media because it's good.

There is a section on the pfsrd with "eastern" weapons and armor. I generally prefer to just refluff things, but it shouldn't be too bad one way or the other.

There's a lot of magic in Wuxia settings, but it has a different feel to it from vancian stuff. Personally, I think that Akashic Mysteries does a decent job of matching that feeling (as does PoW), but it has a more South Asian feel to it in its base fluff.

[EisenKreutzer]

I recommend consuming Wuxia media because it's good.

There is a section on the pfsrd with "eastern" weapons and armor. I generally prefer to just refluff things, but it shouldn't be too bad one way or the other.

There's a lot of magic in Wuxia settings, but it has a different feel to it from vancian stuff. Personally, I think that Akashic Mysteries does a decent job of matching that feeling (as does PoW), but it has a more South Asian feel to it in its base fluff.

I'm a huge fan of chinese wuxia comics such as Weapons of the Gods, which has a specific flavour of high-magic wuxia to them. I also own the WotG roleplaying game, which is a little masterpiece. I plan on using fluff/setting material from that game for inspiration.

I agree about Akashic Mysteries, it's another book I plan on using heavily.

[Elricaltovilla]

I'm a huge fan of chinese wuxia comics such as Weapons of the Gods, which has a specific flavour of high-magic wuxia to them. I also own the WotG roleplaying game, which is a little masterpiece. I plan on using fluff/setting material from that game for inspiration.

I agree about Akashic Mysteries, it's another book I plan on using heavily.

Well that's great then. Can I join your game?:smalltongue:

[EisenKreutzer]

After doing some online reading, you know what I want to do with this?

Xianxia.

It turns out that if you take the wuxia genre and add D&D tropes and high magic, you get xianxia. It's basically high magic wuxia about heroes who "Cultivate" their souls to reach ever increasing levels of power and become literal immortals able to challenge the gods themselves. Or, as we call them around here, level 20 characters.

It's perfect! I'm preparing to sit down and read some online xianxia novels right now. This subgenre of wuxia literature has so much potential for a D&D-style campaign! I already have a ton of ideas for a Pathfinder campaign with the underlying assumtions and themes of xianxia.

I need to do some more reading!

[EisenKreutzer]

So, after researching xianxia, I came across a chinese fantasy drama tv series called Ice Fantasy..

I.. I think I'm in love. I also think I can work the basic ideas in Ice Fantasy into a Pathfinder campaign. I think.

[Wartex1]

It's actually Japanese and not Chinese, but Interjection Games has an Onmyoji (spirit petitioner) class that is worth checking out for non-Vancian magic.

[Milo v3]

Spheres of Power allows for things like nihilist monks with control over the element of void by making Artistry (Philosophy) checks.

Aegis with the Aberrant archetype can make very good wuxia characters if you're good at reflavouring.

[Thealtruistorc]

Occult Adventures actually has a lot of excellent eastern flavor to it, especially the medium and spiritualist classes. If you've read the comic Boxers & Saints (grounded in historical events but still flamboyant enough that I see it as an iconic Wuxia story), then you know how many great ideas for psychic magic there are in that story (it works even better with psionics augmented: occult).