Since it appears there will be no 4e Oriental Adventures book, what 4e classes/builds would you suggest using to stand in for OE's classes (i.e. Samurai, Ninja, Sohei, Shukenja, Yakuza, Wu Jen, etc.)? Obviously some classes (i.e. Barbarian and Monk) from OE already exist in 4e, and the Kensai is a Paragon class in the 1st Player's Handbook, but I need ideas for translating the rest. Paladin seems to be a common choice for a stand-in for Samurai, but I'm interested in other suggestions too (maybe the Warlord class? Battlemind? Swordmage?) Any of the classes and builds from 4e books (i.e. Martial Power 1 and 2, etc.) are what I'm looking at (not the "Essentials" material, though feel free to discuss that too if you like, and I also don't have D&D Insider, so that material won't help me.)
If I remember correctly, the Oriental Adventures classes were Barbarian, Bushi, Kensai, Ninja, Shukenja, Sohei, Wu Jen and Yakuza. (Don't confuse the Shukenja with the 3e Legend of the Five Rings class of similar name, the Shugenja, which is different.) Thanks in advance for any ideas, no matter how far out there or wild!
How would you represent the Oriental Adventures character classes in 4e?
I can't speak for 4E, but in other versions I would have reworked the elements to better represent eastern folk and pop views-- esp. pop views (an example of a pop vs folk view is that, like the west, the east views the elements of metal and earth as masculine due to the properties of stone, whereas traditionally both viewed it as feminine due to the association with soil-- although metal was gender neutral. Another is that wood and air were traditionally masculine, but today are considered feminine, associated with the grace and litheness of a slender woman.)
I would basically group them as follows:
Metal: metal, crystal, electricity, CHA, wealth, needles, jewels, deflection and reflection, mirrors, paralysis, craft skills, mammals *esp. tigers*
Wood: plants, wind, DEX, evasion, dex saves, sleep, illusion, poison, fear, confusion, life & vitality, stealth, craft skills, sonic, reptiles and dragons
Earth: protection, CON, fort saves, temperance, blessings, repose, sundering, spirits, familiars, the grave
Water: water, WIS, will saves, cold, darkness, purification, healing, dispelling, blindness, testudines & amphibians
Fire: flame, heat, desiccation, passion & anger, curses, light, STR, mirages
INT can be associated with both fire and wood, enchantment, avians
Yeah, there's some overlap, and traditionally each one is associated with destruction and natural disasters.
Note that in far eastern folklore, the tiger and the dragon are equals and mortal enemies.
Kobold Avenger, that's great for people who have DDI, but I don't have it or plan to get it (and I imagine it's all "Essentials" material now, rather than regular 4e material). As I mentioned above, "Essentials" is not my cup of tea. I am looking for options from the original hardcover 4e books, up thru the Dark Sun books, the last of what I consider the "real" 4e material - everthing after that was all "Essentials" stuff, which I don't like and don't plan on buying. Again, I don't mind that stuff being mentioned as options for those who have it and like it - but I don't!
Most of those classes mentioned are themes (Samurai, Yakuza, Sohei, Mongol Horseman), even if they are essentialized themes. There was a Executioner (essential assassin) build of the Ninja. And there's the Serene Blade build of the Runepriest, which is about as far away as you can get from essentials these days, and those were all in last months issue.
Otherwise for 4e material, you'll have to wait for Heroes of Elemental Chaos, for the Shugenja and the Elementalist, along with the more Arabic Sha'ir. And you can probably bet that some or all of those classes will be essentials builds.
From what I've been told, DDI is far better than most of the books, and in addition, often has almost all of the printed 4E material thus far. Though it's a bit disorganized.
Subscribe to the DDI and get a bunch of October's articles, which covers many of those mentioned...