I think its about time to make our own. You know the Bender Quote for any occasion.
So how would we do this?
Well what part of the far East do you want to focus on?
The Stepp Peoples that conquered most of the area? A nation rich in spices that would start a massive trade Bandanza to try to get to it.
Romance of the Three Kingdom's Erra China (complete with unstopable Lu Buu expy for us Dynasty Warrior Fans), or the Ming Dynasty, or the Opium Wars and Boxer Rebelion. Japan during the Mongol invasion when they invent the Katana to deal with it, or the Warring States period, or the war with Korea directly after when the new Shogan realized he had thousands of warriors with no war to keep them busy any more (if anything else so we can see One of the Turtle Ships which look like a D&D Dragon Turtle and about as potent as one).
Heck, from a western perspective, we hardly study or learn a lot of Korea and the South Asian countries outside of the wars in the 20th Century. Maybe this could be a chance to explore this with more detail, and do what Disney Couldn't with Raya and do such cultures justice. For crying out loud, if Avitar: the Last Airbender, a children's cartoon, can do this and be awesome, why can't we or better yet WotC?
I think its about time to make our own. You know the Bender Quote for any occasion.
So how would we do this?
Well what part of the far East do you want to focus on?
The Stepp Peoples that conquered most of the area? A nation rich in spices that would start a massive trade Bandanza to try to get to it.
Romance of the Three Kingdom's Erra China (complete with unstopable Lu Buu expy for us Dynasty Warrior Fans), or the Ming Dynasty, or the Opium Wars and Boxer Rebelion. Japan during the Mongol invasion when they invent the Katana to deal with it, or the Warring States period, or the war with Korea directly after when the new Shogan realized he had thousands of warriors with no war to keep them busy any more (if anything else so we can see One of the Turtle Ships which look like a D&D Dragon Turtle and about as potent as one).
Heck, from a western perspective, we hardly study or learn a lot of Korea and the South Asian countries outside of the wars in the 20th Century. Maybe this could be a chance to explore this with more detail, and do what Disney Couldn't with Raya and do such cultures justice. For crying out loud, if Avitar: the Last Airbender, a children's cartoon, can do this and be awesome, why can't we or better yet WotC?
The original 1st Edition version did actually treat Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam all as separate, distinct regions (not under those names specifically and with fictional borders, but each in the right general part of 'Asia.' I think there were a couple other such distinct areas too.
Do you think "Adventures in Rokugan" to be licenced in D&D Beyond as collab?
Maybe we could see a sourcebook with a little number of pages about the geography, realms and factions of Kara-Tur, a very short chapter, other chapter about PC species (spiritfolk, vanara, korokobu and hengeyokai) and the rest mainly monsters (and nPCs from factions).
The next step would be to licence in D&D Beyond 3PP settings inspired in Asian cultures. One of them could be the adaptatation of a new videogame IP by a Chinese company, maybe Netease or Tencent, to avoid all those troubles and risks about censorship.
Other threat would be to create a new setting where WotC could place new classes with special game mechanics (psionic manifesters, martial adepts or incarnum soulmelders)
Yeah, in the end it comes down to profit margins. I mean, I bet these huge corporations take the risk of backlashs in consideration. And when it comes down to it, most of them see those as free advertisement. https://routerlogin.uno/
The Chinese market is radically different. WotC could publish a Chinese-friendly setting and this would be in Taiwan or among Chineseamericans but... you could ask some AI web, for example Grok from X/Twitter about speculative fiction and Chinese censorship and this could tell you some things. Foreign franchises aren't wellcome in China, and it is worse when we talk about certain threats. For example Chandra, a character from Magic the Gathering had to "suffer a change".
And even if WotC published a D&D "4720" (this year in the Chinese calendar) other Chinese company could publish its own retroclone.
There are several reasons because to publish and sell D&D in China is difficult, and any ones aren't linked to geek culture but we shouldn't talk about that here.
* I suspect WotC would rather to avoid names of creatures and species too linked to no-Western languanges, for example spiritfolk. Hengeyokai could be renamed "changerspooks" or like this
* WotC could to create from zero a new setting but that would need a lot of time. A western company can create an Asian-inspired franchise, for example the cartoon "Avatar: the last Airbender" or the game "Legend of the five Rings" set in Rokugan, or the amerimanga "Wayward" by Image comics.
Asians shouldn't reject WotC to publish isekai&jianghu D&D setting but they should consider it as an opportunity to promote their own IPs
The Chinese market is radically different. WotC could publish a Chinese-friendly setting and this would be in Taiwan or among Chineseamericans but... you could ask some AI web, for example Grok from X/Twitter about speculative fiction and Chinese censorship and this could tell you some things. Foreign franchises aren't wellcome in China, and it is worse when we talk about certain threats. For example Chandra, a character from Magic the Gathering had to "suffer a change".
And even if WotC published a D&D "4720" (this year in the Chinese calendar) other Chinese company could publish its own retroclone.
There are several reasons because to publish and sell D&D in China is difficult, and any ones aren't linked to geek culture but we shouldn't talk about that here.
* I suspect WotC would rather to avoid names of creatures and species too linked to no-Western languanges, for example spiritfolk. Hengeyokai could be renamed "changerspooks" or like this
* WotC could to create from zero a new setting but that would need a lot of time. A western company can create an Asian-inspired franchise, for example the cartoon "Avatar: the last Airbender" or the game "Legend of the five Rings" set in Rokugan, or the amerimanga "Wayward" by Image comics.
Asians shouldn't reject WotC to publish isekai&jianghu D&D setting but they should consider it as an opportunity to promote their own IPs
As a Asian American, I would like to say that "Changerspooks" is NOT a good option as an alternative name for anything.
My opinion is the best strategy should be first a isekai+jianghu D&D setting for the Western market, and if Hasbro wanted to enter Chinese market then a Chinese company had to start from zero a new IP according to local cultural preferences with the intention to be released from China toward the Western market.
Now I am thinking about the possible traits of hengeyokai. If they are in humanoid shape they have got a bonus for social interactions or some crafting skill, but with the animal hybrid shape the bonus is replaced with better senses.
The spiritfolk need interesting racial traits, useful in the adventures. Would you choose a PC specie with "speak with animals" if the campaign may be more focused into urban zones?
The attack bonus by korobokuru against goblinoids and giants today is obsolete and it needs to be replaced. It wouldn't be so useful if the main antagonists are other type of monsters, for example fiends or undead.
I could see hiring Asians to write a D&D version for Asia. Drop the Euro centrist D&D stuff and bring in all the Asian stuff. Weapons, spells, "worlds" and maps, equipment. and just basically the whole flavor but the same mechanics. After they sell 500,000 copies they could start holding conventions if they do not start springing up naturally. I bet they will start up though.
They could find a new customer base in India and the far east. A few million new customers could be worth the copyright risks.
Not translating the game into other languages and cultures is ignoring the financial possibilities.
I read something about a Japanese team creating a new D&D setting for WotC but with a Western look.
Hasbro has got more experience in the Japanese market. And D&D is relatively new in South Korea.
* I like the idea of the "Spirit Realm" like a third transitive plane.
* I feel interested into a trope from the current fantasy manhwa, the "isekai towers", these appears in the material plane and they can be explored like dungeons, and even you could find some treasures. If these towers aren't "cleaned" then these towers will open planar gates toward nearest populations to send groups of hostile monsters, like in a horror reverse-isekai manga.
* We need interesting factions beyond evil emperor or noble houses, criminal guilds, secret cults or martia-arts brotherhoods.
* Now Dark Horse will publish D&D comics, and it also publishs manga. Maybe Dark Horse could publish a D&D manga. Also Dark Horse published some manghwa (Korean comic). Now seriously I feel curiosity about a romantasy manghwa in a D&D world style "Birthright".
* Should lung dragonborn to be added to the PC species? Would lady White Snake (Legend of the White Snake) a snake hengeyokai or a reskin of yuan-ti?
* I notice Asian fantasy fiction is too humancentric for the D&D standards, when one of the marks of identity of D&D is the different PC species. Some times there are humanoids with animal ears (kemonomimi).... but if some humanoid specie can become a "monster girl".
I read something about a Japanese team creating a new D&D setting for WotC but with a Western look.
Hasbro has got more experience in the Japanese market. And D&D is relatively new in South Korea.
* I like the idea of the "Spirit Realm" like a third transitive plane.
* I feel interested into a trope from the current fantasy manhwa, the "isekai towers", these appears in the material plane and they can be explored like dungeons, and even you could find some treasures. If these towers aren't "cleaned" then these towers will open planar gates toward nearest populations to send groups of hostile monsters, like in a horror reverse-isekai manga.
* We need interesting factions beyond evil emperor or noble houses, criminal guilds, secret cults or martia-arts brotherhoods.
* Now Dark Horse will publish D&D comics, and it also publishs manga. Maybe Dark Horse could publish a D&D manga. Also Dark Horse published some manghwa (Korean comic). Now seriously I feel curiosity about a romantasy manghwa in a D&D world style "Birthright".
* Should lung dragonborn to be added to the PC species? Would lady White Snake (Legend of the White Snake) a snake hengeyokai or a reskin of yuan-ti?
* I notice Asian fantasy fiction is too humancentric for the D&D standards, when one of the marks of identity of D&D is the different PC species. Some times there are humanoids with animal ears (kemonomimi).... but if some humanoid specie can become a "monster girl".
D&D and similar games have been either influential or popular there for years. Final Fantasy is one case. Record of the Lodoss Wars Was famously lifted from a D&D campaign. Slayers is often jokingly referred to a D&D party by some anitubers. You can see they filed some of the serial numbers off in Goblin Slayer ("BEHOLD!), and just about every fantasy anime has a western look with Western style monsters, armor, and game classes more times than not. Even Delicious in Dungeon is heavily based on a game that is suspiciously like D&D (and to which most of Japan has taken notes from).
So trying to get them involved makes sense. The game mechanics at various points.
Rumor has it trying to get into the Japanese Market was what caused the creation of the Mech heavy Tau in Warhammer 40k (rumors and hearsay as far as I know).
I don't know enough of Korea's culture, modern or old, enough to know what to do there, BUT it would be an interesting market.
But maybe get some star power in maybe the next D&D video game, movie, or TV show might help. I don't know if Rain is still popular there, but he was in Ninja Assassin so him in another movie has a martial artist or rogue might help. Or another lead from a Korean drama, or maybe a K-pop star being a member of the College of Charms or College of Dance.
And yes, hiring someone of these cultures would be a BLAST. Look at Avitar: The Last Airbender, or Turning Red. Having staff with that heritage and experience with said heritage would make things so much easier for everyone involved. It would showcase elements of the culture, while not being broken down to the token understanding of it.
And it might give us looks at some aspects that just not covered by outsiders. Even if its little details, those would be enough for people in said culture to feel welcomed by it instead of thrust in their face
We can bet WotC will hire cultural consultants. Other reason to hire no-Western creators is to send the message D&D is for everybody.
A jianghu D&D setting needs a lot of work for worldbuilding. It is not only to create realms but also interesting factions as allies or antagonists.
The weren from Star*Drive/d20 Future could be recycled into "yeren" for a PC specie with yeti traits.
Could rat-goblin to be a PC specie to replace nezumi?
Some "generic" PC species could be added easily to a manhwa-style setting: tielflings (yokais), aasimars, shifters (animal demihumans), genasies (metal and wood subrace?), spellcalles (if you want a dragonblood waifu), haregons....
Some bakemonos could be created by "magical mutation", like the akuma of "Ladybug" or the "monster of the week" from magical girls anime. After being defeated they can be healed and recover their original shape.
* There is other option, a "chop suey" setting where elements from Western and Asian cultures are intentionally mixed. Let's imagine explorers from a Western-like civilitation discover a post-apocalyptic world in a next wildspace. When they arrive a group of magical towers are activated. These were build to repair the ecological damage caused by the cataclysm. Later gates toward demiplanes are opened and the explorers meet the people who lived before the cataclysm. The first contacts were relatively peaceful but not friendly. Then when everybody feared the start of a war between both civilitations... a third group of planar monster invaders arrived. Then the previous sides had allied against those alien invaders (let's imagine the formians being infected by the Phyrexians, or the cult of thoon using transgenic formians for a zerg-like army .
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I had forgotten that 5E Oriental Adventures conversion project existed. Picking that up - thanks for plugging it.
I think its about time to make our own. You know the Bender Quote for any occasion.
So how would we do this?
Well what part of the far East do you want to focus on?
The Stepp Peoples that conquered most of the area? A nation rich in spices that would start a massive trade Bandanza to try to get to it.
Romance of the Three Kingdom's Erra China (complete with unstopable Lu Buu expy for us Dynasty Warrior Fans), or the Ming Dynasty, or the Opium Wars and Boxer Rebelion. Japan during the Mongol invasion when they invent the Katana to deal with it, or the Warring States period, or the war with Korea directly after when the new Shogan realized he had thousands of warriors with no war to keep them busy any more (if anything else so we can see One of the Turtle Ships which look like a D&D Dragon Turtle and about as potent as one).
Heck, from a western perspective, we hardly study or learn a lot of Korea and the South Asian countries outside of the wars in the 20th Century. Maybe this could be a chance to explore this with more detail, and do what Disney Couldn't with Raya and do such cultures justice. For crying out loud, if Avitar: the Last Airbender, a children's cartoon, can do this and be awesome, why can't we or better yet WotC?
The original 1st Edition version did actually treat Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam all as separate, distinct regions (not under those names specifically and with fictional borders, but each in the right general part of 'Asia.' I think there were a couple other such distinct areas too.
Do you think "Adventures in Rokugan" to be licenced in D&D Beyond as collab?
Maybe we could see a sourcebook with a little number of pages about the geography, realms and factions of Kara-Tur, a very short chapter, other chapter about PC species (spiritfolk, vanara, korokobu and hengeyokai) and the rest mainly monsters (and nPCs from factions).
The next step would be to licence in D&D Beyond 3PP settings inspired in Asian cultures. One of them could be the adaptatation of a new videogame IP by a Chinese company, maybe Netease or Tencent, to avoid all those troubles and risks about censorship.
Other threat would be to create a new setting where WotC could place new classes with special game mechanics (psionic manifesters, martial adepts or incarnum soulmelders)
Journey into the Radiant Citadel is full of Asian and Indian themed adventures.
Yeah, in the end it comes down to profit margins. I mean, I bet these huge corporations take the risk of backlashs in consideration. And when it comes down to it, most of them see those as free advertisement. https://routerlogin.uno/
The Chinese market is radically different. WotC could publish a Chinese-friendly setting and this would be in Taiwan or among Chineseamericans but... you could ask some AI web, for example Grok from X/Twitter about speculative fiction and Chinese censorship and this could tell you some things. Foreign franchises aren't wellcome in China, and it is worse when we talk about certain threats. For example Chandra, a character from Magic the Gathering had to "suffer a change".
And even if WotC published a D&D "4720" (this year in the Chinese calendar) other Chinese company could publish its own retroclone.
There are several reasons because to publish and sell D&D in China is difficult, and any ones aren't linked to geek culture but we shouldn't talk about that here.
* I suspect WotC would rather to avoid names of creatures and species too linked to no-Western languanges, for example spiritfolk. Hengeyokai could be renamed "changerspooks" or like this
* WotC could to create from zero a new setting but that would need a lot of time. A western company can create an Asian-inspired franchise, for example the cartoon "Avatar: the last Airbender" or the game "Legend of the five Rings" set in Rokugan, or the amerimanga "Wayward" by Image comics.
Asians shouldn't reject WotC to publish isekai&jianghu D&D setting but they should consider it as an opportunity to promote their own IPs
As a Asian American, I would like to say that "Changerspooks" is NOT a good option as an alternative name for anything.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
I agree, "changerspook" sounds horrible.
My opinion is the best strategy should be first a isekai+jianghu D&D setting for the Western market, and if Hasbro wanted to enter Chinese market then a Chinese company had to start from zero a new IP according to local cultural preferences with the intention to be released from China toward the Western market.
Now I am thinking about the possible traits of hengeyokai. If they are in humanoid shape they have got a bonus for social interactions or some crafting skill, but with the animal hybrid shape the bonus is replaced with better senses.
The spiritfolk need interesting racial traits, useful in the adventures. Would you choose a PC specie with "speak with animals" if the campaign may be more focused into urban zones?
The attack bonus by korobokuru against goblinoids and giants today is obsolete and it needs to be replaced. It wouldn't be so useful if the main antagonists are other type of monsters, for example fiends or undead.
I could see hiring Asians to write a D&D version for Asia.
Drop the Euro centrist D&D stuff and bring in all the Asian stuff. Weapons, spells, "worlds" and maps, equipment. and just basically the whole flavor but the same mechanics.
After they sell 500,000 copies they could start holding conventions if they do not start springing up naturally. I bet they will start up though.
They could find a new customer base in India and the far east. A few million new customers could be worth the copyright risks.
Not translating the game into other languages and cultures is ignoring the financial possibilities.
I read something about a Japanese team creating a new D&D setting for WotC but with a Western look.
Hasbro has got more experience in the Japanese market. And D&D is relatively new in South Korea.
* I like the idea of the "Spirit Realm" like a third transitive plane.
* I feel interested into a trope from the current fantasy manhwa, the "isekai towers", these appears in the material plane and they can be explored like dungeons, and even you could find some treasures. If these towers aren't "cleaned" then these towers will open planar gates toward nearest populations to send groups of hostile monsters, like in a horror reverse-isekai manga.
* We need interesting factions beyond evil emperor or noble houses, criminal guilds, secret cults or martia-arts brotherhoods.
* Now Dark Horse will publish D&D comics, and it also publishs manga. Maybe Dark Horse could publish a D&D manga. Also Dark Horse published some manghwa (Korean comic). Now seriously I feel curiosity about a romantasy manghwa in a D&D world style "Birthright".
* Should lung dragonborn to be added to the PC species? Would lady White Snake (Legend of the White Snake) a snake hengeyokai or a reskin of yuan-ti?
* I notice Asian fantasy fiction is too humancentric for the D&D standards, when one of the marks of identity of D&D is the different PC species. Some times there are humanoids with animal ears (kemonomimi).... but if some humanoid specie can become a "monster girl".
D&D and similar games have been either influential or popular there for years. Final Fantasy is one case. Record of the Lodoss Wars Was famously lifted from a D&D campaign. Slayers is often jokingly referred to a D&D party by some anitubers. You can see they filed some of the serial numbers off in Goblin Slayer ("BEHOLD!), and just about every fantasy anime has a western look with Western style monsters, armor, and game classes more times than not. Even Delicious in Dungeon is heavily based on a game that is suspiciously like D&D (and to which most of Japan has taken notes from).
So trying to get them involved makes sense. The game mechanics at various points.
Rumor has it trying to get into the Japanese Market was what caused the creation of the Mech heavy Tau in Warhammer 40k (rumors and hearsay as far as I know).
I don't know enough of Korea's culture, modern or old, enough to know what to do there, BUT it would be an interesting market.
But maybe get some star power in maybe the next D&D video game, movie, or TV show might help. I don't know if Rain is still popular there, but he was in Ninja Assassin so him in another movie has a martial artist or rogue might help. Or another lead from a Korean drama, or maybe a K-pop star being a member of the College of Charms or College of Dance.
And yes, hiring someone of these cultures would be a BLAST. Look at Avitar: The Last Airbender, or Turning Red. Having staff with that heritage and experience with said heritage would make things so much easier for everyone involved. It would showcase elements of the culture, while not being broken down to the token understanding of it.
And it might give us looks at some aspects that just not covered by outsiders. Even if its little details, those would be enough for people in said culture to feel welcomed by it instead of thrust in their face
We can bet WotC will hire cultural consultants. Other reason to hire no-Western creators is to send the message D&D is for everybody.
A jianghu D&D setting needs a lot of work for worldbuilding. It is not only to create realms but also interesting factions as allies or antagonists.
The weren from Star*Drive/d20 Future could be recycled into "yeren" for a PC specie with yeti traits.
Could rat-goblin to be a PC specie to replace nezumi?
Some "generic" PC species could be added easily to a manhwa-style setting: tielflings (yokais), aasimars, shifters (animal demihumans), genasies (metal and wood subrace?), spellcalles (if you want a dragonblood waifu), haregons....
Some bakemonos could be created by "magical mutation", like the akuma of "Ladybug" or the "monster of the week" from magical girls anime. After being defeated they can be healed and recover their original shape.
* There is other option, a "chop suey" setting where elements from Western and Asian cultures are intentionally mixed. Let's imagine explorers from a Western-like civilitation discover a post-apocalyptic world in a next wildspace. When they arrive a group of magical towers are activated. These were build to repair the ecological damage caused by the cataclysm. Later gates toward demiplanes are opened and the explorers meet the people who lived before the cataclysm. The first contacts were relatively peaceful but not friendly. Then when everybody feared the start of a war between both civilitations... a third group of planar monster invaders arrived. Then the previous sides had allied against those alien invaders (let's imagine the formians being infected by the Phyrexians, or the cult of thoon using transgenic formians for a zerg-like army .