Sengoku Revised Edition

Batjon · July 21, 2020, 07:47:40 AM

How is this game? Specifically, how good are the mechanics? What supplements are there for the Revised edition? I've always wanted to play/possibly run a feudal Japan game replete with Samurai and even Shinobi, and this one really has my eye right now.

Batjon · July 21, 2020, 09:33:49 AM

I just found out there is a diceless version by Precis Intermedia as well. Would a diceless version even be fun? How does that even work? Does whoever has the best stat automatically win in a contest? That seems boring to me if there is no random element and whoever has the best stat/weapon wins automatically.

Dropkicker · July 21, 2020, 04:57:52 PM

Sengoku runs on the FUZION game engine. I suggest you check out the sites below.

For background, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuzion
For a copy of a generic version of FUZION see: http://recordoflodosswar.tripod.com/RPG/fuzion.pdf
Here's the archived Sengoku web page: https://web.archive.org/web/20060402234236/http://sengoku.com/

Summary: If you ask gamers about this game they will universally tell you the same thing; this is an excellent resource on Sengoku Era Japan. As a game, there are better rule sets out there. I have the first edition and concur with this assessment.

hedgehobbit · July 21, 2020, 08:59:56 PM

Quote from: Dropkicker;1141066Summary: If you ask gamers about this game they will universally tell you the same thing; this is an excellent resource on Sengoku Era Japan. As a game, there are better rule sets out there. I have the first edition and concur with this assessment.

I bought Sengoku when it originally came out and was disappointed. The whole Fuzion thing didn't fit IMO. But your assessment matches mine. However, I would say that now a sourcebook on that era of Japan is not really needed anymore with so much information available on the internet.

Spinachcat · July 21, 2020, 09:26:26 PM

Bushido is your friend.

Sengoku 1e didn't impress, but to be fair, I was deep into L5R 1e when I read Sengoku.

Over the years, I've read/played many samurai RPGs (because I fucking LOVE oppressing all of Japan - alive, dead, unborn - with my bitching cultural appropriation!!), but Bushido really holds as the gold standard (for me).

Batjon · July 21, 2020, 10:07:59 PM

Quote from: Spinachcat;1141108Bushido is your friend.

Sengoku 1e didn't impress, but to be fair, I was deep into L5R 1e when I read Sengoku.

Over the years, I've read/played many samurai RPGs (because I fucking LOVE oppressing all of Japan - alive, dead, unborn - with my bitching cultural appropriation!!), but Bushido really holds as the gold standard (for me).

The PDF version of Bushido I am looking at is only 80 pages long. Is that the game you are speaking of?

Dropkicker · July 21, 2020, 11:56:06 PM

The one I have is 146 pages and published by Fantasy Games Unlimited.

I concur, it is the gold standard for fantasy feudal Japan.

Spinachcat · July 22, 2020, 12:06:14 AM

IIRC, the core set was 2 books - Heroes of Nippon (PHB) and Lands of Nippon (DMG and MM).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido_(role-playing_game)
https://www.fantasygamesunlimited.net/product-category/bushido/

Batjon · July 22, 2020, 04:35:41 AM

Quote from: Dropkicker;1141141The one I have is 146 pages and published by Fantasy Games Unlimited.

I concur, it is the gold standard for fantasy feudal Japan.

Is that the player's book and setting book combined into one thing?

Dropkicker · July 22, 2020, 08:18:01 AM

Quote from: Batjon;1141159Is that the player's book and setting book combined into one thing?

Yes it is. It's the only PDF of the game that's available AFAIK.

Batjon · July 22, 2020, 10:34:25 AM

Quote from: Dropkicker;1141185Yes it is. It's the only PDF of the game that's available AFAIK.

Is it for sale anywhere? All I keep finding is it in 2 different PDFs?

What is the system like?

Lynn · July 22, 2020, 01:46:15 PM

Quote from: Spinachcat;1141108Over the years, I've read/played many samurai RPGs (because I fucking LOVE oppressing all of Japan - alive, dead, unborn - with my bitching cultural appropriation!!), but Bushido really holds as the gold standard (for me).

I ran several sessions of Bushido many years ago, and unless the players are really into the mindset, either you end up with D&D in kimonos or eventually, the 'lower class' characters push the samurai PCs to the point that someone loses their head.

Dropkicker · July 23, 2020, 09:06:03 AM

It's sold as two books in one PDF here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/582/Bushido. I haven't seen it as two PDFs.

The systems is very good with a lot of elegant touches. It is a product of it's time though as combat can be quite deadly and there's no form of metacurrency with which players can bend results to their will.

And yes, player mindset is important if you're to get the most mileage out of the game (but I suspect that's true of any RPG).

And, back on topic, Sengoku, at least the first addition, has conversion rules in the back for adapting characters from D&D and Bushido to the game. (There are a couple of other systems as well, I just can't recall them).

hedgehobbit · July 23, 2020, 06:41:02 PM

Quote from: Lynn;1141246I ran several sessions of Bushido many years ago, and unless the players are really into the mindset, either you end up with D&D in kimonos or eventually, the 'lower class' characters push the samurai PCs to the point that someone loses their head.

I played in one of those "D&D in Japan" campaigns. I think that Bushido would be better suited to being run as Pendragon is, with all the players playing Samurai working for the same lord. Something like The Great Pendragon Campaign would be awesome.

Lynn · July 23, 2020, 08:20:23 PM

Quote from: hedgehobbit;1141476I played in one of those "D&D in Japan" campaigns. I think that Bushido would be better suited to being run as Pendragon is, with all the players playing Samurai working for the same lord. Something like The Great Pendragon Campaign would be awesome.

I tried to do a "Mito Komon" type investigative campaign, with a couple of samurai and their 'helpers' investigating the disappearance of samurai and ronin near a small town. I basically pulled the plot from the movie "Onibaba" which involved an old woman wearing a scary mask leading them to their deaths and then selling their goods.