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This list of free and low-cost resources is undoubtedly not comprehensive, nor is it all that I have collected for my own planned campaign. Indeed, I have acquired Bushido, Legends of the Samurai, Sengoku, Oriental Adventures (both versions), Rokugan campaign setting, Magic of Rokugan, Iron Dynasty (Savage Worlds), and more. All of which are great for ideas
But, had I found a list like this to start with, I'd have saved some money but, more importantly, time.
I suggest starting with the free background materials - you might find you can cobble together a setting/classes for your preferred system with little or no purchase required.
Free!
Rules
M20 Yamato d20, a themed version of the famed Microlite 20 rules.
Revived: Oriental Appendix - House rules and revisions for First Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
Oriental Classes (B/X, Labyrinth Lord)
Oriental Monsters (B/X, Labyrinth Lord)
Scarlet Heroes Quick Start (added 3/25/14)
Shinobi & Samurai OD&D-ish game for Oriental adventures. (added 3/25/14)
Tons of stuff from the creator of Ruins & Ronin (look at the right hand side of the screen, under Downloads)
Setting
Beneath an Opal Moon
Frozen Wind
Legacy of Disaster
Random Ruins & Ronin Adventure Generator
Minis and Maps:
Samurai Themed Wargame Playset
Japanese Garden
Background Material (this will give you plenty to work with, regardless of system or even genre):
Bushido, the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe
Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki
Tales of Old Japan by Baron Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford Redesdalen
$1.00 or less:
Rules
Ruins & Ronin (Swords & Wizardry White-Box with new classes)
Ninja (class for Labyrinth Lord)
Samurai (class for Labyrinth Lord)
Tanuki (class for Labyrinth Lord)
Heroes of the Far East: Samurai
Heroes of the Far East: Ninja
Setting
Land of the Samurai (RuneQuest, but lot's of historical info. Includes the Beneath an Opal Moon scenario)
Modules
Blood on White Petals
Unspoken Shame
Treachery's Reward
The Daisho & the Ninja
Legacy of Disaster (L5R 4th ed. Quickstart)
Minis:
LVMENES Minis - Feudal Japan
LVMENES Minis - Feudal Japan - Set 2
$1.01 to $5.00:
Rules:
BUDO: Hard Style Wushu
Quick20: Asiatic Adventures
Ronin: Oriental Adventures in Tokugawa Japan
Shrine Maiden (class for 4e)
The Quintessential Samurai (d20)
Daisho: Samurai Adventure
Classes of the Far East (LL)
In The Company of Tengu: A 1st-20th level Player Character Racial Class (PFRPG)
Bakemono (PFRPG)
Setting:
Legends of the Samurai: Legends of the Koryo Empire (this is actually included in the Legends of the Samurai rule book available for $8.00 in hardcover!)
The Grimoire #10 (article on Shinto Shrines)
Shinobi Ryu
Modules:
$1.01 to $5.00:
Rules:
BUDO: Hard Style Wushu
Quick20: Asiatic Adventures
Ronin: Oriental Adventures in Tokugawa Japan
Shrine Maiden (class for 4e)
The Quintessential Samurai (d20)
Daisho: Samurai Adventure
Classes of the Far East (LL)
In The Company of Tengu: A 1st-20th level Player Character Racial Class (PFRPG)
Bakemono (PFRPG)
Setting:
Legends of the Samurai: Legends of the Koryo Empire (this is actually included in the Legends of the Samurai rule book available for $8.00 in hardcover!)
The Grimoire #10 (article on Shinto Shrines)
Shinobi Ryu
Legends of the Samurai: Protect the Master
Legends of the Samurai: The Escape from the Haunted Lands
Shukuen: Merchant's Greed
Shukuen: The Abduction
#30 Haunts for Kaidan (PFRPG)
Way of the Samurai (PFRPG)
Way of the Samurai (PFRPG)
Bells of the Dead
Daisho Adventure Pack #1
Up From Darkness (PFRPG)
The Tolling of Tears (PFRPG)
Haiku of Horror: Autumn Moon Bath House
Minis and Maps:
Serene Fist Set One: Monks vs Bandits
Serene Fist Set Two: Ninja vs Samurai
Serene Fist Set Three: Ninja vs Samurai 2
Legends of the Samurai: The Escape from the Haunted Lands
Shukuen: Merchant's Greed
Shukuen: The Abduction
#30 Haunts for Kaidan (PFRPG)
Way of the Samurai (PFRPG)
Way of the Samurai (PFRPG)
Bells of the Dead
Daisho Adventure Pack #1
Up From Darkness (PFRPG)
The Tolling of Tears (PFRPG)
Haiku of Horror: Autumn Moon Bath House
Minis and Maps:
Serene Fist Set One: Monks vs Bandits
Serene Fist Set Two: Ninja vs Samurai
Serene Fist Set Three: Ninja vs Samurai 2
How about _Asian Bestiary II_, from Hero Games ($8.50 PDF)?
ReplyDeleteHi Joe,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment!
I intentionally limited the list to items for $1 usd or less so people could dip their toe in the water without much of an investment. Still, a great deal of material is available in the $10 and under range - including at least 3 rule sets in PDF, never mind the ebay scores on used books. I may have to make this list a little more comprehensive.
-john