Kaigaku by Jacob Ross, RPG Review

Morimoto stepped up onto the small platform that was built so he could get a better view of the field where the battle would take place. The open field where his forces would soon be clashing with those of Yokashima, an honorable samurai and worthy opponent, was before him. Morimoto could see the men standing to his side, waiting to see his reaction to the strategy they had discussed earlier. They all had worked to keep any expression from their faces. But, Morimoto knew some were hiding their fears—Yokashima's reputation in strategy was well known. Morimoto kept his expression stiff. As their leader, he could not show his own doubts or his honor would be questioned.

If you are a fan of the culture of the samurai, Kaigaku should be a role playing game you want to get, or at least check out. Jacob DC Ross, through Thunderegg Productions, is an obvious fan. He has developed Kaigaku using The Black Hack rule system (developed with the d20 open gaming license) to bring an alternate samurai setting to the tabletop. The rule system is one designed to be very open and Ross takes advantage of that strength. But, since he is a fan of what he's doing, the flavor of the samurai culture is there.

Kaigaku is a relatively short, 72 page, book (I was given the PDF version for review). The information is easy to get to and the layout moves you quickly into the how to of how a game runs.  For example, instead of a list of skills to choose from, you are provided with some ideas of the types of skills character may take. Players are left to come up with their own, with the approval of the game master (GM). Making a character is a quick endeavor because you don't need to read a lot of background information to see how things work together.

Players start character creation by rolling six base attributes. Attributes may start off lower, but the game is designed to advance characters quickly, and attributes have the ability to climb just as fast. Next, you choose one of the eight clans, or possibly you start as a ronin, which is a master-less samurai. There are four classes to then choose from and your particular ryu (school). Each clan has specific ryu, although some allow people from outside their clan to study them. Class and ryu choices help in determining how good the character is in physical and social combats. Another part of the character is their contacts, who can help the character.

This in not just a hack and slash setting. The design of the game fits into the cultural aspects which allow for social encounters as well as fighting. Every character starts out with contacts who help in providing information and services. How much the contacts helps depends on how well they feel they have been treated and how well the character maintains their personal honor. There is a lot of opportunity for the players to explore different aspects of their world. The GM also has some information to help them.

The chapter, "The Secrets of Kaigaku," helps set the stage in the kingdom. This chapter is for those who are running the game. It provides elements of intrigue that can be used for adventuring. Kaigaku is a fictional creation building off the historical and mythical aspects of the samurai culture. Ross presents one possible scenario of why this alternate history exists, or a GM could easily develop their own.

My overall impression is that Kaigaku has the elements to create a lot of fun. People who are familiar with the samurai culture will be able to easily jump in. If you are not as familiar with it, it's not hard to pick up on. Apparently, you would already have some interested in it by picking up the game, or at least someone in your group does. If you have a group member who is more knowledgeable in the culture, it might work easier if they take the lead as GM for at least the first adventure or two. To really get into it you can also watch shows or read stories. There is also a trimmed down free version of the game available. I think we've all had some introduction to the concepts. And, once you start to reacquaint yourself, you can slip right into the game.

I recommend reading through the book before getting started. Not thoroughly, but enough to get a feel for the clans and the ryu. The players section is only 56 pages of content and by doing this it makes it easier to understand how a character is created and how they fit in their world.

Thuderegg Productions has additional material for the game, and working on more, including a periodical to bring new information on a regular basis.

Morimoto turns his back on the field. Facing his men with a straight back and serious look, he give his orders for the final preparations. He watches as they quickly move away. It is going to be an honorable day.

Thanks to Jacob DC Ross and Thuderegg Productions (Facebook Link) for a review copy.

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