>Eastern setting >Would like to play a paladin. >GM

There are so many fucking eastern equivalents to paladins it's hard to choose.

Then again, none of them perfectly line up, but there are a lot of archetypes close enough that denying the idea of a divinely blessed warrior out to punish the wicked and protect the innocent is just stupid.

Although, clarify- What do you mean by 'Eastern'? East asian fantasy mashup, something more weighted toward Japanese or Chinese mythology, full on Wuxia shit?

>>51727258
Not!Japan which is divided into several kingdoms.

Samurai

tell him to turn on fucking Adult Swim and watch Samurai Jack then.

>>51727230
Oriental Adventures has the Sohei, some kind of warrior monk that plays almost exactly like a pally

>>51727374
>suicides if dishonored
>kill someone if they dishonor him
>kill peasants who they they can be anything like a samurai because honor

Yeah that would work perfectly fine

>>51727258

To be totally fair I don't think there really is an archetype that much connected to justice per se. Like there really weren't a western "ninja" thing.

On the other hand, it's not like "our" RPG monks are Benedictines, right?

Just make a samurai school all about chivalry or something close to it. Hell, it's actually an interesting concept: they're torn between loyalty unto death and justice unto death.

>>51727347

Japan is a little more restrictive, but there's still plenty of conceptual space for a holy warrior to occupy.

Although it's not exactly the same, the concept of a Kensei, or 'Sword Saint', is a good place to start.

>>51727230
Alright lets DO this.

In Sihkism is a very martial faith and in fantasy not India you should be able to throw on a turban, grab your sword, not trim your beard, and paladin around.

In the east there were Sohei. Temple Monks who practiced armed meditation and were studied in either Buddhist or Shinto scriptures, hell if I know for sure.

Japan had a history of persecuted Christians after european missionaries made it to the county, some of whom were badass and devout swordsmen.

Some of the Shinsenfuckinggumi may have well be paladins, and pending edition they would have been order of the crown.

WARGLEBLARGH

File: 1360778994733.jpg (113KB, 500x369px) Image search: [Google]

113KB, 500x369px

>>51727347
If it's Not!Rokugon, point your GM to Lion Clan Paragons or Crab Clan Oni Hunters. This seems more like stubborn grognardness than any real reason, be slightly creative. I don't see how wizards are cool but paladins aren't otherwise.

File: 1384291736255605.jpg (8KB, 240x240px) Image search: [Google]

8KB, 240x240px

>>51727230
>GM says no because there are no eastern paladins. Just as there are no western monks.
But that's just... stupid. And wrong.

>>51727645
I know I left out China, but I know fuck all about China and Korea and Vietnam and their culture and gods.

I'm pretty damn sure Warriors in the service of the Jade Emperor, the Jade Warlord, and the Celestial Bureaucracy would be pretty damn baller!

>>51727671

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/51665650/ might be an interesting read, Wuxia thread that went deep on eastern mythology and fantasy cliches. Of particular note is the post chain starting at 51676596

>>51727230
Your DM is retarded find a new one

>>51727230

samurai literally put their own lives as less valuable than their honor to their houses. that's paladin as fuck.

want to be more of a holy-man type than an honored type? listen to >>51727645 about sohei. literally sword priests.

also western monks exist. fucking friars. tell your GM to eat shit

>>51727645
>were studied in either Buddhist or Shinto scriptures
Shinto-Buddhism is a thing, the two faiths were semi-meshed together in parts of Japan

File: The 'monk'.png (2MB, 1338x940px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 1338x940px

>>51727230
>No western monks
Tell that to me in huesca and see what happens motherfucker.

>>51727230
>What are Sikhs.

File: 2bd14171975e2e5026b6bb25dd0509db.jpg (89KB, 589x877px) Image search: [Google]

89KB, 589x877px

>>51727230
>no western monks
Kindly remind the GM of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon aka THE KNIGHTS FUCKING TEMPLAR

>>51727230
Ask him why he's running an eastern setting if he's clearly never heard the concept of bushido.

>>51727230
>Sohei
>The Sohei were the warrior Buddhist monks of feudal Japan. Throughout history the Sohei would find themselves embroiled in wars, offering advice, and fighting to defend themselves. They would teach their trainings in a brotherhood of monasteries and training temples, passing on their fighting and weapon skills to new recruits for the future success of the Sohei.
>While it’s easy to picture the Sohei as a shaven headed monk fighting in their robes, the Sohei were much more advanced and prepared than this. With feudal Japan bringing war and fighting to the fore, the Sohei were responsible for their own safety and protection, this lead to their evolution as warriors.
>The Sohei would be armed with similar weapons to a Samurai, wore armour like a Samurai and would fight in a similar fashion. >One key difference would be the use of the naginata, a large polearm weapon with a curved blade at the head, which would allow the Sohei to easily disarm or attack horse riders, like the Samurai.

File: IMG_0200.jpg (70KB, 293x550px) Image search: [Google]

70KB, 293x550px

>>51727230
Considering there were no eastern knights who served Charlemagne

No, there can't be eastern paladins

>>51727230
Among a lot of versions, there were chinese 'heroes' with divine powers, doing stuff for a god in exchange for immortality. Could work either as a basis for a cleric or paladin.

They were chosen from people which tried to cheat death and failed.

>>51727645
>>51727831
Jesuit missionaires were to be well trained as to convert people in unknown pagan lands. That included hand to hand combat. I don't know if this is true outside of 16th to 18th century South America.

>>51728492
The faces on this are gold.

>there are no eastern paladins. Just as there are no western monks.
And yet, people play monks all the time in fantasy Europe settings. Your GM is being intentionally obtuse.

>people ACTUALLY think this is an event that occurred in someones game.

Pro tip. It didn't.

>>51731552

It doesn't really matter if its true or not, and all doubting it does is end any potential for interesting conversation.

Given the two options, I'd prefer to sincerely discuss Paladin-esque characters and the place they have in more eastern inspired settings, because regardless of the truth of the OP it's an interesting thing to talk about.

>>51727230
>western monks don't exist
>WHO THE FUCK WERE ST ANTHONY OF EGYPT AND ST BENEDICT
Why do so many people fail to realise a) the very word is derived from the Greek word 'Monachos', and b) Christian ascetics were thus THE OG monks?

In ancient China, there's a heavy social focus on loyalty, and values. There're a bunch of stories (especially Wuxia) where there are people who definitely display Paladin-like virtues, where they are intolerant of injustice, and go all out to aid the weak and fight the evils. Heck, some of them even lose their martial powers (mental block?) when they suffer great shame by going against their own creed.

That aspect of Paladins are well covered in eastern settings. GM shouldn't give you a flat out no, but help you fluff your char into something that resembles a Paladin with all serials filed off.

Heck, you can even be a bushi with sigils carved onto his body that allows him to wield powers granted to him by a kami of sorts, so long as he honours the creed. There, simple Paladin.

>>51731225
Those are nobles.
The beheaded guys are nobles that didn't agree with him.

>>51727831
Reminder that Bushido and the Hagakure only existed after war was over and during a long peaceful period.

File: Sohei.jpg (123KB, 500x486px) Image search: [Google]

123KB, 500x486px

>>51727258
What about sohei?

>>51737348
Whoops. Linked the wrong post.
Meant to link >>51727347

Anyway, they're Buddhist warrior monks. I think it would work pretty well though I hope your GM isn't retarded with the whole falling thing.

>>51732028
Yeah, western monks do exist, but I think the problem here is that typically (atleast in D&D) monks are martial arts killing machines and I'm pretty sure western monks don't train hand to hand based martial arts, but rather fight with spears/swords/polearms (or guns in more modern time period) if needed.

>>51737381
Gunfu is martial arts.

>>51737403
So is fighting with sword and other traditional weapons, but monks in D&D are almost exclusively into hand to hand stuff which is more like specific type of Chinese warrior monks. On the other hand, Templars are good example of what western warrior monks and they would more likely to be classed as paladins in D&D rather monks.

File: DnD_Introduction.png (101KB, 507x801px) Image search: [Google]

101KB, 507x801px

>>51737381
>>51737403
>>51737447
Let's be honest and admit DnD monks as envisioned by Gary is less about medieval western or eastern monks which do exist and more about Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee.

File: Benkei.jpg (584KB, 753x1018px) Image search: [Google]

584KB, 753x1018px

First character to come in to mind was Benkei.

>>51727230
is this jug vs phantom cancer?

>>51729065
The problem is modern fantasy got the terms all mixed up and now people think monks were only kung-fu dudes in Asia despite being a European word and that any dude with some armor, a sword and the fear of God is a paladin now instead of a knight or monk.

The Shogun had a powerful police force that ensured compliance and the rule of law was being followed.

I know its more of a secular road but here you have samurai tasked with bringing order to the land.

>>51740171
And it's fantasy so it'd be easy to inject the local not!Shinto into it and go from there.

>>51740200

Exactly, a divine mandate to uphold peace and prosperity. Maybe the samurai have holy powers to fight the oni, or rooting out foul NOT!christian heretics.

To remain somewhat faithful to the eastern tradition, a code of personal conduct should be enforced otherwise they "fall", becoming at best begger ronin or at worst local bandit lords. The emphasis on this code should include enacting justice and defending the weak but more importantly on personal loyalty, courage and deference to superiors.

A Japanese "Paladin" should be expected to be ruthless and savage when required but not one step more.

Paladins should be a prestige class directly based on Charlemagne's paladins. If you're a great knight/samurai, one day you can hope to join or at least emulate the small host of elite warriors serving the rightful king, blessed by god.

>>51737277
>Be monk
>Become king against all odds
>Kill everyone
>Fuck first women you can find in order to have a son
>Have a daughter, close enough, marry her to the closest availabe lord
>Go back to your monastery to chill and stuff, fuck kingdoms

Based man.

>>51741073
>citizens kill each other
>become king
>tell them to stop, they dont
>give up
>brother invades spain and makes you king
>spaniards bully you 24/7

Now you know why old spanish kings pulled that shit.

>>51740775
Gygax Paladin is not based on Charlemagne, he just borrow the words to create a fearless knight class that can cast divine spells.
If anything, paladin is based on very old anime showing fearless magic casting knights.