In my discussion of the classes for Dark Sun 4e, I stated that the Sorcerer class is a bit of a problem mainly from the fact that fluff text and neither of the builds are a good match for the setting. Here is a slightly modified class build that fits better with the magic source on Athas.
Athasian Sorcerer:
You have always been able to feel the vitality of the material around you but now you have learned to harness it and bend it to your will for spectacular affect.
Vitality Pull: Your feel for the lifeforce around you allows you to better harness it for arcane affects. You gain bonus to the damage of your arcane powers equal to your Wisdom modifier. This bonus increases by +2 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level.
Vitality Sense: Your feel for the lifeforce around you allows you to anticipate attacks. While not wearing heavy armor you can use your wisdom modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier to determine your AC.
Protect Vitality: You innate feel for vitality allows you to protect yours from attack. You gain resist 5 to Necrotic damage. The resistance increases 10 at 11th level and 15 at 21st level. This resistance works against damage caused by defiling magic.
Absorb Vitality: Sometimes you pull in to much lifeforce to drive for your arcane power. You have learned how to absorb this into yourself. While you cannot hold it forever it can add a boost to your vitality. When you roll a natural 20 for an arcane attack you immediately gain Wisdom modifier temporary hit points.
Find Hidden Vitality: Your natural sense allows you to find hidden sources of lifeforce to power your magic. The first encounter power you use in any encounter does not count against its use for the encounter(ie the first encounter power you use can be used again in the same encounter).
Design Notes: These are mainly based on the existing Sorcerer build features with the Find Hidden Vitality to compensate for the fact that I was not interested in writing powers for every level which give a bonus like you get with Dragon Magic and Wild Magic Class feature. The necrotic damage protection makes this class good for defilers working in groups or people hunting defilers if you use a more rational defiler/preserving rule.
Showing posts with label Dark Sun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dark Sun. Show all posts
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Dark Sun 4e Review: Equipment and Coinage
Dark Sun Setting has always been one with little real wealth. Life is a struggle due to the harsh environment made all the worse by a lack of resources. The lack of metal was previous played out by either using a select number of weapons what did not require metal or using weapons whose metal components were replaced with various other materials. These other materials would affect not only the weapons ability to hit and the damage it could do (negative modifiers) but also had a chance of breaking with use. But since metal armor was also rare the armor classes of targets were also limited where the toughest commonly encountered armor was Hide.
In the new edition while metal is still rare, they have done away with the modifiers and the breakage while still there is total different. While in a certain way this makes sense, nonmetal armor does not protect as well so the nonmetal weapons perform as expected, they really do not have an advantages for using a metal weapon. Sure it might break a quarter as often in use but these are supposed to be great treasures. Probably metal weapons used on non metal armor should pick up an extra nonmagical enhancement bonus. Sort of makes them like lower level magic items.
The old rules used to have a piece mail armor system since a single steel breatplate could gave you better protection than most hide armors but that is also gone leaving only a rule about where a full suit of metal armor in the sun is going to be very hot. I think a full suit of hide armor would also have the same problem.
Dark Sun is also not supposed to be a world litter with magical items so the new rules have some options for this. First they have a fixed enhancement bonus system which improves characters attacks and defense as they go up in levels at a rate slightly slower than they would get with magic items. This allows the characters to still handle challenges of the proper level without everyone having to be loaded down with magic items like you are playing some MMO game. This is a great idea. To keep magic items lower they talk about removing and replacing treasure bundles. I have not taken a good look at the DMG so I cannot really comment on this.
Dark Sun is not really a place where you should be able to buy magic items. You might be able to sell them to some major players at the 20% value discussed in the players handbook buying them at any value should be very hard.
Item Value and Coinage has always been different on Dark Sun. Formerly anything not made of metal was considered 1/100 th the cost and copper pieces were replaced with ceramic pieces. So anything that used to cost 1 gp was now 1 ceramic piece and things that cost a silver piece cost a bit (1/10 th of a ceramic piece). This lead to some problems in that things also cost copper pieces and now you have no value small enough for that. This flat change also had some problems in that some things made of metal like the classic iron pot cost about 5 sp but had a material cost of the like 2 gp in metal. With laborers making less than a bit per day, a metal longsword at 15 gp represented a fortune.
In the revision they got rid of the funny down scaling of the currency but did not but a specific new value on metal objects. They say that city states produce ceramic coins of different values backed by their governments(like a 1 sp or 1 gp face value ceramic coin) and various trader with exchange these for other city states coinage at some discounted rate or exchange metal coins at full value to ceramic. This part is just not right. I like the idea of the different denominations of ceramic coins each back by the different city states. This gives a lot of flexibility and uncertainty in the value of things since Tyr currency is probably not valued very high currently in other city states. But saying that all the City States keep there currency on a gold standard does not make sense in this world. If a character starts out with 150 gp worth of equipment than that is the equivalent of 3 pounds of gold if anyone would actually do that exchange for you, but no one will so gold must really be worth a lot more. Using the Classic Scaling you get that gold is worth 5000 ceramic gold pieces per pound, 500 for silver, 50 for copper, and 100 for iron. Metal object probably cost about their weight times 2 for simple objects and 4+ for complicated things. It will be up to the GM to decide and find ways to keep even higher level characters from amassing to much wealth.
In the new edition while metal is still rare, they have done away with the modifiers and the breakage while still there is total different. While in a certain way this makes sense, nonmetal armor does not protect as well so the nonmetal weapons perform as expected, they really do not have an advantages for using a metal weapon. Sure it might break a quarter as often in use but these are supposed to be great treasures. Probably metal weapons used on non metal armor should pick up an extra nonmagical enhancement bonus. Sort of makes them like lower level magic items.
The old rules used to have a piece mail armor system since a single steel breatplate could gave you better protection than most hide armors but that is also gone leaving only a rule about where a full suit of metal armor in the sun is going to be very hot. I think a full suit of hide armor would also have the same problem.
Dark Sun is also not supposed to be a world litter with magical items so the new rules have some options for this. First they have a fixed enhancement bonus system which improves characters attacks and defense as they go up in levels at a rate slightly slower than they would get with magic items. This allows the characters to still handle challenges of the proper level without everyone having to be loaded down with magic items like you are playing some MMO game. This is a great idea. To keep magic items lower they talk about removing and replacing treasure bundles. I have not taken a good look at the DMG so I cannot really comment on this.
Dark Sun is not really a place where you should be able to buy magic items. You might be able to sell them to some major players at the 20% value discussed in the players handbook buying them at any value should be very hard.
Item Value and Coinage has always been different on Dark Sun. Formerly anything not made of metal was considered 1/100 th the cost and copper pieces were replaced with ceramic pieces. So anything that used to cost 1 gp was now 1 ceramic piece and things that cost a silver piece cost a bit (1/10 th of a ceramic piece). This lead to some problems in that things also cost copper pieces and now you have no value small enough for that. This flat change also had some problems in that some things made of metal like the classic iron pot cost about 5 sp but had a material cost of the like 2 gp in metal. With laborers making less than a bit per day, a metal longsword at 15 gp represented a fortune.
In the revision they got rid of the funny down scaling of the currency but did not but a specific new value on metal objects. They say that city states produce ceramic coins of different values backed by their governments(like a 1 sp or 1 gp face value ceramic coin) and various trader with exchange these for other city states coinage at some discounted rate or exchange metal coins at full value to ceramic. This part is just not right. I like the idea of the different denominations of ceramic coins each back by the different city states. This gives a lot of flexibility and uncertainty in the value of things since Tyr currency is probably not valued very high currently in other city states. But saying that all the City States keep there currency on a gold standard does not make sense in this world. If a character starts out with 150 gp worth of equipment than that is the equivalent of 3 pounds of gold if anyone would actually do that exchange for you, but no one will so gold must really be worth a lot more. Using the Classic Scaling you get that gold is worth 5000 ceramic gold pieces per pound, 500 for silver, 50 for copper, and 100 for iron. Metal object probably cost about their weight times 2 for simple objects and 4+ for complicated things. It will be up to the GM to decide and find ways to keep even higher level characters from amassing to much wealth.
Dark Sun 4e Review: Defiling and Preserving
One of the classic changes in Dark Sun was where the power for arcane magic comes from. In many normal fantasy settings wizards seem to tap an unknown but unlimited supply of energy to wield their spells. This is not the case in Dark Sun. All arcane magical power is derived from life force. Initially wizards extract it from plants and microbes but as they grow in power they can start extracting it from people. Defilers do this power extraction in a fast and dirty way destroying the life as they do it while Preserves take a more measured approach of drawing from larger areas more slowly to get the power they need.
The use of considerable defiler magic in the past has left the world a wasted land so the populace is not happy with wizards in general. In the original version of Dark Sun Defilers and Preserves were separate classes with a faster advancement rate for defilers to represent their easier path to power. When a defiler cast any spell near by plants would be destroyed out to a distance depending on plant density and spell level. Creatures caught in the range would feel pain and have their actions delayed segments as they fought through the affect but no long lasting affects until you dealt with defilers on the level of the Sorcerer Kings who would actually do hit point damage to creatures as well.
In the new version defiling is a choice a wizard can make we he needs a little extra power for a spell, this is not a bad idea as the fluff had various characters doing both for this type a reason. This is accomplished by a arcane class feature that works with Arcane Daily Attack Powers. When using a daily arcane power, you can choose to defile and get a reroll as a free action if you do not like the first roll. This can be for either the attack or damage roll. This defilement not just kills plant life but does damage equal I think 1/2 their healing surge to all your allies within 20 squares. This is sort of a problem. They claim it is because these people share a link with the defiler but I just do not like it at all. I think if it is going to do damage it should be to all corpereal entities within the distance at a lower amount like the half the level of the daily attack power.
Defilers can then pick up some feats that allow you to extend this affect to other things. While that seems interesting having to spend a feat to take the easy path does not really make sense.
One allows you to defile with at will or daily powers that you activated with an action point.
The single worse thing associated with the defiling power is the psionic defiling feat which allows you to defile to reroll psionic daily attacks. This is just wrong and makes no sense within the world structure. This could be a class feature for the Dragon Epic Destiny as they used to be powerful defilers and psionicists but not a general paragon level feat.
While the mechanics are interesting since I bet missing with a Daily Attack Power stinks, I really do not like the final form.
The use of considerable defiler magic in the past has left the world a wasted land so the populace is not happy with wizards in general. In the original version of Dark Sun Defilers and Preserves were separate classes with a faster advancement rate for defilers to represent their easier path to power. When a defiler cast any spell near by plants would be destroyed out to a distance depending on plant density and spell level. Creatures caught in the range would feel pain and have their actions delayed segments as they fought through the affect but no long lasting affects until you dealt with defilers on the level of the Sorcerer Kings who would actually do hit point damage to creatures as well.
In the new version defiling is a choice a wizard can make we he needs a little extra power for a spell, this is not a bad idea as the fluff had various characters doing both for this type a reason. This is accomplished by a arcane class feature that works with Arcane Daily Attack Powers. When using a daily arcane power, you can choose to defile and get a reroll as a free action if you do not like the first roll. This can be for either the attack or damage roll. This defilement not just kills plant life but does damage equal I think 1/2 their healing surge to all your allies within 20 squares. This is sort of a problem. They claim it is because these people share a link with the defiler but I just do not like it at all. I think if it is going to do damage it should be to all corpereal entities within the distance at a lower amount like the half the level of the daily attack power.
Defilers can then pick up some feats that allow you to extend this affect to other things. While that seems interesting having to spend a feat to take the easy path does not really make sense.
One allows you to defile with at will or daily powers that you activated with an action point.
The single worse thing associated with the defiling power is the psionic defiling feat which allows you to defile to reroll psionic daily attacks. This is just wrong and makes no sense within the world structure. This could be a class feature for the Dragon Epic Destiny as they used to be powerful defilers and psionicists but not a general paragon level feat.
While the mechanics are interesting since I bet missing with a Daily Attack Power stinks, I really do not like the final form.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Dark Sun 4e Review: Classes
The new Dark Sun character class setting section is an area where I think the designers let me down. They provide 4 new builds of existing classes: Wild Battlemind, Arena Fighter, Animist Shaman, and Sorcerer King Pact Warlock. I really like the idea of the classic Templar being a Warlock in the new rules. They also provide some new Epic destinies which are updated things from the classic Dragon Kings hardbound rule book.
The problem I have is that DnD 4e has like 20 classes currently. Are these all appropriate for the Dark Sun setting? Can all the changes be made using the Themes. One of the very important parts of the Dark Sun setting directly affect classes. Limited magic access. Arcane magic is only derived at this time from surrounding lifeforce and hence tightly controlled by the Sorcerer Kings and feared by the populace. So all arcane classes need to fit this mold. Divine Magic is derived from the elemental planes or forces of nature. These sources demand a real price for their power in supporting their expansion and protection.
They really give you very little guidance about how to fit or if to try to fit all these classes into Dark Sun. Most of the classes in the Players Handbook work pretty well without major changes except for Paladin which never existed on Dark Sun since people which such selflessness were wiped from existence thousands of years ago. Isn't natural or unnatural selection fun. I would also think that all clerics need to have the elemental priest theme and the only Warlocks should be the Templar Pact ones since Dark Sun is cut off from the Planes to make pacts with otherworldly beings. They do have a note about not allowing any divine classes but quickly list excuses for allowing a player to play one. They say like nothing should stop the player from playing the character they want to? There might be some other sources who can provide some powers adventure specific villains but probably not to first level PCs.
Distinctions get a bit tougher in the Players Handbook 2. You get classes like Druids, Shamans, and Barbarians which fit in just fine. The Warden might be fine also or could be made using Ranger and a Theme. All these primal classes give probably a to far to wilderness theme than Dark Sun should have. Then you get 2 Divine Classes that are tougher. Both the Invoker and Avenger seem like they might not fit even with elemental power source. Finally you get the Sorcerer and Bard which are the biggest problem. The Sorcerer could be fine but neither of the builds make sense because nothing in Dark Sun is naturally magical at this time. Both Dragonblood and Chaos magic just are not right for the setting. This class really needs a Dark Sun specific build to be included. Bards are also a problem. Classic Dark Sun Bards had no arcane powers, they were non magical entertainers and assassins since the populace would not be entertained/inspired by magical performers. I would probably totally eliminate this class and add a free performance skill to the Athasian Minstrel theme.
Overall I am not very happy with this section. Probably just a little specifics about good and bad classes for the setting and maybe 2 more Dark Sun specific builds should have been done. I know that they do not want to limit what you can do in your games but that is one of the points of a campaign setting to provide some additional structure to a very open ended game system.
The problem I have is that DnD 4e has like 20 classes currently. Are these all appropriate for the Dark Sun setting? Can all the changes be made using the Themes. One of the very important parts of the Dark Sun setting directly affect classes. Limited magic access. Arcane magic is only derived at this time from surrounding lifeforce and hence tightly controlled by the Sorcerer Kings and feared by the populace. So all arcane classes need to fit this mold. Divine Magic is derived from the elemental planes or forces of nature. These sources demand a real price for their power in supporting their expansion and protection.
They really give you very little guidance about how to fit or if to try to fit all these classes into Dark Sun. Most of the classes in the Players Handbook work pretty well without major changes except for Paladin which never existed on Dark Sun since people which such selflessness were wiped from existence thousands of years ago. Isn't natural or unnatural selection fun. I would also think that all clerics need to have the elemental priest theme and the only Warlocks should be the Templar Pact ones since Dark Sun is cut off from the Planes to make pacts with otherworldly beings. They do have a note about not allowing any divine classes but quickly list excuses for allowing a player to play one. They say like nothing should stop the player from playing the character they want to? There might be some other sources who can provide some powers adventure specific villains but probably not to first level PCs.
Distinctions get a bit tougher in the Players Handbook 2. You get classes like Druids, Shamans, and Barbarians which fit in just fine. The Warden might be fine also or could be made using Ranger and a Theme. All these primal classes give probably a to far to wilderness theme than Dark Sun should have. Then you get 2 Divine Classes that are tougher. Both the Invoker and Avenger seem like they might not fit even with elemental power source. Finally you get the Sorcerer and Bard which are the biggest problem. The Sorcerer could be fine but neither of the builds make sense because nothing in Dark Sun is naturally magical at this time. Both Dragonblood and Chaos magic just are not right for the setting. This class really needs a Dark Sun specific build to be included. Bards are also a problem. Classic Dark Sun Bards had no arcane powers, they were non magical entertainers and assassins since the populace would not be entertained/inspired by magical performers. I would probably totally eliminate this class and add a free performance skill to the Athasian Minstrel theme.
Overall I am not very happy with this section. Probably just a little specifics about good and bad classes for the setting and maybe 2 more Dark Sun specific builds should have been done. I know that they do not want to limit what you can do in your games but that is one of the points of a campaign setting to provide some additional structure to a very open ended game system.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Dark Sun 4e Review: Character Themes
An interesting addition to the character creation process in 4e is the Character Theme. It is somewhere between character race and class. It is available to all characters and grants 1 feature power which can be retrained to a more powerful version at higher levels. It also grants access to additional choices during character advancement. They also open up some paragon paths.
These themes help shift standard classes closer to one of the classic Dark Sun classes. The list is Athasian Minstrel, Dune Trader, Elemental Priest, Gladiator, Noble Adept, Primal Guardian, Templar, Veiled Alliance, Waste Land Nomad, Wilder. These mainly line up with a couple individual classes but they can be combined with any class to create some unique options.
I like this section. Making classes in 4e seems more complicated than back in ADnD since you each one needs pages of powers that have to be written. These themes Dark Sun up the existing classes without having to write a whole new build.
These themes help shift standard classes closer to one of the classic Dark Sun classes. The list is Athasian Minstrel, Dune Trader, Elemental Priest, Gladiator, Noble Adept, Primal Guardian, Templar, Veiled Alliance, Waste Land Nomad, Wilder. These mainly line up with a couple individual classes but they can be combined with any class to create some unique options.
I like this section. Making classes in 4e seems more complicated than back in ADnD since you each one needs pages of powers that have to be written. These themes Dark Sun up the existing classes without having to write a whole new build.
Dark Sun 4e Review: Races
It appears to me that 4ed is essentially already overloaded with options in terms of race. Each new player handbook adds several new races to the already expand basic list. This is probably where I wished they showed some more restraint and kept it to the same list of basic races to the original version of Dark Sun.
I just do not think Dragonborn, Eldarin or Tieflings belong on Dark Sun especially as PC races. They claim the Dragonborn are rejects from Giustenal but given the nature of the lone know Dragon the Athas, I do not think any Draconic beings would be welcome in the citystates. It is not like you are short of races with 8 in the classic version. So if I was going to run a game the allowed races would be Human, Halfling, Half Elf, Thrikreen, Mul, Dwarf, Half Giant(Goliath), and Elf. Revised Dark Sun added in Pterran and Aarakocra but I could take or leave either of those as PC races neither of which shows up in this edition anyway.
An important part of Dark Sun has always been that the classic fantasy races are present but very different in nature. This was done not just with changes in physical descriptions, dwarves are all bald and elves are tall, lean desert runners know to be thieves, but also changes to special rules or some new ability. In this edition, they just changed the flavor text but did not make any changes to rules. Seems like 4e has toned down some of the racial rules anyway but a rule change for each race would have been more interesting. Or maybe some new race specific feats just for Dark Sun. While the two new races have a couple of race specific feats and racial paragon path each plus 1 for half giants, the other races do not have any new feats or Dark Sun specific racial paragon paths.
They did not do a bad job with this section seeming to just take the easy route by essentially changing nothing on the basic races.
I just do not think Dragonborn, Eldarin or Tieflings belong on Dark Sun especially as PC races. They claim the Dragonborn are rejects from Giustenal but given the nature of the lone know Dragon the Athas, I do not think any Draconic beings would be welcome in the citystates. It is not like you are short of races with 8 in the classic version. So if I was going to run a game the allowed races would be Human, Halfling, Half Elf, Thrikreen, Mul, Dwarf, Half Giant(Goliath), and Elf. Revised Dark Sun added in Pterran and Aarakocra but I could take or leave either of those as PC races neither of which shows up in this edition anyway.
An important part of Dark Sun has always been that the classic fantasy races are present but very different in nature. This was done not just with changes in physical descriptions, dwarves are all bald and elves are tall, lean desert runners know to be thieves, but also changes to special rules or some new ability. In this edition, they just changed the flavor text but did not make any changes to rules. Seems like 4e has toned down some of the racial rules anyway but a rule change for each race would have been more interesting. Or maybe some new race specific feats just for Dark Sun. While the two new races have a couple of race specific feats and racial paragon path each plus 1 for half giants, the other races do not have any new feats or Dark Sun specific racial paragon paths.
They did not do a bad job with this section seeming to just take the easy route by essentially changing nothing on the basic races.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Dark Sun 4e Review: Land of the Power Gamers?
If there was one thing that classic Dark Sun always took flak for was that it was a land of power gamers. We had this inclination ourselves but we countered it by always dealing with maximum hit point monsters and after a certain point working mostly against other character level opponents organized into counter forces. All the advantages we had, they had also so the playing field was leveled.
The power gaming rap is mainly related to the fact that standard ability scores could go up to 20. This was a problem more because the ability bonuses were very nonlinear around between 18-19. Huge jumps would show up at that point so you could get enormous bonus's for most characters if you could get that high stat in the primary ability score. They adjusted this in the revision of Dark Sun but that left the strongest humans on Dark Sun weaker than those on other worlds which did not make much sense. This is not really a problem since 3rd when they essentially linearized all the ability score modifiers but in 4e Dark Sun you generate ability score normally anyway. This is just fine with me, an extra +1 to a modifier does not make or break characters.
Another area which drew in the power gamer reputation was that characters started at 3rd level. Getting through first level was often brutal in normal AD&D. I am not the only person who had entire parties wiped out due to unlucky rolls verses a small band of goblins/kobolds. I think that 4e cut down this problem already with higher starting hit points and these healing surges. Might have even gone to far the other way so maybe the nasty world of Athas can put it back into balance when the characters start at first level again.
One thing along these lines that Dark Sun used to have that does not appear in the new edition that probably should was the character tree concept. Essentially the high mortality rate was countered by having back up pc's that advanced levels each time your active character went up. You could then switch your active character between adventures. The only thing was that you could not trade equipment but since magic items were not supposed to a dominate part of the game so this was not so bad. If it is going to be a brutal setting this might still be needed.
So I think they did a pretty good job of pushing the power levels of Dark Sun characters back in line with other worlds. The people of Dark Sun are no longer faster, smarter, stronger than those on other worlds but the environments is still harsher and life more difficult leading to short miserable lives.
The power gaming rap is mainly related to the fact that standard ability scores could go up to 20. This was a problem more because the ability bonuses were very nonlinear around between 18-19. Huge jumps would show up at that point so you could get enormous bonus's for most characters if you could get that high stat in the primary ability score. They adjusted this in the revision of Dark Sun but that left the strongest humans on Dark Sun weaker than those on other worlds which did not make much sense. This is not really a problem since 3rd when they essentially linearized all the ability score modifiers but in 4e Dark Sun you generate ability score normally anyway. This is just fine with me, an extra +1 to a modifier does not make or break characters.
Another area which drew in the power gamer reputation was that characters started at 3rd level. Getting through first level was often brutal in normal AD&D. I am not the only person who had entire parties wiped out due to unlucky rolls verses a small band of goblins/kobolds. I think that 4e cut down this problem already with higher starting hit points and these healing surges. Might have even gone to far the other way so maybe the nasty world of Athas can put it back into balance when the characters start at first level again.
One thing along these lines that Dark Sun used to have that does not appear in the new edition that probably should was the character tree concept. Essentially the high mortality rate was countered by having back up pc's that advanced levels each time your active character went up. You could then switch your active character between adventures. The only thing was that you could not trade equipment but since magic items were not supposed to a dominate part of the game so this was not so bad. If it is going to be a brutal setting this might still be needed.
So I think they did a pretty good job of pushing the power levels of Dark Sun characters back in line with other worlds. The people of Dark Sun are no longer faster, smarter, stronger than those on other worlds but the environments is still harsher and life more difficult leading to short miserable lives.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Dark Sun 4e Review: Timeline Reboot
The best part of the new edition of Dark Sun is a reboot to the time just after the Death of Kalak in Tyr. Tyr becomes the first free city in the age of the Sorcerer Kings and has to fear attack from outside and treachery from within. This is probably the best time for gaming in the world since it is undergoing major change but without all the silliness you got in the Dark Sun Revision after the Prism Pentad cycle is complete. The Sorcerer Kings are still the dominate presence in the world and life for people who do not follow their rules can quickly get very deadly especially in their City States.
The only limiting part of this timeline point is that characters who want to become real movers and shakers in a city state only really have an option of this in Tyr as opposed to later where more states have lost their nearly invinciable Sorcerer Kings. We had a great campaign based out of Balic after Androponis's disappearence since less stuff was written about the city. The GM had more freedom to develop the location and the factions fighting for control.
The only limiting part of this timeline point is that characters who want to become real movers and shakers in a city state only really have an option of this in Tyr as opposed to later where more states have lost their nearly invinciable Sorcerer Kings. We had a great campaign based out of Balic after Androponis's disappearence since less stuff was written about the city. The GM had more freedom to develop the location and the factions fighting for control.
Introducing the Dark Sun 4e Review Series
I picked up a copy of the new Dark Sun campaign setting book for Dungeon and Dragons 4th edition. So I am going to be doing a multiple post review of the new setting revision. When I saw the Prism Pentad was being reprinted at Barnes and Noble a little while ago I knew that Dark Sun must be coming back. I have not played a game of 4th edition yet but I wanted to at least check out the rules for my favorite campaign setting when they updated it. A few months back I picked up the first and second player handbooks so I would have some idea of the structure of the game in 4th edition. I had looked over the players handbook last summer at my brothers place but it was so different from tradition DnD that a short look does not really let you get your mind around it. To make proper use of the setting, you need all three player handbooks since player handbook 2 has the primal classes and player handbook 3 for the psionic classes.So I have a lot to say about this revision and I will divide it up into sections over the next week or so to allow it to be in easy to digust discussions instead of pages and pages of text. I will not really be looking at how balanced it is or even how fun it could be, more about how it relates to the original setting and if that change is good/bad or just makes no sense at all. I know that time has to go on and changes have to be made or the game company will have nothing new to sell and the designers will be out of work but I do not like change just for change.
If you think you find anything interesting just leave a comment so I know I am not yammering to myself. Or if anyone has questions about the setting, I still have quick access to almost every piece of gaming material published for the setting (Just missing City by the Silt Sea and maybe the Forest Maker Adventure I think).
So watch in the near future for more discussion of Dark Sun 4e listed below
Timeline Reboot
Land of Powergamers
Races
Themes
Character Classes
Defiler/Preserver Magic
Equipment: Metal and Coins
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