D&D 5E Darksun times of change[Oc]closed]

Shayuri · May 15, 2017

From what I understand, the difference between wizards, warlocks and sorcerers in Dark Sun is pretty much exactly what it is in any other setting.

The magic is the same, only the source varies.

Wizards master magic through study...they learn the spells to tap into the life of the world and use it for power.

Sorcerers have an inborn gift for magic, which comes to them because of strange ancestry, or sometimes environmental exposure to magic or other forces that changes them fundamentally. Their spells are just like wizard spells in every detail except for how they learn them...they just KNOW, without study or practice.

Warlocks learn their spells not from books or lore...nor from any special gift for magic...but from some powerful creature of magic which grants the warlock a portion of its power in exchange for subservience. Warlock spells work just like any other mage's spell in Dark Sun...but the Warlock knows those spells because of knowledge imparted through a mystical link to their patron entity.

As an aside, I think the Draconic Sorcerer works very well for Dark Sun, thematically, given what sometimes happens to high level sorcerers in the setting.

Azurewraith · May 15, 2017

Shayuri said:
From what I understand, the difference between wizards, warlocks and sorcerers in Dark Sun is pretty much exactly what it is in any other setting.

The magic is the same, only the source varies.

Wizards master magic through study...they learn the spells to tap into the life of the world and use it for power.

Sorcerers have an inborn gift for magic, which comes to them because of strange ancestry, or sometimes environmental exposure to magic or other forces that changes them fundamentally. Their spells are just like wizard spells in every detail except for how they learn them...they just KNOW, without study or practice.

Warlocks learn their spells not from books or lore...nor from any special gift for magic...but from some powerful creature of magic which grants the warlock a portion of its power in exchange for subservience. Warlock spells work just like any other mage's spell in Dark Sun...but the Warlock knows those spells because of knowledge imparted through a mystical link to their patron entity.

As an aside, I think the Draconic Sorcerer works very well for Dark Sun, thematically, given what sometimes happens to high level sorcerers in the setting.

Only issue with dragon scor is well there is only 1dragon in darksun if I remember correctly.

That's one way for it to work the spells are learnt in different ways but all pull from the planet as source.

Shayuri · May 15, 2017

There's one crazed megadragon, yeah. But all the sorcerer-kings take on draconic features don't they?

There's a special thing where they can become full dragons once they become powerful enough. Easy enough just to say, "PCs can't do that though."

Azurewraith · May 15, 2017

Shayuri said:
There's one crazed megadragon, yeah. But all the sorcerer-kings take on draconic features don't they?

There's a special thing where they can become full dragons once they become powerful enough. Easy enough just to say, "PCs can't do that though."

Or maybe they can....

VLAD the Destroyer · May 15, 2017

I think Warlocks can be used for the old Templar class in Dark Sun. The Templar was granted powers by the sorcerer-kings and works perfectly as a Patron for a Warlock. If you're really ambitious you can even make different patrons dependent on which sorcerer-king granted you their power.

Azurewraith · May 15, 2017

VLAD the Destroyer said:
I think Warlocks can be used for the old Templar class in Dark Sun. The Templar was granted powers by the sorcerer-kings and works perfectly as a Patron for a Warlock. If you're really ambitious you can even make different patrons dependent on which sorcerer-king granted you their power.

Pretty sure there was a pact in 4e like that in 4e.

VLAD the Destroyer · May 15, 2017

Azurewraith said:
Pretty sure there was a pact in 4e like that in 4e.

Yeah there was. From my remembering of lore there is no Fae or Fiends in Athas or at least not as presented in the PHB. There could be Far Realms influence but from what I remember that is difficult as well since Athas is isolated form all of that in some way. So for warlocks the sorcerer-king patron ends up being it.

Azurewraith · May 15, 2017

Ye your right these are all things that didn't strike me straight off. Only issue with being tied to a king though is there douches.

VLAD the Destroyer · May 15, 2017

Azurewraith said:
Ye your right these are all things that didn't strike me straight off. Only issue with being tied to a king though is there douches.

Pretty much they are considered the will of the sorcerer-king in their city state and can do anything there. Outside their patrons domain it is not as clear cut but still tend to be jerks of the utmost level. From my 2nd ed. days Templars were restricted to a particular style/theme of game.

Azurewraith · May 15, 2017

VLAD the Destroyer said:
Pretty much they are considered the will of the sorcerer-king in their city state and can do anything there. Outside their patrons domain it is not as clear cut but still tend to be jerks of the utmost level. From my 2nd ed. days Templars were restricted to a particular style/theme of game.

Ye I dont think they would fit unless they where spies or some such.

Maybe have Kalaks death create a magic boom that made a ghost that locks "steal" power from? Slightly different fluff wise but fluff is well fluff.