So, I might end up running a Dark Sun campaign in 4th Edition, and I'm thinking about ways to convert. Here are the ideas I've come up with so far. Note that these involve some tweaks to the setting as well as the rules. Also, I'm disregarding pretty much everything except the original, non-revised boxed set; as far as I'm concerned, Dark Sun jumped the shark when the first adventure came out.
Criticism and suggestions welcome. Obviously, all this is tentative and may need to be changed when we see the actual rules.
Not sure yet what to do about psionics...
Races
Classes
Feats
Equipment
Criticism and suggestions welcome. Obviously, all this is tentative and may need to be changed when we see the actual rules.
Not sure yet what to do about psionics...
Races
- Humans, halflings, dwarves, elves, and half-elves use the standard rules.
- Dragonborn take the place of half-giants as the elite warriors of the sorceror-kings. Twisted and hideous creatures, created by the foulest of defiling magic in the image of their masters, the dragonborn are bred for discipline, loyalty, and ferocity above all. Still, there are occasional renegades, and a number of "free dragonborn" descended from the palace guards of slain sorceror-kings.
- Eladrin are not a separate species; instead, once in a while an eladrin child will be born to elf parents. They look like elves, and outsiders cannot usually distinguish between elf and eladrin, but an elf can tell the difference at a glance. Traditionally, an eladrin is an elf tribe's wizard.
- Tieflings are a strange race whose origins remain mysterious. Cunning and charismatic, they often rise high in the ranks of the templar. Rumor has it that they are somehow connected to the dead city of Giustenal, but what that connection may be, no one knows.
Classes
- Fighters, rogues, rangers, and warlords use the standard rules.
- Clerics call on elemental powers rather than gods, but otherwise use the standard rules.
- Paladins are now a more martial form of cleric; like clerics, they call on elemental powers. (Remember that 4E paladins have no special code to uphold; they're just divine warriors.)
- Warlocks now have two pact types. Some warlocks draw their power from sorceror-kings, or from the Dragon; this is the "templar pact." Others draw their power from the spirits of the land; this is the "druidic pact." (These will probably use the rules for infernal and fey pacts respectively.)
- Wizards are defilers by default; any use of a wizard class power destroys plant life in a radius of 2 squares around the wizard. If you are already in a defiled area, the radius increases by 2 squares. Halve these distances in fertile regions such as jungle or scrubland, and double them in especially barren regions such as salt flats or the Silt Sea. Wizards are otherwise unchanged, but see the Feats section for more information.
Feats
- Defiler Mastery: You are especially adept at the dark art of defiling. Once per encounter, when using a wizard power, you can defile with a radius of 4 squares (modified by terrain type) and gain +3 on one attack roll required for that power. By devoting yourself to defiling magic in this way, you close off forever the path of preservation; you cannot have both Preserver Mastery and Defiler Mastery.
- Preserver Mastery: You have learned to both give and take in the art of magic. You no longer inflict defiling damage when using wizard powers. This knowledge can also be turned to dark ends; once per encounter, when using a wizard power, you can defile with a radius of 4 squares (modified by terrain type) and gain +2 on one attack roll required for that power. However, each time you do so, you must roll Wisdom against a DC of 5 plus the number of times you have done so previously. If you miss, your Preserver Mastery is permanently changed to Defiler Mastery.
Equipment
- Normal equipment is made from bone, stone, obsidian, or ironwood.
- Metal equipment is treated as if it were magical, both in its cost and in its effect in combat. Bronze is equivalent to +1, iron is equivalent to +2, and steel is equivalent to +3. (For enchanted metal items, the plusses stack; a +2 steel longsword is equivalent in all ways to a +5 obsidian longsword.)
- Metal coinage is very rare and worth 100 times its book value. For most transactions, use ceramic pieces in place of gold pieces, and bits in place of silver pieces.
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