D&D 5E What do you want in a Dark Sun book (sans psionics)?

[Urriak Uruk]

So I'll admit, if I could get only one more setting book for 5E, I would pick Dark Sun hands-down. The Mad Max-ian world of sand and tyrants, the mutated races of half-giants, Muls, and thri-keen, and class options like gladiators and Templars. And the lore, with that sweet 5E art.

Now, I know many find the most important element of Dark Sun is psionics... and I'm going to ask as one ground rule, please DON'T talk about psionics. There is an ongoing thread on that subject here. I'd like this thread to be focused on everything in Dark Sun that isn't mind magic.

Now, I'll start with things I want. I largely like the structure of Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and don't mind mimicking that format.

Welcome to Dark Sun!

1. Character Creation
a. Races (Mul, Half-Giant, Thri-Keen, Pterran), Subraces (Dragonborn/Dray, Lizardfolk/Ssusan, Orc/Tarek), Athasian racial variants (Dwarves, Elves, Halflings, Aarakocra, Human, Kenku)
b. Epic Paths (Dragon, Avangion)
c. Backgrounds
d. Subclasses/Classes

2. Athas Gazzetteer

3. Free City of Tyr (or not? Maybe it should be reset to before Kalak's death)

4. Building Dark Sun Adventures

5. Treasures

6. Friends and Foes (Monsters Monsters Monsters!)

Now what do you want to see?

 

[Fenris-77]

I want the Cestus back on the weapon list. I feel 5E has a lack of truly punishing fisticuffs. One of my favorite characters was a Mul Gladiator armed with Cesti. He hit stuff good.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I want the Cestus back on the weapon list. I feel 5E has a lack of truly punishing fisticuffs. One of my favorite characters was a Mul Gladiator armed with Cesti. He hit stuff good.

Hell even some brass knuckles would be fun!

 

[Fenris-77]

Hell even some brass knuckles would be fun!

Yessir it would. I really do think that brutal fists should be an option in 5E, at least for some characters. Why shouldn't a Warforged, or a Goliath, not just be able to wade in and beat the crap out of stuff.

 

[bedir than]

Every Dark Sun character should be more powerful than typical character of same level within a standard setting. That's my strongest memory of the setting

 

[Iry]

I want materials. Bone sword versus iron swords versus wood swords. Etc.

 

[Vael]

Wackier weapons, non-metal materials. Thri-kreen, obv. Weapon breakage rules?

 

[Parmandur]

So I'll admit, if I could get only one more setting book for 5E, I would pick Dark Sun hands-down. The Mad Max-ian world of sand and tyrants, the mutated races of half-giants, Muls, and thri-keen, and class options like gladiators and Templars. And the lore, with that sweet 5E art.

Now, I know many find the most important element of Dark Sun is psionics... and I'm going to ask as one ground rule, please DON'T talk about psionics. There is an ongoing thread on that subject here that very subject. I'd like this thread to be focused on everything in Dark Sun that isn't mind magic.

Now, I'll start with things I want. I largely like the structure of Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and don't mind mimicking that format.

Welcome to Dark Sun!

1. Character Creation
a. Races (Mul, Half-Giant, Thri-Keen, Pterran), Subraces (Dragonborn/Dray, Lizardfolk/Ssusan, Orc/Tarek), Athasian racial variants (Dwarves, Elves, Halflings, Aarakocra, Human, Kenku)
b. Epic Paths (Dragon, Avangion)
c. Backgrounds
d. Subclasses/Classes

2. Athas Gazzetteer

3. Free City of Tyr (or not? Maybe it should be reset to before Kalak's death)

4. Building Dark Sun Adventures

5. Treasures

6. Friends and Foes (Monsters Monsters Monsters!)

Now what do you want to see?

This largely hits all the right notes for me: I think having The be a PC-friendly homebase would be appropriate, so the 4E book timeframe would be best. The format works veeery well for Setting material. For new mechanics, maybe some low-tech weapon stuff.

I'd throw in an Athasian Gith subrace, as per tradition.

For Class options (sans Psionics, though I gotta say the latest UA stuff would be quite appropriate):

• Defiler and Preserver Traditions for Wizards
• A Templar "Dragon-King" patron for Warlocks
• Elemental Cleric Domains..? Fire and Air might be well covered already by Light and Tempest, but Earth and Water might need some love.

 

[Fenris-77]

A Dark Sun book would also be a great place for some more nuanced exploration and/or supply rules. Maybe we'll see those nifty UA Ranger mods make an appearance too.

 

[Charlaquin]

I’d really love to see defining and preservation as things any caster (or at least any arcane caster) can do, rather than just arcane traditions. If that means subclasses for all the caster classes I’d be down with that, but it would be pretty disappointing if they were tied to a single class.