D&D 5E (2024) Unconfirmed Dark Sun World Book

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

My psionic powers tell me Dark Sun is coming.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, but we'd probably have gotten an announcement of an announcement by now.

Nah, historically that would come in January.

 

[Burnside]

Not necessarily, historically they rarely release anything prior to Msrch or April, and usually announce that in January.

Last year, FWIW, we did have a full roadmap of the 2025 official book publications before the end of 2024.

I know this because I was on a year-end podcast recorded in mid-December 2024 where we were able to preview pretty much the full slate of 2025 books - the Stranger Things boxed set was not known about, and I think we didn't know about the Eberron one also, but Monster Manual, Dragon Delves, Heroes of the Borderlands, and the two FR books were known about by mid-December 2024 at the latest, as well as their rough release timing (not exact dates).

 

[Parmandur]

Last year, FWIW, we did have a full roadmap of the 2025 official book publications before the end of 2024.

I know this because I was on a year-end podcast recorded in mid-December 2024 where we were able to preview pretty much the full slate of 2025 books - the Stranger Things boxed set was not known about, and I think we didn't know about the Eberron one also, but Monster Manual, Dragon Delves, Heroes of the Borderlands, and the two FR books were known about by mid-December 2024 at the latest, as well as their rough release timing (not exact dates).

Right, they did announce the more or less full release schedules in 2022, 2023, and 2024 for the following year...but prior to that, and the only 5E product announced in the prior calendar year was Call of the Netherdeep at the end of 2021. Given thst we know nothing concrete of the next year's products at this point when WotC staff are probsvly winding down for their vacation, we won't likely know anything until January at the earliest...which would match the 2014-2021 situation.

 

[Yaarel]

If WotC produces something that is actually sword&sorcery vs. what you are describing--hopepunk, I guess?--I'll eat my hat.

The main section of Dark Sun needs to be old school. It is a mini players handbook that rewrites the flavor of relevant species and classes, to conform to the options of 2e but coverting to 5e mechanics. Conversions might include Templar as arcane Warlock, socalled "bard" as Rogue Assassin, the Psion class, etcetera. The Gray is Shadowfell, and the Black is Deep Shadow where dread domains are. Slavery doesnt exist, but scarcity and corruption do. Instead of slavery to double down on the already pervasive sword and sorcery tropes would be a fresh take.

The second section recommends 5e content that makes sense for Dark Sun, such as Barbarian, Fighter Psi Warrior, Rogue Scout. But these are brief and dont rewrite the player options for flavor.

The third section is an optional regional setting that is more hopeful, somewhere else on the planet, perhaps underground which is partly why the Table Lands are unaware of them. The Positive Material Plane is local areas of Feywild. Avangions are known. I hope the hope option is present because it allows me to use Dark Sun for my normal D&D-ing, rather than a oneoff.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

Nah, historically thst would coke in January.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

 

[Superchunk77]

The third section is an optional regional setting that is more hopeful, somewhere else on the planet, perhaps underground which is partly why the Table Lands are unaware of them. The Positive Material Plane is local areas of Feywild. Avangions are known. I hope the hope option is present because it allows me to use Dark Sun for my normal D&D-ing, rather than a oneoff.

If Dark Sun is ever redone by the current writers at WotC, this is likely what we'd get. But considering WotC can't even get defiling/preserving right, and you can't make a faithful Dark Sun setting book without slavery, well, I don't see it happening.

 

[Zardnaar]

Im hoping for the best, expect the worst. Maybe it will have a nice map? They cost a lot to print.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

But considering WotC can't even get defiling/preserving right

Neither could the original. It’s an interesting idea in concept, but in practice, why would players care about imaginary environmental damage to a world that does not exist?

you can't make a faithful Dark Sun setting book without slavery

Why would it be without slavery? There is slavery in the new FR books. Every world has slavery, it’s a perennial evil. But it’s a boring theme to focus on when the environment and tyranny are far more interesting and contemporary.

But the idea that something should be “faithful” is silly. The whole point of putting out a new version is to modernise it for a contemporary audience.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Im hoping for the best, expect the worst. Maybe it will have a nice map? They cost a lot to print.

It’s mostly desert. A ‘nice” map would be to colour in a blank page yellow!