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

[LuisCarlos17f]

I imagine the "Grey" like something style the upcoming videogame "Control Resonant".

 

[Zardnaar]

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?

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.

In that situation they wouldn't need to call it Darksun and 4E would be a success.

Being faithful matters imho

 

[Paul Farquhar]

In that situation they wouldn't need to call it Darksun and 4E would be a success.

Being faithful matters imho

Brand names matter. The original concept having several great ideas that were ahead of their time matters. Connecting with your current customers matters.

Faithfulness does not matter.

 

[Zardnaar]

Brand names matter. The original concept having several great ideas that were ahead of their time matters. Connecting with your current customers matters.

Faithfulness does not matter.

Well the new FR books are more faithful than the last lot. People seem to like them. Spelljammer wasn't.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Well the new FR books are more faithful than the last lot. People seem to like them. Spelljammer wasn't.

The original Spelljammer had major problems with compatibility with other settings, and was more interested in 19th century cosmology than in actually being playable. It flopped hard.

It’s basically one of those repeated jokes that became a myth. No one liked it when it originally came out. I remember being so excited to buy it, then I read it, and realised is was unplayable sh*t.

Being bad was being faithful!

 

[overgeeked]

It doesn’t matter how much WotC mangles 5E Dark Sun. As long as they open the setting on the DM’s Guild, the fans will make it right.

But the high-water mark for WotC setting books is still Eberron. Neither of the slipcases were all that great.

 

[Zardnaar]

The original Spelljammer had major problems with compatibility with other settings, and was more interested in 19th century cosmology than in actually being playable. It flopped hard.

It’s basically one of those repeated jokes that became a myth. No one liked it when it originally came out. I remember being so excited to buy it, then I read it, and realised is was unplayable sh*t.

Being bad was being faithful!

It was fun though. New one wasn't

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It was fun though. New one wasn't

It wasn't fun, no. Which is probably why the new version was bad. The people who were tasked with writing it would have gone to the original, and been uninspired. It didn't fail because it changed things - those changes where fine and needed so that it made sense in conjunction with the wider D&D multiverse. If failed because the creatives couldn't wait to get shut of it so pushed it out the door undercooked.

 

[Maxperson]

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?

Because it also caused pain to nearby people and came with the death penalty.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Because it also caused pain to nearby people and came with the death penalty.

PCs are adventurers - "nearby people" are generally the monsters they are fighting, and a death penalty is a badge of honour.

As a general rule, you can't balance mechanics against social consequences - it simply doesn't work. A mechanical effect can only be balanced by a mechanical drawback.