Dark Sun, 4th Edition

[outsider]

I answered yes. However, as I've posted in other threads, they should do it as a stand alone RPG using the D&D rules, rather than a D&D setting. WotC seems to want certain elements standard to all D&D settings, to unify the experience of playing D&D. This works with settings that are pretty standard D&D anyways, but it would cripple Dark Sun.

The 4e mechanics would suit Dark Sun pretty well I think. Dark Sun has never been "gritty" in the sense that your characters are weak or have a low number of powers. Quite the opposite really. Dark Sun characters were probably the strongest D&D characters around, plus they typically had more powers due to wild talents. The grittiness of Dark Sun comes from the environment, the inferior equipment, and the every man for himself nature of almost everybody in the setting. The characters were made more personally powerful so they could overcome these things. They were never meant to wallow in weakness.

 

[M.L. Martin]

Do you have a source on this? I couldn't find it anywhere.

They're on Amazon and in the WotC Fall 2008 catalog.

 

[SSquirrel]

Keep Dark Sun as it was before the Prism Pentad, maybe expand the world a bit like they did with some of the sourcebooks. Just release a big core book and then license followup products to a trusted company. Similar model to d20 CoC or Ravenloft in the 3E era. Esp if this would have WotC go outside they're 1 campaign setting per year plan.

 

[SSquirrel]

What does that have to do with anything?

All fey creatures were killed in the cleansing wars or whatever (official timeline). Aside from that, they're whimsical forest monsters that don't have any place in a brutal setting.

Even better, in their one act of unity over the centuries, the Sorceror Kings banded together and shattered the bindings between Athas and the Shadowfell and Feywild.

Paladins boil down to their code of conduct in many ways, but in a world where honor won't keep you from dying of thirst in the desert and a code of conduct will only have you getting your throat slit, there really is no need for them. The 3E version of Dark Sun was awful, largely b/c they just went ahead and put all the classes back in. I can understand the marketing needs of having as much of your product usable in every setting, but that destroys the flavor.

 

[lvl20dm]

I voted no, but honestly, a DDI update would be neat and could be done after the release of the PHB II (which will have psionics, presumably). So put me down for No on a published series of books and Yes for an online update.

 

[Dausuul]

They're on Amazon and in the WotC Fall 2008 catalog.

Here's an Amazon link to confirm. Couldn't find it on the WotC website.

Paladins boil down to their code of conduct in many ways, but in a world where honor won't keep you from dying of thirst in the desert and a code of conduct will only have you getting your throat slit, there really is no need for them.

As previously stated, 4E paladins have no code of conduct. They're just divine warriors, of whatever sort.

 

[M.L. Martin]

Here's an Amazon link to confirm. Couldn't find it on the WotC website.

I should have been clearer--the printed catalog.

 

[SSquirrel]

As previously stated, 4E paladins have no code of conduct. They're just divine warriors, of whatever sort.

Which, IMO, is why they shouldn't be called Paladins any longer. Monte Cook had the Champion class in Arcana Unearthed/Evolved and that made a lot more sense to me.

 

[TwinBahamut]

I would rather see WotC focus its efforts on completely new stuff.

 

[Ghaerdon Fain]

I'm all for sentimentalism but in this case, no. Psionics lovers need a new setting.