Dark Sun! I have them!

[vaultdweller]

We've already seen in official previews what the names of all the themes:

Athasian minstrel
Dune trader
Elemental priest
Gladiator
Noble adept
Primal guardian
Templar
Veiled Alliance
Wasteland nomad
Wilder Hero

Can one of you shed some additional light on those themes that haven't been explicitly previewed?

Specifically, I'm wondering... which themes might have something of interest to a melee weapon fighter, especially one that likes a lot of mobility? The Wasteland nomad's description sounds like it might hold some promise for me.

 

[Maelora]

Arcane Defiling is technically an at-will.

All of the Wild Talents are at-wills.

There are several new class options. Each of them has at least one at-will.

I don't see any reason why other Fighter or Battlemind builds couldn't take the at-wills listed above. The Shaman and Warlock ones are specific to the builds in DS.

Thank you. Two more questions, if you wouldn't mind.

1) What does the Animist Shaman's Spirit look like? Is it a tree-thing like the World Spirit?

2) Are any of the new weapons Martial or are they all Superior?

 

[Insight]

We've already seen in official previews what the names of all the themes:

Athasian minstrel
Dune trader
Elemental priest
Gladiator
Noble adept
Primal guardian
Templar
Veiled Alliance
Wasteland nomad
Wilder Hero

Can one of you shed some additional light on those themes that haven't been explicitly previewed?

Without giving away the farm, I can give you a very basic description of each and their associated paragon paths.

Note 1: all of the attacks for the paragon paths listed below use (primary ability score), like do the theme powers. I hope this is a trend that will continue.

Note 2: Neither of the psionic themes use Power Points to augment their powers. Instead, they have encounter and daily powers (which obviously don't have the augmentable keyword).

Athasian Minstrel: Bards, rogues, warlocks, and assassins seem the best fit for this sorta sneaky, sorta social theme. A lot of poison effects. It has the paragon paths arms troubadour (good for melee strikers) and unwelcome guest (more poison stuff, some acid powers).
Dune Trader: Some Cha-based skill utilities and generally leader kinda powers (mostly moving people around and granting extra attacks). It has the paragon paths caravan master (more leader stuff, mostly on the warlord side of the ledger) and shady dealer (more Cha-based skill stuff, more of the bard type leader powers).
Elemental Priest: This theme has an awful lot of conjurations. I imagine this fits best with shamans, but I could definitely see controllers going for this theme. Its paragon paths are rainbringer (an excellent healer, to be honest), and smoking crown initiate (some leader stuff, but mostly fire attacks).
Gladiator: Obviously a melee combatant. Probably best for defenders. Its paragon paths are gladiator champion (lots of bloodied effects, gains a nice stance at 20; note: fighters can take this PP without the theme) and jazst dancer (more of a striker with light blade sort of powers).
Noble Adept: A psionic theme with a controller bent to it. More effects than big AoE powers. Its paragon paths are mind general (more leader than controller, on the warlord and bard side of things) and psionic scholar (more AoE controller stuff; this might be a neat way to give the monk more of a "psionic" feel than it currently has - if you want that sort of thing).
Primal Guardian: Surprisingly, a primal defender. Its paragon paths are the blandly named guardian of the land (which has some nice area powers) and voice for the ravaged (energy based and some healing powers).
Templar: While this has obvious implications within the campaign setting, the theme is actually a leader, which I found an odd choice, but after looking at the theme, it makes sense. Quite a bit more healing than I would have expected. Its paragon paths are master defiler (more defiling goodies) and praetor legate (mostly controller-y; available to sorcerer-pact warlocks without the theme).
Veiled Alliance: Another arcane controller, but definitely one that fits into the setting. They can spend minor actions to enhance their powers (!). Its paragon paths are master preserver (lose arcane defiling, more leader/healing powers, nice healing zone at 20; any arcane class can take this PP without the theme) and veiled guardian (defender sort of powers with marking abilities).
Wasteland Nomad: A primal striker. Is more effective when no allies are adjacent. Its paragon paths are dune strider (some striker effectiveness and movement abilities) and sand reaver (more striker stuff, focused on mainly on being bloodied or attacking bloodied enemies).
Wilder: A psionic striker. Some extra riders based on scoring critical hits. Some controller sort of powers. Its paragon paths are resurgent wilder (more critical hit stuff, in line with the theme) and wielder of the way (one of its powers is reminiscent of the soulknife, but other than that, it's mostly generic striker stuff; note that battleminds can take this PP without the theme).

Whew.

 

[Insight]

1) What does the Animist Shaman's Spirit look like? Is it a tree-thing like the World Spirit?

Like all shaman spirits, it's up to the player (and maybe the DM) to determine what the spirit looks like. The book doesn't give it a physical description. "Desert spirit of sand and sun" is the closest the book comes to describing it, and even that is a suggestion.

2) Are any of the new weapons Martial or are they all Superior?

There are superior weapons. In fact, 2/3 of the new weapons are superior.

 

[vaultdweller]

Like all shaman spirits, it's up to the player (and maybe the DM) to determine what the spirit looks like. The book doesn't give it a physical description. "Desert spirit of sand and sun" is the closest the book comes to describing it, and even that is a suggestion.



There are superior weapons. In fact, 2/3 of the new weapons are superior.

Do Heavy Blades get much love among these superior weapons?

Interesting new off-hand weapons?

Any new Heavy Thrown options?

{Edit}
Oh, and thanks for answering regarding themes. Looks like Gladiator (I think the first one previewed) will be the best match for my character.

 

[Maelora]

There are superior weapons. In fact, 2/3 of the new weapons are superior.

Ugh. You need to spend feats to use the baseline weapons for the setting? Horrible.

Thanks for answering though, Insight. I appreciate it.

Can you tell me which DS weapons are not Superior?

 

[Insight]

Do Heavy Blades get much love among these superior weapons?

Interesting new off-hand weapons?

Any new Heavy Thrown options?

Ugh. You need to spend feats to use the baseline weapons for the setting? Horrible.

Thanks for answering though, Insight. I appreciate it.

Can you tell me which DS weapons are not Superior?

I'll provide a brief rundown on the weapons.

Simple Melee
Talid (off-hand)
Widow's Knife (off-hand, light thrown)
Wrist Razors (off-hand)

Simple Ranged
Dejada (load free)

Military Melee, One-Handed
Alhulak (versatile)
Carrikal (brutal 2)

Military Melee, Two-Handed
Trikal (reach)

Military Ranged
Chatcha (light thrown)

Superior Melee, One-Handed
Gauntlet Axe (defensive, off-hand)
Net (heavy thrown, off-hand)
Puchik (off-hand, high crit)
Singing Stick (defensive, off-hand)
Tortoise Blade (off-hand)
Whip (off-hand, reach)

Superior Melee, Two-Handed
Calhulaks (heavy thrown, reach, off-hand) -- this is a double weapon
Dragon Paw (defensive, stout, off-hand) -- this is a double weapon
Gouge (brutal 1)
Gythka (defensive, heavy thrown, off-hand) -- this is a double weapon
Lotulis (defensive, stout, off-hand) -- this is a double weapon

Note 1: There are no Superior Ranged weapons.
Note 2: There are power-swap feat chains for a few of the superior weapons.

 

[Maelora]

Thanks Insight, much obliged. Weapons powers sound like Gladiator articles in the 4E Dragon Annual. I'm still angry Thri-kreen have to pay a feat tax for their racial weapons though! Absurd.

But thanks for all the info. My book arrives on the 17th.

 

[Scribble]

I CAN HAZ DARK SUN YESTERDAY!!!!

Went to one of the "premiere" shops in my area and picked them up... So far so awesome!

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

The original DS boxed set's fabric map was full of cool. The original Tyr map was amazing as well, did they do more than just add some polish to the colorization?

the ORIGINAL boxed set map is on strong good quality paper
the REVISED boxed set one is on cloth I think?

*pines for the books in the UK!*