So, a Defiler is just turning the Dark Pact Warlock into a template eh?
I imagine there was lots of talk of Jupiter's rooster.
Dark Sun Preview at Pax East
- Thread starter Rex Blunder
- Start date
Rex Blunder
First Post
It was very Spartacusy: especially the "Will we betray each other in the arena, or team up against our common enemy?" plot point. Also, I got a papercut from one of the character sheets, and there was a bullet-time fountain of CGI blood.
I was surprised that the Defiler feature only hurt allies, not everyone. I guess it makes you more of a jerk for using it, and jerkiness is one of the only markers in D&D separating the "good" murderous lunatics from the "evil" murderous lunatics. That and necrotic vs. radiant damage.
Also the Defiler feature is only usable on dailies, not on every attack as I originally thought. This makes it less open to abuse, but also a little less interesting. I think they could have gone bigger, since it was the force that ended the world.
I really liked the "risk breaking your weapon on a natural 1" option. It's fun that something tactically interesting happens on a 1. I do wonder how it will work at higher levels, when PCs have magic items to risk. Would you risk breaking a +3 sword (resale value 1800GP) to reroll an attack in a level-11 encounter (expected loot from the whole encounter about 1800GP)?
I was surprised that the Defiler feature only hurt allies, not everyone. I guess it makes you more of a jerk for using it, and jerkiness is one of the only markers in D&D separating the "good" murderous lunatics from the "evil" murderous lunatics. That and necrotic vs. radiant damage.
Also the Defiler feature is only usable on dailies, not on every attack as I originally thought. This makes it less open to abuse, but also a little less interesting. I think they could have gone bigger, since it was the force that ended the world.
I really liked the "risk breaking your weapon on a natural 1" option. It's fun that something tactically interesting happens on a 1. I do wonder how it will work at higher levels, when PCs have magic items to risk. Would you risk breaking a +3 sword (resale value 1800GP) to reroll an attack in a level-11 encounter (expected loot from the whole encounter about 1800GP)?
Gith YANKI, not gith or some other bastardized critter?
Keefe the Thief
Hero
Dark Sun background spoilers.
Defiling didn´t end the world, it just helps to keep it a desert. Using the pristine tower to tap the power of the sun several times turned the sun into a red giant and began to burn up Athas. First time was space halflings to stop a bacteria plague in the seas, second time was Rajaat empowering his champions with the power of the sun.
That´s why killing all sorcerer kings COULD restore some energy to the sun and make life better. This being Athas, however, i guess it justs up the world more.
Defiling didn´t end the world, it just helps to keep it a desert. Using the pristine tower to tap the power of the sun several times turned the sun into a red giant and began to burn up Athas. First time was space halflings to stop a bacteria plague in the seas, second time was Rajaat empowering his champions with the power of the sun.
That´s why killing all sorcerer kings COULD restore some energy to the sun and make life better. This being Athas, however, i guess it just
s up the world more.Well, in 2e defiling destroys plant life (and the potential for plant life) all around the caster, and that's what devastated the land. But killing plants wouldn't have much of a mechanical effect (except vs plant monsters), so I am assuming they just left that off the 4e ability description.
EDIT: the flavor text for the ability says, "...heedless of the harm you cause to the land and your allies." So defiling still damages the land around you.
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(Psi)SeveredHead
Adventurer
Defiling used to inflict pain (measured as an initiative penalty) in either Dark Sun 2e or 2.5e. However, this isn't the kind of penalty that makes sense in a "you roll initiative only once per encounter" system.
Really powerful defiling magic (the kind combined with psionics) would do hit point damage. However, you had to be an epic-level spellcaster to pull this off.
Really powerful defiling magic (the kind combined with psionics) would do hit point damage. However, you had to be an epic-level spellcaster to pull this off.
DarthMouth
First Post
Githyanki ? can someone confirm that ? Any background for those ?
Jdvn1
Hanging in there. Better than the alternative.
They were Gith. My understanding from the guy who ran the adventure was that Zerai/Yanki is now a color thing, not a rules thing.
Played it at Comicpalooza in Houston. Lots of fun! Didn't take notes or pictures, unfortunately, but I did get to play the one psionic class available.
Wow, I forgot how much I hated Dark Sun's back story.
(Okay, I'm lying. I never forgot it, I just wished I had.)
Far as I'm concerned, defilers--especially the uber-defiler known as the Dragon--sucked the life out of Athas, end of story. Keep it simple.
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