Dark Sun: What supplements do I need?

[aurin777]

I have a recent infatuation with Dark Sun, so I think I am going to begin scooping up books to find out something about the campagin world. Because I know very little about the setting, I was hoping y'all could fill me in on what is a 'must buy.' I of course need the boxed set, and I hear city of the silt sea is a great read. Also, what about modules? Freedom is tossed around a lot, as is Dragon's Crown. How is Road to Urik? Fill me in! thanks!
~~Brandon

 

[gfunk]

Personally, my fav DS book was "Dragon Kings." Mind you, I never actually used the rules content, but it was a very cool read nonetheless. Basically it goes into detail about Dragons, Avangions, Character Elementals, and the Order. A very interesting book and the 10th level spells in the back are truly epic.

 

[theT0rmented]

There is some information on the Dark Sun products available here: http://home.earthlink.net/~raste/athas.html. Though the author has stopped updating, the info is still useful.

You can buy all the supplements on PDF at http://SVGames.com. They're about 5$ or so.

Yep, good books include Dragon Kings, Earth, Air, Fire and Water, a supplement mostly about clerics (with a little about druids and templars thrown in); if you plan on running trading campaigns, Dune Trader is a good one. So is Veiled Alliance, which has info on the major cities.

 

[Alzrius]

Beyond the obvious Revised Campaign Setting, I recommend Dragon Kings, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, The Will and the Way, Defilers & Preservers, and maybe Psionic Artifacts of Athas. If you want your characters to meet up with some of the NPC's from the Prism Pentad series, I also recommend Beyond the Prism Pentad.

I never did care too much for the adventures besides Black Spine.

 

[aurin777]

Still need more help. BUMP!

 

[Staffan]

Dark Sun stuff I liked:
Thri-kreen of Athas - very indepth description of the kreen, with a heavy focus on the two subraces populating the Tablelands but a bit on the huge Kreen empire to the northwest (beyond the Jagged Cliffs).
Defilers & Preservers - perhaps not all that interesting if you're going to be using DS with 3e, but I did like it back in 2e. It was basically the Dark Sun version of the Complete Wizard's Handbook, only better.
Earth Air Fire & Water - the priest book for Dark Sun. Real nice, but I think they made the elemental clerics a bit too goody-two-shoes and had to insert the paraelemental clerics to compensate. I would have preferred a more balanced view of the elemental ones. Also a bit of info on druids and templars.
Freedom! - Good starting adventure (if you use the original box), though it does change the setting a bit.
The Will & The Way - The DS version of the Complete Psionicist's Handbook, or what the CPsiHB would have been if it hadn't had to introduce the whole concept in the first place. Lots of neat stuff for psionics, including how they're viewed in different places and a whole lot of new powers (though some are "a bit" overpowered, like Kinetic Control).
Monster books: I think I preferred the second one, though the first one has more "basic" monsters. The second one is in color and is a real book though, instead of the stupid separate sheets thing.

Oh, and whatever you do, stay away from Black Flames (not to be confused with Black Spine). It's a bad, bad adventure that introduces a 22nd level dragon (defiler/psionicist) that apparently is "a minor player in the scheme of things".