Trying ot get a 4th ed Dark Sun game running online, at moment
Eh, the only real problems are :
a) No psionics as yet in 4th ed, just gonna say psions = warlocks, functionally.
b) Not everyone SHOULD have psionics, rather, they
could have psionics. So, just let them multi class if wish, works perfect with 4th ed: take power swap feats
c) Warlock class fits ok too, mysterious, weird arcane powers, but I'd say they are elemental in nature (no change though)
However, they should be rare and many folk would think they are
wizards...hehe
d) Wizards, remove Dungeoneering as class skill (no reason they'd have it) change it to BLuff, use Bluff to hide spells as psionics or cleric magic,and lie to templars.
E) Treat halfgiants as minotaurs for rules (Monster Manual). Halfigants ARE 10' tall half ton dumb ass behemoths though, but until I see good rules for such, just go with minotaur.
f) Endurance checks are perfect for amour and heat exhaustion.
g) Templars are either clerics, warlords, fighters or non-combat NPCs. making them a "special" class was just dumb. Sorceror Kings don't give a hoot what they are, long as they are good at running the city etc.
Read up on them and the descriptions even say Hammanu preffers fighter types (so they'd be fighters or walords), and Andropinis wants templars to be concubines.
Warlord class makes perfect sense for templars, and for Dark Sun where ocmbat leaders are more useful than another dumb grunt.
h) Gladiator is *not* a class!! It's a profession, again, no need for a seperate class, they cna be anything, fighter, rogue, ranger etc.
i) Run druids as clerics, until PHB2 is out.
j) Potions are common in Athas, at least in some cities, as far as magic items go, fyi.
Likewise the Elven Markets do sell magic items dug up or stolen. Jsut you wouldn't get many being made except by templars.
k) Run bards as rogues. AThasian bards were entertainers/assassins anyway, again no need for a special class, it's a profession, doesn't matter who fills it.
l) I've always had it that in Athas, psionics is used by craftsmen to create materials as good as steel..for a price! Considering how common psionics is, and that much of it, in 2nd ed anyway, dealt with altering items, you can magine craftsmen psionically "tempering" obsidian to remove flaws, which would leave you with a material better than steel for slashing wepaons and the like.
It's the flaws that make obsidian shatter, like diamonds it's incredibly hard, so if you can remove the flaws in the crystal you'd get a superb material.
However, steel still has several advantages (moulding/crating which you'd otherwise need to use another psionic power to do, one that lets you work solids as if they were clay like Stone SHape, density makes for a good bashing/cleaving wepaon, and on Athas some creatures are resistant to weapons not made of iron).
Over the millenia, I see Athasian crafters being forced to come up with new, better equipment, they are smart, they have psionics....so damned right they would innovate things we Terran Humans haven't! Athas is a barren but not dead or stupid world.
I'd imagine templars wearing chitin scalemail, using rituals cast to keep cool all day or even enchanted amrour with such.
Insects, drakes etc providing materials, plus crystals, Athas is rich in crystals.
M) NO Eladrin or dargoborn, ugh, I agree, just bringing in everything ruins a setting.
N) Keep Athas cut off form the Astral Plane and the Phlogiston, only allow have connections with the Shadowfell (fits with the "Grey" as originally described for Dark Sun), and the Elemental CHaos (which is most definately appropriate for Athas), and thus also the Abyss as demons are known on Athas.
Have the Feywild cut off too.
