Dragon 373: Ecology of the Sharn

[Primal]

EDIT: already got the answer.

 

[Shroomy]

I really like the core 4E backstory for these creatures. The race sounds really awesome and very interesting . . . too bad they look super silly: way too silly for me to consider using them without giving them a total makeover.

~

Personally, I would call them weird rather than silly. IMO, post-TSR D&D needs more weirdness, and yes, sometimes even more silliness.

 

[Zaukrie]

I'm not sure how else you'd picture something that was an oily goo.

As for the Sharn, I've never quite figured out how best to use them in my campaigns. The never made sense to me. Now they make sense, and I can picture either backstory working in my alternate realms campaign. This was a thought inspiring article.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I like how the "Generic Sharn" have some of references to the mysterious Tripartite Juna of Spelljammer. In that article it tries to say that the Juna were sort of eel-like, and are what the Sharn are trying to emulate, and are from an alternate universe destroyed by Tharizdun.

And I also like how the article basically ignores everything about the Sharn being so-called "Chaotic Evil" as they were in the 4e FRCG, as it goes on about how they're quite Chaotic (Neutral)/Unaligned.

 

[Dannager]

Hmmm, solo monsters that automatically save out of the dazed or stunned conditions. Think we'll be seeing more of these in the future?

 

[Shroomy]

Hmmm, solo monsters that automatically save out of the dazed or stunned conditions. Think we'll be seeing more of these in the future?

Its actually a pretty common ability (or akin to it) for creatures with multiple heads and/or consciouses, such as hydras, ettins, and Tiamat herself.

 

[Wrox]

I like how the "Generic Sharn" have some of references to the mysterious Tripartite Juna of Spelljammer.

Love those Spelljammer references!

 

[Imban]

As for the Sharn, I've never quite figured out how best to use them in my campaigns. The never made sense to me. Now they make sense, and I can picture either backstory working in my alternate realms campaign. This was a thought inspiring article.

At least for me, Sharn were always those guys who chokeslammed the Phaerimm. Beyond that they were just basically a plot hook, because while they were mysterious and their one big act previously was a Good Guy thing, they weren't confirmed as either good or bad.

Then the FR Campaign Guide came and gave them a pretty obvious "hook" in "Oh, they're lunatic and undyingly hostile servants of the Spellplague, so they're just random monsters you kill", but it was a pretty uninspiring one, so that just made me sigh.

Now they're apparently pretty cool. (Maybe. I haven't actually read the article yet.)

 

[NexH]

I found the backstory of the sharns fantastic, and very idea-sparking.
The part about the fragments of Tharizdun in various realities is particulary inspirational.

 

[Aloïsius]

And I also like how the article basically ignores everything about the Sharn being so-called "Chaotic Evil" as they were in the 4e FRCG, as it goes on about how they're quite Chaotic (Neutral)/Unaligned.

IIRC, there is no such thing as chaotic neutral in 4e... It seems like the 4e simplified alignment system is breaking apart. Interesting twist. Maybe they will deduce the logical next step : eliminate the alignment system entirely.