Dragon No. 319 arrived today

[Shadowdancer]

I must have been a good boy lately -- I went home for dinner this evening (Tues.) and found Dragon No. 319 waiting in my mailbox.

Here's a summary of the contents:

A Dark Sun cover by Eric Polack.

Wrym's Turn: The Better Part of Valor by Matthew Sernett. Yet another Paizo employees D&D campaign. (Don't these guys ever work? )

Issue No. 320 Preview: Celebrates 30th anniversary of D&D, and 28th anniversary of Dragon.

• "D&D Retrospective" by Mat Smith. Looking back, and looking ahead.
• "Dragon PCs" by Mike McArtor. Play 20-level dragon class, no level adjustments.
• "Fostered Dragons" by Casey Loe. How to raise a dragon.
• "Dragon Kingdoms" by Mike Mearls. Who really rules fantasy kingdoms.
• "Countdown to Eberron" by Mat Smith. Dragonmarks revealed, including history, a PrC and feats.

Up on a Soapbox: Dual to the Death by Gary Gygax. The story of the first dual-classed character.

Dark Sun Setting Player's Handbook by David Noonan. You asked for d20 Athas, you've got it. (I must admit, I've never played a Dark Sun campaign, but I've always thought the setting was neat and had lots of possibilities.) Includes sections on Setting & Races, Classes, and Equipment & Rules.

The Erudite: Scholar-Thieves of Thought by Bruce Cordell. New base psionic class that follows a scholarly and reflective path to power.

Countdown to Eberron: A World Tempered by Magic by Mat Smith. A look at magic in Eberron, including the Magewright class, new cleric domains, and some new spells.

Greyhawk Feats: More Regional Feats of Oerth by Erik Mona. Just what the title says. Includes a large table of character regions and possible feats for those regions.

I Scry: Spying and Divination Magic Items by Johnathan M. Richards and Matthew Sernett. Just what the title says.

Warriors of the Animal Fist: Crouching Panther, Slashing Dragon by Patrick Younts. Monks who study and mimic the fighting styles of various animals, to the extent they not only master these deadly skills, they also can transform into humanoid versions of their chosen animal. Basically a PrC called a Shen, with variations based on the animal types emulated -- Crane, Dragon, Mantis, Monkey, Panther, Snake, and Tiger. Each animal Shen is treated as a different prestige class. Open to non-Monk classes.

Aerial Avenger: Wrath on Wings by Monte Cook. Flying prestige class.

Salammbo: The Eaters of Vile Things by Clifford Horowitz. I'm still not sure exactly what this is. It's a two-page article that states it is a fantasy game emphasizing problem solving over combat. Contains a new plague, a Ravenous template as well as sidebars for incorporating into your character or your campaign.

The Altar of Duzares (Crusade Earth: The Chalice of Life No. 4) by Thomas Harlan. Fiction.

DM's Toolbox: Keep Up the Pace by Johnn Four. Tips for preventing a session from stalling.

Dungeoncraft: Designing Wilderness Adventures by Monte Cook. Tips for creating and running "explore the wilderness" scenarios.

Sage Advice by Skip Williams. Questions about monsters and equipment.

Also two "Zogonia" comics (I found the second one very funny, considering the recent thread about monster porn), A "Nodwick" comic set on Athas, and a "Dork Tower."

 

[Olive]

Greyhawk Feats: More Regional Feats of Oerth by Erik Mona. Just what the title says. Includes a large table of character regions and possible feats for those regions.

I Scry: Spying and Divination Magic Items by Johnathan M. Richards and Matthew Sernett. Just what the title says.

Warriors of the Animal Fist: Crouching Panther, Slashing Dragon by Patrick Younts. Monks who study and mimic the fighting styles of various animals, to the extent they not only master these deadly skills, they also can transform into humanoid versions of their chosen animal. Basically a PrC called a Shen, with variations based on the animal types emulated -- Crane, Dragon, Mantis, Monkey, Panther, Snake, and Tiger. Each animal Shen is treated as a different prestige class. Open to non-Monk classes.

Aerial Avenger: Wrath on Wings by Monte Cook. Flying prestige class.

Salammbo: The Eaters of Vile Things by Clifford Horowitz. I'm still not sure exactly what this is. It's a two-page article that states it is a fantasy game emphasizing problem solving over combat. Contains a new plague, a Ravenous template as well as sidebars for incorporating into your character or your campaign.

As some one who has no real interest in Dark Sun, these all look interesting at the least! Cool.

 

[Azazyll]

I don't suppose you feel like giving any details about the Dark Sun setting? and does anyone know when the new Dungeon companion Mag is coming out?

 

[Alzrius]

I don't suppose you feel like giving any details about the Dark Sun setting? and does anyone know when the new Dungeon companion Mag is coming out?

Actually, it came out a week or so ago. I posted a thread all about it, with lots of DS info. It should be a few pages back, titled "Dungeon #110".

 

[Khayman]

How are the Greyhawk regional feats?

 

[Alzrius]

How are the Greyhawk regional feats?

To sum them up, more powerful than standard feats, but not by much. They're not quite as strong as the regional feats presented in the Player's Guide to Faerun. This is probably a good thing, as this system hangs on to the rule that you can purchase multiple regional feats, so long as you gain 2 ranks in Knowledge (local).

 

[Old Fezziwig]

It's actually Dungeon 110. If you give me a moment, I should be able to dig up a link to the thread.

Best,
Nick

 

[Dragonblade]

The new Dark Sun section is sort of a mini players guide. They talk about the basics of playing a Dark Sun campaign using the PHB races and classes and then add notes on how Dark Sun clerics differ from regular clerics etc.

In my opinion it completely sucked. And the reason it sucked is because all of the classes and races are taken directly out of the PHB with minimal if any mechanical changes to fit Athas.

For example, in classic Dark Sun there are no paladins and Bards do not cast spells, among other things. Well there are paladins now! And Bards cast spells like it was no big deal. Like the world isn't a blasted wasteland from the excesses of rogue wizards.

Hey Noonan! Get a clue! There are no paladins on Athas!!!!!!! Did you even read the original boxed set? And Bards on Athas do not cast spells!!

Half-Giants are referred to in the Expanded PsiHB so they tell you to look there, but I can tell already that Cordell has done his part in screwing over this Dark Sun fan. Half-Giants are only a +1 Level adjustment race. Sorry but, I don't see that as staying true to what half-giants were really like in classic Dark Sun. Half-Giants should have a +8 or +10 to Strength to accurately portray them as they were in the original Dark Sun setting. Somehow, I don't think that is what their strength bonus is going to be.

When they converted Dark Sun over from 2nd Edition, they should have focused on keeping the setting and the feel as intact as possible. Dark Sun was never a balanced setting in the first place. Trying to shoehorn the setting into the Balance Rules All paradigm of 3rd Edition just totally kills the setting. Besides there are other ways to balance Dark Sun versions of the PHB classes or even use Half-Giants at their full potential and still maintain balance in the game. But Noonan didn't want to actually think so he just tossed in everything from the PHB or the new PsiHB whether it belongs on Athas or not.

 

[Alzrius]

It's actually Dungeon 110. If you give me a moment, I should be able to dig up a link to the thread.

Whoops, so it is. Edited my above post.

 

[Alzrius]

The new Dark Sun section is sort of a mini players guide. They talk about the basics of playing a Dark Sun campaign using the PHB races and classes and then add notes on how Dark Sun clerics differ from regular clerics etc.

In my opinion it completely sucked. And the reason it sucked is because all of the classes and races are taken directly out of the PHB with minimal if any mechanical changes to fit Athas.

I'm usually inclined to love everything, but the above sentiment is...not without merit.

The majority of the complaints can be chalked up to there just not being enough space to do a campaign justice, and in that things have to be changed somewhat for balance purposes...that said, there are some things here that just don't seem to sit right.

For example, in classic Dark Sun there are no paladins and Bards do not cast spells, among other things. Well there are paladins now! And Bards cast spells like it was no big deal. Like the world isn't a blasted wasteland from the excesses of rogue wizards.

Hey Noonan! Get a clue! There are no paladins on Athas!!!!!!! Did you even read the original boxed set? And Bards on Athas do not cast spells!!

Everyone I know who has read this so far has commented on the paladin thing...and quite frankly, I agree with them. I recognize that the 3E/3.5E credo is "Options, not restrictions" but too much of a good thing can ruin anything. Paladins just do not belong on Athas.

The bard thing, while no less unsavory, is more understandable. Just saying to use the bard class but take away the spells isn't quite enough, since that places a rather hefty handicap on that class. Likewise, add in that Athasian bards are skilled at poisons, and its already starting to look like a new write-up. There just isn't enough space for that.

Add in that Sorcerers, people who have innate magical ability, are there now too, and that defiling and preserving's only mention is to reference Dragon #315, in which Noonan wrote that the system there is not consistent with previous DS material, just seems to make something already not quite so well-received even worse.

Half-Giants are referred to in the Expanded PsiHB so they tell you to look there, but I can tell already that Cordell has done his part in screwing over this Dark Sun fan. Half-Giants are only a +1 Level adjustment race. Sorry but, I don't see that as staying true to what half-giants were really like in classic Dark Sun. Half-Giants should have a +8 or +10 to Strength to accurately portray them as they were in the original Dark Sun setting. Somehow, I don't think that is what their strength bonus is going to be.

Half-giants now only receive a +2 to Str (and to Con), with a -2 to, IIRC, Charisma. It is, admittedly, less power than I would have given them.

When they converted Dark Sun over from 2nd Edition, they should have focused on keeping the setting and the feel as intact as possible. Dark Sun was never a balanced setting in the first place. Trying to shoehorn the setting into the Balance Rules All paradigm of 3rd Edition just totally kills the setting. Besides there are other ways to balance Dark Sun versions of the PHB classes or even use Half-Giants at their full potential and still maintain balance in the game. But Noonan didn't want to actually think so he just tossed in everything from the PHB or the new PsiHB whether it belongs on Athas or not.

I would have said it a bit more tactfully, (and I think the older DS material was balanced unto itself), but this is basically a fair assessment.