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How would you wish WOTC to do Dark Sun
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<blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 8048136" data-attributes="member: 7635"><p>I think it all comes down what people are looking for when it comes to Dark Sun. What is the core element that needs preserving (no pun intended)? Right now, Dark Sun seems to be several things people want:</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Post-apocalyptic meets pulp dying world where hope and resources are in short supply. Vance meets Howard by way of Burroughs.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A D&D hardmode where PCs might be super-munckiny (24 strengths! Free Wild talents!) but still die quickly from dehydration, inferior weapons and armor, and monsters that make the Tomb of Horrors look like a Disney dark ride. Bring extra character sheets.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An "anti-D&D" s setting where everything is flipped on its head. Cannibal halflings! Bards that poison you rather than spell cast! Psionics instead of magic! No orcs, no goblins, and dragons are psionic-magical God-Kings! There is not one word of lore in D&D that is true about Dark Sun, no assumption can be made, and nothing, and I mean nothing, is like it is described in the PHB.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fidelity to the original vision of the setting, without additions or subtractions, with or without the metaplot advancements. Nothing that wasn't in the original setting back in the 90's.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A collection of new options (Races, subclasses, psionics) and rules (advanced survival, defiling) that can be ported to other games or used in homebrews.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Whichever you think is most important colors the rest of your choices on what to adapt. For example, the first point is the most important than the Barbarian class is a natural fit; tough armorless primal warriors seem a shoo-in for the setting. Yet If the second is the most important, barbarians are a no-go because they allow PCs to have excellent ACs easily, and having a good AC is a privilege for those cunning enough to survive low levels with bone armor and stone weapons. Similarly, if fidelity is most important, there is no way you can possibly accept sorcerers, warlocks, tieflings, or any other element that came post 2e as part of the setting since it ruins the very notion of DS's relation to magic and the planes, but if you want more options, then you want warlocks to get new Pact options, not banned altogether! </p><p></p><p>WotC will have to decide IF they are doing this, which parts are the most important and in what measure. If they want the setting beats and options but don't care about it being hard or keeping true to the setting, you get a 4e-ish style book that is mostly refluff, reflavor, and some new options to go with it. If they want to satisfy the original purist who want Dark Sun to be D&D are its most brutal and strange, they are either going to have to create a book that doesn't use 50% or more of the current options in the core, let alone doesn't generate leads to supplemental books OR they are going to have to re-write the game to accommodate all the changes. You MIGHT be able to get away with "paladins are unknown, check with your DM" but there is no way you are pulling off "In Dark Sun, you cannot be a barbarian, bard, monk, sorcerer, paladin, or warlock. Additionally, you cannot be an eldritch knight, arcane trickster, beastmaster, have any cleric domain but life, light, and nature, or specialize in any school of wizard magic except preserver or defiler." </p><p></p><p>So again, what is the most important parts you want to emphasize? What trade-offs are you willing to make?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Remathilis, post: 8048136, member: 7635"] I think it all comes down what people are looking for when it comes to Dark Sun. What is the core element that needs preserving (no pun intended)? Right now, Dark Sun seems to be several things people want: [LIST] [*]Post-apocalyptic meets pulp dying world where hope and resources are in short supply. Vance meets Howard by way of Burroughs. [*]A D&D hardmode where PCs might be super-munckiny (24 strengths! Free Wild talents!) but still die quickly from dehydration, inferior weapons and armor, and monsters that make the Tomb of Horrors look like a Disney dark ride. Bring extra character sheets. [*]An "anti-D&D" s setting where everything is flipped on its head. Cannibal halflings! Bards that poison you rather than spell cast! Psionics instead of magic! No orcs, no goblins, and dragons are psionic-magical God-Kings! There is not one word of lore in D&D that is true about Dark Sun, no assumption can be made, and nothing, and I mean nothing, is like it is described in the PHB. [*]Fidelity to the original vision of the setting, without additions or subtractions, with or without the metaplot advancements. Nothing that wasn't in the original setting back in the 90's. [*]A collection of new options (Races, subclasses, psionics) and rules (advanced survival, defiling) that can be ported to other games or used in homebrews. [/LIST] Whichever you think is most important colors the rest of your choices on what to adapt. For example, the first point is the most important than the Barbarian class is a natural fit; tough armorless primal warriors seem a shoo-in for the setting. Yet If the second is the most important, barbarians are a no-go because they allow PCs to have excellent ACs easily, and having a good AC is a privilege for those cunning enough to survive low levels with bone armor and stone weapons. Similarly, if fidelity is most important, there is no way you can possibly accept sorcerers, warlocks, tieflings, or any other element that came post 2e as part of the setting since it ruins the very notion of DS's relation to magic and the planes, but if you want more options, then you want warlocks to get new Pact options, not banned altogether! WotC will have to decide IF they are doing this, which parts are the most important and in what measure. If they want the setting beats and options but don't care about it being hard or keeping true to the setting, you get a 4e-ish style book that is mostly refluff, reflavor, and some new options to go with it. If they want to satisfy the original purist who want Dark Sun to be D&D are its most brutal and strange, they are either going to have to create a book that doesn't use 50% or more of the current options in the core, let alone doesn't generate leads to supplemental books OR they are going to have to re-write the game to accommodate all the changes. You MIGHT be able to get away with "paladins are unknown, check with your DM" but there is no way you are pulling off "In Dark Sun, you cannot be a barbarian, bard, monk, sorcerer, paladin, or warlock. Additionally, you cannot be an eldritch knight, arcane trickster, beastmaster, have any cleric domain but life, light, and nature, or specialize in any school of wizard magic except preserver or defiler." So again, what is the most important parts you want to emphasize? What trade-offs are you willing to make? [/QUOTE]
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