It's Dark Sun

[Banshee16]

Well, sure there will be some new 4E stuff, but so long as it is stuff that fits relatively seamlessly, than it's all good. For example, I can imagine Dragonborn (perhaps with some modifications) being renamed as Pterrans in Dark Sun (or perhaps as offspring of the sorcerer kings) - that would be pretty seamless. Eladrin is a bit harder, but still doable. Tieflings, IMO, just don't fit. Sure, it may be possible to stretch and contort them somehow to make them fit, but it would be, IMO, no longer seamless. As to new classes, Warlords fit just fine - no modifications needed whatsoever. Warlocks are seamless, but may fit with some restrictions on who they can get their powers from - either the elemental princes, or perhaps they could fill the role of the Templar along with 'evil Paladins' (good Paladins don't fit)...

In terms of Cosmology, the Elemental Chaos fits just fine, other planes vary in how much they fit.

The Dragonborn could be the Dray, could they not? Conceivably they could reset the timeline to the original boxed set while retaining new areas introduced in the later products.....ie. The Jagged Cliffs region, Eldaritch, Ur Draxa, the Kreen Empire, etc....

Banshee

 

[I'm A Banana]

The Dragonborn could be the Dray, could they not? Conceivably they could reset the timeline to the original boxed set while retaining new areas introduced in the later products.....ie. The Jagged Cliffs region, Eldaritch, Ur Draxa, the Kreen Empire, etc....

What mostly makes the DB's weird in my mind is the breath weapon. Dragons in Dark Sun aren't especially known for breathing fire, but are known for powerful mystical abilities, so re-fluffing dragon breath as "destructive magic burst" should be a nice solution.

But yeah, DB's as Dray makes a lot of sense.

 

[frankthedm]

A possible way to shoehorn the eladrin in are as "throwbacks" occasionally born to the normal elves, left behind much like half elves are.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

But yeah, DB's as Dray makes a lot of sense.

From a certain perspective, it makes perfect sense. But the Dray were revealed with Dregoth's rising. Dregoth reappeared on the scene after the Prism Pentad was concluded . . . so if 4e Dark Sun is a pure "original boxed set" timeline reset, then we shouldn't have dray around. Dregoth created the dray, with The Dragon destroyed from events in the Prism Pentad novels Dregoth makes his play to conquer the Tablelands, sending the dray out to infiltrate neighboring city-states.

However, 4e Dark Sun primarily takes the original boxed set as a thematic/flavor point, then takes the best of the revised era creations (dray, life-shaping artifacts, shadowcasting) and blends them into the original timeline in an appropriate way, then we're not talking about a true-reset . . . but something altogether different.

Either the dray are no longer tied to Dregoth (interesting possibilities), or Dregoth is no longer in hiding from The Dragon and other Sorcerer Kings at the original timeline (I hope this is not the case), or Dregoth is still in hiding but has sent his dray to the surface earlier than the 2e Dark Sun timeline risking the Dragon's premature discovery of his existence (not a good idea, IMO) . . . or something else?

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Well the said that while it takes place before the Prism Pentad that it is possible for that to be a eventual conclusion if you wish. Perhaps however they talk about minor races or whatever. They state that if you wish to introduce Dray that the plot of Prism Pentad could be going on as one possibility.

 

[Andor]

If it happens as an exception to the rule, that's pretty OK. I agree that there shouldn't be mechanics preventing it -- like out-of-race dragonmarks or swordmages in Eberron, they can be there, without being called out.

If it happens as a rule, it hurts the feel of the setting IMO.

And the elemental stuff is pretty OK, too, if it's not over-done (it's probably not the solution to everything, but it'll probably also work for a lot of things ).

I dunno. Personally I feel the ability of extremely high leveled and powerful creatures to leave doesn't reduce the impact of the setting, it just emphasises it's unfairness.

"Hey Jimmy, I hear that if you can learn 7th order rituals and spend 4 tons of (*whirrrr...Click* Um. What did they use for currency in Dark Sun again? Ceramics? Glass? Iron?) cash on components you can go to another plane of existence inhabited by pasty skinned, iron clad, devils where it rains/"
"Sure. Or you can become a Sorcerer-King and have your own swimming pool."
"Oh yeah. Man being a 0-level NPC sucks. Pass the fried lice."

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Class speculations . . .

Went back and reread the interview with James Wyatt.

Am I off in my interpretation that the Shaman seems to get the role of the old 2e DS cleric?

Could this be how some class role assignments fall out?

2e DS cleric = 4e shaman
2e DS templar = 4e cleric?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

"Hey Jimmy, I hear that if you can learn 7th order rituals and spend 4 tons of (*whirrrr...Click* Um. What did they use for currency in Dark Sun again? Ceramics? Glass? Iron?) cash on components you can go to another plane of existence inhabited by pasty skinned, iron clad, devils where it rains/"
"Sure. Or you can become a Sorcerer-King and have your own swimming pool."
"Oh yeah. Man being a 0-level NPC sucks. Pass the fried lice."

that sounds alot like my friday afternoons...

me: you know if I had a million dollors I could build a whole room just for role-playing...
Best friend: You know you could als just buy a bigger house, you know with out all the problems...

 

[fanboy2000]

"Oh yeah. Man being a 0-level NPC sucks. Pass the fried lice."

You know, it sucks to be a 0-level NPC in any setting. But you're right, it is particularly egregious in Dark Sun.

 

[LordPsychodin]

I'm a little bit confused onto why so many people get these ideas in their heads about that line from the designers that they're not messing with the flavor of the setting unless they have to. 4e ITSELF has a different design philosophy. and that overrides everything that dark sun could be. 4e, (and 3e was as well) Heroic fantasy, 24/7. You won't be worrying about heat, thirst, starvation, or being slaves, any more than you would be in regular D&D. because those are the guys who you SAVE from being so pathetic in the universe.