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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8337272" data-attributes="member: 6915329">I'd be choosy about the races/heritages. No need to have all the PH races, or just them. I'm not sure what I'd include, personally, besides maybe some anthro races.Personally, I'd say that there's a god, or multiple gods, that is quite good to worshipers but is pretty awful to heathens. Or at least, that's what's believed (if the gods aren't particularly active, that is, thus allowing the priests free reign). This might be a good place for demigods that walk among the people, living idols and eidolons (as per the old Al Qidam MC and MTF, or at least their 3pp-allowable equivalent). I recall hearing that the reason we associate this sort of barren land with S&S is because all the movies were filmed in the dry, desert-y parts of New Mexico, Italy, and Spain, and the actually books, particularly the Conan books, were much greener. I haven't actually read a lot of S&S, and most of the movies I've seen were on MST3k, so I don't really how true that is.So this is very Dark Sun-ish--which I realize is your point, of course. Personally, I wouldn't use psionics and stick with sorcery/wizardry/warlockery stuff (honestly, I still am not a fan of psionics; it's not that psionics are bad, it's that they don't do anything for me). Here's what I would do:Sorcery might be the norm, or at the thing that marks you as different. I'd alter the spell list quite a bit, though, with a redesigned core list and then a "domain spell list" (possibly cribbed directly from cleric domains) that you can take, regardless of your archetype. Most sorcerers, however, simply have the magic adept feat. Any class that gives you magic, even if it's just spell-like abilities, is treated as just being a type of sorcery. Paladins are fighters with a bit of sorcery that lets them smite. That sort of thing. (Of course, if you do this with Level Up instead of 05e, there are already more non-caster classes, and quite possibly fewer magical archetypes.)Wizardry would be the foul thing. In fact, I might go so far as to say spellbooks are rare, semi-living, things that may even be sentient. You can create a spellbook, but the sheer weight of the magic inside of them brings the book into a semblance of life (or perhaps when creating a spellbook, you have to find a demon or godling into it). They can't be easily destroyed, either. I don't mean "epic quest to toss into Mount Doom" hard to destroy, but they aren't going to be destroyed by accidental damage (even submersing a spellbook in the ocean for a century or ten won't do the trick), and deliberate damage that doesn't render them into nothing but ash then scattered to the winds will eventually repair itself. If you stick it in a fire and make sure it burns, though, you're good to go. Most wizards don't create their spellbook; they find one.It's the living and possibly sentient nature of the spellbooks that causes wizards to become mutated. Blood sacrifice (which doesn't have to involve the death of the subject, but usually does) helps to prevent the mutagetics.Of course, spellbooks don't have to look like books. Yes, you scribe spells into them, but not always with pen and ink. You know the drill.Warlocks would replace clerics completely, although I'd stick more cleric-y spells into their spell list, including the curative spells. Optionally, I'd recreate the curative spells so the warlock takes a bit of damage as well (as per the life transference spell, I believe its caused). In either case, warlocks can heal you just fine... if they want to.I'd either make bards a type of wizard, with the same sort of issues, just more personable, or I'd get rid of bards altogether and modify some of their more interesting archetypes into rogue archetypes.I think I'd have druids also have to make blood sacrifices. Not to prevent mutation, but to appease the Hungry Earth. I see the possibility of having a fair amount of elemental and plant monsters, none of which are Good (in the helpful sense of the word). Maybe treat certain types of constructs as metal elementals. Create a few "final forms." The more cannibalistic you are, the further down the track you go and the closer you get to that final form. You can be redeemed before you reach it, but not after. Potential final forms:Some are animalistic, and all have the features of a mixture of predatory animals. One form is mammalian, one is reptilian or saurian, etc. People who relied on animal instincts and hunted with bare hands and simple weapons become this.Ghoulish creatures have with dead-looking skin, inhumanly long teeth and nails, long, rasping tongue, and have some bits rotted off (including, if you feel like going this far, genitalia). People who ate the dead rather than killing people to eat become this. They're intelligent and can still use tools, weapons, and even magic.Ogrish creatures are big, brutish humanoids that are incapable of fine motor control (using fists and clubs only) and only capable of grunting. People who used far more force than they should have and reveled in the kill become this.Draconic creatures have scales, claws, and an acidic or venomous breath. People who killed for wealth but also ate their kills become this. They're smart more more animal-shaped and so rarely use tools.Spider-People have multiple arms and eyes. People who killed through traps become this.Changelings, of course, look perfectly normal until they strikes, at which point they're all fangs and claws. People who killed through deception and stealth become this.I'm sure you can think of others.</blockquote>

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