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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 8606324" data-attributes="member: 27780">Polyhedron Issue 99: September 1994part 2/5New Weapons: This one on the other hand, will definitely be of interest to people who want cool new crunchy stuff to kit out their characters with. The scarcity of raw materials means athasian weapons aren't generally that great at raw damage output, compounded by everyone having higher constitution. So they have to get inventive with their weapon design, giving them tricks that are just a significant as the damage like entangling, being extra good at disarming, being able to switch between P, S & B damage types, making it easy to strike from behind and gain the appropriate bonuses, or more attacks per round than a regular weapon. Most of them have one benefit you can use if proficient, and another you only gain access too if specialised, giving fighters a chance to actually be cool for a change. So this is pretty neat because it's encouraging combats that are more than just rolling dice back and forth until someone runs out of hit points, with dramatic moves that could turn the tide in various ways and get someone to surrender without being killed. Other campaign worlds could definitely be improved by incorporating more of those ideas as well. Enemy of My Enemy: Dark Sun adventures have always been on the linear end, (which is odd since the higher power level should make it easier for players to break out of any artificial constraints) but this one really takes the biscuit by having a prelude which describes exactly how the entire adventure should play out right down to the PC's reactions. They start off as slaves in the gladiatorial arena. A So-ut smashes the place up, giving them a chance to escape. They have to pick up some supplies, (with what money, as they're just escaped slaves and there's no treasure listed earlier on in the adventure for them to pick up, yet it acts like they're going to take the legit route here rather than thievery) get out of town, avoid dying of thirst for several days, negotiate with elves for access to the first oasis you see, get to another village, and then fight off the templars & defiler who are out to recapture you before you're allowed to stay. If you take any choice other than the very limited ones allowed, some of which are oddly specific, you'll probably die. The kind of adventure where actually playing it after reading it seems pointless because it allows so little freedom at any point, (plus the baffling plot hole at the beginning) so you might as well improvise your own and it'd probably turn out more fun even without any notes. Sloppily written and thoroughly yawnsome.</blockquote>

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