D&D 5E Mearls on other settings

[Yaarel]

What the armor is made out of I don't bother with to much just apply a -1 AC, +1 dex modifier to it.

To simply slap on a one-size-fits-all modifier to a list of mainly European weapons and armors, is neither realistic nor flavorful.



Besides, if Dark Sun has an ‘exotic’ table with metal-less primitive armament, it makes the book more useful for other settings.

 

[Yaarel]

I just noticed, my Level Title just went up to ‘Guide’ (L11). I appreciate that, all of you.

 

[Zardnaar]

I just noticed, my Level Title just went up to ‘Guide’ (L11). I appreciate that, all of you.

Congrats, Ima 5 levels ahead of you and have been here half the time. Want to buy a " Get Gud at Posting Guide by Zard". Buy now and get a free +2 backscratcher.

 

[Zardnaar]

To simply slap on a one-size-fits-all modifier to a list of mainly European weapons and armors, is neither realistic nor flavorful.



Besides, if Dark Sun has an ‘exotic’ table with metal-less primitive armament, it makes the book more useful for other settings.

Try writing some rules sometime (more than a page worth), after a while you tend to take short cuts.

Just checked it uses variant materials for the armor and there are no substitutes for platemail you have to go and find metal platemail.

Scale armor is made out of bone or chitin.

There are a handful of Athasian weapons, a longsword equivalent is an impaler which doesn't have the penalties for non standard material.

 

[Yaarel]

Try writing some rules sometime (more than a page worth), after a while you tend to take short cuts.

I write rules. Lots of them. And design.

I feel the whole point of a campaign setting is to invest in flavor, not short cuts.

Core is for setting neutral. The DMG is for shortcuts.

When it comes to a dedicated campaign setting, I like it when even core rules have their flavor tailored to perfectly evoke the exotic world.

 

[Zardnaar]

I write rules. Lots of them. And design.

I feel the whole point of a campaign setting is to invest in flavor, not short cuts.

I like it when even core rules have their flavor tailored to perfectly match an evocative world.

I can go either way its more work. Basically on Athas the heavier armors do not exist.

I changed that to help match the 5E mechanics as armor functions a bit differently in 5E. In AD&D losing the heavy armor is kinda fair as it effects the warriors equally, 5E not so much and its why I added the -1 AC/+1 dex thing to Athasian armor. Its lighter and not as good, but a bit more flexible. Its probably not balanced as such but its better than no heavy armor being available in a 5E context + pays tribute to the Athasian theme/vibe.

That is probably badwrongfun for some people who think that the game needs full plate equivalent made out of feathers leather with a few bits on bone on it for balance reasons.

 

[guachi]

Unfortunately, I don't think that 5e weapons can get particularly flavorful with a limited amount of weapon descriptors and little beyond adjusting damage. We see little appetite for 'to-hit' modifiers for weapons aside from cover. It's not to say you couldn't do it, but the game clearly shies away from more complex weapons.

Armor has even less design space.

That being said, I love Dark Sun for all of its differences. I think it was the first campaign setting designed for 2e. At least it seemed that way for all the advertisements I saw in Dragon. It was clear that TSR was showing D&D and AD&D could be something other than the relatively standard settings we had seen in Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Known World.

If a 5e version of Dark Sun can't capture that feel and instead only looks like 5e D&D with a new coat of paint I don't see why anyone should bother. This still leaves lots of options. You could take and example from the 2e Historical Campaign books that provided rules for various levels of fantasy in your historical setting.

 

[Zardnaar]

Unfortunately, I don't think that 5e weapons can get particularly flavorful with a limited amount of weapon descriptors and little beyond adjusting damage. We see little appetite for 'to-hit' modifiers for weapons aside from cover. It's not to say you couldn't do it, but the game clearly shies away from more complex weapons.

Armor has even less design space.

That being said, I love Dark Sun for all of its differences. I think it was the first campaign setting designed for 2e. At least it seemed that way for all the advertisements I saw in Dragon. It was clear that TSR was showing D&D and AD&D could be something other than the relatively standard settings we had seen in Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Known World.

If a 5e version of Dark Sun can't capture that feel and instead only looks like 5e D&D with a new coat of paint I don't see why anyone should bother. This still leaves lots of options. You could take and example from the 2e Historical Campaign books that provided rules for various levels of fantasy in your historical setting.

Spelljammer was the 1st one, then Darksun IIRC (maybe the 1st Ravenloft set, the famous one is 1992 though).

Some of the 5E group want to play Darksun and I was working on converting it but now its leaning towards actual 2E. I will likely use some for the equipment rules in the Barbarians Handbook (and the Barbarian class), and armor and material rules in Combat and Tactics.

Damn just got 6xp in the last few minutes, my "Obscure D&D Knowledge" skill check must have been made for a 10% xp bonus as I do not have a 16 in anything. Proficient in D&D and adopting kittehs from the SPCA though, 0 ranks in keeping wife happy skill.

 

[Yaarel]

Unfortunately, I don't think that 5e weapons can get particularly flavorful with a limited amount of weapon descriptors and little beyond adjusting damage. We see little appetite for 'to-hit' modifiers for weapons aside from cover. It's not to say you couldn't do it, but the game clearly shies away from more complex weapons.

Armor has even less design space.

That being said, I love Dark Sun for all of its differences. I think it was the first campaign setting designed for 2e. At least it seemed that way for all the advertisements I saw in Dragon. It was clear that TSR was showing D&D and AD&D could be something other than the relatively standard settings we had seen in Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Known World.

If a 5e version of Dark Sun can't capture that feel and instead only looks like 5e D&D with a new coat of paint I don't see why anyone should bother. This still leaves lots of options. You could take and example from the 2e Historical Campaign books that provided rules for various levels of fantasy in your historical setting.

Your point about limited design space for weapons and armor is valid.

Even so, the ability to provide a list that *removes* inappropriate options, *renames* mechanically equivalent options, and *adds* a genuinely unique weapon or armor, does wonders to inspire the players who read it with a vivid sense of what that world feels like.

 

[Zardnaar]

Your point about limited design space for weapons and armor is valid.

Even so, the ability to provide a list that *removes* inappropriate options, *rename* mechanically equivalent options, and *add* a genuinely unique weapon or armor, does wonders to inspire the players who read it with a vivid sense of what that world feels like.

Thats getting into splatbook material.

I do have some DMGuild stuff that adds in additional properties such as brutal, improved crits and an additional dice when you crit. An Athasian weapon table with some of that could make sense I suppose. Inferior damage dice additional properties perhaps.

5E doesn't have great weapon and armor rules, medium basically sucks for example except maybe for a few classes like Barbarian (not to MAD, can't wear heavy)