Sandstorm- any questions?

[Tonguez]

Diprotodon!

The book contains giant wombats - damn what other australians does this wonder contain?

 

[Tonguez]

Okay serious question

How do Gnolls compare to Marruspawn and how are Gnolls treated in the book?

 

[Eremite]

Weapons and Equipment

All of these are exotic weapons unless noted otherwise:

• 
  atlatl (martial)
  boomerang
  collapsing crescent fan (more oriental, IMO)
  crescent scythe (double weapon with moon-shaped blades)
  desert throwing knife
  eagle's claw (hooked kukri)
  fingerblade (um, a shortsword that fits in your palm?)
  great falchion (executioner's blade)
  great scimitar (1d8 damage, one-handed Exotic, two-handed Martial)
  khopesh
  double khopesh (wow, hard to believe but yet another double weapon...)
  kylie (throwing stick)
  manople (sai with blades that also acts as a shield)
  scorpion claws (good for grappling)
  scorpion-tail whip (literally that)
  thrombash (throwing knife with three strangely-shaped blades [would be used by the drow IMC as a "throwing spider'])

Equipment:

Armour: feather cloak, silk swathes. Extras: fins (no, I'm not joking).
Shield: hide shield (basically a tower shield made out of hide).
Gear: distillation kit, drill, filter mask, parasol (again, not joking), sand tube (think those tent-things from Dune), sun lenses.
Clothing: desert outfit, heatsuit outfit, hydration suit (yes, a clone of the Fremen stillsuit).
Special Substances and Items: armourbright, asherati sand sculpture, blackeye (war paint for under your eyes in case you play fantasy football), deep draught (Gatorade substitute), ironthorn extract (prevents water loss), keepcool salve (extreme sunburn cream), liquid salt, oleum (yep, crude oil), shapesand (the ultimate sandcastle building kit), slumber sand (nighty night) and sunshade lotion.

 

[Felon]

All of these are exotic weapons unless noted otherwise:

atlatl (martial)

About time they gave us the 3e spear-thrower!

desert throwing knife

First I've seen of a 3e throwing knife, period--desert or otherwise. In other words, another "about time".

great falchion (executioner's blade)

So, an exotic weapon that actually does lots o' damage? Not exactly a first, but there are really aren't that many in the two-handed department.

double khopesh (wow, hard to believe but yet another double weapon...)

Minimum quota of one per book. Rather than filling a certain campy niche, double-weapons have become downright tedious.

thrombash (throwing knife with three strangely-shaped blades [would be used by the drow IMC as a "throwing spider'])

Anothe throwing knife. When it rains....

 

[Jdvn1]

What's the difference between a whip and a scorpion-tail whip?
What's the use of the fins and parasol? (other than the obvious)
Are there any neat qualities of the special substances?

 

[Felon]

Nothing about thri-kreen? Can't have a desert-related book without inserting thri-kreen! Blasphemy!

 

[Jdvn1]

Nothing about thri-kreen? Can't have a desert-related book without inserting thri-kreen! Blasphemy!

Haven't they already been done in a 3.5 book?

 

[Felon]

Well, only the Expanded Psionicist's Handbook and The FR Shining South.. And prior to 3.5e, MMII and Savage Species. Still, I would have bet good money on seeing them here as well.

 

[Jdvn1]

Well, only the Expanded Psionicist's Handbook and The FR Shining South.. And prior to 3.5e, MMII and Savage Species. Still, I would have bet good money on seeing them here as well.

Heh. I"d guess they don't have to be repeated again.

 

[Eremite]

Any rules on getting sand in the crack of your ass 24/7? In every pore of your skin? Heatstroke? Water consumption? Flies, masquitos, and other assorted vermin? Hoping there are rules for millions of flies buzzing around you while you crap, eat and sleep.

There are no rules for flies that I have seen so far but the rules for heatstroke, sunstroke, sunburn, water consumption etc... (as well as interesting weather and similar effects) look pretty comprehensive.

Anyway, why worry about flies when every decent DM is going to surround you with death scarab swarms....

Okay serious question: How do Gnolls compare to Marruspawn and how are Gnolls treated in the book?

Marruspawn are the fleshcrafted spawn of some ancient race. Gnolls are not.

What's the difference between a whip and a scorpion-tail whip?

A scorpion-tail whip is made from the tail of a Large monstrous scorpion and inflicts non-lethal damage as per a normal whip except on a critical hit when it strikes for lethal damage and injects poison. Pretty cool, actually.

What's the use of the fins and parasol? (other than the obvious)

Fins cool your armour down; the parasol helps with any Disguise checks you need to make when you attend the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras. OK, maybe not politically correct, but the parasol is basically what you think it is (but neither fluffy nor pink).

Are there any neat qualities of the special substances?

Um, none.

Minimum quota of one per book. Rather than filling a certain campy niche, double-weapons have become downright tedious.

There are three in this book.

Nothing about thri-kreen? Can't have a desert-related book without inserting thri-kreen! Blasphemy!

I haven't seen anything yet and I've given the book a good skimming over. I'll edit this post if I find something later.