So, Dark Sun: It's officially out. What do you think of it?
I've read through and reviewed both books. It feels like Dark Sun to me.
Good to hear.
Cheers!
Tony Vargas
Legend
I was never a big fan of Athas. Of course, I was never that enthused about published settings, in general. That I don't care for psionics, either, doesn't help. I'm familiar with it from the early version, when they made quite a push in Dragon Magazine, including Athasean items/critters/fiction/etc. I did play in a non-D&D game using the setting, which didn't suck.
For the new version, my exposure is limitted to a few sessions of D&D Encounters. It's not bad, but there are some vague inconsistencies. Like, why is metal rare on an extremely arrid magically-lifeless desert world? You'd think wood would be the rare thing.
The Psionic classes are not as bad as prior eds, but deviate pointlessly (if slightly) from the standard at-will/encounter/daily progression. Instead of dailies, psis get encounter-resource 'power points.' Whatever.
The psion in Encounters is really underwhelming, the battlemind OK, and the Ardent actually a pretty good Leader. Again, from limitted experience.
Siberys
Adventurer
I'm digging it. Not my favorite - Eberron still holds that honor - but it's a VERY close second. I totally want to run a Dune-esque political intrigue/kanly type game. Athasian Minstrels were MADE for it. I'm fairly certain literally, too.
The only thing I'm disappointed about is the picture of the Mekillot. It looks really... dumb, I guess. 2e Mekillot was cooler, IMO. Big armored horned chameleon-thing > giant lizard-lump. :/
The only thing I'm disappointed about is the picture of the Mekillot. It looks really... dumb, I guess. 2e Mekillot was cooler, IMO. Big armored horned chameleon-thing > giant lizard-lump. :/
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I actually got this stuff. It has me interested in 4e now. I think they did a very good job.
I like the Campaign Setting being sparse. After all, you only need enough to give the feel and then the DM should do the rest anyway. I don't want them to tell me too much, because then I'm constrained.
I'd have preferred if they left Kalak alive to be taken out by the PCs. That would have been more interesting.
They also didn't give stats for Tithian or whatever his name is. The King of Tyr. He's just a mortal schlub... of course you need his stats! If the PCs want to take over a city-state, well, here's iron-rich Tyr with its huge ziggurat and everything controlled by a creampuff; why go over to Nibenay and jack with that hero-stomping half-dragon sorcerer king when you could just lay this local clod out with your bronto-bone truncheon and call it a day?
Unless it assumes that King Tithian is actually nice and the nice old PCs won't want to take him out. Wrong-o. That is very un-Dark Sun.
In general, though, it seems full of awesome and win. The creature book seems to rock, although I'm not in a position to critique 4e mathematics.
Oh, Marauders of the Dune Sea is pretty stupid. It amazes me that WOTC, owners of Dungeons and Dragons, and having access to both a budget and the internet, is unable to find anybody who can actually right a coherent adventure. It's pathetic, really.
Overall, I had to reward WOTC with my custom for actually publishing Dark Sun. It's not that tired old "generic fantasy" stuff, not even with a twist. It draws on the rich traditions of sword and sorcery and sword and planet. It is a worthy setting and I think that overall WOTC appears to have done a worthy job with it.
I like the Campaign Setting being sparse. After all, you only need enough to give the feel and then the DM should do the rest anyway. I don't want them to tell me too much, because then I'm constrained.
I'd have preferred if they left Kalak alive to be taken out by the PCs. That would have been more interesting.
They also didn't give stats for Tithian or whatever his name is. The King of Tyr. He's just a mortal schlub... of course you need his stats! If the PCs want to take over a city-state, well, here's iron-rich Tyr with its huge ziggurat and everything controlled by a creampuff; why go over to Nibenay and jack with that hero-stomping half-dragon sorcerer king when you could just lay this local clod out with your bronto-bone truncheon and call it a day?
Unless it assumes that King Tithian is actually nice and the nice old PCs won't want to take him out. Wrong-o. That is very un-Dark Sun.
In general, though, it seems full of awesome and win. The creature book seems to rock, although I'm not in a position to critique 4e mathematics.
Oh, Marauders of the Dune Sea is pretty stupid. It amazes me that WOTC, owners of Dungeons and Dragons, and having access to both a budget and the internet, is unable to find anybody who can actually right a coherent adventure. It's pathetic, really.
Overall, I had to reward WOTC with my custom for actually publishing Dark Sun. It's not that tired old "generic fantasy" stuff, not even with a twist. It draws on the rich traditions of sword and sorcery and sword and planet. It is a worthy setting and I think that overall WOTC appears to have done a worthy job with it.
AntlerDruid
Explorer
I have all the Dark Sun books now too.
I think they did a fantastic job with the Campaign book.
The new Wild Talents are just awesome....they should have been given to the Psion as class powers in the first place.
The new Themes - wow! Love them! Glad to see they will be making themes core too. My favorites are Templar, Noble Adept and Veiled Alliance.
I think the new Battlemind build is more exciting then the ones they had in PHB3 and Psionic Power.
While many forum posters are saying the new Pact is kinda weak, I still like it. I also think the new Warlock powers are very cool.
I also like the art - definitely to me the best art they have had in one of the hardcover books while Psionic Power had the worst.
Only thing missing for me is I would have liked to see some psionic powers that are devoted to survival/travel/wilderness.
I think they did a fantastic job with the Campaign book.
The new Wild Talents are just awesome....they should have been given to the Psion as class powers in the first place.
The new Themes - wow! Love them! Glad to see they will be making themes core too. My favorites are Templar, Noble Adept and Veiled Alliance.
I think the new Battlemind build is more exciting then the ones they had in PHB3 and Psionic Power.
While many forum posters are saying the new Pact is kinda weak, I still like it. I also think the new Warlock powers are very cool.
I also like the art - definitely to me the best art they have had in one of the hardcover books while Psionic Power had the worst.
Only thing missing for me is I would have liked to see some psionic powers that are devoted to survival/travel/wilderness.
Stormtalon
First Post
Love the setting, but then again, I'm a long-time fan of it. Couple of quibbles -- I *hate* *hate* *hate* some of the Thri-kreen art: back cover of the CS, p23 at the race entry itself -- no no no no no no NO! p33 (Thri-kreen reaver) is better, p60 (Guardian of the land) even better & p73 (Sand reaver) best of all. Can you tell I'm a big fan of the bugs?
Sorry, got off on a bit of a rant, there. I'm better, now. The system backing for the world is solid, the alternate rewards and fixed enhancment bonus progression both rock (and I'm hoping the latter is an easy toggle in the Character Builder soon), and all the class options are solid and flavorful.
Did I mention that some of the thri-kreen art pieces truly suck?
Sorry, got off on a bit of a rant, there. I'm better, now. The system backing for the world is solid, the alternate rewards and fixed enhancment bonus progression both rock (and I'm hoping the latter is an easy toggle in the Character Builder soon), and all the class options are solid and flavorful.
Did I mention that some of the thri-kreen art pieces truly suck?
Jack99
Adventurer
Creature Catalogue is 7 shades of awesome. Maybe a couple of bad art pieces, but that's about it.
Campaign Guide was really good as well. Felt like DS - definitely, and the crunchy parts are top notch.
I wouldn't have minded a couple or 50 more pages of fluff, but this will definitely do and let me make my own Dark Sun.
Campaign Guide was really good as well. Felt like DS - definitely, and the crunchy parts are top notch.
I wouldn't have minded a couple or 50 more pages of fluff, but this will definitely do and let me make my own Dark Sun.
Dice4Hire
First Post
Well, I do not mind it at all. A 1st level Dark Sun warlock can do insane damage.
I also like the new Shaman build. The creature disappearing a lot is a cool effect.
The Arena fighter one can get insane by late paragon, when you have a high-crit(axe) At-will on an OA(Heavy Blade) damage on a miss(hammer) toothpick or some such.
What weapon group is a toothpick again.
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