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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 8725557" data-attributes="member: 58172">.I need to reread the 4e Dark Version.I can live with slavery gone.I find these three easy. Mostly.Defiling:Spelljammer present "Defile" as a trait that, within 10 feet radius, destroys plants and harms animals − via desiccation. Sounds workable enough to me. I especially like the 10-foot radius because the setting is more flavorful if the players actually see plants being destroyed in front their characters. The ssurran trait derives benefit from this vegetative destruction. But the Defilers that follow the sorcerer kings use "Defile" to boost their arcane spells. Backgrounds can offer various Dark Sun theme feats, including psionic Wild Talents, but also including one feat for Preservers who figured out a way to cast arcane spells from destroying life, and one feat for Defilers who figured out a way to use this destruction to augment the power of their arcane spells. The Defiler feat can be as simple as imposing a disadvantage to saving throws against arcane spells, if there are enough plants within 10 feet that can be destroyed.Clerics:The role of Clerics are already easy to do in 5e. There are four main sacred communicates, each one dedicated to one of the four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. These are an ancient way of life preexisting the Defilement. The sacred worldview reminds me of reallife Daoism where Yang and Yin somewhat resemble sacred elements that all existence is made out of. The goal of Daoism is the Dao, which is neither yang nor yin, but rather is the holistic, life-enfusing, harmony of yang and yin. In Dark Sun, the four elements are sacred elements that all material existence is made out of. The goal of the Dark Sun Clerics is the Positivity, which is neither of these for elements, but rather is the holistic, life-enfusing, harmony of all four elements. Toward this goal of harmony, the sacred way of life organizes into four sacred communities. Each community attunes themselves to one of these elements. So, the cooperation among these four communities − in a community-to-community relationship − reconnects all four elements to the harmonious Positivity.5e Xanathars:5e can already do this more abstract kind of sacred tradition. On page 18 of Xanathars Guide to Everything is the "cosmic power" Cleric."SERVING A FORCEIn certain campaigns, a cleric might instead serve a cosmic force, such as life or death, or a philosophy or concept, such as love, peace, or one of the nine alignments. Talk with your DM about the divine options available in your campaign, whether they're cosmic forces. Whatever thing your cleric ends up serving, choose a Divine Domain that is appropriate for it, and if it doesn’t have a holy symbol, work with your DM to design one. The Cleric class features often refer to your deity. lf you are devoted to a cosmic force, your cleric features still work for you as written. Think of the references as references to the divine thing you serve that gives you your magic."I really like this definition of the Cleric class as dedicated to a "cosmic force". it gets so many things right. Focusing on a "cosmic power" is more concrete and results in a fantasy sacred tradition that tracks with reallife nontheistic sacred traditions. Also, this is a "service". The sacred community are dedicating their lives in the service of some sacred value.In the case of Dark Sun, the Clerics have dedicated their lives to literally "saving the world" by means of enfusing planet Athas with the Positivity. Toward this ultimate goal, the Clerics divide up into four sacred orders, so each can dedicate themselves to attuning one of the four elements. When these four attuned communities cooperate with each other constructively, they unleash the Positivity of harmony. The Positivity empowers the healing spells and other divine powers. In D&D terms, the Positivity is an abstract kind of divinity, the divine presence that exists in all things that exist.I view the alignment of the Cleric sacred way of life as Neutral Good. It is self-evidently altruistic: save each other and the world. There is a Lawful component: collectivist group-orientation, community, order. But the goal is "harmony". Harmony is a celebration of differences. Each element is unique. The goal is to fully empower each individualistic elemental existence to optimal health: this individualism is the Chaotic component. By extension, the members of each sacred community seek to fully empower each other as individuals.The ideology is Neutral Good, but individuals in a community can be any alignment. Probably community members are "Typically Neutral Good". But there might exist a place where a Lawful (Evil) adherent embraces an ideology that is extremistly oppressive against dissent. Oppositely, there might exist places where a Chaotic (Evil) adherent embraces an ideology that is predatorially exploitative and opportunistic, and manipulating the "system" toward self-serving ends. Both of these abuses are assaults against "harmony" of Positivity, but one can see how it might happen.5e can do Dark Sun flavor right. Mechanically, the solution is obvious: four new Cleric domains, each one dedicated to one of the four elements. Each domain grants the necessary access to elemental spells, plus nice elemental class features.In any case, Positivity is the "cosmic force" that is the "divinity". Each element is a "path" in service of Positivity.Psionics:Ok. Not so easy. But the only difficulty is getting psionic fans to find common ground. Heh, reallife D&D players need to find the "harmony" of the Positivity.For what it is worth, I am in the psionic school of thought that says: Dark Sun without a Psion class cannot be Dark Sun. Psionics needs to mainstreaming using normal 5e spellcasting mechanics, at least to agree that avoids needing to learn a separate different redundant gaming engine system. The Psion class itself needs to be full caster with spell effects reaching all the way up to spell level 9. The best solution is the Psion uses the Warlock class as its chassis. It is normal mechanics, is a full caster, can convert into spell points in a balanced way, and perhaps most importantly, isnt a Wizard.If psionic fans can find ways to work together. Psionics itself is easy to solve. I view the methodology is to have several "sacred communities", each one represents a prominent school of thought among the psionic fan base. One Psion is a full caster using normal spellcasting mechanics. But there also exists an other, separate, Psion that uses experimental mechanics − maybe something like a class that uses Fighter superiority plus Rogue skill checks to manifest psionic effects? Maybe call them (3e) Psion and (2e) Psionicist? Or one of these two Mystic.Yeah. This might even be a consensus. Make four new Cleric domains.Use background feats for psionic "Wild Talents". This is probably a consensus.Personally, I need a Psion class for the feel of a Dark Sun setting.Warlock mechanics are perfect.Personally, I dislike Sorcerer mechanics. And find Sorcerer flavor awkward. And a psionic Sorcerer for Dark Sun would need an entirely new spell list anyway.Converting Warlock spell slots into spell points works surprisingly well.The Wizard and the Cleric are separate classes that use the same per-long-rest spellcasting chassis.The Psion and the Warlock can be separate classes that use the same per-short-rest spellcasting chassis.At first, I was against spell points because I need psionics to have normal mechanics. But when I looked into converting Warlock slots into spell points, it worked so well and so obviously, I now actually prefer Warlock spell points. Each spell level = 1 spell point. For example, spell level 3 Fireball costs 3 points to cast. Really easy. And the per-short-rest mechanics of the Warlock keeps the number of points small to help ensure gaming balance. The spell point pool equals Psion class level + 1.Yeah. Once DMs Guild unlocks the Dark Sun setting, players can find whatever niche they need.</blockquote>

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