D&D 5E (2014) What do you want in a Dark Sun book (sans psionics)?

[Paul Farquhar]

Sand.

 

[humble minion]

I honestly don't think boosted ability scores are really required. It made some sense in 2e because you only started getting bonuses based on ability score somewhere around 14 or 15 (i don't recall exactly, it's been a long time!) and the size of the bonuses increased a lot faster. If a 2e character was going to get any bonuses at all, they'd most likely NEED ability score boosts. In don't think this really holds true in 5e.

And from my perspective, there's no real point directly comparing power levels between Dark Sun characters vs, say, Forgotten Realms PCs - they're in different worlds and very unlikely to meet after all. On the other hand, if the aim is to have Dark Sun PCs who are powerful in the context of Athasian monsters and NPCs - just slip a recommendation in the book to use higher points-buy limits in character generation or something.

 

[Coroc]

Sand.

No dust and ashes?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

The idea that steel was rare, and that you were stuck using lesser materials was a huge change from regular D&D, and made for a much tougher, grittier campaign.

That being said, if they go that route in 5e, I think maybe the monk needs to be cut out. In the presence of poorer quality weapons and armor, that gives the monk a massive advantage.

I want materials. Bone sword versus iron swords versus wood swords. Etc.

 

[Fenris-77]

The idea that steel was rare, and that you were stuck using lesser materials was a huge change from regular D&D, and made for a much tougher, grittier campaign.

That being said, if they go that route in 5e, I think maybe the monk needs to be cut out. In the presence of poorer quality weapons and armor, that gives the monk a massive advantage.

The monk could use a little love. I think the class would be better, but I don't know about massively better. Unarmed combat seems like a natural response to material scarcity too.

 

[Aldarc]

I wish that a 5e Dark Sun would have the balls that 4e Dark Sun had and remove all divine magic options.* That was something that not even 2e Dark Sun dared do. But it somehow felt more authentic to the spirit of the setting than the original. Clerics, elemental clerics or not, felt forced into Dark Sun.

* Primal classes were still available: druid, shaman, warden, barbarian, etc.

 

[Retreater]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I'd actually like a Dark Sun campaign book (akin to Curse of Strahd). Have a chapter with enough information to run the setting with a few alternate rules and then jump into the setting and show the rules in action with a Level 1 (or 3) - 12 adventure. You'll get to introduce your monsters in the context of the adventure to show their place in the world of Athas and strategy in actual play. Detail a couple of the city-states and one region to explore. Put in a couple of the alternate races and backgrounds for character creation.
We already have system agnostic setting and lore books freely available on DMs Guild, so I'm going to prefer a fresh, "learn the setting as you go" campaign adventure. (This is what I'd want with every setting, btw.)

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I dare to say we will see a player guide, a monster manual, and other module compilation, but the metaplot will be frozen. I guess the metaplot will continue in the next phase, because they would rather to publish a videogame or a serie in Netflix.

 

[wingsandsword]

Don't be afraid to say this class or this race doesn't exist in Dark Sun.

No gnomes, no dragonborn, no warlocks, no sorcerers, etc.

Part of Dark Sun is that it's D&D, but it's gone pretty far from the core rules, and wasn't afraid to say those things just didn't exist in that world.

This idea that WotC has been on, since circa 2004 when Eberron came out, that every setting should include everything that's in D&D has been limiting, both in new settings, and adapting old ones.

I remember the attempts to adapt Dark Sun to 3.5e that were in Dragon Magazine. . .and shaking my head at the idea of putting a Paladin into Dark Sun. My thought at the time was, that neither nature nor the elements nor the Sorcerer Kings would sponsor a Paladin, they simply didn't have room to exist in that setting. A version of Dark Sun where you could even play Paladin isn't even Dark Sun, it's more like Less-Bright Sun.

 

[touc]

Now what do you want to see?

That format would make my day. I'd add/change:

Races: Stick with the 8 core from 2E as representing the common and welcomed races of the Tablelands. Leave monstrous humanoids (e.g. dray, aarakocra, kenku) as optional, using the race building rules if one needs. Make each race special and don't be afraid to break the norm. If half-elves end up being identical to the PHB with a switched skill proficiency, then we might as well play in the Forgotten Realms Anauroch desert.

Epic Paths: I'd nix these for page count given most will never get to epic level play. Possibly a future supplement or Dragon article.

Gazetteer: 4E book was great on cities and terrain but probably not an option due to page count. Maybe something shorter like DM and player's sheets for each city would be useful.

Survival/Weather Rules: D&D's basic rules work well (close the starvation loophole), but anything that automatically circumvents this part of the game completely should simply be removed (goodberry, create food/water). Add some flora/fauna features, terrain features, and shelter features. Add some features like dust storms, sandstorms, and a random daily weather table.

Defiling Rules: something that reflects the constant temptation (I'll do more good than harm, so just this once...). I've posted about this quite a bit at other times and won't go into detail here.

Equipment: breakage rules and revamped, Athas-only, weapon and armor pages.