Wilden in Dark Sun

[BobTheNob]

Not officially within the source book, but I was wondering about the integration of Wilden into Dark Sun.

Fluff wise its easy. They represent the lands vengeance against defiling! A species born of the lands need to protect itself, pad it up a bit...done.

What I was wondering about though was there reaction to defiling. Plant life is more susceptible, and it would be nice to represent this in terms of game mechanics.

* Are they susceptible to enemy defiling effects (i.e. if enemy uses defiling that would normally effect only its allies, this affect hits the wilden too)
* Are they vulnerable to Defiling? Extra damage

Of course, you cant just shaft the race with an extra penalty, no one would play it (and some would argue no-one would play Wilden anyway, but thats a different argument). So they need some counter abilities.

I was thinking something along the lines of an attack bonus against enemies that have used defiling till end of encounter, something that avenges against those that defile. Not to mention a suite of cool Wilden focused anti defiler feats.

What do people think on this little sub-topic?

 

[thecasualoblivion]

I'm of the philosophy of if it's in the game, you can play it. That being said, Wilden are dramatically out of place on Athas. So, the simple answer is that Wilden aren't native to Athas, they're native to Athas' green moon, came over though a moongate and are now stranded.

As a sentient race, I'd treat them as such for defiling. It just isn't worth the hassle to do otherwise.

 

[The Human Target]

I wouldn't add or remove anything from the race itself, but the idea of wilden anti-defiling feats is a very good one.

 

[LuckyAdrastus]

This is a neat idea, and probably more appropriate for the Houserules forum (not meant to be overly strict or anything). You want to make sure that the rules are balanced, both for fights against defilers, and for fights that don't include defilers. Basically, something that gives bonuses and penalties of equal values when fighting defiliers.

You might also want to consider what happens if a fellow PC defiles!

 

[BobTheNob]

I wouldn't add or remove anything from the race itself, but the idea of wilden anti-defiling feats is a very good one.

Yea, ok, it might be a softer approach. Perhaps even a racial paragon path!

Might raise this is house rule forum (as pointed out, a bit more appropriate there)

 

[MrMyth]

I just picture Athas Wilden as Cactuars - which means, of course, that people are constantly trying to cut them open for the tasty water inside!

 

[ourchair]

If I had a Wilden in my Dark Sun game, yeah, sure I'd make them more susceptible to defiling.

But I wouldn't apply it as a consistent mechanical penalty so much as a consideration when designing adventures and encounters or something that happens as a dramatic effect, like giving him minor damage when entering a zone that is currently being defiled or applying minor penalties when he enters defiled terrain.

I would preface it with lots of flavorful description, so the point isn't to be mechanically or internally consistent so much as to a) ensure that everyone remembers he is a Wilden and b) give defiling greater dramatic weight for him.

 

[Thaumaturge]

How about you make them constructs of Lalali-Puy?

Many years ago Lalali-Puy experimented on animating pieces of Trees of Life. Her experiments resulted in a small group of wilden. Because they are slivers of a Tree of Life they are more resistant to defiling than other plant-life (about as resistant as other PC races). She released them into the forest with the expectation they would focus on attacking the foresting operations of Nibenay. Instead they disappeared deep into the forest.

Now, years and years later, they have begun to reemerge. They have an intense hatred for defilers and are torn on the question of whether or not to hate Lalali-Puy as well. They have spread to the Feywild bubbles around Athas, and have become allies of the Eladrin therein. They have also made contact with the halflings of the Forest Ridge who are in awe of them and revere them as walking trees.

In City-States, wilden are almost unknown. A wilden is treated as 'another thing blown in out of the desert', which is to say if it talks and has money to spend in the market, the templars won't kill it. Yet. Templars might occasionally seek out a Wilden for experiment purposes.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I just picture Athas Wilden as Cactuars - which means, of course, that people are constantly trying to cut them open for the tasty water inside!

Saguarriors of Athas!