(via ENworld)
No more racial penalties totally sounds like a world that has killed off all the "weak" people in its super harsh enviroment. Also the way racial abilities are coming accross sounds like we can have fully powered thri-kreen, and half-giants and not feel like we are jipping everyone else.
I also like the idea of no schools of magic for dark sun wizards as they never really had any to begin with. Mix that with the fact that wizardly magic is supposed to be just a little bit weaker without using impliments leads to all sorts of neat wizard hidding moments.
All in all I feeling rather positive about the new edition and its relationship to darksun
I have to admit I am starting to like how 4e looks in regards to a system used for darksun.
I have to agree in fact there is little about the new system that I have heard so far that I don't like. Just some mechanical things that seem a little gimmicky.
No more racial penalties totally sounds like a world that has killed off all the "weak" people in its super harsh enviroment. Also the way racial abilities are coming accross sounds like we can have fully powered thri-kreen, and half-giants and not feel like we are jipping everyone else.
They may have to start off slightly weaker then their full compliment of abilities, but the built in racial progression feature in heroic level play would quickly take care of that after a few levels. For a Half-Giant you could say they are inexperienced and for a Kreen you could say that they aren't quite fully matured yet (if that is necessary). Considering how it only takes 6 years for a kreen to reach adulthood, it's pretty easy to say that they aren't quite mature yet and have them reach maturity within a small amount of game time.
I also like the idea of no schools of magic for dark sun wizards as they never really had any to begin with. Mix that with the fact that wizardly magic is supposed to be just a little bit weaker without using impliments leads to all sorts of neat wizard hidding moments.
All in all I feeling rather positive about the new edition and its relationship to darksun
I still a little dubious about the use of implaments in the setting, but staves wouldn't look out of place or suspcious, and orbs might be small enough to be easily concealable, also the use of Obsidian orbs is already well established in the setting as a tool of focusing power. The Wand will probably have to be replaced with something else, but it seems a little too traditional/kitschy for DS anyway. Any thoughts on what might be used to replace wands.
They may have to start off slightly weaker then their full compliment of abilities, but the built in racial progression feature in heroic level play would quickly take care of that after a few levels. For a Half-Giant you could say they are inexperienced and for a Kreen you could say that they aren't quite fully matured yet (if that is necessary). Considering how it only takes 6 years for a kreen to reach adulthood, it's pretty easy to say that they aren't quite mature yet and have them reach maturity within a small amount of game time.
Which, *cough*DS1*cough* sounds awfully familiar ... can't quite seem to place where we might have had racial abilities unlocked with level ... ;)
Which, *cough*DS1*cough* sounds awfully familiar ... can't quite seem to place where we might have had racial abilities unlocked with level ... ;)
Yeah I too think its kinda funny that we are moving back to a 2e style of races, but I much prefer it to the crappy ass LA system of 3e. This will allow all sorts of great weird athasian player races.
I still a little dubious about the use of implaments in the setting, but staves wouldn't look out of place or suspcious, and orbs might be small enough to be easily concealable, also the use of Obsidian orbs is already well established in the setting as a tool of focusing power. The Wand will probably have to be replaced with something else, but it seems a little too traditional/kitschy for DS anyway. Any thoughts on what might be used to replace wands.
Well, spell books are anything on DS, from knots to tattoos, so I am sure you can use other things as implements.
In Eberron, there are many people who shape their "wands" to look like pistols for that gunslinger mage look. No reason we couldn't do something similar to say "this counts as that." Just look at potion fruits/orbs and spell twigs.
In Eberron, there are many people who shape their "wands" to look like pistols for that gunslinger mage look. No reason we couldn't do something similar to say "this counts as that." Just look at potion fruits/orbs and spell twigs.
It's been backed up by posters on the Spells and Magic boards that wands can take any form that matches the dimensions listed in the DMG. A skull fits that descrption. The only thing you can't use to make a wand is a weapon.
IMO standard wands made of bone, branbleweed, wood, etc, found in the DMG are rarer on Athas, otherwise replaced by such homely items as skulls.
IMO standard wands made of bone, branbleweed, wood, etc, found in the DMG are rarer on Athas, otherwise replaced by such homely items as skulls.
It's funny to think that carrying around a skull could be considered less conspicuous then a wand :D
It's funny to think that carrying around a skull could be considered less conspicuous then a wand :D
Conspicuousness doesn't factor in, baby, its all about coolness ;) /Elvis
Would the evil necromancer raising an army of the undead to march upon a village use a brambleweed wand or a skull? I'd go for skull, although brambleweed is as good.
So if I am reading this correctly, a wand could be a drinking cup, a gemstone, a statuette, a bracelet or other jewelry, a parchment (rolled and sealed?), a bone, a scepter, a cane, a livestock prod or switch, or any other seemingly mundane item. Right?
Heh, maybe not with everything. There seems to be a consensus of sorts that the form of a wand is inconsequential within some limits. It's a question of flavor description. You can use it like a wand, it points like a wand, it's no bigger or smaller than a wand, then you call it a wand and are good to go.
It has to meet the dimensions set forth by a wand, here the difference is that you allow the wand to be something else than a cylinder.
It needs to have something that points or faces towards: a twisty sea shell has its entryway, and a skull has its face. You aim that towards the target or area of effect.
It needs to be wieldable in one hand.
Of course it can't be another magic item, a functional mundane item, or a weapon.
Here are threads discussing it:
- http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-247791.html
- http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=959877&highlight=wand+skull