Dark Sun and Midnight - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dark Sun and Midnight

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2003 9:14:59 Anybody here familiar with the Midnight campaign setting from FFG? There are a ton of parallels to Dark Sun, and (I think) some really useful ideas.

It's a rare magic setting - they have completely done away with sorcerers and bards. Rangers, monks, and paladins have been revamped into non-spellcasting classes. Clerics are strictly NPC and evil. Wizards and Druids are prestige classes.

The main spell using class is the Channeller. Nothing like a traditional spellcaster, he's set up pretty much like a bard in terms of skill points, BAB, and spell access. On top of that, a feat allows anyone access to a small amount of spell usage.

Pretty much all of the rules and stats are OGC, although the descriptions and such are closed content. If someone had the time and inclination, I think with a little modification some of those ideas could be easily convereted to a Dark Sun campaign - not official, of course, but perhaps worth looking into.
#2
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2003 9:53:59 I've seen quite a few threads about that have compared Midnight and Dark Sun in tone and theme as well. Both a dark, gritty, very dangerous settings. In both settings, the atypical hero is likely to die first. Both stress survive over morality. Both have very powerful dark beings running the show. There's too many to list. I've not yet begun to add the Midnight setting to my collection, but after what I've read, I certainly plan to. I don't think (from what little I've read) that the rules would port well into Dark Sun though, even if the settings are in some thematica ways quite similar.
#3
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2003 10:03:39 I don't know. I don't necessarily think the new classes fit but I think the spellcasting and heroic paths deserve a look.

I'm thinking channeller = athasian wizard, with additional spell points if you defile. Prestige classes for full blown preservers and defilers. I'm thinking that the magecraft feat (which grants spellcasting) could be converted to psionic instead for wild talents.

Heroic paths are the setting's solution to very limited magic items. Basically, they are templates (PCs get one for free) that grant some powers as the PC advances. Granted, the idea would need modification to fit with Dark Sun flavor but I like it alot better than giving out a buttload of psionic items to Dark Sun PCs.
#4
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2003 10:11:06
better than giving out a buttload of psionic items to Dark Sun PCs

eRk! I give out maybe one magic/psionic item (and not always a good one) ever few levels . . . Just house rule the CR ratings, if you start your campaign from around lvl 1-3 or so, by the time the groups is hitting mid levels where the lack of enchanted items start to really hurt them, you'll have a better handle on how to adjust the CRs of monsters so you don't squash the PCs like the little ants they are (unless of course, you have every intention of stomping them).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2003 9:14:59	Anybody here familiar with the Midnight campaign setting from FFG? There are a ton of parallels to Dark Sun, and (I think) some really useful ideas. It's a rare magic setting - they have completely done away with sorcerers and bards. Rangers, monks, and paladins have been revamped into non-spellcasting classes. Clerics are strictly NPC and evil. Wizards and Druids are prestige classes. The main spell using class is the Channeller. Nothing like a traditional spellcaster, he's set up pretty much like a bard in terms of skill points, BAB, and spell access. On top of that, a feat allows anyone access to a small amount of spell usage. Pretty much all of the rules and stats are OGC, although the descriptions and such are closed content. If someone had the time and inclination, I think with a little modification some of those ideas could be easily convereted to a Dark Sun campaign - not official, of course, but perhaps worth looking into.
#2 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2003 9:53:59	I've seen quite a few threads about that have compared Midnight and Dark Sun in tone and theme as well. Both a dark, gritty, very dangerous settings. In both settings, the atypical hero is likely to die first. Both stress survive over morality. Both have very powerful dark beings running the show. There's too many to list. I've not yet begun to add the Midnight setting to my collection, but after what I've read, I certainly plan to. I don't think (from what little I've read) that the rules would port well into Dark Sun though, even if the settings are in some thematica ways quite similar.
#3 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2003 10:03:39	I don't know. I don't necessarily think the new classes fit but I think the spellcasting and heroic paths deserve a look. I'm thinking channeller = athasian wizard, with additional spell points if you defile. Prestige classes for full blown preservers and defilers. I'm thinking that the magecraft feat (which grants spellcasting) could be converted to psionic instead for wild talents. Heroic paths are the setting's solution to very limited magic items. Basically, they are templates (PCs get one for free) that grant some powers as the PC advances. Granted, the idea would need modification to fit with Dark Sun flavor but I like it alot better than giving out a buttload of psionic items to Dark Sun PCs.
#4 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2003 10:11:06	better than giving out a buttload of psionic items to Dark Sun PCs eRk! I give out maybe one magic/psionic item (and not always a good one) ever few levels . . . Just house rule the CR ratings, if you start your campaign from around lvl 1-3 or so, by the time the groups is hitting mid levels where the lack of enchanted items start to really hurt them, you'll have a better handle on how to adjust the CRs of monsters so you don't squash the PCs like the little ants they are (unless of course, you have every intention of stomping them).