My biggest curiosity is how to convert the rules for advanced beings to a feasible (albeit challenging) task for a player character. I have some time as my players are all new to roleplaying D&D let alone Dark Sun but I want to lay out the path for some NPC's that involve the players and I'd rather not just make stuff up on the spot. The biggest issue I have is how to get a character to 20th level in both the psion and preserver/defiler/cleric classes since the 3e rules for multiclass would make it insane to reach 20th level in a second class.
Also does anyone have a good method for converting critters from the old dark sun compendiums (terrors beyond tyr and the former terrors of the desert). I know athas online has some of the basic DS monsters converted but thats not enough for my own appetite of specifically DS monsters
As well does anyone incorporate psionic items listed in the Psi handbook such as skins and ferroplasm and not have them as blue age artifacts?
Your feedback is appreciated.
Originally posted by Darknell
As well does anyone incorporate psionic items listed in the Psi handbook such as skins and ferroplasm and not have them as blue age artifacts?
I did this, and it means no problem. As magic is rare, but psionic is common the psionic items from PsiHB are given to the players usually as part of the treasure, and the magic items from DMG is only rarely. Currently my party is in Altaruk, and they already find a psion guy who makes psionic tattos -for a price. It's almost the same effect and power as the potions in a normal world. So far I had no problem with this setup.
Originally posted by Nagypapi
I did this, and it means no problem. As magic is rare, but psionic is common the psionic items from PsiHB are given to the players usually as part of the treasure, and the magic items from DMG is only rarely.
The only argument I would have with this (and you are taking what I would call the "right" approach) is that Clerics, druids and templars are just as capable of creating the magic items shown in the DMG as wizards are. So "only rarely" is ... more questionable.
C'mon people, cut the guy some slack. Sorry that he asked a question that may have been asked before but it was reasonable and he was polite about. It's been what, seven years since a Dark Sun product saw print, and we haven't all been living here since.
Ahhh, you have to learn to take the good with the bad
Some of it stems from the fact that several questions that are commonly asked would take hours to compile any kind of decent and relevant reply (topics such as advanced beings and space halflings being two fine examples). Also understand that some of the people have been here forever and a day bashing their skulls on their keyboards over some of these topics, so you'll have to excuse a few of us who are taking a few topical vacations. As for Jon, he was actually being quite nice about it. Otherwise, he'd have shot out a few of his patented Oracular Lightning Bolts (registered trademark).
To Darknell: Check for any threads titled advanced beings, dragons, avangions, mystic (or psionic) theurge (sp?). You'll also find some relevant info on threads discussion general magic issues as well.
So far, there's been quite a few ideas about how to handle advanced beings, but they each have a noticable flaw or two (or ten). Some fall short flavor wise, others fall short mechanically (and others fall short of being even logical).
As for magic items (or psionic ones), my personal suggestion is to keep the rarity of any such 'improved items'. Arbitrate the suggested challenge ratings based not on the charts in the DMG, but on common sense based on your party's equipment, composition, and overall power level. Keep magical enchantments as rare and perhaps even semi-unique items. Psionic or divine enchanted items should be more common, but less potent. Remember that although its not stated, logically, the city-states and sorceror-kings would keep just as close an eye on a group of psions pumping out hordes of psionic enchantments as it would on the subversive veilled alliances. Its not likely that they would have tolerated such, even if they never outlawed the actual practice of psionics or worship of the elements. Of course, tribal dwellers would not have such overbearing overseers so the best place to get enchanted items may be to risk a venture to an elven tribe, thri-kreen pack, or halfling village. But you still shouldn't let these natives have huge markets for enchanted items. They would create only what they needed with a very small amount for trade of the most common and lesser style items.
In short, make the players really work hard for what they get, and never let them have so much that they no longer have to work hard. Granted, some classes (namely the fighter) rely far more on equipment than others, but make sure to only dole out enough to keep the PCs on equal footing with eachother. Having the players armed to the teeth with enchanted gear is for standard settings like Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms. Dark Sun however, is far from standard.
Originally posted by flip
The only argument I would have with this (and you are taking what I would call the "right" approach) is that Clerics, druids and templars are just as capable of creating the magic items shown in the DMG as wizards are. So "only rarely" is ... more questionable.
Agreed. Altough I would say that the divine classes are less inclined to do magic items for sale than psions. They are mostly concerned with themselves. Templars jeaolusly try to get as much power as possible, and keep others as weak as possible. Druids don't trust anybody. Maybe clerics are the ones who do it most often (and still rarely). So even if they create magical items they keep it for themselves.
It's also worth consideration, that these classes don't have bonus feats for item creation in contrary the wizard. This circumstance doesn't make it easier for them.
I also think that arcane magical items on Athas are mostly the ones which have durability. Weapons, armors, rings, staffs, and things that are able to survive centuries in a vault or ruin. Usually they were made in ther past. At the same time the divine magical items usually are the not-so durable things, mostly potions and scroll-equvivalent things. They are mostly made in the present days. Of course it's just a rule of thumb, exceptions are abundant, but a good starting point.
In a world of constant evolutionary and individually competition, the drive to self-improve must be very high.
"Wasting" experience points to create magical items would maybe set you back in the race to improve yourself, and thus making it a risk too high for taking.
It's a little absurd tying experience in with philosophy, I see that as I'm writing this.
It does raise some interesting perspectives however:
It answers why the Dragon Kings are so immensly powerful compared to everyone else. They have eliminated the entire host of Challenge Ratings below. This means that anyone that's below them, can't find the challenge to gain more XP's.
Bah. Silly thoughts. I'll stop now, before I shame myself.