I think what we will get is the same setting but reworked to fit a new edition. Psionics will be big but arcane magics will be on the rise again after some event. I think things like the Sorcerer-Kings will still be around but we may find a few more free cities. Planar places similar to the Feywild and Shadowfell will come into being. Basically any class or race will be playable but new classes and races will be brought into the 4E like muls and thri-kreen.
I am fine with most of this since even though I liked the concept of the place I thought it could be improved upon greatly and I was not a fan of 2E rules and restrictions much. Oh well, these are just my opinions of what we will see in DS 4E in 2010.
I would suggest jumping 300 into the DS timeline future.. that should get you a 2-6 generation leap from the end of the last book/module.. (plenty of time to make adjustments for 4e)... just like the FR did with the 100 year leap...
You can bring back all of the 4e races.. -either they time traveled into the future to escape extermination.. or they were in suspended animation.. or they are simply "reborn" as natural mutations that have breed true..
genasi = random mutation races (typicaly nomads)
warforged = psiforged.. from the region of the last sea (typicaly slaves)
Pterran, thri-kreen, aarakocra = these "monstrous" races disapear into seclusion
half-giant, mul = extinct (people stoped using the rituals to create them?, or you will need to create writeups for these races.. I would prob create my own writeups for them.. they are important for the feel of the campaign)
You can leave the city states pretty much the way they were at the end of the campaign. With a note that the "reborn" races tend to stay AWAY from the sorcerer kings/queens.
Perservers = wizard
Defiler = warlock (infernal or dark pact) --for RP.. say his spells destroy the plantlife)
Psionicist = warlock (star or fey pact)
elemental clerics = cleric (standard, elements are just flavor, not crunch)
templar = cleric OR Paladin (pick a patron sorcerer king, works as diety)
druid = cleric or Paladin (pick a patron spirit, works as diety. "forest, oasis, mountain, etc.."
Bard, Trader = Thief
Gladiator = Fighter
Mofication to ALL classes.. Trade Armor proficiencies for Warlock Feats (this removes the heavy metal armor.. and adds the "feel" of psionics... everybody gets free feats to spend on multiclassing into warlock...
Starting level = 1st.. no longer a good reason to start at 3rd level...
Mos of Darksun races can be done easily in 4th ed with the exception of Half Giant which is either.
a. Difficult to balence
b. Gonna look similar to the Mul.
Mul would be something similar mechanically to an Orc with the hobgoblin resilence racial power. Dragonborn should probably be retconned in as 3rd generation Dray.
The Paladin could make an acceptabvle templar if you changed the fluff around regarding Templars. PC Templars are the Kings elite soldiers while NPC Tmplars could be the more traditional ones.
Average Height: 5'7" - 6'6"
Average Weight: 185 - 240 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common
Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Endurance
Battle Ready: You gain a +2 bonus to initiative checks.
Resilience: You can use resilience as an encounter power.
Resilience __ Mul Racial Power
You shake off an effect that would cripple a lesser warrior.
Encounter
Immediate Reaction Personal
Trigger: You suffer an effect that a save can end
Effect: You make a saving throw against the effect.
Can't the Black and the Grey be the Shadowfell and the (mostly barren) Feywild?
Nope
Can't the Black and the Grey be the Shadowfell and the (mostly barren) Feywild?
Depends on how much of a purist you want to be. I could almost see the Shadowfell in a way as its basically similar to the old Plane of Shadow/The Black.
Feywild doesn't belong at all on Athas IMHO.
Aberrations could have been running things below Athas for centuries. Something has made them (beholders, aboleths, illithids) finally decide to cause problems for the surface folk. Perhaps a mass exodus has occurred due to an aberration city being destroyed and now goblinoids, orcs and other races are polluting the landscape.
Psionics will be covered in a year so they don't need to use warlocks or other classes to represent them.
Muls may use human or dwarf feats.
I am not sure how they would rework dragons in though.
I was thinking about this setting alot recently and how it fit into 4E. I was toying with adding in a new continent or region that was run by giants. Some of the giants/titans are still civilized and run huge cities with other humanoids as slaves. That is where I might have the drow. I was thinking about making the Fire giants the top dogs due to their numbers. Genasi could work their way into those lands as well.
Aberrations could have been running things below Athas for centuries. Something has made them (beholders, aboleths, illithids) finally decide to cause problems for the surface folk. Perhaps a mass exodus has occurred due to an aberration city being destroyed and now goblinoids, orcs and other races are polluting the landscape.
Psionics will be covered in a year so they don't need to use warlocks or other classes to represent them.
Muls may use human or dwarf feats.
I am not sure how they would rework dragons in though.
Something simialr to the Dragons in the MM with the Psionic and Wizard templates added. Or powers that duplicate those types of abilities.
Average Height: 10' 13" – 13' 2"
Average Weight: 1400–1800 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution
Size: Large
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Giant
Warrior’s Surge: You can use warrior’s surge as an encounterpower.
Warrior’s Surge __ Half-Giant Racial Power
Spilling the blood of your enemy invigorates you.
Encounter ✦ Healing, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you can spend a healing surge.
Increase to 2[W] + Strength modifier damage at 21st level.
Can't the Black and the Grey be the Shadowfell and the (mostly barren) Feywild?
I could see the Grey as a COMPLETELY barren shadowfell.
The black is the black.. but dark & star warlocks could gain thier power from it.. (or "something" in it)
Fey warlocks could get their powers from the grey..
Infernal warlocks could get thier powers form the sun.
Most of Darksun races can be done easily in 4th ed with the exception of Half Giant which is either.
a. Difficult to balence
b. Gonna look similar to the Mul.
Part of the balance of 1/2 giant is in the environment.. they consume a huge quantity of water..
I like the old water consumption rules.. kinda.. but I think they need to be simplified.
Daily Endurance Checks to conserve water... (the norm)..
Penalty/bonus based on size?
Base DC = 10
Small = +2
Large = -5
Failure = Weakened
I also believe that defilers ... will be wiped out alltogether since that does not fit into 4Es way of doing things.
They may as well just pack it in & not bother to update if that is the case.
Part of the balance of 1/2 giant is in the environment.. they consume a huge quantity of water..
I like the old water consumption rules.. kinda.. but I think they need to be simplified.
Daily Endurance Checks to conserve water... (the norm)..
Penalty/bonus based on size?
Base DC = 10
Small = +2
Large = -5
Failure = Weakened
Waters not that expensive for PCs who tend to have more money than NPC mooks.
Waters not that expensive for PCs who tend to have more money than NPC mooks.
Or a water cleric / druid with absurdly high volume cantrips of "create water" ...
Or a water cleric / druid with absurdly high volume cantrips of "create water" ...
true, i was trying to eliminate the management of water supplies.
Btw why can the defiler not be a wizard? I'm sure some mechanic could be devised fo defiling and slapped on the base class without unbalancing it.
We could..
Just add Preserver/Defiler Feats.. Treat them just like the "spellscared" multiclass path in the FRPG.
Cleric:
- Armors: leather, hide, Chainmail
+ Feats: 1 [Divinity], 1 [Psi], 1 [racial or class]
Fighter:
- Armors: chainmail, scale, heavy shield
+ Feats: 1 [Psi], 2 [racial or class]
Paladin:
- Armors: chainmail, scale, plate
+ Feats: 1 [Divinity], 1 [Psi], 1 [racial or class]
Ranger:
- Armors: leather, hide
- Weapons: military melee or ranged (based on combat style choice)
+ Feats: 1 [Psi], 2 [racial or class]
Rogue:
- Armors: leather
- Skills: Any 2 (Including Stealth and Thievery)
+ Feats: 1 [Psi], 2 [racial or class]
Warlock:
- Armor: leather
- Weapons: Simple melee & ranged
+ Feats: 1 [Psi], 1 [Arcane Path], 1 [racial or class]
Warlord:
- hide, chainmail, light shield
+ Feats: 1 [Psi], 2 [racial or class]
Wizard:
- Weapons: All (Dagger, quarterstaff)
- Skills: Any 1 (Not including Arcana)
+ Feats: 1 [Psi], 1 [Arcane Source], 1 [racial or class]
Heroic Feats
==========
Defiler [Arcane Source]
Preserver [Arcane Source]
Air Cleric [Divinity]
Earth Cleric [Divinity]
Fire Cleric [Divinity]
Water Cleric [Divinity]
Templar [Divinity]
Druid [Divinity]
Psi Initiate [Psi]
Psi Resistant [Psi]
Paragon Feats
===========
Cerulian [Arcane Source]
Epic Feats
============
Sun [Arcane Source]
All of these feats would need to be fleshed out.. but I see them working like the Cleric Divinity Feats..
preserver feat might be to cast a spell without any chance of detection.
Defiler spell would be to cast a spell with a slight damage bonus.
cerulian would allow a small aspect of the cerulian storm to be summoned.
sun would add radiant/fire damage to any of your at will powers.
psi initiative is a psionic version of the FRPG "spellscared multiclass feat"
psi resistant is +1/2/3 vs Psi powers & effects
etc..
I need ideas for Druid, elemental clerics & templar
Customize every monster to have a psi power.
Get all the info compiled into a word document and it could form the nucleus of a 4th ed DS should Athas.org decide to do one or an unofficial DS 4th ed.
Personally I'm making a Psion. Hopefully have somehting up in the next week or 2 for the heroic tier if anyone wants to playtest it or have a look. Its a striker but may be renamed Wilder if people think Psions should be controlers or whatever.
Defilers could be done not as a class, but simply a serie of feats, maybe...
Maybe as a Paragon Path.
What was the main difference mechanically between the two caster classes. I am a bit foggy with the main rules.
I would suggest that we ignore the original mechanical differences between preservers & defilers.. and look at the basic differnces in methodology.. as explained in the source materials.
Wizards (which could now include ANY Arcane class) use life energy to fuel their spells. All wizards are regarded as "deflers" by most people.. and the destruction of Athas is blamed on them.
- Preservers drew power slowly are carefully so it would not harm or kill the plantlife. The 21+ lvl progression would lead to avagon metamorphosis.. think archmage.. but with a physical change from your current race into a giant magic butterfly.
- Defilers drew power quickly killing whatever was necessary to fuel their magics. The 21+ lvl progression would lead to dragaon metamorphosis.. think "dragon" but completly psychotic and driven to kill in order to fuel the metamorphosis to its completion.
Suggestions:
Start EVERY arcane caster as preserver. and make defiler an option whenever they cast.. improve the spell slightly but the source of the spellcasting becomes obvious.
To simulate the lust for life energy.. I suggest a "disease" that affects arcane casters that choose to defile.. the more they do it.. the more they want to do it.. untill they have no choice. Also, make the disease a visible effect.. so people will know you are a defiler simply by seeing you.
cleansing yourself of the defilement could be a quest or a series of quests if you are an adict to the tempting power.
21+ metamorphosis to dragon/avagon could easily be setup as a paragon path.