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Asking for ideas for small Dark Sun party

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Sarlax
Aug 28, 2010 17:01:50 I anticipate that I may be soon running a new Dark Sun game, but I'm not sure how large the group will be or how familiar the players might end up being with Dark Sun or D&D in general.

I'd like to present the players with options for pregenerated characters that 1) Capture the Dark Sun feel, 2) Are easy to run, 3) Can represent Athasians who don't know much about the world at large, and 4) Can be introduced individually to a game and have a chance.

To explain point four: It's possible that the first adventure might only have two players. Given a party like that, what sort of characters should form its foundation? The conventional wisdom is that a five PC party ought to have one character of each role, and the fifth would do well to be another striker or leader. What if there are only two? If a third shows up, what should they be?

So what are your ideas for a small Dark Sun party? Warlord and monk? Fighter and psion? Ranger and warden?
#2
frydendahl
Aug 28, 2010 19:31:58 A controller who has multiclassed into leader, and a defender would probably be able to hold their own on a two man team. Just make sure to not pit them against too many brutes in combat, to compensate for the lack of a striker.
#3
diggles
Aug 28, 2010 20:41:37 The first thing to come to mind when you mentioned a small group is.....you've got it, escaped slaves.
#4
RalofTyr
Aug 28, 2010 21:47:29 If you're going to throw a party, make sure you have hats.
#5
Sarlax
Aug 28, 2010 23:25:40
The first thing to come to mind when you mentioned a small group is.....you've got it, escaped slaves.

That's an idea. I think the slave angle needs to be included one way or another. I also like it was a mechanism to explain why the PCs (and players) may not be well-versed in all the history of Athas.
#6
diggles
Aug 29, 2010 0:30:31 Here are a couple other ideas for small group

Escaped slaves (perhaps opening game is how they escape/revolt)
Bounty Hunters
Assassins
Gang/House enforcers (give them a couple human rabble to control)
Remaining members of a bloody house/family takeover
Exiled (deathmarked) former templars
Merchant Company/house/tribe couriers (just imagine GTA IV in the desert...carjacking kanks)
#7
Duskweaver
Aug 29, 2010 3:28:57 For the initial pair of characters:

1) Human bard (or artificer) / templar (the party leader)
2) Mul or half-giant arena fighter / gladiator (the templar's loyal bodyguard)

Then add other characters as 'specialists' the templar recruits for a secret mission on behalf of his sorcerer-king:

3) Elf or half-elf rogue / wilder (a notorious criminal from the city's slums, sentenced to death for her crimes but granted a pardon in return for going on this mission)
4) Human psion / noble adept (a scholarly young noble with a dark past whom the templar blackmails into joining him)
5) Thri-kreen ranger / wasteland nomad (a paid mercenary who comes along to provide essential skills and knowledge for surviving outside the city)
#8
tallric_kruush
Aug 29, 2010 20:38:47
For the initial pair of characters:

1) Human bard (or artificer) / templar (the party leader)
2) Mul or half-giant arena fighter / gladiator (the templar's loyal bodyguard)

Then add other characters as 'specialists' the templar recruits for a secret mission on behalf of his sorcerer-king:

3) Elf or half-elf rogue / wilder (a notorious criminal from the city's slums, sentenced to death for her crimes but granted a pardon in return for going on this mission)
4) Human psion / noble adept (a scholarly young noble with a dark past whom the templar blackmails into joining him)
5) Thri-kreen ranger / wasteland nomad (a paid mercenary who comes along to provide essential skills and knowledge for surviving outside the city)

Duskweaver is wise. ;)

I really like the above party. Between games, I must build dozens of such pairings. Sometimes, some of the ideas are actually implemented by other players, though always in a different way then I'd imagined, of course. Our current party features a handful of characters I'd originally conceived, including a female human Wizard and her "bodyguard" and friend, a male human Swordmage|Artificer.

Sarlax, if your players are comfortable with Hybrids, there are a number of possibilities that might work well in a smaller group.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Sarlax Aug 28, 2010 17:01:50	I anticipate that I may be soon running a new Dark Sun game, but I'm not sure how large the group will be or how familiar the players might end up being with Dark Sun or D&D in general. I'd like to present the players with options for pregenerated characters that 1) Capture the Dark Sun feel, 2) Are easy to run, 3) Can represent Athasians who don't know much about the world at large, and 4) Can be introduced individually to a game and have a chance. To explain point four: It's possible that the first adventure might only have two players. Given a party like that, what sort of characters should form its foundation? The conventional wisdom is that a five PC party ought to have one character of each role, and the fifth would do well to be another striker or leader. What if there are only two? If a third shows up, what should they be? So what are your ideas for a small Dark Sun party? Warlord and monk? Fighter and psion? Ranger and warden?
#2 frydendahl Aug 28, 2010 19:31:58	A controller who has multiclassed into leader, and a defender would probably be able to hold their own on a two man team. Just make sure to not pit them against too many brutes in combat, to compensate for the lack of a striker.
#3 diggles Aug 28, 2010 20:41:37	The first thing to come to mind when you mentioned a small group is.....you've got it, escaped slaves.
#4 RalofTyr Aug 28, 2010 21:47:29	If you're going to throw a party, make sure you have hats.
#5 Sarlax Aug 28, 2010 23:25:40	The first thing to come to mind when you mentioned a small group is.....you've got it, escaped slaves. That's an idea. I think the slave angle needs to be included one way or another. I also like it was a mechanism to explain why the PCs (and players) may not be well-versed in all the history of Athas.
#6 diggles Aug 29, 2010 0:30:31	Here are a couple other ideas for small group Escaped slaves (perhaps opening game is how they escape/revolt) Bounty Hunters Assassins Gang/House enforcers (give them a couple human rabble to control) Remaining members of a bloody house/family takeover Exiled (deathmarked) former templars Merchant Company/house/tribe couriers (just imagine GTA IV in the desert...carjacking kanks)
#7 Duskweaver Aug 29, 2010 3:28:57	For the initial pair of characters: 1) Human bard (or artificer) / templar (the party leader) 2) Mul or half-giant arena fighter / gladiator (the templar's loyal bodyguard) Then add other characters as 'specialists' the templar recruits for a secret mission on behalf of his sorcerer-king: 3) Elf or half-elf rogue / wilder (a notorious criminal from the city's slums, sentenced to death for her crimes but granted a pardon in return for going on this mission) 4) Human psion / noble adept (a scholarly young noble with a dark past whom the templar blackmails into joining him) 5) Thri-kreen ranger / wasteland nomad (a paid mercenary who comes along to provide essential skills and knowledge for surviving outside the city)
#8 tallric_kruush Aug 29, 2010 20:38:47	For the initial pair of characters: 1) Human bard (or artificer) / templar (the party leader) 2) Mul or half-giant arena fighter / gladiator (the templar's loyal bodyguard) Then add other characters as 'specialists' the templar recruits for a secret mission on behalf of his sorcerer-king: 3) Elf or half-elf rogue / wilder (a notorious criminal from the city's slums, sentenced to death for her crimes but granted a pardon in return for going on this mission) 4) Human psion / noble adept (a scholarly young noble with a dark past whom the templar blackmails into joining him) 5) Thri-kreen ranger / wasteland nomad (a paid mercenary who comes along to provide essential skills and knowledge for surviving outside the city) Duskweaver is wise. ;) I really like the above party. Between games, I must build dozens of such pairings. Sometimes, some of the ideas are actually implemented by other players, though always in a different way then I'd imagined, of course. Our current party features a handful of characters I'd originally conceived, including a female human Wizard and her "bodyguard" and friend, a male human Swordmage\|Artificer. *Sarlax*, if your players are comfortable with Hybrids, there are a number of possibilities that might work well in a smaller group.