Is anyone else stifling irresistible yawns right now, too?
Personally, psionics was never the coolest thing about DS for me anyway, though it is a necessary element. In fact I feel that psionics feel a little out of place in any other setting, but that is just me.
Is anyone else feeling immense underwhelm right now? Is there no one at WotC who has anything worth saying to tease some excitement up?! The Dark Sun page is pitiful at this moment and has been for months since the announcement. Even the "Dark Sun blog" isn't blogging about Dark Sun, and when it does the mentioning is the least of the post.
Is anyone else stifling irresistible yawns right now, too?
Nope, not at all. On the contrary, the reverse is true for me. As with mouthymerc, anticipaction is high for me.
Anxious - YES
I don't want them to spill the beans on everything just yet. In fact I don't want any more information than that which has been given. I want to open the book and say, "wwwWWWWOOOOWWWWW!!!!" So I say they're playing it the right way.
In fact I don't want any more information than that which has been given.
I do, because I'm not convinced to invest in it yet.
That said, I've already been talking about DS for months, play in a DS pbp game, considering starting a second one and already have a bunch of the old 2e DS books. The only thing I need is the actual DS release.
In fact I don't want any more information than that which has been given.
I do, because I'm not convinced to invest in it yet.
Well, who said you have to invest in it the second it is released? Why not wait until after it has been released, when people are talking about it by having it in their hands, and then make the judgment call for yourself?
Why not wait until after it has been released, when people are talking about it by having it in their hands, and then make the judgment call for yourself?
*sigh*
4e Dark Sun means I will also be investing in 4e . . . which I have so far skipped. Yes, even after all this time I have avoided 4e.
With all this time passed, reading all the threads filled with people who have been talking about having the 4e books in their hands, having played 4e through all the tiers. I've even read the books myself, and after all these years . . . I'm not convinced to invest in 4e yet. I'm right on the edge and could go either way really, but I'm playing it safe because
4e Dark Sun will be the last buy in opportunity to get any 4e book. No mistake, I know I will be needing a handful of non-Dark Sun 4e books. I'd like to be convinced before 4e Dark Sun is on the shelves because I would want to start getting some 4e books to go with it to make it as "complete" as I would like it.
Assume I have nothing 4e yet and Dark Sun is the potential lure to bring me in (this IS the case). What in Core 4e will be required for me to make 4e Dark Sun run at its full potential, not minimal potential, but full potential? PHB1,2,3; MM1,2; DMG1; DS4e, DS creature, Marauders; the innumerable [Blank] Power books; Maybe even a DDI subscription to get Dragon and Dungeon; Adventurer's Vaults?; Am I missing anything else? I suppose I could be excessively completist about it and even get the necessary FR and Eberron books to have access to those special race and class features.
Now add that all up, wouldn't it be nice to buy those piecemeal over the course of months rather than all in one lump sum? *shrug* I'm the kind of Dark Sun nut who would.
I'm not the casual RPGer who will only get the PHB and call it, borrowing the DM's and other player's books . . . (not that there is anything wrong with that) ;)That's why I'd like a little more info.
Now add that all up, wouldn't it be nice to buy those piecemeal over the course of months rather than all in one lump sum? *shrug* I'm the kind of Dark Sun nut who would.
That's why I'd like a little more info.
I don't see how your point in any way invalidates my point. If you wait and see if Dark Sun 4E is worth it for you, after it is released, and *then* begin to piecemeal together the books you need, it still works. I think the problem is you might be a bit impatient. If you find out you like Dark Sun 4E, maybe you just can't wait to get everything together. It is a pretty common problem among gamers, but I'd say it isn't insurmountable.
I don't see how your point in any way invalidates my point.
You must surely see the difference. Me: I'd like to be ready to play with everything I feel I'd need the week DS 4e is released.
Xlorep: You can enjoy the 6 to 8 months accumulating what you think you need to be ready to run your first DS 4e game after release.
I suppose not wanting to deal with a half a year delay is impatient.
Quite likely that taints my appreciation of what has been released to tease anticipation for DS 4e. I have not been impressed thus far with the amount or (excluding the character sheets) the detail of reveals. I'd rather have little drips weekly than to get a huge dump truck once every 4 months or even to have a drought until final day. *shrug*
There's no way it should take that long to run your first Dark Sun game. The regular street date is on a Tuesday, the select stores will get it two weeks earlier. You can run your first session that Friday or Saturday without a hitch. Do an old school adventure idea and drop the stats in at the last minute or just run the canned adventure.
I'm really jazzed. I just want more info and want it naow.
I haven't seen it, but the psionics are supposed to be balanced, well thought out and provide a fancy alternative power source to the existing PHB1 and 2 classes. The Races don't look great (Githzerai, at least, are cool and could very well fit the DS universe - Minotaurs, Soulshards (sp?) and Wilden would probably be killed on sight and cannibalized for their body parts). Hybrid classes are very well done, I'm told.
Sigh. Dark Sun previews should start soon.
Anondson: I know people like you. I'm generally a frugal person, but here's my honest list:
PHB1, PHB2, PHB3, DMG1, DMG2, MM3, and the 3 Dark Sun books should give you the full Dark Sun experience (assuming you have minis to play with). I would also highly recommend a subscription to DDI (for the Monster/Character builders and Dark Sun updates) and the Dungeon Delve.
Skip the Adventurer's Vaults, Power Books, Power Cards, other campaign books, etc... you don't need them unless you are designing a new setting and want the most content on hand. The Power Books - only get if your players REALLY want the extra options in them... but honestly, the PHB1-3 should have enough. Otherwise, no, these books do not add to the Dark Sun setting.
The MM1 and 2 can be bought instead of the MM3. However, I'd only recommend getting 1 of the three and sticking with the monsters listed in the DS Creature book and the encounter suggestions in the Dungeon Delve. The rest are in the Monster Builder if you'd like to create more monsters.
I don't see how your point in any way invalidates my point.
You must surely see the difference. Me: I'd like to be ready to play with everything I feel I'd need the week DS 4e is released.
Xlorep: You can enjoy the 6 to 8 months accumulating what you think you need to be ready to run your first DS 4e game after release.
I suppose not wanting to deal with a half a year delay is impatient.
Quite likely that taints my appreciation of what has been released to tease anticipation for DS 4e. I have not been impressed thus far with the amount or (excluding the character sheets) the detail of reveals. I'd rather have little drips weekly than to get a huge dump truck once every 4 months or even to have a drought until final day. *shrug*
Well, I guess I'm just more patient than you are. To me, if I was uncertain about D&D 4E, I'd wait and see how the Dark Sun setting rolls out in it before I even started to pick up books. Then, I'd pick up the DS books, and the 3 starting core D&D books, after that, I'd have enough to begin fleshing out a campaign and slowly pick up more as time and money permits.
That would probably be maybe half a month, not half a year delay. Even less if I just save money up now so I can buy the books when everything comes out.
If my group expresses enough interest in the 4E DS book after I buy it -- because I will buy the 4E DS books no matter what -- we might pool our resources to grab whatever else we need from the rest of the 4E line in order to play.
Unfortunately, right now they're cold to the whole idea, and I don't have the kind of spare cash necessary to plunk down on games I'll never get a chance to use (plus it would be kind of silly/a waste to buy it in that situation regardless).
PHB1, PHB2, PHB3, DMG1, DMG2, MM3, and the 3 Dark Sun books should give you the full Dark Sun experience (assuming you have minis to play with). I would also highly recommend a subscription to DDI (for the Monster/Character builders and Dark Sun updates) and the Dungeon Delve.
I'd venture to say there's fat on that list as well.
With DMG1 you get the matrix for creating any monster you want, so the various non-Dark Sun MMs could be cut. I really like MM1, so I'd say get that one.
The expanded skills challenges and rewards-based games sections of the DMG2 are the most useful, so you could cut that book as well.
PHB1 is essential, but unless you really want the classes from the other two you could avoid them.
The campaign guide and monster manual for Dark Sun are necessary, I think, but I don't know if the adventure is a must have. At $12 retail, it's worth it though just to have the trifecta.
Since I don't really play D&D based games anymore, my interest in Dark Sun is solely material and not game mechanics; though, I do like some of the game mechanics, like gaining new abilities for your class as you advance.
The more I think about it, the more New World of Darkness could be converted into the Dark Sun setting. I like realism in my games (getting stabed with a dagger is still leathal, no matter what level you are) and I want to focus on role-playing an the, "Athasian" experience.
Now add that all up, wouldn't it be nice to buy those piecemeal over the course of months rather than all in one lump sum? *shrug* I'm the kind of Dark Sun nut who would.
That's why I'd like a little more info.
I don't see how your point in any way invalidates my point. If you wait and see if Dark Sun 4E is worth it for you, after it is released, and *then* begin to piecemeal together the books you need, it still works. I think the problem is you might be a bit impatient. If you find out you like Dark Sun 4E, maybe you just can't wait to get everything together. It is a pretty common problem among gamers, but I'd say it isn't insurmountable.
To play DS4 you will need with full options:
100% USEFUL
Books
Dark Sun Campaign Setting
Dark Sun Monster Catalog (Monsters & Athasian Skill Challenge)
Dark Sun Adventure
DMG 2 (Many rules in it will affect Dark Sun)
PHB 1 (Martial & Arcane), 2 (Primal), 3 (Psionic)
Digital
DnD Insider: to create with every options a Dark Sun Character
come also with a Monster Builder (Have acces to MM1 and MM2 monster useful and can modify them)
MIGHT BE USEFUL (If you have more money)
DMG 1
MM 1 & 2
Power books: DDI already cover it but Martial, Arcane, Primal and Psionic
Secret of the Elemental Chaos
Manual of the Planes
I really can't be bothered waiting for Wizards to get around to pre-releasing source material. So, to deal with this, I am doing two things:
1) Implementing my own house-rules to deal with the aspects of Dark Sun. If you think about it, a lot of what makes DS unique can be broken down into simple, common-sense, rules.
For example, we already know about the weapon breakage rules (on an attack roll of 1, the player can re-roll their attack roll. If the weapon is non-metal, it shatters. Metal weapons shatter on a natural roll of 1-5). So, we're including our own house rules for non-metal "heavy" armour. We've also worked out (and think predicted correctly) the mechanics necessary for Defiling/Preserving. Other rules (eg "Themes") can be implemented later, after the source books are released/pre-released.
The "new" races have been fairly well reverse engineered from the D&D XP sheets (available for download from Wizards). If you have a read of some of the forums out there, you can find most of what you need for playing a Mul or Thri-kreen.
The creatures of Athas - well....let's just say that the Monster Builder makes it very easy to come up with suitable monsters for encounters. I, for one, am sure that I can come up with better and more creatively designed NPCs/Monsters than the disaster that WotC calls "The Battlemind". Outrageous boasting aside...seriously, how does their power work again? By saying "I'm cool, I'm cool, I'm cool!" to themselves? Or, better yet, "My mum thinks I'm cool! She does! She told me!" So...splat!
2) I'll allow a one-off retcon of characters after the DS books come out. I have no qualms with allowing a player to change over their character "crunch" once they have access to the rules. If the ret-con makes the character unrecognisable, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I don't anticipate it being an issue. (In fact, I think most people allow this sort of thing, as PHBs are released.)
If you're interested in a copy of my background stuff, send me a message. I'm always happy to help out another GM.