[Information] Dark Sun Campaign: Quick Reference Guide

[mountainbound]

All players must download the Dark Sun conversion document, DS3_R7.pdf from athas.org to understand this world.
You may also want to check out additional background on the world of Athas at darksunwiki.com.
This is a Pathfinder game. We use the Pathfinder core rule set.

See below for House Rules in play.

Guidelines for Posting

• Your first post: please take some time on your first post, and be sure that it indicates not only your character's first actions, but also your character's feelings about his/her environment and situation in general. Let this post give an embodied snapshot of your character up to that moment in his/her life.
• You must be able to post at least once per two days, and preferably more.
• Post in the third person, in the present tense.
• Double check the grammar and spelling in your posts. If you have trouble with this for whatever reason (US schools, second language, whatever...), please write your posts in an editor with a spell checker then paste them into the game once they've been checked.
• Posts must be at least four lines long. We encourage thoughtful and descriptive posting through rpxp and character experience on a per post basis. Include what is necessary, don't ramble, but give everyone else a lush description of what you're feeling and thinking, your motives and intentions, as well as what you're doing and saying.
• Speech in "bold with quotes", thoughts in italics, ooc comments bracketed or Fieldset boxed at bottom.
• We will warn you if there is a problem with your posting.
• If you will not be able to post for some time, please let the DM know and they will either assign your character to the co-DM, or 'freeze' it.
• Not following the posting guidelines is grounds for dismissal from the game. This will be done in an IC and permanent fashion with respect to your character.

Guidelines for Die Rolls

• Roll your dice in the Dice thread. This enables you to edit your in-game post without big nasty warnings appended to your post. Link to the Dice thread at the bottom of your post, something like this:
  

  Action Intimidate: 14

Guidelines for Combat
In order to keep combat from dragging on, I am using the following system:

• The party has initiative by default. You are the heroes, though sometimes your enemies will hit you first -- consider it the DM's dramatic license.
• When in combat, you can post in the OOC thread if you wish to delay or wait for another player to post first.
• Each player should maintain information at the top of the notes section of their character sheet containing some default combat actions for the case that they fall behind and combat must proceed.
• If a player has not posted for over a day and is in a group combat situation where others posted promptly and are waiting for him/her to post, his/her PC will be NPC'd for the round, using their default actions if appropriate.
• If a massive or extremely long battle breaks out, I reserve the right to fast forward it through whatever means seems appropriate.
• List current/max hp, your AC, and other relevant information (such as Endure Elements, Stoneskin, etc) at the bottom of combat posts.

Experience Points and Gaining Levels

• Combat experience will be as per standard rules. We expect a moderate to quick advancement rate.
• Role play experience will be on a simple quality indexed per post system. You will get 0 to 20 points per post. 0 points for a post of less than 4 lines, with exceptionally poor grammar, or that displays ignorance of recent events in the game. 5 points for a post that meets the minimum standards of length, spelling, and grammar. 10 points for a good post. 15 points for a really good post. 20 points for an exceptional post that is incredibly well written, wonderfully descriptive, intricately detailed, really funny, or otherwise just very enjoyable to read. At 'experience time', your character will get points x character level in experience points. I may adjust this amount as play progresses.
  A quality post includes:
  -Juicy details (such as character background tid-bits and good tactile detail about what you're seeing, feeling, smelling, and thinking)
  -Interacting/talking with other players -- also known as role playing
  -Creative skill or power use, trying different approaches
  -Taking heroic chances and making heroic sacrifices
  -Combat and appropriate use of mechanics (making the DM's life easier)
  
• Experience will be awarded at suitable breaks during game play. You can level up 'in the field', but it requires a full night's rest for you.
• When you roll for HP, roll d(die/2)+(die/2). So d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12 become d2+2, d3+3, d4+4, d5+5, and d6+6 respectively. This makes for pretty meaty tanks and wizards with a little more staying power.

Enemy Status
Cumulative damage against any enemy is listed in the Combat Notes at the bottom of a post. To give players an idea of how badly wounded a creature is, without giving away its total max HP, I use the following descriptions:

Undamaged... creature is at max HP.
Wounded... creature has been damaged, but is still above 30% max HP.
Seriously Wounded... creature is close to or has dropped below 30% max HP.
Dead (or Destroyed)... creature is either dead or so close to dead that it no longer poses a serious threat to the party.


Spells and Powers
If you're casting a spell or manifesting a power, you don't have to mention it by name in your actual description, in fact, please don't. Instead, box it out at the end of your post so I know what exactly your character is doing. This way, you don't have to force ugly spell names like "Bull's Strength" into your narrative. Here's an example (see note above about linking to the dice thread):

Attack Manifesting Energy Ray (Type: Cold) at the Half-giant barbarian. Hits AC 13 for 9 HP damage.

Dying
Here's how we'll handle deaths:
1. After dying, it will be possible to re-enter the game with a new character, subject to the initial character creation rules.
2. After dying, a two week cooling off period applies before a new character can be rolled up and submitted.
3. Any knowledge garnered by a previous PC cannot be used in the gameplay of a new PC

[mountainbound]

Dark Sun conversion document, DS3_R7.pdf
Pathfinder core rule set

Classes allowed
Note, most of these are very different variations of what we're all used to. Read the complete class description from the Dark Sun conversion document, DS3_R7.pdf. I've included a little teaser description for some of the more radically different classes below, including PDF versions of PF psionic classes. If the class is found in the Pathfinder SRD, we will use the PF rules for that class, in addition to any special class abilities unique to Dark Sun (for instance, Athasian Bards are experts at poisons, this ability is in addition to regular bard abilities).

 

class information teaser Barbarians: Use Pathfinder rules for Barbarian advancement, plus extra abilities for Athasian barbarians. Bards: Bards receive numerous abilities they can use to survive. Many become masters of poisons, selling their illegal substances to anyone. Alone of the classes, bards hold the secrets of alchemy, creating fiery concoctions and mysterious mixes. Bards are master smugglers, selling spell components and other illegal items in the Bard’s Quarters of the city‐states. All bards, however, have some degree of entertainment skill. The songs of most bards can dazzle a crowd, or incite them to riot. Bards tend to learn to play a variety of instruments, or recite poetry or old legends by campfire. They can be acrobats, performing dazzling displays of physical prowess. They are often called upon as sources of information. Bards add additional special Athasian bardic abilities per level (smuggler, poison use, streetsmart, quickdraw, trade secret, mental resistance, Quick thinking +2, improved poison use...) but lose their third level PF Feat. Clerics: There are no gods on this world. You must choose one of the elements [earth, air, fire, water] or para-elements [magma, rain, silt, sun] as your faith source.   Athasian elements, energy types & fav. weapons Element Type Weapon Air Electricity Longbow Earth Acid Warhammer Fire Fire Scimitar Magma (Earth, Fire) Fire Battleaxe Rain (Air, Water) Electricity Starknife Silt (Earth, Water) Acid Spear Sun (Air, Fire) Fire Morningstar Water Acid Trident Druids: Druids are typically solitary protectors of shrines or small pockets of undamaged land -- oasises, cacti fields, fertile mud banks, or a single tree struggling on the edge of the great silt sea may be all a druid devotes his life to. Druids are neutral in most matters, except when it comes to protecting the planet or their own shrines. As a rule, they hate defilers and will seek to assassinate them whenever the chance presents itself. Fighters: Use Pathfinder rules for Fighter advancement, plus extra abilities for Athasian fighters. Gladiators: Gladiators live for the thrill of the crowd, and glory in battle. Gladiators combine showmanship with a powerful fighting style. Use Athasian rules for Gladiator PCs. Psions: Use Pathfinder rules for Psion advancement, found here. Psychic Warriors: Use Pathfinder rules for PW advancement, found here. Rangers: As a ranger, you nurture a close, almost mystical connection to the deadly terrain of Athas. To you, the burnt landscape is not a friend, but a well‐respected adversary. Danger is always present, yet you understand it and even find a certain succor in living alongside it. Use Pathfinder rules for Ranger advancement. Rogues: Use Pathfinder rules for Ranger advancement. Templars: Templars draw power from the evil sorcerer kings. Not sure if we will be accepting any templars into the party, a really good backstory may get you in though. Wilders: A wilder is to a psion what a barbarian is to a fighter. Use Pathfinder rules for Wilder advancement, found here. Wizards: All wizards must choose between Defiler or Preserver. Defilers cast more powerful magic, but at a cost to the planet. Defilers are usually evil, and hated wherever they go. Preservers function normally as wizards, though may be equally mistrusted. See Magic on Athas below.

Magic in Athas

 

magic The abuse of magic has shaped and scarred the world of Athas in the past 8,000 years. Because of that magic is universally feared and hated by the general populace. Wizards are outlaws that are hunted and killed by jealous templars or environment-worshiping druids. Magic is hard to find, and even low‐level spells are not easily accessible. There are no sorcerers on Athas. When defilers cast their spells, all creatures within a 5' square per spell level suffer -1 to all rolls for one round. Plant creature take an additional 2hp damage per spell level (which is why the planet is one big desert). Defilers cast spells at a +1 bonus to their caster level.

Psionics

 

psionics The general term psionics refers to the ability to use one’s psychic energy to affect the world outside of the mindscape. Various animals, monsters, humanoids, and even plants use psionics in various degrees and applications. Those who specialize in psionics are called psions; those whose psionic abilities are a lesser part of their lives are called wild talents; those who use any type of telepathic psionics are called mindbenders. Characters can chose psionic feats, even if they do not have a "psionic" character class.

Magic Vs Psionics

 

magic vs. psionics Athasian magic works in a very different way than psionics, and most forms of protection do not apply to both. Therefore, all Dark Sun 3 materials uses the Psionics is Different variant rule (XPH 65).

[Birched]

racial mechanics All racial mechanics are from the PRD with the following exceptions: Human - no changes, use PF rules Dwarf lose 'stonecunning' and 'hatred' abilities gain +1 morale bonus on all checks related to their focus (see athas.org document for more information) their resistance to magic also extends to psionics Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Elven, Giant, Gith, Kreen, Saurian. Elf Elven base land speed is 40 feet. Lose: Elven Immunities and Elven Magic Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perform skill checks. resistance to extreme temperatures (see athas.org document) elf run (see athas.org document) Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Entomic, Kreen, Gith, Saurian, and Terran. Half-elf +2 Dex, -2 Cha, and +2 to one other score of their choosing (cannot stack it with the +2 dex) Half-elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Survival and Handle Animal skill checks. Lose elven immunities Half-giant as per the athas.org document, except no -4 to Wis note the +2 LA Halfling Halflings receive a -2 penalty to all Diplomacy skill checks when dealing with other races lose Fearless and Halfling Luck abilities +2 racial bonus on savings throws against spells and spell-like effects (includes psionics) +1 racial attack bonus with thrown weapons [NOTE: flavour indicates that 'thrown' here includes javelins and slings] Automatic Languages: Halfling. Bonus Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gith, Kreen, Rhul-thaun, Sylvan, and Yuan-ti. Mul as per the athas.org document note the +1 LA

[mountainbound]

Gain Psionic Focus

To gain psionic focus, you must concentrate.

You can take 20 to gain psionic focus, though you need to specify this in your post, and role-play the action.

If you have 1 or more power points available, you can meditate to attempt to become psionically focused. The concentration check DC to become psionically focused is 20. Meditating is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Pathfinder handles concentration checks as follows:

Roll d20 + your psionic level + the ability score modifier used to determine bonus powers of the same type. Clerics, Rangers, and Psychic Warriors add their Wisdom modifier. Wilders and Bards add their Charisma modifier. Psions and Wizards add their Intelligence modifier. All other classes add their Constitution modifier.

When you are psionically focused, you can expend your focus to gain the benefit of a psionic feat — many psionic feats are activated in this way.

Once you are psionically focused, you remain focused until you expend your focus, become unconscious, or go to sleep (or enter a meditative trance, in the case of elans), or until your power point reserve drops to 0.

Psionic Meditation is helpful for getting focused faster, trading a move action instead of a full round action. Prerequisites: WIS 13, 4 ranks auto-hypnosis.

Narrow Mind adds +4 to your roll and is a great feat to take if you'll be relying on psionic focus feats.

[mountainbound]

• Intimidate. Players may use either their CHA or STR modifiers for Intimidate.
  
  
• Inferior and Improvised Weapons. Weapons, obviously, are strictly outlawed to slaves. Ingenuity, bribery, and improvisation, however, can provide substitutes for weapons. Every character has material to make one weapon, i.e. a sap by filling a piece of cloth with sand and stones. Stones, sticks, and rope can also be scavenged. With these materials, characters can make slings, garrotes, lassoes, bolas, wooden daggers, crude flails, and clubs. Stolen tools - mauls, wooden clubs, wooden pitchforks, and possibly even a small obsidian hand-axe - might be used in a pinch, though these are harder to acquire. A few slaves have sufficient contacts and influence to acquire "real" weapons. These slaves usually head powerful and wide-spread gangs within the pens.
  
  Attack Penalties. All improvised weapons have a -2 to attack (rather than the -4 in the rules). Inferior quality weapons, like an obsidian dagger, have a -1. The range of improvised weapons is 10'.
  
  Criticals. All improvised and inferior quality weapons threaten critical hits on a natural 20, and do x2 damage if successful.
  
  Breakage. When a player rolls a '1' to hit and is using a weapon, the player has the option to reroll the result (i.e. make a second attempt to hit their opponent). However, if a player chooses to reroll a '1', they do so at their own risk: metal weapons break if 5 or lower is rolled on the reroll, and non-metal weapons will always break. Weapons broken in this way are treated as having 0 hp: they cannot be used (except as an improvised weapon), and can be repaired through normal means.
  
  Breakage (additional rule for weapons made with substandard materials, e.g. the kind available to slaves in the pits). An attack roll of 1 through 4 indicates the weapon is kaput!
  
  
   

  Breakage. Improvised and inferior quality weapons have a 20% chance of breaking when used. An attack roll of 1 through 4 indicates the weapon is kaput!
  
  
  
• Food and Water. Even if characters receive their full allotment of food and water, they still suffer from dehydration. Each day, players must roll a CON check, DC 12 (DM will announce when). Failure means your character suffers 1d4 CON damage. Players with the Endurance feat get a +4 to this check.
  
  When a character’s Constitution score drops, he loses 1 hit point per Hit Die for every point by which his Constitution modifier drops.
  
  Characters can prevent this loss only by getting more water that what is allotted: hopefully they will be resourceful enough to do so without harm to others but, yes, PCs can gain water by depriving other slaves. Two consecutive days of receiving adequate water (2 gallons of water per day) can negate the cumulative effects of dehydration.
  
  
• Regaining Spells and PSPs. Due to the exhausting schedule in the pits, clerics and druids have only a 30% chance each day to gain the rest and time needed to pray for spells. Characters regain no Psionic Strength Points (PSPs) during hard labor, and10 PSPs per each night spent huddled in the dirt of the pens.
  
  A character retains spells not cast from the previous day. If the player has not prayed for spells, he/she may cast one orison until the time when they can again meditate.
  
• Healing: Though starving and thirsty, your body is still somehow able to heal itself, albeit at a slower rate.
  Characters heal 1hp per night. You sleep for only 4-5 hours, shivering on the cold ground. It is nowhere near restful.
  
  Nonlethal hits heal more quickly, at a rate according to the normal rules. A character heals nonlethal hits at a rate of 1 hit per hour per two character levels (minimum 1 hit per hour).

[Birched]

• Craft skill. Change 'weeks' to 'days' in crafting times. This change is to enable PCs to be self-reliant on a more reasonable time scale. Attempts to abuse this as a money-making scheme will be frowned upon.