Earth, Air, Fire, and Water
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''Earth, Air, Fire, and Water'' is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the '' Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy
role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
, published in 1993.


Contents

''Earth, Air, Fire, and Water'' expands the role of the cleric in the Dark Sun setting by adding new goals, duties, and abilities. As detailed in the '' Dark Sun Boxed Set'' rules,
Athas ''Dark Sun'' is an original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (D&D) campaign setting set in the fictional, post-apocalyptic desert world of Athas. ''Dark Sun'' featured an innovative metaplot, influential art work, dark themes, and a genre-bending take ...
ian clerics do not worship gods, but instead receive spells from the four elemental planes. ''Earth, Air, Fire, and Water'' clarifies this premise, explaining that clerics form pacts with elemental entities who demand absolute devotion and obedience. Most clerics fill one of four roles in the campaign world, serving as Wanderers (wilderness advocates of the underprivileged), Guardians of the Shrine (protectors of sacred edifices), Priests of the Cities (urban dwellers, friends of the common man), or Shamans (mysterious primitives). Each has his own responsibilities and specialties. A cleric's race also affects his role; mul clerics tend to work with Air entities,
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priests are mostly Shamans and Wanderers, working with any elemental powers but Fire. When clerics reach 20th level, they have two options: they may continue to advance in level, or they may become elementals. Clerics who continue to advance gain access to the powerful Sphere of the Cosmos. They also tap into the para-elemental planes of Silt, Sun, Rain, and Magma, which grant powerful abilities. Clerics who become elementals leave their humanity behind, relocating to the inner planes. Two chapters briefly address druids and templars. A druid forms a pact with the elemental powers, much the same as a cleric, though he is denied the cleric's granted powers. He also must choose between humanity and elemental transformation (becoming a “spirit of the land”) when he reaches 20th level. A templar draws magic from the elemental planes, but must funnel his request through a sorcerer-king rather than contact the entities directly. A selection of new spells rounds out the book.


Publication history

''Earth, Air, Fire, and Water'' was published as a 96-page book by TSR, Inc. Design was by
Shane Lacy Hensley Shane Lacy Hensley is an author, game designer, and CEO of Pinnacle Entertainment Group and is a resident of Gilbert, Arizona. Career Shane Lacy Hensley was from Clintwood, Virginia, and began playing ''Dungeons & Dragons'' after he discovered ...
, editing was by Doug Stewart, the cover was by Brom and illustrations by
Tom Baxa Thomas M. Baxa is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Biography Tom Baxa grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. He enrolled at Northern Illinois University, where he studied under comic and fantasy artist Mark Nelson. Works T ...
and Brom.


Reception

Rick Swan Rick Swan is a game designer and author who worked for TSR. His work for TSR, mostly for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, appeared from 1989 to 1995. Swan also wrote ''The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games'' (1990), published by St. Martin's Pre ...
reviewed ''Earth, Air, Fire, and Water'' for ''
Dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
'' magazine #206 (June 1994). He felt that "cleric characters got the shaft in the original ''Dark Sun'' set", while wizards and
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got special advantages, but "clerics were saddled with frustrating weapon and spell restrictions. Their special powers didn't amount to much, either. ..''Earth, Air, Fire, and Water'' (EAFW) changes all that." Calling it a "top-to-bottom touch-up", he concluded that "EAFW transforms the stodgy Dark Sun cleric into the setting's most intriguing character. It turns out those Earth clerics can do a lot more than play with rocks." He felt that the book "shifts into high gear when clerics reach 20th level". He complained about the brief chapters for druids and templars: "At seven and six pages respectively, the druid and templar chapters seem like afterthoughts; these guys deserve their own volumes." Swan concluded the review by saying: ''Earth, Air, Fire, and Water'' is so stuffed with ideas that it may take a while for referees to figure out which material best suits their campaigns. With all their granted powers, high-level clerics may find the encounters in a typical adventure a bit too easy. The deck seems stacked against the Water cleric; he has to empty his canteen to recharge his spells, a tough requirement considering the chronic
water shortage Water scarcity (closely related to water stress or water crisis) is the lack of fresh water resources to meet the standard water demand. There are two types of water scarcity: physical or economic water scarcity. Physical water scarcity is where ...
in Athas. Still, for players who've thus far avoided Athasian clerics, EAFW is a revelation. It's spoiled me—I don't see how a credible Dark Sun campaign could be run without it.


References

{{D&D topics Dark Sun supplements Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1993