''Dark Sun Campaign Setting, Expanded and Revised'' is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the ''
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Several different editions of the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of ''D&D'', Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the ...
''
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as 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 ...
, published in 1995.
Contents
This revised campaign set for the
Dark Sun
''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 ...
setting includes the significant political and physical changes that the world of
Athas has undergone in the time since the release of the original ''
Dark Sun Boxed Set''.
This set expanded the
campaign area to eight times its original size.
Included in the set are three large, colorful maps which present topographical and geographical information about Athas, one of which is a large-scale cloth map that details the main campaign area.
Also included in the set are a
gamemaster's screen
A gamemaster's screen, also called a GM's screen, is a gaming accessory, usually made out of either cardboard or card stock, used by a gamemaster to hide all the relevant data related to a tabletop role-playing game session from the players. It al ...
and four books: "Mystery of the Ancients" is an adventure for beginning
player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional Character (arts), character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters tha ...
s, "The Wanderer's Chronicle" provides a description of the campaign world, and "The Age of Heroes" and "The Way of the Psionicist" are books of rules specific to the setting.
"The Way of the Psionicist" reproduces the
psionics
In American science fiction of the 1950s and '60s, psionics was a proposed discipline that applied principles of engineering (especially electronics) to the study (and employment) of paranormal or psychic phenomena, such as extrasensory perceptio ...
rules from ''
Player's Option: Skills & Powers''.
The time period of the campaign begins not long after a number of sorcerer kings were deposed.
*1 large canvas foldout map
*2 paper foldout maps
*1 dungeon master screen
*1 32-page book ''Mystery of the Ancients''
*1 96-page book ''The age of heroes''
*1 32-page book '' The Way of the Psionics''
*1 128-page book '' The wanderer's Chronicle''
Publication history
''Dark Sun Campaign Setting, Expanded and Revised'' was published by
TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc. was an American game publishing company, best known as the original publisher of '' Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''). Its earliest incarnation, Tactical Studies Rules, was founded in October 1973 by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye. Gygax had bee ...
in 1995.
Reception
Cliff Ramshaw reviewed the revised edition of ''Dark Sun'' for ''Arcane'' magazine, rating it a 7 out of 10 overall.
He felt that the changes to the psionics rules made for "a much more logical set-up than was previously in use. It's a matter of taste, though, as to whether you think there's any need for spell-like psionic powers when the game already supports such a wide variety of magical styles.
He commented that there is "plenty of atmosphere in Dark Sun and, despite the seeming uniformity of the geography, a great deal of imagination has gone into detailing the various regions".
He considered the adventure to be "somewhat lacklustre" as it is "short and extremely linear, leaving players with little chance to alter the outcome".
Ramshaw concluded the review by saying: "All the same, if blood in the sand is the bag you're into, you'll find plenty to enjoy under the Dark Sun."
References
Dark Sun supplements
Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1995
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