The TSR employee (TSR Inc 2) is the Revised and Expanded Campaign Setting game designers Bill Slavicsek, ... not sure who TSRO Bilbo, Leia, or Mikal are. TSR Inc 2 : Bill is TSR Inc 2 TSRO Bilbo : Evenin' folks and welcome to TSR Online's Dark Sun Seminar. I'll start off with an introduction of our TSRO Bilbo : Special Guest, Bill Slavicsek TSRO Bilbo : He'll say his peace after which I'll follow up with a few questions. Then we'll open up the floor for qu TSRO Bilbo : estions and comments, followed by a bit of trivia. Sit back and enjoy! Lithindrym : ::claps for Bill:: TSRO Bilbo : Bill Slavicsek, chief designer of the Dark SUn: Expanded and Revised Setting is joining us tonight TSRO Bilbo : for a Q&A on Dark Sun. Bill, welcome and thanks for the chance to pick your brain. /ga TSR Inc 2 : Thanks. Those who don't know me ... TSR Inc 2 : I started at West End Games before coming to TSR 3 years ago ... TSR Inc 2 : My most recent work includes The Nightmare Lands for Ravenloft ... TSR Inc 2 : Harbinger House for Planescape ... TSR Inc 2 : and the new Dark Sun Box./ga Tarasque 9 : ? Mr Lich102 : The Nightmare lands was great!!! Mr Lich102 : I love Ravenloft!!! TSR Inc 2 : Thanks. Lithindrym : The DS revised set is a 11 on a scale of 1-10 TSR Inc 2 : Thanks +. TSRO Bilbo : Bill, could you briefly recap for us why a revision of DS was necessary? Ivy Dragon : ? TSRO Mikal : Seminar Room Protocols are in effect........................ TSR Inc 2 : First, Troy's novels caused major changes for the world ,,, TSRO Mikal : Please wait for the Q&A period...... TSR Inc 2 : Second, there were plenty of places I felt the rules needed tweaking ... TSR Inc 2 : And last, we simply ran out of room in the Tyr Region after 30+ products. TSR Inc 2 : We needed more space./ga Mr Lich102 : ? Lithindrym : ? Ivy Dragon : ? TSRO Bilbo : Bill, now that the expanded setting's out there, where do you see Dark SUn headed? TSR Inc 2 : In lots of directions ... TSR Inc 2 : It's a dynamic world ... TSR Inc 2 : one where the status quo doesn't stay the same ... TSR Inc 2 : Watch for more of the history to be revealed, and more chances ... TSR Inc 2 : for the heroes (the PCs) to effect the world for the better ... TSR Inc 2 : If they don't get killed trying!/ga TSRO Bilbo : Once of the unique aspects of Athas is the way magic works. Troy expanded this as did a Dragon Magazine TSRO Bilbo : article. TSRO Bilbo : You've also included expanded defiling rules in the revised setting. A lot of players have been curious TSR Inc 2 : Yes, magic is really different on Athas TSRO Bilbo : as to why the switch to memorization for defiling rather than at time of casting. TSRO Bilbo : Why the slight change? /ga TSR Inc 2 : But for me, the rules didn't differentiate enough between defilers and preservers ... TSR Inc 2 : the biggest difference, besides the dramatic show, was that defilers advanced faster ... TSR Inc 2 : this made it seem that we were encouraging playing the bad guys ... TSR Inc 2 : To change this, I came up with rules to really make them different ... Ivy Dragon : =) TSR Inc 2 : For the boxed set, the solution was having the defiling occur during memorization ... TSR Inc 2 : In Defilers & Preservers, coming out in 1996 ... Ivy Dragon : :) TSR Inc 2 : I give you two options for wizards: the old one, and the new one./ga Haramon : ? TSRO Bilbo : Fair enough Bill. Speaking of playing the bad guys. Templars are not presented as a character option TSRO Mikal : The Q&A session has not started yet...........please be patient. TSRO Bilbo : under the new rules. Is this due primarily to the lack of spell granting sorceror kings? /ga TSR Inc 2 : Yes, that was the major reason for me leaving them out ... TSR Inc 2 : I thought the space could be put to better use, and I did./ga Nalaim : ? TSRO Bilbo : Ok, Bill, what's the biggest improvement over the old rules then? /ga TSRO Leia : Everyone, please follow protocol. TSR Inc 2 : In general, I feel I cleaned up a bunch of discrepencies ... TSR Inc 2 : and expanded on material that was not fleshed out in the original ... TSR Inc 2 : but let me add that I'm a big fan of the world Troy Deniing and Tim Brown created ... TSR Inc 2 : And that I couldn't have produced the products for Dark Sun that I have if not for the foundation ... TSR Inc 2 : they left me./ga TSRO Bilbo : I have just one more question for you before we open up the floor then. It was great to finally TSRO Bilbo : have a list of all the Champions of Rajaat, and the unknowns were a nice bonus! But I'm curious about TSRO Bilbo : the sorceror-king Oronism and his dramatic depature from defling. Is this also something we might see th TSRO Bilbo : e Oba attempt? TSRO Bilbo : /ga TSR Inc 2 : That's a possibility. But I won't presume to speak for the sorcerer-queen of Gulg.:)/ga Ivy Dragon : ? TSRO Bilbo : Ok, folks, now here's your chance to get the answers to your nagging DS questions. Let's not Lithindrym : ? Tarasque 9 : ? Yuric : ? TSRO Bilbo : rough Bill up too much, ok? =v) EBONFALCON : ? Tarasque 9 : ? Tempest91 : ? Haramon : ? Nalaim : ? Rinor X : ? Sharzu1 : ? Ivy Dragon : ::waits patiently:: Slacker 01 : ? TSRO Mikal : Ivy Dragon please state your question. Ivy Dragon : ok, um... What was all the strength crap about? Ivy Dragon : 18/00 and stuff.. TSR Inc 2 : Under the original rules, warriors were cheated ... TSR Inc 2 : because your thief could roll an 18 or a 19 ... Ivy Dragon : But, then doesn't that make Half-Giants a LOT weaker? TSR Inc 2 : but your warrior had to roll 18 plus percentage dice ... Ivy Dragon : oh... TSR Inc 2 : Only warriors can even hope to match half-giants, and then only with really lucky rolls ... Ivy Dragon : really really lucky... TSR Inc 2 : And I don't mind the rare Conan being as strong as a half-giant./ga TSRO Bilbo : And you can always limit the 24 score to half giants only./ga TSRO Mikal : Lithindrym please state your question. Lithindrym : Going back to this defiling thing.... TSR Inc 2 : That's up to you ... you can do anythng you want in your campaign./ga Lithindrym : I think the rules sort of make Athas a little more barren with the rules of memorization Lithindrym : I mean, every morning a sorcerer-king memorizes around 50-100 spell levels for close to 300 Lithindrym : Plus yards of defiling damage. But with the old rules, they would only do damage when they Lithindrym : cast spells. With the new rules, they defile about half the city-state every morning Lithindrym : How do u explain this? TSR Inc 2 : Do you really think a sorcerer-king spends all those hours every day memorizing spells? Lithindrym : Well, what else do they do? Lithindrym : They need the protection TSR Inc 2 : That's what low-level defilers are for. A SK only memorizes what he needs for a given job ... TSR Inc 2 : they're not adventurers! Lithindrym : Okay, lets say 25-50 levels. That still is around 100+ yards Lithindrym : Not even SK's have that many trees of life Lithindrym : So they would probably defile the palace every morning a bit TSR Inc 2 : That's what their private gardens, which they keep well maintained, are for./ga Tempest91 : ! Lithindrym : Okay.. I still don't think it works... TSRO Mikal : Tarasque 9 please state your question. Tarasque 9 : About Psionics..... What R the new scores for the Telepathic powers Ejection(CPH 74) and .. Tarasque 9 : Passive contact(ww 88).... Tarasque 9 : /ga Tarasque 9 : They're not listed in the new book..... TSR Inc 2 : We left ejection out of the mix as it doesn't fit in the new system ... Tarasque 9 : Or the S&P book... Tarasque 9 : But it does..... TSR Inc 2 : same with passive contact ... TSR Inc 2 : as there isn't any more need for tangents and the like./ga Tarasque 9 : The ejection science could be used in conjunction with receptacle TSR Inc 2 : True, but that requires a rewriting of the rule, not a simple line of numbers ... TSRO Mikal : TSRO Bilbo please state your question. TSR Inc 2 : please watch for future products./ga TSRO Bilbo : Speaking of psionics, there's rumour of a plan to incorporate the character point system with the new ps TSRO Bilbo : ionicist. ANy truth to it? Tarasque 9 : ? TSR Inc 2 : Yes. I originally designed the psionics system as a separate piece of Skills and Powers ... TSR Inc 2 : so it doesn't really fit with the rest of the material, but a solution is forthcoming./ga TSRO Mikal : Yuric please state your question. Yuric : A lot of the core rules were changed in the new DS setting (weakening of 4 ability scores, Yuric : dropping 1PC class, defiling altered, fighter Str rules). Yuric : The last time something was done in this fashion was the move from AD&D Yuric : 1st edition to AD&D 2nd edition. Back then TSR had surveyed us (its supporters), Yuric : ), solicited input from us and generally let us know AHEAD Yuric : AHEAD of time via Dragon in what directions the new changes were going. Yuric : The new DS box-set just dropped these very different rules in our laps and did not even both Yuric : bother to tell us why all these changes were made. It seems Tarasque 9 : ? FrenzyK2 : ! Yuric : awfully unfair to alter the very nature of our existing DS campaigns Yuric : without even giving us plausible explanations why in the box set. Yuric : . Why werent we fans/buyers of DS products previously consulted as to Yuric : to how we would feel about the new rules or at the very least informed of the radical change Yuric : to the core DS rules ahead of time? /ga TSR Inc 2 : You don't need to change your campaign. It's your campaign ... Casey VP : ? TSR Inc 2 : Use what you want, or don't. That's up to you... TSR Inc 2 : I didn't have the time or luxury to ask all of you your opinion ... Yuric : a convenient, corporate answer....but it doens't answer the question Tempest91 : ! Yuric : A simple Dragon article lettingus know ahead would have been nice TSR Inc 2 : ANd frankly, I don't think the changes are that drastic or not in keeping with the basic campaign./ga TSR Inc 2 : I did write a Dragon article./ga ARobert830 : ? TSRO Mikal : Lithindrym please state your question. Ivy Dragon : ? Yuric : It did not contain those rules changes Lithindrym : Okay. Now about the Dragon King metamorphosis Haramon : Excuse me? Lithindrym : I am a little confused on it. Wouldn't it be simpler to travel to some other world and Dastalius : hello Ivy Dragon : sshhh. Lithindrym : Wait... Strike that Lithindrym : My question is: Couldn't someone just dispel Sadira's enchantments on the Dark Lens Lithindrym : and free Rajaat? I mean, it is really possible for that ot occur Lithindrym : and I heard rumors of actually bringing Rajaat back (from a fellow TSR person) TSR Inc 2 : Yes, if they find it. But that's why she put up wards ... TSR Inc 2 : they'll have to deal with her and Rikus if they set off her alarms ... Lithindrym : I think a Dragon King could deal with them if he/she was able to get to the Dark Lens TSR Inc 2 : not to mention the very inhospitible area that used to be the Valley of Dust and Fire ... Lithindrym : What about the return of Rajaat thing.. any comment? TSR Inc 2 : not a nice place. The Dragon Kings DO NOT want Rajaat free!/ga Ivy Dragon : maybe TSRO Mikal : EBONFALCON please state your question. EBONFALCON : How are the psinoic rules changed and is magic done any differently, by this is it still harmful to TSR Inc 2 : He's still around. ANyyything is possible./ga EBONFALCON : what litle forest ecosystem left?/ga TSR Inc 2 : Magic is still harmful, if used in the defiling way ... TSRO Mikal : We will be skipping to those individuals who have not asked a question...then return to TSRO Mikal : repater questioners. TSRO Mikal : er.........repeat questioners. TSR Inc 2 : and psionics has been simplified to work just like regular combat (with mental armor class and attack TSR Inc 2 : numbers./ga EBONFALCON : What is menat by defiling? TSR Inc 2 : Magical energy comes from the life energy of the world ... TSR Inc 2 : and there are two ways to access this energy ... TSRO Mikal : Tempest91 please state your question. TSR Inc 2 : one is destructive, called defiling./ga Tempest91 : With the changes in defiling magic, How does this affect the green test presented in VEILED Tempest91 : ALLIANCE and with the destruction of magic being done with memorization, why has no change Tempest91 : been mention in regards to the Trees of Life, (which still mentions casting in the descripti Tempest91 : since evena low level mage memorizing would kill a Tree of Life (10 spell levels only) Tempest91 : was this considered with the new presentation? TSR Inc 2 : As I stated earlier, I wanted to present two methods: memorization and casting ... TSR Inc 2 : but I ran out of room and not all of the references were caught. Sorry about that. But ... TSR Inc 2 : The casting method is reintroduced in Defilers & Preservers, and all those questions are handled. TSR Inc 2 : If you don't like the memorization method, and it seems you don't ... TSR Inc 2 : please stick with the old system as you see fit./ga TSRO Mikal : Haramon please state your question. Haramon : I would like to return to the Strength subject. I do not understand how you explain the fact Haramon : that while all other stats are generally higher than norm to reflect a rougher civilization Haramon : That changing the strength chart can reflect a close resemblance in the str of a 6 ft human RPDGT : ? Haramon : and an 11 ft half giant to my satisfaction /end TSR Inc 2 : The human anything (except warrior) can't be higher than 20. That's the human max ... Haramon : 24 is human max Haramon : (Warrior) TSR Inc 2 : but a human warrior, to reflect training and other factors, can reach 24 ... with a very lucky roll... TSR Inc 2 : 4d4+4 = 20./ga TSRO Mikal : Rinor X please state your question. Casey VP : ? Rinor X : Okay. Bill, I like how you've expanded the surface area, but... Rinor X : I also have complaints. First, the STR. A human fighter as strong as a 1/2 giant cleric... Casey VP : ? Rinor X : I don't think so. Second. Why the two new races. As PC's, they're horrible. And last, Are Xmas Tiger : sorry. My scren was scrolled upward. no wander the screen wasnt moving. :/ Xmas Tiger : scren=screen. Rinor X : you going to be printing DS revised books, like a DS revised Veiled alliance book? that ... RPDGT : ? Rinor X : would upset me and a lot of people a WHOLE bunch. Thanks./end TSR Inc 2 : First, warriors are strong, that's there thing, even in other campaigns ... TSR Inc 2 : Second, I like the new races ... Tarasque 9 : Me too.... Casey VP : ditto.. Tarasque 9 : oops... TSR Inc 2 : Third, no we're not revising the old books, but you'll see updated information in new products./ga TSRO Mikal : /? Lithindrym : ? FrenzyK2 : ? Casey VP : ? Casey VP : ? TSRO Mikal : Sharzu1 please state your question. Sharzu1 : My Question has to do with armor.. are there set prices for diffrent pieces of armor or how Rendil : ? Sharzu1 : Does one go about making such a list?\ga TSR Inc 2 : We haven't done a piecemeal armor list yet, but you can charge portions of full armor costs./ga TSR Inc 2 : Well, I've got to go now ... TSR Inc 2 : thanks everyone for coming ... RPDGT : Good night Sharzu1 : by bill TSR Inc 2 : And watch for Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs ... TSRO Mikal : Applause for BILL???????????????/ Sharzu1 : bye even RPDGT : later dude Ivy Dragon : APPLAUSE! TSRO Bilbo : Bill, thanks for coming and being our guest! Casey VP : asta bill. Sharzu1 : Jan 6 at waldens books Ivy Dragon : Thanks Bill! Slacker 01 : ::applause for Bill:: TSRO Leia : Thanks for joining us, Bill.:) Lithindrym : Hasta La Manana Bill. U will be hearing from me sooon!!! FrenzyK2 : Bye Bill. Thanks for answering our questions. Casey VP : Thanks for being here. TSRO Stone : Tanks Bill TSR Inc 2 : Mindlords of the Last Sea, and Defilers & Preservers ... Lithindrym : Bill, prepare to be hearing from me again in the near future Ivy Dragon : heheheheheh Lithindrym : Until then, Live Long, Have Fun, and consult the DS folder when making changes to Athas ;) TSR Inc 2 : and please sent questions and comments to the forum. Good night!