Desert Campaign or Desert Planet

[Trollios]

I've been trying to put together a campaign that takes place on a Desert world. (meaning covered in sand, not cookies and Ice Cream, that's dessert)

I was wondering if anyone knew of a campaign that already had this so I wouldn't have to do all the geography, and heat effect bits and more focus on the politics.

I've picked up Unearthed Arcana (for Desert Races) Sandstorm, Races of Stone, and the Star Wars d20 Tatooine handbook, but I'm tempted to try and go SRD so I could at least publish as a free PDF.

My first thoughts are Wizards should be eliminated, paper not standing up well in the sun. and I'm thinking maybe Paladin's eliminated as well, I want heavy metal to be a rare thing and not something that would be readily available for Armor, partially due to cost and partially due to the fact that you don't want to walk around a desert in plate mail, Renn Fests in South Florida. are bad enough. Since I'm eliminating Heavy armors, I think I'll add the Defense Bonus from Unearthed Arcana.

Anyone have any thoughts towards a desert planet or a good source I could start with?

Inspirations would be the Disney Aladdin Cartoons, Trigun, Desert Punk, Six-String Samurai, Arabic, Indian, and Aboriginal cultures.

I'm also tempted to add in windsail sand ships for traveling in certain area, think that would work or too cheesey?

[Tao Scientist]

The Dark Sun campaign setting covers most of what you are looking for.

[The Demented One]

Wizards don't have to be eliminated - they could just use a different medium. Clay tablets, macrame, tattooing - all could potentially replace a spellbook.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Some of the earliest forms of writing that we know about were on clay tablets - just bake 'em to make 'em permenant.

Sand yachts aren't cheesy - I used to pilot them for fun.
In the real world their sails are about the size of a windsurfing board, or maybe as big as a one-person yacht. They need to be light and small-crewed: you'll not get anywhere with more than couple of people. They need wheels, not skis, and they'll not be very good on loose dunes - far better on salt-flats. Unless you add some magical elements, you're not going to be using sand-yachts to carry much stuff... and well, maybe magical sand-yachts are a bit cheesy...
Take a look here http://www.rsyc.be/e/framese/club%20e.html.

Take a look at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/fw - the Sand and Sun entries on the bottom of that list are good for plundering.

[Legoman]

Add Wurms. Give people the ability to ride them. Add spice.

Enjoy the best setting evar.

[D'Artagnan]

I played in a game kind of like what you're describing, on another set of boards. The guy made a bunch of modifications, exactly what you're describing.

Here is the game. (http://www.dndonlinegames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=3180)

Enjoy.

[mabriss lethe]

You don't have to do wholesale elimination of classes. As someone pointed out, a medium other than paper would work in place of a wizard's spellbook. Remember, though, the first actual paper to make it to europe was made in the middle east from pulped and reconstituted fabric. (vellum was used prior to this) A paper spellbook could very well exist in a desert invironment, it would, however, be a carefully protected item, stored someplace dry, dark and cool(relatively) when not actuall being used. The process used in making this type of paper is relative inexpensive, so a wizard on the move could possibly carry a "travel copy" of his spellbook. It would probably need frequent replacement, but the original would be safely stored away.

As for a class like a paladin, it isn't all that far fetched to have a holy warrior of some sort roaming the desert. If you have to substitute certain types of armor because the environment is unsuitable for others, so be it. It's not all that big of a loss since no one else would have access to heavy armors either.

[Trollios]

I know I don't have to get rid of classes whole cloth, but really, I want to do something to really make the game different. And the one that made the most sense at least to me, was in loosely arabic/egyptian culture, the majority of people didn't have a written language. So my first thought was how would a lack of written language effect D&D.

The first things would be that there would be no musty tomes for wizards to pour over and no religious texts. So I thought to eliminate Wizards and Clerics. Being replaced by Sorcerers, Favored Souls, Warlocks, and Spirit Shamans. (Also possibly the minor mages that do trivial tasks from the Eberron setting that I can't remember the name of.) Druids would still have a large part for the majority of tribes if just for finding water. So it was mostly for a story stand point, also I've been looking to do something with a game that will really force a couple people to shake the stereotypical D&D mindset of pseudo-western european fantasy setting.

And as for Paladins, I've never really liked paladins for something that's going to be a grittier setting, I may instead use a prestige paladin class. and because I want to really push the Aladdin cartoons, make the swashbuckler the favored class of humans. I'll put more thoughts later, but that's a start to what I'm looking at.

[YPU]

I think that the paladin should be part of your campaign, Arabians have the best horses and they have a lot of stories about horseman riding the desert riding it of evil. But using prestige paladin would be a good idea, that way somebody would really need to build up to the point of holy knight.
You might also think about using tome of battle, swordsage makes an nice replacement for wizard and fits very well in a dessert campaign I think, crusader is a bit out of place, like a paladin not fitting the horseman idea. Warblade is cool but perhaps to cool, it’s a rather good general adventurer class, totally outclassing and replacing fighter, and I doubt that is what you want.
Ow, the idea of removing wizard seems fine with me. To be honest the idea that you can buy scrolls at every town to keep up your spellbook doesn’t go with me, and that would count double in your campaign. I think the eberron class is called magewright, and that would work as an npc class, yes. Players would have exes to it, its just not a good choice.

[Neek]

The first things would be that there would be no musty tomes for wizards to pour over and no religious texts. So I thought to eliminate Wizards and Clerics. Being replaced by Sorcerers, Favored Souls, Warlocks, and Spirit Shamans. (Also possibly the minor mages that do trivial tasks from the Eberron setting that I can't remember the name of.) Druids would still have a large part for the majority of tribes if just for finding water. So it was mostly for a story stand point, also I've been looking to do something with a game that will really force a couple people to shake the stereotypical D&D mindset of pseudo-western european fantasy setting.

Mind you, writing as an information carrier began in the Middle East. The first paper was papyrus (hence the word paper), which was invented by the Egyptians. As well, there are other forms of writing; the writing possessed by the Aztecs and the Mayans are mnenomic devices, not actual writing. The Incans used an array of corded ropes for accounting logs. Clerics aren't bound by religious texts--which is why it's possible to create Clerics who worship an idea or a concept. It's your campaign world, so it's your choice--but I'd rethink your reasoning.


And as for Paladins, I've never really liked paladins for something that's going to be a grittier setting, I may instead use a prestige paladin class. and because I want to really push the Aladdin cartoons, make the swashbuckler the favored class of humans. I'll put more thoughts later, but that's a start to what I'm looking at.

Paladins as a prestige class, always a good idea.

[Tracersmith]

you know that in Dark Sun they didnt get rid of wizards spellbooks but they are changed. they come in many forms knotted rope, clay tablets, tattoos, animal hides, bones staves, ect.

[Jack_of_Spades]

Athas.org

It has updated rules for Dark Sun material. I hope it's useful.

My only complaint with Dark Sun, so far, is the Elven Longblade
1d8 18-20 x2

It's one handed and you can use weapon finesse with it. It's an exotic weapon, but elves have gain racial familiarity with it. That sword is way too strong if you ask me.

[Tracersmith]

that weapon has the same stats as the elven thin-blade published in complete warrior on pg 158

[TheThan]

If your looking for more of a generic adventurer class take a look here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11199&highlight=adventurer) for just that, a generic adventurer class. Unfortunately the table seems to be a little messed up though.

Personally I put my desert paladins on giant iguanas.

[RoboticSheeple]

Add Wurms. Give people the ability to ride them. Add spice.

Enjoy the best setting evar.

Hasn't that been Dune done before though?