Darksun Sorcerer Kings in 5E?

[Tvtyrant]

In traditional Darksun the Sorcerer Kings were epic level characters capable of casting 10th level "psionic infusions" and were effectively max level mages/psions with dragon bodies. However with dragons no longer having spellcasting, and as far as I know no lich template out yet, and no psionics to be seen, I am not sure how they plan to stat them.

They could incorporate the 4th edition approach of giving them a bunch of psionic and wizard sounding abilities to go with their dragon breaths, but that excludes them from casting their old 10th level spells. How do you think they will end up being stated?

[hawklost]

Well, they have implied that Psionics will be in the game, just not immediately, so you can look forward to that being there.

As for dragons, there is nothing forbidding a person from statting it out with Character levels. Most NPCs won't have that, but extremely rare ones might. Or they could just have specific calling saying that they can cast 9th level Spells and 9 level Psionic abilities (when released).

Finally, you could add in a Special Ability to them saying that they can cast (Enter 10th level spells here) without specifying that they are 'epic level'.

So, Give him huge HP, Some Legendary Actions, Special statement saying he can cast those spells as a 20 caster and 20 psion and you have your Sorcerer Kings

[Yorrin]

Well, considering we dont even have the MM yet I think it's a bit early to be speculating. That being said, I'd assume it'll have something along the lines of whatever a lich ends up being in this edition plus a bunch of whatever psionics ends up being in this edition.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Its looks really really easy from a DM perspective to just add spellcasting to a monster. Just do add "Spellcasting" feature and set the level of caster and select some spells. Who cares how that "should" be built.

The real trick will be judging if that also makes the monster too tough but I laugh at the notion that won't be always be a challenge even with the rules.

But you can always softball the tactics and such. Like maybe that dragon just does some basic counterspelling or doesn't like to use it (its a monster not a pc!) and so doesn't use Evard's Hentai to lock you into place while also breath weaponing you. Unless your playing with a bunch of tactical experts you need to pull that kind of stunt on to challenge them.

[DontEatRawHagis]

Currently the leaks point to templates being in the MM.

An example dragon town guard was shown in the forums a few weeks ago.

[Tvtyrant]

Its looks really really easy from a DM perspective to just add spellcasting to a monster. Just do add "Spellcasting" feature and set the level of caster and select some spells. Who cares how that "should" be built.

The real trick will be judging if that also makes the monster too tough but I laugh at the notion that won't be always be a challenge even with the rules.

But you can always softball the tactics and such. Like maybe that dragon just does some basic counterspelling or doesn't like to use it (its a monster not a pc!) and so doesn't use Evard's Hentai to lock you into place while also breath weaponing you. Unless your playing with a bunch of tactical experts you need to pull that kind of stunt on to challenge them.

Yeah but some of them (Dregoth and Nibenay) are thousands of year old super geniuses. Dregoth spent hundreds of years floating around other planes after finding how to leave Darksun so he could discover the secret to godhood, and when the others decided to kill him it took seven of them to kill him (and he was at his most vulnerable.)

Borys of Ebe would probably just try to kill everything around it as fast as possible, as it is insane. Meteor Swarm + Breath Weapon turn 1 kind of deal.

[Shadow]

So, Give him huge HP, Some Legendary Actions, Special statement saying he can cast those spells as a 20 caster and 20 psion and you have your Sorcerer Kings

"cast these spells as a 20th level caster" is a 3.x term.
Anyone with spells in 5e needs spell slots for them to be truly effective, unless it's always cast at the lowest level.

To the OP, Dark Sun wil be supported/featured, as will most, if not all, other official worlds, from what I understand. So if you're patient you'll get what you need. If you need to run it right now, then get to homebrewing/houseruling.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Yeah but some of them (Dregoth and Nibenay) are thousands of year old super geniuses. Dregoth spent hundreds of years floating around other planes after finding how to leave Darksun so he could discover the secret to godhood, and when the others decided to kill him it took seven of them to kill him (and he was at his most vulnerable.)

Borys of Ebe would probably just try to kill everything around it as fast as possible, as it is insane. Meteor Swarm + Breath Weapon turn 1 kind of deal.

So "Action Surge (Recharge 5-6)" for the ability to take two actions every couple of rounds or whatever.

Or maybe you just have no choice but to apply the Lord British Postulate and just have to leave them unstatted plot devices that only die for the campaign focus macguffin or whatever.

I wouldn't count on say Epic Rules anytime soon so you may just have to arbitrarily weaken these guys or run them without stats.

[Theodoxus]

Basically, Soras has the right of it. Borys specifically was so powerful, he was a god. Plus, 'dragon' is an iconic term - the sorcerer kings were by no means turning into chromatic or metallic dragons - only the merest of semblances. To stat them as such does a massive disservice to what Darksun represents.

If your players are dealing with the sorcerer kings, I'd hope at the very least, they're max level and have basically became dynasties in their own right. SKs are the ultimate mcguffin and trifling with one should imperil the impertinent PC.