Random thought: Dune and 5e Darksun

[Moredhel24]

MFoV's W'rnoctur (http://mfov.magehandpress.com/2018/06/wrnoctur.html) and the speculation of next 5e setting to be released got me thinking about doing a Dune campaign using Darksun if it gets released. the worlds of Athas and Arrakis are similar, psionics and prescience abilities (e.g. Mentats, Navigators, etc.) mirror each other,and can use the modern magic ua and Dm's guide section on futuristic campaigns to simulate stuff Phb doesn't cover.

Just thought I'd share and anyone got opinions?

[bobofwestgate]

I really don't see Dark Sun being one of the world's re-released later this year. They said that they are going to release a little information, like they did with Curse of Strahd. Dark Sun is such a departure from the norm with the changes in multiple races, new races, changes in classes, and the addition of psionics. It really needs a full dedicated campaign setting book to cover it all

[Kane0]

Sounds fun, I'd play it.

Wormrider subclass to go with it? Totally usable outside of the setting too, assuming the 'Climb a Creature' DMG variant and big MM critters. Purple Worms would be the obvious endgame.

[JellyPooga]

As an avid fan of Dune, I'm not seeing too many parallels with 5ed. One is a magic heavy fantasy and the other a pretty hard science fiction. With some pretty heavy modification, you could do it, but as a GM I'd have to ban pretty much all spellcasting classes; there's no magic to speak of in the Duneiverse. Not in a D&D sense. I'd probably also use Gritty Realism rest variant; Dune cuts pretty close to realism.

Yeah, it'd be a hard sell for me.

[Moredhel24]

I really don't see Dark Sun being one of the world's re-released later this year. They said that they are going to release a little information, like they did with Curse of Strahd. Dark Sun is such a departure from the norm with the changes in multiple races, new races, changes in classes, and the addition of psionics. It really needs a full dedicated campaign setting book to cover it all

Was also thinking if they released dark sun the way they did Ravenloft via Cos, could adapt published campaign to fit Dune


Sounds fun, I'd play it.

Wormrider subclass to go with it? Totally usable outside of the setting too, assuming the 'Climb a Creature' DMG variant and big MM critters. Purple Worms would be the obvious endgame.

Forgot about the climb creature variant. If i end up doing this in the future, going to hafta dig through the DMG. Probly use the MFoV creature linke in op instead of purple worm. Wormrider would be a ranger conclave i think (beastmaster/cavalier fighter mix?), the ranger reminds me of the fremen. Zealot barbarian also reminds me od muad'dib's loyal, fanatic fremen shocktroops


As an avid fan of Dune, I'm not seeing too many parallels with 5ed. One is a magic heavy fantasy and the other a pretty hard science fiction. With some pretty heavy modification, you could do it, but as a GM I'd have to ban pretty much all spellcasting classes; there's no magic to speak of in the Duneiverse. Not in a D&D sense. I'd probably also use Gritty Realism rest variant; Dune cuts pretty close to realism.

Yeah, it'd be a hard sell for me.

Would have to ban Fullcasters, Paladins, and 1/3rd casters. Spellless ranger would be used. Cleric, Warlock, and Wizard could be used if modern magic ua subclasses are only ones available to represent those allied w/ the Machine Intelligences during the butlerian jihad or set after the events of Chapterhouse of Dune. If/when psionic aka mystic released, use that to represent the prescience abilities. If/when artificer released, can be used for Ixians and the machine intelligences. or could also wait for a futuristic/spelljammer release and combine w/ darksun.

Zealot barbarian also reminds me od muad'dib's loyal, fanatic fremen shocktroops. Monks = honored maitre and the sisterhood. could do cleric and paladin if based on the fanatic religion that sprang up around paul and leto and refluffed as prescience instead of magic.

Magic could be refluffed as tech or prescience.

Do agree it would take work.

[GlenSmash!]

Ban everything but fighters.

Long live the Fighters!!!!!!!!!!!

[SpanielBear]

Player: "DM, do we have Wormsign?"

*DM rolls behind his screen*

*Natural 20*

DM: "Player, we have Wormsign the likes of which..."


I would play this. I would *definitely* play this.

[GlenSmash!]

DM: As you finish your long rest...
Player: The Sleeper has Awakened!!!
DM: *Facepalm*

[JellyPooga]

Player: "DM, do we have Wormsign?"

*DM rolls behind his screen*

*Natural 20*

DM: "Player, we have Wormsign the likes of which..."


I would play this. I would *definitely* play this.

As awesome as a Dune game would be (if nothing else for the awesome quotes that would inevitably occur!), I don't think D&D is the best system for it and 5ed is just a little too...heroic a system for my taste. Something a bit more hard-science like GURPS or even Mongoose Traveller would be my go-to for this, but for a more narrative focus, FATE or even Savage Worlds could work really well. D&D is a great fantasy combat simulator, but the themes in Dune; politics and intrigue, fear, morality and humanity; these are given lip-service at best in D&D.

In a setting where intellect and cunning are the keys to power, I wouldn't use a system which encourages Int as a dump stat...

[Moredhel24]

Lol. That's a typical line from my group, usually me when I'm a player.

Just had a thought on how to handle resurrection especially reincarnation. The process could be growing a ghola from a dna sample of deceased character and then awakening it. Usually this takes years to grow and awaken the ghola but process can be accelerated but can have negative side effects such as the shortened life span of Tleilaxu Master gholas or memory gaps in the case of Master Waff's last ghola.