[Dark Sun 4E] Is defiling too weak?

[KillianHawkeye]

preserving shouldn't have a cost since it's the default assumed by most casters and unless my memory is failing, it's been that way since 2nd ed.

i don't find that 4th ed defiling is too weak since it should be noted that the biggest defiling was genocidal in nature, which what the sorceror kings used to ascent. most other defiling, the "everyday" defiling if you will, is much lower key in nature.

it should also be noted that the campaign setting does have rules for areas completely ruined by defiling. if your GM deems your defiling effective enough, he can simply rule it's effects permanent on the land. And in a world where fertile land is a boon in itself, permanently killing the land is a great way to get run out of town via spears & torches.

But this is also kind of my point. Defiling ALREADY has massive RP-related drawbacks. So why did they find it necessary to place an hp tax on your entire party? I'd be tempted to just remove the ally damaging effects of arcane defiling, except that I don't want to screw up the Master Defiler PP. Thus, I feel that preserving should be more difficult.



Here are a couple examples illustrating my main problems with the crunch not matching the fluff:

Defiling is easy and intoxicating, but it destroys or damages the life from which a spell draws power.

Defiling has too many drawbacks for too little benefit, nor is it any easier than normal magic. I'm also not seeing the "intoxicating" aspect, unless they mean that it is addicting and they want me to take their word for it.

Preserving is difficult and requires care, and it avoids harming the world around the caster.

The trouble is, preserving according to the rules isn't difficult at all. It doesn't require any skill or take any longer than normal.



The problem comes down to lack of incentive. Defiling, according to the fluff, is very inviting. There's a substantial reason for a mage to take that path. But that incentive is not backed up by the mechanics at all, which causes a huge disconnect in my mind. Furthermore, the common image of an arcanist in the setting is one who defiles (to the point that anyone caught using arcane magic is assumed to be a defiler), whereas according to the game rules the default and assumed position of PCs is to be preservers (a position which is reinforced by the mechanical superiority of preserving). That makes it a double disconnect.

There are two ways that I can see to restore that incentive which exists in the fluff: Either lessen the penalty for defiling, or make preserving more difficult to match its fluffy claims of difficulty. Since I am wary of removing the existing mechanics of defiling (even though that may really be the better idea), I'm leaning more in the direction of applying some kind of penalty to preserving to balance them out. I find it easier to add a rule than to take one out.