Enkidu's Dark Sun Player's Guide for 5th Edition D&D

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<div class='cover-footer'>Player's Rule Book for 5th edition Dark Sun by Enkidu V.1.2</div>

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### 
# Contents
###

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- ### [<span>3</span><span>Introduction</span>](#Introduction)
- ### [<span>6</span><span>A World Of Psionics</span>](#Psionics)
- ### [<span>7</span><span>Character Creation</span>](#PART-1)
- ### [<span>8</span><span>Races</span>](#PART-2)<br>
-  [<span>9</span><span>Overview of Races</span>](#Overview)
-  [<span>10</span><span>Aarakocra</span>](#Aarakocra)
-  [<span>11</span><span>Dwarf</span>](#Dwarf)
-   [<span>13</span><span>Dray</span>](#Dray)
-  [<span>15</span><span>Elf</span>](#Elf)
-  [<span>17</span><span>Half-elf</span>](#Half-elf)
-  [<span>19</span><span>Half-giant</span>](#Half-Giant)
-  [<span>21</span><span>Halfling</span>](#Halfling)
-  [<span>23</span><span>Human</span>](#Human)
-  [<span>25</span><span>Mul</span>](#Mul)
-  [<span>27</span><span>Pterran</span>](#Pterran)
-  [<span>29</span><span>Thri-kreen</span>](#Thri-kreen)
-  [<span>31</span><span>Ukoven</span>](#Ukoven)
- ### [<span>33</span><span>Character Classes</span>](#Part-3)<br>
- [<span>34</span><span>Prohibited Classes</span>](#Prohibited-Classes)
- [<span>35</span><span>Barbarian</span>](#Barbarian)
- [<span>36</span><span>Cleric</span>](#Cleric) 
- [<span>42</span><span>Druid</span>](#Druid)
- [<span>45</span><span>Fighter</span>](#Fighter)
- [<span>46</span><span>Monk</span>](#Monk)
- [<span>47</span><span>Psion</span>](#Psion) 
- [<span>48</span><span>Ranger</span>](#Ranger)
- [<span>49</span><span>Rogue</span>](#Rogue)
- [<span>50</span><span>Warlock</span>](#Warlock)
- [<span>51</span><span>Wizard</span>](#Wizard) 
- [<span>52</span><span>Defiling rules</span>](#Defilers-of-Athas)
 - ### [<span>55</span><span>Wild Talents</span>](#Part-4)
 - ### [<span>57</span><span>Personality and Background</span>](#Part-5)
 - ### [<span>62</span><span>Equipment</span>](#Part-6)<br>
  - [<span>62</span><span>Currency</span>](#Part-6)
  - [<span>62</span><span>Weapon materials</span>](#Part-6) 
  - [<span>62</span><span>Breaking weapons</span>](#Part-6)
  - [<span>63</span><span>Weapons and Armor</span>](#Weapons-and-armor)
  - [<span>64</span><span>Athas new weapons</span>](#####New-weapons)
  - [<span>66</span><span>Athas armors</span>](#####New-armors)
  - [<span>68</span><span>Adventuring gear</span>](###Adventuring-gear)
  - [<span>69</span><span>Athas poisons</span>](####Poisons-of-athas)
  - ### [<span>72</span><span>Magic</span>](#Part-7)
  - ### [<span>75</span><span>Survival</span>](#Part-8)
  - ### [<span>76</span><span>Optional Rules</span>](#Part-9)<br>
  - [<span>76</span><span>Weapon and combat options</span>](###Weapon-options)
  - [<span>77</span><span>Exhaustion</span>](###Exhaustion)
  - [<span>77</span><span>Resting</span>](###Resting)
  - [<span>77</span><span>Tougher Resurrection</span>](###Tougher-resurrection) 
- ### [<span>78</span><span>Monsters of Athas</span>](#Part-10)
- ### [<span>85</span><span>Citations</span>](#Part-11)

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# Introduction

> ##### Athas
> *“I live in a world of fire and sand. The crimson sun scorches
the life from anything that crawls or flies, and storms of
sand scour the foliage from the barren ground. This is a
land of blood and dust, where tribes of feral elves sweep out
of the salt plains to plunder lonely caravans, mysterious
singing winds call travelers to slow suffocation in the Sea of
Silt, and selfish kings squander their subjects’ lives building
gaudy palaces and garish tombs. This bleak wasteland is
Athas, and it is my home.”*
—**The Wanderer’s Journal**

Beneath a crimson sun lie wastelands of majestic desolation and cities of cruel splendor, where sandal clad heroes battle ancient sorcery and terrible monsters. This is Athas, the world of the DARK SUN campaign setting, a dying planet of savagery and desolation. Life hangs by a thread in this barren land, it is unforgiving to the weak, and now it is up to you to write your own story in blood and glory.

## Eight Characteristics of Athas

### 1. The world is a desert

From the first moments of dawn until the last twinkling of dusk, the crimson sun shimmers in the olive-tinged sky like a fiery puddle of blood. It climbs toward its zenith and the temperature rises relentlessly: 37 Celsius (98 Fahrenheit) by midmorning, 43C (109F) at noon, 54C (129F) - sometimes even 65C (149F) - by late afternoon. A man cannot drink fast enough to replenish the fluids he loses. As the days drag on, he feels sick and feeble. If he does not have enough water, he grows too weak to move. His mouth becomes dry and bitter, his lips, tongue, and throat grow swollen. Before long, his blood is thick and gummy. His heart must work hard to circulate it. Finally his system overheats, leaving him dead and alone in the sands.

There are no rivers or lakes and pockets of civilization are concentrated in isolated oases where water is more precious than life. But, this is not all a wasteland. Under the sands lie ancient ruins, testament to a time before the desert, and the city-states are a wonder in and of themselves.

### 2. The world is savage

Life on Athas is brutal and short. Bloodthirsty raiders, greedy slavers, and hordes of merciless savages overrun the deserts and wastelands. The cities are not much safer; each choke in the grip of an immortal tyrant. Slavery is widespread on Athas, and many unfortunates spend their lives in chains,

Toiling for brutal taskmasters. Every year, hundreds of slaves, perhaps thousands, are sent to their deaths in bloody arena spectacles. Charity, compassion, kindness—these qualities exist, but they are rare and precious blooms. Only a fool hopes for such riches.

### 3. Metal is scarce

Most weapons and armor are made of bone, stone, wood, and similar materials. Mail or plate armor exists only in the treasuries of the sorcerer-kings. Steel blades
are nearly priceless; many heroes never see such weapons during their lifetimes.

### 4. Arcane magic defiles the world

Reckless use of arcane magic during ancient wars reduced Athas to a wasteland. To cast an arcane spell, a magic user siphons power from the living world. Nearby plants wither to ash, crippling pain wracks animals and people, and the soil is permanently sterilized. It is possible to cast spells with care, avoiding any more damage to the world, but defiling is easier and faster than preserving. As a result, wizards are reviled and persecuted across Athas regardless of whether they preserve or defile. Only the most powerful spellcasters can use their arcane abilities without fear of reprisal.

### 5. Sorcerer kings rule the cities

Terrible defilers of immense power rule all the city-states. These mighty spellcasters have held their thrones for centuries; no one alive remembers a time before the sorcerer-kings. Some claim to be gods, and some profess to serve gods. Some are brutal oppressors, while others are subtle in their tyranny. The sorcerer kings govern through priesthoods or bureaucracies of greedy, ambitious templars, who channel their power. In all appearances, they are gods of this world.

### 6. The gods are silent

Athas is a world without deities. No clerics, no paladins, and no prophets live here. Religious orders are dedicated to sorcerer-kings who claim godhood. Old
shrines and crumbling temples lie amid ancient ruins, testimony to a time when unknown agents spoke to the people of Athas. Those who lay claim to clerical powers do so through worship of the elements: the sun, the sand, the storm, and the rarest of all, water.

### 7. Fierce monsters roam the world

The desert planet has its own deadly ecology. Many creatures that are familiar sights on milder worlds have long since died out or never existed on Athas. The world has no cattle, swine, or horses; instead, people tend flocks of erdlus, ride on kanks or crodlus, and draw wagons with inixes and mekillots. Wild creatures such as lions, bears, and wolves are almost nonexistent. In their place are terrors such as the id fiend, the baazrag, and the tembo. Perhaps the harsh environment of Athas breeds creatures tough and vicious enough to survive it, or maybe the touch of ancient sorcery poisoned the wellsprings of life and inflicted monster after monster on the dying world. Either way, the deserts are perilous, and only a fool or a lunatic travels them alone.

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### 8. Familiar races and classes aren't what you expect

Typical fantasy stereotypes don't apply to Athasian heroes. In many fantasy settings, elves are wise, benevolent forest-dwellers who guard their homelands from intrusions of evil. On Athas, elves are nomadic herders, raiders, peddlers, and thieves. Halflings aren't amiable river-folk; they're xenophobic headhunters and cannibals who hunt and kill trespassers in their mountain forests. New races thrive here: the monstrous half-giant, the insectoid thri-kreen, the half-breed mul. There are no paladins, bards serve as assassins, and the mental force of psions can be found even amongst the lowliest beggar and slave.

<br>

> ##### The Call
> *“Athas is an endless wasteland, yet it has a majestic and stark beauty. When first light casts its emerald hues over the Sea of Silt, or when sunset spreads its orange flame over the Mekillot Mountains, the world’s feral beauty stirs the untamed heart in each of us. It is a call to take up spear and dagger, to flee the cities, to go and see what lurks out in
the barrenness.”* - **The Wanderer’s Journal**

##### Player Tip
 The DARK SUN setting isn't a place for your typical bearded dwarf with a love of beer and gems, cherubic halfling, or charging knights and gnome wizards. In this setting, some races don't exist, and the dwarf might instead be a hairless devotee to the sun, the halfling a stealthy cannibalistic hunter, and any wizard likely hides her spellcasting lest a mob hang her for defiling what precious life clings to the earth. Half-giants and thri-kreen are part of the dominant races, and the scarcity of metal leads crafters to creative uses of alternative materials and an entirely different economy. This book expands your usual options and will help you and your friends create characters uniquely invested in this world.
 
 Athas waits to challenge you. Whether you are a mul gladiator, competing for the cheers of thousands, or the elven trickster selling contraband goods as part of your cover for the Veiled Alliance, or a thri-kreen hunter enthralled by the irregular behaviors of humanoids, you will face the same basic question: are you here simply to survive, or do you dare to do more?
 
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# A world of Psionics

Most worlds have two supernatural talents, Arcane and Divine magic, but the world of Dark Sun has a third: Psionics, the power of the
mind.

<br>

Psionics isn’t magic. It doesn’t use power provided by an outside agent or pulled from an external source. Instead, psionics draws upon the user’s own inner resources to produce extraordinary effects.

<br>

Psionics is one of the cornerstones of Athasian life and society. Most living things possess some ability to use psionics, and all have developed at least minimal defenses against it. Almost every human, demihuman, and humanoid in the world is at least a wild talent, and even plants and animals have developed psionic disciplines to help them survive the brutal wilderness. In civilized regions, psionics has become a tool for advancement and political survival.

<br>

A few have advanced beyond the natural talents they were born with to become full-fledged psionicists. These people study and practice, honing their psionic abilities to great heights. A psionicist works to perfect mind, body, and spirit into a unified, powerful whole. With an internal (or psionic) strength that comes from deep inside (from a place referred to as “the nexus”), a psionicist gives form and purpose to his will.

<br>

Athasians call innate psionic ability “the Will”, though psionicists also refer to their reserve of mental strength with this term. Wild talents have the Will, but rarely can they move beyond the single ability nature has provided them. The study of psionics and the refinement of psionic ability is called “the Way.” While the Will makes the use of psionics possible, only through the Way can a person truly master the powers of his mind.

<br>

Unlike wizardly magic, psionics is an accepted part of life on Athas. Wild talents and psionicists aren’t feared. Instead, a community’s psionic members are valued as vital assets and encouraged to improve. In many ways, psionics has become the edge needed to compete and survive in this unforgiving and dangerous world. Some even believe that psionics can be used to compensate for the deterioration of Athas’s vital resources, but this has yet to be proven in any significant manner.

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## Examples of Psionics

While the Psion class (detailed later in this document) displays the typical psionicist, the Way can be used to augment ones self in different ways:

### Barbarian

While the barbarians rage typically interferes with Psionics in a similar fashion to forms of magic casting, certain individuals with latent ability can force it out during these times of great emotional stress.

The Path of Wild Magic archetype doesn't exist on Athas in an arcane form,  but exists as a form of latent Psionics.

### Fighter and Rogue

While both the Fighter and Rogue classes have the Psi Knight and Soulknife archetypes respectfully, the traditionally arcane Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster archetypes can be reflavored since Psionics can sometimes recreate the effects of arcane spellcasting. (This is also detailed later in this document).

### Monk

The Monk class is typically viewed as a priestly class, beings whose monastery and/or teachers use the guiding principles of the gods to help train their students. However, the Way can equally be used strength mind, body and spirit.

While Athas has no gods, various elemental forces still grant clerics divine magic and can be used to explain some Monk disciplines ( Way of the Sun Soul for example). Meanwhile, certain disciplines can be easily explained with Psionics such as the Way of the Astral Self that can manifest the Way and your inner self into a physical form or Way of the Four Elements that can access all elemental planes at once.

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# PART 1
##### Character Creation

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 ##### 1. Choose a race
This guide provides the racial traits and roleplay aspects of the twelve available races: aarakocra, dwarf, dray, elf, half-elf, half-giant, halfling, human, villichi, mul, pterran, thri-kreen and ukoven.

</div>

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ##### 2. Choose a class
The traditional classes and archetypes may have been modified or do not exist. This Guide lists any changes to each class. The classes of Athas are: barbarian, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, psion (new), ranger, rogue, warlock, and wizard. The Artificier, Paladin and Bard do not exist. Sorcerer doesn't exist except for the Aberrant Mind subclass which acts as the Psion class.

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<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ##### 3. Determine ability scores
Standard array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8), or point-cost variant (PHB 13) if permitted. Alternatively, you may roll for ability scores by rolling 4d4+4 or another method with DM permission.
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<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ##### 4. Describe your character
* Determine if your DM allows evil alignments.
* Literacy is banned in cities, so consult the DM when choosing a background as to whether your social class enables your character to read and write. 
* Be descriptive! A character is more than numbers. Come up with personality traits and use the Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws to assist with creating a unique character that will evolve and grow as the campaign grows.
* Consider finding Dark Sun-themed art for your character. The art of the original setting provided enhancement to the setting.

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##### 5. Choose equipment
Consult this Guide's Equipment section in Part 6 for purchases, currency, and changes in material. Because of the rarity of metal and water, the economy and gear of Athas has developed quite differently from other settings. For example, the primary currency is a "ceramic piece (cp)," not a gold piece, which is far more valuable on Athas.

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<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ##### 6. Assign Wild Talent
Psionics are common on Athas, though few consciously master the "Will and the Way." Player characters may opt to have a Wild Talent. For the people of Athas, psionics are special because it’s the one source of extraordinary power that does not make them beholden to someone or something else. Templars need a sorcerer king. Clerics must pray to the elements. Wizards leech life from plants. Soldiers need someone to make and maintain armaments. Consult the Wild Talent section in Part 4 to determine your Wild talent.

</div>

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ##### 7. Come Together
Most campaigns begin with a unifying starting hook or story. The DM is encouraged to run a Session 0: Prologue, in which players should bring a character concept to the table and utilize that session to finish making characters as a group. The group is encouraged to roleplay how they arrived at their current situation with one another, and work together in developing a narrative that may affect your choice of assigning scores, features, and background to your character.
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<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ##### 8. Optional Rules
 
The DM should notify players in advance which optional rules will be in use and which supplements are permitted beyond this Guide. Part 9 contains a section for homebrew, optional rules, but these are also not necessary to enjoy the Dark Sun world.
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# PART 2
##### Races of Athas

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# Races

The Races of Athas come in many shapes and sizes, most very different then other campaign settings. Certain races are extremely rare to non-existent in certain regions.

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Your DM may determine that some are unavailable as player races depending on the type of campaign they wish to run.

##### Races of Athas
| Races | Description |
|:---:|:---:|
|  Aarakocra  | A race of avian humanoids living high in the mountains. Rarely found in the tablelands. |
|  Dray  | A secluded race living in underground cities, few outside have ever seen or heard of these draconic beings.|
|  Dwarf  | Short, stocky and hairless humanoids whose unbending and unrelenting focus drive them forward. Uncommon in the city-states but present in many outside villages.|
|  Elf  | Lanky and long-limbed, elf lives revolve around running and their tribes. Traders, thieves, nomads, elves can be found throughout the tablelands.|
|  Half-Elf  | Untrusted and unloved by either humans or elves, members of this crossbreed race learn to be very self-reliant. Not as rare as muls, they can be found throughout the tablelands |
|  Half-Giant  | The result of ancient magically crossbreeding of humans and giants, these large lumbering folk are mainly found in the various city-states as either guards, gladiators or laborers.|
|  Human  | The most common race throughout the tablelands with perhaps the most physical  variations among humanoids.|
|  Halfling  | Xenophobic cannibals living in the last forests of athas. Outside of these homes, they are rarely seen in the city-states but can sometimes be found out in the desert villages of the tablelands.|
|  Mul  | Crossbreed of human and dwarf. They are bred for slavery and the gladitor pits. Due to being sterile, the race has generally low numbers and is rare to find outside slave pits. |
|  Pterran  | A reptilian people with strong spiritual beliefs. They are dedicated to the land and their chosen paths in life. Common in the northern hinterlands but mostly unheard off in the tablelands.|
|  Thri-Kreen  | Multi-limbed insect-like hunters. Thri-kreen tribes are nomadic and rarely enter the city-states. |
|  Ukoven | Cloistered half-elemental beings believed by many to be mere myths. While the types of the four elements are present, water ukoven are the most rare and revered.|
|  Villichi  | A rare sub-race of humans with powerful innate psionic powers. |

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# Aarakocra

*“You are all slaves. You all suffer from the tyranny of the ground. Only in the company of clouds will you find the true meaning of freedom.”* ― Kekko Cloud‐Brother, aarakocra cleric

Aarakocra are the most commonly encountered bird– people of the Tablelands. Some are from Winter Nest in the White Mountains near Kurn, while others are from smaller tribes scattered in the Ringing Mountains and elsewhere.

These freedom‐loving creatures rarely leave their homes high in the mountains, but sometimes, either as young wanderers or cautious adventurers, they venture into the inhabited regions of the Tablelands.

### Wings Free in the Open Air

The intelligent bird-people called aarakocra live in small tribes in the rocky badlands and mountains of Athas. In most cases, these uncivilized aarakocra have little impact on the world around them. One group of bird-people, however, has an advanced society in the White Mountains north of the Tyr Region. Here, nestled in the snowcovered peaks, is the large village called Winter Nest. Winter Nest’s aarakocra (who call themselves “the silvaarak,” or “people of the silver wing”) average about 7 feet tall. Males weigh 100 pounds, females 85. They have gray beaks, black eyes, and plumage that ranges from purest white to silver to shades of light blue.

### Aarakocran Society

Silvaarak tend to stay among the mountain peaks. They believe themselves superior to all other creatures because of their ability to fly above the world.

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Those who visit the mountains or the forest around them must be careful not to abuse the gifts of nature found there, for the aarakocra see it as their obligation to protect the region. Winter Nest maintains trade relations with the city-states of Draj and Kurn, but are on hostile terms with the bandit states of the Barrier Wastes and the city of Eldaarich. In fact, Eldaarich regularly sends out slavers to capture any aarakocra they can find.

The aarakocra of the White Mountains are rarely found in the Tyr Region, although many of the young bird-people have begun to explore the world beyond their mountain sanctuary. These adventurous silvaarak believe that the time has come for Winter Nest to take part in the affairs of the world. What impact the silvaarak will have on Athas now that a significant portion of their community has abandoned their isolationist ways has yet to be seen.

### Aarakocra Names

An aarakocra of either gender may have one of these short names: Aera, Aial, Aur, Deekek, Errk, Heehk, Ikki, Kleeck, Oorr, Ouss, Quaf, Quierk, Salleek, Urreek, or Zeed.

### Aarakocra Traits
As an aarakocra, you have the following racial traits.

**Ability Score Increase.**
Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

**Age.**
Aarakocra reach maturity by age 3. Compared to humans, aarakocra don’t usually live longer than 30 years.

**Alignment.**
Aarakocra tend towards neutrality with regard to law or chaos. With respect to good and evil, Aarakocran tribes usually follow the alignment of their leader. A tribe whose leader is neutral good will contain lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good and neutral members, with most members being neutral good. Aarakocra, even good ones, rarely help out strangers.

**Size.**
Aarakocra are about 5 feet tall. They have thin, lightweight bodies that weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.**
Your walking speed is 30 feet.

**Flight.**
Because of your wings, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can’t use this flying speed if you're wearing medium or heavy armor.

**Talons.**
You have talons that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

**Wind Caller.**
Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the *gust of wind* spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast the spell with this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell when cast using this feature.

**Languages.**
You can speak Common and Aarakocra. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background.

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# Dwarf

*“The worst thing you can say to a dwarf is ‘It can’t be done.’ If he’s already decided to do it, he may never speak to you again. If he hasn’t decided to take up the task, he may commit himself to it simply out of spite. ‘Impossible’ is not a concept most dwarves understand. Anything can be done, with enough determination.”* - Sha’len, Nibenese trader

On Athas, dwarves are not subterranean miners but rather, a long-lived, slowly dying race known for their relentless focus on a task to the single exclusion of all others. A dwarf’s chief love is toil, and one is never happier when tasked with a cause he can approach with a stoic, single-mindedness for weeks, months, years, or even decades. Once his mind is committed to a task, it is near impossible to sway him away from it as he will fail to listen to reason. Dwarves live for their focus, for those who die unable to complete a focus return from the dead to haunt their unfinished work. A dwarf rarely divulges his focus to anyone.

### Short and Stout

Short and powerful, dwarves stand between 4 ½ and 5 feet tall. Their frames are massive and an average dwarf weighs in the vicinity of 200 pounds. Life in the Athasian wastes makes them rugged, tanned, and callused. Dwarves are hairless and find the very idea of it repulsive.

### The Focus

A dwarf’s relation is often a function of his focus. Those who help him are respected, sensible companions. Those who hinder him are obstacles that must be removed. There is very little room for compromise in a dwarven mind.

> ##### Focus
> Focus is the central point of your existence, and no simple job will suffice. Work with your DM to come up with a starting focus and a new one if completed. None should be easy to complete and should take at least 1 week or longer to finish to be worthwhile.

*For example, Grelak, protector of his village, makes the retrieval of a sacred book stolen by raiders his focus. After a week of gathering clues, he sets out to liberate the artifact from its current owner in a trading post weeks away. On the way there, he gains the benefit of his dwarven focus for anything that would slow him because he is trying to reach the book. Later, he stops in Nibenay to rest and gets in a brawl. He doesn’t receive any bonuses because he isn’t actively pursuing his focus.*

### Dwarven Society

Dwarves are close-knit, formed around clans and focused on family. Ties of blood are honored above all but the focus. Family honor or dishonor is passed down to generations. A community is led by the *Urhnomous* (over-leader), and each clan by an *uhrnius* (leader). There are 3 main dwarven settlements in the Tablelands: Kled, near Tyr, and the twin villages of North and South Ledopolus on the southwestern edge. Dwarven oral tradition shares that they were once a mighty people living in vast cities, and many of these ancient ruins are still out there, buried and forgotten.

### Dwarf Names

Names are granted by the clan leader, the *uhrnius*, after completing one's first focus. Dwarves do not have a surname and like many on Athas prefer just one name, using a town (Drog of Kled) if distinction is needed.

**Male Names:** Baranus, Biirgaz, Bontar, Brul, Caelum, Caro, Daled, Drog, Fyra, Ghedran, Gralth, Gram, Jurgan, Lyanius, Murd, Nati, Portek, Rkard, Sa’ram, Sult, Veso.

**Female Names:** Ardin, Erda, Ghava, Greshin, Gudak, Lazra, N’kadir, Palashi, Vashara.

### Dwarf traits

Dwarves are nonmagical by nature and abhor arcane casters, while a Dwarf wizard is rare, it isn't impossible. Their priests lean towards steady earth and tend to avoid chaotic air, and they take to psionics with a vengeance. Dwarves leave villages at times to further a focus and to search for ancient dwarven ruins. They are highly prized as mercenaries because once contracted, their loyalty will never change.

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**Ability Score Increase.** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and you choose to increase your Strength or Wisdom by 1.

**Age.** Dwarves mature around age 35 and live up to 250 years, though the dangers of Athas often claim them well before this time.

**Alignment.** Dwarves tend lawful and good to neutral. Their devotion to an established hierarchy in villages means they tend to follow rules even to the point of ridicule.

**Size.** A typical dwarf stands about 4 ½ to 5 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 25 feet. You are not slowed by wearing heavy armor.

**Darkvision.** Despite living aboveground, your heritage allows you to see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if in bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Dwarven Combat Training.** You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.

**Dwarven Resilience**. You have Advantage on poison saves and resistance to poison damage.

**Dwarven Focus.** You set yourself to a task, and define it as your focus. You have number of focus dice equal to your proficiency bonus, which are d8s. Once per turn, whenever you roll damage for a non-spell effect, make an ability check, saving throw or an attack roll, you can expend and roll one of your focus dice and add to result to the roll. You can only use this feature if the roll would help further you into completing your focus. You regain all of your expended focus dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Your focus cannot be just any task, it must be a feat requiring at least a week to complete. You cannot choose a new focus until you have fulfilled your last one.
Dwarves commitment to this task is so strong, that if they die before completing it, there is a good chance that they will return as banshees in the wastes after 2d4 days, haunting their unfinished works. Discuss with your DM if the task is appropriate to be your focus.

**Languages.** You can speak Common and Dwarvish. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background. Dwarves keep a long and proud oral history, and they have an old written language mostly used for writing history that they will never share to outsiders. Their native language is deep and throaty, full of guttural sounds and harsh exclamations that cause most non-dwarves to get raw throats if spoken for long.

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> ##### Roleplaying a Dwarf
> Remember the intensity of your focus. Breaking it has social, philosophical, and spiritual repercussions. If you die before completion, your spirit will return as a banshee and you will have shamed your clan for generations to come. For someone to intentionally stand in the way of your focus is an assault on you. Your greatest satisfaction is completing the focus. Keep a serious attitude always. The only time you show your festive side (you have one) is when you have recently fulfilled a focus or between setting a new one. At this time, your full joy and humor show, but you are vulnerable in some ways because you are lost in purpose.

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# Dray
<!---

<img src='https://1d4chan.org/images/0/0c/Dray.jpg' style='position:absolute; top:100px; left:60px; width:350px;' >
,

--->

Dray are tall, lean draconic beings with scaly skin, hairless bodies, and clawed limbs. They have no wings, though they do have tails. Created from the once human citizens of the isolated underground city of Giustenal, the Dray have little to no concept of what is happening on the surface world aside from ancient legends told by their immortal rulers.

### The First Generation

The first generation dray were banished from Dregoth’s domain long ago. They currently inhabit the ruins of Kragmorta, struggling to survive and make a home in the fiery cavern. They are ruled by a Clan Father named Mosak, who does his best to keep the clan together. The first generation dray still worship Dregoth as their god, but they also hate the undead dragon king for rejecting them. While most of their training and education comes from clan elders, the High Priest Absalom sometimes visits Kragmorta to teach and of Dregoth

### The Second Generation

The second generation dray live in New Giustenal. In the city of dragon bones, most of these dray live contented
lives. The templars protect them and see to their spiritual needs, so they are free to work and raise families. All second generation dray are expected to battle in Dregoth’s army on the Day of Light that is to come, but until then only the templars work to perfect their military skills. Everyone else lives in varying degrees of comfort.

The second generation looks down upon the first, feeling superior to the earlier dray. They are the chosen of Dregoth, and the first generation deserves nothing but First generation dray, on the other hand, consider themselves better than the dray who replaced them. They do not hate the later dray, but they do not trust them either. Someday the first generation dray hope to be taken back into the fold. It is a day they pray for.

### Distrust of the Other

All dray distrust surface dwellers, though the second generation have been taught to also hate them. Demihumans, Dregoth has proclaimed, are to be scorned and killed, while humans are to be pitied until they can be transformed into dray themselves.

The dray of Kragmorta have members of most classes but they have no wizards and do not even understand the concept of such magic. The dray of New Giustenal can be of all classes, including wizards though there are no dedicated preservers. The most powerful group of templars is the kalin riders.

### The Kalin Riders

Dregoth’s most elite troops are the kalin riders. These mid-level templars ride the ferocious kalin. predatory insects discovered in the under-region of the Dread King. For now, the kalin riders patrol the ceilings of New Giustenal looking for trouble in the streets below. Most citizens hate these troops because of the viciousness of the mounts. Kalin have been know to rip the arm off a passing dray for no particular reason, and even their riders often have trouble controlling the kalin bloodlust.

### Dray traits

Your draconic heritage manifests in a variety of traits you share with other dray:

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 1.

**Age.**
Dray have lifespans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

**Alignment.** Those of the first generation tend towards chaos as they live hard, struggling lives in the fiery caverns near Guistenal. Those of teh second generation by contrast tend towards law because of the relative safety of the hidden city-state and the leadership of Dregoth.

**Size.**
Dray are taller and heavier than humans, standing well over 6 feet tall and averaging almost 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.**
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Claws.** You grow retractable claws from the tips of your fingers. Extending or retracting the claws requires no action. The claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the normal bludgeoning damage for an unarmed strike.

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**Darkvision**
You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Fire Resistance.** You have resistance to fire damage.

**Languages.** You can speak Common and Guistenal. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background.

**Subraces.** From both the circumstances of their creation and the environment each as lived in have cause the first and second generations of dray to develop unique traits:

### The First Generation

These are the descendants of the first humans transformed into draconic forms. Unlike their later cousins, those of the first generation have bodies are mostly hunched over with jagged claws and mottled, uneven scales. They live nearly feral in the tunnels of Giustenal.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Charisma score increases by 1.

**Breath Weapon**
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with an exhalation of burning energy in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, the creature takes 1d10 fire damage. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).

You can use your Breath Weapon a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

**Fire Warding.**
Starting at 5th level, as an action, you can channel your draconic energy to protect yourself. For 1 minute, you become immune to fire damage. Once you use this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

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### The Second Generation

Those descendant from the second generation are lean, tall and powerfully built. Told since the day they were born that they are the supreme mortal race on Athas. To them Humans are unfortunate souls who need to be brought in and transformed, whether they want to or not, and any non-humans are to be killed on sight.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

**Breath Weapon.**
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with an exhalation of burning energy in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, the creature takes 1d10 fire damage. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).

You can use your Breath Weapon a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

**Exalting Breath Weapon.**
At 5th level, you gain a second breath weapon. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with an exhalation in a 15-foot cone. The save DC for this breath is 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. Whenever you use this trait, choose one:

**Enervating Breath.** Each creature in the cone must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become incapacitated until the start of your next turn.

**Repulsion Breath.** Each creature in the cone must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 20 feet away from you and be knocked prone.

Once you use your Exalting Breath Weapon, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

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# Elf

*"Honor? The word does not exist in the elven language.”* – Tharak, human guard

*“Better to die with a spear in your hands than to live with shackles around your wrist.”* – Elven adage

Athas’ wilderness is home to the long-limbed elves, a race of traders, herders, and fast moving raiders. Running is the key to acceptance and respect amongst them. Elves who are injured and cannot run are often left behind to die. Most rarely stay in one place for long, both physically and emotionally, and this is seen as a sign of strength in their people - an absolute freedom.

Elf culture, while savage, is also rich and diverse. They have turned celebrating into an art form, and elf song and dance is captivating and seductive to non-elves. Elven war parties are greatly feared in the deserts, for they are a deadly force of endurance and maneuverability.

Others see elves as dishonest and lazy; generally, a fair assessment. Elves idle for days until compelled to exert themselves, but they can run for days without complaint. No self-respecting elf will ride an animal unless many supplies need to be brought along too, otherwise it is a severe dishonor to do so. Custom dictates those who cannot keep up are left behind, and this includes the pregnant and the elderly. Elves prefer to live short, happy lives rather than long, boring ones. Unlike traditional settings, Athasian elves rarely live past 140 years. Seeing the future as a dark, deadly place, they prefer to live in the “here and now.” They thrive in open spaces and tend to wither in captivity, making them poor choices on the slave block.

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### Long and Lean

Elves are long-limbed sprinters who stand between 6 ½ and 7 ½ feet tall with slender yet muscular builds, averaging 175 pounds. They have deeply etched features with rugged skin as varied as the other races of Athas. They grow no facial hair but the locks atop their heads comes in from lightest blond to darkest black. They dress in garb designed to protect them from the elements.

### Trust is for fools

Elves keep to their own tribe – there is no racial unity - and the rare friend, unless there’s an angle to be gained. Strangers are potential enemies waiting to take advantage of an elf, so they look to get the advantage first. If a companion shows promise, the elf devises a series of “tests” of trust that allows them to prove their friendship is “stronger than the bonds of death,” as elves say. Once gained, one is forever a friend, but if that trust is betrayed, it is gone forever. In the tribe, elves are all equals, except the Chief. The Chief is elected and rules for life, making all major decisions for the tribe, and elves are expected to tithe a choice piece of loot. Holding out suggests a lack of loyalty to the tribe. Their natural enemy are the thri-kreen who view them as a delicacy.

> ##### The Run
> Those who cannot keep up die, and freedom in all matters is life. Most elves don't lie, cheat, or steal out of malice. They see an opportunity and the gullible can't keep up. In their culture, an elf is rewarded for being faster, both in wit and running. If you stop running, if you settle down, you wither.

### Home is where you run

Elves are nomads by nature, though they maintain semi-permanent settlements in the wilderness. Their ability to cover vast distances makes them master raiders, and they consider anywhere their legs can take them as their territory to take from as they see fit.

Elves may flippantly adventure for wanderlust, but those who persist often do so for a desire for profit, glory, revenge, or loyalty. They like to boast about their accomplishments, weaving these into song. Elves often take keepsakes from memorable raids and sew these into their cloaks. Elves are pleased by flaunting a stolen item before an owner. Elven custom dictates the victim congratulate the thief on his possession of such an attractive item (those who don’t are poor sports).

Unlike most other races, elves have no issue with defiling magic and arcane practice.

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### Elf Names

Naming of young runners is a sacred responsibility, given after the first interesting thing the child does while learning to run. With the right name, an elf child can grow to greatness, but the wrong name may cause one to vanish in the wastes. A child’s name can be changed because of an extraordinary deed performed during the rite of passage. Elves take the surname of their tribe.

**Male Names:** Botuu (Water Runner), Coraanu (First Elf, the Warrior Thief), Dukkoti (Wind Fighter), Haaku (Two Daggers), Lobuu (First Runner), Mutami (Laughs at Sun), Nuuko (Sky Hunter), Traako (Metal Stealer).

**Female Names:** Alaa (Bird Chaser), Ekee (Wild Dancer), Guuta (Singing Sword), Hukaa (Fire Leaper), Ittee (Dancing Bow), Nuuta (Quiet Hunter), Utaa (Laughing Moon)

**Tribe (Clan) Names:** Clearwater Tribe (Fireshaper, Graffyon, Graystar, Lightning, Onyx, Sandrunner, Seafoam, Silverleaf, Songweaver, Steeljaw, Wavedivers, Windriders clans); Night Runner Tribe (Dark Moons, Full Moons, Half Moons, Lone Moons, New Moons, Quarter Moons clans); Shadow Tribe; Silt Stalker Tribe (Fire Bow, Fire Dagger, Fire Sword clans); Silver Hand Tribe; Sky Singer Tribe (Dawnchaser, Dayjumper, Twilightcatcher clans); Swiftwing Tribe; Water Hunter Tribe (Raindancer, Poolrunner, Lakesinger clans); Wind Dancer Tribe (Airhunter, Breezechaser clans)

### Elf traits

Elves tend to any profession and trade that let's them act freely. This makes them poor students of the rigorous study of psionics, and rarely does anything but Air draw them to clerical study.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and you choose to increase your Intelligence or Charisma by 1.

**Age.** Elves reach physical maturity at the same rate as humans but must pass the tribe’s rites of initiation before being recognized as adults, typically around 20. Elves can live to 140 years.

**Alignment.** Elves tend chaotic because of their love of freedom, variety and self-expression. They tend neutrality, though they tend good (self-sacrifice) when the tribe is concerned. Although they will steal everything in sight, they are not murderous and avoid unnecessary violence.

**Size.** A typical elf stands about 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 feet tall and around 175 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

**Elf Weapon Training.** You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.

**Burst of Speed.** Your heritage allows you to move in sprints. When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.

**Extreme Acclimation.** You are conditioned to the extreme weather of the wastelands and have advantage on all saves against extreme heat and cold.

**Keen Senses.** You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

**Elf Run.** You add your Constitution score to the number of miles you can travel in a day. You have advantage on forced march saves.

**Languages.** You can speak Common and Elvish. Each tribe has a distinct dialect. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background. The language is filled with short, clipped words, run with a rapid staccato pace difficult for others to pick up. They disdain the slow, tedious languages of others but condescend to learn Common. Elves that learn other tongues hide it to gain advantage.

> ##### Roleplaying an Elf
> Rely on guerilla combat skills – distance, maneuverability and speed. The elven philosophy is never to stand up in a fair fight, and running is prized, whether it be from an equal combat, an awkward situation, or a pregnant lover. When someone professes to be your friend, dismiss them at first then offer them a test of trust (don’t tell them). Ask them to give you a prized possession or see if they take one of yours left out in a conspicuous place. Pretend to sleep and listen to what they say about you. Maybe allow yourself to be captured and see if this presumed friend will rescue you!

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# Half-Elf

*"People are no good. You can only trust animals and the bottle.”* – Delmao, half-elf thief.

Unlike the parents of mules, elves and humans are often attracted to each other, but just as often, they are the unwanted product of a casual encounter. Born from two worlds but not welcome in either, they find an attraction to the solitary wastes. In conjunction with a lack of unifying culture, most turn into lonesome, self-sufficient folk. Elves have no tolerance for them (the mother is expected to get rid of the child or be cast out) and most, though not all, humans believe their ears make them just another lazy thief and trickster. When everyone sees you as the worst quality of your parent race, the half-elf turns away and has found a kinship in the animal world unmatched by either of their parent races.

### Half and half

Half-elves are taller than most humans, standing 6 to 6 1/2 feet tall, bulkier than elves and able to pass themselves off more as humans than full elves. The men can grow beards and they have a full range of skin tones and hair colors. Some enjoy proving themselves better than humans or elves at a task, and others simply turn to different cultures, such as thri-kreen or muls, for friendship. They rarely maintain a friendship for long as it is their experience that everyone is going to let you down or betray you eventually, but at times it is necessary to ally or simply not be alone.

### No Culture

Half-elves don't form communities despite their numbers, and they can reproduce with either parent race. Most will never know their elven parent and they aren't welcome in elven tribes, seen as an embarrassment who can't keep up. Their affinity to beasts leads them to be valuable animal handlers. Some find acceptance in the ranks of templars, where service to the sorcerer king or queen provides a welcome home. In adventuring parties, they tend to be aloof because it's likely to be a short-lived experience.

### Half-elf Names

Most have human names as they cannot run as elves to gain a given name, nor an accepted tribal name. Some warp the elvish custom and simply take a name, much to the anger of elves. Like most races, half-elves use only one name, though they may adopt a city or village surname, or a profession, to distinguish themselves.

**Male Names:** Boaz, Brazin, Ero, Fyrian, Gathalimay, Laban, Lafus, Luris, Melestan, Mirch, Navarch, Poortool, Regg, Ruach, Solzak, Vok, Wek, Wheetan, Xutan.

**Female Names:** Alie, Arya, Aso, Drewet, Feera, Feykaar, Krysta, Lorelei, Mila, Ranis, Sareka, Thania, Vaerhirmana.

### Half-elf traits

Half-elves are influenced by both parents, even if not accepted by either race.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

**Age.** Half-elves mature as humans, reaching adulthood around 20, and some live to 130 years.

**Alignment.** Lawful and neutral half-elves labor for acceptance from a parent race while chaotic ones have given up, rejecting a society that has rejected them.

**Size.** A typical half-elf stands close to 6 ½ feet tall and weighs 140 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Skill Versatility.** You gain proficiency in three skills of your choice.

**Languages.** You can speak Common and Elvish, and if a city dweller, likely you adopt the distinct dialect of your home. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background.

<!---

**Speak with Animals.** You can communicate simple ideas with medium size or smaller beasts using sounds and gestures. This does not make the animal friendly to you or able to respond in kind.

**Animal Affinity.** At 3rd level, you can you can use an Action to attempt to charm a medium size or smaller beast with Intelligence 3 or lower. You must be able to touch and talk to the beast. If your or your companions are fighting the beast, it cannot be charmed. It must pass a Wisdom save or be charmed for 24 hours. The saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. If you or your companions do anything harmful to the beast, the charm ends. You cannot use this trait again until you complete a long rest.

-->

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> ##### Roleplaying a Half-elf
> You don’t consider yourself a separate race. You pride yourself on your self-reliance and refuse patronizing offers to help you. You'll do fine on your own, thank you very much. Take any chance to show humans you're just as talented as them or elves you're just as clever. If others view your attempts as irrational, well, they get to be wrapped in the blankets of racial acceptance. You're left out in the cold. Praise should be viewed with suspicion because no one hands that out without an angle in mind. Other half-elves don't interest you by default. Just because they have the same ears doesn't mean you suddenly have anything in common. In an adventuring group, you don't need charity and don't need someone else to cook your food or take your watch. <br>
This does not mean you'll never form a lasting friendship. But it's hard to get over a lifetime of being on the outside and being constantly reminded of that. This is why you feel affinity with the beast. They're simple. They don't judge, and they don't act with malice.

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# Half-Giant

<br>

*“Mind of a child, strength of three grown men. I’ve seen a half-giant tear the walls out of a building because he wanted a better look at the tattoos on a mul inside.”* – Daro, human trader

Legend holds in ages past a sorcerer king or queen used wizardry to beget a union of giant and human to make a race of powerful slaves. Whatever the truth, the half-giant race has thrived, able to reproduce with one another, and are sought out as gladiators, soldiers, guards and mercenaries across the tablelands.

Because of their artificial origins, there is no half-giant culture, tradition, or homeland. They readily imitate customs and cultures of those they admire or associate with. They are very imitative, eager to fit into a world that is not built for their size. One observing a dwarf quarry might watch for a time then try his hand at it, moving on if he does not excel at it. Many find they excel at breaking bones and imitate those who are also skilled at this practice.

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### Big and strong

Half-giants are enormous individuals, generally 8 to 9 feet high and weighing in upwards of 400 pounds. Though they have human features, these tend to be exaggerated in some ways. Skin tones range from light brown to deep tan, like sand. They vary in hair color and tend to wear whatever hair style or fashion they currently are emulating. A tavern would charge extra for filling enough plates for a half-giant sized appetite, and any armor would have to be specially crafted. Most nobles, templars, and merchant houses feel the investment is worth the return when they have 400 pounds of enforcement at their command.

### Impressionable

The most powerful warriors on Athas, half‐giants seem content to dwell in humanity’s shadow and drift towards charismatic leaders of all races. For example, if a half-giant village is near elven raiders, they are likely to emulate the guerilla tactics of the elves. However, this innate need to fit in is more than a whim. It is inherent to the half-giant's creation. A half-giant farmer's village might be raided, and he may soon adopt the morals of the invaders because they seem to know what they're doing, and the half-giant finds he's pretty good at smashing heads too.

> ##### Alignment on a Whim
> One axis of your alignment will be fixed and the other subject to change, even daily, based on influential events or persons around you that you find a reason to emulate or admire. You will try out their morals or philosophies and perhaps stick with it for a time if you're good at it. This does not mean half-giants are unreliable - the influence must be strong for them to change, and they have a core philosophy that is fairly unchanging.  A half-giant soldier might see a dwarven cleric of the sun and be impressed by her unflappable devotions. He may try shaving himself and praying to the sun until he finds he cannot stare at the sun without hurting his eyes and cannot make fire appear.<br><br>
This can make role-playing a half-giant a challenge.

### Half-giant Names

Slaves are given human names while free half-giants will take names based off the adopted culture. See other races for name suggestions.

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### Half-giant traits

Half-giants inherit a solid balance of their bestial and human parents.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 2.

**Age.** Half-Giants enter adulthood in their late 20's and usually live on average until their 170's.

**Alignment.** A Half-Giant’s moral compass is mercurial. When you create a Half-Giant character choose one half of your alignment, this will be fixed. The other half can change every time you finish a long rest. Half-Giants typically try to better match their companions mannerisms and alignment.

**Size.** Half-Giants are between 8 and 9 feet tall and weigh between 340 and 380 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Giant's Endurance.** You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all uses after a long rest.

**Giant's Metabolism.** You require more food and water then the average humanoid. You require 2 pounds of food and 2 gallons of water or 4 gallons if the weather is hot.

**Giant Build.** You have advantage on Strength-based ability checks and Strength saving throws. In addition, you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

**Darkvision.** You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Languages.** You can speak Common. Your voice is always low, making it difficult for most to hear and understand more than a rumble. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background.

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> ##### Alternate Traits for Large Half-giants
>
> Half-giants in the original Dark Sun setting were 12 feet tall and received a massive strength bonus. In 5e terms they would be Large creatures. Since 5e wasn't designed with Large PCs in mind, I decided to meet in the middle of the original 2e depiction and the 4e depiction where Goliaths were used. However, I know some people will prefer Large Half-giants closer to the original. 
>
>___
> With DM permission, you may make the following changes to make Half-giants Large creatures: 
>___
> **Size.** Half-Giants are between 10 and 12 feet tall and weigh 800 pounds on average. Your size is Large.
>___
>**Giant's Metabolism.** You require more food and water then the average humanoid. You require 4 pounds of food and 4 gallons of water or 8 gallons if the weather is hot.
>___
>**Giant Build.** You have advantage on Strength-based ability checks and Strength saving throws. 
>

> ##### Rule change for Large PC auras
> When you cast a spell or an effect that would radiate an aura around a medium creature, it radiates from the square that creature is occupying. With large PCs, the issue becomes that auras will affect more tiles then normal. 
>___
> Large creatures will instead radiate the aura from the center vertex of the four squares they are occupying (aka the center dot between the four squares). This means auras will affect less tiles, for example an aura with a 5 foot radius will only affect the large PC. 
>___
> I feel this is an appropriate trade off for the other benefits of playing a large PC.

> ##### Weapons for Large creatures
> Large PCs require properly sized weapons to wield. A large PC wielding regular sized weapons have disadvantage on attack rolls with those weapons. However, your DM might rule that certain weapons are treated as those of a  different type: a standard longsword might be treated as a large shortsword for example.
>
>___
> Purchasing or commissioning appropriately sized weapons will cost 4 times the normal amount. In addition, a large weapons damage dice increases in the following manner:
>
> 1d4 -> 1d6 -> 1d8 -> 2d4 -> 1d10 -> 1d12 -> 2d6 -> 3d4

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# HALFLING

*“Be wary of the forest ridge. The halflings who live there would as soon eat you alive as look at you. Chances are you won’t even notice them until you’ve become the main course.”*
―Mo’rune, Half‐Elven ranger
 
<div style='margin-top:10px;'></div>

Halflings are masters of the jungles of the Ringing Mountains. They are small, quick and agile creatures steeped in an ancient and rich culture that goes back far into Athas’ past. Although they are not common in the Tablelands, some halflings leave their homes in the forests to adventure under the dark sun. While omnivores, halflings prefer raw flesh and let no meat go to waste, including that of enemies, humans, and other sentient creatures.

Halflings have difficulty understanding others’ customs or points of view, but curiosity helps some halflings overcome their xenophobia. Little concerned with material wealth, halflings are more concerned with how their actions will affect other halflings.

### Small and savage

Halflings are small creatures, standing only about 3 1/2 feet tall and weighing 50 to 60 pounds. Rarely affected by age, halfling faces are often mistaken for the faces of human children, even the elderly among them. They dress in loincloths, sometimes with a shirt or vest, and paint their skins with bright reds and greens. Forest halflings rarely tend to their hair, and some let it grow to great lengths, though it can be unkempt and dirty.

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### Ancient culture

Halfling culture dominates their relations with others and predates human civilization. Rarely will they ever draw the blood of another halfling.

Halflings of different tribes share a tradition of song, art and poetry, which serves as a basis of communication. Creatures that do not know these cultural expressions are often at a loss to understand a halfling’s expressions, analogies and allusions to well–known tales. Halflings can easily become frustrated with such “uncultured” creatures lose patience with outsider intolerance of their ways, such as eating other humanoids. They abhor slavery and most halflings will starve themselves rather than accept slavery.

### Fear of outsiders

Halflings have no desire to see their home become like the rest of Athas. They are fierce and merciless in its defense, uncaring about the struggles and excuses of other races. Halflings’ bond with nature extends into most aspects of their culture. A shaman or witch doctor, who also acts as a spiritual leader, often rules their clans. This leader is obeyed without question. Halfling fighters willingly sacrifice themselves to obey their leader, leaving outsiders to perceive them as fanatics when halflings dearly love and enjoy life.

Exploring the Tablelands gives curious halflings the opportunity to learn other customs. Although they may at first have difficulty in understanding the numerous practices of the races of the Tablelands, their natural curiosity enables them to learn and interact with others. Other halflings may be criminals, renegades or other tribal outcasts, venturing into the Tablelands to escape persecution by their kin. Most tribes reject arcane magic, but a few have preserver chieftains who would sacrifice an entire tribe to keep one defiler out.

### Halfling names

Halflings have only one name assigned at birth.

**Male Names:** Basha, Cerk, Derlan, Drassu, Entrok, Kakzim, Lokee, Nok, Pauk, Plool, Sala, Tanuka, Ukos, Zol. 
**Female Names:** Alansa, Anezka, Dokala, Grelzen, Horga, Jikx, Joura, Nasaha, Vensa.

### Halfling traits

Halfling traits reflect their savage nature.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Wisdom or Charisma score increases by 1.

**Age.** A halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 30 and generally lives into the middle of his or her second century.

**Alignment.** Halflings tend towards law and evil. Uncomfortable with change, halflings tend to rely on intangible constants, such as racial identity, family, clan ties and personal honor. Halflings generally have little respect for the laws of the big people.

**Size.** Halflings average around 3 ½ feet tall and 50 to 60 pounds. Your size is Small.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

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**Lucky.** When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

**Brave.** You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

**Halfling Nimbleness.** You can move through the space of any creature that is of larger size than yours.

**Hunter’s Lore.** You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.

**Cunning Artisan.**
As part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, construct, humanoid, monstrosity, or plant creature of size Small or larger to create one of the following items: a shield, a club, a javelin, or 1d4 darts or blowgun needles. To use this trait, you need a blade, such as a dagger, or appropriate artisan’s tools, such as leatherworker’s tools.

**Fury of the Small.** When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature’s size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals proficiency bonus. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all uses after a long rest.

**Languages.** You can speak Halfling and Common. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background. Your culture uses drawings and tales rather than a written language. Halflings rarely teach others their language, but some individuals of the Tablelands have learned the wild speech. Halflings found in the Tablelands learn Common to survive, but it is generally unknown past the Ringing Mountains.

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> ##### Roleplaying a Halfling
> Remember to consistently take your height into account. Role–play the halfling culture described above: eating opponents, treating fellow halflings with trust and kindness, suspicion of big people, and general lack of interest in money. Conquest and plundering have no place in your society; rather the most important value is the ability of the inner self as it harmonizes with the environment. You should be sickened by the landscape of the Tablelands and desperately want to avoid any risk that devastation ever spreading to your homelands in the Forest Ridge. You will learn about other cultures, but you should firmly believe halfling culture to be innately superior to all others. However, you don’t try to change other’s cultures, no more than you would try to convince a tembo to change its diet.
<br>
While omnivorous, you vastly prefer meat, and everything is a source of food. You should presume most other races will eat anything, including halflings, if they are hungry enough, and this makes it hard to trust them.

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# Human

*“Humans are fools and hopelessly naïve as well. They outnumber us; they are everywhere, and yet they have no more sense of their strength than a rat. Let us hope that the Datto stay that way.”* ―Dukkoti Nightrunner, elven warrior

Humans are the dominant culture in the explored parts of Athas, known for their versatility and adaptability. Most tend to be ambitious and individualistic; even the tyranny of sorcerer kings hasn’t stamped out this diversity. Other races often don’t know what to expect when meeting a human for the first time because predicting their behavior based on cultural norms is difficult. “It’s human nature” is a common saying when humans appear to take action for no apparent reason.

Humans tend to get along well with races they comingle with (most often dwarves and muls).
Half-giants and thri-kreen are seen as dangerous monsters. Elves and half-elves are considered flighty and untrustworthy. Halflings are exotics. Humans often serve as a go-between when one race deals with another.

### A broad spectrum

Men average 6 feet tall and 200 pounds while women range around 5 ½ feet tall and 140 pounds. They tend to dark-skin and bronzed tones with darker hair, though all colors exist with nobility tending to the greatest variety. Humans are prone to mutations, and it is not uncommon to find exaggerated features, webbed feet, or even extra digits on hands and feet.

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### Mutations

Centuries of abusive magic have taken their toll on the human body. Some humans have marked alterations to their appearance, such as a bizarre symmetry, exaggerated facial feature, pointed ears, no facial hair, unusual skin coloration like copper or grey, etc. Humans are familiar and generally unsurprised by such differences. Ultimately, these give no benefits or hindrances in gameplay and are for flavor.

### Human names
 
Human names vary by region. For most a single name suffices. A noble will have a family surname but often revert to use of one name. Freemen occasionally refer to their occupations to avoid being taken for laborers or slaves, such as “Barek the Weaver.”

**Tyr/Urik Male Names:** Agis, Amilanu, Baal, Banoc, Duzi, Ea, Gulkishar, Igigi, Markduk, Rim-Sin, Sargon, Silani, Tithian, Utuaa, Zu

**Tyr/Urik Female Names:** Amata, Bau, Belili, Damkina, Gula, Ishtar, Kishar, Mummu, Mylitta, Neeva, Ninsunu, Rubati, Shala, Zakiti.

### Human traits

Humans are hard to generalize.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your ability scores all increase by 1.

**Age.** Humans tend to reach adulthood in their late teens and can live to around 80 years.

**Alignment.** Humans tend to no particular alignment. The best and worst are found among them.

**Size.** Men average 6 feet tall and 200 pounds while women range around 5 ½ feet tall and 140 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Natural Learners.**
You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice and one set of artisan's tools or one musical instrument of your choice.

**Human Determination.**
When you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can do so with advantage. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

**Languages.** Common and one other language of your choice. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background.

> ##### Human Variant (optional)
> Instead of increasing all ability scores, you may increase two different ability scores by 1, gain proficiency in a skill, and gain one feat.

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## Variant Race: The Villichi

Psionics imbue nearly every aspect of life on Athas, causing some to be born as nearly living embodiments of the Way. The Villichi, known on other worlds as the kalashtar, are psionic beings typically born of normal human parents.

### Bad Omens

No one can predict when or where a villichi child will be born. They are shunned by normal humans, although it is considered a bad omen to turn out a villichi child. When they come of age they usually move to a convent of their kind, located somewhere in the Ringing Mountains. Villichi have the capacity to become very powerful psionicists, and consequently, are a powerful group. Encounters with villichi are usually with an envoy, one sent to deal with a trading company or village.

### Close-knit and Guarded

Villichi have formed an extremely close knit community. They rarely attack one another and only rarely argue with each other. The location of the convent is a closely guarded secret; anyone who inadvertently finds it is usually mindwiped. Half-giants and half elves are looked upon with compassion, since they too are members of a group that meets with prejudice. This treatment may seem cruel, but it is a cruel world, and the villichi are only concerned with surviving.

### Villichi Traits

Most Villichi are indistinguishable from humans and are, more or less, a psionically adept subset of the human race.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

**Age.** Villichi mature a little faster then humans and can live on average to be 170 years old.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Mental Discipline.** You have resistance to psychic damage and you have advantage on all Wisdom saving throws.

**Mind Link.** You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see, provided the creature is within a number of feet of you equal to 10 times your level. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.

When you’re using this trait to speak telepathically to a creature, you can use your action to give that creature the ability to speak telepathically with you for 1 hour or until you end this effect as an action. To use this ability, the creature must be able to see you and must be within this trait’s range. You can give this ability to only one creature at a time; giving it to a creature takes it away from another creature who has it.

**Severed from Dreams.** Villichi sleep, but they don't dream as other creatures do. Instead, their minds draw memories and feelings from all those connected by The Way. As such, you are immune to spells and other magical effects that require you to dream, like dream, but not to spells and other magical effects that put you to sleep, like sleep.

**Languages.** You can speak Common. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background.

> ##### Kalashtar on Athas
> While associated with the Eberron campaign setting, I thought they would work on Athas as an off-shoot of humanity with stronger Psionic potential. In the Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 for 2e, there are humanoids called Villichi that already mostly fit with what I wanted to use Kalashtar for, so I merged them together.

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# MUL

*“See, the trick is to break their will. Not too much, mind you. Nobody wants to watch a docile gladiator, and muls are too expensive to waste as labor slaves. But, you don’t want them trying to escape every other day. Would you like to tell the arena crowd that their favorite champion will not be appearing in today’s match because he died trying to escape your pens?"*
―Gaal, Urikite arena trainer

<br>

Born from the unlikely parentage of dwarves and humans, a mul (pronounced “mull”, from the dwarven word *“mulzhennedar”* which means *“strength”*; “mule” is used as a derogatory pronunciation) combines the height and adaptable nature of humans with the musculature and resilience of dwarves. Muls enjoy traits that are uniquely their own, such as their robust metabolism and almost inexhaustible capacity for work. The hybrid has disadvantages in a few areas as well: sterility, and the social repercussions of being created for a life of slavery.
Humans and dwarves are not typically attracted to each other although it has been known to happen. The only reason that muls are so common in the Tablelands is because of their value as laborers and gladiators: slave-sellers often force-breed humans and dwarves for profit.

While mul-breeding practices are exorbitantly lucrative, they are often lethal to both the mother and the baby. Conception is difficult and impractical, often taking months to achieve. Even once conceived, the mul takes a full twelve months to carry to term; fatalities during this period are often high.

### Strength and Endurance

Second only to the half‐giant, the mul is the strongest of the common humanoid races of the tablelands. Muls grow as high as seven feet, weighing upwards of 250 pounds, but carry almost no fat at all on their broad muscular frames. Universal mul characteristics include angular, almost protrusive eye ridges, and ears that point sharply backwards against the temples. Most muls have dark copper–colored skin and hairless bodies. They are always sterile.

### Bred to slavery

Enslaved Muls are bred to fight or for labor. Most mul laborers master the conventions of slave life, figuring out through painful experience who can be trusted and who cannot. Muls learn from their mistakes in the slave pits to a greater extent than other races not because they are cleverer, but because unlike slaves of other races they tend to survive their mistakes, while other slave races are less expensive and therefore disposable. Only the most foolish and disobedient mul would be killed. Most masters will sell a problem mul slave rather than kill him. Their mastery of the rules of slave life and their boundless capacity for hard work allows them to gain favor with their masters and reputation among their fellow slaves.

### Life of a slave

All gladiators who perform well in the arenas receive some degree of pampered treatment, but muls receive more pampering than others. Some mul gladiators even come to see slavery as an acceptable part of their lives, being given good food, good housing, and mates.

However, those that acquire a taste of freedom will fight for it. Stoic and dull to pain, muls are not easily intimidated by the lash. Masters are loath to slay or maim a mul who tries repeatedly to escape, although those who help the mul’s escape will be tormented in order to punish the mul without damaging valuable property. Once a mul escapes or earns his freedom, slavery remains a dominant part of his life. Most muls are heavily marked with tattoos that mark his ownership, history, capabilities and disciplinary measures. Even untattooed muls are marked as a potential windfall for slavers: it is clearly cheaper to “retrieve” a mul who slavers can claim had run away, than to start from scratch in the breeding pits.

The few who are born free or who managed to escape or earn their freedom, are often sought after as bodyguards or mercenaries. However, many also find the calling for priestly magics or psionics, talents difficult to cultivate in the pits.

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### Mul names

Muls are given names, and for gladiators, Draji names with harsh tones are favored to strike fear. Lacking families, a mul might use a place for a surname, such as “Mersten of Nibenay.”

**Male Names:** Aram, Athalak, Borthomar, Bost, Darok, Darus, Durn, Eben, Erekard, Gard, Harask, Marok, Morg, Rikard, Sanozar, Tomak, Uskan, Zedath, Zorus.

**Female Names:** Aisa, Aivel, Brithis, Callia, Demosis, Elina, Faivel, Himithis, Laivi, Mersten, Narisel, Raina, Reshel, Saditha, Tirshel, Uisel, Zerima.

### Mul traits

The mul is bred for physical attributes but can inherit a parent's quick mind.

**Creature Type.** You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a dwarf and a human for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be either a dwarf or a human.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.

**Age.** A mul ages like humans, tending to reach adulthood a year or two year earlier and given their lot in life rarely reach the age of 85.

**Alignment.** Muls tend towards neutrality with respect to good and evil, but run the gamut with respect to law or chaos. Many lawful muls adapt well to the indignities of slavery, playing the game for the comforts that they can win as valued slaves. A few ambitious lawful muls use the respect won from their fellow slaves to organize rebellions and strike out for freedom. Chaotic muls, on the other hand, push their luck and their value as slaves to the breaking point, defying authority, holding little fear for the lash.

**Size.** A typical mul is 7 feet tall and weighs over 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Darkvision.** You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Dwarven Resilience.** You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

**Gladiatorial Combat Training.** Surviving the gladiator pits has given you experience with several types of weapons and armor. You have proficiency with four simple or martial weapons of your choice as well as proficiency with light and medium armor.

**Relentless Endurance.** When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use that trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

**Inexhaustible.** Your unique physique allows you work for longer periods of time compared to other humanoids. You have advantage on Forced March saves (Player's Handbook p.181) and all other saves to resist non-magical exhaustion .

**Languages.** You can speak Common plus a language of your choice. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background.

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> ##### Roleplaying a Mul
> Born to the slave pens, you never knew love or affection; the taskmaster’s whip took the place of loving parents. As far as you have seen, all of life’s problems that can be solved are solved by sheer brute force. You know to bow to force when you see it, especially the veiled force of wealth, power and privilege. The noble and templar may not look strong, but they can kill a man with a word. You tend towards gruffness. In the slave pits, you knew some muls that never sought friends or companionship, but lived in bitter, isolated servitude. You knew other muls who found friendship in an arena partner or co– worker. You are capable of affection, trust and friendship, but camaraderie is easier for you to understand and express – warriors slap each other on the shoulder after a victory, or give their lives for each other in battle. You don’t think of that sort of event as “friendship” – it just happens. <br>
Muls dislike what they fear, and they fear wizards. They resent that a wizard’s power comes from without, with no seeming effort on the wizard’s part, while the mul’s power is born of pain and labor. You may never have been exposed to psionic study or clerical ways, but there is nothing preventing you from learning.

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# Pterran

*"The people of the Tablelands know nothing of life. They choose no Path for themselves, and consume everything until they are dead.”*

―Keltruch, pterran ranger

Pterrans are reptiloids with light brown, scaly skin who grow to be about 6 feet tall. A pterran stands upright in the humanoid configuration, though his two arms end in three-fingered, talon-clawed hands with opposable thumbs, and his two legs end in three-toed feet. A finlike growth juts from the back of a pterran’s head, and he has a short tail and two shoulder stubs- remnants of wings that vanished generations ago.

Pterrans are rarely seen in the Tablelands. They live their lives in the Hinterlands, rarely leaving the safety of their villages. However, the recent earthquake and subsequent storms have brought disruption into the pterran’s lives. More pterrans now venture outside their homes, and come to the Tyr region to seek trade and information.

Pterran society is based largely on ceremony and celebrations. An area is set aside in the center of each village for ceremonies. Pterrans revere the world of Athas as the Earth Mother, and believe themselves to be her favored children. Throughout the day, they engage in a number of ceremonies that give thanks to the Earth Mother. These are led by druids who play a very important role in pterran society. A pterran village is a collection of many smaller family dwellings.

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### The Life Path

Pterrans always bear young in pairs. At age 15 every pterran chooses a “life path.” The three main life paths are the path of the warrior, the path of the druid and the path of the psionicist, though lesser life paths exist as well. More pterrans follow the path of the warrior than any of the other paths, and become protectors of their villages as well as the tribe’s weapon makers. Pterrans that choose the path of the druid provide an important role in the daily ceremonies to the Earth Mother. Fewer pterrans choose the path of the psionicist than the other two major paths, as psionics are viewed as outside of nature. Psionicists are viewed with suspicion by the rest of the tribe; however, they do provide valuable skills to the tribe and are often the tribe’s negotiators when they meet outsiders. Pterrans are omnivores. Much of their diet comes from hunting animals and raising crops. Kirre, id fiend, and flailer are all considered pterran delicacies.

### Pterran traits

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and either your Strength or Charisma score increases by 1.

**Age.**
Pterrans mature at the same rate as humans but rarely live past 50 years.

**Alignment.**
Pterrans tend towards lawful, well–structured lives, and most of them are good. Evil pterran adventurers are usually outcasts who have committed some horrible offense.

**Size.**
Pterrans are 5 to 6 1/2 feet tall weight on average 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.**
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Natural Armor.** Your body is covered in strong, thick scales. While you aren't wearing armor, you can calculate your AC as 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

**Claws.**
You have retractable claws in the tips of your fingers. Extending or retracting the claws requires no action. The claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the normal bludgeoning damage for an unarmed strike.

**Hold Breath.** You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.

**Nature's Intuition.**
You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, or Survival.

**Life Path.**
Adult pterrans follow a “Life Path” as part of their normal society. Depending on your class choice at 1st level, you gain one of the following features:

* **Warriors Path** (Fighters, Monks, Rangers, Rogues). You learn one Fighting Style option of your choice from the fighter class. If you already have a style, the one you pick must be different.

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* **Spellcasters Path** (Clerics, Druids, Warlocks, Wizards). As long as your part of the class, you learn one additional cantrip from your classes spell list. Once you reach 3rd level, you learn an additional 1st-level spell from your classes spell list and can cast it once with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you learn an additional 2nd-level spell from your classes spell list and can cast it once with this trait. When you cast the 1st and 2nd level spells with this trait, you cant cast these spells again until you finish a long rest. They don't count towards the number of spells you can have for that class. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Their spellcasting ability is the same as your class.

* **Psions Path.** You gain an additional random Wild Talent in addition to the other you get at first level. As long as your part of the psion class, you gain an additional cantrip from the sorcerer spell list. Once you reach 3rd level, you learn an additional 1st-level spell from the sorcerers spell list and can cast it once with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you learn an additional 2nd-level spell from the sorcerers spell list and can cast it once with this trait. When you cast the 1st and 2nd level spells with this trait, you cant cast these spells again until you finish a long rest. They don't count towards the number of spells you know. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Their spellcasting ability is the same as your class.

**Languages.**
You can speak, read, and write Common and Sauron (Draconic).

> ##### Roleplaying a Pterran
> Remember your character class is your “life path.” You think
of yourself, and present yourself first and foremost as a druid,
a warrior, a psion, etc. Remember your daily celebrations and
giving of thanks to the Earth Mother. You can usually find a
reason to be grateful. Disrespect for the land angers you,
since the whole land has withered under the disrespect of
foolish humans and others. You celebrate with song and with
dance. You have a good sense of humor but it does not extend
to blasphemies such as defiling. In initial role–playing
situations, you are unfamiliar with the customs and practices
of the societies of the Tyr Region. However, you are not
primitive by any definition of the word. You look upon
differences with curiosity and a willingness to learn, as long
as the custom doesn’t harm the Earth Mother or her works

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# THRI-KREEN

*“This one does not speak with the quivering soft shells that lay about all night. This one might eat you, but never speak.”* ―Tu’tochuk

<br>

Thri‐kreen ("kreen" for short) are the strangest of the intelligent races of the Tablelands. These insectoid beings born from eggs possess a mindset very different from any humanoid being encountered. They roam the wastes in packs, hunting for food day and night, since they require no sleep. Thri‐kreen are quick and agile and make fearsome fighters, feared throughout the wastes. They refer to thri-kreen who have become city dwellers as “tohr-kreen,” meaning “settled person,” whereas thri-kreen means “wanderer-person.”

### Insect body

Mature Thri‐kreen stand about 7 feet tall, with a rough body length of 11 feet. Their four arms end in claws; their two legs are extremely powerful, capable of incredible leaps. However, kreen are unable to jump backwards. Their body is covered with a sandy– yellow chitin, a tough exoskeleton that grants the Thri‐kreen protection from blows. Their head is topped with two antennae, and their two eyes are compound and multifaceted. The kreen mouth consists of small pincers. Male and female Thri‐kreen are physically indistinguishable. Thri‐kreen usually do not wear clothing, but wear some sort of harness to carry weapons and food.

Many wear leg or armbands, or bracelets. Some attach rings on different places on their chitin, though this requires careful work by a skilled artisan. While most thri-kreen appear identical to non-kreen, their nuances of exoskeleton development render them quite unique in their view. Pheromones release modifies their eye coloration: light for pleasant feelings and dark for distress. They are carnivores and become sick if eating plants, the only exception being a handful of common spices and fruit-based potions.

### No sleep required

Since Thri‐kreen do not require sleep, they have difficulty understanding this state of “laziness” in others. Other behaviors of humanoids seem unnecessarily complex. A keen’s life is simple: hunt prey. Kreen live for the hunt, and own only what they can carry. Their knowledge is largely passed by an instinctual racial memory shared with the clutch. At birth, they already know what animals make the best prey and ways to catch them.

### A different perspective

The pack mentality dominates a keen’s relation with others. Kreen hunt in small groups and will move to other areas rather than depopulate an area of prey. A kreen that joins a group of humanoids will often try to establish dominance in the group. This can be disconcerting to those unaware of the keen’s behavior, since establishing dominance usually means making threatening gestures. Once the matter is settled, they will abide by the outcome. Thri‐kreen view humanoids as possible sources of food but rarely hunt them as humanoids are not simple prey. Many kreen have a particularly fond taste for elves; as such, meetings between these two races are often tense. However, once part of a clutch, Thri‐kreen will never turn on their humanoid friends, even in the worst of situations.

Kreen have a severe fear of any water smaller than a puddle as they cannot swim or float. They have no idea how to ride another creature and find the concept alien and non-sensical.

### Racial memory

Contrary to the variety of humans, thri-kreen are largely predisposed to tasks due to their racial memory. They typically have no wizards; their lack of natural sleep and need to hunt makes it impractical, but kreen take to psionics as a way of life and the hunt. They revere the elements and ancestral memory causes them to revere the Great One, a legendary leader from many clutches past.

### Thri-kreen names

The Kreen language is very different from those of the other intelligent races. They have no lips or tongues, and so cannot make the same sounds humanoids make. Kreen language is made up of clicks, pops, or grinding noises. They do not distinguish male and female names.

**Names:** Cha'ka, Chuka-tet, Drasna, Drik-chkit, Hakka, Ka'cha, Ka'tho, Klik-chaka'da, Lakta-cho, Qhak'cha, Qhik-ik-cha, Sa'Relka, T'Chai, Tak-tha.

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### Thri-kreen traits

Thri-Kreen physiology gives it several natural advantages that compensate for not being able to easily items commonly worn by other races.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and either your Strength or Wisdom score increases by 1.

**Age.** A thri-kreen is born from an egg and becomes fully mature at 6 years. They demonstrate no effect of aging until they reach the end of their life cycle around 30 years. Sensing their death, such thri-kreen go on a final hunt.

**Alignment.** Most Thri‐kreen are chaotic, acting in whatever fashion benefits the pack mentality, and this rarely leads them to philosophies of good and evil.

**Size.** Thri-kreen height can range from 4 and a half to 7 feet tall and weight can range from 100 to 375 lbs. You size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

**Creature Type.** You are a Monstrosity.

**Carapace.** While you aren’t wearing armor, your carapace gives you a base Armor Class of 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can wear armor but it must be specially made or altered to fit your frame. Such armor would cost twice the amount it normally would.

As an action, if you are unarmored, you can change the color of your carapace to match the color and texture of your surroundings, giving you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in those surroundings.

**Thri-kreen Weapon Training.** You are proficient with the gythka and chatkcha. (See equipment section later in this document)

**Thri-kreen Physiology.** You require half as much water as other races, needing only half a gallon of water per day, or one gallon per day if the weather is hot.

**Sleepless Revitalization.** You do not require sleep and magic can’t put you to sleep. However,  you must still refrain from strenuous activity to gain the benefit of a long rest.

**Darkvision.** You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Natural Weapons.** Your maw and claws can be used to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with one of your claws, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. If you hit with your bite, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Starting at 5th level, any target you hit with your bite must make a constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature becomes poisoned for 1 minute on a failed save, and doesn't become poisoned on a successful one. The poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If they succeed, they are immune to this effect for 24 hours.

**Secondary Arms.** You have two slightly smaller secondary arms below your primary pair of arms. The secondary arms can manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, pick up or set down a Tiny object, or wield a weapon that has the light property.

**Leap.** Whenever you make a long or high jump, you can roll a d8 and add the number rolled to the number of feet you cover, even when making a standing jump. This extra distance costs movement as normal.

**Languages.** You can speak Thri-Kreen and Common. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background. Thri-Kreen is a language composed of clicks and whirring, antennae movements, and pheromone emissions that non-kreen find too difficult to interpret and impossible to duplicate. When you speak other languages, you use a high-pitched voice.

<br>

> ##### Roleplaying a Thri-kreen
> You tend to rely on your natural attacks and special kreen weapons. Everything you kill is a potential dinner. You have a strong need for a party leader – obedience to this leader in the party is important to you. If you seem to be the most powerful and capable, then you will assume leadership; if someone challenges your authority then you will wish to test whether they are in fact stronger than you. It is not a question of vanity; you won’t want to fight to the death, but merely to ascertain who is worthy to lead the party. You do not have the focus of a dwarf to complete a project, but you would give your life to protect your companions. If you did not trust and honor them as your own family, then you would not travel with them and work together with them. You do not understand the concept of sleep. It disturbs you that your *dra* (sentient meat creatures like humans) companions lie unconscious for a third of their lifetimes. Spend your rest periods watching them in this state. You own only what you can carry, caring little for money or other items that other races consider as treasure. Your philosophy of ownership sometimes leads you into conflict with presumptuous *dra* who think they can own buildings, land, and even whole herds of carru!

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# Ukoven (Genasi)

The reclusive ukoven, also known as half-elementals or genasi on other worlds, are little more than legend, and tales told by travelers who claim to have encountered them are often dismissed as outright lies. The ukoven are unknown to most people inhabiting the Tyr Region, and for good reason. They make their homes on the tiny islands rising from the vast Silt Sea spreading out to the east, far from the city-states and their trade routes. The ukoven have nothing but disdain for civilization, sneering at the sorcerer-kings and their despotic rule. They have no love for the mortal races, and their arrogance is equaled only by their tempestuous personalities. They are a people apart, content to struggle in the swirling dust storms and having no part in the plight faced by the despotic regimes that define the Tyr Region.

Or so people have believed until now. For the first time in memory, the half-elementals have begun an exodus from their hidden redoubts and are now exploring the lands they abandoned years ago. What they seek, and why they have chosen this time to venture into the realms of the sorcerer-kings, no one knows. But their emergence is unmistakable, and those who live along the shores of the Silt Sea wonder if this trickle presages a greater and more terrible flood.

### Children of the Elements

The ukoven are often called half-elementals because of their humanlike forms. They are the same size and shape as humans, though they are slightly bulkier, and thus they are mistaken for having human ancestry. Their elemental nature, however, is unmistakable, and the power of the Elemental Planes bleeds from them through their tempestuous personalities and the manifestations in their flesh.

The ukoven in Athas today are descended from ancestors considered “purer” in their manifestations. Stories abound in ukoven communities of those predecessors manifesting the elements of air, fire, earth, and water. Mingled bloodlines combined with the ever-changing world have resulted in new elemental manifestations.

Elemental manifestations are what give ukoven their distinctive appearance. Instead of hair, all ukoven possess a corona corresponding to their elemental heritage. Examples include wreaths of smoke, flames, or crystalline growths.

Ukoven also display glowing patterns in their skin, appearing similar to lines and whorls. Soft light in a color associated with a ukoven's elemental manifestation shines from his or her patterns. Ukoven from the same tribe have the same color and shape of pattern, which is a useful identifier of origin. Facial patterns are unique to each individual.

### Ukoven Names
Ukoven use the naming conventions of the people among whom they were raised. They might later assume distinctive names to capture their heritage, such as Flame, Ember, Wave, or Onyx.

### Ukoven Traits
Your Ukoven character has certain characteristics in common with all other ukoven.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Constitution score increases by 2.

**Age.** Ukoven mature at about the same rate as humans and reach adulthood in their late teens. They live somewhat longer than humans do, up to 120 years.

**Alignment.** Independent and self-reliant, ukoven tend toward a neutral alignment.

**Size.** Ukoven are as varied as their mortal parents but are generally built like humans, standing anywhere from 5 feet to over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Darkvision.** You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Languages.** You can speak Common and Primordial. With DM permission, your character might be able to read and write with an appropriate background. Primordial is a guttural language, filled with harsh syllables and hard consonants.

**Subraces.** Four major subraces of ukoven are found among the Athas: air ukoven, earth ukoven, fire ukoven, and water ukoven. Choose one of these subraces.

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### Air Ukoven
Air ukoven typically have light blue skin, hair, and eyes. A faint but constant breeze accompanies them, tousling the hair and stirring the clothing. Some air ukoven speak with breathy voices, marked by a faint echo. A few display odd patterns in their flesh or grow crystals from their scalps.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.

**Unending Breath.** You can hold your breath indefinitely while you're not incapacitated.

**Lightning Resistance.** You have resistance to lightning damage.

**Mingle with the Wind.** You know the *gust* cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *feather fall* spell once with this trait as a 1st-level spell, and at 5th level, you can cast the *levitate* spell once with this trait as a 2nd-level spell, you regain the ability to cast these spells this way when you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate levels. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

### Earth Ukoven
Some earth ukoven always have bits of dust falling from their bodies and mud clinging to their clothes, never getting clean no matter how often they bathe. Others are as shiny and polished as gemstones, with skin tones of deep brown or black, eyes sparkling like agates. Earth ukoven can also have smooth metallic looking flesh, dull iron colored skin spotted with rust, a pebbled and rough hide, or even a coating of tiny embedded crystals. The most arresting have fissures in their flesh, from which faint light shines.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Strength score increases by 1.

**Earth Walk.** You can move across difficult terrain made of earth or stone without expending extra movement.

**Poison Resistance.** You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage

**Merge with Stone.** You know the *mold earth* cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast *earth tremor* as a 1st-level spell once per long rest. Once you reach 5th level, you can cast the *pass without trace* spell as a 2nd-level spell, requiring no material components, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate levels. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

\columnbreak

### Fire Ukoven
Nearly all fire ukoven are feverishly hot as if burning inside, an impression reinforced by flaming red, coal-black, or ash-gray skin tones. The more human-looking have fiery red hair that writhes under extreme emotion, while more exotic specimens sport actual flames dancing on their heads. Fire ukoven voices might sound like crackling flames, and their eyes flare when angered. Some are accompanied by the faint scent of brimstone.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

**Fire Resistance.** You have resistance to fire damage.

**Reach to the Blaze.** You know the *produce flame cantrip*. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *burning hands* spell once with this trait as a 1st-level spell, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest.  At 5th level, you can cast *flame blade* once per long rest. You can also cast these spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate levels. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

### Water Ukoven
Most water ukoven look as if they just finished bathing, with beads of moisture collecting on their skin and hair. They smell of fresh rain and clean water. Blue or green skin is common, and most have somewhat overlarge eyes, blue-black in color. A water ukoven's hair might float freely, swaying and waving as if underwater. Some have voices with undertones reminiscent of whale song or trickling streams.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

**Acid Resistance.** You have resistance to acid damage.

**Amphibious.** You can breathe air and water.

**Swim.** You have a swimming speed that matches your walking speed.

**Call to the Wave.** You know the *shape water* cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *create or destroy water* spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait, when you reach 5th level, you can cast the *water walk* spell as a 3rd-level spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast these spells this way when you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate levels. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

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# PART 3
##### Character Classes

</div>

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# Prohibited Classes

<br>

The **Artifier**, **Bard**, **Paladin** and **Sorcerer** do not exist as player classes in Dark Sun.

### Artificier

Athas is a barren, primitive, magic starved world were the inventions and enchantments of artificers do not work.

### Bards

The bard is a member of a bizarre class of entertainers and storytellers prized by the aristocratic city dwellers. Free citizens all, bards tour through cities in groups or individually, then travel on, making a living with their wits and talents. It’s also widely accepted that many bards lead double lives as notorious blackmailers, thieves, spies, and even assassins.

They are not known to be magic users on their own.

If you wish to play a Bard, consider taking the Rogue or Fighter class with the Entertainer background and the Poisoner feat. This will give you a suitable approximation of an athasian bard.

### Paladin

The Paladin was removed in the original AD&D setting as this is not a world of gods and divine warriors.

While 5e Paladins don't need gods to receive their powers, Dark Sun was not built with them in mind and their abilities don't match well with the tone of the setting.

### Sorcerer 
The Sorcerer class did not exist in AD&D and thus any mention of them is simply a another name for Wizards (such as the Sorcerer-kings).

Having innate arcane magic within yourself as the source does not work with the Dark Sun setting.

<div class='descriptive'>
 
##### The Psion Class
The Aberrant Mind Sorcerer subclass will be reskinned as the Psion class.
 </div>

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# Barbarian

The main sources of barbarians are slave tribes and hunter-gatherer cultures from beyond the Tablelands. Life among slave tribes is often brutal and short. A barbarian might be a sole survivor of a raid or monster attack. She might be an exile or returned to her tribe to find it gone. Barbarian halfling tribes that draw power from the spirits can be found in the forest ridge, and no matter their location, all share a common manifestation of fury. For some, it comes from within, amplified by horrific life events, and for others, it may come from unity with ancient spirits, contacted through rituals whose ways are documented only in oral tradition, to be lost if the tribe is ever lost.
 
 Use the default rules for barbarians unless a change is indicated below.

### Archetype Changes
 
 **Path of the Totem Warrior (PHB).** 
 * Replace Bear with *Klar*, a massive Kodiak bear with chitinous plate on the back, a stub tail that helps it balance when standing, and covered in thick sandy fur. It is one of the most feared predators in the land.
 * Replace Elk with *Crodlu*, a flightless, scaled avian-like creatures that roams the wilderness in herds.
 * Replace Tiger with a *Tigone*, a massive tiger with psioninc abilities.
 * Replace Eagle with *Kes-trekel*, a deadly carrion bird with black plumage and crimson red head whose croak is considered a harbinger of death. 
 * Replace Wolf with *Dagorran*, a fearsome frog-like reptilian pack hunter able to track prey psionically for days or week without relenting.

___
**Path of the Storm Herald (Xanathar)** 
* No changes to Desert.
* Replace "Sea" with "Air." At 6th, replace breathe underwater and swim features with “you take half damage from falling.” At 14th, replace “struck with wave” with “struck by a powerful gust of wind.”
* Replace "Tundra" with “Mountains.” At 3rd level, change “icy spirits” to “earthen spirits.” At 6th, replace resistance to cold with force. Replace immunity to extreme cold with “gain advantage against effects that would knock you prone.” Replace make ice with “as an action, you can touch sand or silt and turn a 5 foot square of it into a solid, non-difficult terrain that can support any amount of weight for 1 minute. At 14th, replace “magical frost” with “magical stone.”

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___
**Path of the Zealot (Xanathar)** 
At 3rd level, choose to draw power from the Black, a nether realm (necrotic), or a clerical element (radiant). Those who draw from the Black cannot have a good alignment. When choosing an element, your back-story should include how the element came to accept you. See the **Cleric, Elemental Pact** for a description of how a character submits herself to the elements.

___
**Path of Wild Magic (Tasha)** 
Instead of magic, the source of the abilities is Psionic in nature.

___
**Path of the Battlerager (SCAG).** 
Metal is scarce on Athas, your spiked armor can be comprised of bone, chitin, and other materials that  are generally used.

### Unchanged Archetype

**Path of the Berserker (PHB).**

___
**Path of the Ancestral Guardian (Xanathar).**

___
**Path of the Beast (Tasha).**

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# Cleric

The clerics who inhabit the wastes of Athas are very different from those of a standard D&D campaign. They do not pray to patron deities, for they have no deities. Clerics beneath the dark sun pledge themselves to the very powers that dwell on the elemental planes. Like the Athasian deserts, the elemental powers are neither benevolent nor malevolent, caring only that their natural forms are preserved in the material world. To preserve what they can in a dying world, the elements forge pacts with a select few beings and through them hope to replenish a decaying planet to the ancient, carefree days of power.

The clerics who do the elementals' bidding are a strange and varied lot. Some teach crop rotation in order to protect and restore the earth of the harsh planet. Others command the power of flame for little more than vengeance’s sake. Whatever their motivations, each cleric is bound and sworn to preserve her patron element in the physical world. Few ever renounce the solemn agreement: to forsake the Pact is to incur the wrath of beings who possess the raw power of the elements.

> ##### Elemental Pact
 >The pacts forged by the elemental beings with the mortals who serve them are strange and terrible contracts. The elementals demand nothing less than the entire lives of the clerics, spent in total service and obedience to their element. In exchange, the elements bestow what powers they have to give upon their clerics. Some are great, some weak, but all of them demand the cleric's total commitment. The pact is signed during the cleric’s initiation, if she succeeds; failure means insanity, death, and occasionally even worse fates. Violations of the various pacts are dealt with quickly and without pity.

Use the default rules for clerics unless a change is indicated below.

### Class Changes

**New Domains.** The traditional domains are replaced with **Air** (also known as storm), **Earth** (sand), **Fire** (sun) and **Water** (rain).

___
**Holy Symbol.** Traditional symbols are replaced with a physical embodiment of your element. Earth clerics commonly use small chunks of granite, quartz, or precious metal, and those with resources may mount it in a staff or medallion. A water cleric likely has a vial of pure water worn around the neck, though a waterskin of untainted water could suffice. Fire clerics prefer obsidian stone, often carved into the shape of flames. Air clerics are the most fortunate, not tied by material possessions, and may use a gentle puff of their own breath as a holy symbol.

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## Air Domain

Clerics who make pacts with the Plane of Air are perhaps the most misunderstood of all the elemental clerics. They are wanderers, diviners, travelers, and mystics. Like the winds, their minds are constantly wandering, and they rarely seem focused on a current problem or situation.

Air clerics prize freedom over all. They loathe restriction in movement, personalities, beliefs, practices, clothing, and any attempt to impose limitations. This makes them enemies of bondage and slavery. The growing power of the sun has made the air angry, dry and lifeless, unable to power hurricanes and typhoons. Air clerics are obligated to protect earth and water in the hopes mighty forests might sway again and raging oceans fill the silt basins, bringing back unbridled freedom.

> ##### Air Initiation
> The test of the air cleric is perhaps the most terrifying of the elemental initiations. A cleric and her mentor meditate for up to two weeks atop the highest mountain they can find. When the initiate feels ready, she walks to an overhand and leaps from the precipice, throwing off the shackles of the earth and giving herself completely to the wind. As she falls, the air spirits may speak with her and forge a pact of air, lowering her softly to the ground. If not, she likely dies.

### Air Domain Spells

| Cleric Level  | Spells |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  1st  | *fog cloud, thunderwave* |
|  3rd  | *gust of wind, shatter*|
|  5th  | *call lightning, gaseous form* |
|  7th  | *storm sphere, summon elemental (air only)* |
|  9th  | *control winds, destruction wave*|

### Raging Winds
At 1st level you are imbued with the fury and persistence of the battering winds. This grants several benefits:

* You gain proficiency with martial weapons.
* You learn the gust *cantrip*. It counts as a cleric cantrip for you and doesn’t count against the number of cleric cantrips you know. If you already know *gust*, you instead learn the *thunderclap* cantrip.
* When you use your Turn Undead channel divinity, you can also effect non-air elementals.

\pagebreakNum

### Wrath of the Storm
Also at 1st level, you can thunderously rebuke attackers. When a creature within 5 feet of you that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to cause the creature to make a Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 2d8 lightning or thunder damage (your choice) on a failed saving throw, and half as much damage on a successful one.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

### Channel Divinity: Destructive Wrath
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to wield the power of the storm with unchecked ferocity.

When you roll lightning or thunder damage, you can use your Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage, instead of rolling.

### Thunderbolt Strike
At 6th level, when you deal lightning damage to a Large or smaller creature, you can also push it up to 10 feet away from you.

### Divine Strike
At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 thunder damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

### Stormborn
At 17th level, you have a flying speed equal to your current walking speed whenever you are not underground or indoors.

## Earth Domain

Closely tied to nature, earth priests understand the true nature of the cycle of life. When something dies, its organic material is returned to the soil to provide life for another, and in another form. Therefore, the earth clerics. outlook on life is a utilitarian one. The death of a comrade, though tragic, is simply one stage in nature’s endless chain of creation and annihilation.

Because air, fire, and water all depend on growing things for their enrichment, and because earth alone must sustain itself, it is the earth clerics who must carry on the burden of preventing the environmental holocaust looming over Athas, such as teaching proper agricultural techniques and slaying defilers who would turn usable elements to ash. For, if they do not preserve the land, will not the death of Athas weigh upon their shoulders?

> ##### Earth Initiation
> When a mentor believes that a disciple is ready, after meditation, the initiate is buried alive in a fertile land at dawn and must commune with the spirits of the earth to sustain her. When the sun goes down, the novice either emerges, unscathed and empowered, or likely she dies  and feeds the earth.

### Earth Domain Spells

| Cleric Level  | Spells |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  1st  | *earth tremor, longstrider* |
|  3rd  | *dust devil, earthbind*|
|  5th  | *maximilian's earthen grasp, wall of sand* |
|  7th  | *stoneskin, summon elemental (earth only)* |
|  9th  | *transmute rock, wall of stone*|

### Mountain's Resilience

At 1st level you are imbued with the strength and fortitude of the earth. This grants several benefits:

* You gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy armor.
* Your hit points maximum increases by 1, and it increases by one every time you gain a level. 
* You learn the *mold earth* cantrip. It counts as a cleric cantrip for you and doesn’t count against the number of cleric cantrips you know. If you already know mold earth, you instead learn the *magic stone* cantrip. 
* When you use your Turn Undead channel divinity, you can also effect non-earth elementals.

### Channel Divinity: Unstoppable

At 2nd level, the cleric may use their Channel Divinity as a reaction when struck by any effect that causes them to become paralyzed, prone, or restrained, or when affected by any force or ability that would move them against their will. The cleric immediately shakes off the effect as if it never happened.

### Stone Ward
At 6th level, you gain the ability to impart the sturdiness of the earth to those around you. As a reaction when you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you suffers a critical hit, you can turn that hit into a normal hit. Any effects triggered by a critical hit are canceled.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

### Divine Strike
At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 damage of the same type dealt by the weapon to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

### Avatar of the Earth
At 17th level, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.

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## Fire domain

Fire is the feared domain of destructive power, rarely seen as nurturing and life-giving. Most fire clerics are impulsive and destructive like their element, and seen as madmen who randomly destroy precious organic material. Yet, fire wipes away the old so the land can grow back stronger. They sometimes jest “to destroy the world is to destroy the defilers,” and no one is quite sure if they are truly joking.

Fire clerics are expected to preserve Athas so it can be destroyed again and grow back stronger. They encourage the growth of forests, cities, and fields. This pact leads them to directly oppose all defilers and sorcerer kings, but their ways are too eccentric to form lasting alliances with druids, who share the same goal.

> ##### Fire Initiation
> When a mentor feels her student is ready, she takes her to a clearing and burns her in a massive bonfire at nightfall. If accepted, the novice remains in the inferno through the night as it burns and infuses her through the flames. Her hair, if any, turns fiery red and her eyes coal black, known as “the badge of flame.” If not accepted, she is violently expelled an in explosion of fire, usually fatal.

### Fire Domain Spells

| Cleric Level  | Spells |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  1st  | *burning hands, faerie fire* |
|  3rd  | *flaming sphere, scorching ray*|
|  5th  | *daylight, fireball* |
|  7th  | *summon elemental (fire only), wall of fire* |
|  9th  | *flame strike, scrying*|

### Fire's Fury
At 1st level you are imbued with the power and ferocity of the flame. This grants several benefits:

* You gain the *produce flame* cantrip. It counts as a cleric cantrip for you and doesn’t count against the number of cleric cantrips you know. If you already know produce flame, you instead learn the *control flames* cantrip.
* When you use your Turn Undead channel divinity, you can also effect non-fire elementals.

### Warding Flare
Also at 1st level, you can interpose divine light between yourself and an attacking enemy. When you are attacked by a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll, causing light to flare before the attacker before it hits or misses. An attacker that can’t be blinded is immune to this feature.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

### Channel Divinity: Radiance of the Dawn
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to harness sunlight, banishing darkness and dealing radiant damage to your foes.

As an action, you present your holy symbol, and any magical darkness within 30 feet of you is dispelled. Additionally, each hostile creature within 30 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes radiant damage equal to 2d10 + your cleric level on a failed saving throw, and half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that has total cover from you is not affected.

### Improved Flare
Starting at 6th level, you can also use your Warding Flare feature when a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you attacks a creature other than you.

### Potent Spellcasting
Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.

### Corona of Light
Starting at 17th level, you can use your action to activate an aura of sunlight that lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it using another action. You emit bright light in a 60-foot radius and dim light 30 feet beyond that. Your enemies in the bright light have disadvantage on saving throws against any spell that deals fire or radiant damage.

## Water Domain

Water is the rarest of domains, life-giving and life-taking, with a severe and unforgiving animosity to any who would defile a well or plants. Clerics of water instinctively sense a duty to perform an age-old function of being healer and bringer of life regardless of the morals of the target, and they bear a sadness to the moisture that has been lost by defilement. Some eventually go insane, consumed by the thirst of this land and an inability to quench it.

They worship by finding the dew of the morning and encouraging it, or keeping the lifeblood from needlessly spilling onto barren land (if it falls on fertile land, that is another matter). Because water can be found in all living things, they have access to powers that can restore, or manipulate, beings.

> ##### Water Initiation
> When a mentor feels a student is ready, they begin the long journey to a rare body of water such as Lake Island or the Lake of the Golden Dreams. For a day they meditate on the lake’s edge, and at dusk, the student enters the water and surrenders to the depths. If accepted, the initiate spends the night in the dark water forging a pact with babbling spirits. If not, the student likely drowns.

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### Water Domain Spells

| Cleric Level  | Spells |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  1st  | *create or destroy water (create only), fog cloud* |
|  3rd  | *lesser restoration, misty step*|
|  5th  | *sleet storm, water breathing* |
|  7th  | *control water, summon elemental (water only)* |
|  9th  | *cone of cold, maelstrom*|

### Disciple of the Oasis
Also at 1st level you are imbued with the life giving power of water. This grants several benefits:

* You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. If you already have a swimming speed, it instead increases by 10 feet.
* When you cast a spell that creates water, you produce double the amount you normally would.
* Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore HP, the creature regains additional HP equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
* You learn the *shape water* cantrip. It counts as a cleric cantrip for you and doesn’t count against the number of cleric cantrips you know. If you already know shape water, you instead learn the *ray of frost* cantrip.
* When you use your Turn Undead channel divinity, you can also effect non-water elementals.

### Channel Divinity: Preserve Life
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to heal the badly injured.

As an action, you present your holy symbol and evoke healing energy that can restore a number of hit points equal to five times your cleric level. Choose any creatures within 30 feet of you, and divide those hit points among them. This feature can restore a creature to no more than half of its hit point maximum. You can’t use this feature on an undead or a construct.

### Channel Divinity: Dampen Elements
Starting at 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity to protect your allies from the elements.

When you or a creature within 30 feet of you takes acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to grant resistance to the creature against that instance of the damage. If it is acid or other water related damage, you or the creature take no damage.

### Potent Spellcasting
Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.

### Supreme Healing
Starting at 17th level, when you would normally roll one or more dice to restore hit points with a spell, you instead use the highest number possible for each die. For example, instead of restoring 2d6 hit points to a creature, you restore 12.

\pagebreakNum

# Spheres of magic - Cleric

The priests of Athas worship the beings that inhabit the elemental planes of earth, air, fire, and water as there are no gods in the Dark Sun setting. (Spells that indicate some contact with a deity instead reflect contact with a powerful being of the elemental planes.)

___
In a Dark Sun campaign, priest spells fall into four spheres associated with the four elemental planes, as well as a separate Sphere of the Cosmos. This last sphere is by far the largest, though the other four hold more specialized and generally more powerful spells. All clerics on Athas draw magical energy from one of the elemental planes and the Sphere of the Cosmos. The Sphere of the Cosmos is not listed here as it simply contains every cleric spell not on the following lists.

##### Sphere of Air
- Insect plague (5th)
- Plane shift (5th)
- Control weather (7th)
- Wind walk (7th)

\columnbreak

##### Sphere of Earth
- Protection From Poison (1st)
- Meld into stone (3rd)
- Stone shape (4th)
- Transmute rock (5th)
- Find the Path (6th)
- Earthquake (7th)

\columnbreak

##### Sphere of Fire
- Faerie fire (1st)
- Continual Flame (2nd)
- Daylight (3rd)
- Dawn (5th)
- Flame Strike (5th)
- Fire storm (7th)

\columnbreak

##### Sphere of Water
- Create or destroy water* (1st)
- Purify food and drink (1st)
- Detect poison and disease (1st)
- Create food and water* (3rd)
- Water walk (3rd)
- Control Water (4th)

</div>

*Consult the *Spell Changes* section as this spell operates differently on Athas.

\pagebreakNum

# Druid

Unlike Athasian clerics, druids are solitary creatures. They live off the land, within the land, and they have sacrificed their entire lives for the land. But, unlike clerics, druids concentrate their considerable abilities in a single area: their guarded lands. A barren stretch of desert, a sparse section of scrub land, or perhaps a sparkling oasis, that is the home of the druid, and his source of power. One
small preserve, protected from the dark magic of the defilers.

They are the bane of sorcerer kings, eternally at war with them, but hunted to small enough numbers to no longer be considered a viable threat. The few druids bide their time, training and rebuilding their ranks. It is said one day the druids will rise from the earth with their fallen brothers and erase the sorcerer kings from Athas.

> ##### Druid Pact
> Unlike clerics, druids are not bound by the desires of the elements but are tasked with defending the raw elements of the world. They do not undergo rites of initiation but instead apprentice under other druids. Months may pass before a mentor believes the initiate is ready to speak with the elements. At that time, the student is allowed to commune in a deep trance with the spirits. There are very few rejections as druids tend to carefully weed and groom candidates before ever allowing them to commune. In such events, the student is generally killed and returned to the earth.

Use the default rules for druids unless a change is indicated below.

<div class='descriptive'>
 
##### Guarded Land
Choose one specific geographic feature to be your Guarded Land. This may be a particular stretch of desert, an oasis, a cave, a belt of scrub grass, and so on. While you are within the boundaries of your Guarded Land, you are under a constant *pass without trace* effect and can cast *speak with animals* and *speak to plants* at will. When you are a 7th level druid, you no longer need to eat or drink while in your guarded land.

Some possible guarded lands for the Sphere of Earth include a particular mountain or hill, a rock outcropping, an expanse of desert or steppes. For the Sphere of Air, a druid might opt to protect the sky over a particular area, the winds of a canyon, or any prevailing wind pattern. For the Sphere of Fire, dry grasslands, a volcanic vent, hot springs, or boiling tar pits are appropriate guardian lands. Lastly, the Sphere of Water might include a spring or pool, an oasis, or a natural cistern.

</div>

\columnbreak

### Class Changes
 
* See the **Beast Shapes** section for **Wild Shape** options.
* Replace Religion skill option with Stealth.
* Please see the *Part 7: Magic* for spells changes, as several Druid spells have been altered or removed.

### Spellcasting Changes

Purely elemental spells are direct connections to the elemental planes. Due the druids connection to the land, they are more flexible with elemental spells then clerics who are tied to a single element.

A druid may be able to take access to up to two elemental spheres of magic. Some druid subclasses are connected to a specific elemental sphere by default. Theses are noted among the archetype changes listed below.

### Banned Archetypes

___
**Circle of Dreams (Xanathar).** Does not exist.

___
**Circle of Stars. (Tasha)** Does not exist.

### Archetype Changes

**Circle of Land.** The terrain of Athas is much different than that of most D&D worlds.

* Remove ***Arctic***
* **Coast** is renamed **Oasis**. **Sphere:** One sphere must be water.
* **Desert** is unchanged. **Sphere:** One sphere must be earth.
* **Forest** includes jungles. **Sphere:** One sphere must be earth.
* **Grassland** includes savannah, scrublands, and verdant belts. **Sphere:** One must be non-fire.
* **Swamp** includes mud flats and salt marshes. **Sphere:** One must be earth or water.
* **Underdark** is renamed **Cave**. **Sphere:** one must be earth

___
**Circle of the Shepherd (Xanathar).**

* Remove all references to Fey. 
* Modify *Speech of the Woods*. You learn to speak Primordial, instead of Sylvan.
* Modify *Spirit Totem*. Rename Bear as *Klar* (see barbarian), Hawk as *Kes’trekel* (see barbarian), and Unicorn as *Spirit of the Land*. A Spirit of the Land is an enigmatic force that infuses particular lands. Only a select few druids know how to tap into the energies of these silent, ancient powers.
* **Sphere:** one must be earth or air.

___
**Circle of the Moon (PHB).** the **Elemental Wild Shape** feature is restricted to the elemental forms associated with your chosen spheres. Sphere: Any 2.

### Unchanged Archetypes

**Circle of Spores (Tasha).** While most types of fungi are practically extinct, many deep underground caverns and cave systems may still contain them. A better flavor for this subclass might be to focus on desert fungi almost exclusively such as coccidioides that can cause valley fever. **Sphere:** One must be air.

___
**Circle of the Wildfire (Tasha).** Sphere: One must be fire.

\pagebreakNum

### Beast Shapes

| CR | Beast |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|0|Animal, household (cat, critic*, hurrum*)
|0| Aprig*
|0| Bat (fly)
|  0  | Cranium rat (Volo 133)|
|  0 | Giant fire beetle |
|  0  | Scorpion |
|0|Spider
|1/8|Animal, herd (kip*, z'tal*, jankz*)
|1/8|Baazrag*
|1/8|Carru*
|1/8|Mulworm (fly)*
|  1/8  | Poisonous snake (swim) |
|1/8|Sygra*
|1/8|Wezer drone (fly)*
|  1/4  | Constrictor snake (swim) |
|1/4|Flying snake (fly)
|1/4| Giant bat (fly)
|  1/4  | Giant centipede |
|  1/4  | Giant lizard |
|  1/4  | Giant poisonous snake |
|  1/4  | Kes'trekel (fly) |*
|  1/4  | Rasclinn |*
|1/4| Wezer soldier (fly)*
|  1/2  | Erdlu |*
|  1/2  | Jhakar |*
|1/2|Kank, drone*
|1/2| Klar, young*|
|1/2| Wezer queen*

___
*Creatures native to Athas, please consult DM for stat blocks and if their version matches the CR stated here.

___
** Not an Athas specific monster but also doesnt have a 5e counterpart. I found they fit very well in the setting. Please consult your DM if they exist on their Athas.

\columnbreak

### Beast Shapes, continued

| CR | Beast |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|1|Dagorran*|
|1|Erdland*|
|1|Giant ant lion**|
|1|Giant spider |
|1|Giant vulture (fly)|
|  1  | Kluzd* |
|2|Cilops*
|  2  | Giant constrictor snake (swim) |
|2|Gold scorpion* |
|2|Kank, soldier*
|2|Lirr*
|  2  | Razorwing (fly)* |
|2|Tagster/Tigone*|
|  3  | Cha'thrang* |
|3|Crodlu*
|  3  | Giant scorpion |
|3|Kirre*
|3|Pterrax (fly)*
|  4  | Baazrag Boneclaw*|
|5|Inix*
|6|Klar*

<br>

> ##### Wild Shape and Psionics
> The challenge rating of beasts include their innate psionic abilities, which are assumed when the druid takes that form.

\pagebreakNum

# Spheres of magic - Druid

While druids are a priestly class like clerics, they don't need to form bonds directly with elemental beings. Instead they draw their power from the land itself.

\columnbreak

In a Dark Sun campaign, druid spells fall into four spheres associated with the four elemental planes, as well as a separate Sphere of the Cosmos. This last sphere is by far the largest, though the other four hold more specialized and generally more powerful spells. All druids on Athas draw magical energy from the land itself, which is connected to the elemental planes and the Sphere of the Cosmos. The Sphere of the Cosmos is not listed here as it simply contains every Druid spell not on the following lists.

##### Sphere of Air
- Gust (Cantrip)
- Infestation (Cantrip)
- Thunderclap (Cantrip)
- Fog Cloud (1st level)
- Thunderwave (1st level)
- Dust Devil (2nd level)
- Gust of Air (2nd level)
- Skywrite (2nd level)
- Warding Wind (2nd level)
- Call of Lightning (3rd level)
- Wind Wall (3rd level)
- Control Winds (5th level)
- Insect Plague (5th level)
- Maelstrom (5th level)
- Investiture of Wind (6th level)
- Whirlwind (7th level)
- Control Weather (8th level)
- Storm of Vengeance (9th level)

\columnbreak

##### Sphere of Earth
- Magic Stone (Cantrip)
- Mold Earth (Cantrip)
- Earth Tremor (1st level)
- Entangle (1st level)
- Longstrider (1st level)
- Dust Devil (2nd level)
- Earthbind (2nd level)
- Pass without a Trace (2nd level)
- Spike Growth (2nd level)
- Protection from Poison (2nd level)
- Erupting Earth (3rd level)
- Meld into Stone (3rd level)
- Guardian of Nature (4th level)
- Stone Shape (4th level)
- Stoneskin (4th level)
- Transmute Rock (5th level)
- Wall of Stone (5th level)
- Bones of the Earth (6th)
- Find the path (6th level)
- Investiture of Stone (6th level)
- Move Earth (6th level)

\columnbreak

##### Sphere of Fire
- Control Flames (Cantrip)
- Create bonfire (Cantrip)
- Produce Flame (Cantrip)
- Faerie Fire (1st level)
- Flame Blade (2nd level)
- Flaming Sphere (2nd level)
- Heat Metal (2nd level)
- Moonbeam (2nd level)
- Flame Arrows (3rd level)
- Wall of Fire (4th level)
- Investiture of Flame (6th level)
- Sunbeam (6th level)
- Fire Storm (7th level)
- Sunburst (8th level)
- Wall of Fire (4th level)
- Investiture of Flame (6th level)

\columnbreak

##### Sphere of Water
- Frostbite (Cantrip)
- Shape Water (Cantrip)
- Create or Destroy Water * (1st level)
- Detect Poison and Disease (1st level)
- Ice Knife (1st level)
- Purify Food and Drink (1st level)
- Sleet Storm (3rd level)
- Tidal Wave (3rd level)
- Wall of Water (3rd level)
- Water Breathing (3rd level)
- Control Water (4th level)
- Ice Storm (4th level)
- Watery Sphere (4th level)
- Investiture of Ice (6th level)
- Tsunami (8th level)

</div>

*Consult the *Spell Changes* section as this this spell operates differently on Athas.

\pagebreakNum

# Fighter

The fighter is universal no matter what world she may be found. Most serve as gladiators, soldiers, merchant guards, or mercenaries. Most gladiators are slaves, but some can make a lucrative living as freemen, training a stable or earning prizes. The city-states rely on slave conscripts for the bulk of their forces, but all maintain a core of elite, trained soldiers such as the all-female Shadow Consorts of Nibenay or Urik’s Obsidian Guard. The merchant houses employ their own armies to protect trade, including well-trained cavalry and foot soldiers. Nobles keep their own bodyguards and small forces, considered a fairly easy job since most nobles are content to avoid conflict. Soldiers of fortune can be found in all settings, and a few have united to form small units operating from fortified bases, such as the Black Reavers outside of Urik.

<br>

Fighters function as in the PHB with changes as below:

### Banned Archetypes

**Rune Knight.** Giants on Athas aren't know to use magical runes or have an ancient tradition. Thus the Rune Knight would not easily fit.

### Archetype Changes

**Arcane Archer.** You have learned how to use magic to specifically augment arrows. Due to it's nature, this subclass cannot defile but its magical nature still cause fear to those who suspect that it is arcane in nature.

___
**Eldritch Knight.** May be reflavored flavored as a psionic class. If so, use the Sorcerer spell list instead of the Wizards spell list and can choose between Intelligence and Charisma as your casting stat. If you choose Intelligence, you instead use the Spell Point variant rules (**DMG p.288**). However, if you multiclass into a non-psionic spell casting class, you revert to using the standard spell slots for spell casting.

___
**Samurai.** Renamed to **Gladiator**. While any fighter can take a weapon and enter the arena, there are a select few who have been trained to dominate and please the crowd. Outside the arena, this self-control translates well to command of soldiers.

___
**Psi Warrior.** Given how prevalent psionics are, fighters with a good teacher can augment themselves using the power of their mind. Many would be found in the Gladiator pits, trained in their abilities to put on better shows. They are considered safer then true psions because their abilities are restricted to the physical form. A fighter who displays a greater array of powers might be put down however.

\columnbreak

### Unchanged Archetypes
The following Archetypes are mostly untouched. There are many ways to fight and their unmagical nature means theres less restrictions on how a character would obtain the subclasses.

___
**Battle Master.**

___
**Eldritch Knight.** If not used as a Psionic class, the Eldritch Knight can still be used as an arcane spellcaster with access to the defiler rules listed later in this document.

___
**Cavalier.**

___
**Champion.**

___
**Banneret (Purple Dragon Knight).**

\pagebreakNum

# Monk

There are no monasteries on Athas. Rather, a style of fighting emerged from the gladiator pits in response to a demand for unarmed combat, and from those combatants, nobles and templars bred in psionic abilities to create masters of the body. Due to their popular crowd appeal, enough have been granted freedom that they have spread out and trained others, or sought greater fame and fortune in the sands. A master monk is as rare as steel and just as dangerous.

Psionic monk gladiators are considered by their owners to be less trouble than a true psion because their powers tend to stay restricted to the physical form. A monk who displays a greater array of powers might be put down instead.

<br>

Monks function as in the PHB with changes as below:

### Banned Archetypes

**Way of the Ascendant Dragon (Fizban).** There is only one dragon on Athas and he is not known to gift abilities to others. Thus dragon derived abilities don't make much sense on Athas

### Archetype Changes

<br>

**Way of Mercy (Tasha).** A monk who uses psionics to effect and manipulate another creates life force.

___
**Way of Shadow (PHB).** A monk that has been touched by the essence of The Black.

___
**Way of the Astral Self (Tasha).** A monk whose psionic power is strong enough to manifest his inner self in the physical world.

___
**Way of the Four Elements (PHB).** A monk who has psionically touched all four elemental planes.

___
**Way of the Long Death (SCAG).** A monk who uses psionics to effect and manipulate another creatures life force.

___
**Way of the Sun Soul (Xanathar).** A version of the sun cleric, subject to the same loss of all class powers if violating tenets of that element.

### Unchanged Archetype
The following Archetypes are mostly untouched. They are Monks with intense training made to focus on armed and unarmed combat.

___
**Way of the Open Hand (PHB).**

___
**Way of the Drunken Master (PHB).**

___
**Way of the Kensei (Xanathar).**

\pagebreakNum

# Psion

Psionics are a daily part of life in Athas and all living creatures will have exposure to it. It is not unexpected that the local smith might have some latent talent to bend leather in a particular way that improves the product. Even the beasts of the desert likely have some ability that improves their survivability. Every sorcerer king and most merchant houses keep a stable of powerful psionic users on staff, and in cities those who display a greater degree of power are carefully watched for signs of disloyalty.

> ##### The Will and the Way
> The "Will" is one's innate psionic ability, and the "Way" is the art of studying psionics. Each psion refers to herself through her focus of study, and to the common folk, all are commonly called "mindbenders."

Every city has psionic trainers and schools of study, and it is said there is an Order of mindbenders powerful enough to challenge a sorcerer-king, though if such an Order exists, its agenda has yet to be known. All races accept and have affinity for psionics. Even so, laws of the cities take into account psionic powers. Crimes committed by a compelled person are punished as if the psionic user committed them, and mind-reading against non-slaves is forbidden.

## Class Details

The Psion class will be the **Sorcerer** class with the **Aberrant Soul** subclass.

___
You may decide that your casting stat be either Charisma or Intelligence.
Charisma represents untrained but powerful psionic power while Intelligence represents that you have been trained to properly use your psionic abilities.

___
If you chose Intelligence, you instead use the Spell Point variant rule (**DMG p.288**). However, if you multiclass into a non-psionic spell casting class, you revert to using the standard spell slots for spell casting.

### Path of the Mindbender

When people learn to use psionics, they're taught to create a nexus - a point in the center of their beings where physical, mental, and spiritual energy can be harnessed. It is the union of these powers that allows mindbenders to perform the remarkable feats they're capable of.

While many beings can discover the strength of the Will within themselves, most who go on to study the Way require
guidance from a teacher. There are schools of the Way in every city of Athas, and merchant houses and noble families often pay dearly to have their scions educated by the best. Rarely, the academies waive tuition for a promising student of the free classes. Slaves are never formally instructed in the Way.

In addition to the formal schools, there are wandering teachers or tribal elders who take it upon themselves to instruct those who show promise. Even field slaves may be instructed by an older, wiser slave in secret sessions. Most of these tutors can't provide the quality of training that a formal curriculum can, but some wandering masters are very capable and can provide an unrivaled education in the psionic arts.

### A Rare Path

Although thousands of Athasians command a unique talent, true masters of the Way are still rare. It takes exceptional ability and dedication to take up the study of the Way, and many do not progress far. Less than one person in
one hundred who formally study the Way can be considered a true mindbender.

Because trained psionicists are scarce, they are highly valued by many elements of Athasian society. Unlike wizards, psionicists are free of the taint of magic and need not disguise their calling. They owe no loyalty to the sorcerer-kings, unlike the templars. Even clerics and druids have elemental powers and guarded lands that they must place first.

Any psionicist willing to sell her services will find there is great demand for someone skilled in the mental arts. Merchant houses, psionic schools, nobles, and templars routinely employ mindbenders to help them against their enemies. In fact, it is unusual to encounter a mindbender who has no patron or employer. They are often seen as troublemakers.

\pagebreakNum

# Ranger

The wilds of Athas are a treacherous place, and the skills of a ranger are most often learned as a guide, hunter, or scout for a military operation. Rangers are found in every race, most prominently among halflings. To the ranger, the seared lands are not an enemy but a well respected adversary. Rangers generally are on good terms with druids, and it is from a druid mentor that a ranger likely has experienced contact with a Spirit of the Land that can bestow upon her certain powers.

Rangers function as in the PHB with changes as below:

**Favored enemies.**

* Remove **fey**. 
* **Dragons** and **celestials** require DM permission.

___
There is only one known Dragon on Athas, however there are many traditionally draconic beings on Athas that, despite any resemblance, arent considered to be related the Dragon of Tyr.

___
The Dragon type will be separated into two types: **Dragon** for traditional draconic beings such as pseudodragons and drakes, and **Athasian Dragon** for beings such as the Dragon of Tyr.

Beings that would qualify as **celestials** by 5e standards are extremely rare.

___
**Natural Explorer.** 
* Remove **Arctic**
* **Coast** is renamed **Oasis**.
* **Desert** is unchanged.
* **Forest** includes **jungles**. May be selected at DM discretion but is virtually unknown to any but halflings.
* **Grassland** includes **savannah, scrublands, and verdant belts**.
* **Swamp** includes mud flats and salt marshes.
* **Underdark** is renamed **Cave**.

## Banned Archetypes

___
**Drakewarden (Fizban).** There is only one intelligent dragon on Athas and he does not gift beings such as the drakewardens companion. Thus it makes little sense to have this subclass.

___
**Horizon Walker (Xanathar).** Athas is cut off from the multiverse at large. Planar portals are extremely rare to non-existent.

## Archetype Changes

**Fey Wanderer (Tasha).** 
* Changed to **Psionic Wanderer**. 
* Remove all reference to Fey. This archetype becomes a Psionic theme subclass.
* Remove Feywild Gift.
* At 11th level, instead of the **Summon Fey** spell, you instead gain the **Summon Beast** spell. It is still cast as a 3rd level spell however.
* **For this subclass, you instead use the Spell Point variant rules (DMG p.288). However, if you multiclass into a non-psionic spell casting class, you revert to using the standard spell slots for spell casting.**

## Unchanged Archetypes

**Beastmaster (PHB).** Thought many beasts on Athas are more savage and violent then beasts on other worlds, many rangers manage to tame them and make them trusted companions. Speak with your DM for an appropriate beast native to Athas.

___
**Gloom Stalker (Xanathar).**

___
**Hunter (PHB).**

___
**Monster Slayer (Xanathar).**

___
**Swarmkeeper (Tasha).**

\pagebreakNum

# Rogue

Dark Sun rogues come from all walks of life: slave, freeman, merchant and noble. Rogues are common amongst merchant houses as astute guides, shrewd bargainers, and smugglers. Every city-state has a thieves' guild, and they often deal with wizards (no questions asked), who pay fees not only for illegal components but for protection and anonymity. Skilled rogue performers are referred to as "bards," with the presumption they might also be serving as a covert agent or assassin. Poison has no stigma on Athas and likely to be used by any rogue.
Rogues function as in the PHB with changes as below:

## Banned Archetypes

## Archetype Changes

**Arcane Trickster (PHB).** This subclass may be reflavored flavored as a psionic class. If so, use the Sorcerer spell list instead of the Wizards spell list and can choose between Intelligence and Charisma as your casting stat. If you choose Intelligence, you instead use the Spell Point variant rules (**DMG p.288**). However, if you multiclass into a non-psionic spell casting class, you revert to using the standard spell slots for spell casting.

## Unchanged Archetypes

**Assassin (PHB).**

___
**Arcane Trickster (PHB).** If not used as a Psionic class, the Arcane Trickster can still be used as an arcane spellcaster with access to the defiler rules listed later in this document.

___
**Thief (PHB).**

___
**Phantom (Tasha).** You have some connection to the Grey. The infinite expanse of ashen mist that serves as the afterlife on Athas. You can somehow harness the knowledge and experience of those who have past on.

___
**Swashbuckler (Xanathar).**

___
**Inquisitive (Xanathar).**

___
**Mastermind (Xanathar).**

___
**Scout (Xanathar).** Any large traveling group can benefit from someone going ahead to scouting out the path forward. Armies, nomadic tribes, merchants and even slaver tribes are likely to have scouts.

___
**Soulknife (Tasha).** Many on Athas have latent psionic ability, those who unlock their abilities can augment their skills significantly. Such is the case with Soulknives. Assassins, thieves and spies who use their psionic abilities for their own ends or those of who have the most ceramic pieces.

\pagebreakNum

# Warlock

Warlocks are extremely rare on Athas because they must derive their power from a patron, and to all but the most learned of sages, there are only two sources for that power: sorcerer-kings and the elemental powers. Nearly all warlocks that are encountered are "Templars," men and women of all races imbued with the essence of their god-kings and queens and empowered with the authority over life and death of the commoner.

But, for a very select few, power comes from another source. The total number of mortals who wield these powers and make a pact with the unknown can likely be counted on one hand. Their agendas may be alien to the general interests of most: survive and prosper.

Warlocks function as in the PHB with changes as below:

## Archetype Changes

**The Undead.** The 6th level feature **Grave Touched** only halves the amount of food and water you require instead of ignored having to eat and drink.

## Templars

Templars derive their power from the Sorcerer-Kings and Queens, each one of which tailors the powers to a form they prefer. If your Patron is one of the Sorcerer-Kings, use the following table to determine the type of pact you receive:

By the nature of their position and their rulers, **there are typically no good-aligned templars.** Most are evil and at best there are neutral-aligned ones who shy away from the more brutal aspects to focus on the bureaucracy of the city states.

___
With the absence of true gods, the sorcerer-kings portrait themselves as gods among their people. As such, the verbal components of spells cast by templars resemble prayers that a cleric might recite but directed to their respective sorcerer-king or queen.

___
Speak with your DM if you can play as a templar character.

\columnbreak

### Other Patrons

**The Hexbalde.** The realm known as The Black, a vast dimension of darkness separates everything that exists from everything that doesn't, is similar to the Shadowfell on other worlds. The shadow beings that inhabit it (albeit rarely) form deals and contracts with those on the material plane.

___
**The Fiend.** Long ago Athas was open to the other planes. During this time many fiends came and went as on other worlds. When Athas was cut off from the multiverse, there were some fiends who were trapped either on Athas or trapped in the Grey. Perhaps some are more recent arrivals, trying to pierce the grey from the outside to reach an untapped market of souls cut off from any divine interference. Some of these beings may be powerful enough to empart magical abilities on an individual they come across if it fits their needs.

___
**The Undead/ The Undying.** The Gray is a dreary, endless space, the place Athasians go when they die. This infinite expanse of ashen haze attracts the spirits of the dead once they give up the confines of their mortal raiment. Those who learn to harness its essence become stuck at a point between life and death.

\pagebreakNum

# Wizard

Arcane magic is outlawed in every city-state. In secret, wizards still study the arcane arts, drawn to it even at the risk of their lives, from small cabals to isolated ancient text study. Wizards are universally distrusted, for while one may profess to not defile, the temptation will always be there, to gain greater power "just this once" and "for the greater good." To the druid or elemental cleric, there is no greater affront than seeing the precious life of Athas turn to ash, justified for a brief need.

PC wizards are likely revolutionaries, naturally in opposition to sorcerer kings. They must take extreme steps to hide their nature, including from their own companions. If you play a wizard, think about a "cover story." Many wizards pretend to be mindbenders or clerics.

> ##### Hiding a Spellbook
> Wizards learn quickly and share secrets with friends and family on hiding spellbooks, keeping one step ahead if possible from templar searches. Hollowed out walking sticks and weapons with scroll spellbooks are common, along with pages sewn between two pieces of cloth on items such as cloaks, and some carve the symbols onto items such as wooden and bone implements. Some have even risked inscribing their spells into leather garments, to be turned inside out when needed. It has been said a few desperate souls have even tattooed books onto their own skin. For most, it is best to find a careful hiding spot in each civilization.

Wizards function as in the PHB with changes as below:

* Add *Sleight of Hand*, *Deception* and *Performance* to list of skills from which to choose.

* Remove *History* from the list of skills from which to choose.

## Banned Archetypes

* **Chronurgy Magic.**
* **Graviturgy Magic.**

## Unchanged Archetypes

* **All other Arcane Traditions are allowed.**

\columnbreak

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ##### Preservers and Defilers
 Athas is a wasteland because spells are powered by living matter - plants - and centuries of wars involving the sorcerer kings, the Dragon, and constant defiling has leeched the world dry. While sorcerer kings maintain gardens and hunt defilers, they still keep some on hand as a necessity. Wizards who defile can draw great power from plant life but in return will permanently reduce every tree, shrub, even underground root in the area to ash that never can again support life. This eventually leaves a taint on the wizard that can be sensed by those attuned to such things like druids. Preservers are wizards who have, at the cost of greater power, devoted themselves to taking only what is needed, from further sources until the spell can be powered. They also devote their lives to destroying defilers. Nevertheless, the temptation will always be there, to defile "just this once." To most preservers, there is no middle ground. Once a defiler, always a defiler, and better to die than cross that line. To some, when looking death in the eye, the decision becomes that much harder.
 
 </div>

\pagebreakNum

# Defilers of Athas

When an arcane caster invokes a spell, she draws upon the life energy of Athas. Most casters are trained to take only what is needed because any more kills plant life and renders the area barren for centuries. Every spellcaster is aware she is limiting herself by voluntarily limiting her casting in this way. With any spell, she can cost off her self-imposed restrictions in exchange for a rush of power. In doing so, she marks herself as a defiler - an enemy of the land. Doing so is an evil act, but many a good-hearted caster has found herself facing impending doom and reconsidered this stance.

> ##### Game Terms
> Those who defile can apply a metamagic effect to their non-cantrip spells. Once the spell is cast, the land around them turns to barren ash, and the caster gains one or more defiler points. A caster who defiles even once will track two new scores: her current defiler points score, and if applicable, her permanent defiler aura. The DM determines the terrain, which determines the amount of vegetation from which defiling power can be taken.
> 
> You must be touching the ground to attempt defiling and you cannot defile from already defiled land.

### Defiling Effect

Every bit of nonsentient plant life in the immediate vicinity is turned to ash, and the land is rendered sterile, unable to sustain life for possibly decades or centuries after. For one year, no matter what is done, the defiled area can never be viable. Even afterwards, all the lifegiving nutrients have been leeched from the soil, requiring skilled intervention before even one blade of grass can grow and taking up to centuries to naturally restore.

When defiling, the radius of the defiled land depends on how fertile the land is and the spell level:

<!---

| Spell Level  | Base Radius of Defiled Land |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  1  | 5 ft. |
|  2  | 10 ft. |
|  3  | 20 ft. |
|  4  | 30 ft. |
|  5  | 40 ft. |
|  6  | 50 ft. |
|  7  | 60 ft. |
|  8  | 70 ft. |
|  9  | 80 ft. |

-->

The Base radius of the defiled land equals **5 times the spells level**

The DM determines the type of terrain. For example, if the terrain is mostly barren to begin with, the radius is trippled as you have to reach farther and deeper for the needed energy while the radius an area with abundant plant life is cut in third.

When defiling, you can choose any number of the following defiler options to apply to the spell. However, **the Base radius of the defiling will increase by 5 feet for each option beyond the first**:

### Defiler Points

Whenever you defile, you gain defiler points based on the effect applied according to the **Defiling Benefits and Cost Table.** These points have no immediate effect, but must be later dealt with. See **Purging Defiler Points** later in this document.

The number of points you can spend on an effect is limited to **half your caster level (rounded down, minimum of one).**

You cannot defile if the area has been been drained of vegetative life.

<br>

#### Careful spell

When casting a spell that requires a saving throw, choose a number of creatures up to your spellcasting modifier (minimum 1). Chosen creatures automatically save.

#### Distant spell

Double the range of spells with at least a 5 foot range, or make a touch spell have a range of 30 feet.

#### Subtle spell

Cast without somatic or verbal components.

#### Empowered spell

Reroll a number of damage dice equal to your spellcasting modifier (minimum 1) and use those new rolls.

#### Extended spell

Double the duration of any spell with a duration of at least 1 minute, maximum 24 hours.

#### Heightened Spell

When casting a spell requiring a save, make one target have disadvantage on its first saving throw against the spell.

\pagebreakNum

#### Quickened spell

Change the casting time of any spell that has a casting time of 1 action to 1 bonus action.

#### Twinned spell

When casting a spell that targets only one creature and doesn't have a range of self, you may target a second creature in range with the same spell. To be eligible, the spell cannot target more than one creature at the level being cast.

#### Cast spell without material component

Cast any spell without using a material component.

## Recover spell slot

In addition to other Defile effects, you can draw forth life energy to renew your arcane powers. As an action that provokes an attack of opportunity, you may regain an expended spell slot. If you do, you gain defiler points equal to 2 times the spells slots level and defile the land as if you had cast a spell of that level.

## Purging Defiler Points

Keeping defiler points can risk grave consequences for the defiler. There is only one way to lose the points accumulated, by assuming the taint within yourself. In most preserver circles, it is considered better to die than defile, and even if one can remove the taint of defiling, that person will be seen as a defiler ("once a defiler always a defiler.")

### Assume the Taint

At the end of a long rest, you may purge away all your defiler points. Add a third of your defiler points (minimum of 1) to your permanent *defiler aura.* Reset your defiler points to zero.

#### Defiler aura

If you defile even once and assume the taint, you permanently gain an aura that marks you for those who can detect such auras, such as a druid.

As this aura grows, its affects worsen, causing those around you to unconsciously find you disturbing and untrustworthy. In addition, your bodily health will deteriorate and your mind will warp.

The *Defiler Aura Table* below details the effects you sustain as your aura grows. The effects can't be changed or undone except through a *Conversion* or *Wish* spell

<!---
Certain creatures and casters have effects that specifically target defilers, and your aura functions as a penalty on your saving throws against those anti-defiler effects. There is no limit to how high your defiler aura score may be.

**Defiler Aura Table**

| Defiler Aura Points  | Effect |
|:--:|:-----------:|
|  1+   | -1 on Charisma checks |
|  11+  | Another -1 on Charisma checks and a -2 Constitution score reduction.  |
|  21+  | An additional -2 on Charisma Checks. Alignment becomes evil. |
|  31+  | Another -2 on Charisma checks and another -2 Constitution score reduction. |
|  41+  | Another -2 on Charisma checks |

### Rejecting the Taint
Some defilers choose to not assume the taint, lest they inhibit themselves and risk the attention of druids and others that can detect defiler auras. This is but a temporary solution, as the body will eventually reject the taint in such a way to warp your body, mind and spirit.

At the end of a long rest, if you do not assume the taint, you must make a Constitution saving throw with the DC equal the number of Defiler points you currently have. If you fail this saving throw 3 times in your life, you become an undead NPC known as a T'liz (see the *Monsters of Athas* section later in this document) under DM control.

## Defiling effects on other creatures

Creatures except the defiler caught within the defiling radius at casting time experience pain and suffer a –2 penalty to all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws and ability checks until the start of the defilers next turn. This effect stacks with itself.

Plant creatures also take necrotic damage equal to 5 x spell slot level expended. This damage can't be reduced in any way.

> ##### Example of defiling
> Carroz, a 4th level wizard, is being chased by templars. Although taught by his mentor to never defile, he has nearly exhausted his spells. He knows the king's gardens are nearby and figures, just this once, to save his life, he must draw more energy than the plants can handle. He is surprised at the volume of energy that comes at his behest, and nearby a century-old tree begins to wither. Carroz restores a 1st level slot by taking on 2 defiler points. *He is limited to half his level in points he can assume per casting, in this case 2.* He feels slightly ill then points his finger at the lead templar and draws even more energy, destroying the ancient yew tree and twinning a 1st level *witch bolt* (2 more points) at the first two enemies he sees. Carroz now has a total of 4 defiler points. His fellow preservers need never know, he thinks.

\pagebreakNum

### Leaving the defiling path behind

Those who have been tainted by defiling magic, as well as full defilers, have a chance of redemption, to purge the taint from their bodies and go on the preserving path.

Those who choose must locate a druid of at least the same level, or CR at least equal to their level, who would be willing to cast a *Conversion* spell on them. The druid may also request some grand quest or proof of their dedication to abandoning the path of the defiler.

> ##### Defiler NPCs
> The DM can decide how many defiler aura points any NPCs have but if they aren't sure how many to put, a good start is to give them points equal to 2 or 3 times their number of hit dice.

\pagebreakNum

# PART 4
##### Wild Talents

</div>

## Wild Talents

Many of the creatures of Athas have innate psionic ability, even if they can never approach a mindbender in skill nor learn any additional skills.

### Determining Wild Talents

When you create a character, roll to receive a random Wild Talent.

| d20  | Wild Talent |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  1  | Body Equilibrium |
|  2  | Far Hearing |
|  3  | Know Direction |
|  4  | Sense Danger |
|  5  | Object Projection |
|  6  | Psionic Image |
|  7  | Psionic Spark |
|  8  | Sensing Eye |
|  9  | Telekinetic Grasp |
|  10  | Thought Projection |
|  11  | Heightened Senses |
|  12  |Biofeedback |
|  13  | Levitate |
|  14  | Control Flame |
|  15  | Wild Leap |
|  16  | Graft Weapon |
|  17  |  Control Sound |
|  18  | Martial Trance |
|  19  | Light Step |
|  20  | Beacon |

\columnbreak

### Wild talents

1. **Body Equilibrium.** You sense how to shift your weight from step to step, staying atop a tricky surface. You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill. If you are already proficient, your bonus is doubled if it is not being doubled by another feature. As a bonus action, you ignore difficult terrain when moving over soft or brittle terrain, such as dust, silt, mud, snow, or thin ice. This effect lasts until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

2. **Far Hearing.** For a few moments, you can hear even distant whispers. As an action, you focus on a spot you can see within 60 feet of you. For the next minute, you can hear as if you occupied that square. You can end this effect at any time as a bonus action. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

3. **Know Direction.** With a moment’s concentration, you sense which way is true north. As an action, you immediately determine which way is north and have advantage on ability checks related to navigating natural terrain. This effect lasts for an hour and you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

4. **Sense Danger.** You can feel danger coming moments before it arrives. You can't be surprised while you are conscious and other creatures don't gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you.

5. **Object Projection.** Your force of will teleports an object a short distance away. As an action, you can teleport a tiny object you are holding in one hand to an unoccupied square within 30 feet of you or to a willing creature within 30 feet of you. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

6. **Psionic Image.** You learn the Minor Illusion cantrip but can only make the image of an object. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, your choice when you gain this feature.

7. **Psionic Spark.** As an action, you conjure a small fiery spark on a single object or creature within 25 feet or you. The target must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 1 fire damage. A flammable object ignites if it isn't being worn or carried and a creature can use an action to put out the flames. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

\pagebreakNum

8. **Sensing Eye.** An image forms in your mind, revealing what you would see if you were standing some distance away. As a bonus action, you can choose a point you can see within 30 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, you are blinded and can see from that point as if you were standing there. While seeing through this, you can shift your vision around that point as if you were standing there. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

9. **Telekinetic Grasp.** You learn the mage hand cantrip. You can cast it without verbal or somatic components, and you can make the spectral hand invisible but its range is reduced to 15 feet. If you already know this spell, its range increases by 15 feet when you cast it. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, your choice when you gain this feature.

10. **Thought Projection.** You learn the Message cantrip. You can cast it without verbal, somatic, and material components a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. Instead of a message, you can send an image. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, your choice when you gain this feature.

11. **Heightened Senses.** All five of your senses become heightened. You become proficient in the perception skill. If you are already proficient, then your proficiency bonus is doubled for that skill as long as it isn't being double by another feature.

12. **Biofeedback.** As a reaction, you can redirect blood flow to mitigate harm from a single source of bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage that you can see. Reduce the damage by your proficiency bonus. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

13. **Levitate.** As an action, you can vertically move your body (clothing and equipment don't count) plus up to 10 pounds per level up to 10 feet in the air. At the end of your next turn, you gently float to the ground. Movement while aloft is the same as the *levitate* spell. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

14. **Control Flame.** You learn the *Control Flames* cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, your choice when you gain this feature.

15. **Wild Leap.** You may make a second jump immediately after making a first jump. Whenever you make a long or high jump, you can roll a d8 and add the number rolled to the number of feet you cover, even when making a standing jump. This extra distance costs movement as normal.

16. **Graft Weapon.** As a bonus action, a one-handed melee weapon you are holding becomes one with your hand for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). You cannot let go of the weapon or be disarmed. You gain a +1 to attack and damage rolls with that weapon. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

17. **Control Sound.** As an action, create a 5 foot aura of sound dampening around you that lasts for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. Any speech into or out of this aura is muffled enough to be incomprehensible, and creatures within gain advantage on hearing-based Stealth checks and have resistance to thunder damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

18. **Martial Trance.** As a bonus action, you focus your mind against mental attacks. You have advantage against charm and fear effects for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

19. **Light Step.** As a bonus action, alter your density to improve your mobility. For the rest of your turn, your walking speed increases by 5 feet, and the first time you stand up this turn, you do so without expending any of your movement if your speed is greater than 0. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

20. **Beacon.** As an action, you cause bright light to radiate from your body in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. The light can be colored as you like. The light lasts for up to 1 minute per level. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

\pagebreakNum

# PART 5
##### Personality and Background

</div>

### Languages

### Dark Sun Social standings

Within the city-states, your social standing can affect much of what you can get away with.

___
These are suggested levels for lifestyle expenses (PHB 157).

___
Only city officials, nobles, and merchants are allowed under law to read and write.

> ##### Literacy is Outlawed
> Sorcerer-kings in all cities outlaw literacy except among the ruling class. Slaves can be executed if they are caught reading. By default, player characters are illiterate unless justified.

### Skill check changes

___
**Athletics (swim).** Aside from a racial or class feature, only water clerics and certain druids know how to swim. The concept is completely foreign and unknown to any characters and most creatures.

___
**Insight.** A character may make a DC 10 Insight check after listening to a speaker's dialect for at least 1 minute to determine their city of origin, or is opposed by a Deception check if the speaker is trying hide it.

___
**Arcana.** Includes psionic lore.

___
**Deception.** Casters may use this skill to make their verbal and somatic components resemble those of other classes, opposed by an Insight check. If the person would have reason to recognise the type of spellcasting, they have advantage on the roll. For example, A wizard would make the check when trying to mask their spellcasting as cleric spellcasting to a group of commoners but any other wizard, a templar or an actual cleric would make the check with advantage.

> ##### Names by City
> If you have access to *Xanathar's Guide to Everything*, use the following regions to inspire name selection. This selection has nothing to do with appearance or culture of a character but rather reflects the differences in dialect that have emerged.<br>
> Balic (Greek)<br>
>Draj (Mesoamerican)<br>
>Gulg (Niger-Congo)<br>
>Nibenay (Chinese)<br>
>Raam (Indian) <br>
>Tyr (Greek/Phoenician*)<br>
>Urik (Babylonian/Mesopotamia*)<br>
>*Not in Xanathar's

\pagebreakNum

## New Backgrounds

### Artisan (Slave)

In most Athasian cities, the arts are appreciated, but not as highly regarded as many feel they should be. Although templars and nobles alike enjoy being surrounded by artistic creations, none of them would ever trouble to create such a thing themselves. Therefore, all arts are entrusted to slaves.

One of the best ways for a slave to elevate his position is to develop and demonstrate some sort of artistic ability, such as singing, reciting poetry, painting, sculpting, and so forth. If he or she has enough talent, a noble or templar will purchase the slave and treat him to a life of pampered luxury. In exchange, the owner expects the slave to produce beautiful works which will impress his friends. (Although, due to the dubious tastes of most nobles and templars, many artists must compromise their artistic vision in order to stay alive.)

In most cities, it is common practice to secretly teach valued slaves the art of reading and writing, so that they may read the words of the masters and record their own observations for the owner's next of kin. For the artists, there is only one drawback to this privilege: popularity is a fickle thing, and most artists fall out of favor within a few years of their success.

When that happens, those who have been taught how to read and write suffer one of two fates: their owners either have them executed for knowing how to read and write, or they are sent to the gladiatorial pits as fodder.

___
**Skill Proficiencies:** Choose two among deception, history, performance and persuasion. 
___
**Tool Proficiencies:** One artisans tool of your choice.

___
**Languages:** One of your choice.

___
**Equipment:** Set of artisans tools, set of slave clothes, a pouch containing 5 ceramic pieces (cp) that you've managed to hide away.

___
**Feature: An Artists Gift**

Word of your artistic skills have reached far into the upper echlons of society. If you are free, you can easily acquire a buyer for your works or seek patrons for commissions.

### Dune Trader

Merchants that travel between Athas' city-states through caravan routes, Dune Traders bring the necessities of life everywhere where its in short supply, from the cities of the sorceror-kings to the most out of the way slave villages in the wastes.

___
**Skill Proficiencies:** Insight, and your choice of either Persuasion or Deception
___
**Tool Proficiencies:** One artisans tool of your choice.

___
**Languages:** One of your choice.

___
**Equipment:** A set of artisan’s tools, a set of traveler’s clothes, a scales, and a pouch containing 15 ceramic pieces (cp).

\columnbreak
___
**Feature: Supply Chain**

Your travels through the wastes have given you various connections with wholesalers, suppliers, and other merchants and entrepreneurs. You can call upon these connections when looking for items or information.

___
**Variant Feature: House Memebership**

As an established and respected member of a major merchant house, you can rely on certain benefits that membership provides. Your fellow house members will provide you with lodging and food if necessary, and pay for your funeral if needed. In some cities and towns, a guildhall offers a central place to meet other members of your profession, which can be a good place to meet potential patrons, allies, or hirelings.

### Psionic Graduate

You were trained to master ‘the way’ at one of the many psionic academies across athas, learning to harness the Will inside and to master the Way. You are likely part of a noble or merchant house as few outside of these families are able to find, let alone gain access, these schools.

___ 
**Skill Proficiencies:** Insight, Arcana

___
**Languages:** Two of your choice

___
**Equipment:** Seal of graduation from a Psionic School (or similar diploma) likely made out of clay or similar material, a symbol or item denoting the noble or merchant family you belong to if you belong to one, set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 ceramic pieces (cp)
 
___
**Feature: Wild Talent**

You gain two Wild Talents of your choice.

### Folk Hero (Slave)

You have been forced into indentured servitude to another person, house or organization. Your life has most likely been fraught with abuse and near death experiences at the hands of your masters. Most slaves are laborers, soldiers and farmers.

Perhaps you were born into slavery or sold into at some unfortunate point in your life. However, since then, you have done something to stand out, for better or for worse, and are now fairly well known. Refer the the "Defining Event" section of the Folk Hero background in the PHB or speak with your DM to determine a different defining event. The event may actually be the reason you were sold into slavery.

___
**Skill Proficiencies:** Athletics, and one skill of your choice among acrobatics, survival and animal handling

___
**Tool Proficiency:** vehicles (land)

___
**Languages:** One of your choice that would likely be known among your fellow slaves.

___
**Equipment:** A set of slaves clothes, a pouch containing 2 ceramic pieces (cp) that you've managed to hide away.

\pagebreakNum

___
**Feature: Squalor Hospitality**

Since you come from the ranks of the lowest and most forgotten cast of society, you fit in among them with ease. You can find a place to hide, rest, or recuperate among other commoners, unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to them. They will shield you from the law or anyone else searching for you, though they will not risk their lives for you.

### Faction Agent (Veiled Alliance)

The Veiled Alliances are confederations of Preservers working together to protect their members from assassination and harassment by sorcerer-kings and other lieges. The members
work together to shield each other's identities from the authorities or to help those who have been discovered to escape persecution. They are often involved in plots to overthrow their oppressive overlords.

___
**Skill Proficiencies:** Arcana, Stealth

___
**Tool Proficiencies:** Forgery kit, Thieves’ tools

___
**Equipment:** A set of common clothes, a forgery kit, a list of recent orders and passphrases, a belt pouch with 15 ceramic pieces (cp).

___
**Feature: Safe Haven**

As a faction agent, you have access to a secret network of supporters and operatives who can provide assistance on your adventures. You know a set of secret signs and passwords you can use to identify such operatives, who can provide you with access to a hidden safe house, free room and board, or assistance in finding information. These agents never risk their lives for you or risk revealing their true identities.

### Gladiator (Slave)

The wealthiest templars and most noble families maintain stables of men and women picked and trained for their fighting prowess. These slaves are sent to fight in the gladiatorial stadiums for public entertainment. Their owners, sitting in private boxes perched high above the arenas, often wager considerable sums on the outcome of these battles. More than one noble has been sold into slavery for not being able to pay the debts he incurred when a favored gladiator fell.

If you were born into slavery then you were trained from your youth to do combat for the cheering masses. If you were sold into slavery then you were likely already an experienced combatant or physically exceptional enough to warrant the training you received.

**Skill Proficiencies:** Acrobatics, Athletics

**Languages:** Two languages of your choice that would be spoken among your fellow slaves.

**Equipment:** An inexpensive but unusual weapon, set of slaves clothes, the favor of an admirer or fan, a belt or sash awarded to you for a prior victory.

\columnbreak
 
**Feature: By Popular Demand**

Your popularity in the arena gives a little more leeway with your masters then a typical slave would have, although you must be careful not to overstep lest you receive punishment. If you are free, You can always find a place to perform in any place that features combat for entertainment — perhaps a gladiatorial arena or secret pit fighting club. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.

## Altered Backgrounds

### Outlander

Same as PHB with the following change to the Wanderer feature:

You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you. In addition, **you have advantage on checks to find food and water** for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth.

\pagebreakNum

## New Feats

### Improved Natural Weapon

**Prerequisite:** Requires a natural weapon, a spell, class or racial feature that grants you access to a natural weapon.
 
You have trained extensively in the use of your natural weapons, granting you the following benefits:

* Increase your Strength score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
* Once on each of your turns when you take the attack action using only your natural weapons to make attacks, you can make one additional natural weapon attack as part of the same action.
* You have advantage on attack rolls with your natural weapons against creatures you are grappling.
* At 5th level your natural weapons receive a +1 to attack and damage rolls. This bonus increases to a +2 at 10th level and a +3 at 15th level. This feature does not stack with similar effects.

## Altered Feats

* The **Ritual Caster feat** can only be used to take spells from the wizard classes.

* The **Spell Sniper feat** allows warlocks, and wizards to choose between their classes for cantrips. The cleric may only choose cleric cantrips, the druid may only choose druid cantrips, and Psionic classes may only choose sorcerer cantrips.

## Banned Feats

\pagebreakNum

\pagebreakNum

# PART 6
##### Equipment

</div>

## Commerce and Currency

To understand commerce and equipment in Dark Sun, one must understand Athas is a metal-poor world with only handful of iron mines. Many items that would be crafted from metal are instead made from bone, stone, or ceramics.

Virtually all city-states issue coins minted in tribute to their sorcerer kings. The most common coin is the ceramic piece (cp).  Gold is too scarce to make good currency and silver is only slightly more common. For millennia, templar-controlled kilns have manufactured ceramic coins from clay, glazed in specific colors to discourage forgery. Notches on the “tails” side radiate from a center point so you can break the ceramic piece into 10 pie shaped “bits.” A bit can generally buy a cheap night’s rest on an inn floor, a loaf of bread, or entry into a city state. An unskilled laborer might earn 1 bit a week. The merchant houses do mint metal coins, but it is rare to see them in general circulation. Most are reserved for large transactions and when dealing with government.

### Exchange Rate

| Athasian Currency  | Player's handbook Equivalent | Ceramic Pieces  | 
|:---:|:---:|:---:|
|  Lead Bead | Copper piece (cp) |  1/100th  |
|  Ceramic bit (bit)  | Silver piece (sp) |  1/10th  | 
|  Ceramic piece (cp)  | Gold piece (gp) |  1 | 
|  Silver piece (sp)  | Platinum piece (pp) |  10  | 
|  Gold piece (gp)  | - |  100  |

> ##### Buying from the PHB
> When making non-metal purchases from the PHB, simply change the gold piece price to **ceramic pieces (cp)**, silver piece prices to **bits**, etc. Anything of copper piece value might only be sold in bulk, subject to DM approval.

> ##### Metal Items from the PHB
> All metal items cost the listed gold piece (gp) price. Items with mixed parts like a chariot almost always have substitute materials and cost the ceramic pieces price. So, a metal longsword (15gp in the PHB) costs 15gp on Athas, or 1500 ceramic pieces.

### Weapon Materials

Metal weapons are extremely rare and highly coveted, a sign of wealth and power. Most weapons are made from an amalgamation of obsidian, bone, or wood. When listing a weapon on your gear, it should be referred to by its material.

Some weapons cannot be manufactured from certain materials. There is no such thing as an obsidian bow for example, and the rule of common sense applies in such matters.

Also some weapons are traditional made from lower quality materials such as clubs that are made from wood. In cases like these, they do not get the associated penalty related to their material but retain the breakage percentage.

| Material   | Cost | Weight  | Damage | Melee To-Hit |  Breakage %|
|:---:|:-----------:|:-----------:|:-----------:|:-----------:|:-----------:|:-----------:|
| Bone  | 30% | 50% | -1 | -1| 50%|
| Obsidian | 50% | 50% | - | - | 75%  |
| Steel | 100% | 100% | - | - | - | 
| Stone  | 50% | 75% | -1 | -2 |  25% |
| Wood  | 10% | 50% | -2 | -3 | 50% |

<!---

| Material   | Weight | Cost  | Repairability |
|:---:|:-----------:|:-----------:|:-----------:|:-----------:|
| Steel | - | - | DC 15 smith’s tools, access to a forge |
| Bone  | x1/2 | x1/4 | Not repairable |
| Obsidian and Stone  | x2 | x1/2 | Not repairable  |
| Wood | x1/2 | x1/10 | DC 15 woodworker’s tools|

> ##### Breaking Weapons ( **Breakage Check**)
> Nonmetal weapons are prone to breaking. Once per turn, when you do maximum damage on the weapon die (e.g. 8 on a 1d8), roll a d20. On a 1,the weapon breaks. This does not apply to weapons that fire ammunition such as bows. However, non-metal ammunition is not recoverable. Against metal armors, non-metal weapons automatically fail a breakage check. 
>

-->

### Descriptions

**Steel.** Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that is lighter and sturdier than its counterparts, but requires skill and great heat to make.

**Bone.** Bones can be shaped into points for arrows and spears or tied together, along with shells and scales, to form a durable but high-maintenance armor. Due to its brittleness, bone has a short lifespan.

**Obsidian and Stone.** Hard and heavy. Obsidian and other stones can be challenging to shape beyond a knapped short blade and quite brittle.

**Wood.** Wood is widely accessible and typically used for weapons. Weapons made of wood tend to be fire-hardened with special oils to increase their durability.

> ##### Breaking Weapons ( **Breakage Check**)
> Nonmetal weapons are prone to breaking. Once per turn, when you roll a natural 1 or a natural 20 on an attack roll, roll a percentile die. If the result is equal to or more then its breakage percentage, the weapon breaks. This does not apply to weapons that fire ammunition such as bows. However, non-metal ammunition is not recoverable. Against metal armors, non-metal weapons automatically fail a breakage check. 
>

\pagebreakNum

# Weapons and Armor

\pagebreakNum

> ##### New Weapons
>
> Weapons are priced as they would if they were regular weapons in the PHB. When purchasing weapons, apply the appropriate price and weight modifiers depending on the material its made from. Refer to the Weapon materials table. If a metal weapon is sought or commissioned, it would cost 100x the listed cost.
>
> | Name | Cost in cp | Damage | Weight | Properties | 
> |:--------------|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
> |  *Simple Melee Weapons* |  |  |  |  |
> |  Talid   | 5 | 1d4 pierce, slash or bludgeon | 1 | Light, immune disarm, special |
> |  Widow's knife  | 5 | 1d4 slash | 4 | Light, thrown (see description), special |
> |  Wrist razor  | 15 | 1d6 slash | 1 | Light, finesse, immune disarm |
> |  *Simple Ranged Weapons* |  |  |  |  |
> |  Dejada   | 10 | 1d6 bludgeon | 8 | Ammunition (range 20/60)|
> |  *Martial Melee Weapons* |  |  |  |  |
> |  Alhulak  | 10 | 1d6 pierce | 10 | Reach |
> |  Cahulak  | 20 | 1d6 pierce | 15 | Reach, thrown (range 10/40), special |
> |  Carrikal | 10 | 2d4 slash |6 | |
> |  Dragon paw  | 15 | 1d8 pierce | 9 | Two-handed, heavy, double-weapon |
> |  Forearm Axe  | 20 | 1d6 slash or pierce | 3 | Immune disarm, light, special|
> |  Gouge  | 5 | 1d12 pierce | 12 | Two-handed, heavy |
> |  Gythka**  | 60 | 2d4 slash | 12 | Two-handed, heavy, double-weapon |
> |  Impaler  | 4 | 1d8 pierce | 5 | Versatile (1d10) |
> |  Lotulis  | 15 | 1d8 pierce or slash | 10 | Two-handed, heavy, double-weapon|
> |  Singing Sticks  | 25 | 1d6 bludgeon | 1 | Light, finesse, special |
> |  Trikal  | 11 | 1d10 slash and bludgeon| 5 | Two-handed, reach, heavy, polearm |
> |  Tortoise blade  | 30 | 1d6 slash | 8 | immune disarm, special |
> |  *Martial Ranged Weapons* |  |  |  |  |
> |  Chatkcha**  | 15 | 1d6 slash | 1/2 | Light, finesse, thrown (range 30/90), special |
> 
</div>

** This weapon is not widely available and thus few can teach how to properly use it. You do not have proficiency with this item unless your background would allow it or you find a mentor capable of teaching you.

#### Weapon Properties

**Immune disarm.** This weapon can't be disarmed from the wielder.

___
**Double-weapon.** If you are proficient with this weapon and you attack with it as part of the Attack action, you can use a bonus action immediately after to make a melee attack with the other end. This attack does 1d4 damage. If you fail a breakage check, the weapon can still be used until you fail another breakage check but you cannot use the bonus action attack.

___
**Polearm.** This weapon works with the polearm master feat.

___
**Special.** This weapon has a special property. View the description for details.

> ##### Special Weapon Materials
> There are no silvered or adamantine weapons available for sale on Athas. Such relics, if they ever existed, would be in the vault of the richest merchant house or a sorcerer king, or lost beneath the ruins of a civilization gone eons ago.

\pagebreakNum

## New Weapon Description

**Alhulak.**   A blunt grappling hook attached to 5-7 feet of rope with a 2 foot-long handle. The bladed head is commonly carved from mekillot bone while the handle is wood or bone.

**Cahulak.** A pair of alhulak heads tied to either end of a 10-12-foot rope. As a melee weapon, the wielder holds one blade cluster in each hand and swings them in unison or succession at the foe. This type of weapon allows you many different ways to wield it: Holding each end of the Cahulak counts as having two one-handed melee weapons in each hand and counts as having two light weapons for two weapon fighting; Holding only one end allows you to make a one handed weapon attack with reach like an Alhulak; It can also been thrown, tangling around the target like a Net (no effect on Huge or larger, DC10 Strength check to free self or another) and causes 1d6 damage when the blades strike.

**Carrikal.**  The sharpened jawbone of a large creature lashed to a haft, forming a sharp club with two forward facing heads.

**Chatkcha.** This small 3-bladed crystalline throwing wedge is made exclusively by thri-kreen in a secret process carefully guarded by them. In their language, it means “rememberer-who-ends-knowledge,” reflecting it ends awareness by killing and remembers to return to its thrower. Due to its spin it will return to a proficient thrower if it misses.

**Dejada.** A long, scooped basket is worn on the arm and used to propel 2-inch ceramic or stone projectiles called “pelota” at high rates of speed.

**Dragon Paw.** Popular in arenas, this is a 6-foot-long pole with a blade on either end.

**Forearm Axe.** Worn on the forearm like a buckler, this weapon consists of a large, double-bladed axe on either end of a bracer with a spike protruding perpendicularly from the upper sheath. This weapon is particularly formidable in close-quarter fighting. This weapon leaves your hand free enough to wield a tiny object or a weapon with the light property. However, you cannot use a shield with the same arm.

**Gouge.** Worn in an over-the-shoulder harness, this is commonly found in the Nibenese infantry. A wide blade is mounted to a 3-foot-long wooden shaft that requires two hands to wield. One hand goes on a small bar and another on a grip at the rear of the shaft to increase thrust. The weapon is wielded much like a shovel.

**Gythka.** A thri-kreen polearm with wicked crystalline blades at each end, wielded like a quarterstaff. Like the chatkcha, few outside the Thri-kreen know how to wield one, and its manufacture is a closely guarded racial secret.

**Impaler.** Developed for the arenas, this is a T-shaped weapon with two blades mounted parallel atop the end of a 4-foot shaft. It is swung like a pick.

**Lotulis.** Crescent blades with barbed spikes near the points and mounted at either end of a long shaft make this a nasty melee weapon.

\columnbreak

**Singing Sticks.** A carefully crafted and polished thin club, often used in pairs, drawing their name from characteristic whistling noises when used. This whistling is loud enough to attract attention if hiding.

**Talid.** Also known as the “gladiator’s gauntlet,” this is made of stiff leather with metal, chitin, or bone plating on the hand cover and along the forearm. Spikes protrude from the knuckles and along the back of the hand. A sharp blade runs along the thumb and there is a 6 inch spike on the elbow. Melee attacks with this weapon count as unarmed strikes and deal one damage dice higher then normal (to a maximum of a d12).

**Trikal.** Three blades radially project from the business end of a 6 foot shaft. A series of sharp, serrated edges line the shaft below the blades while the far end of the weapon is weighted to balance it.

**Tortoise Blade.** A short, sharp blade attached to the shell of a desert tortoise. It straps to the forearm and provides protection like a shield but with +1 to armor class. It straps to the forearm and provides protection like a shield but with +1 to armor class. A magical bonus to this weapon (such as a +1 version) increases the bonus to AC accordingly. It cannot be combined with a regular shield (the better bonus applies), but if a pair are worn, you gain an additional +1 bonus to AC and can use them with two-weapon fighting as if they had the Light property.

**Widow's Knife.** Named for a similar-looking harvesting tool used in the verdant belts, this weapon has a wide blade on one end of a wood or an ivory handle. Hidden within the handle are two spring-loaded prongs. As a free action, you can press a thumb latch on the handle to release the prongs, which do *piercing* damage if used for an attack. While the prongs are released, the weapon can be used as a thrown weapon (range 20/60).

**Wrist Razor.** Wrist razors consist of a trio of blades that protrude from a heavy arm band. The razors project out over the back of the hand, are extremely sharp, and can be up to 6 inches long. Wrist razors can be worn on one or both forearms. Melee attacks with this weapon count as unarmed strikes and deal one damage dice higher then normal (to a maximum of a d12).

\pagebreakNum

> ##### New Armors
>
> | Name | Cost in cp | Armor Class (AC) | Weight | Properties | 
> |:--------------|:---:|:------:|:--:|:---:|
> |  *Light Armor* |  |  |  |  |
> |  Padded   | 5 | 11 + Dex modifier | 8 | Stealth disadvantage |
> |  Leather | 10 | 11 + Dex modifier | 10 | -- |
> |  Studded leather| 45 | 12 + Dex modifier | 13 | -- |
> |  |  |  |  |  |
> |  |  |  |  |  |
> |  *Medium Armor* |  |  |  |  |
> |  Hide  | 10 | 12 + Dex modifier (max 2) | 12 | --|
> |  Bone mail  | 50 | 13 + Dex modifier (max 2) | 20 | --|
> |  Scale mail | 50 | 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) | 45 | Stealth disadvantage|
> |  Shell breastplate| 400 | 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) | 20 | -- |
> |  Chitin half plate| 750 | 15 + Dex modifier (max 2) | 40 | Stealth disadvantage |
> |  |  |  |  |  |
> |  |  |  |  |  |
> |  *Heavy Armor* |  |  |  |  |
> |  Baazrag bone mail| 30 | 14 | 40 | Stealth disadvantage |
> |  So-ut mail | 75 | 16 | 55 | Str 13, stealth disadvantage |
> |  Mastyrial splint mail| 200 | 17 | 60 | Str 15, stealth disadvantage |
> |  Braxat plate | 1500 | 18 | 65 | Str 15, stealth disadvantage |
> |  |  |  |  |  |
> |  |  |  |  |  |
> |  *Shields* |  |  |  |  |
> |  Shield | 10 | +2 | 6 | -- |
>
</div>

<br>

> ##### Armor Price
> The listed armors are not made of metal as crafters have learned ingenious methods of making armor of animal hides and other material. Metal armors, while ill-advised during daylight hours, cost the listed PHB price. A suit of metal plate mail would cost 150,000 cp, enough to fund construction of a small fortress, or to display one's wealth and power. 
>

> ##### Armor and Extreme Heat
> Extreme heat rules will almost always apply every day in Athas (DMG 110). Characters exposed to the heat and without access to water must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour of exposure (DC 5 + 1 per hour after first) or gain a level of exhaustion.
>
>Those wearing Medium or Heavy armors have disadvantage on this save.
>
>Anyone foolish enough to wear metal armor in extreme heat also requires double their normal allotment of water.

<br>

> ##### Why wear metal armor
> Non-metal weapons break automatically on a breakage check against metal armor, making it a fearsome option for those who can afford to wear it.

### Light Armor

The lightest and cheapest option, worn by most Athasians, designed to trap moisture and maximize air flow.

___
**Padded.** Commonly made by layering oiled canvas between silk, with a soft padding underneath. *Types:* kes'trekel feather, spidersilk, giantweave.

___
**Leather.** Commonly made from cured animal hide fitted for a particular user. *Types:* inix, baazrag, jhakarskin.

___
**Studded Leather.** Reinforced with close-set rivets or spikes made of bone or chitin.

\pagebreakNum

### Medium Armor

More protection with less flexibility, more often used in cities than in the direct sun but also built with ventilation in mind allowing some to avoid overheating during exertion.

___
**Hide.** Crude but flexible enough for use in the sun, favored by many warriors. *Types:* tembo, kank, kirre, mekillot.

___
**Bone mail.** Stiff leather jackets adorned with small disks or squares of horn, bone, or wood. The kank and the cilops have hard body parts ideal for such coats.

___
**Scale mail.** A heavy coat with carru leather leggings and overlapping scales of a beast. *Types:* Scorpion, mekillot.

___
**Shell breastplate.** Fitted inix or mekillot shell pieces worn over supple leather. Legs and arms are left vulnerable but the vital organs are protected and movement unhampered.

___
**Chitin half plate.** Shaped chitin plates covering most of the body except the leg, which is protected by simple graves held by leather straps.

### Heavy Armor

Years of experimentation and clever crafting methods have led armorers to develop ingenious air ventilation and circulation methods allowing alternative armors to be worn in the heat of Athas, albeit with some drawback.

___
**Baazrag bone mail.** Hardened leather with thick baazrag bones, the few bones aside from drakes that can withstand the process, sewn in it. While appearing massive and imposing, it is the least practical of the heavy armors.

___
**So-ut mail.** The scales of a so-ut are attached to a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath to prevent chafing and cushion blows. The hard scales provide superior protection to traditional scale armor.

___
**Mastyrial splint mail.** The chitinous shell of the mastyrial is valued for its protective qualities. When supplemented with a backing of leather over cloth padding, it serves as a superior armor.

___
**Braxat plate.** Braxat shell makes excellent armor plates that can be shaped to fit the body and interlocked. Thick padding underneath cushions attacks, and buckles and straps evenly distribute the weight.

### Shields

Shields are made from a variety of materials, ranging from thick beetle shells to mekillot plates to reinforced bark.

\columnbreak

> ##### Resizing Armor (optional)
> For realism, the DM may require that, in order for armor to fit a creature it was not intended for, an expert in crafting apply her craft to resize armor up to one size category larger or smaller, at a cost of 1d4 x 10 (or 10% to 40%) of the market price of the item.

<br>

\pagebreakNum

### Adventuring Gear

Adventuring gear is presumed to be made of non-metal components unless impossible (e.g. a lock), in which case the item costs the listed full listed GP price as normal.

#### New Equipment

| Item | Cost | Weight |
|:---:|:-----------:|:---:|
|  ***Ammunition*** |  |
|  Dejada pelota (20)  | 6cp  | 8 |
|  ***Clothing*** |  |
|  Elven  | 30cp  | 5 |
|  High Templar  | 100cp | 5 |
|  Royal defiler  | 80cp | 5 |
|  Slave  | 2 bits | 1 |
|  Wastelander  | 20cp | 6 |
|  ***Food and Lodging*** | 
|  Broy | 2cp gallon, 4 bits mug | 8 |
|  *Inn stay (per day)* |  | |
|  Good | 20cp | 
|  Poor | 2cp | 
| *Meals (per day)* |  | 
|  Good | 5 bits | |
|  Common | 3 bits |  |
| Poor | 1 bit |
| *Water* | |
| Gallon | 2 bits | 8|
| Mug | 1 bit | 1|
| Tun (250 gallons) | 40 cp | 2000 |
| ***Mounts*** |
| Carru | 50cp|
| Crodlu | 200cp|
|Erdlu | 15cp |
|Inix| 400cp|
|Kank, drone| 50cp|
|Mekillot|800cp|
|***Other***|
|Giant hair rope (50 ft.) | 50cp | 10|
|Sorcerer king levy (to enter city)|2cp|

\columnbreak

### Description

#### Clothing

___
**Elven Outfit:** Elven clothing is based around two concepts: functionality and flattery. This set includes a hooded cloak or stylized robes patterned to match a landscape as well as a scarf to assist with wind and sandstorms. While normally only made and fitted for elves, the design has caught on and is in demand in many city-states.

___
**High Templar’s Outfit:** This set of clothing is made of the best material produced by a city‐state’s artisans and exemplifies that city’s templarate. Subject to DM discretion, simply wearing it may give advantage on Charisma checks in that city against the populace.

___
**Royal Defiler’s Outfit:** Royal defilers, who practice sorcery with the full legal backing of a sorcerer‐king, must clearly indicate their protected status if they are to be spared the mob’s wrath. This set of clothing is made from the best materials available to a city‐state’s artisans, and is second in quality only to a templar’s outfit. Subject to DM discretion, wearing it may give advantage to Charisma (intimidation) checks in that city.

___
**Slave’s Outfit:** This simple set of clothes consists of a loincloth, or a short skirt and sleeveless tunic, all made of rough‐hewn materials.

___
**Wasterlander's Outfit.** Like elven clothing, this is designed for desert survival but considered far less fashionable. Its layers trap in moisture and the thick padding helps when navigating through brambled areas.

#### Food and Lodging

___
**Broy:** Broy is made from fermented kank nectar. When served plain, it is potent and foul tasting. However, broy can be served warm and spiced with a pungent herb that disguises its sourness, as well as enhancing its enrapturing powers.

___
**Tun of Water (250 gallons).** In most cities, water is drawn from a collective cistern maintained by templars and then distributed or sold. The prices are subject to change during dry periods or when templars want to extort more money.

#### Mounts

___
**Crodlu:** A large bipedal lizard mount, resembling a scaled ostrich. A crodlu is appropriate as a mount for a Medium humanoid creature. Crodlu are hard to control in battle while war crodlu can be ridden into battle easily. Crodlu benefit from stabling, can wear barding, and require feed like normal mounts.

___
**Erdlu:** Flightless birds mostly used as herd beasts. They stand 7 feet tall and weigh around 200 lbs. An erdlu is appropriate as a mount for a Medium humanoid creature. Erdlus are hard to control in battle unless trained. Erdlus benefit from stabling, can wear barding, and require feed like normal mounts.

\pagebreakNum

___
**Inix:** A large, 16‐foot long reptile commonly used for riding and as a beast of burden. An inix is appropriate as a mount for a Medium or Large humanoid creature. Inixes can be ridden into battle easily. Inixes benefit from stabling, can wear custom barding, and require feed like normal mounts.

___
**Kank:** A large, 8‐foot long insect, commonly used as a personal mount. These insects cannot be used as food, for their meat smells atrocious, but they produce highly nutritious globules of honey. A kank is appropriate as a mount for a Medium humanoid creature. Kanks are hard to control in battle. Kanks benefit from stabling, cannot wear barding, and do not require feeding.

___
**Mekillot:** A mekillot is a huge, 6,000‐lb. lizard, used for hauling large cargo or serving as transportation for troops. These beasts are hard to control in combat and usually require a
psionic handler. Mekillots benefit from stabling, can wear barding, and require feed eight times more than a normal mount.

##### Other

___
**Giant Hair Rope.** Made from the extremely durable hair of giants, this rope has 17 AC, 2 HP per inch of thickness and ignores the first 5 damage dealt to it with each hit.

#### Tack, Harness, and Vehicles

| Item | Cost | Weight |
|:---:|:-----------:|:---:|
|  ***Barding*** (+2 AC) |  |
|  Crodlu  | 250cp  | 80 |
|  Inix  | 500cp | 100 |
|  Kank  | 250cp | 80 |
|  Mekillot  | 1,000 | 200 |
|Bit and bridle | 2cp | 1|
|  ***Transport*** | 
|  Chariot | 250cp | 100 |
| **Howdah** |  | |
|  Inix, normal | 50cp | 50|
|  Inix, war | 150cp | 150 | 
|Mekillot, normal | 10cp | 250|
|Mekillot, war|500cp|1,000|
|**Wagons**|
| Armored | 1,000cp | 5,000|
| Enclosed | 50cp | 500|
| Open | 25cp | 400 |

#### Description

___
**Barding.** A mount's defense can be reinforced by covering it with barding. Made of leather pads with bone, chitin, or wood plates, barding increases a mount's Armor Class by 2.

___
**Chariot.** A chariot is a lightly armored vehicle constructed of wood, chitin and hardened leather, designed for riding and combat. Two people can ride a chariot. A creature riding a chariot has half cover against attacks from the front or the sides. Crodlu and kanks
can be used to pull a chariot.

___
**Howdah.** A howdah is a frame with seats designed to be mounted on the back of an inix or mekillot. A normal howdah is made of a light wooden frame while a war howdah is constructed of much sturdier materials and offering half cover against any attacks from outside. An inix howdah can hold up to four people. A mekillot howdah can be constructed in a more elaborate affair; it often contains two levels and can accommodate up to sixteen people. Anyone riding in a howdah is considered to be at rest and shaded.

___
**Wagon.** A wagon is the simplest form of transportation. Crodlus or kanks can be used as beasts of burden for the normal versions. An open wagon is a little more than a wooden box on four wooden wheels while an enclosed ensures its riders are unaffected by weather. An armored caravan wagon requires two mekillots to pull, has multiple rooms on multiple levels, and can carry a cargo of 15,000 pounds of goods, up to 50 fully armed warriors, 25 slaves in transit, and a handful of merchants, nobles, or other travelers. The defense balconies in an armored caravan wagon provide half cover against any attacks from outside. Anyone riding an enclosed or armored caravan wagon is considered to be at rest and shaded.

#### Poisons of Athas

\pagebreakNum

### Poison Description

These are commonly encountered market poisons and are not considered a full list of all available poisons in Athas. Those with skill in gathering components may harvest and develop less-commonly seen poisons.

___
**Assassin bug (injury).** The poison of the male assassin bug causes a flesh-numbing sensation that ends with a stiffness of the victim's limbs. The target must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or have disadvantage to all Dexterity-based saving throws and checks for 1 minute.

___
**Bleached inix slumber (ingested).** Made from mixing sun bleached inix bone and epserweed sap, this poison is typically mixed with spiced wine. This poison is typically used by bards and templars as a preliminary attack before ambushing rival noble houses, templar officials, or Veiled Alliance cells. The target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned and unable to use psionics or cast arcane spells for 1 minute. Those who fail the saving throw by 5 or more are also unconscious and may be awakened by taking damage or if another creature uses an action to shake them awake. At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats the saving throw to be able to use psionics and cast arcane spells again.

___
**Blight (injury).** This poison made from undead extract disrupts the central nervous system's ability to communicate between the brain and the muscles, thereby causing paralysis. A target must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed for 1 minute. The poisoned creature can attempt a saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.

___
**Cactus venom (injury).** When correctly harvested and refined, the venom contained in the tiny sac at the base of a hunting cactus' spine can be made into a fast-acting paralytic agent, distrupting the victim's central nervous system. The target must make a DC 14 Constitution save or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned creature is also paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.

___
**Gold scorpion (injury).** The poison of the gold scorpion is extremely potent for its tiny size, causing muscle spasms and loss of strength more commonly associated with much larger poisonous creatures. The target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 27 (5d10) poison damage, or half as much damage on a successful one.

___
**Hypnotic brew (inhaled).** This is a tasteless, odorless mixture of herbs commonly peddled in Bard’s Quarters. It is typically used by bards and mindbender to “soften up” a target before attempting to manipulate or manifest a power. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer a 1d4 penalty modifier to saving throws against psionic effects for 1 minute.

___
**Id fiend essence (contact).** A combination of an id fiend's blood and cranial fluid can be reduced through a slow boil into a pinkish fluid that, when absorbed by a targets' skin, causes frightful visual hallucinations. If left unchecked, these hallucinations can send the victim into blind panic, fleeing from the unseen assailants that harass and threaten him. A creature subject to this poison must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution save or be frightened for 1 minute. The creature can attempt a save at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.

___
**Kivit musk (ingested).** When ingested, the refined extract from a kivit's musk gland causes constant stomach pain accompanied by sporadic vomiting and diarrhea, the effects sometimes lasting for hours on end. The target must make a DC10 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 8 hours.

___
**Mastyrial poison (injury).** The poison from a desert mastyrial causes internal hemorrhaging, resulting in painful splotchy bruises appearing all over the victim's skin, body chills, and possible bleeding from bodily orifices. A target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

___
**Mulworm Poison (contact).** Those who simply come into contact with mulworm poison suffer a severe rash; a far worse fate awaits those injured by the poison, which attacks the body's immune system, causing a debilitating inability to defend itself from other infections. A creature subject to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and have disadvantage on saves against poison and disease. The creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (1d6) poison damage on a failed save. After one successful save, the effect ends.

___
**Purple grass extract (ingested).** Made from the purple grass that grows outside of Urik, this poison both damages the victim, and inebriates them. This poison is not commonly used, but herders and gatherers know to avoid it in the areas around Urik. Bards have recently been attempting to find uses for this poison, given the long period of intoxication that follows. Anyone ingesting the plant, which tastes like a delicious dry wine, has their teeth and lips stained purple for 1d8 days. A target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 22 (4d10) poison damage and be poisoned for 24 hours in an intoxicated condition. A target that makes the save takes (2) 1d4 points of poison damage.

___
**T'chowb ichor (contact).** The lymph nodes and enlarged sweat glands found in the hands of the t'chowb can be used to create a viscous contact poison that, like the touch of the creature itself, drains the victim of his wits. A creature subject to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or have his Intelligence reduced by (2) 1d4 points. The poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours and have his Intelligence reduced by (2) 1d4 points on a failed save. Until this poison ends, the reduction cannot be healed by any means. A creature whose Intelligence reaches 0 dies. After one successful save, the effect ends and the points are fully restored after a long rest.

\pagebreakNum

> ##### Equipment Packs
> Most people avoid cumbersome equipment packs in the heat of the desert. Still, some items are vital for one's travels to such inhospitable lands. The packs available to characters include:
>
>**Bard's Kit (40cp).** Includes a backpack, bedroll, 2 costumes, 5 candles, 5 days of rations, a waterskin, and a disguise kit.
>
>**Burglar's pack (8 cp).** Includes a backpack, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a bag of bone caltrops, a fire kit, a bone grappling hook, 2 flasks of oil, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
>
>**Dune Trader's pack (8 cp).** Includes a backpack, an abacus, a blanket, a lamp, a flask of oil, a pouch, a sack, a merchant's tunic, 2 ceramic vials, and two waterskins.
>
>**Noble's pack (37 cp).** Includes a chest, 2 cases for maps and scrolls, a set of fine clothes, a vial of ink, an ink pen, a lamp, 2 flasks of oil, 5 sheets of parchment, a vial of perfume, sealing wax, and soap.
>
>**Nomad's pack (4 cp).** Includes a blanket, a set of desert clothes, a fire kit, a small knife, a signal whistle, a two-person tent, and two waterskins.
>
>**Traveler's pack (10 cp).** Includes a backpack, a bedroll, a set of desert clothes, a fire kit, 5 days of ration, 5 torches, and four waterskins.

\pagebreakNum

# PART 7
##### Magic

</div>

##  Altered Spells

___
**Create or Destroy Water.** This spell only creates half a gallon of water per spell level.

___
**Create Food and Water.** This spell only creates one and a half gallon of water and 3 pounds of food. It also gains the following:

***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you create an additional half gallon of water and 3 additional pounds of food for each slot level above 3rd.

___
**Find familiar.** This spell summons creatures native to Dark Sun and they are considered beasts. Instead of the usual choices, you instead choose a familiar among the following:

* Bat
* Cat
* Lizard
* Kes'trekel (uses Hawk stat block)
* Poisonous Snake
* Rat
* Scorpion
* Spider

___
**Magic Weapon.** This spell also makes a non-metal weapon count as metal.

___
**Phantom Steed.** This spell creates a Kank-like creature (See part 10 Monsters of Athas, later in this document) instead of a horselike one.

___
**Silvery Barbs.** This spell is now a 2nd-level spell instead of a 1st level spell.

___
**Summon Aberration.** This spell is only available to those with access to the sorcerer spell list. Beholders, Slaadi and Star Spawns don't exist on Athas, thus the aberration you summon is a physical manifestation of a being you imagine in your mind. Its appearance can be anything within reason.

\columnbreak

<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
___
**Reincarnate.** Instead of the usual reincarnate table, use the following:

| Roll | Race|
|:---:   |:---:                             |
| 01-03  | Aarakocra                        | 
| 04-06  | Dray, first generation           |
| 07-09  | Dray, second generation          |
| 10-22  | Dwarf                            |
| 23-35  | Elf                              |
| 35-42  | Half-elf                         |
| 43-49  | Half-giant                       |
| 50-54  | Halfling                         | 
| 55-74  | Human                            | 
| 75-76  | Human, Vilichi                   | 
| 77-80  | Mul                              | 
| 81-84  | Pterran                          |
| 85-87  | Ukovan, air                      | 
| 88-91  | Ukovan, earth                    |  
| 91-94  | Ukovan, fire                     |
| 95-96  | Ukovan, water                    |
| 97-100 | Targets Original Race            |

> ##### Reincarnate and Thri-kreen
> Thri-kreen are classified as Monstrosities, not humanoids. As such they are unaffected by the Reincarnate spell and by extension shouldn't be on table of possible races to be reincarnated into.

\pagebreakNum

## Restricted Spells

The following PHB spells either do not exist or are restricted to a particular class.

| Spell  | Level |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|Goodberry |1st|
|Leomund's Tiny Hut | 3rd |
|Summon Fey | 3rd |
|Conjure Woodland Beings |4th|
|Contact Other Plane| 5th |
|Summon Celestial | 5th |
|Summon Draconic Spirit | 5th |
|Planar Binding| 5th |
|Conjure Fey | 6th|
|Planar Ally| 6th |
|Conjure Celestial | 7th |
|Demiplane| 8th |

<!---

|Summon Lesser Demon | 3rd |
|Summon Greater Demon | 4th |
|Summon Fiend | 6th |

|  Leomund's Tiny Hut  | Nomad's Tiny Hut |

-->

> ##### Spell Components
> Spell components with a gold piece (gp) cost are converted to ceramic pieces (cp). The ecosystem of Athas has led casters to find substitutes. When appropriate, for flavor the DM or players may describe the substitute material.

> ##### Altered Spell Flavor
> For flavor only, any spell that purports to have a metallic effect (e.g. *blade barrier*) thematically can have it replaced with obsidian, bone, etc. Similarly, spells that require a watery component (e.g. *Simulacrum* snow) are replaced with an Athas equivalent (e.g. sand or silt).

\columnbreak

## Magic and Psionics

Any spell that detects or cancels magic also affects psionics, including but not limited to:  *dispel magic, counterspell,* and *anti-magic shell.* Features such as *Magic Resistance* still only affect magic. If a creature is resistant to psionics, for example, it will be listed as *Psionic Resistance.*

#### Renamed Spells (optional)

Athas spells do not reference the names of wizards from other realms but do exist. Unless listed below, remove the name of the caster (e.g. *melf's acid arrow* is simply *acid arrow.*)

\pagebreakNum

## New Spells

#### Backlash
*1st level abjuration*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 30 feet (40' radius)
- **Components:** V, S, M (a thorn)
- **Duration:**  24 hours or until discharged
___
Also known as the preserver’s scourge, this spell makes the ground dangerous to defilers. Land in a 40-foot-radius centered on a point within range is affected by this spell. Should a spellcaster attempt arcane defiling on the land that is protected by a backlash, she automatically takes 1d6 force damage. The defiler must then make a Constitution saving throw or the spell they were casting is lost and the land is not defiled. Once it has inflicted damage, the spell is discharged and the ground returns to normal. Only one backlash can be cast on any given plot of ground.

***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage dealt increases by 1d6 for each spell slot above 1st.

___
**Classes:** Druid

#### Conversion
*5th level abjuration*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 hour
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S, M (Burning incense, along with various rare plants and herbs worth at least 500 Cp, which the spell consumes)
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
___

This spell removes the burden of acts of defiling from an arcane spellcaster. The casters druid level must be equal to or higher then the targets arcane spellcaster level.

If the defiler seeking atonement is truly repentant and desires setting right their destruction of plant life, the spell causes the following effects:

* The targets number of defiler points and defiler aura points are reduced to zero.
* The targets penalty to Charisma checks caused by defiling are halved.
* The targets reductions to their Constitution score caused by defiling are halved.
* If the targets alignment was changed to evil from defiling, it reverts back to the alignment is was before the change.
* If the target defiled while under some sort of magical or psionic compulsion or was otherwise unwilling, both the target and the caster gain 1 point of exhaustion at the end of spell. However, if any of the defiling was deliberate and willful, both the target and the caster instead gain 2 points of exhaustion at the end of spell.

A creature can only benefit from this spell once. Any future attempts will automatically fail.

If conversion is cast on a defiler not truly seeking atonement, then the spell fails and the target instead takes 6d6 necrotic damage that can't be reduced in any way then gains 2 points of exhaustion.

If the spell is successful and the target ever defiles again, The Charisma check and Constitution score penalties change back to a -2 instead of a -1 whenever they reach the appropriate level in the defiler aura table.

___
**Classes:** Druid

#### Rejuvenate 
*5th level Transmutation*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 Minute
- **Range:** Self (50 ft radius)
- **Components:** V, S, M * (A seed (of any type) and a drop of water, both of which the spell consumes.)
- **Duration:**  7 Days
___
This spell grants the ability to support vegetation to an area of ground. In the case of ground made barren by defiler magic, rejuvenate dispels the ground’s sterility, making it immediately capable of supporting vegetation. The spell may also be cast on any ground short of solid rock, including sand, rocky sand or soil, and dust.

The spell affects the ground in a 50 foot radius from the caster. Once cast, the soil is enriched and moistened, and a blanket of fine grass emerges instantly.

Once cast, the moist soil and grass are not magical, and are subject to all natural forces upon them. They will, however, survive a week in even the worst of conditions. Rejuvenate otherwise lasts until a spellcaster uses defiling to destroy the vegetation.

This spell automatically fails if cast by any creature with at least 1 point in a defiler aura.

___
**Classes:** Wizard, Druid

#### Revenge of the Land
*5th level evocation*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** Self (30-foot radius)
- **Components:** V, S, M (a live seed pushed into the ground at your feet)
- **Duration:**  Concentration, up to 1 minute
___
The life energy of the earth is channeled in translucent arcs of energy that radiate from the seed in the ground at your feet and unerringly seek out defilers before returning to the ground. This spell only affects a creature with at least one point in a defiler aura. A defiler that starts its turn within or moves into the spell's radius must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the defiler takes 4d8 force damage or half as much on a successful save.

___
**Classes:** Druid

\pagebreakNum

# PART 8
##### Survival

</div>

## Athas Survival Rules

The wilderness of Athas, beyond its apex predators, is unforgiving to the unprepared. Sandstorms, sinkholes, shifting dunes, and the scorching heat all are dangers just as real as the claws of a kirre. The rules of Athas concerning healing, starvation, and dehydration vary from those in the PHB.

### Food and Water

At the end of the day (night), determine how much food and water was consumed, utilizing the DMG's foraging rules (p111). 
Characters moving at a normal or slow pace may attempt to forage by making a Wisdom (survival) check: DC 10 for abundant food and water sources, DC 15 for limited, and DC 20 for very little. Those who succeed find 1d6 + Wisdom modifier pounds of food and repeat the roll for water. Many areas of Athas have no resources to be found and at times no check will be possible.

Water needs are doubled if the weather is hot for at least 1 hour of the travel day (100+ degrees Fahrenheit.)

> ##### Tracking Food and Water tip
> Consider keeping a jar with colored beads to represent each pound and gallon of food carried by the party (e.g. blue beads for water) rather than having players individually track supplies. Container capacity (PHB 153) becomes important. A waterskin, for example, holds 1/2 a gallon.

### Food (new)

Each day without food is tracked by the DM or player as *"days without food."* Eating half the daily food requirement counts as half a day without food (round down so that every two days on half-rations counts as one full day.)

A character can go 3 + her Constitution modifier in days without enough food before she begins to starve. At the end of each day beyond that limit, she suffers 1 level of exhaustion.

**When a non-starving character eats her full daily requirement for food, she resets the count of days without food to zero.**

**Each day a starving character eats her full daily requirement for food, she reduces her *days without food count* by two. Until her days without food count is back to zero, she will have at least one level of exhaustion that cannot be removed by any means except eating.**

> ##### PHB rule (original)
> Under the PHB rules as-written, a character with an 18 Constitution could eat once every 6 days, or 5 times a month, because one normal day of eating reset the days without food counter to zero. This certainly could not have been intended.

### Water

A character needs one gallon of water per day, or two gallons per day if the weather is hot. A character who drinks only half that much water must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion at the end of the day. A character with access to even less water automatically suffers one level of exhaustion at the end of the day.

If the character already has one or more levels of exhaustion, the character takes two levels in either case.

> ##### Removing Exhaustion
> Remember, a long rest can remove one level of exhaustion, but the character must consume at least half rations and half water for this to occur (described in the PHB as "some").

\pagebreakNum

# PART 9
##### Optional Rules

</div>

These are purely homebrew additions that may enhance your game but are not required to enjoy Dark Sun.

### Weapon Options

**Reach weapons.** Creatures with at least 10' reach may make an Attack of Opportunity if a creature without at least 10' reach voluntarily enters its threatened zone. *This reflects the initial advantage a longer weapon has in keeping enemies at bay.*

## Combat Options

### Cleaving through Creatures
*Instead of the rules provided on page 272 of the DMG, use the following changes:*

When a melee attack **reduces a creature** to 0 hit points, any excess damage from that attack might carry over to another creature nearby. The attacker targets another creature within reach and, if the original attack roll can hit it, applies any remaining damage to it. If that creature is likewise reduced to 0 hit points, repeat this process, carrying over the remaining damage until there are no valid targets, or until the damage carried over fails to reduce an undamaged creature to 0 hit points.

**If there was a creature within 5 feet of the last target when it was reduced to 0 hp, and there are no other targets within reach of the attacker, and the attacker can make more then one attack per turn, such as with the extra attack class feature, then they can replace one those attacks to move 5 feet towards the other creature and continue cleaving as long as the original attack roll can hit it.**

### Flanking 
*Instead of the rules provided on page 251 of the DMG, use the following changes:*

When a creature and at least one of its allies are adjacent to an enemy they can see and on opposite sides or corners of the enemy's space, they are flanking that enemy. While a creature is incapacitated, prone, restrained, or flanked, it is incapable of flanking. A Large or larger creature is flanking as long as at least one square or hex of its space qualifies for flanking.

Creatures who are flanking gain a +2 to attack rolls against the flanked creature.

If against a medium or smaller creature, and a third ally stands on a open space next to the creature, the attack roll bonus becomes +5. For Large or larger creatures, 4 medium or smaller creatures are needed to surround it to obtain the +5 bonus.

At the DM's discretion, creatures that are not disadvantaged by multiple opponents due to their type (like Oozes) are immune to being flanked.

## Two-Weapon Fighting
When you take the Attack action and attack with a melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of an attack **with your off-hand**, unless that modifier is negative. **If you can make more the one attack using the attack action, such as with the Extra Attack class feature, you can use either hand to make the attack as long as both weapons are used by the end of the attack action.**

**To benefit from Two-Weapon Fighting, you must either:**

___
**1. be wielding two Light melee weapons.**
___
**2. be wielding one one-handed melee weapon in one hand and a one-handed melee weapon that normally deals 1d4 or less damage (such as a dagger, light hammer, etc.) in the other.**

___
If either weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon, instead of making a melee attack with it.

### Two-Weapon Fighting - Fighting Style
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack **and you can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one. In addition, you no longer use your bonus action for your off-hand attack, instead you may use your off-hand attack as part of the attack action once per turn.**

> ##### Hunters Mark and Hex
> If this Revision of Two-Weapon Fighting is used, the spells Hunter's Mark and Hex must be adjusted to only allow the extra damage to be applied once per turn.

\pagebreakNum

### Alternate Exhaustion 1

*OneDnD playtest*

While you are subjected to Exhaustion, you experience the following effects:

**Levels of Exhaustion.** This Condition is cumulative. Each time you receive it, you gain 1 level of exhaustion. You die if your exhaustion level exceeds 10.

**d20 Rolls Affected.** When you make an attack roll, skill check, or saving throw, you subtract your exhaustion level from the d20 roll.

**Spell Save DCs Affected.** Subtract your exhaustion level from the Spell save DC of any Spell you cast.

**Ending the Condition.** Finishing a long rest reduces a creature's exhaustion level by 1, provided that you have also ingested half the needed amount food and drink. Also, being raised from the dead reduces your exhaustion level by 1. When your exhaustion level reaches 0, you are no longer exhausted.

### Alternate Exhaustion 2

The OneDnD exhaustion rules above but with the following additions:

**Speed Affected.** When you reach exhaustion level 3, 5, 7 and 9, you lose 5 feet of movement. These reductions are only undone when your exhaustion level is lower then the indicated levels.

**Hit Point Maximum Affected.** When you reach exhaustion level 5, your hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to your level. This reduction cannot be undone until your exhaustion level is 4 or lower.

> ##### New Additions
> "Speed Affected" is meant that at exhaustion level 10, you have a -20 speed. Enough that a character with 25 base speed can still move.
> 
> The penalty to hit point maximum is to show how badly your stamina is being affected.

### Alternate Exhaustion 3

The OneDnD exhaustion rules but with the following additions:

**Speed Affected.** When you reach exhaustion levels 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 you lose 5 feet of movement. These reductions are only undone when your exhaustion level is lower then the indicated levels.

**Hit Point Maximum Affected.** When you reach exhaustion level 4, your hit point maximum is reduced by your level. When you reach exhaustion level 8, your hit point maximum is reduced by your level again. These reductions cannot be undone until your exhaustion level is lower then 8 and 4 respectively.

> ##### Harsher Penalties
> If you want the penalties to be harsher, these will will penalize your speed earlier and finish at a -25 speed and the HP penalty is harsher.

### Grittier Resting
*Inspired from Pathfinder 2e rest mechanics*

You have the same benefits for short and long rests except for the following changes:

***Short Rest.*** You can only take 2 short rests before you have to finish a long rest.

***Long Rest.*** Instead of healing back to full hit points upon completing a long rest, you instead heal an amount equal to your level times double your Constitution modifier (minimum of 2).

***Long-term Rest.*** When you take a long rest, you can instead choose to take a long-term rest. You take 24 hours to rest, including sleep, eating, doing light activity, etc. At the end of this rest, you heal double the amount you would have from a standard long rest. If the long-term rest is interrupted by combat before it is complete, and you completed at least 8 hours of the rest, you instead gain the benefits of a long rest. You cannot take a short rest during the long-term rest.

> ##### Catnap Spell
> With these changes to short rests, the catnap spell can be used to gain a third short rest but afterwards creatures become immune to the spell until they finish a long rest.

### Tougher Resurrection

*Credit Critical Role homebrew*.

For *Raise Dead, Reincarnate*, and *Resurrection*, a Resurrection check must be made or the soul is lost forever. The DC of the check is 10 + 1 per time previously restored from the dead (representing erosion of the soul to this plane). Up to 3 companions (those who know the deceased well) may attempt to assist during the resurrection attempt by making a Contribution Check to help the spirit return. The DC and skill varies by what the player attempts, and you cannot duplicate another’s efforts.

For example, a character skilled in Religion may beseech the spirits to release the soul (an easy to medium check), and another may attempt to Intimidate the aether (perhaps a difficult to near-impossible task). Each success reduces the Resurrection check by 3, but each failure raises it by 1.

A *True Resurrection* or *Wish* bypasses this check and can restore lost souls.

The *Revivify* spell requires a Resurrection check by the caster who rolls a d20 and adds his casting modifier. No others can assist (since the casting time is only 1 action). On a failure, the spell fails, but the soul is not lost. Future Resurrection checks are increased by 1.

\pagebreakNum

# PART 10
##### Monsters of Athas

</div>

## Animals, Household

### Critic

Multi-colored, spiny-backed lizards, critics are frequently reluctant house guests in Athas. They are innately psionic and tune themselves to their feeders.

Some say critics are the prettiest lizards on Athas. Often mottled in brightly-colored hues, they change color each year when they molt.

___
> ## Critic
>*Tiny Beast, Unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 12
> - **Hit Points** 2 (1d4)
> - **Speed** 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|2 (-4)|15 (+2)|10 (0)|1 (-5)|10 (0)|3 (-4)|
>___
> - **Senses** Darkvision 30 ft., Passive Perception 9
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 0 (10 XP)
> ___
>
>
> **Poison Sense.** The critic can detect whether a substance is poisonous by taste, touch, or smell.
>
>**Sense Danger.** The critic can't be surprised while it is conscious and other creatures get advantage agaisnt it as a result of being unseen.
>
> **Familiar.** With the DM's permission, a person who casts the find familiar spell can choose to conjure a critic instead of a normal lizard.
>
>
>
> ### Actions
> ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
>
> **Innate Spellcasting (Psionics).** The critic's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 10, +2 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
>
> 1/day each: augury
>

\columnbreak

### Hurrum

These brightly-colored beetles are highly prized for the pleasant humming sounds they produce. Better trading houses have at least one.

Hurrum beat their wings rapidly back and forth, gently striking the underside of their carapace which creates the vibration and noise for which these creatures are best known. The sound is also used as a simple form of communication between hurrum beetles.

___
> ## Hurrum
>*Tiny Beast, Unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (Natural Armor)
> - **Hit Points** 3 (1d4 + 1)
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|8 (-1)|10 (0)|12 (+1)|2 (-4)|7 (-2)|3 (-4)|
>___
> - **Senses** Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 8
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 0 (10 XP)
> ___
>
> **Familiar.** With the DM's permission, a person who casts the find familiar spell can choose to conjure a critic instead of a normal lizard.
>
>**Sunlight Hyper-Sensitivity.** If exposed to sunlight for one hour, the hurrum dies.
>
> ### Actions
>
> ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
>
> ***Pleasant Vibrations.*** The beetle produces a humming sound by continuously fluttering its vestigial wings. The wings beat in rapid succession between the soft body of the beetle and its hard, chitinous shell.
>
> Each creature within 30 feet must make a DC 11 wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature finds the humming soothing with no other effect.

\pagebreakNum

## Baazrag

In the broken crags and tiny caves of the barrens lives the timid baazrag. Two feet long or less, it is one of the smallest omnivores in the stony barren regions. The baazrag's face is protected by a bony covering that reaches down on either side of the head and across the nose, with holes for the creature's nostrils and eyes. The mouth and lower law are not protected below the bony covering. The beast's humped back is covered with a hard, natural armor that protects the animal, especially the fluid storage sack just beneath the shell. Its four legs are comparatively frail but are adequate for darting from shelter to shelter around its rocky home. The tail of the Baazrag about 5” long. Newborns are red-brown, green, yellow, or orange, but the color fades gradually to a sandy gray at old age.

Baazrag packs band together only for mutual defense of their territory. Otherwise, they have little contact with those of other bands.

Noble families of Tyr and Balic domesticate the baazrag to rid their households of unwanted pests and insects. The families also organize teams of the creatures to pull wagons. Each baazrag can pull as much as 50 pounds of cargo and transport.

Other baazrags have been specially trained to hunt unwanted pests in the sewers. The templars of Tyr have a special squad with several dozen swimming baazrags that are used to clean out infested areas.

___
> ## Baazrag
> *Small Beast, Unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 14 (Natural Armor)
> - **Hit Points** 5 (1d6 + 2)
> - **Speed** 40 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|13 (+1)|15 (+2)|15 (+2)|2 (-4)|12 (+1)|6 (-2)|
>___
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 11
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 1/8 (25 XP)
> ___
>
> ### Actions
> ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.
>

\columnbreak

### Baazrag Boneclaw

Once in a very great while, a baazrag litter consists of only one young, much larger than normal. This creature is a boneclaw. The boneclaw stands more than 8 feet tall. The boneclaw's head is protected by a bony covering. The upper body and back are covered with a hard shell that deflects all normal missiles smaller than a javelin. Its shell has sharp serrated edges everywhere except around the mouth and eyes. The boneclaw is a dull brown color, with sand-colored claws and red eyes that glow in the dark.

Boneclaws are solitary creatures. Their territory extends to a 2-mile radius from their lair. Boneclaws usually take over deserted baazrag lairs. If there is no water readily available, boneclaws will dig until they hit water. Deserted boneclaw lairs have been known to save the lives of thirsty travelers because of the well that may be found in some of them. If there is no prey available, boneclaws can survive on vegetation for as long as three months, or can go as long as one month without food at all.

___
> ## Baazrag Boneclaw
> *Large Beast, Unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 16 (Natural Armor)
> - **Hit Points** 85 (10d10 + 30)
> - **Speed** 50 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|19 (+4)|15 (+2)|17 (+3)|2 (-4)|14 (+2)|10 (0)|
>___
> - **Damage Resistances** 
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 12
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 4 (1,100 XP)
> ___
>
> ***Detect Life.*** The Boneclaw can sense the presence of creatures within 500 feet that aren't undead or constructs. It knows the general direction they're in but not their exact locations.
>
> ### Actions
> ***Multiattack.*** The Baazrag makes 2 claw
>
> ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
>
> ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage.
>
> ***Trampeling Charge.*** The boneclaw moves up to 50 feet in a straight line and can move through the space of any creature smaller than Large. The first time it enters a creature’s space during this move, that creature must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or take 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage and be pushed up to 10 feet and knocked prone.
>

\pagebreakNum

## Crodlu

Crodlu are large reptiles that roam the deserts and scrub land in herds. Crodlu resemble large ostriches, but their forearms end in wicked claws and their tough, scaly hides are yellow to red, with other colors along poor eyesight and an excellent sense of smell. They can run at high speed for long periods of time.

## Erdlu

Erdlus resemble much smaller crodlus. They weigh as much as 200 pounds and stand up to seven feet tall. They have powerful, lanky legs ending in four-toed feet with razor-sharp claws, and can run at great speeds over short distances.

Erdlus make ideal herd animals, as they can eat many forms of tough vegetation, as well as snakes, lizards, and other small reptiles. They instinctively band together in flocks for protection. When threatened, their first impulse is to flee. If this is not possible, the entire flock will turn and give battle as a group.

Erdlu eggs are an excellent food, containing all the nutrients that a human or demihuman needs to survive for months at a time. If eaten raw, they can even substitute for water (1 gallon per egg) for periods of up to one week. In addition, the hard scales of their wings make excellent shields or armor, their beaks can be used to make fine spearheads, and their claws are often crafted into daggers or tools

___
> ## Erdlu
>*Medium Beast, Unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (Natural Armor)
> - **Hit Points** 9 (2d8)
> - **Speed** 40 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|15 (+2)|10 (0)|4 (-3)|11 (0)|4 (-3)|
>___
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 10
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 1/2 (100 XP)
> ___
> **Quickness (Recharge 5-6).** The erdlu can take the dodge action as a bonus action.
> ### Actions
> **Multiattack.** The erdlu makes two attacks: one with its beak, and one with its claws.
>
> **Beak.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
>
> **Claw.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing >damage.

___
> ## Crodlu
>*Large Beast, Unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 16 (Natural Armor)
> - **Hit Points** 52 (7d10+14)
> - **Speed** 50 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|17 (+3)|18 (+4)|15 (+2)|2 (-4)|13 (+1)|6 (-2)|
>___
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 11
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP)
> ___
> **Keen Smell.** The crodlu has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
>
> **Pack Tactics.** The crodlu has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
>
> ### Actions
> **Multiattack.** The crodlu makes three attacks: one with its beak, one with its claws, and one with its kick.
>
> **Beak.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
>
> **Claw.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
>
> **Kick.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

\pagebreakNum

## Kank

Kanks are large docile insects often used as caravan mounts, as they can travel for a full day at their top speed, carrying a two-hundred-pound passenger and two-hundred pounds of cargo. They also make decent herd animals and are especially valued by elves. Because they can digest nearly any sort of organic matter, these hardy beasts will thrive in almost any environment. In addition, they require little attention, for a kank hive instinctively organizes itself into food producers, soldiers, and brood queens.

The food producers secrete melon-sized globules of green honey that they store on their abdomens to feed the young and when food is scarce, the rest of the hive. Humans and demihumans can live on this nectar alone for periods of up to three weeks but must supplement their diets with meat and/or vegetation after longer periods. The sweet taste of this nectar makes it very valuable, and it is this that has caused the kank to be domesticated. It should be noted that wild kanks produce far fewer globules than their carefully breed cousins.

When the tribe stops in an area that looks as though there is a considerable amount of vegetation, the brood queens lay a clutch of twenty to fifty eggs. The soldier kanks, along with the rest of the hive, ferociously defend this area from all predators, and will not leave until the eggs hatch.

Herders must delay their migrations or abandon their hives when this conflicts with their plans.

Although predators may attack kanks for the food producers’ honey globules, only the foulest carrion eaters will eat kank flesh. As soon as a kank dies, its meat emits a foul-smelling odor that not even a starving man can stomach.

> ##### Kank, Brood Queen
> The Kank Brood Queens are completely non-violent, they use the same stats as a Kank Drone but typically don't attack, even to defend themselves.

\columnbreak

___
> ## Kank, Drone
>*Large Beast, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 15 (Natural Armor)
> - **Hit Points** 37 (5d10+10)
> - **Speed** 40
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|15 (+2)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|2 (-4)|12 (+1)|6 (-2)|
>___
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 11
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 1/2 (100 XP)
> ___
>
> **Death Stench.** When the kank dies, it emits a horrible stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the dead kank must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn.
>
> ### Actions
> ***Pincers.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, Reach 5 ft, one target. *Hit:* 7 (2d4+2) Piercing Damage.

___
> ## Kank, Soldier
>*Large Beast, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 17 (Natural Armor)
> - **Hit Points** 52 (7d10+14)
> - **Speed** 40
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|14 (+2)|15 (+2)|2 (-4)|13 (+1)|6 (-2)|
>___
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 11
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP)
> ___
>
> **Death Stench.** When the kank dies, it emits a horrible stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the dead kank must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn.
>
> ### Actions
> ***Pincers.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, Reach 5 ft, one target. *Hit:* 11 (2d6+3) Piercing Damage, and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target is also paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

\pagebreakNum

## Innix

The inix is a large lizard midway in size between a kank and mekillot. It weighs about two tons and grows up to sixteen feet long. Its back is protected by a thick shell, while its belly is covered with a layer of flexible scales. Inix make spirited mounts, they move at steady pace for hours on end, and over short distances, their charge is as fast as that of a kank. Inix riders often travel in howdahs, small box-like carriages that are strapped to the beast's back. The one major drawback to traveling by inix is that these large herbivores need vast amounts of forage. If they don't get enough to eat they are nearly impossible to control. Thus, they are seldom used in regions where forage is at a premium.

In combat, inix slap with their immense tail and bite. On a natural biting attack roll of 20, they grasp man-sized or smaller opponents and do an additional ld20 points of crushing damage. Their shells are useful for making armor, and their scaly underbellies can be used to make a type of fine leather armor.

> ##### Variant: Innix Howdah
> An Innix with a Howdah gets the following feature:
>
> ***Howdah.*** The inix carries a compact fort on its back. One Large creature or up to four Medium or Small creatures can ride in the fort without squeezing. To make a melee attack against a target within 5 feet of the inix, they must use spears or weapons with reach. Creatures in the fort have three-quarters cover against attacks and effects from outside it. If the inix dies, creatures in the fort are placed in unoccupied spaces within 5 of the inix.

\columnbreak

___
> ## Innix
>*Huge Beast, Unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 76 (8d12+24)
> - **Speed** 40 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|19 (+4)|14 (+2)|17 (+3)|2 (-4)|12 (+1)|5 (-3)|
>___
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 14
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 5 (1800 XP)
> ___
>
> ### Actions
>
> ***Multiattack.*** The innix makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its tail. It can't make both attacks against the same target.
>
> ***Bite.*** Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the innix can't bite another target.
>
> ***Tail.*** Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

\pagebreakNum

## Mekillot

Mekillots are mighty lizards weighing up to six-tons. Their backs and heads are covered with a thick shell that serves as both a sunshade and protection from attacks by other large creatures. Their undersides are covered with much softer scales.

Despite their vicious dispositions, mekillots are often used as caravan beasts. A hitched pair can pull a wagon weighing 10-20 tons at a slow, plodding pace.

\columnbreak

Mekillots are never truly tame, however; even when they are hitched to a wagon, the stubborn creatures have been known to turn off the road and go wandering off for days— without any apparent reason. They are also noted for making snacks of their handlers. Because of the difficulties of controlling these beasts, most caravans rely on psionicists with the appropriate powers to drive them.

___
___
> ## Mekillot
>*Gargantuan Beast, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 17 (Natural armor, 15 if attacking its underside)
> - **Hit Points** 175 (13d20+39)
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|24 (+7)|8 (-1)|17 (+3)|1 (-5)|9 (-1)|3 (-4)|
>___
> - **Saving Throws** STR +7, CON +6
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 9
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 8 (3900 XP)
> ___
>
> ### Actions
> ***Multiattack.*** If the mekillot is not grappling a creature, it makes one attack with its tongue, then one with its bite.
>
> ***Tongue.*** Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d6+7) bludgeoning damage. If the creature is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw, or the target is pulled up to 30 feet towards the mekillot.
>
> ***Bite.*** Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d8+7) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the mekillot can't bite another target.
>
> ***Swallow.*** The mekillot makes one bite attack against a large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, that creature takes the bite's damage and is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the mekillot, and it takes 17 (5d6) acid damage at the start of each of the mekillot's turns.
>
>If the mekillot takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the mekillot must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the mekillot. If the mekillot dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
>
> ***Crush.*** The mekillot drops to its belly, knocking itself prone. Any Medium or smaller creature underneath the mekillot when it drops can use its reaction to make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a success the creature moves to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the mekillot. On a failure, the creature takes 13 (2d12) bludgeoning damage and is pinned. If there is no unoccupied space within 5 feet of the mekillot, the saving throw automatically fails. While pinned, the creature is prone and restrained (escape DC 17). If the mekillot moves, the creature is no longer restrained.
>

\pagebreakNum

## T'liz

T'lizes are undead defilers whose spirits have outlived their bodies. They are extremely powerful undead who seek magical knowledge and power above all else and exist as such to continue their study of magic. They seldom associate with the living except when mortals provide suitable pawns. Because they appear much as they did in life, t'lizes can move freely among the living. Their only unusual features are their skin, which is extremely pale, and their weight, which often diminishes until they become no greater than average in build. T'lizes must anoint themselves with numerous oils and substances that prevent their bodies from deteriorating. They must also feast upon the life energy of the living to sustain their own energies.

Often, t'lizes have large numbers of undead serving them as minions. These minions protect their lairs, bring them living victims for their experiments, and provide them with the equipment they need for their studies.

T'lizes hate other t'lizes as much, if not more, than they hate the living. Viewing their own kind as rivals, they are known to engage in century-long disputes. Either out of boredom or to annoy other t'lizes, they often pit their undead minions against the undead minions of other t'lizes.

T'lizes are known for their scheming nature. While they occasionally have dealings with the living, they do so only to further some nefarious plan of their own. They are said to dabble in politics and trade, but only if they can make their unseen presence felt as hardship upon the living

\columnbreak

### T'liz Template

A humanoid, giant, or monstrosity with the spellcasting feature that casts arcane spells can become a t'liz. When a creature becomes a t'liz, it retains all its statistics except as noted below.

___
***Challenge.*** The features gained by becoming a t'liz may greatly alter its challenge rating. It may be necessary to use the guidelines in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to recalculate the rating after you apply the template.

___
***Type.*** The t'liz’s type changes to undead, and it no longer requires air, food, drink, or sleep.

___
***Senses.*** The t'liz has darkvision with a radius of 60 feet.

___
***Saving Throws.*** The t'liz is proficient in Constitution saving throws.

___
***Strength Score.*** The t'liz's Strength score is 16 if its score isn't already higher.

___
***Damage Resistance.*** The t'liz has resistance to cold, lightning and necrotic damage.

___
***Damage Immunities.*** The t'liz has immunity to poison damage and from bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage from non-magical weapons.

___
***Condition Immunities.*** The t'liz can’t be charmed, frightened, paralyzed, or poisoned. It also doesn't suffer from exhaustion.

___
***Magic Resistance.*** The t'liz has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

___
***New Feature: Arcane Defiling.*** The t'liz gains the following feature as well as one or more defiling options from the Defilers of Athas section of this document.

If in non-defiled terrain, the t'liz can choose to defile the land when casting a spell from its spellcasting feature.

When it does this, ordinary vegetation within a radius of 5 times the spells level withers and dies, leaving the ground in a black ashen state.

___
***New Action: Multiattack.*** The t'liz uses its aura of fear and then casts a spell from its spellcasting feature. If a creature is within 5 feet of it, it can use its Life Drain before or after casting its spell.

___
***New Action: Life Drain.*** Melee Weapon Attack: +(proficiency + strength) to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: (4d8 + strength) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency + Constitution) Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

___
***New Action: Aura of Fear.*** Each non-undead creature that is within 60 feet of the t'liz and aware of it must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency + Constitution) Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the t'liz's Aura Of Fear for the next 24 hours.

\pagebreakNum

___
___
> ## T'liz Mage
>*Medium Undead, Any Evil Alignment*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 12 (15 with mage armor)
> - **Hit Points** 40 (9d8)
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|10 (+0)|17 (+3)|12 (+1)|11 (+0)|
>___
> - **Saving Throws** Constitution +3, Intelligence +6, Wisdom +4
> - **Skills** Arcana +7, History +7
> - **Damage Resistances** Cold, Lightning, Necrotic
> - **Damage Immunities** Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
> - **Condition Immunities** Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
> - **Senses** Darkvision 60 ft.
> - **Languages** any four languages
> - **Challenge** 9 (5,000 XP)
> ___
>
> **Arcane Defiling.** If in non-defiled terrain, the t'liz can choose to defile the land when casting a spell from its spellcasting feature.
>
>It can choose to either double the distance of its spell or give one creature disadvantage on the saving throw. 
>
>When it does this, ordinary vegetation within a radius of 5 times the spells level withers and dies, leaving the ground in a black ashen state.
>
>
> **Magic Resistance.** The t'liz has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
>
> **Regeneration.** The t'liz regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn. The t'liz dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points. It regains 5 hit points after 1d4 hours unless its body is burned and its ashes are separated.
>
> **Silent Presence.** The t'liz casts no shadows, and its steps are silent. It has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks when trying to be unseen.
>
> ### Actions
>
> **Multiattack.** The t'liz uses its Aura of Fear and then casts a spell from its Spellcasting feature. If a creature is within 5 feet of it, it can use its Life Drain before or after casting its spell. 
>
> **Bone Dagger.** Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) piercing damage.
>
> **Life Drain.** Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 22 (4d8 + 4) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
>
> **Aura Of Fear.** Each non-undead creature that is within 60 feet of the t'liz and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the t'liz's Aura Of Fear for the next 24 hours.
>
> **Spellcasting.** The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared:
>
>Cantrips (at will): fire bolt (2d10), light, mage hand, prestidigitation
>
> 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield
>
>2nd level (3 slots): misty step, suggestion
>
> 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly
>
> 4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, ice storm
>
> 5th level (1 slot): cone of cold
>

\pagebreakNum

# PART 11
##### Credits and Citations

</div>

## The Inspiration

When initially writing this guide, I used another 5e conversion made by reddit user u/Toucanbuzz as a skeleton. Much of the intro and lore are from his as well as most of the poisons and some of the equipment still listed. I couldn't find a way to rewrite them to be better then they already are so with Toucanbuzz's permission, they stayed. Check out his conversion here:
[Dark Sun Players Guide for 5e by Toucanbuzz](https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkSun/comments/aneh7q/dark_sun_5e_players_guide_comprehensive/ "MCP Dark Sun Players Guide")

## Colorized 2e Art

The colored Dray portraits were made by reddit user u/arcaneimpact, used with permission:
[Dray Colorized](https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkSun/comments/pqvc31/absalom_colourized_city_by_the_silt_sea/ "Dray Colorized"),
[Dray Group Colorized](https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkSun/comments/sefzx7/more_colourized_dark_sun_art/ "Dray Group Colorized")

\columnbreak

## Official Art

Much of the art used are from various sourcebooks for D&D 2e and 4e respectively

## Brom Artwork

The website ayay.co.uk contained a lot of the artwork of Gerald Brom in one place, including many used for the Dark Sun setting: [Brom Artwork](http://ayay.co.uk/backgrounds/fantasy_art/brom/index.php "Brom Artwork")

\pagebreakNum

Campaign

Guide
 
 </div>
 
<div class='back-cover-text'>
 
Amid the barren wastelands of Athas lie the scattered city states, each in the grip of its own, tyrannical sorcerer king. Protecting their own positions with dark magic, they demand absolute obedience. The restless mobs are placated with bread and circuses - the arenas overflow with spectators seeking release from their harsh lives.

The land outside the cities belongs to no one. Savage elves race across the deserts while
insectoid thri-kreen satisfy their taste for blood. Dwarves labor at projects beyond the scope of men, and feral halflings lie in ambush.

Athas is a land of deadly magic and powerful psionics that offers no promise of glory or even of survival. Those who do not have the cunning to face life on Athas will surely perish, leaving nothing but bones bleached white under the blistering rays of the Dark Sun.
 
</div>
 
 <div class='back-cover-diamond' style='top: 800px;'></div>
 
 <div style='margin-top:35px;'></div>
 
 <div class='back-cover-close'>

</div>