What is the Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion D&D Setting Expansion?
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Article Summary
- The world of Athas returns to D&D 5.5E with a new setting expansion entitled Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion.
- The DM-focused supplement will focus on seven city-states, updating lore from previous editions of the game.
- It marks the first D&D product with a mature, 18+ rating for violence, nudity and extreme subject matter.
- It is expected to release in February 2027 as part of the Season of Survival, with pricing likely to be $59.99 USD.
- Edge of Oblivion will be a companion book to a player-facing expansion called Dark Sun: Blood and Power
After being abandoned for over a decade, Athas is officially returning to Dungeons & Dragons, with Wizards of the Coast recently announcing several new Dark Sun products that will bring the world into the D&D 5.5E ruleset.
One of those titles is a new setting expansion entitled Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion, which is designed to provide Dungeon Masters with everything they need to run a complete campaign in the blood-soaked desert wastelands. Notably, the book will also carry D&D’s first-ever mature, 18+ rating, and is slated for release in early 2027 alongside a companion volume known as Dark Sun: Blood and Power.
Below, we take a closer look at everything we know so far about this new take on the unforgiving sands of Athas.
What’s included in Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion?
Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion is a setting expansion designed for Dungeon Masters. As such, its focus is largely on providing a detailed overview of the world of Athas, updating lore and background that’s been established in past Dark Sun materials in previous editions of D&D.
In particular, it provides details on the following city-states:
- Tyr: Caught in the grip of a violent revolution that has overthrown the former sorcerer-king.
- Draj: Now under the control of a powerful cult that worships a mysterious lunar entity.
- Gulg: Ruled by the sorcerer-queen Lalali-Puy and home to living towers made of dying plant matter.
- Urik: A brutal military state controlled by the war-hungry sorcerer-king Hamanu.
- Raam: A city of debauchery and vice, where anything can be purchased for the right price.
- Nibenay: Home to dark scholars who have joined their minds with their sorcerer-king in pursuit of forbidden knowledge.
- Balic: A wasteland shaped by its sorcerer-king’s reckless ambition and populated by bizarre and monstrous creatures.
While it has not yet been confirmed by Wizards of the Coast, we can most likely expect adventure hooks, campaign advice, new magic items, new Bastion options and new monster stat blocks.
When will Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion be released?
An official release date has not yet been confirmed, but based on the official D&D Roadmap and upcoming release schedule, we can likely expect the book to come out in February 2027. Notably, it will also be a cornerstone product of the upcoming Season of Survival, which is expected to run from January to March 2027.
How much is Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion?
Pricing has not yet been confirmed. Wizards of the Coast has, however, said that Edge of Oblivion and Blood and Power will collectively be around 500 pages in length. That means it’s on par with the Heroes of Faerûn and Adventures in Faerûn supplements, which had a similar page count and retailed for $59.99 USD.
Will there be an alternate cover available?
Wizards of the Coast has not confirmed if there will be an alternate cover, but chances are extremely likely given that they’ve been produced for every print product over the past few years. These are typically only available at local game stores, although the price is the same as the standard cover version.
What other tie-in products will be released?
In addition to Edge of Oblivion and Blood and Power, there will also be a number of tie-in products, including:
- DM Screen: Featuring original art along with tables and reference info specific to the Dark Sun setting.
- Map Pack: A print and D&D Beyond digital version of maps featured in Edge of Oblivion.
- Alternate Player’s Handbook: A reprint of the 2024 Player’s Handbook with new Dark Sun art.
- WizKids miniatures: New Dark Sun based on characters and creatures featured in the two books.
Final Thoughts
Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion is shaping up to be one of the biggest risks D&D has taken in years, reviving a fan-favorite setting while committing to an 18+ rating that no mainline D&D book has carried before. Whether or not the new book will make it out of the Wastelands of fan expectations, however, remains to be seen.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on Edge of Oblivion in the days ahead and will update this page with new information as it’s made available.
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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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