...Magic of Eberon [Archive] - Wizards Community

...Magic of Eberon [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
El Salvador
11-13-05, 09:16 PM just by judging the art displayed in the dnd art galleries, Magic of Eberron seems pretty cool. But art aside, does anyone have any discussion on the merits of the book? Lots of new, usefull and interesting spells, items and other game uses? Does it add a lot to an Eberron game? Of course, dont break any copyright rules in your replies.
Lord_Of_The_Savages
11-13-05, 09:21 PM I am sure someone will beat me to answering this, but I plan on purchasing the book in the next week or so (gearing up for first Eberron campaign) and can tell you info soon. In the meantime I too would love to here some opinions.
Edymnion
11-13-05, 09:48 PM It is quite worthy of it's Eberronian cover.
Brastan
11-13-05, 10:30 PM It's not Magic of Ferune(sp). What it does does do is provide more magic options for Eberron, which were lacking in my opinion. Your not looking a pages and pages of new spells and items but instead a nice array of useful spells and items for various classes and character concepts. It is a very nice Player expansion book for the setting. Considering there hasn't been any really player based material for the setting since the ECS it did it's job in my view.
Rocksa
11-14-05, 02:13 AM There's a slew of grafts that I found pretty handy. Might be handy for you too if you have a PC who's run afoul of a Withering Limb spell or the like. Beyond that, the new spells and items are all very nice additions to any Eberron game. There's also a nice explanation as to how different types of magic work in Eberron, as well as the what, why, and how's of the different dragonshards. There's also the new symbionts which I've been looking for ever since reading the ECS. All in all it's a pretty great addition to any Eberron game, both from the player and DM perspective.

In short.

Players will find plenty of new toys to play with, DM's will find plenty of tools to give the badguys to obliterate the PC's.
Korhal_IV
11-14-05, 03:13 PM Magic of Eberron? Oh, you mean Magic of Grafts and Brooding Anti-Heroes.

It's a pretty solid book. Didn't find anything not to like in specific, although the overwhelming love for grafts (daelkyr grafts, elemental grafts, Eldeen PLANT GRAFTS!) began to wear on my patience after the first hundred pages or so. Doesn't anyone remember the days when Eberronian heroes used to be whole? :P
Siran Dunmorgan
11-14-05, 03:42 PM Magic of Eberron? Oh, you mean Magic of Grafts and Brooding Anti-Heroes.

It's a pretty solid book. Didn't find anything not to like in specific, although the overwhelming love for grafts (daelkyr grafts, elemental grafts, Eldeen PLANT GRAFTS!) began to wear on my patience after the first hundred pages or so. Doesn't anyone remember the days when Eberronian heroes used to be whole? :P

After a hundred years of unremitting warfare, very few characters of any level will be whole, either in mind or body, and they'll be ready for what the next generation of Eberron "prosthetics" has available for them.

Not the poor folks, mind: they'll have to make do with peglegs, hooks, crutches, and similar devices.

But them as can afford it... they'll take whatever they can get, even if it's a warforged arm, or an elemental graft.

The ones that are really desperate will take a symbiont.

—Siran Dunmorgan
Gurv
11-14-05, 04:01 PM There are 8 pages of grafts. There are 6 pages of symbionts. There are 158 pages.

On the other hand, there are 32 pages devoted to prestige classes, all Eberron flavored and mechanically interesting. There are 41 new spells and infusions and 10 new psionic powers, many of which have Eberron specific use. The chapter of magic items is 32 pages long and focuses on items for artificers, new dragonshard items, minor schemas, daelkyr items, psionic items, and warforged components in addition to the aforementioned grafts, keeping everything Eberron oriented instead of just being a new book full of "magic stuff". Then there are 15 monster entries, including the mentioned symbionts.

So, in my opinion, although there might be some things that don't interest everyone, Magic of Eberron should have something for everyone.

Besides, many heroes of Eberron are the brooding anti-hero type, the kind with flaws both physical and mental. If you want a party of heroes with flawless teeth and perfect hair, you can find that anywhere.
El Salvador
11-14-05, 05:49 PM those are some great comments :D
looks like its worth buying
Lord_Of_The_Savages
11-14-05, 11:17 PM Thanks for the info. I am now more excited than before.
mhacdebhandia
11-14-05, 11:42 PM It's a shame that the blood magus base class mentioned in Dragon Magazine #336 apparently didn't make the final cut.
Godspeed Silent Emperor
11-15-05, 06:58 AM The Artificer of my groups loves it, for the new infusions, feats and the cpool PrC Renegade Mastermaker (although Dragonmech has a even better in it). I love it for the Grafts, my Shifter Barbarian is eager to get some soon. :)
Imo it's one of the best books for Eberron besides the CS.
Altaris13
11-15-05, 12:54 PM I do think the wanna-be warforged is a bit much though. I love the mechanics of the class, and the flavor is great, outside of my Eberron. I just have issues with the Renegade Mastermaker.

To me, this PrC, some of the artwork we've seen, and certain component items just seem to reinforce the warforged = magic cyborg thought process.
Edymnion
11-15-05, 12:55 PM It's a shame that the blood magus base class mentioned in Dragon Magazine #336 apparently didn't make the final cut.Don't be too bummed. The Alchemical Savant was originally slated for City of Towers, and got dumped, but it made a comeback. Maybe the blood magus base class will do the same later on in another book. Sounds like it would make a great Blood of Vol class :)
Godspeed Silent Emperor
11-15-05, 01:09 PM I do think the wanna-be warforged is a bit much though. I love the mechanics of the class, and the flavor is great, outside of my Eberron. I just have issues with the Renegade Mastermaker.

To me, this PrC, some of the artwork we've seen, and certain component items just seem to reinforce the warforged = magic cyborg thought process.

I like the idea of man-meets-machine, ever did so since my rpg-beginnings. A magic cyborgs sounds cool to me (and my group too), but i can understand that it's not everyones cup of tea. :)
Altaris13
11-15-05, 02:06 PM I like the idea of man-meets-machine, ever did so since my rpg-beginnings. A magic cyborgs sounds cool to me (and my group too), but i can understand that it's not everyones cup of tea. :)

Oh me too. I love the class concept, just not in the Eberron that has been presented to us. From the beginning there has been the purists (like myself) who struggle to maintain the difference between Warforged and Robots.

Forged do not equal Robots.

This class, though I'd love to play one in a setting that had warforged but was not Eberron, just seems to add fodder to those who see the Forged as Robots.
El Salvador
11-15-05, 08:25 PM I certianly have noticed that people have a hard time not calling warforged 'Robots'. I had this issue with my players, although I dont consider it as bad a thing as others may seem to. If the word 'robot' helps them understand what a warforged looks like, i dont have any issues. :P
Gurv
11-15-05, 09:02 PM If the word 'robot' helps them understand what a warforged looks like, i dont have any issues. :P
I prefer the term "mechanical", because "robot" sends the wrong message as far as being a sentient creature. The warforged are alive, and have thoughts, feelings, and so on in a way that "robot" doesn't take into account.

As far as the renegade mastermaker is concerned...I think it had to be done. So many players see the warforged and ask (constantly on these boards, for example), whether they can have warforged parts and attachments. Although I find such concepts very unoriginal, I realize that this widespread interest needed to be responded to by the designers. I think that they did a good job with the prestige class, giving it flavor and features I hadn't thought of, and even if it isn't the kind of character that excites me I can see it as a viable possibility now. More importantly, they also set a precedent that says that attaching warforged parts to oneself isn't easy. Now, when someone asks if they can do it, I can point to the PrC to show that it requires specialized knowledge and skill. I have rules to support how it works, and how it doesn't.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
El Salvador 11-13-05, 09:16 PM	just by judging the art displayed in the dnd art galleries, Magic of Eberron seems pretty cool. But art aside, does anyone have any discussion on the merits of the book? Lots of new, usefull and interesting spells, items and other game uses? Does it add a lot to an Eberron game? Of course, dont break any copyright rules in your replies.
Lord_Of_The_Savages 11-13-05, 09:21 PM	I am sure someone will beat me to answering this, but I plan on purchasing the book in the next week or so (gearing up for first Eberron campaign) and can tell you info soon. In the meantime I too would love to here some opinions.
Edymnion 11-13-05, 09:48 PM	It is quite worthy of it's Eberronian cover.
Brastan 11-13-05, 10:30 PM	It's not Magic of Ferune(sp). What it does does do is provide more magic options for Eberron, which were lacking in my opinion. Your not looking a pages and pages of new spells and items but instead a nice array of useful spells and items for various classes and character concepts. It is a very nice Player expansion book for the setting. Considering there hasn't been any really player based material for the setting since the ECS it did it's job in my view.
Rocksa 11-14-05, 02:13 AM	There's a slew of grafts that I found pretty handy. Might be handy for you too if you have a PC who's run afoul of a Withering Limb spell or the like. Beyond that, the new spells and items are all very nice additions to any Eberron game. There's also a nice explanation as to how different types of magic work in Eberron, as well as the what, why, and how's of the different dragonshards. There's also the new symbionts which I've been looking for ever since reading the ECS. All in all it's a pretty great addition to any Eberron game, both from the player and DM perspective. In short. Players will find plenty of new toys to play with, DM's will find plenty of tools to give the badguys to obliterate the PC's.
Korhal_IV 11-14-05, 03:13 PM	Magic of Eberron? Oh, you mean Magic of Grafts and Brooding Anti-Heroes. It's a pretty solid book. Didn't find anything not to like in specific, although the overwhelming love for grafts (daelkyr grafts, elemental grafts, Eldeen PLANT GRAFTS!) began to wear on my patience after the first hundred pages or so. Doesn't anyone remember the days when Eberronian heroes used to be whole? :P
Siran Dunmorgan 11-14-05, 03:42 PM	Magic of Eberron? Oh, you mean Magic of Grafts and Brooding Anti-Heroes. It's a pretty solid book. Didn't find anything not to like in specific, although the overwhelming love for grafts (daelkyr grafts, elemental grafts, Eldeen PLANT GRAFTS!) began to wear on my patience after the first hundred pages or so. Doesn't anyone remember the days when Eberronian heroes used to be whole? :P After a hundred years of unremitting warfare, very few characters of any level will be whole, either in mind or body, and they'll be ready for what the next generation of Eberron "prosthetics" has available for them. Not the poor folks, mind: they'll have to make do with peglegs, hooks, crutches, and similar devices. But them as can afford it... they'll take whatever they can get, even if it's a warforged arm, or an elemental graft. The ones that are really desperate will take a symbiont. —Siran Dunmorgan
Gurv 11-14-05, 04:01 PM	There are 8 pages of grafts. There are 6 pages of symbionts. There are 158 pages. On the other hand, there are 32 pages devoted to prestige classes, all Eberron flavored and mechanically interesting. There are 41 new spells and infusions and 10 new psionic powers, many of which have Eberron specific use. The chapter of magic items is 32 pages long and focuses on items for artificers, new dragonshard items, minor schemas, daelkyr items, psionic items, and warforged components in addition to the aforementioned grafts, keeping everything Eberron oriented instead of just being a new book full of "magic stuff". Then there are 15 monster entries, including the mentioned symbionts. So, in my opinion, although there might be some things that don't interest everyone, Magic of Eberron should have something for everyone. Besides, many heroes of Eberron are the brooding anti-hero type, the kind with flaws both physical and mental. If you want a party of heroes with flawless teeth and perfect hair, you can find that anywhere.
El Salvador 11-14-05, 05:49 PM	those are some great comments :D looks like its worth buying
Lord_Of_The_Savages 11-14-05, 11:17 PM	Thanks for the info. I am now more excited than before.
mhacdebhandia 11-14-05, 11:42 PM	It's a shame that the blood magus base class mentioned in Dragon Magazine #336 apparently didn't make the final cut.
Godspeed Silent Emperor 11-15-05, 06:58 AM	The Artificer of my groups loves it, for the new infusions, feats and the cpool PrC Renegade Mastermaker (although Dragonmech has a even better in it). I love it for the Grafts, my Shifter Barbarian is eager to get some soon. :) Imo it's one of the best books for Eberron besides the CS.
Altaris13 11-15-05, 12:54 PM	I do think the wanna-be warforged is a bit much though. I love the mechanics of the class, and the flavor is great, outside of my Eberron. I just have issues with the Renegade Mastermaker. To me, this PrC, some of the artwork we've seen, and certain component items just seem to reinforce the warforged = magic cyborg thought process.
Edymnion 11-15-05, 12:55 PM	It's a shame that the blood magus base class mentioned in Dragon Magazine #336 apparently didn't make the final cut.Don't be too bummed. The Alchemical Savant was originally slated for City of Towers, and got dumped, but it made a comeback. Maybe the blood magus base class will do the same later on in another book. Sounds like it would make a great Blood of Vol class :)
Godspeed Silent Emperor 11-15-05, 01:09 PM	I do think the wanna-be warforged is a bit much though. I love the mechanics of the class, and the flavor is great, outside of my Eberron. I just have issues with the Renegade Mastermaker. To me, this PrC, some of the artwork we've seen, and certain component items just seem to reinforce the warforged = magic cyborg thought process. I like the idea of man-meets-machine, ever did so since my rpg-beginnings. A magic cyborgs sounds cool to me (and my group too), but i can understand that it's not everyones cup of tea. :)
Altaris13 11-15-05, 02:06 PM	I like the idea of man-meets-machine, ever did so since my rpg-beginnings. A magic cyborgs sounds cool to me (and my group too), but i can understand that it's not everyones cup of tea. :) Oh me too. I love the class concept, just not in the Eberron that has been presented to us. From the beginning there has been the purists (like myself) who struggle to maintain the difference between Warforged and Robots. Forged do not equal Robots. This class, though I'd love to play one in a setting that had warforged but was not Eberron, just seems to add fodder to those who see the Forged as Robots.
El Salvador 11-15-05, 08:25 PM	I certianly have noticed that people have a hard time not calling warforged 'Robots'. I had this issue with my players, although I dont consider it as bad a thing as others may seem to. If the word 'robot' helps them understand what a warforged looks like, i dont have any issues. :P
Gurv 11-15-05, 09:02 PM	If the word 'robot' helps them understand what a warforged looks like, i dont have any issues. :P I prefer the term "mechanical", because "robot" sends the wrong message as far as being a sentient creature. The warforged are alive, and have thoughts, feelings, and so on in a way that "robot" doesn't take into account. As far as the renegade mastermaker is concerned...I think it had to be done. So many players see the warforged and ask (constantly on these boards, for example), whether they can have warforged parts and attachments. Although I find such concepts very unoriginal, I realize that this widespread interest needed to be responded to by the designers. I think that they did a good job with the prestige class, giving it flavor and features I hadn't thought of, and even if it isn't the kind of character that excites me I can see it as a viable possibility now. More importantly, they also set a precedent that says that attaching warforged parts to oneself isn't easy. Now, when someone asks if they can do it, I can point to the PrC to show that it requires specialized knowledge and skill. I have rules to support how it works, and how it doesn't.