Eberron and SRD [Archive] - Wizards Community

Eberron and SRD [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dr. Awkward
06-12-04, 02:54 PM I know this is a bit early for a question like this, but I just had to ask: Is there a possibility of seeing any of the Eberron material creep into the SRD? I'm thinking specifically of the items that would be of most use to homebrewers and module writers outside of the Eberron setting--the new races and base classes, as well as any Artificer augmentations that aren't just PHB spells. These are the features of the setting that would translate well to other worlds and make for some interesting works. It would also make it possible for sources like Dungeon magazine to write Eberron adventures that are portable to other worlds, so that non-Eberron players could get some mileage out of them too.

I don't expect to see a huge amount of Eberron stuff in an OGL document, but I would enjoy and appreciate a few of the crunchy bits to be added to the SRD eventually.

Rumours? Hearsay? Random speculation?
N'wah
06-12-04, 03:01 PM I'm sure that some Eberron campaign material will find its way into the SRD; after all, they want the campaign to thrive, and this could be a way for other people to get interested in the campaign. Also, they are planning several Eberron adventures in Dungeon, and I think Eberron content in Dragon was mentioned as well, similar to what they do with Forgotten Realms.

'Course, it's not my decision to make. ;)
Kapture
06-12-04, 04:29 PM I can't believe any of it will be open game content, largely because one of the reasons they developed it was in order to have a bankable new intellectual property. DND, they want to share because it expands their market: other companies can provide compatible material. Eberron, they will not want to share. Other companies using the IP will cut into their exclusive control of it.

Some of the rules are interesting. I'd like to be able to use shifter rules. But I think they're all tied into ideas that Wizards would be better served keeping to themselves for awhile.

I don't think putting Eberron material in the SRD would draw that many new fans. Also, articles in Dragon and Dungeon don't have to be OGC.
Knight Otu
06-12-04, 05:38 PM I have to agree with Kapture. We will see exactly as much Eberron in the SRD as we have seen Forgotten Realms - Nothing!

(OK, a case might be made for the archmage and the hierophant, but otherwise...)
Dr. Awkward
06-12-04, 10:49 PM There's not really that much in FR that's all that suitable for SRD inclusion. There's a few prestige classes, which I can understand leaving out, since so many are world-specific. There's some spells...again, I can understand not bothering. There are no unique base classes. There are a few semi-unique races (notably the extra planetouched). But what I was thinking of was just some of the basic crunchy bits. Heck, I'd be happy with just the Artificer, but the new races are pretty nifty too. The thing about the artificer is that D&D has needed this class for so long it's not funny, but there's never been an official artificer class so far as I know. Now Eberron has it, and I'm sure it'll appear in a lot of D&D homebrew campaigns, but it probably won't appear in any other D&D material, which is a shame.
Kapture
06-14-04, 05:45 PM WARNING: OPINION AND SCHPEKULATION

A'ight.

Yes, it would be nice to see some of the rules added to "DND Prime." I say that because I personally think that the Shifter Feats are so elegant that I got swimmy (yes, yes, I'm a geek) when I read the article in Dragon. I just thought it was a sweet piece of design, and it would be nice to not only use it, but to base other kinds of sets of abilities on something like that.

That said, I think that's exactly why it will remain closed content. I think WOTC wants a piece of the pie all to themselves, so that they can market it to the fullest extent of their ability. Having pieces of rules technology, vital to the setting, that they have IP control over, really enchances the value of the setting. It sort of says: Yeah, anybody can make up some stuff (which anybody can), but if you want to get to the heart of the experience, you have to got through us for THIS.

And I think they should have that. WOTC should make money, it will keep them interested in turning out good products and create a strong, stable core for the industry. I think. They do, after all, own the license, and have made it available. So I think they should have a chunk of exclusive IP, including rules systems that only their writers can really refer to. I don't think everything should go into the SRD. We can make up our own stuff.

And I think, for the most part, people writing game stuff want to make up their own stuff. I know I get a kick out of tweaking the rules so they have just the right effect. I like writing my own stuff. Also, we like to write our own settings. Even if we could all write Eberron or Dragonlance lite using a SRD for that setting, I doubt so many people would want to. I don't even really think they should. And I would argue that many of the rules specific to Eberron are so specific that people who regularly want to write their own stuff would rather do so.

Forinstance, although I like the shifter rules and idea, many people might want to do a different kind of animal-person race or class. Certainly there's been several varations just by WOTC alone: Hengeyoki, Shifters, Savage Species Lycanthrope classes, Druid prestige classes. Doesn't Monte Cook's new setting have a shamen type? There are lots of different ways to do it.

Ditto the artificer. The idea of a wizard who works primarilly through devices is strong, but could be done in different ways. I actually think the magewright would be more valuable open content. If I did an artificer class, It would be much less of a support class than the one in dragon (though I like how they wrote that class, too).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dr. Awkward 06-12-04, 02:54 PM	I know this is a bit early for a question like this, but I just had to ask: Is there a possibility of seeing any of the Eberron material creep into the SRD? I'm thinking specifically of the items that would be of most use to homebrewers and module writers outside of the Eberron setting--the new races and base classes, as well as any Artificer augmentations that aren't just PHB spells. These are the features of the setting that would translate well to other worlds and make for some interesting works. It would also make it possible for sources like Dungeon magazine to write Eberron adventures that are portable to other worlds, so that non-Eberron players could get some mileage out of them too. I don't expect to see a huge amount of Eberron stuff in an OGL document, but I would enjoy and appreciate a few of the crunchy bits to be added to the SRD eventually. Rumours? Hearsay? Random speculation?
N'wah 06-12-04, 03:01 PM	I'm sure that some Eberron campaign material will find its way into the SRD; after all, they want the campaign to thrive, and this could be a way for other people to get interested in the campaign. Also, they are planning several Eberron adventures in Dungeon, and I think Eberron content in Dragon was mentioned as well, similar to what they do with Forgotten Realms. 'Course, it's not my decision to make. ;)
Kapture 06-12-04, 04:29 PM	I can't believe any of it will be open game content, largely because one of the reasons they developed it was in order to have a bankable new intellectual property. DND, they want to share because it expands their market: other companies can provide compatible material. Eberron, they will not want to share. Other companies using the IP will cut into their exclusive control of it. Some of the rules are interesting. I'd like to be able to use shifter rules. But I think they're all tied into ideas that Wizards would be better served keeping to themselves for awhile. I don't think putting Eberron material in the SRD would draw that many new fans. Also, articles in Dragon and Dungeon don't have to be OGC.
Knight Otu 06-12-04, 05:38 PM	I have to agree with Kapture. We will see exactly as much Eberron in the SRD as we have seen Forgotten Realms - Nothing! (OK, a case might be made for the archmage and the hierophant, but otherwise...)
Dr. Awkward 06-12-04, 10:49 PM	There's not really that much in FR that's all that suitable for SRD inclusion. There's a few prestige classes, which I can understand leaving out, since so many are world-specific. There's some spells...again, I can understand not bothering. There are no unique base classes. There are a few semi-unique races (notably the extra planetouched). But what I was thinking of was just some of the basic crunchy bits. Heck, I'd be happy with just the Artificer, but the new races are pretty nifty too. The thing about the artificer is that D&D has needed this class for so long it's not funny, but there's never been an official artificer class so far as I know. Now Eberron has it, and I'm sure it'll appear in a lot of D&D homebrew campaigns, but it probably won't appear in any other D&D material, which is a shame.
Kapture 06-14-04, 05:45 PM	WARNING: OPINION AND SCHPEKULATION A'ight. Yes, it would be nice to see some of the rules added to "DND Prime." I say that because I personally think that the Shifter Feats are so elegant that I got swimmy (yes, yes, I'm a geek) when I read the article in Dragon. I just thought it was a sweet piece of design, and it would be nice to not only use it, but to base other kinds of sets of abilities on something like that. That said, I think that's exactly why it will remain closed content. I think WOTC wants a piece of the pie all to themselves, so that they can market it to the fullest extent of their ability. Having pieces of rules technology, vital to the setting, that they have IP control over, really enchances the value of the setting. It sort of says: Yeah, anybody can make up some stuff (which anybody can), but if you want to get to the heart of the experience, you have to got through us for THIS. And I think they should have that. WOTC should make money, it will keep them interested in turning out good products and create a strong, stable core for the industry. I think. They do, after all, own the license, and have made it available. So I think they should have a chunk of exclusive IP, including rules systems that only their writers can really refer to. I don't think everything should go into the SRD. We can make up our own stuff. And I think, for the most part, people writing game stuff want to make up their own stuff. I know I get a kick out of tweaking the rules so they have just the right effect. I like writing my own stuff. Also, we like to write our own settings. Even if we could all write Eberron or Dragonlance lite using a SRD for that setting, I doubt so many people would want to. I don't even really think they should. And I would argue that many of the rules specific to Eberron are so specific that people who regularly want to write their own stuff would rather do so. Forinstance, although I like the shifter rules and idea, many people might want to do a different kind of animal-person race or class. Certainly there's been several varations just by WOTC alone: Hengeyoki, Shifters, Savage Species Lycanthrope classes, Druid prestige classes. Doesn't Monte Cook's new setting have a shamen type? There are lots of different ways to do it. Ditto the artificer. The idea of a wizard who works primarilly through devices is strong, but could be done in different ways. I actually think the magewright would be more valuable open content. If I did an artificer class, It would be much less of a support class than the one in dragon (though I like how they wrote that class, too).