I'm considering Eberron. [Archive] - Wizards Community

I'm considering Eberron. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Nimloh
06-05-07, 06:51 PM I've haven't played D&D for many years and have a desire to start roleplaying again. I would like to try something fresh and new, and Eberron certainly satisfies that criteria. It seems interesting but I'm not sure I'll like the "wild magic" aspect of Eberron, and things like trains and airships--even if they're magically induced.

So I guess I wanted to know if anyone else has similiar fears but fell in love with the setting after you started playing?

Also, how popular is the setting? I hope to be moving away in a month or two, and I'll face the challenge of finding people to play with. When I find D&D players, is it likely they'll be Forgotten Realms people?
From_Khyber
06-05-07, 07:17 PM I'm an ex-FR player, and have always distanced myself from technology in conjunction with fantasy, but when I came across the ECS, I instantly got hooked. People on this Eberron board will most likely recommend the setting (just like me, seeing as how fond we all are of it), and the response and replies you'll get are probably not very objective, which leaves them, well, somewhat inconsistent in your case. What I think you should do, is read the following:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/gu

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ug

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ds

If you already have done so, and still have doubts, Eberron probably isn't something for you, but well, I surely haven't regretted (the slightest bit) diving into the world of Eberron. As to how popular it is, I've got no idea. Can't help you there, mate.
TheKeyofE
06-05-07, 08:57 PM As far as I can tell, it's not very popular. Most people have just one or two things that they don't like (such as warforged or airships) that completely turns them off to the entire setting, which is ludicrous. Most such people have never actually tried playing it, because if they did they would realize all the "magic is technology" stuff like the lightning rail totally fit the world and doesn't seem awkward or forced at all.

Even then, it's not like it's hard to remove certain pieces you don't like. And even with those certain pieces removed, the world still has a much more unique and epic feel than Forgotten Realms ever did.

I've been wanting to play Eberron ever since it was first released, and I only just recently found a group who wanted to play (most players in my town are FR geeks). Honestly, it's all I hoped it would be and more. I'm trying not to be biased, but I can't help but recommend Eberron to anyone and everyone.
Edymnion
06-05-07, 09:26 PM So I guess I wanted to know if anyone else has similiar fears but fell in love with the setting after you started playing?I think I can pretty safely say "Just about all of us". We all heard about the robot people and dinosaur riding halfling barbarians and magic trains, and went "Uh, yeah, I don't think so". Then we got around to actually reading the ECS for ourselves, saw that it wasn't what it looked like, and fell in love with the setting.
Also, how popular is the setting? I hope to be moving away in a month or two, and I'll face the challenge of finding people to play with. When I find D&D players, is it likely they'll be Forgotten Realms people?Its outselling the Forgotten Realms, last I checked. Thats saying something.

Honestly, just find a good book store that lets you sit down and read, and do so with the ECS.
Just drop your preconcieved notions (easier said than done, I know, but what I mean is don't go into it looking for something to not like, because you'll find that with any setting). Really just sit down, give it a good read and a fair chance, and honestly, the quality of the setting speaks for itself.

If you want a stronger advocation:
I started playing D&D back in 2e. To be honest, I had gotten bored with the game. Faerun, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, they all boiled down to essentially the same thing. It was Tolkien with a few twists. Tree loving elves, drunk scottish dwarves, go set off on a quest to do this or that, I had been there, I had done that. D&D was getting stale. I still loved roleplaying, I just couldn't get excited about D&D any more. I started playing other systems (and still play Mutants & Masterminds), but was fairly close to giving up on D&D.

Then I got Eberron. Total breath of fresh air. All of the race fluff turned on it's head and totally redone. Not a tolkien elf to be seen for MILES! Pulp Noir centric play, no more of the same old same old high fantasy. All the fears about magic trains evaporated when I realized that they were really nothing more than plot devices, quick ways to get the players from one place to another without resorting to yet another long boring trek across the continent filled with random encounters.

Seriously, Eberron rekindled my love for D&D. If it wasn't for Eberron, I wouldn't be on the boards here today.
Nimloh
06-05-07, 10:07 PM Well Eberron has a lot of promise for me. The things about Eberron that make it Eberron are different, but I certainly think that I can enjoy them. I am very much intrigued about the settign as a whole.

I just ordered the campaign book, used, from amazon. I've had a lot of luck buying stuff there (including D&D 3.5 rules, Iron Kingdoms campaign book, etc) for low cost and in great condition. I also got the Sharn book for free--I couldn't pass it up.
Rechan
06-05-07, 11:20 PM I'll add something else.

If you can find some gamers who aren't D&Ders but still into RPGs, Eberron is a great setting that you can use other rules for. Any rules for Superheros fits in. Granted, you're not people running around in capes ala DC, but the same powers seem appropriate.

The real bonus of Eberron though is that you can play any sort of genre in it. Cyberpunk? Check. Noir? Check. Dungeoncrawling? Check. Exploration and Pulp action? Oh yeah.
Kaleanae en'i Mori
06-06-07, 01:32 AM You won't regret it! I came back from the gaming wilderness after a hiatus of 10 years and have not looked back!
UnderworldLord
06-06-07, 01:39 AM While I'm a bit more recent on the D&D scene than Edy, I have to agree with him more completely than I thought possible. I thought the airships and trains would be kinda funky at first... then I read the setting and was hooked.

And while I still hate elves, I thank God every day that there aren't Tolkien elves in Eberron.
polt
06-06-07, 03:14 AM Also, remember that the setting is here for you. Personally, I really disliked the trains, the magic as industry and the dragonmarked houses. I like my magic to be rare and myserious. So I simply removed that part.

There are warforged, there are airships because they are just to cool for words, but there are no trains, no dragonmarked houses, magic is still uncommon.
Nevarre
06-06-07, 05:29 AM If you want a stronger advocation:
I started playing D&D back in 2e. To be honest, I had gotten bored with the game. Faerun, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, they all boiled down to essentially the same thing. It was Tolkien with a few twists. Tree loving elves, drunk scottish dwarves, go set off on a quest to do this or that, I had been there, I had done that. D&D was getting stale. I still loved roleplaying, I just couldn't get excited about D&D any more. I started playing other systems (and still play Mutants & Masterminds), but was fairly close to giving up on D&D.

Then I got Eberron. Total breath of fresh air. All of the race fluff turned on it's head and totally redone. Not a tolkien elf to be seen for MILES! Pulp Noir centric play, no more of the same old same old high fantasy. All the fears about magic trains evaporated when I realized that they were really nothing more than plot devices, quick ways to get the players from one place to another without resorting to yet another long boring trek across the continent filled with random encounters.

Seriously, Eberron rekindled my love for D&D. If it wasn't for Eberron, I wouldn't be on the boards here today.

My 'story' is very similar. I started playing (A)D&D back in 1e, in a homegrown campaign way back in the early 80s. I'd played in Greyhawk, Krynn (we did the original DL adventures as they came out), and I've run a 10 year long Forgotten Realms campaign (which as an aside was both the highlight and one of the lowlights of my gaming 'career'). After I dropped the Forgotten Realms game we moved to 3e, but I was only a casual player; enjoying other RPGs more than the 'new' D&D.
In all of those cases there were the Tolkien clichés that Edymnion mentions. Sure all the worlds were different and yet, oh so similar in style.

I read about Eberron on the WoTC site and have to admit my first response was 'huh'? As it was I'd been reading the Witchfire trilogy of adventures so was open to darker worlds, with more technology etc. and liked the idea of playing D&D, but with something different. Eberron came just at the right time, and after I dismissed by initial preconceptions about the world I bought ECS and enjoyed it cover to cover. The very fact that it IS different makes it a more interesting world than Forgotten Realms for me. There's a consistent approach to the demographics, history and so forth that FR lacked IMO (I remember it wasn't until the second FR box set that there was even a world history, and even then there wasn't a decent creation myth - Eberron blows it away for that).

As someone who played FR for years (and still respect the setting and the world) I would say to players and DMs that dismiss Eberron out of hand to give it at least give it a try! It is such a rich world with potential for variety of play that it really deserves your attention. Though obvious really, but if you don't like Warforged, the lightning rail, or airships then don't use them! There are plenty of places where you'll find none of them (or at least it's rare to see them).

As Edymnion says, Eberron is a breath of fresh air.

Yes, it's different, but it maintains the spirit of D&D adventure - if not enhancing it.
Edymnion
06-06-07, 12:59 PM Yes, honestly I think you can sum up the best of Eberron in 3 words: "Its not Tolkien."
polt
06-06-07, 01:02 PM Yes, honestly I think you can sum up the best of Eberron in 3 words: "Its not Tolkien."

That doesn't really say anything about the setting. You can some up D20 Modern, Dark Sun, Star Wars, Mutants & Masterminds like that. Actually I'd say that you couldn't say that about Tolkien.
LoneStranger
06-07-07, 06:58 PM Let me put it this way, Eberron is good because of the lack of hero history in the setting.

Greyhawk:
"we saved the village"
"that's nice, but last year when this happened we had a smaller group help us and they did it faster"
"dang"

Forgotten Realms:
"we saved the city"
"goody for you, you do realize 1,500 years ago one person even less powerful than any of you drove a similar army off in three hours right?
"what? well that's just great"

Eberron:
"we saved the city"
"outstanding thank you all, dinner will be at the mayor's residence this evening, don't worry you won't be expected to dress up if you don't have the clothes available"

Granted all this has been inflated greatly but the point is that with all the heroes in greyhawk and especially FR, Eberron is refreshing in the fact you can actually make a name for yourself for once.
Edymnion
06-07-07, 08:03 PM That doesn't really say anything about the setting. You can some up D20 Modern, Dark Sun, Star Wars, Mutants & Masterminds like that. Actually I'd say that you couldn't say that about Tolkien.Yes, and I said I had played other systems, you named several of them.

But this is D&D, and it isn't Tolkien. Honestly, I cannot think of a single D&D setting that wasn't just Tolkien in differant clothes. Well, maybe dragonlance.
Yadot
06-07-07, 08:21 PM What about Dark Sun?
UnderworldLord
06-08-07, 12:50 AM Dark Sun has been mentioned.

But people like Eberron because of the feel of Eberron. When you play Eberron you're not playing D&D anymore... you are playing Eberron. Its distinct, different from regular old D&D, and every other setting, in many important ways. Thats why all of us like it. And when you ask people on these boards, not a single one will say "73h |\/|3ch4n!cz |2 u|33|2! |20XX0|2Z!" They will say "Because of the flavor" (or some variation on that anyhow).

But, thats just how I see it personally.

PS: Just writing that one sentence hurt, I couldn't even put in the 'appropriate' punctuation. I refuse to ever write that not-quite-language ever again.
polt
06-08-07, 02:25 AM Yes, and I said I had played other systems, you named several of them.

But this is D&D, and it isn't Tolkien. Honestly, I cannot think of a single D&D setting that wasn't just Tolkien in differant clothes. Well, maybe dragonlance.

Spelljammer? Planescape? Dark Sun? Al-Qadim? Ravenloft?

And if Forgotten Realms is trying to be Tolkien, then Dragonlance is too.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nimloh 06-05-07, 06:51 PM	I've haven't played D&D for many years and have a desire to start roleplaying again. I would like to try something fresh and new, and Eberron certainly satisfies that criteria. It seems interesting but I'm not sure I'll like the "wild magic" aspect of Eberron, and things like trains and airships--even if they're magically induced. So I guess I wanted to know if anyone else has similiar fears but fell in love with the setting after you started playing? Also, how popular is the setting? I hope to be moving away in a month or two, and I'll face the challenge of finding people to play with. When I find D&D players, is it likely they'll be Forgotten Realms people?
From_Khyber 06-05-07, 07:17 PM	I'm an ex-FR player, and have always distanced myself from technology in conjunction with fantasy, but when I came across the ECS, I instantly got hooked. People on this Eberron board will most likely recommend the setting (just like me, seeing as how fond we all are of it), and the response and replies you'll get are probably not very objective, which leaves them, well, somewhat inconsistent in your case. What I think you should do, is read the following: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/gu http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ug http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ds If you already have done so, and still have doubts, Eberron probably isn't something for you, but well, I surely haven't regretted (the slightest bit) diving into the world of Eberron. As to how popular it is, I've got no idea. Can't help you there, mate.
TheKeyofE 06-05-07, 08:57 PM	As far as I can tell, it's not very popular. Most people have just one or two things that they don't like (such as warforged or airships) that completely turns them off to the entire setting, which is ludicrous. Most such people have never actually tried playing it, because if they did they would realize all the "magic is technology" stuff like the lightning rail totally fit the world and doesn't seem awkward or forced at all. Even then, it's not like it's hard to remove certain pieces you don't like. And even with those certain pieces removed, the world still has a much more unique and epic feel than Forgotten Realms ever did. I've been wanting to play Eberron ever since it was first released, and I only just recently found a group who wanted to play (most players in my town are FR geeks). Honestly, it's all I hoped it would be and more. I'm trying not to be biased, but I can't help but recommend Eberron to anyone and everyone.
Edymnion 06-05-07, 09:26 PM	So I guess I wanted to know if anyone else has similiar fears but fell in love with the setting after you started playing?I think I can pretty safely say "Just about all of us". We all heard about the robot people and dinosaur riding halfling barbarians and magic trains, and went "Uh, yeah, I don't think so". Then we got around to actually reading the ECS for ourselves, saw that it wasn't what it looked like, and fell in love with the setting. Also, how popular is the setting? I hope to be moving away in a month or two, and I'll face the challenge of finding people to play with. When I find D&D players, is it likely they'll be Forgotten Realms people?Its outselling the Forgotten Realms, last I checked. Thats saying something. Honestly, just find a good book store that lets you sit down and read, and do so with the ECS. Just drop your preconcieved notions (easier said than done, I know, but what I mean is don't go into it looking for something to not like, because you'll find that with any setting). Really just sit down, give it a good read and a fair chance, and honestly, the quality of the setting speaks for itself. If you want a stronger advocation: I started playing D&D back in 2e. To be honest, I had gotten bored with the game. Faerun, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, they all boiled down to essentially the same thing. It was Tolkien with a few twists. Tree loving elves, drunk scottish dwarves, go set off on a quest to do this or that, I had been there, I had done that. D&D was getting stale. I still loved roleplaying, I just couldn't get excited about D&D any more. I started playing other systems (and still play Mutants & Masterminds), but was fairly close to giving up on D&D. Then I got Eberron. Total breath of fresh air. All of the race fluff turned on it's head and totally redone. Not a tolkien elf to be seen for MILES! Pulp Noir centric play, no more of the same old same old high fantasy. All the fears about magic trains evaporated when I realized that they were really nothing more than plot devices, quick ways to get the players from one place to another without resorting to yet another long boring trek across the continent filled with random encounters. Seriously, Eberron rekindled my love for D&D. If it wasn't for Eberron, I wouldn't be on the boards here today.
Nimloh 06-05-07, 10:07 PM	Well Eberron has a lot of promise for me. The things about Eberron that make it Eberron are different, but I certainly think that I can enjoy them. I am very much intrigued about the settign as a whole. I just ordered the campaign book, used, from amazon. I've had a lot of luck buying stuff there (including D&D 3.5 rules, Iron Kingdoms campaign book, etc) for low cost and in great condition. I also got the Sharn book for free--I couldn't pass it up.
Rechan 06-05-07, 11:20 PM	I'll add something else. If you can find some gamers who aren't D&Ders but still into RPGs, Eberron is a great setting that you can use other rules for. Any rules for Superheros fits in. Granted, you're not people running around in capes ala DC, but the same powers seem appropriate. The real bonus of Eberron though is that you can play any sort of genre in it. Cyberpunk? Check. Noir? Check. Dungeoncrawling? Check. Exploration and Pulp action? Oh yeah.
Kaleanae en'i Mori 06-06-07, 01:32 AM	You won't regret it! I came back from the gaming wilderness after a hiatus of 10 years and have not looked back!
UnderworldLord 06-06-07, 01:39 AM	While I'm a bit more recent on the D&D scene than Edy, I have to agree with him more completely than I thought possible. I thought the airships and trains would be kinda funky at first... then I read the setting and was hooked. And while I still hate elves, I thank God every day that there aren't Tolkien elves in Eberron.
polt 06-06-07, 03:14 AM	Also, remember that the setting is here for you. Personally, I really disliked the trains, the magic as industry and the dragonmarked houses. I like my magic to be rare and myserious. So I simply removed that part. There are warforged, there are airships because they are just to cool for words, but there are no trains, no dragonmarked houses, magic is still uncommon.
Nevarre 06-06-07, 05:29 AM	If you want a stronger advocation: I started playing D&D back in 2e. To be honest, I had gotten bored with the game. Faerun, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, they all boiled down to essentially the same thing. It was Tolkien with a few twists. Tree loving elves, drunk scottish dwarves, go set off on a quest to do this or that, I had been there, I had done that. D&D was getting stale. I still loved roleplaying, I just couldn't get excited about D&D any more. I started playing other systems (and still play Mutants & Masterminds), but was fairly close to giving up on D&D. Then I got Eberron. Total breath of fresh air. All of the race fluff turned on it's head and totally redone. Not a tolkien elf to be seen for MILES! Pulp Noir centric play, no more of the same old same old high fantasy. All the fears about magic trains evaporated when I realized that they were really nothing more than plot devices, quick ways to get the players from one place to another without resorting to yet another long boring trek across the continent filled with random encounters. Seriously, Eberron rekindled my love for D&D. If it wasn't for Eberron, I wouldn't be on the boards here today. My 'story' is very similar. I started playing (A)D&D back in 1e, in a homegrown campaign way back in the early 80s. I'd played in Greyhawk, Krynn (we did the original DL adventures as they came out), and I've run a 10 year long Forgotten Realms campaign (which as an aside was both the highlight and one of the lowlights of my gaming 'career'). After I dropped the Forgotten Realms game we moved to 3e, but I was only a casual player; enjoying other RPGs more than the 'new' D&D. In all of those cases there were the Tolkien clichés that Edymnion mentions. Sure all the worlds were different and yet, oh so similar in style. I read about Eberron on the WoTC site and have to admit my first response was 'huh'? As it was I'd been reading the Witchfire trilogy of adventures so was open to darker worlds, with more technology etc. and liked the idea of playing D&D, but with something different. Eberron came just at the right time, and after I dismissed by initial preconceptions about the world I bought ECS and enjoyed it cover to cover. The very fact that it IS different makes it a more interesting world than Forgotten Realms for me. There's a consistent approach to the demographics, history and so forth that FR lacked IMO (I remember it wasn't until the second FR box set that there was even a world history, and even then there wasn't a decent creation myth - Eberron blows it away for that). As someone who played FR for years (and still respect the setting and the world) I would say to players and DMs that dismiss Eberron out of hand to give it at least give it a try! It is such a rich world with potential for variety of play that it really deserves your attention. Though obvious really, but if you don't like Warforged, the lightning rail, or airships then don't use them! There are plenty of places where you'll find none of them (or at least it's rare to see them). As Edymnion says, Eberron is a breath of fresh air. Yes, it's different, but it maintains the spirit of D&D adventure - if not enhancing it.
Edymnion 06-06-07, 12:59 PM	Yes, honestly I think you can sum up the best of Eberron in 3 words: "Its not Tolkien."
polt 06-06-07, 01:02 PM	Yes, honestly I think you can sum up the best of Eberron in 3 words: "Its not Tolkien." That doesn't really say anything about the setting. You can some up D20 Modern, Dark Sun, Star Wars, Mutants & Masterminds like that. Actually I'd say that you couldn't say that about Tolkien.
LoneStranger 06-07-07, 06:58 PM	Let me put it this way, Eberron is good because of the lack of hero history in the setting. Greyhawk: "we saved the village" "that's nice, but last year when this happened we had a smaller group help us and they did it faster" "dang" Forgotten Realms: "we saved the city" "goody for you, you do realize 1,500 years ago one person even less powerful than any of you drove a similar army off in three hours right? "what? well that's just great" Eberron: "we saved the city" "outstanding thank you all, dinner will be at the mayor's residence this evening, don't worry you won't be expected to dress up if you don't have the clothes available" Granted all this has been inflated greatly but the point is that with all the heroes in greyhawk and especially FR, Eberron is refreshing in the fact you can actually make a name for yourself for once.
Edymnion 06-07-07, 08:03 PM	That doesn't really say anything about the setting. You can some up D20 Modern, Dark Sun, Star Wars, Mutants & Masterminds like that. Actually I'd say that you couldn't say that about Tolkien.Yes, and I said I had played other systems, you named several of them. But this is D&D, and it isn't Tolkien. Honestly, I cannot think of a single D&D setting that wasn't just Tolkien in differant clothes. Well, maybe dragonlance.
Yadot 06-07-07, 08:21 PM	What about Dark Sun?
UnderworldLord 06-08-07, 12:50 AM	Dark Sun has been mentioned. But people like Eberron because of the feel of Eberron. When you play Eberron you're not playing D&D anymore... you are playing Eberron. Its distinct, different from regular old D&D, and every other setting, in many important ways. Thats why all of us like it. And when you ask people on these boards, not a single one will say "73h \|\/\|3ch4n!cz \|2 u\|33\|2! \|20XX0\|2Z!" They will say "Because of the flavor" (or some variation on that anyhow). But, thats just how I see it personally. PS: Just writing that one sentence hurt, I couldn't even put in the 'appropriate' punctuation. I refuse to ever write that not-quite-language ever again.
polt 06-08-07, 02:25 AM	Yes, and I said I had played other systems, you named several of them. But this is D&D, and it isn't Tolkien. Honestly, I cannot think of a single D&D setting that wasn't just Tolkien in differant clothes. Well, maybe dragonlance. Spelljammer? Planescape? Dark Sun? Al-Qadim? Ravenloft? And if Forgotten Realms is trying to be Tolkien, then Dragonlance is too.