Any PCs tried to create Eldritch Machines? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Any PCs tried to create Eldritch Machines? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
JulesCARV
08-08-07, 07:21 PM I'm just curious: have any PCs in Eberron tried making Eldritch Machines of their own?

Why? What were they for?

If so, how did it work out? Did your DM spring any "surprises" on you about how it worked or in the creation process?
Eled_the_Worm_Tamer
08-08-07, 07:55 PM My House Thurani artificer is hoping to construct one, with the function of allowing him to apply grafts from any source to himself and others, by this means establishing a new elven sub race in his own image. Whether or not there will be any surprises I don't know yet, so far I know it will need to be built in a manifest zone to Dalquor, and likely require something in the vein of a Dealkyr's heart, so I'm reading in that the gatekeepers are going to meddle but it hasn't been spelled out by my DM.

So far its early days though, a long way from starting the construction of the machine.
Omnicronwarlord
08-08-07, 09:20 PM My artificer is kinda doing that... the party and the Cults of the Dragon Below are racing to fix the Eldritch Machine that caused the Mourning: The Plane-Shifter. It is located in the ash tower, it was supposed to be used to make Crye a seperate plane of existance, sorta like the Shadowlands from Rokugan (oriantal Adventures). WIth that they could manpulate their country enitrely, it would become the ultimate defensive weapon.

Unfortunatly: The machine screwed up because of the conflict surounding Khorvaire, and latched on to Shaverath, making Crye (the mournland), half material plane and half Shaverath.

The CUlts want to use it to open a tunnel to Xoriat, and the party wants to a. stop them, and b. end the mournland and rebuild crye.
TiwazTyrsfist
08-09-07, 05:01 PM I would totally allow players to, at high levels, construct an eldritch machine of some sort. Of coarse, getting the necessary pieces would be a dozen quests.

Generally speaking, my system is that an eldritch machine takes high end magical power from another source and twists it to different purposes. Generally an artifact or legacy item.

My version of a creation forge, for example, is based around an artifact grade schema. If you ripped the forge apart, you could use the schema to create a clay or stone golem once a day, assuming you had the body made.
DBlizzard
08-09-07, 06:38 PM I'm just curious: have any PCs in Eberron tried making Eldritch Machines of their own?

No. In fact, I'll submit it is impossible. An eldritch machine is "a plot device - a means for villains (and other NPCs) to create effects that have no easy explanation in the existing D&D rules."

Once you create rules for the players to create something, it is no longer an eldritch machine. It is instead a magic item, location, etc.

I'm pretty certain the purpose of the eldritch machine "mechanic" is to allow the DM to put such devices in his game without giving the PCs the ability to create that item.
JulesCARV
08-10-07, 04:09 AM Well, there are still no actual rules. To be a PC and try to create an eldritch machine is to go beyond the purview of any formal rules and make a leap of faith that your DM won't screw you over -- or that if he does screw you over, he'll make it interesting enough to be worthwhile.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JulesCARV 08-08-07, 07:21 PM	I'm just curious: have any PCs in Eberron tried making Eldritch Machines of their own? Why? What were they for? If so, how did it work out? Did your DM spring any "surprises" on you about how it worked or in the creation process?
Eled_the_Worm_Tamer 08-08-07, 07:55 PM	My House Thurani artificer is hoping to construct one, with the function of allowing him to apply grafts from any source to himself and others, by this means establishing a new elven sub race in his own image. Whether or not there will be any surprises I don't know yet, so far I know it will need to be built in a manifest zone to Dalquor, and likely require something in the vein of a Dealkyr's heart, so I'm reading in that the gatekeepers are going to meddle but it hasn't been spelled out by my DM. So far its early days though, a long way from starting the construction of the machine.
Omnicronwarlord 08-08-07, 09:20 PM	My artificer is kinda doing that... the party and the Cults of the Dragon Below are racing to fix the Eldritch Machine that caused the Mourning: The Plane-Shifter. It is located in the ash tower, it was supposed to be used to make Crye a seperate plane of existance, sorta like the Shadowlands from Rokugan (oriantal Adventures). WIth that they could manpulate their country enitrely, it would become the ultimate defensive weapon. Unfortunatly: The machine screwed up because of the conflict surounding Khorvaire, and latched on to Shaverath, making Crye (the mournland), half material plane and half Shaverath. The CUlts want to use it to open a tunnel to Xoriat, and the party wants to a. stop them, and b. end the mournland and rebuild crye.
TiwazTyrsfist 08-09-07, 05:01 PM	I would totally allow players to, at high levels, construct an eldritch machine of some sort. Of coarse, getting the necessary pieces would be a dozen quests. Generally speaking, my system is that an eldritch machine takes high end magical power from another source and twists it to different purposes. Generally an artifact or legacy item. My version of a creation forge, for example, is based around an artifact grade schema. If you ripped the forge apart, you could use the schema to create a clay or stone golem once a day, assuming you had the body made.
DBlizzard 08-09-07, 06:38 PM	I'm just curious: have any PCs in Eberron tried making Eldritch Machines of their own? No. In fact, I'll submit it is impossible. An eldritch machine is "a plot device - a means for villains (and other NPCs) to create effects that have no easy explanation in the existing D&D rules." Once you create rules for the players to create something, it is no longer an eldritch machine. It is instead a magic item, location, etc. I'm pretty certain the purpose of the eldritch machine "mechanic" is to allow the DM to put such devices in his game without giving the PCs the ability to create that item.
JulesCARV 08-10-07, 04:09 AM	Well, there are still no actual rules. To be a PC and try to create an eldritch machine is to go beyond the purview of any formal rules and make a leap of faith that your DM won't screw you over -- or that if he does screw you over, he'll make it interesting enough to be worthwhile.