Curious about Eberron, but.. - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Curious about Eberron, but..

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
redcard
Jun 16, 2008 12:13:09 With 4e out, I don't know how much value the campaign setting can give me.

So I'll ask you guys.. what should I do? Wait? Or go for it? One of my finest players plays FR, and I want to do something a bit different in his RP experience. So..

Should I run out and by the Eberron 3.5 setting, knowing I don't have the 3.5 core at all, or should I wait?

Or is there another option? Do people actually have Eb going in 4th?
#2
Marcus_Majarra
Jun 16, 2008 12:44:45 I'm starting a 4E Eberron campaign. I would recommend you get very familiar with the setting before trying to adapt it to 4E. It's not that it's difficult to adapt, but since the idea behind 3E-to-4E conversions is to seize the idea behind a mechanic and translate the idea to 4E (rather than translating the mechanic itself), it's a good thing to be familiar with the ideas behind Eberron mechanics.
#3
redcard
Jun 16, 2008 12:48:00
I'm starting a 4E Eberron campaign. I would recommend you get very familiar with the setting before trying to adapt it to 4E. It's not that it's difficult to adapt, but since the idea behind 3E-to-4E conversions is to seize the idea behind a mechanic and translate the idea to 4E (rather than translating the mechanic itself), it's a good thing to be familiar with the ideas behind Eberron mechanics.

Right, but my question is should I get the CS or wait until the next edition comes out? I guess a good question is, how much of the CS 3.5 would I have to toss out , and does it make it worth the cost?
#4
starkiller_
Jun 16, 2008 13:47:32 I think it's a great setting and worth starting with now. Pick the ECS up used at Amazon for $7 and have at it. You'll only have to ignore a few things for now (Dragonmarks & psionics) but with the online updates (Artificer is coming soon) some of those won't be missing for long.
#5
rauric
Jun 16, 2008 13:54:05 Pick up the core book, Sharn, and Five Nations just for starters. All have decent amounts of fluff and the crunch can be ignored. Stormreach is a good book as well.
#6
Arcane_Guyver
Jun 16, 2008 14:55:06 I'd recommend reading the novels right now, and maybe pick up the ECS if you find it for cheap used. Not to say the ECS isn't good or anything, but 4e books with similar info will be available in a year. The other Eberron splatbooks are pretty fantastic and easily used with 4e, but tend to cover specific bits of the setting.

Recommended novels: Dreaming Dark trilogy, Dragon Below trilogy & Heirs of Ash trilogy.
#7
redcard
Jun 16, 2008 15:29:27 Sure, why not I'll grab the core book and give it a run. I mean, $10 out the door at Amazon (Used, albeit) , is fine by me
#8
snarky_monkey
Jun 16, 2008 15:35:22 I agree you should give the ECS as well The Five Nations and Sharn a shot, to start. Stormreach is something you can wait for, unless your starting at higher levels. All have great fluff and can help you out with the setting of a 4e Eberron campaign. As the to novels, I agree that reading some of them way give you a good "feel" of what Eberron should be, but remember they are not binding. Your players are the heroes of your world, not those in the novels. Course, if you WANT the novels to count, then go for it, it's totally up to you. The beauty of this setting to me was always partly based on the idea that the great movers and shakers will be the PCs, not other established heroes from an "expanded universe".
#9
Marcus_Majarra
Jun 16, 2008 16:29:53 Though many might disagree, An Adventurer's Guide to Eberron is an excellent resource for players that are not acquainted with the setting. It might not carry a lot of weight in the long run, especially if you always play with the same group, but it's worthwhile nonetheless.
#10
Alter_Boy
Jun 16, 2008 16:44:24 If you're hankering for Eberron, but don't want your campaign to be "errattaed" by 4th Edition changes, I'd suggest starting your party in Stormreach, Xen'drik and use "City of Stormreach". CoS is 99% fluff with lots of good ideas for adventures and NPCs.

Plus, because you're in Xen'drik, you won't run into most of the major players & organizations of the world. And if you do, just say the ones you meet were a weird branch that only exists in Xen'drik.
#11
Edymnion
Jun 16, 2008 17:03:28 3e investment in Eberron is going to be good regardless of if you eventually convert to 4e or not. They only plan on releasing a player's guide and a campaign setting for books, which means the vast majority of Eberron material is not getting converted. So, you'll need the 3e books anyway.
#12
JohnLynch
Jun 16, 2008 18:34:06
Pick up the core book, Sharn, and Five Nations just for starters. All have decent amounts of fluff and the crunch can be ignored. Stormreach is a good book as well.

How much of this is likely to be duplicated in the 4e ECS and the 4e PGtE? Sharn and Stormreach are of course safe buys, however is it likely Five Nations will have most of its fluff reprinted in the ESC or PGtE?

I'm considering running Eberron in favour of my homebrew, but I'm waiting for RPGNow to lower the price to $5 (as it has done with its earlier edition material such as the AD&D stuff).
#13
Edymnion
Jun 16, 2008 18:50:33 Five Nations is likely to be the one with the most information reprinted.
Keith mentioned that one of the things that we could expect from the 4e books is more on how to play a character from a certain nation. He mentioned how you couldn't play a Karnnathi and just pick up one of the books and read up on how a Karnnathi should be without getting a lot of spoiler information along with it (which is true). So, IMO, the Player's Guide in 4e will likely have a lot of information on how to work up backgrounds for your characters, which would cover things we currently have in Five Nations, and probably a good chunk of Faiths of Eberron and Dragonmarked.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 redcard Jun 16, 2008 12:13:09	With 4e out, I don't know how much value the campaign setting can give me. So I'll ask you guys.. what should I do? Wait? Or go for it? One of my finest players plays FR, and I want to do something a bit different in his RP experience. So.. Should I run out and by the Eberron 3.5 setting, knowing I don't have the 3.5 core at all, or should I wait? Or is there another option? Do people actually have Eb going in 4th?
#2 Marcus_Majarra Jun 16, 2008 12:44:45	I'm starting a 4E Eberron campaign. I would recommend you get very familiar with the setting before trying to adapt it to 4E. It's not that it's difficult to adapt, but since the idea behind 3E-to-4E conversions is to seize the idea behind a mechanic and translate the idea to 4E (rather than translating the mechanic itself), it's a good thing to be familiar with the ideas behind Eberron mechanics.
#3 redcard Jun 16, 2008 12:48:00	I'm starting a 4E Eberron campaign. I would recommend you get very familiar with the setting before trying to adapt it to 4E. It's not that it's difficult to adapt, but since the idea behind 3E-to-4E conversions is to seize the idea behind a mechanic and translate the idea to 4E (rather than translating the mechanic itself), it's a good thing to be familiar with the ideas behind Eberron mechanics. Right, but my question is should I get the CS or wait until the next edition comes out? I guess a good question is, how much of the CS 3.5 would I have to toss out , and does it make it worth the cost?
#4 starkiller_ Jun 16, 2008 13:47:32	I think it's a great setting and worth starting with now. Pick the ECS up used at Amazon for $7 and have at it. You'll only have to ignore a few things for now (Dragonmarks & psionics) but with the online updates (Artificer is coming soon) some of those won't be missing for long.
#5 rauric Jun 16, 2008 13:54:05	Pick up the core book, Sharn, and Five Nations just for starters. All have decent amounts of fluff and the crunch can be ignored. Stormreach is a good book as well.
#6 Arcane_Guyver Jun 16, 2008 14:55:06	I'd recommend reading the novels right now, and maybe pick up the ECS if you find it for cheap used. Not to say the ECS isn't good or anything, but 4e books with similar info will be available in a year. The other Eberron splatbooks are pretty fantastic and easily used with 4e, but tend to cover specific bits of the setting. Recommended novels: Dreaming Dark trilogy, Dragon Below trilogy & Heirs of Ash trilogy.
#7 redcard Jun 16, 2008 15:29:27	Sure, why not I'll grab the core book and give it a run. I mean, $10 out the door at Amazon (Used, albeit) , is fine by me
#8 snarky_monkey Jun 16, 2008 15:35:22	I agree you should give the ECS as well The Five Nations and Sharn a shot, to start. Stormreach is something you can wait for, unless your starting at higher levels. All have great fluff and can help you out with the setting of a 4e Eberron campaign. As the to novels, I agree that reading some of them way give you a good "feel" of what Eberron should be, but remember they are not binding. Your players are the heroes of your world, not those in the novels. Course, if you WANT the novels to count, then go for it, it's totally up to you. The beauty of this setting to me was always partly based on the idea that the great movers and shakers will be the PCs, not other established heroes from an "expanded universe".
#9 Marcus_Majarra Jun 16, 2008 16:29:53	Though many might disagree, An Adventurer's Guide to Eberron is an excellent resource for players that are not acquainted with the setting. It might not carry a lot of weight in the long run, especially if you always play with the same group, but it's worthwhile nonetheless.
#10 Alter_Boy Jun 16, 2008 16:44:24	If you're hankering for Eberron, but don't want your campaign to be "errattaed" by 4th Edition changes, I'd suggest starting your party in Stormreach, Xen'drik and use "City of Stormreach". CoS is 99% fluff with lots of good ideas for adventures and NPCs. Plus, because you're in Xen'drik, you won't run into most of the major players & organizations of the world. And if you do, just say the ones you meet were a weird branch that only exists in Xen'drik.
#11 Edymnion Jun 16, 2008 17:03:28	3e investment in Eberron is going to be good regardless of if you eventually convert to 4e or not. They only plan on releasing a player's guide and a campaign setting for books, which means the vast majority of Eberron material is not getting converted. So, you'll need the 3e books anyway.
#12 JohnLynch Jun 16, 2008 18:34:06	Pick up the core book, Sharn, and Five Nations just for starters. All have decent amounts of fluff and the crunch can be ignored. Stormreach is a good book as well. How much of this is likely to be duplicated in the 4e ECS and the 4e PGtE? Sharn and Stormreach are of course safe buys, however is it likely Five Nations will have most of its fluff reprinted in the ESC or PGtE? I'm considering running Eberron in favour of my homebrew, but I'm waiting for RPGNow to lower the price to $5 (as it has done with its earlier edition material such as the AD&D stuff).
#13 Edymnion Jun 16, 2008 18:50:33	Five Nations is likely to be the one with the most information reprinted. Keith mentioned that one of the things that we could expect from the 4e books is more on how to play a character from a certain nation. He mentioned how you couldn't play a Karnnathi and just pick up one of the books and read up on how a Karnnathi should be without getting a lot of spoiler information along with it (which is true). So, IMO, the Player's Guide in 4e will likely have a lot of information on how to work up backgrounds for your characters, which would cover things we currently have in Five Nations, and probably a good chunk of Faiths of Eberron and Dragonmarked.