My group wants to switch to Eberron. I am a new DM. - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

My group wants to switch to Eberron. I am a new DM.

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
snesman64
Jul 13, 2009 20:16:28 It sounds interesting and stuff, but I'm not entirely sure how the game is... played any different. Sure the lore is different, and the themes are different, but when you get down to the actual PLAYING how is it different? I can do political intrigue and break good/evil boundaries in a normal DnD campaign, can't I?

And yes, I'm a new DM, so I'm a little daunted. However, the themes fit right in with my campaign just fine so I'm not terribly worried. Once they complete the current adventure they're on they will be teleported 500 years into the future, and the world be be developed in the manner the Eberron world is. (They wont' realize at the time that their current adventure will put in motion these very changes). Sure, it's a Deux ex Machina but I think it'll be interesting.
#2
blackmage88
Jul 13, 2009 21:57:29 I'm relatively new to Eberron myself, but I can say that a difference DMs and PCs will notice is the developed sense of the world. There are a lot of players in the world, organizations that the PC are going to run into, and they're not going to wait their turn. Whether its a gang situation in the depths of Sharn or international espionage, the PCs should be made aware that more people are involved. The sale of a new drug isn't just being fought over between the Boramar and Daask, but the Tyrants are also sneaking their way in. Players sent by Breland to capture a Karnathi spy have to compete not only with the Karns but with the Thranes also sent to capture him. Not to say that EVERY adventure has to be a cluster of plots and counterplots, but it's a big part.
#3
Arcane_Guyver
Jul 13, 2009 22:53:48
It sounds interesting and stuff, but I'm not entirely sure how the game is... played any different. Sure the lore is different, and the themes are different, but when you get down to the actual PLAYING how is it different? I can do political intrigue and break good/evil boundaries in a normal DnD campaign, can't I?

Eberron isn't really played any differently than core D&D. What makes it appealing is the layout of the world, it's cultures and power groups. The lore is there to fire up the imagination (not restrict it). Most of my friends insist on playing in this world, now.
#4
devlonir
Jul 14, 2009 6:18:54 Also, except for a few specific organizations, not many people are ever really Evil. They just do what they feel is best from their point of view.

This creates all sorts of considerations for the PCs to take into account.
'Yes these Thranes are making our hunt of this Karnnath a lot harder, but are we really on the different side of this? Shall we strike them down to stop their annoyance, shall we slow them more then they slow us down or shall we try and work together in capturing this person and look at who actually brings him home afterwards?'

It is these kinds of things that make an Eberron story much more multi-dimensional then a group of encounters you either beat or you don't. What side do you pick, how loyal are you really, what are the implications of your actions, etc.

I just created the group for a new Eberron campaign last weekend and I am often smiling thinking of how they will be pulled into the middle of all kinds of organizations and what choices they need to make along the way.
#5
ellorin
Jul 14, 2009 8:09:53
Also, except for a few specific organizations, not many people are ever really Evil. They just do what they feel is best from their point of view.

Note that the exact opposite is true as well.
#6
nthdegree256
Jul 14, 2009 20:47:21 I'd say the benefit to playing in Eberron, as opposed to playing in any other D&D game but using the same themes, is that Eberron gives you a lot of useful tools to work with those themes. Lots of pre-developed scheming royal families, the dragonmarked houses, the subtle machinations of the Dreaming Dark/the Lords of Dust/the Aurum, etc.

Yes, you can absolutely do all of this stuff in another D&D setting, I just like that Eberron's already gone and done a lot of the setup work for me.
#7
sephiwind
Jul 16, 2009 18:52:00 As far as settings go and the mechanics of the world, at least is very simiulr to mixing regular dnd settings and mixing in 1800's tech. Basicly remove guns being invented yet, replace steam power with magic, and replace science with alchemy.

This is atleast how I kind of see it.
#8
lugubrious
Jul 17, 2009 14:47:01
It sounds interesting and stuff, but I'm not entirely sure how the game is... played any different. Sure the lore is different, and the themes are different, but when you get down to the actual PLAYING how is it different? I can do political intrigue and break good/evil boundaries in a normal DnD campaign, can't I?

This is basically an argument that can be used against any campaign setting - why bother when you can just make your own?

The depth of the history, the lore, and the geography/ecology mean you can spend more time as a DM focusing on the players instead of creating a world. Sure, you could homebrew your own world, but that's time you could better spend creating compelling adventures/NPCs/whatever else. Need a cool "melting pot" sort of metropolis to set some urban adventures in or use as a base for the party? Spend some time creating your own, or just use Sharn?

You don't even have to use the entire campaign setting if you don't want to - in line with the entire 4e philosophy, just cherry pick the stuff you do like and make a couple alterations to get it to fit into your vision.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 snesman64 Jul 13, 2009 20:16:28	It sounds interesting and stuff, but I'm not entirely sure how the game is... played any different. Sure the lore is different, and the themes are different, but when you get down to the actual PLAYING how is it different? I can do political intrigue and break good/evil boundaries in a normal DnD campaign, can't I? And yes, I'm a new DM, so I'm a little daunted. However, the themes fit right in with my campaign just fine so I'm not terribly worried. Once they complete the current adventure they're on they will be teleported 500 years into the future, and the world be be developed in the manner the Eberron world is. (They wont' realize at the time that their current adventure will put in motion these very changes). Sure, it's a Deux ex Machina but I think it'll be interesting.
#2 blackmage88 Jul 13, 2009 21:57:29	I'm relatively new to Eberron myself, but I can say that a difference DMs and PCs will notice is the developed sense of the world. There are a lot of players in the world, organizations that the PC are going to run into, and they're not going to wait their turn. Whether its a gang situation in the depths of Sharn or international espionage, the PCs should be made aware that more people are involved. The sale of a new drug isn't just being fought over between the Boramar and Daask, but the Tyrants are also sneaking their way in. Players sent by Breland to capture a Karnathi spy have to compete not only with the Karns but with the Thranes also sent to capture him. Not to say that EVERY adventure has to be a cluster of plots and counterplots, but it's a big part.
#3 Arcane_Guyver Jul 13, 2009 22:53:48	It sounds interesting and stuff, but I'm not entirely sure how the game is... played any different. Sure the lore is different, and the themes are different, but when you get down to the actual PLAYING how is it different? I can do political intrigue and break good/evil boundaries in a normal DnD campaign, can't I? Eberron isn't really played any differently than core D&D. What makes it appealing is the layout of the world, it's cultures and power groups. The lore is there to fire up the imagination (not restrict it). Most of my friends insist on playing in this world, now.
#4 devlonir Jul 14, 2009 6:18:54	Also, except for a few specific organizations, not many people are ever really Evil. They just do what they feel is best from their point of view. This creates all sorts of considerations for the PCs to take into account. 'Yes these Thranes are making our hunt of this Karnnath a lot harder, but are we really on the different side of this? Shall we strike them down to stop their annoyance, shall we slow them more then they slow us down or shall we try and work together in capturing this person and look at who actually brings him home afterwards?' It is these kinds of things that make an Eberron story much more multi-dimensional then a group of encounters you either beat or you don't. What side do you pick, how loyal are you really, what are the implications of your actions, etc. I just created the group for a new Eberron campaign last weekend and I am often smiling thinking of how they will be pulled into the middle of all kinds of organizations and what choices they need to make along the way.
#5 ellorin Jul 14, 2009 8:09:53	Also, except for a few specific organizations, not many people are ever really Evil. They just do what they feel is best from their point of view. Note that the exact opposite is true as well.
#6 nthdegree256 Jul 14, 2009 20:47:21	I'd say the benefit to playing in Eberron, as opposed to playing in any other D&D game but using the same themes, is that Eberron gives you a lot of useful tools to work with those themes. Lots of pre-developed scheming royal families, the dragonmarked houses, the subtle machinations of the Dreaming Dark/the Lords of Dust/the Aurum, etc. Yes, you can absolutely do all of this stuff in another D&D setting, I just like that Eberron's already gone and done a lot of the setup work for me.
#7 sephiwind Jul 16, 2009 18:52:00	As far as settings go and the mechanics of the world, at least is very simiulr to mixing regular dnd settings and mixing in 1800's tech. Basicly remove guns being invented yet, replace steam power with magic, and replace science with alchemy. This is atleast how I kind of see it.
#8 lugubrious Jul 17, 2009 14:47:01	It sounds interesting and stuff, but I'm not entirely sure how the game is... played any different. Sure the lore is different, and the themes are different, but when you get down to the actual PLAYING how is it different? I can do political intrigue and break good/evil boundaries in a normal DnD campaign, can't I? This is basically an argument that can be used against any campaign setting - why bother when you can just make your own? The depth of the history, the lore, and the geography/ecology mean you can spend more time as a DM focusing on the players instead of creating a world. Sure, you could homebrew your own world, but that's time you could better spend creating compelling adventures/NPCs/whatever else. Need a cool "melting pot" sort of metropolis to set some urban adventures in or use as a base for the party? Spend some time creating your own, or just use Sharn? You don't even have to use the entire campaign setting if you don't want to - in line with the entire 4e philosophy, just cherry pick the stuff you do like and make a couple alterations to get it to fit into your vision.