Question about dragonshards - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Question about dragonshards

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
korenth
Jun 08, 2010 12:22:27
Just a quick quetion I haven't been able to find a good answer to...Is there a difference (other thn point of origin) between the 3 types of dragonshards? In particular, is one type vastly more powerful/able to control greater power than the others?
#2
AvonRekaes
Jun 08, 2010 12:46:00 Well it's all fluff but....

Siberys dragonshards seem to react best to quasi-magical energies. Things like dragonmarks and psionic power. All magic items that specifically work in synergy with Dragonmarks are made with Siberys shards.

Khbyer dragonshards are the best as binding energies. Can be used to capture entities like elementals or souls. Lots of prisons for deadly entities are khyber dragonshards (Rajahs, a few Daelkyr, etc.). Can also be used to store things, like memories or whatnot.

From a fluff perspective though... Eberron dragonshards are the most useful. Every single magic item you use, unless specifically noted to be made with one of the other two types of shards (or specifically not made with any), is made with Eberron dragonshards and works because Eberron dragonshards are such ubiquitous sources of magic.

That +1 dagger you use? It's +1 because it's made with an Eberron dragonshard. Those Zephyr Boots your epic level ranger wears? Made with Eberron dragonshards. That ancient artifact you recovered from Xen'drik? Eberron shards.

There's not a mechanical thing that denotes this, though. It's just flavor of the setting.

As for most powerful, the best answer I can figure is: None of them. Eberron shards might be able to create more effects, but...
Well to put it i 4e game terms, all shards could theoretically be used to make their own Level 30 artifact items.
A Rajah's prison is made of Khyber shards. So Khyber shards need to be the most powerful to contain the binding energies of the Silver Flame and the malevolent power of the demonic overlord being bound.
The Creation Forges are made with Siberys Shards. So Siberys Shards are the most powerful because they can allow the Mark of Making to be channeeld to create the miralcle of life, investing mundane objects with new souls to populate the world with.
The Flying Butresses of Sharn are made with Eberron Shards. So Eberron Shards are the most powerful because they can retain, amplify, and focus the very energies of the planes.
Any Eldritch Device you can think of that doesn't involve binding things or focusing dragonmark powers, is made of Eberron shards.
etc.
They're all capable of extremely powerful effects, just within their own specialities. But Eberron shards don't really have a specialty, so you might consider them the "best".
#3
korenth
Jun 08, 2010 13:10:09 That's good...reason I asked was because in a campaign i'm starting, I'm having a dwarven character's family come across a couble of Eberron shards in their mine, since it sounded like the other types are either readly gathered up or so well protected that "normal" poeple just don't find them. This eventually leads to the family and shards being kidnaped by a rogue group of Cyre refugees...but it wouldn't have made much sense if Eberron shards weren't worth the risk.

Thanks for the info!
#4
AvonRekaes
Jun 08, 2010 13:52:36 Well, all shards are reguarly sought after. House Tharashk makes a load of profits off Eberron shard prospecting, specifically.

Also, if they found the shards in a mine, it sounds more like khyber shard territory to me. Khyber shards are found underground. Siberys shards fall from the sky. Eberron shard are found in shallow earth. (The Tharashk prospecting I mentioned; they skim the swamps of the Shadow Marshes for eberron shards.)

Really, any shard would work for your story. They're all sought-after. Especially if the shards your npcs found were particularly large? Yeah, that'll get attention.
#5
Hellcow
Jun 09, 2010 12:13:58 For 4E, my basic approach is that residuum is the most highly processed form of the Eberron dragonshard (I think there's actually a mention of "residuum-grade dragonshards" in one of the Thorn novels). Once you take this approach, it's easy to see how they form the underlying foundation of the magical economy and how the steady flow of dragonshards is vital business for Tharashk. The nation runs on rituals; rituals run on Residuum. I allow people to use "raw" dragonshards as residuum, just at a lower rate of return. Take that chunk of dragonshard to the Tharashk enclave, and they might pay you 50 gp for it (because they can process it into 100 gp worth of Residuum). Use it unprocessed, and it's only going to get you the equivalent of 25 gp towards the cost of your ritual.

Siberys and Khyber shards I keep as plot devices. Part of the cost involved in creating magic item X is a Khyber shard. If you're off in the wilderness, you may not be able to make that item unless you can find one. And that item is considerably rarer than the standard +1 dagger precisely because it requires a Khyber shard, and the dagger only needs Eberron shards.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 korenth Jun 08, 2010 12:22:27	Just a quick quetion I haven't been able to find a good answer to...Is there a difference (other thn point of origin) between the 3 types of dragonshards? In particular, is one type vastly more powerful/able to control greater power than the others?
#2 AvonRekaes Jun 08, 2010 12:46:00	Well it's all fluff but.... Siberys dragonshards seem to react best to quasi-magical energies. Things like dragonmarks and psionic power. All magic items that specifically work in synergy with Dragonmarks are made with Siberys shards. Khbyer dragonshards are the best as binding energies. Can be used to capture entities like elementals or souls. Lots of prisons for deadly entities are khyber dragonshards (Rajahs, a few Daelkyr, etc.). Can also be used to store things, like memories or whatnot. From a fluff perspective though... Eberron dragonshards are the most useful. Every single magic item you use, unless specifically noted to be made with one of the other two types of shards (or specifically not made with any), is made with Eberron dragonshards and works because Eberron dragonshards are such ubiquitous sources of magic. That +1 dagger you use? It's +1 because it's made with an Eberron dragonshard. Those Zephyr Boots your epic level ranger wears? Made with Eberron dragonshards. That ancient artifact you recovered from Xen'drik? Eberron shards. There's not a mechanical thing that denotes this, though. It's just flavor of the setting. As for most powerful, the best answer I can figure is: None of them. Eberron shards might be able to create more effects, but... Well to put it i 4e game terms, all shards could theoretically be used to make their own Level 30 artifact items. A Rajah's prison is made of Khyber shards. So Khyber shards need to be the most powerful to contain the binding energies of the Silver Flame and the malevolent power of the demonic overlord being bound. The Creation Forges are made with Siberys Shards. So Siberys Shards are the most powerful because they can allow the Mark of Making to be channeeld to create the miralcle of life, investing mundane objects with new souls to populate the world with. The Flying Butresses of Sharn are made with Eberron Shards. So Eberron Shards are the most powerful because they can retain, amplify, and focus the very energies of the planes. Any Eldritch Device you can think of that doesn't involve binding things or focusing dragonmark powers, is made of Eberron shards. etc. They're all capable of extremely powerful effects, just within their own specialities. But Eberron shards don't really have a specialty, so you might consider them the "best".
#3 korenth Jun 08, 2010 13:10:09	That's good...reason I asked was because in a campaign i'm starting, I'm having a dwarven character's family come across a couble of Eberron shards in their mine, since it sounded like the other types are either readly gathered up or so well protected that "normal" poeple just don't find them. This eventually leads to the family and shards being kidnaped by a rogue group of Cyre refugees...but it wouldn't have made much sense if Eberron shards weren't worth the risk. Thanks for the info!
#4 AvonRekaes Jun 08, 2010 13:52:36	Well, all shards are reguarly sought after. House Tharashk makes a load of profits off Eberron shard prospecting, specifically. Also, if they found the shards in a mine, it sounds more like khyber shard territory to me. Khyber shards are found underground. Siberys shards fall from the sky. Eberron shard are found in shallow earth. (The Tharashk prospecting I mentioned; they skim the swamps of the Shadow Marshes for eberron shards.) Really, any shard would work for your story. They're all sought-after. Especially if the shards your npcs found were particularly large? Yeah, that'll get attention.
#5 Hellcow Jun 09, 2010 12:13:58	For 4E, my basic approach is that residuum is the most highly processed form of the Eberron dragonshard (I think there's actually a mention of "residuum-grade dragonshards" in one of the Thorn novels). Once you take this approach, it's easy to see how they form the underlying foundation of the magical economy and how the steady flow of dragonshards is vital business for Tharashk. The nation runs on rituals; rituals run on Residuum. I allow people to use "raw" dragonshards as residuum, just at a lower rate of return. Take that chunk of dragonshard to the Tharashk enclave, and they might pay you 50 gp for it (because they can process it into 100 gp worth of Residuum). Use it unprocessed, and it's only going to get you the equivalent of 25 gp towards the cost of your ritual. Siberys and Khyber shards I keep as plot devices. Part of the cost involved in creating magic item X is a Khyber shard. If you're off in the wilderness, you may not be able to make that item unless you can find one. And that item is considerably rarer than the standard +1 dagger precisely because it requires a Khyber shard, and the dagger only needs Eberron shards.