Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jcranford Apr 14, 2010 17:17:29	I am running an Eberron campaign and am employing the resurgence of the Mark of Death as a plot point. Currently one of my PCs has one slowly growing on him, which will become active when I decide to let it. In the mean time, it just worries him. Anyway, I'm at a point where I need to figure out how to define it. I have perused every book I can get my hands on and they all imply that it a) existed and b) was useful enough to actually create and empower a dragonmarked house. This implies to me that it was useful and not inherently evil. Also, not an aberrant mark. But what the heck could it do that functions in a similar fashion mechanically to the existing dragonmark feats? Most give ritual abilities and a mechanical benefit which is either awesome or worthless. I am leaning more at this point, to set it apart, to giving it a stat bonus and daily power associated with it (a dominate undead attack), making it function mike like a Legendary Boon mechanically. Anyone have any ideas that could help me get through this?
#2 rampant Apr 16, 2010 2:08:14	Legendary boon - maybe Stat bonus is a no-no. Rituals - I know there's one ritual in the MM that turns people into vamps, give them that one, and maybe the option to make any undead of a level equal to or lower than their level? Consider attack and or damage bonuses against bloodied targets.
#3 xiahouxu Apr 16, 2010 4:16:57	Associated rituals that I would immediately think of would be things like Raise Dead. Maybe the mark of Death isn't something inherently negative, but is rather associated with the flow and cycle of life and death, because death in and of itself isn't something negative either. WHile generally considered 'good' in nature, the idea of an army that, when falling, could just be repeatedly raised for a cost of a few gold of reagents could create a veritable fighting force, perhaps. Maybe this was the key to the old House?
#4 pluisjen Apr 16, 2010 6:04:20	Speak with Dead ritual would be a nice one maybe?
#5 dougansf Apr 19, 2010 17:34:16	Anyway, I'm at a point where I need to figure out how to define it. I have perused every book I can get my hands on and they all imply that it a) existed and b) was useful enough to actually create and empower a dragonmarked house. This implies to me that it was useful and not inherently evil. Also, not an aberrant mark. Certainly not Aberrant.  Evil in Eberron can be seen as political/prejudice one way or another. Slight detail: I don't think they had real "Dragonmarked Houses" back then.  But it was prolific in a certain Elven family.  ;) But what the heck could it do that functions in a similar fashion mechanically to the existing dragonmark feats? Most give ritual abilities and a mechanical benefit which is either awesome or worthless. I am leaning more at this point, to set it apart, to giving it a stat bonus and daily power associated with it (a dominate undead attack), making it function mike like a Legendary Boon mechanically.  Stat bonus is potentially unbalancing, or nearly worthless depending on the stat and the character build.  Avoid this. Mechanical benefit suggestion: Extra Necrotic damage on attacks.  Resist Necrotic.  Short buff when using Necrotic Powers.  Obviously some of these work better with some classes than others (much like the other Dragonmarks). Rituals: Anything to do with the dead: Speak with Dead, Commune (with dead/ancestors), Raise Dead, Create Undead, Gentle Repose. Notice that some of the Dragonmarks with weaker Power modifiers get broader ranges of Rituals.