If you have comments or criticisms on how I'm implementing this, please feel free, but otherwise try and keep replies to this thread to a minimum - if you wish to respond to any of the questions or answers reposted here, you should do so in a new thread, or in the Ask Keith Baker thread. The objective here is to keep this thread relatively small and accessible.
EDIT: Since I wrote the above, the Ask Keith Baker Thread has multiplied to two, then three threads.
Thread I (started June 16 2004) can be found here.
Thread II (started November 29 2004) can be found here.
Thread III (started June 17 2005) can be found here.
Search Tips: This thread is now eight pages long, which is an improvement on the hundreds of pages of the original Ask Keith Baker threads - but still, it's a pain to search through each of eight pages, and some browsers have poor or non-existent text-finding capabilities. If you'd prefer to search the thread as a single document, go to Thread Tools at the top of the page, and select Download Thread. This will download the entire thread as a single textfile, which will take a little time - especially on dial-up - but you'll then be able to browse the thread offline at your convenience, as a single large document.
All except the last page of the Ask Keith Baker thread have been reposted here. As new pages are added to the thread, I'll add the answers from the previous page here, so you should only need to look here or on the last page of the AKB thread to see his answers.
This FAQ consists only of Keith's answers, so some of the answers may lack context. I've included a link to each page at the start of their section, so if anything is unclear, you can refer back to the main thread for clarification.
Last updated: 11-03-05 (thread III page 30)
Q Originally posted by WizO_Paradox Will we get to see your one page proposal that beat out 10,999 others?
A This is why it's good to concentrate this into a single thread, since I know I've answered this in two or three other places. ;)
I expect that it will be released at some point, but not for some time. The important thing is that the setting went through changes at every stage. When I wrote the 1-pager, I was just having fun -- I never expected I might get to the next stage with it. When it got to the 10 pager, I put a lot more thought into how the world could really work. And then going from the 10-pager to 125-pager, I had a visit to WotC to find out what had caught their eye in the first place; so in the 125-pager, certain aspects were highlighted, others pushed into the background. I learned more about what I could and couldn't do. For example, I'd limited the number of new races, because I thought it might be best to focus on the PHB races, and only 2 of the 4 new races were there; at the meeting, they said "Throw in some more new races that really tie into the world", and there you go.
The upshot to all this is that the world has just come out and people are still learning what it is. For the moment, the folks at WotC don't want to muddy the waters with what it was, if you see what I'm saying.
I'm sure that it will be revealed in time -- you'll just have to wait a bit.
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Q Originally posted by red_knight_69 What alternate rules in Unearthed Arcana do you recommend to be used within Eberron?
A Good question. To be honest, I can't answer this, because I haven't had time to really read through my copy of Unearthed Arcana yet! Obviously, the Action Point rules provide additional ways to add flair to the game; if you remember from the Dragon preview, a few of the AP uses presented in UA -- specifically Spell Recall -- were originally in Eberron. We toned it down to make AP a little less over the top, but you should certainly read over the section and see if there's anything you want to add in.
You could also make the Valenar desert elves, but if so, I wouldn't change their stat modifiers. But the focus on Handle Animal and Ride and the use of scimitar & shortbow instead of longsword and longbow all fit the Valenar (who also receive the double scimitar as a martial weapon).
At a quick glance, I would also say that the Cloistered Cleric makes sense, and I could see a shifter or half-orc druidic avenger (probably Ashbound). The urban ranger also definitely fits -- I could see urban rangers in the employ of House Deneith and House Tharashk.
When I really have time to sit down with UA, I'll respond in more detail.
And Earthshadow, I'm afraid I don't even have the Advanced Player's Guide yet. Sorry!
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Q Originally posted by Moleculor Can you convince WotC to create a physical or digital representation of a planar orrery?
A Sure! How about this? (click on "Lauch Eberron Orrery").
At the moment, there are no controls, but it was implied that the folks who put this together might be working on them.
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Q Originally posted by law So my idea is when it come time to move them to eberron both of the near god dragons (the mystic and emperor) find there is no free space in the world so use all there energy to form an island off of one of the main places in eberron. My thing is where?
A It depends on whether you're talking about an island or a continent. If you mean an island, I'd personally put it south of Breland and Zilargo, between Khorvaire and Xen'drik. This puts you right by Sharn and puts Xen'drik at your back, thus giving you access to a major trading city and a region of mystery. If it's too large for this, I'd probably drop it in the triangle formed by the Lhazaar Sea, Sea of Rage, and the Dragonreach. You get to deal with Lhazaar pirates and merchants on the one side, Inspired on the other (who will certainly try to sink their subtle hooks into the new civilization), and the dragons of Argonnessen to the south, which can tie into your own dragon plot.
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Q Originally posted by AvonRekaes The Ghostwalk book says that if you drop it into a campaign setting, to make sure it's out of the way, like on a relatively sparsly populated peninsula. What are your thoughts?
A My immediate thought would be the Mournland. The disaster somehow tore a normal city out of sync with life and death -- certainly fits the general tone of what might be in the Mournland, and makes it a new thing in the world (explaining why it hasn't had a big impact on history). This also puts it in a very dangerous region, making the pilgrimage to reach it a real challenge.
Other possibilities would be Aerenal, where there are a number of powerful manifest zones tied to necromancy, or the Demon Wastes, where you have the Lair of the Keeper. Karrnath is a good thought, but that wouldn't make it very isolated... and frankly, if it existed in Karrnath it should be a major focus of the Blood of Vol.
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Q Originally posted by ChronosCrow Hey, I've got some generic questions that I think can be answered regardless of the specific stuff in the outcoming Sharn book (well at least I hope):
A Well, it's a lot of questions, but I'll see what I can do. .
[b]1. About how many artificer's/magewrights/adepts/warrios/guards are setup in Sharn?[/b]
About 2000 adepts and magewrights (each), slightly under 1000 artificers, and around 18,000 warriors.
[b]2. How many artificer's have shops setup in Sharn for doing business with PC's?[/b]
A fair number. Sharn is the gateway to Xen'drik, and there are a few districts catering to adventurers and explorers. You'll have to wait for the Sharn book for specifics.
[b]3. How many levels does Sharn have?[/b]
Complicated question. The towers of Sharn (not counting the undercity) are divided into three basic levels (So you'd say "I live in Middle Dura"). However, those three levels include subtowers and buildings with many levels. Again, Sharn will reveal more. But figure it as being a mile high, broken into three main sections, and figure it from there.
[b]4. Refering to the quote, "if it exists you can buy it here," can anything that can be made by a magic feat be bought in Sharn?[/b]
Not necessarily. That's obviously marketing hyperbole. Anything requiring a CL of 12 or above will be *very* hard to find. Beyond that, it's still up to the DM to decide. There's also the question of whether even if it CAN be bought in Sharn, do you know where to find it, bringing in Knowledge (local).
[b]5. How big is psionics in Sharn if the setting option is used for heavy psionics in the world?[/b]
That's up to you as a DM.
[b]6. How much does the Dreaming Dark have a hold on Sharn?[/b]
You'll find out in the Sharn book -- far be it from me to spill the secret plans of the Dreaming Dark on a public board! But never fear, they are there.
7. How religous is Sharn?
Not very. The people of Breland are very pragmatic compared to, say, Thrane or Karrnath, and Sharn is more pragmatic than many places. There are many churches and temples, and there are a reasonable number of faithful folk and devoted adepts -- but as a city? Not very.
8. What are the business and economics markets of Sharn like? Are things very competative so prices can be driven higher or lower accordingly.
Complicated question -- I'll try to get back to it at a later date.
9. What kind of level characters are there in Sharn? As in NPC's with high lvls or mid lvls.
PC classes top out at around 10th-12th level, with a few notable (and villainous) exceptions. Anything above 6th level is fairly remarkable. The NPC classes have a stronger representation, rising all the way to 20th level (though still few in number at this level).
10. What subcommunites(not race percentage) of races have setup in Sharn besides a small group of kalashtar.
I think the better question is what PC races don't have communities in Sharn, to which the answer would be "half-elves and half-orcs". On top of this, you have 2 goblinoid/Droaamite communities.
11. Where can PC's actually live besides actually living out of a rent room at a hotel. As in owning property in the city, also are there rules and gold pieces or tax rules for such a thing anywhere?
Yes, in the Sharn book.
12. Why are apples more tasty than organges?
Forbidden fruit. Even if that is just a common misunderstanding.
13. How much of an alignment blur is there in Sharn?
You'll have to make your question more specific. Sharn includes good folk, villians, and a whole lot of in between. So if you mean is there room for moally ambiguous adventures, absolutely.
14. Did anyone else own Sharn between humans and goblins?
Other humans. First goblins; then humans, until it was destroyed during the War of the Mark; then rebuilt by Galifar.
15. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a magical tootsie roll-pop?
Fifteen and a crunch, but don't foget, it's got DR 10/bludgeoning and adamantine.
16. How is that knowledge:history table thing coming?
Given that I've just spent half an hour answering this question and I have real work to do? Not so good. So stop asking so many questions and maybe you'll see it someday.
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Q Originally posted by Moleculor Does a Final Messenger go out of it's way to avoid people/'forged that are not it's target until it has been determined that the target is not there?
A I would say that it will move in an evasive manner, yes. It's designed for secret communications, and size alone gives it a good Hide rating.
How long does it normally look for it's target before heading to the nearest 'forged?
If a target has been specified, it will never seek out another warforged. If no target has been specified -- only a location -- it will automatically seek out the nearest warforged in the area once it arrives. The wording there is slightly unclear, but the point is that you either tell it "Deliver this to Bill" or "Deliver this to this location". I'd say that you could stack these -- "Go to the Black Dragon Inn and deliver it to Bill if he's there, otherwise just deliver it" -- but that's about the limit. I would
Can this object be attributed with an intelligence score of any kind? Is the message/image erased when a 'forged reviews it?
Not so much. It is basically a golem. It has the intelligence it needs to carry out its duties -- manuevering through terrain, avoiding enemies -- but it is not designed to react in a creative manner, see the next answer, though. And the message is only erased when the current wearer chooses to implant a new message.
Are there devices built for viewing such messengers that doesn't involve the aid of a 'forged?
At the moment, the idea is that the messenger is powered by the warforged's essence, and that its "intelligence" is in a way an imprint of the forged who imprints its orders and message. It's another advantage to warforged units that they can use these. However, if you want it, I could see a Cannith artificer developing an amulet that can hold a messenger and let him read its message.
What's its speed and maneuverability? Hummingbird-like?
This is given in the description -- 60 feet (perfect).
What's the (meta)purpose behind the bleak afterlife? Seems to just suck the whole "reward" thing out of working hard for one's deity. Not that I really care too much about clerics or religion, but it seems a bit odd for there to be clerics of differing beliefs when everyone ends up in the same bleak place.
History doesn't necessarily back you up here, as both Hades (Greek) and Hel (Norse) are pretty darned bleak (sure, warriors might get to go to Valhalla, but that doesn't help anyone else). The point is that people worship the Sovereigns hoping for aid in this life, not because they expect to be rewarded in the next. You ask Onatar to guide your hands when you make a sword, or call on Dol Dorn for guidance when you wield that sword, to prevent you from dying and going to Dolurrh. (As a note: while the gods don't manifest physically, their worshippers certtainly believe that they can influence the world. True or not? You decide.)
The basic meta reason is that in Eberron is a world where we want people to strive to stay alive. Part of the noir tradition is that bad things can happen to good people, and the worst of these is death -- this means that death should *be* a bad thing. The heroes of the past are gone; you can't just go to Thelanis and say "Tell me about your great battles again, Lord Epic." If you die, there is a period of time in which you can be saved, but that itself should be a) an important quest and b) something people *want* to do. They aren't just going to say "Oh, Joe died... well, he's in a better place now." They're going to say "This will not stand!" The whole idea of Keeper's Fang weapons and the Lair of the Keeper is specifically to support the idea of having to fight your way to the underworld to try to reclaim the soul of a friend, a la Hercules or Orpheus.
With that said, taking a look at the religions, the Silver Flame *does* believe that if you serve faithfully you will join the Flame, being spared the dismal fate of Dolurrh. However, while this is noble and more pleasant, it still takes you out of play, meaning that again, the dead are dead. This drives both the Undying Court and the Blood of Vol, both of which are based around the idea of "We don't want our great souls to go to Dolurrh!"
But the short form is that Eberron is a world where death is not a good thing. Enjoy life while you can, and consider the reputation and memories you will leave behind -- for tomorrow we all may die.
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Q Originally posted by N'wah Isn't the +2 to disguise checks there to balance out the cross-species penalty, i.e. doesn't it make your chance of impersonating a human equal to impersonating another Kalashtar? I thought that was the plan behind the +2 bonus... but maybe not.
A This is exactly correct. Disguising yourself as a member of another race always carries a -2 penalty. The kalashtar can ignore this when disguising themselves as humans, because they basically are human.
thanks.
Originally posted by virtualone
i herby request this thread to be sticky.
thanks.
Seconded.
The motion carries.
*Stick*
Originally posted by virtualone
i herby request this thread to be sticky.
thanks.
seconded
beaten by an admin ahh well
Q Originally posted by Razorcake Because its good for the story, and because someone else with MORE gp paid the Final Messenger's.
A Yes. And it may very well be the same final messenger, being passed around to whoever is currently on the most dangerous mission.
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Q Originally posted by Takasi Were all of the core races (humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes) created as a result of the creation spell of Eberron & Siberys after the Prophecy shattered in the Age of Dragons?
A Yes. The modern dragons claim to be the children of Siberys (along with the couatl, though the serpents are virtually extinct). The native fiends are said to be the children of Khyber. And terrestrial life -- humans included -- are the offspring of Eberron.
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Q Originally posted by Taigis Will we ever see any of the pieces of the Prophecy or is that soley for a DMs tool?
A You'd never see a complete text of the Prophecy, because it's something that is written movement of the stars and even the actions of dragonmarked creatures -- new passages are out there waiting to be deiphered or found. But I'd imagine that you will see fragments at some point.
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Q Originally posted by Taigis As there is no differences between the Marks of the houses of Thuranni and Phiarlan, can a member of one be planted into the other?
A Certainly, and they probably have been. Then again, maybe Thuranni has identified the spy and is using her to feed false information... life can get confusing in the Houses of Shadow.
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Q Originally posted by Earthshadow when I buy my copy, can I send it to you so you can sign it?
A Sure. PM me when you've got it!
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Q Originally posted by Earthshadow Can you give a brief synopsis of the introductory adventure in the ECSB?
A It's a pretty brief adventure, mind you. After a mysterious encounter, the party is employed by a dragonmark heir to search for a relic lost in the ruins deep beneath Sharn.
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Q Originally posted by Scaryfroman what skill would be used in the piloting of airships and thier kin?
A It's covered on page 267 of the CSB. Typically, you need a dragonmark to control the vessel, but you can try to use pure force of will if you don't possess a mark. If you want to make elemental vessels more common, you could add a Profession (elemental wrangler) -- completely off the top of my head, I'd say "make a skill check (DC 15); every 2 points you make the check by improves your control check by 1" and also have the skill allow you to maintain/recognize elemental vessels.
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Q Originally posted by Moleculor Was the ability to add d6 to damage dealt ever considered
A It has been considered, and you may see a variation of it in the future (though the implementation is a little more interesting than just "add 1d6 to damage"). All I can say for now.
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Q Originally posted by Moleculor Is this a misprint? Shouldn't it be "Each druid in the Eldeen Reaches"?
A Yes. Although with that said, members of the Eldeen sects can be found across Khorvaire. The Gatekeepers are at their strongest in the Shadow Marches, and have agents in a number of places (like Sharn).
The important thing to note, however, is that you can be a member of the sect without possessing the specialized feat. The feats represent specialized training and induction into the mysteries of the sect, and I encourage druids to take them, but it's not a requirement -- perhaps you just haven't fully committed yourself. With that said, i do think that it's a mistake for the Gatekeeper on page 241 not to have the feat, and I would replace one of his two feats with Gatekeeper Initiate.
There are also supposed to be a number of smaller lesser sects in the Eldeen Reaches themselves. So if you want to make up your own sect, it's up to you to decide if it has an associated feat or Eldeen Ranger sect ability. Likewise, there are druids in Q'barra, Argonnessen, and the Talenta Plains who may follow different paths (at the moment, operating without a special feat).
One thing to remember about druids is that they are an ancient tradition with common roots, even if those roots are long forgotten. The big key to this is the existence of the druidic language, which dates back to the dragons who first brought druidic knowledge to the humanoids. Taking the lizardfolk of Q'barra:
1. They COULD take any of the Eldeen sect feats, with the idea that they developed their own variations through parallel eveolution; Ashbound and Gatekeepers would make particular sense.
2. Even if they didn't, they would still recognize a common bond with a human druid -- but they would expect the human to embrace and hold to that bond.
This is probably a good subject for a web enhancement!
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Q Originally posted by Moleculor "In terms of its game mechanics, an eldritch machine is a harnessed wish spell, which means that anyone who creates one must have a caster level of 17th or higher."
The next line is what throws me, as it both implies that PCs may wish to build one, but also seems to contridict the above line.
"Fortunately for low-level PCs, creating an eldritch machine is not the exclusive province of high-level spellcasters. The task has no specific spell requirements or even a minimum caster level."
A This has gotten confused in editing. The original phrasing was: "while its effects are considered to have a caster level of at least 17th level, this does not reflect the actual abilities of its creator. " So the point is that for anything that relies on CL, consider it to have a CL of at least 17. However, the actual creator can be lower level.
The phrase "fortunately for low-level PCs" is meant to refer to PCs who have to fight a character trying to build an eldritch machine. So when your 3rd-level party learns that Lord Slogar is building a eldritch machine, it doesn't mean he's 17th-level and you are doomed.
[i]What the bloody 'ell is that mug on page 289?[/i]
Well, you know how the Great Druid is a tree? That mug is the mightiest sorcerer in Eberron.
OK, maybe not.
[i]Or am I managing to miss a page with a continental political map on it?[/i]
No, you're not. I agree, it would have been a good thing to have in the book -- we messed up there. I'm hoping that's what will be appearing in Dragon or Dungeon, whichever it is.
A wizard's spellshard... Is there any advantage from a rules standpoint in using one, or is it more of an atmospheric/roleplaying 'ehancement' item?
Physically, it's smaller than a spellbook, and it is more resistant to certain kinds of damage. But in general, it is a color item. However, the Aureon's spellshard on page 265 holds 500 pages of spells, so that can be a little more useful.
[b]Is it possible for someone to be paid with a personal letter of credit?[/b]
It depends how the letter is written. It could be made out to a specific individual, but more often it will be generic, in which case, yes. Thus, if you are transporting 5,000 pp, you might carry a few letters of credit instead of a chest of coins.
Would you say it's a common occurance for groups of strangers to gather up to split the cost of a House Ghallandaian Heroes' Feast? Something along the lines of a group of people outside the establishment recruiting other parties of less-than-eleven to join them for the feast? Would House Ghallanda provide such a service themselves in the form of a waiting list or whatnot?
Seems reasonable to me!
[i]Have any ideas for smaller eccentricities of society, such as the occasional person who latches onto a passing lightning rail coach for a free ride or anything that we might see?[/i]
Certainly! And if I ever finish answering questions, get caught up on my work, and get a Knowledge: History table done, I'll write some up.
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Q Originally posted by Selûnite Is there any other possibility for a PC other than to go to the plain of Dolurrh when he or she dies to be miserable for eternity?
A This is actually discussed earlier in this thread -- look on page 1 for a more detailed answer. But to address a particular point you've brought up that isn't mentioned there, Dolurrh isn't eternal misery, which would be really depressing. If you check in chapter five, the thing about Dolurrh is that memories fade the longer you are there -- eventually fading away completely. There are certainly those who believe that once all memories are gone, your soul is reborn -- that Dolurrh is effective a spiritual washing machine that cleanses your last life in preparation for your next.
But as for other options: You could be trapped in the Domain of the Keeper, which is about as close as you'll get to eternal misery. Or you could become an undead or deathless creature, and avoid dying at all!
It's also worth noting that if the gods are out there, no-one knows exactly where they are. Perhaps there is a higher spiritual plane that cannot be reached with planar travel; if so, there's no way to know that the souls of the faithful aren't drawn there *after* Dolurrh. So if you'd rather think of your hero going to the brilliant citadel of the Sovereign Host, no one can prove that he won't -- he's just not going to come back once he finally gets there.
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Q Originally posted by N'wah You know, now we ALL are going to PM you when we get our books... :D
A That's why I'm keeping my PM box permanently full...
Anyhow, go for it, if you want to, or email me at [email]Keith@bossythecow.com[/email]. If you want to pay for postage, I'm happy to do it. I'm also planning to be at Comic Con and GenCon (though I'm not at Comic Con in any official capacity), so you could just bring your book to one of those.
Q Originally posted by WizO_Sith Are the usual variety of D&D Non-Human Sub-Races present in Eberron or is there only a single "Type" of each non-human?
A You won't find subraces in *my* Eberron campaign. I prefer to focus on cultural differences as opposed to statistical differences. Humans never have statistic modifiers, regardless of where they come from. Following this, I feel that nonhuman stat modifiers represent the inherent nature of the race and should remain constant regardless of culture or environment. So the Valenar elves have a militant culture, while the Aereni are aloof and mysterious -- but both are fast, frail, and have an aptitude for magic.
But with that said, you can certainly do things differently. That whole basic tenet of Eberron is "if it's in the core books, there's a place for it." I would be more inclined to accept the drastically different subraces; for example, I have no trouble saying "Noldrunhold was destroyed by servants of the Daelkyr, who took the survivors down into Khyber and transformed them into Duergar." Perhaps there is a population of aquatic elves in Shargon's Teeth, survivors dating back to the disaster that destroyed the giants of Xen'drik.
I'm also happy with minor color tweaks; for example, I think that it makes sense for the Valenar elves to be familiar with scimitars and shortbows instead of longswords and longbows.
But with things like Wood Elves, Gray Elves, and such, I feel that they dilute the distinctiveness of the race-- "So, do I want to be a strong elf, a smart elf, or a fast elf?" I'd rather that the elves were distinctive because of their behavior instead of their stats.
Secondly, and this is an opinion question, how drastically would it alter the campaign to include the various sub-races in the setting?
Well, how far do you want to go with it? If you want to say "The Aereni are gray elves, the Valenar are wood elves" -- I wouldn't do it myself, but really, it's not going to make that much of a difference. On the other hand, if you want to add in all of the subraces from the FR setting or other sources, the question is where the races fit in with the existing cultures and nations. You can always turn to Argonnessen or Xen'drik -- as people who are up on the RTS know, there's already another elven culture in Xen'drik beyond the Drow (although the Shadow Elves may again be distinguished more by culture, PrCs, feats, and magic than by modifications to the base racial template). Then the question becomes how large and advanced the civilization is, and if it has any interaction with Khorvaire.
Anyhow, subraces are not part of base Eberron -- but if you want them, it's your world too. Just don't plan to play a Sun Elf in Living Eberron! ;)
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Q Originally posted by Ph0eNiX Warforged can be enchanted just as armor can. Does this mean that one could bind an elemental to a Warforged?
A That is an intriguing question! By the rules? Certainly. The elemental spirit is bound in the Khyber shard, the shard is embedded in the warforged, along with supplimental enchantments; it's not an issue of crowding an extra spirit into the actual body of the warforged.
Beyond the rules? I might want to think of a more interesting effect beyond just the standard power. The question would be how the warforged interacts with the bound spirit -- if it has a relationship like that of a really dumb docent. Hmm.
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Q Originally posted by ChronosCrow Anyways, what do the common races 'commonly' (oops) know about "The Prophocey."
A Without Knowledge (arcana) or Bardic Lore (or a similar ability), you probably know nothing about it. The dragons are mysterious, and it's an obscure draconic thing; people generally only know of it if they study dragons or if they interact with a member of the Chamber.
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Q Originally posted by shemnon Two Words: Warforged Psion. Are there any established (read discussed but not published) reasons why or why not?
A All classes are open to all races. However, I would certainly consider warforged psions to be very rare and unusual. It could be an experiment, with psiactive crystal fused into the body of the warforged when it was made. On the other hand, a warforged is a sentient creature with a soul; it may simply have found a source of power within.
[i]I also see parallels between Docents/Warforged and the Inspired/Empty Vessels. Was this intentional or accidental? perhaps a meta plot since there seems to be some unrevealed secrets related to Docents?[/i]
As you say, there seems to be some unrevealed secrets related to docents! Perhaps someone in House Cannith knows the answer... or perhaps it's waiting to be found in Xen'drik itself. I know some people will be frustrated with there being mystery in the world like this, but in this case, I'm afraid that a mystery is exactly what it is.
As for the Inspired/Empty Vessel analogy, the main difference is that the Inspired take full control of their vessels. Of course, this is something they have had to work up to; originally they could only exert a limited amount of influence over their hosts. And hey, didn't the giants of Xen'drik fight the Quori back in the day? Hmmm.... ;)
[i](Of course it would be too much of a stretch to say that mythic eberron was a very old dark sun with three sorcerer-kings as Eberron and buddies and the psionic giants forming xen'drik once they crushed those blasted canabal halflings.)[/i]
:D
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Q Originally posted by ChronosCrow At that what other purposes does the Book of Vile Darkness take in Eberron? Could it be reasonably said that The Lord of Blade's troops readily dirive things from it. How about other generally evil forces, what about the Houses with the Mark of Shadow?
A Since it's not a core book, it has no official role in Eberron; it's up to you to decide whether or not to use things from it, as you see fit. I must admit, I have it on my shelf but have yet to read it, so I can't comment in any detail. However, I will say that people who have the Mark of Shadow are not inherently evil, even if the Houses of Shadow may often be ruthless and thus more prone to evil alignments; the mark itself does not carry any sort of evil taint.
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Q Originally posted by Fedifensor The Wildhunt shifting trait grants the Scent ability...but only for 3 + Con modifier rounds. Don't most uses of Scent (which functions similar to the Track ability) take significantly longer than a few rounds?
A My belief on this -- and it's something I'd like to check with the other designers, so don't consider this to be final -- is that while shifted you have the opportunity to make a single track-by-Scent check, which if successful will allow you to follow the tracks for one mile or until they become difficult to follow. At this point, you'd need to shift again to pick up the trail. Your enhanced senses put you on the trail, but you can follow it for a short distance even once your shifting has ended.
[i]Do you have any suggestions on how to help out low-level artificers who want to create items?[/i]
First off, I can't stress the value of UMD for artificers enough. Spell storing item is incredibly useful once you can use it reliably -- and yes, while it's a 1st-level infusion, you probably won't be using it right away. Skill Focus and Magical Aptitude are both things an artificer should seriously consider. If a human artificer gets both, that's +5 UMD right there. Add in the +2 from Artisan bonus and you're up to +7. At 2nd level you can pick up another +2 synergy for scrolls if you have enough Spellcraft... so a 2nd-level human artificer with 12 Cha and 5 ranks in UMD is up to a total bonus of +15 UMD to make a scroll.
I could also see a skill kit - artificer's tools - allowing a +2 to UMD checks for constructing items -- I'd probably make the weight and cost match an alchemist's lab.
Why do you need a feat to gain information from written materials (Research)? Shouldn't this be a free feat for every wizard?
To quote Bill Slaviscek, who designed said feat:
"To use the skills in the specialized ways outlined here, you need to have the appropriate feat. That doesn't mean that your character can't muddle through tomes in a library... but he or she can't do it with the competence and expertise provided by the training granted by the feat."
All wizards can perform research, just not as efficiently as a character with the feat.
Is it possible for a dragonmarked character to be of a different race than the House, as long as the House's race is "compatable" (such as a human with the Mark of Shadow because of a distant elven ancestor)?
No. The only exception is the Mark of Finding, which can be carried by both humans and half-orcs.
[b]If a Warforged Artificer creates a homunculus...what does it use for "the creator's blood"?[/b]
An excellent question! I would imagine that it cuts out a piece of wood, burns it, and mixes the ashes with some form of liquid.
[b]Can you place an Eternal Wand in a Wand Sheath[/b]
Yes. You could remove it at any time that the wand's charges had been discharged.
Why do so many of the sample Warforged components use the Amulet slot?
The amulet slot is basically an "expansion slot" for warforged. If you look at the warforged on page 21, that "keyhole" on his chest would be his amulet slot. Cannith developed the essence disk as a standardized, easily transportable item for customizing warforged for specific tasks.
Anyhow, that's all I can do today! I'll try to answer more questions tomorrow, but it's going to be a very busy day, so questions may have to wait until Saturday.
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Q Originally posted by Barrad Maddof Does (or will) Eberron support epic level play?
A I'm going to answer this one because it's quick: Yes. There aren't that many high level allies, but there are certainly powerful villians. The Lord of Blades is by no means the most powerful villian out there -- he's intentionally mid-level so players actually have the chance to deal with him personally, and he's expected to rise in level with the players, staying a few levels ahead of them. The CR 20 Daelkyr is the weakest a Daelkyr can be -- pump one up to 50 HD and give it an army of beholders and illithids, and you've got a different picture. The Devourer of Dreams, the Lich-Queen Vol, The most powerful members of the Lords of Dust -- not to mention evil dragons -- these are all forces that will give high-level characters a run for your money. Once you reach epic level, it's time to deal with these threats directly -- to try to deal with the Dreaming Dark, face the return of Xoriat, battle Vol, etc.
So... Yes.
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Q Originally posted by JohnnyONeal We've seen native outsiders -- the couatl -- connected to the Silver Flame. Might celestials play a similar (if more remote) role for the Sovereign Host? If so, are the gods as remote and mysterious to them as they are to humanoids?
A First off, the couatl are allies of the Silver Flame because common wisdom is that the Silver Flame was created by the sacrifice of the vast majority of the Couatl species; more or less, they *are* the Silver Flame, though now the souls of other creatures have joined it (if you believe the tales).
As for other outsiders, they are mostly defined by the nature of their plane. The archons of Shavarath exist to fight. It's what they do, and for most, it's all that they do. However, it's always possible the battle could spill into Eberron when the planes are coterminous; an archon might allow you to channel its powers to fight a group of bandits possessed by fiends fo Shavarath.
While most outsiders are content to remain on their own planes and focus on their own business, I would say that they do acknowledge the existence of the Sovereign Host. I see nothing wrong with saying that there are outsiders who serve the sovereigns or the Dark Six, and who will certainly *claim* to have a closer connection to the higher powers than mortals; however, the fact of the matter is that the gods are remote to everyone. You can choose to believe the angel when it says that it has a greater spritual bond to Dol Arrah, but it can't take you around to see her.
One thing this does mean is that while you may have outsiders aligned with deities, this is an individual decision. As a result, most of the archons of Shavarath put the battle before all things; a few revere Dol Dorn and a few Dol Arrah, believing that this gives them greater strength for the battle. One odd concenpt would be an archon who worships the Mockery, following the "fight fire with fire" principle; he sees his actions as aiding the greater good, but is willing to use treachery and terror as weapons. Likewise, you might have an angel, an archon, and an elaydren who have all broken away from their primary planar duties to serve the will of Dol Arrah.
But with that said, divine channeling should still be a rare event; there are only a few outsiders who take an interest in the mortal world.
I expect you will see more about the planes in the future, and this will discuss the general outlook of the inhabitants of the plane.
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Q Originally posted by Steven Snyder Why is that so important to be on a document that was written in haste to stop the Last War and hopefully ensure no other nation goes down like Cyre?
A The Treaty of Thronehold actually took a fairly long time to establish; the final version of the treaty wasn't signed until two years after the Mourning. A few points on the relationship of the Treaty and the Warforged:
* The warforged were not produced by a nation -- they were produced by House Cannith. There was some concern over the continued proliferation and stockpiling of warforged during the piece, and some even feared that House Cannith would develop its own warforged army.
* Many forces were happy to see House Cannith taken down a peg. House Deneith, House Tharashk, Valenar, and Darguun all have an interest in the mercenary trade; no more warforged means more business for exotic troops and elite mercenaries.
* Some believed that the creation of the warforged might have been linked to the Mourning; Cyre was the center of operations for House Cannith.
* Aundair and Karrnath were both strongly in favor of the action, and were supported by most of the lesser nations.
[b]Why not the same treatment of the Karrnath Undead? Shouldn't there be a clause in there demanding they shut down their raising of the dead?[/b]
Good question. The Karrnathi position is that the intelligent undead are their citizens reborn. These are not sentient weapons purchased from an extranational entity; they are Karrns, who gave their lives in the service of their country and chose to rise to fight again. With that said, Karrnath did pledge to stop raising undead; you'll note on page 177 and 179 that to the degree that this practice continues, it is performed in secret.
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Q Originally posted by Kryptonian Scion Am I reading this tradition wrong, or is that just the way the royal family worked - accepting their loss and passing on the crown to a younger generation?
A Yes, this was the tradition, as defined on page 245. The retiring rulers would retain positions of importance in the Royal Family, which stretched among all of the kingdom in those days, not just a single nation. It was the way Galifar laid down the law, and it was family tradition.
It's worth noting, however, that you've only seen the bare overview of the history of Galifar. The Last War was not the first time a ruler refused to step down -- just the first time the majority did.
It's also the case that over the centuries, the cultural differences between the Five Nations had grown more pronounced, and this fueled the war; the majority of the people put nationalism before tradition.
Q Originally posted by Michael Tree It seems to me that the illustration of the Tangat on p.119 is wrong. The text describes it as "a curved blad mounted on a short shaft." The pic on 119 has no shaft - it's basically a scimitar. However, the weapon wielded by halflings on p.17 and p.204 fits the description perfectly.
A You are exactly right. In my opinion, the weapon on page 119 is a Valenar greatsword (same stats, but showing the Valenar preference for curved blades).
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Q Originally posted by Moleculor I'm correct in guessing an artificer can successfully emulate magic missle without being multiclassed as a sorcerer or wizard, right? If so, what's the RP explanation for being able to emulate bard/divine spells without a divine connection or performance talent? (e.g. Glibness, Flame Blade, Find Traps)
A First off, remember that a rogue can use Use Magic Device to bypass item restictions without having any magic talent at all; the example in the PHB has a rogue emulatiung a paladin's ability to turn undead! The issue here -- especially with spell storing item -- is that the artificer is not making use of arcane or divine magic, but rather drawing directly on the pure foundational energy of magic itself. Divine magic and arcane magic may be shaped in different ways, but at the heart, both are magical energy; both can be affected by dispel magic or antimagic field. The artificer cuts to the source and can thus emulate or shape virtually any effect.
[b]Does the artificer really need to make a UMD check on infusions too, or just spells not on his list?[/b]
The artificer emulates everything.
[b]I guess I'm just looking for examples of -how- spell store is more useful than casting it straight. (Unless it's really just being able to 'fake' a sorcerer's spells.)[/b]
You can fake ANY spell of up to 4th level. Cleric spells. Druid spells. Ranger spells. Need knock? Whip up a magic key. Need healing? Make a one-use wand of cure moderate wounds. With the UMD difficulty and limit on max level of spell you can emulate, it's not very useful early on, but once you get to 5th-8th level it is just astoundingly versatile -- the drawback being that you effectively have to cast it twice (once to store, once to use).
[b]Also, when the timelimit is up, what happens to the spell? Lost? Discharged somehow?[/b]
Lost.
I'm not entirely clear on Gatekeepers. They seem to be geared towards preventing invasions from Kythri and Xoriat (or so I recall from their history), but the warning given to them by the dragon Vvaraak was a 'planar invasion'. Specifics are left out in the section on them. So that could be taken to mean an invasion from -any- plane, such as, oh, say, the Inspired from Dal Quor.
The Gatekeepers would certainly disapprove of the Inspired, and this would be a point where there could be an alliance between Gatekeeper and say, the Silver Flame (with their exorcists). The new Gatekeeper magic deals specifically with nature corrupted by unnatural forces -- which is to say, aberrations. For outsiders, they already have protection from evil, dimensional anchor, banishment, and dimensional lock; different spells for different foes. In general, they are stronger against aberrations because aberrations, as alien as they are, still have some bond to nature; outsiders are, well, outside the normal realm of nature, and thus the best a gatekeeper can do is to lock them out.
[b]Will a human wearing an abberational symbiont be held at bay with Repel Abberation? Or will the symbiont suddenly attempt to detatch itself?[/b]
I'd give the wearer the choice. He can choose to hold his ground with the symbiont attached; if he wants to breach the barrier, the symbiont would detach itself in order to flee.
[b] Does the 'Destroying Undead' section of Turning in the PHB apply to repelling abberations?[/b]
I don't believe so, because it's not mentioned in the feat; the description specifically says "ward off" and "hold at bay", never mentioning "destroy". The range is up to 60 feet, and dration is as long as you maintain concentration.
[b]Due to the 'washing-machine' effect you mentioned, does True Ressurection work on a soul that's been dead for fifty years? Does it come back to life with any identity at all, if it does? Some lost memories?[/b]
Chapter 5 notes that the lost memories can only be restored with wish or miracle. The idea of spirits moving on is optional. I like it, because I like death to be scary -- but it's a house ruling. If you run with it, I'd say that after 2d4+Wisdom modifier years, the spirit moves on to whatever lies beyond (reincarnation or a plane of existence beyond mortal understanding), and yes, at this point even true resurrection would not work. Basically, the heroes of the Last War are gone.
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Q Originally posted by Mr. VanderMeer So, please help me envision some infusions. How does an artificer infuse Blade Barrier into an item. Must he infuse it into a wand (or other item) and then cast it later?
A Johnny O'Neal answered this one. For blade barrier, I'd see the artificer infusing an object (a blade, a scrap of metal, whatever) and then tossing it at the location he wants the barrier. But this could vary based on the style of the artificer.
[b]How long can he keep it in the item? If he saves up for few days can he infuse the wand with ten Blade Barriers, thereby creating a magical wand for free? Or should he infuse it into 20 knives, or into the ground where he wants the barrier to appear?[/b]
No. It's an instant effect, and if it's not used, it is lost. If you want to store effects for later use, that's what spell storing item is for, and that can only handle effects of up to 4th level.
What is the casting time for Blade Barrier? It is not in the spell list. The artificer description says most casting times are a minute or more, but it is not specified by spell is it?
Unless it's mentioned specifically in the Eberron CSB, infusion times are the same as they are for the spells of the same name.
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Q Originally posted by Von Ether Is a Warforged Barbarian technically immune to his own Rage-inducing fatigue?
A Yes. Personally I don't see it as "rage" -- more of temporarily supressing higher mental functions to enter a pure combat state.
Sorry I don't have time for more questions today -- I'll try to get to the backlog tomorrow.
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Q Originally posted by Jhaelen Dwarves are supposed to originate from Frostfell. Yet, they don't get anything that might help them to survive under these harsh conditions. Instead they gain things like poison resistance.
Dwarves get a racial bonus to attack rolls vs. goblinoids & orcs.
Why should Eberron dwarves get this bonus if nothing in their racial history suggests they've been fighting these races for any length of time?
A Well, the dwarves migrated from the Frostfell almost 13,000 years ago, so they no longer need to be adapted to arctic climates. Poison resistance reflects the hardy nature of dwarven biology more than constant exposure to toxins. As for orcs and goblinoids, when they arrived in Khorvaire the Dhakaani Empire was still at its height; and even today, the Jhorash'tar orcs (mentioned on 192 and 193) remain a threat across the Mror Holds.
[b]Eberron Halflings traditionally prefer a somewhat barbarian lifestyle in the Talenta plains, riding dinosaurs.
Yet their preferred class is rogue and they get racial skill bonuses to move silently. Wouldn't it make more sense if they got bonuses to Riding & Handle Animals??[/b]
It depends if you see the bonus to Move Silently as a result of training, or as a natural gift of the halfling -- an aspect of build, grace, and other factors. Likewise with favored class. To me this reflects a cultural bias towards cunning, charisma, and stealth; even a barbarian may prefer to use ambushes to outwit and defeat larger prey.
[b]Valenar elves seem to enjoy wading into melee, to impersonate their great racial heroes of times long gone. Yet, their preferred class is wizard![/b]
Again, it's a matter of how you look at "preferred class". What this means is "class that is easiest to multiclass to". If you are a single-classed character, preferred class is completely meaningless. All elves have a natural gift for arcane magic. Most Valenar may take ranger as their main class. However, looking at a Talenta ranger and a Valenar ranger, the halfling would be more likely to multiclass to rogue and use stealth and cunning in battle; a Valenar would more likely multiclass to wizard and suppliment his sword with the power of magic.
[i]Everything I read about gnomes seems to suggest they should get a bonus to their Charisma or Intelligence score. Yet they get a bonus to Constitution! Why?[/i]
Because it's about biology. Why don't the humans of House Cannith get a bonus to Intelligence? Charisma and Intelligence are very important in Gnomish society, but that doesn't mean that they have evolved into supergeniuses. They are tougher than you'd expect just because that's an aspect of their physiology. They undoubtedly WISH they were smarter, and perhaps there are gnome alchemists trying to find a way to tinker with gnome evolution, but as it stands, their natural gifts are what they have to work with (and for what it's worth, there are kobolds in the Seawall mountains, and they have clashed in the gem mines).
[b]A race with low physical stats will never develop into a (successful) warrior-nation just as a race with low mental stats probably won't count the mightiest spell-casters among their own.[/b]
Sure, but where do you see this happening in Eberron? The halflings have a low Strength, but the point is that they rely on speed and cunning to suppliment their physical weakness (along with the strength of their mounts). Likewise, the Valenar use speed and spell to overcome physical frailty. And while the gnomes do not possess an Int or Cha bonus, they don't possess a penalty -- and for that matter, none of the core races from the PHB possess an Int or Cha bonus, so the gnomes are no worse off in this aspect than anyone else. And having the favored class of bard helps them scatter a touch of magic, knowledge, and diplomacy throughout their society.
One of the reasons Eberron is low on subraces is because I don't like the idea of environment changing statistics. If it's that easy, why have humans never developed stat modifiers? In my eyes, an elf should be an elf should be an elf: Quick, fragile, with an aptitude for magic. The difference between the Valenar and the Aereni is cultural: the Aereni tend to hold to pure arcane studies, while the Valenar are more likely to have rangers - but they still have that innate magical aptitude if they care to exercise it.
I'm less stuck on the secondary aspects. While I still see it as an aspect of physiology, if you want to switch the halfling's Move Silently bonus to Ride, go for it. I do think there is some logic to a Valenar's racial weapons bing shortbow and scimitar instead of longbow and longsword. But that's color -- not changing the fundamental nature and balance of the races.
Anyhow, that's where we were coming from in creating the world. As I said, if you want to tweak the races, you won't get the Eberron Patrol knocking on your door in the night. Do what works in your campaign!
Q Originally posted by Rauol_Duke On p.142, King Boranel is listed as aristocrat 3/fighter 8, but on p.144 he's listed as aristocrat 2/fighter 8...While I know that one level in aristocrat isn't going to help him very much in bringing down the Daughters of Sora Kell, I was just curious which listing is correct? Thanks.
A My guess is 2/8 is correct, but I will pass it along to the errata team.
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Q Originally posted by Moleculor Are there any unique interactions between dragonshards/marks and animagic fields? What about elementals bound within shards? What happens to them (and their effects) when they find themselves in an antimagic field?
A Dragonmarks grant their bearers spell-like abilities, and should be treated as spell-like abilities for purposes of any effect that affects magic. The question about dragonshards/disjunction and bound elementals is more interesting, and I'll want to think about it. For the moment, I would simply say that it supresses the abilities of the item holding the elemental (having failsafes to prevent the elemental from bursting free). But I'll think about it and discuss it with the others.
[b]How are prices for shards figured? I see objects that cost 100gp, and I see objects that cost 70,000gp, so I'm not sure how to figure the cost of a shard by itself. (Even a general tip might be handy.)[/b]
At the moment, the main cost is the cost of the enchantments woven into the item. All magic items include rare and expensive components; the nature of those components just aren't specified. A very expensive item might require a particularly large, pure, refined dragonshard, thus carrying greater expense than a typical spellshard. I'll see about coming up with gem values for dragonshards at some point.
[b]Dreamstuff == Ectoplasm?[/b]
Sure.
[b]I've been reading up on D&D Online, and am a bit worried about how they're basing everything within Xen'drik.[/b]
Don't worry about it too much. Xen'drik is larger than Khorvaire, and they've already said that DDO won't be a "jogging game"; I suspect you'll be dealing with isolated locations as opposed to huge mapped out regions. It has always been the intention to leave Xen'drik as a place of mystery, and that won't be thrown out overnight. While you may see material about things you could place in Xen'drik, I don't ever expect all of its mysteries to be mapped out and revealed.
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Q Originally posted by JohnnyONeal Would you be willing to give us a little bit of info about Thaliost, the Thrane city that overlooks the ruins of the White Arch Bridge?
A My time is limited, but I will say that it is still active and is one of the largest cities in Thrane besides Flamekeep. It does have an active lightning rail station and a dock for airships. It is also one of the strongest military outposts in Thrane, facing as it does directly into Karrnath, which has long been Thrane's nemesis. The CHurch is not about to let its guard drop, so Thaliost is still very well supplied, and because of the transit options it is reasonably cosmopolitan in makeup.
At the moment, the rivalry between Thrane and Karrnath is still too strong for either nation to consider rebuilding the bridge.
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Q Originally posted by Taigis Another question: Are there plans to expand the lightning rail system?
A Certainly, especially now the war has ended (at least for the moment). An adventurer with ties to House Orien could be asked to protect a stonelaying caravan traveling through dangerous territory. Bear in mind that conductor stones must be specially prepared and enchanted, so it's not quite as easy as laying railroad tracks.
[b]Another question: Where on the map is the monument pictured on page 26 located?[/b]
In the Mror Holds, southeast of Krona Peak (the holdings of Clan Mroranon).
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Q Originally posted by Barrad Maddof For that matter, I remember in an interview with the designers that the kalashtar and Inspired were a way to incorporate psionics in a campaign. Are psionics classes, skills, feats, etc. only available for kalashtar or Inspired? Or can dwarfs or humans or whatever be psions?
A Any race can develop psionic powers; it's just most likely that they would do so through some form of Quori guidance (whether that's kalashtar, Inspired, or a human from Sarlona).
[b]The main thing I'm getting at is this: In the ongoing campaign I am presently in, I am an elan psion and we are switching to Eberron. Is my character "official?" Does he have a place in the world?[/b]
At the moment, Elans do not have a defined place in the world, but as they are a rare race to begin with, it's not difficult to find a place for them. There have been some excellent ideas on the boards, in the threads Johnny has mentioned.
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Q Originally posted by EarthsShadow Sure we can change it, and I most likely will, but it's definately something you should have considered more than what you did.
A It's a matter of personal preference. I certainly understand where you're coming from, but I don't like races shifting dramatically by environment... to be it comes down to the question of "If it's that easy to develop new racial modifiers, why don't humans have them?" I like the fact that if you just want to be the strongest you can be, then that's what half-orcs are for, even if the race has problems; once you bring in the multitude of subraces, you get to say "Eh, half-orcs suck, I'll just play a wood elf instead. I still get my +2 Str, and my Charisma is better as well!"
But again, if you *like* subraces, and I know many folks do, I can certainly see making changes according to the cultures. However, with that said...
Originally posted by EarthsShadow
The elves of Valenar and Aerenal should have different racial traits, they are very different from each other and it would logically make sense. We can argue, and say, that the Valenar elves have become so enthralled with the ways of war and combat and haven't tapped into their magical heritage in such a long time that their magical natures have, by evolution alone, slowly disappeared from them over the last few hundred years, and that they should have different traits altogether.
This I have to disagree with. First, you assume that the warrior ancestors of the Valenar and Aereni did not themselves use magic. If the ancestor was a warmage or evoker, then a Valenar with that patron will need to pick up a few levels of wizard to properly emulate her ancestor. In Eberron, magic is an important part of warfare, and while many Valenar may focus purely on sword and bow, that does not mean that there is no place for magic in their culture. In addition, remember that elves can live for 1,000 years; there are potentially living elves older than the kingdom of Galifar! As a result, elves are not going to lose a racial trait due to evolution over the course of a few centuries. If they never possessed that trait in the first place, you could argue that they wouldn't develop it; but as long as magic has always been in their blood, I don't see why they would lose it.
Looking at the elven traits, I'd certainly like to give the Valenar a bonus to Ride or Handle Animal, but frankly, I don't see what could be swapped out. The elven skill bonuses reflect the sharp senses of an elf, and that's certainly something a Valenar warrior should possess. The weapon familiarity is entirely appropriate (even if I might use the shortbow so it can be used mounted), especially with the idea of a tradition of martial wizards. And the other traits are purely biological.
Now, if you went with racial paragon levels, I could see Aereni and Valenar being quite different. But I think the base elf works fine for the Valenar -- again, I can see things I'd add, but nothing I'd take away.
Looking to halflings -- Climb, Jump, and Move Silently all strike me as being biological in nature, and appropriate to the hardy Talenta halflings. If you're going to be trying to tame a wild dinosaur, you'd want to be fearless (bonus to fear saves) and lucky (bonus to all saves). Thrown weapons are a part of Talentan culture. And a bonus to Listen makes sense for hunters. Again, I could see things to add, but all of the existing abilities make sense as well.
The speak with animals ability of the gnomes is most likely holdover from a time when they live in greater harmony with nature. On the other hand, it's an extremely useful ability for a culture with such a strong emphasis on espionage and intrigue -- "Hey, rat, whaddya hear?" A modification to Charisma or Intelligence might make sense with their culture, but raises major balance issues; and as it stands, they are no worse off on these fronts than humans.
But, again, I do see where you're coming from, and I certainly encourage you to change them for your campaign, and to post what you come up with!
Q Originally posted by kildaere007 is the 5sp a mile the "official" cost or is that a mistake?
A That does seem high. Let me discuss it with the rest of the design team.
I'm afraid I'm still deadline boy, so it's going to be a little while longer before I can answer questions.
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Q Originally posted by Buddha the DM What is the Magical Affinity feat in the Gnome Artificer starting package do?
A As others have guessed, this is a typo, and should be Magical Aptitude from the PHB.
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Q Originally posted by Mad Miso A. Goblinoids are a fallen race, bitter over the loss of their once mighty empire and culture.
A Pretty much. The Ghaal'dar are building a new nation from scratch, while the Dhakaani have clung to the traditions of the old empire and are now seeking to recreate it. There are also goblins living in most of the major cities of Khorvaire, who have adapted to human culture.
[b]B. ORCS are true savages, keeping mostly to themselves in their bleak swamps.[/b]
Many are, but there are civilizaed human/orc communities in the Shadow Marches. When human colonists came to the marches, some humans adopted orcish customs, and some orcs adopted human customs. House Tharashk is made up of humans, orcs, and half-orcs, and there are many civilized orcs in the city of Zarash'ak. Orcish tribes can also be found in the Demon Wastes, where they defend the passes of the Labyrinth, and in the Mror Holds, where they have long feuded with the Mror dwarves.
[b]C. Gnolls are heartless mercenaries who look after their own.[/b]
Pretty much right, concentrated in Droaam.
[b]D. Ogres aren't reknowned for their intellect, but make good use of their superior strength. I've noticed references to some sort of Hag-led coalition that prominantly features Ogres. Or something like that. Anyway, I'm guessing their theme is "lesser giants". Ogres are probably the biggest humanoid you'll see in large numbers, and that alone makes them stand out.[/b]
Ogres are most common in Droaam, but the hags have been selling their services through House Tharashk (and even before this practice began, a few ogres could be found in human civilization). The Daughters of Sora Kell have established an army of lesser giants as their personal enforcers, but there are also small ogre communities and places where ogres dominate lesser creatures. Even under the rule of the hags, Droaam is a fairly unstructrued place.
[b]E. Kobolds are.......cute and cuddly? Not sure on this one.[/b]
The most well known kobolds are the haka'jhar, who inhabit the Seawall Mountains east of Zilargo; they have had many conflicts with the gnomes in the past. There is also a significant kobold population in Q'barra.
[b]F. Lizardmen, I know I heard something about Lizardmen, but......well I'll see if I can find it.[/b]
On Khorvaire, lizardfolk are concentrated in Q'barra. A few subspecies of lizardfolk exist, notably the blackscales and poison shadows.
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Q Originally posted by Taigis Can a dragonshard be used as a PsiCrystal? Perhaps it might require a feat and create Psicrystal that might be like a high level familiar?
A It's an interesting idea, and one I've never though about. I'll consider it as soon as I have a spare moment. (of course, feel free to do something yourself in the meantime!)
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Q Originally posted by mahalajr Without giving away too many details I was wondering if you could tell us about any "official" Eberron heroes that will be featured in upcoming novels. Will there be an Eberron equivalent to Drizzt Do'Urden or Raistlin Majere, etc? Just curious. . .
A While it's not actually a scene from the novel, the characters in my Dragonshard intro are from the story. One of my goals is to focus on lower/midlevel characters. There are a lot of stories that can be told without shaking the foundations of the world. I want the characters to be folks you feel you could drop into your game without drawing the world away from your PCs. So the emphasis is on making them interesting as opposed to powerful (not that you can't be both, just where I'm coming from).
I can't say what you'll see in the other novels; I just know about the series I'm writing. But the lack of powerful NPC heroes is a defining element of the Eberron setting, and I wouldn't expect that to change abruptly. Indiana Jones is a tough and capable guy, but he's not a demigod (at least, I don't think he is); I'd like to see the characters of novels be people you could see as PCs in your games.
With all of that said, Raistlin didn't start out as a demigod -- I just wouldn't be in a hurry to take him all the way down his path.
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Q Originally posted by DreamingDark Does one suggest that the artist was making a statement about God (the Host in this case) being dead (in Dolurrh)? Or does one note that the two symbols are not QUITE identical, but seem closely related?
~Lee Moyer
A I should note that Lee is the artist (of the symbols in the CSB, if not the arcane astrologer who first labeled the planes in Eberron), and as this answer comes out of our many conversations, I've got nothing to add.
A I will try to get to more questions as soon as I have a moment -- I know there's a growing backlog. So hang in there, and I'll get to everything in time. I would like to address a question that's been asked elsewhere on this board and others, though: "What's with the bear weretouched master?"
First, I did not design the abilities for the weretouched master myself, so I cannot speak to this personally. But I can give my thoughts into why things are the way they are, and what I would do about it in my campaign.
The goal of the weretouched master is to allow a shifter to come closer to his lycanthropic heritage. As a result, the ability modifiers of the 5th-level alternate form feature are not balanced. They are not supposed to be balanced. This *is* the alternate form ability of the lycanthrope, and it exactly duplicates the modifiers found on page 178 of the 3.5 Monster Manual. A bear is stronger than a rat, and that's just how it is. If the bear was weaker or the rat was stronger, it would not be a fair representation of the lycanthrope -- which is what the class is all about.
However, saying "nature isn't balanced" isn't going to please folks who will say "but games should be." I like wererats, personally; obviously I don't want people to feel that they can't play a rat shifter without being screwed. I would not change the bear, but I might give the weaker animals a "Weretouched III" ability -- looking to the wereform and trying to find an additional minor ability that could be added to suppliment the lesser stats. For example, a wererat might gain darkvision (which all lycanthropes normally have) when shifted, gain the ability to spread filth fever with its bite, or gain Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. These are just off-the-head ideas; I have not sat down and really thought about balancing all of the shapes. And this is NOT something that should be considered to be errata; again, it serves its purpose of duplicating the existing stats of the lycanthropes, which is what the designer of the PrC was trying to do. But if you want to make a house rule, that's what I'd do.
As a side note, I'm not concerned with the power of the bear. Yes, that +16 strength is impressive. But to get alternate form, you need to be at least 10th level, putting you on a par with a druid being able wild shape (large) and or the power to cast a 5th level spell (or a 4th level spell, like polymorph). You can get a +16 str for a few rounds (remember, it's tied to shifting) -- your buddy the wizard can perform baleful polymorph, and the cleric can raise the dead. You've chosen a class with a moderate BAB, 2 skill points/level, and no spell progression to get that cool ability. But I'd like the other forms to get the same level of power.
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Q Originally posted by Lucifi My question is, where would Cauldron most likely be located within the Eberron setting?
A Hmm. I'll have to review the adventure path before I can answer this, sorry. I'd put this out as a general thread and see what other people think.
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Q Originally posted by Alathayn Do warforged have something like a brain, because I wondered wether a mindflayer could suck a forged.
A Given that warforged do have other problems to deal with as a result of their inorganic nature, I personally would say that a warforged does not have an organic brain that can be devoured by a mind flayer. But bear in mind, this is my opinion, not canon.
[b]Originally posted by Alathayn
With all those awakened trees, is there a place for treants? Oalian seems to replace the stereotype treant. So where would you place 'em? I'd say they belong to Thelanis or place them on Argonessen, what would you do?[/b]
First, Oalian is not really a treant. While he technically could move, I really don't see him doing it that often. Lammania, Thelanis, and the Twilight Desmesne of the Eldeen Reaches would all be places where I could see treants. I could also see treants in Aerenal, in other parts of the Eldeen Reaches, and possibly a few twisted treants in the Shadow Marches.
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Q Originally posted by EarthsShadow Hellcow, could you say how many warforge are now alive on the planet?
A I'm going to confer with the other designers, to make sure we agree on the number.
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Q Originally posted by jedi8187 This was asked(actually somthing similar) on another thread, but I thought it should be put here. How do Artificers interact with psionic items? Should we add UPD to their list? Should they get access psionic item creation feats(should there be requirement for them to get this, like wild talent)?
A While I am happy to allow dispel magic to effect powers and have that sort fo overlap, psionics and magic are not supposed to be identical in Eberron. Psionic abilities come from a different source. Therefore, I would not simply add psionic feats or UPD to an artificer. However, it would be a fairly simple matter to convert the class to create a psionic artificer, by shifting the feats to their psionic equivalents, shifting UMD to UPD, and shifting the benefits of augment weapon and armor to psionic special abilities. I would expect that you would find such a class in Sarlona, and it may be codified when Sarlona is explored in more detail.
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Q Originally posted by Ormus How did you first get into gaming?
A I always liked storytelling and fantasy. I got the D&D boxed set when I was in grade school, and while I didn't start running games until around 4th-5th grade, I enjoyed reading it all the same. I was probably 6 or 7 when I had my first miniatures -- which sadly, I had a tendancy to squash with a hammer when I was upset (it's sort of like flattening a penny -- you get these neat "shadows", but I wish I still had the figures).
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Q Originally posted by Selûnite In the requirements for the Heir of Siberys Prestige Class, it says that a person needs two skills with 15 ranks or more to qualify. Since this is not possible as a level 7 druid, I'm wondering if Maagrim should be a druid 12/heir of Siberys 3, or if the skill requirement for the HoS Prestige Class is listed as being too high?
A The Siberys class went through many changes during development, and when I wrote up Maagrim the requirements were lower. I'm hesitant to raise her spellcasting power that high; if necessary, I would be inclined to given her expert levels to make up the difference. But I've reported it to the Errata Police, and we'll see what they come up with.
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Q Originally posted by therazoreater Any chance of seeing a "Magic of Eberron" style book? Magic of Faerun was IMHO, the best FRCS sourcebook. Something along that format would be sweet.
A I don't know. Obviously, there are many different aspects of magic in Eberron waiting to be explored, from additional uses for elemental binding to spells and items developed for use in everyday life or for the war. I would imagine you'll see such a book sometime, but I couldn't tell you when.
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Q Originally posted by Steven Snyder It seems Warforged have a 'slot' designed for Xen'drik components... So did the designers of the warforged just put that slot in for the express purpose of the Xen'drik devices... Or is there a chance that the Warforged designs were based on Xen'drik designs and House Cannith just left that feature in there?
A Officially? The only person who could tell you would be Merrix d'Cannith, and he wouldn't. Unofficially? Yes, it seems very likely that the design of the warforged was based on a schema recovered from Xen'drik, and the docent slot was simply part fo the preexisting design.
[b]Originally posted by scaryfroman
What is the warforged' general opinion of other constructs (especially those similar to them, like the shield/psi guardians)[/b]
Warforged are individuals, so they have no blanket views on constructs. I would expect that the Lord of Blades would be sympathetic to any intelligent construct; I could even see him being sympathetic towards artifically created creatures of flesh, though this would definitely be a case by case situation.
With nonsentient constructs, it would definitely vary. I don't think most warforged would feel a kinship; it would be like you and a monkey. However, the LoB and his followers might believe that there was poetic justice to be had in freeing such a construct and turning it against its creators.
[b]Originally posted by Eldon Dragonsbane
Keith, I know that Warforged only heal half the hit point total from healing spells, so would that be true for the opposite, would they only take half damage from inflict spells?[/b]
As it stands, no. However, it's certainly a logical house rule.
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Q Originally posted by Mike Czaplinski Though I like the focus of the PrC,
did the marketing department come up with the name
'Extreme Explorer'? And did 'Extreme' have lots more E's in it
in the original draft......
A I'm afraid I can neither confirm or deny this at this time, but I would like the take this moment to dismiss the scandalous rumors about changeling brothels and the "XXXtreme XXXplorer" PrC...
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Q Originally posted by About Yea High Keith, you somehow completely mind-ripped my idea about changeling brothels, you fiend. I'm blaming E.S. Posthumus.
A Of course I ripped it from your mind. That's what doppelgangers do.
But actually, it was present all the way back in the 10-pager. If you've got an urban race of shapeshifters, it's not arcane science. ;)
[b]Originally posted by About Yea High
Aside: the fact that Lee Moyer chose DreamingDark as his screen name speaks volumes. Responsible for the Sovereign Host and the Dolurrh symbols. This one bears watching...[/b]
I couldn't agree more.
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Q Originally posted by jedi8187 What type of low level threats are present in the Mournlands?? I mean outside of the 'forged of course.
A One of the purposes of the Mournlands is to give you a place to put your favorite monsters -- to explain how bizarre and dangerous creatures can exist so close to civilized nations. So look through your MM and tell me -- what do you WANT to have in the Mournland?
With that said, you'll certainly see new ideas from us as time goes by. A living burning hands is a fairly low-level creature, for example. And hey, just wait for Shadows of the Last War.
As a side note, while this is unofficial, I would assume that living creatures that were produced by the Mourning (so most of the unusual monsters roaming the area) would be immune to the restricted healing effect of the Mournland; it's their natural environment, after all.
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Q Originally posted by Selûnite It just seems odd to me that the Gatekeepers would create intelligent evil animals to serve as guardians and companions.
A The key word here is "intelligent". Horrid animals aren't intelligent as such: they are animals. As a result, "neutral evil" basically means "inclined towards unnecessary acts of aggression". They were bred for war, and that is reflected by their vicious nature. If a horrid animal was awakened or otherwise became intelligent, it might have a change of personality. Violence is a part of nature, and the horrid animals were bred to embrace that.
But I'd say that the template should be "usually", not "always".
Q Originally posted by BenjaminBinder Taking a closer look at the rail system, it's rather unfair to make DM's figure out the price of a trip by milage.
A I'm planning on talking about travel in a future Dragonshards article, so perhaps I'll do this, BB.
[b]I've counted the number of stops on the lightning rail line, and there are only 28.[/b]
For what it's worth, this is not necessarily true. Villages and smaller communities are only displayed on the maps if they have particular importance (like Arcanix). It is reasonable to assume that there are villages, hamlets, and thorps scattered throughout the five nations, and probably a few villages are on the path of the lightning rail. However, since the point of this is basically "drop in a village as you need it", if you know prices between major stops you'll be able to take it from there.
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Q Originally posted by Honeycakes Amazing how someone managed to get a hidden camera into our house so fast!!! :D
A Honeycakes! Dear! What are you doing here? I was just... er... gathering information for the novel! That's the ticket...
The last round of questions are very good, but I am going to be traveling again for a long weekend and I have deadlines that have to be met before I go. I'll do what I can before I go, but it may not be as much as I'd like.
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Page 9.
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Q originally posted by Taigis Are the draconic names of ascended dragons listed in the Sorcerer's description on page 42 alternative names for either the Sovereign Host or the Dark Six?
A There are sorcerers who claim that the Sovereigns are ascended dragons, and yes, these are their names. However, this is an obscure arcane belief.
[b]If the months names and moons are connected, was the calendar any different when there was a thirteenth moon?[/b]
The current calendar was invented after the moon disappeared. The giants used a different calendar.
[b]Are Aberrant Dragonmarks and Mixed Dragonmarks the same thing? Or do they differ?[/b]
Aberrant and mixed are two terms for the same thing, tied to the fact that people believe that aberrant marks often appear when people from different houses mingle their blood. There was a third type of dragonmark that disappeared in the War of the Mark... but that's a mystery for another day.
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Q originally posted by Michael Tree Do the new feats that reduce the XP and gp costs of making magic items also apply to Infusions?
A No.
[b]When using Spell Storing Device, the XP cost is "Your caster level x the spell's level." Can an artificer choose to create one with a caster level lower than his own caster level? For example, could a 7th level artificer create an item with a caster level of 5 instead of 7, to save on XP?[/b]
Yes.
Can you use Power Surge on a Spell Storing Item? In addition, does the Wand Mastery feat apply to spell storing items?
No. A spell storing item is similar to a wand in that it is an item storing a spell, but it is not a wand.
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Q originally posted by Hanuman47 This may be a somewhat pedantic question, but I'm wondering about human settlement patterns in Khorvaire.
A They started in the Lhazaar region, then sailed around to settle the coasts instead of trying to cross the Ironroot Mountains, and thus bypassed the plains dwarves. They were better sailors than mountaineers. Later, humans sailed east from Sarlona to land in the Shadow Marches.
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Q originally posted by ham2anv Does a shifter with this feat heal in the Mournland when he stops shifting?
A I'm discussing this and other forms of healing with the other designers. I'll respond after I return from traveling.
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Q originally posted by Vos does the lightning rail still operate across the Mournland?
A No.
[b]which suggests that the Talenta plains and the eastern Karrnath line are cut off from the rest of the network. True?[/b]
Yes. It's all about the airships.
[b]In adventuring and equipment (p126) it's listed as 30 miles per hour, but in magic items it's listed as 25 miles per hour.[/b]
30 MPH.
the weretouched master's alternate form. It says "instead of using his normal shifting ability" does it still count as one of the uses of the shifting ability?
I'm confirming this with the people who designed the PrC, but I believe that aside from the bonuses, it is considered to be a normal use of shifting, with all of the advantages and limitations that carries.
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Q originally posted by AvonRekaes Can a character with levels in Heir of Siberys take Least, Lesser, and Greater Dragonmarks after taking levels in the PrC?
A No.
Can a player character with Craft Wondrous Items make Concuctor Stones?
Yes. I'll think about requirements.
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Q originally posted by Koriel Question: Is the 8 a typo? Should that be a 6? Normally, you add a d6 for spending an action point. Or does the extreme explorer get a d8 instead?
A As has been noted, Action Boost gives the EE 1d8 for checks.
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Q originally posted by kildaere007 The book says that for 10gp a day you basically rent a vault for an "item" 10 lbs or less that can then be accessed and retrieved by arcane means from any other Kundarak banking center. How soon can the item be accessed?
A As soon as it is actually placed in the vault. So the limitation is how busy the Kundarak staff are in both locations. Most likely you could pay an additional fee for expedited service. Yes, this is a crafty villain trick. I'm going to discuss the rest of your questions with the other members of the design team before giving an answer. I would say, however, that you can't pass a bag of holding through.
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Q originally posted by barak on page 151, the last Adventure idea suggests a Battle of Corry Pass. Did I miss this somewhere?
A No, there were many battles. Hopefully you'll see more details on some of the major battles in the future.
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Q originally posted by Egris Are 'forged like robots, with part?
Can a 'forged artificer infuse itself, or at least a part of itself?
i.e. A 'forged artificier who wants to infuse his arms with bull's strenght, or one of his fingers with some ray spell.
A Infusions can be placed directly on a warforged. I might allow a warforged artificer to hold a single charge from a spell-storing item, but that's definitely a judgment call. Warforged are not a mass of components like a robot; they are more like golems, being a animated mass of magical materials.
[b] I was wondering if an artificer could still use his abilities in other planes/planets.[/b]
I'd allow it, unless you were saying that a wizard or sorcerer couldn't use his magic.
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Q originally posted by GoodTremere Is there a listing of upcoming books for Eberron?I know there's a book on Sharn, a couple adventures, and something about the Warforged (which I am very excited about). Anything else?
A There are other books in the works, but I can't say anything until WotC does.
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Q originally posted by Sereno Are there places were warforged gather to drink various intoxicating (to them) substances?
A As warforged can benefit from ingested magic, it is possible that alchemical substances could be designed to affect them, though many warforged would fail to see the purpose to this. With that said, Sharn does include a social establishment catering to the warforged - part tavern, part repair shop.
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Q originally posted by Iam_Who_Iam_FTW How am I to visualize my character or NPCs if I don't what the people from one nation to another look like?
A Good question. WotC does plan to address this in the long term. In the short term, I'll see about working it into a Dragonshards article.
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Q originally posted by BenjaminBinder This seems like a rather simple question, but is there coffee in Eberron? If so, where does it grow? It would be an interesting addition to the world if someone discovered coffee beans in, say, Xen'drik.
A At the moment coffee is not something we've placed in the world. Discovering an exotic substance in Xen'drik is certainly in the flavor of the game, and I'd say run with it as suits your campaign!
[b] It would be nice if there were some kind of pronunciation guide for all the major people and place names in Eberron.[/b]
I'll see what I can do.
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Q originally posted by Khordedar Hopefully you will attending GenCon, will you? If so, I would be extremely honored to have you autograph my copy of Eberron... will this be possible?
A Yes and yes.
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Q originally posted by Ashrem Bayle What happened to the feat that reduced a character's arcane spellcasting failure whan wearing armor?
A It vanished mysteriously. It's magic!
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Q originally posted by WizoParadox I'm reading the entry on Changeling, and notice the list of "Sample Names". One of them is my nickname here, "Dox"! Did you/they pick that up from my nickname here?
A Of course! Actually, it was James who came up with the name list, so you'll have to ask him. But go ahead and tell everyone we did.
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Q originally posted by Barrad Maddof Are centaurs found in Eberron? And if so, where? (Sorry they're my favorite race).
A Sure. I could see centaurs in the Eldeen Reaches and Valenar, personally. Though you could have some disturbing half-fiend centaurs in the Demon Wastes...
[b]Are half-celestials found in Eberron? I know half-dragons are exceedingly rare (for good reason), but do the angels or archons ever mingle with the folks on the material plane?[/b]
Half-fiends are more common, most notably in the Demon Wastes - though these are typical the result of mingling with native fiends as opposed to outsiders. Half-celestials are certainly possible, just rare. The eladrin of Thelanis would be one of the best bets, given the relative ease of reaching Thelanis compared to many of the other planes.
[b]World a cleric with no deity view the "spiritual remnants of the Dragon Above" as something to be worshipped in itself?[/b]
A cleric could choose to worship Siberys.
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Q originally posted by Von Ether Call me silly, but I wonder why there aren't more "shortcuts" such as the north end of Lake Cyre or between Vadykar and Vulyar.
A Many rail lines were damaged or sabotaged during the War; in addition, the lines are fairly expensive to produce. It's not just a matter of pig iron and wood.
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Q originally posted by deganawida At a cursory glance, it appears that all of the NPCs for the Eberron Campaign Setting were generated using 25 point point-buy.
A Most NPCs use the elite array or standard array. A 28 point-buy for PCs is probably a good way to go, but I don't have any problem with the 4d6 method.
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Q originally posted by Mad Miso 1. How are monastaries organized? Are most monastaries more or less alike, or is there a large variety of orders?
A Different orders. A Silver Flame monastery will be very different than a monastery dedicated to the Mockery.
Are most Monks taken in as children? Do Monastaries have a tradition of taking in older members with any frequency? I know that in our world, veteran soldiers often retired to monastaries in an attempt to find peace after suffering through the horrors of war. Is there a parallel in Eberron?
Both are appropriate.
[b]What is the status of Monks in society? Are they considered a variety of Priest?[/b]
Generally, yes. Remember that many priests in Eberron are adepts, so the idea of a priest without divine magic is not a strange thing.
Do they peform any service for society at large, or do they remain cloistered?
This depends on the order and the religion. In the Silver Flame, the monastic orders are part of the Templars. The monks of the Mockery consider the infliction of pain to be part of their sacred duties, while the monks of Dol Dorn seek to attain martial perfection. But some monks do remain cloistered, using martial arts as a way of enforcing discipline on the flesh.
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Q originally posted by eigch Was the future release of the D&D massively multiplayer online game taken into consideration during the creation of eberron?
A No, it wasn't. DDO is working off of Eberron, as opposed to the other way around.
[b]My favorite is Boroman ir'Dayne, leader of the wayfinders. [/b]
Glad you like him!
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Q originally posted by darkthought Okay, here's my question about the Deathless. How often do they leave the elven island, if at all?
A It would be extremely unusual to see an undying councilor outside of Aerenal. Undying soldiers might accompany an extremely important elf, but it would still be rare; if you had a cohort, I'd go that route.
[b]I'm assuming that the Undying Court frowns upon it's clerics from turning other dead elves (or anybody for that matter) into undying. [/b]
Yes. The baboon is not actually a deathless baboon as such - long story there.
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Q originally posted by Ormus I would really appreciate your opinion on my post regarding the Aereni and their Deathless.
A I can certainly imagine a spell to reconstitute the body of a slain elf - resurrection without the bringing back to life element. If you want to make use of incorporeal deathless, go for it. However, bringing back a spirit from Xen'drik would be a major challenge. And don't assume that this would result in union between the Aereni and the Valenar. The Valenar admire the martial energy of their ancestors; they feel that the Undying Court is too passive, and that the elves should be recreating the past instead of merely reflecting on it. Further, the Valenar feel that they *are* guided by the essence of their ancestors, through their process of emulation; if the Aereni actually reincorporated those spirits, the Valenar might see this as a blasphemous form of spiritual theft.
(FYI: Multiple Valenar can share the same ancestral patron, since there are more Valenar than ancestors.)
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Q originally posted by Steven Snyder Since Warforged need not stop for eating or sleeping, it seems like a Warforged artisian could work non-stop until a project is complete.
A I'm going to leave this one to the officials at WotC to decide. If you want to allow your warforged to work 24 hours a day, go for it. They don't tire and don't need to sleep; the issue is whether they need some time for mental refreshment.
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Q originally posted by deganawida So, here is what I hope is a simple question: Will the Drow fill the typical role of DnD boogeyman, or will they have a unique role and culture, with the possibility of having no particular alignment leanings (similar to how humans and halflings have no particular leanings)? I'm curious, because I want my group to make it to Xen'drik and encounter Drow, and it would be nice if there are friendly ("Good") tribes and unfriendly (evil-leaning) tribes in the Eberron canon
A Johnny's got this about right. Drow have a unique culture and do not have an alignment as a race. Many do revere Khyber or the Shadow, but others do not. However, they are generally unfriendly towards outsiders seen as invading their lands.
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Q originally posted by Honeycakes Can you pick up bread and milk at the store today?
A You got it, Honeycakes!
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Q Originally posted by JohnnyONeal Yeah, that was it. No matter who you are, you can't spend more than 8 hours a day crafting magic items. The wording of the rules is pretty specific. Though I'm pretty sure that as long as magic isn't involved, the warforged can work 'round the clock.
A Right -- the magic crafting *has* been specified by the powers that be. But personally, I agree: if magic isn't involved, I'd let the warforged work all day and all night.
And Buffetassassin, the stacking for those feats is a mistake that will be removed in errata.
And now I'm really done for the day...
Q Originally posted by Aremedis How does a Scarab, golembane affect a Warforged who has taken the Admantine Body feat? (what exactly is the difference between an contruct, and a golem)
A The difference between a construct and a golem is the difference between a humanoid and a human. A golem is a specific type of construct. What defines a golem as compared to a shield guardian or warforged? Good question; it could be the soul in the case of the warforged soldiers, the elelments of Xen'drik construction in the warforged and warforged titans, or what have you. But the scarab specifically says "golems", not "constructs", so I would say it has no effect on warforged.
[b]Would it make sense that during the War scarabs of 'forged bane, were created?[/b]
Certainly -- especially if you expect to be dealing with warforged titans.
If you wanted to change the scarab to "construct bane" insteand of "golem bane", you certainly could, but that would be an increase in value.
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Q Originally posted by Omni_gamer Since the creation forges have been destroyed, If I were the warforged, I'd be pretty ticked that every race can reproduce and multiply, but my race has to fade away into eventual disuse. I'd be mad enough to start a civil war. What stops them from revolting?
A a) Many of them do not think of themselves in the context of members of the warforged race. They are a young race and have only a handful have begun to question what it means to be alive, and what it means to have a future.
b) They are vastly outnumbered by the core races. In addition, they do not have a national identity. A warforged built for Karrnath needs to determine: do I have any loyalty to this nation? Or is my loyalty to the other warforged? What does it mean to be warforged?
b) Remember that when the creation forges existed, they were not under warforged control and were not being used for the benefit of the warforged. Again, for most warforged, the situation is no different than it was; only the philosophers are looking that far ahead.
c) Speaking of the philosophers, there's the Lord of Blades. This is exactly what the LoBster is doing: Gathering the warforged, encouraging them to develop their racial identity, finding ways to strike against their creators.
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Q Originally posted by Fiendish Dire Weasel I was under the impression that the remaining Creation Forges (even the Lord of Blades') were not common knowledge.
A Correct.
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Q Originally posted by scaryfroman My question is: How much experience would young Valenar elves have in fighting the Karrnathi undead?
A Lots! The Valenar were originally employed by Cyre to fight Karrnath (and Breland to fight Cyre, but that's another story). And the Valenar are still fighting Karrnath on the Talenta Plains. It's a very appropriate choice.
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Q Originally posted by DreamingDark If I were an impressionable child who'd seen my parent's murdered by Karrnathi fighters, I'd be
a) horrified
b) carrying a grudge
c) be really concerned that the dead (including my friends and family who'd been slain!) stay dead.
d) The Aerenal elves would creep me out completely
A This is an excellent idea for a character story, but I'd be more inclined to use it for a Cyran or a Talenta halfling than a Valenar elf. As a Valenar, I would say that it would be more likely that you'd have encountered undead in the field than actually raiding your home. Cyre and the Talenta Plains are between Karrnath and Valenar, and that's a long distance for a Karrnathi strike force to travel... and since the average Valenar ranger begins at 130 years of age, you're unlikely to have encountered Karrn undead at an early enough age to completely override your cultural traditions. Carry a grudge, absolutely -- I could see the elf enlisting with the Aereni Deathsguard, serving as a bridge between the cultures. I could see him being determined to embody the essence of one of his own parents, instead of his ancient ancestor. But unless he was cut off from Valenar society after the attack, I don't think he'd end up being massively undead-phobic.
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Q Originally posted by JohnnyONeal Okay, one question for Keith: Who is Dol Azur? I think it's the Mockery!
A You'll have to find his eye to find out!
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Q Originally posted by deganawida Do Eldeen Rangers know Druidic? I would think so, since they are part of the Druidic hierachy, but I would appreciate some official clearing up of the matter.
A No. Druidic is one of the mysteries you learn when you become a full druid. It's not just a convenient tactical tool – it's a sacred language. If a ranger takes levels in druid, he has undertaken the study of these mysteries and been fully initiated into the order, and thus learns druidic. Otherwise he shares the beliefs of the sect, but does not know the deepest secrets.
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Q Originally posted by Firelance There is one thing I am curious about : is it just a coincidence that the syllable "ber" is in the name of all the three great progenitor dragons (Siberys, Eberron, Khyber), or does it actually mean something in Draconic?
A It's not a coincidence.
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Q Originally posted by Alathayn Allright, in the discriptions of the Lords of Dust, it often says "a cabal of rakshasa and other fiend". So what other fiends are meant by that?
A Needless to say, we may introduce other types of native fiends, like the Zakya. But this is mainly a justification for you, the DM, to add your favorite fiends into the mix. Love mariliths? Perhaps one has, for whatever reason you decide, been banished from Shavarath and taken up with the Lords of Dust. Basically, if you're a fiend on Eberron, the Lords of Dust will be willing to take you in.
And that's it for today, I'm afraid!
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Q Originally posted by arcady So given that will the Drow be done as a different subrace, or just a culture of elves?
A Hmm, quick answer: I really would call the drow a separate race. Note that page 224 refers to "elves and drow", not "elves". They developed on the same continent, but unlike the Aereni and the Valenar, they were never members of the same culture. It's entirely possible that the unusual traits of the Drow were actually the result of mystical experimentation on the part of the giants -- though that's a secret lost in the mists of time.
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Page 12.
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Q Originally posted by Kniyht A warforged ranger reaches 3rd Leve and gains Endurance as a free feat. What good is Endurance? Guess the homebrew answer would be talk to your DM and see if he'll sub something else to reflect your changing nature but I would like an official answer on this subject.
A Well, first off, anything I say on these boards is NOT official. To be official, it has to be approved by WotC development. If you see it on the website (IE, the Dragonshards articles), in a Paizo magazine, or in a sourcebook, it's official. If I'm posting on these boards, it's my opinion.
As to the warforged: A warforged does not breathe, sleep, eat, drink, or become fatigued. However, it can suffer nonlethal damage from environmental factors or exertion… though this goes away if the warforged attains construct perfection. Personally – and this is only personally – I'd probably be willing to grant a warforged ranger a level of Mithral Fluidity on top of Endurance, since Mithral Fluidity is not it self the most powerful feat and the warforged does not receive most of the benefits of Endurance; however, I'd leave Endurance in place, since the Warforged may want it to become Diehard.
If the warforged doesn't have a mithral body, oh well!
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Q Originally posted by AesophDarkfable I'll be playing an Artificer in a couple weeks starting at 1st. The question I have is under the Artificer it says that no infusions allow saving throws... but higher level infusions such as Blade barrier, disable construct, and the inflict spells have a save as well... how does this mesh?
A This is a very good question, and I've passed it on to the other developers so I can actually get an official answer for you.
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Q Originally posted by Geethree Do firearms have a place in Eberron? And if not, I'd be curious to know if you struggled with the issue. After all, the world of Eberron is fairly modern by our standards.
A I don't like using firearms in Eberron. Iron Kingdoms does a fine job of merging gunpowder and magic – it's not what we were trying to do. Eternal wands give you some of the feeling of muskets, though with many differences. The point in Eberron was to have a society where magic had been used to accomplish some of the things we did with technology – that the culture simply evolved in a different direction. People didn't bother developing gunpowder because they already knew a magical formula for producing flame and weren't looking for a technological source of explosives.
[b]I was thinking that the warforged were Eberron's "guns." We make guns because we need a powerful weapon. Warforged were made for a similar reason. Is this analogy appropriate?[/b]
Somewhat. Tied to the above answer, the goal was to incorporate magic into the things we do with technology: communication, transportation, warfare. The warforged were one application of magic in warfare, as were eternal wands, elemental-bound weapons, etc.
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Q Originally posted by Takasi Do drow have dragonmarks? Do shadow elves have dragonmarks?
A No and no. There may be a connection between the Mark of Shadow and the shadow elves, but if so it's not in the form of dragonmarks.
[b]Are shadow elves from the Plane of Shadow? What can you tell us about them?[/b]
Nothing! NDAs, don't you know.
[b]If a dragonmarked couple left the prime material plane and had children in another plane could the child still have a dragonmark appear even if he never went back to the prime material plane?[/b]
This is a very theoretical question, so don't take my answer as cannon. I would say that as long as the planes are the planes of the Eberron setting, yes. If somehow the character traveled to an entirely different cosmology, I'd be inclined to say no.
[b]If a common race left Eberron thousands of years before dragonmarks began to appear is it possible for them to also receive dragonmarks? Did any humans in Sarlona develop dragonmarks? If so the Inspired probably murdered them, but did they develop at all to begin with?[/b]
At the moment, dragonmarks are bound to specific families and are passed down by blood. Aberrant marks are generally believed to be the result of mixed blood in the lineage, though this can be hard to track, and it's possible they are appearing spontaneously. There are only 13 pure dragonmarks. Thus by the cosmology, you couldn't have a new culture appear with an unknown dragonmark of pure quality (though aberrant dragonmarks would be possible).
[b]Did any humans in Sarlona develop dragonmarks?[/b]
No. Sages theorize that this might be connected to the sparse dragonshard deposits of Sarlona, but this is merely conjecture.
[b]What is the connection between dragonmarks and Siberys and Khyber? Briefly, is there any effect on magic or dragonmarks in Khyber or Siberys? Can you describe Siberys a bit? What type of dragons or civilizations might live up there, if any?[/b]
Going to Khyber has no effect on Dragonmarks. The nature of Siberys is a mystery: no one has successfully explored it and returned to tell the tale, although there are stories of experimental airships that vanished on Siberys expeditions. As for the connection between the marks and the realms, it's also a mystery. Living creatures are said to be the Children of Eberron. Some say that the thirteen marks were gifts of Eberron; Khyber twisted these to create aberrant marks (as a result, many people have a superstitious distrust of people with aberrant marks), while those touched by Siberys receive the marks of the greatest power.
[b]Is there any effect on dragonmarked abilities on any plane? Are they enhanced or impeded as spells are?[/b]
I'd treat them as spells for this purpose, but don't take it as gospel.
[b]Why is there no plane with enhanced evil spells / impeded good spells when there is a plane with enhanced good spells / impeded evil spells (Syrania)?[/b]
No one said the universe was spiritually balanced. Perhaps this means there's more evil to go around on Eberron…
[b]Being able to cast True Creation just once for no xp is broken, let alone doing it every day for the rest of your life."[/b]
I agree. I believe the fact that spell-like abilities don't have XP costs was overlooked; I would make the person pay the XP cost to use the ability. Again, that's my opinion, but I'll point it out to the others.
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Q Originally posted by Hanuman47 In the CSB it says that most Siberys shards are found in Xen'drik… But the map shows the equator cutting across only a very tiny portion of a jutting northern peninsula. The only way to reconcile this is to assume:
A) The map is in error; the equator is in a different spot
B) There is some kind of bizarre and geosynchronous tilt to the ring.
C) Some force in Xen'drik attracts the shards.
A C.
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Q Originally posted by Delusionist What are the target numbers for a character using the Use Magic Device skill to emulate some of the requirements for items in the campaign setting?
A You can't use UMD to emulate a feat, dragonmarks are feats, thus you can't use UMD to bypass a dragonmark requirement.
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Q Originally posted by Skaven How could I go about adding extra arms to my warforged? would it be a component? Or something I would have to have at generation?
A It's a big issue, and something we considered previously but ultimately dropped. In fact, an earlier version of the Lord of Blades had two additional arms, both with armblades. It's possible it will be addressed officially in the future. I'd probably make it a component in order to add a significant cost to the ability, and then require a feat (similar to Multiattack or Exotic Weapon Proficiency) to use the additional limb effectively.
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Q Originally posted by Docstout How extensive will the use of metaplot be in Eberron? Will there be any clues to what mysteries will be revealed by the authors of future adventures/sourcebooks and which will be left to the creativity of individual DMs?
A This is up to WotC, as others have suggested. I don't think you'll see an official answer to the mystery of the Mournland. Choose a mystery and I can give you odds on an answer appearing.
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Q Originally posted by Blizzard_Bobsan My question - do you have any idea when we might expect an official errata, or at least, a pre-errata here on the forums?
A Nope. I'll ask around. I'd like to see it myself.
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Q Originally posted by Chrys One: Does a 'Forged have to appear like the ones in the art? I know Hellcow has said that they have body types to match there class; so do would it be reasonable to have a Psionic (soul knife in this case) body plating to be made out a crystal insted of steel?
A Up to your DM. I'd allow it. The idea is that they were mass produced, so they have a similar appearance; but you could be an experimental model.
[b]Second: not know how forged are made ( like I said don't have the book yet) Could one be 'made' have a female form ( again this would just be a cosmetic change ?[/b]
I'd allow it, but I would want to know why it was done. Again, warforged were mass-produced and designed to be deadly as opposed to decorative. Redesigning to a smaller, feminine form while maintaining the strength of the massive standard form would require time and effort. So why would they do it? What function would it serve? Was this going to be a mass-produced model or was it a specially commissioned job? Again, if I were the DM and the player had a good story, I'd be willing to let it pass – but don't expect to see a diverse range of cosmetic designs in official products. There are a few "female" warforged, but that's a matter of voice and personality as opposed to appearance.
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Q Originally posted by Adrinidad Do the holy symbols of the various religions have specific names? e.g. Christianity - crucifix
A Yes. Let me come back to this one when I have more time.
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Q Originally posted by Dirk_Nightbreese A question on trade during the Last War,..specifically; did the Mhror Holds trade ore with Breland anytime during the war, as they do now?
A Yes. There were periods when Breland and Cyre were at peace; during these times, ore would be shipped via lightning rail and Orien caravan. At other times, it was shipped via airship or the shipping trade via the Lhazaar Principalities.
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Q Originally posted by Joni-San
1)Do you have a bush hedge for a fence?
2)Do you have a stone paved path to your house?
3)Do have a Blue (or was it striped?) or other dark-ish color carpet near the front door?
A TWS answered your artifact questions, but as for these… I'm afraid it's a no on all counts. We do have a wooden cow on our porch, though.
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Q Originally posted by FenixZero 1) Can you make an item with multiple and different types of Dragonshards in the creation of Magic items?
A I'd imagine so. The question is what the purpose of the item would be. Khyber shards bind spirits. Eberron shards bind and amplify arcane energies. And Siberys shards bind and amplify the energy of dragonmarks. So what is the item that uses more that one?
[b]2) Can Dragonshards be melted down and alloyed with other substances like Riedran Crysteel? And what about after attunment or enchantment?[/b]
I'll have to consider this further.
[b]3) (Isn't Eberron specific) But can an elemental get the half-celestial template? I mean mechanically, because the template says living, corporeal creature. An elemental is corporeal but what about living?[/b]
It seems a little odd to me, since I don't think of elementals as breeding in the normal manner. On the other hand, I could see an elemental infused with celestial energy, so why not?
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Q Originally posted by The_Fan Does a Warforged Juggernaught's bonus to breaking down doors apply to similar feats of brute force? In particular, knocking down a wall or pushing over a wall of iron.
A I'd say yes.
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Q Originally posted by AmnesianHero planetouched races in or out!?
A In, but rare. There just isn't much traffic between the planes. On the other hand, if you want them to be more common, make 'em more common.
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Q Originally posted by Wren Would you be able to apply the Living Spell template to a Mass Cure spell?
A As others have guessed, no, as it's a targeted spell instead of an area spell.
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Q Originally posted by kildaere007 The planes of Dolurrh and Lamannia are the only 2 planes with out a corresponding language for it's denizens. I assume that since Dolurrh is the realm of the dead that it doesn't really need a language (as the dead would speak as they had in life?), but what about Lamannia? There are a lot of animal creatures inhabiting the plane, but there are also a fair number of creatures that could speak.....what language do they speak?
A Lamannia doesn't have a single common tongue. Auran, Aquan, Terran, and Sylvan are all used there.
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Q Originally posted by Galen_Michael Infusions are neither arcane nor divine magic. Are they subject to arcane spell failure from wearing armor and such?
A Nope.
Q Originally posted by nobody_of_consequence As you are probably aware, some people on this board seem to feel that Eberron CS short-changed them in the map department. I was wondering if you could comment as to whether this was a deliberate design decision (and if so, whether to provide more freedom to DMs or to flesh out in supplements further down the line), or an oversight.
A I couldn't tell you. My involvement was as a writer; that level of layout/content decision was in other hands, and I don't even know who would have made the decision.
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Q Originally posted by Azazyll Well, I posted it elsewhere on these boards (and at ENWorld), but since Keith is answering questions here, I'll ask here:
A Actually, I answered this at ENWorld yesterday (message 186 in the Ask Keith thread), but no reason not to cross-post. I'm glad you're enjoying the setting!
[b]So, I have a player who wants to play a lycanthrope. This is of course still permissable under "the same, but different" concept, but the background makes it really hard for werebeasts to move around, what with the Church of the Silver Flame killing every lycanthrope they can get there hands on.[/b]
True, though at this point they generally think they've done it. She'd need to be careful, and sure, they'd come after her if they realized her true nature, but the actual inquisition is over.
[b]So my player wants to masquerade as a anomalous Shifter and conceal her true nature from the other characters at first. Usually, this would just be a disguise check, but I can't really see that applying in this case. The only time she really needs to fool people is while in hybrid form (she obviously can't turn into animal form, that's going to stretch beyond credibility). [/b]
Well, assuming an animal form isn't hard to believe if she's a druid. And don't forget, as long as she *IS* a shifter (shifters don't look like humans in their natural forms), she just has to pretend to be a weretouched master.
[b]So, what mechanic would you use the conceal the lycanthrope's transformation as a Shifter's shift?[/b]
As far as I'm concerned, the alternate form ability of the weretouched master looks exactly like a normal lycanthropic transformation. So you have a few issues to bear in mind:
* Does she have the full lycanthropic resistance to injury? Shifters get very minor DR, if any.
* How long does she maintain a shift? If she's a druid, she can get away with animal form as if it was wild shape (though DR may again give her away); otherwise, a weretouched master can't hold a shift for more than a minute or two.
* Can she spread the curse? If she ever does, she may be exposed by those she transforms -- and this will certainly provoke a response from Church Templars.
* I wouldn't require any check when the shift occurred; I'd require the Bluff check when she tells people "Really, I'm just a druid/weretouched master, it's an aspect of my being so in tune with the forces of nature."
Again, if she is a shifter, she can dodge a lot of base suspicion because shifters *do* shift. However, a human who happens to be a lycanthrope will not physically resemble a shifter while in human form, so that's your issue.
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Q Originally posted by brayabbitt And one question: is there a timeframe that you expect the first Eberron novel to be released?
A Early in 2005.
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Q Originally posted by Aremedis Second, We know that you will be attending GenCon, but in what capacity? Will you be hosting/attending any seminars? What about running an Eberron game?
I know I'll be talking on some sort of panel/seminar, but I'm not sure what. From what I've gathered, I may be running demos, but I don't think I'll be running any of the scheduled games – so probably the thing to do is to stop by the WotC area and see if there's a schedule around.
[b]also, Do you have any information that you can tell us about how the Living Eberron game will work?[/b]
At the moment, no.
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Q Originally posted by Greywanderer 1. What kind of items can an artificer use their Infusions on? Can they pick up a rock or a stick and say it's an item? That lacks flavor. If not, does it have to be manufactured? What if they use an existing magic item?
A The requirement that the artificer infuse an object is intended as color as opposed to being a serious restriction. If you want to make it somewhat more restrictive, you could require the artificer to follow the Body Slot Affinities given on page 288 of the DMG; in this case, he can cast bull's strength on a belt, but not on a rock.
[b]2. The same questions for the Spell Storing Item spell.[/b]
If you wanted, you could apply body slot affinities here as well. I don't, but if an artificer wants to turn a completely mundane item into a SSI, I usually require some indication. For example, I would allow a stone as an SSI – but I'd make her carve a rune on the stone either before infusing it or as part of the infusion.
[b]3. Is Spell Storing Item a spell, or an Infusion? It looks like a spell, but Artificers can't cast spells, correct?[/b]
It is an infusion.
[b]4. When an Artificer creates a Magic Item, does he still have to roll his Use Magic Device check for an item he made? If so, would he get a bonus for that specific item (only) since he made it?[/b]
Yes, and no.
[b]5. Artificers are always going to be searching for new Infusions; does that mean they cannot create new ones themselves - or can they do it as a Mage does creating new spells.[/b]
As it stands, no process has been established allowing an artificer to simply create new infusions. Finding a "new" infusion generally means turning up a secret from a past civilization, such as Xen'drik. If you chose to allow it, I'd make it more difficult than a wizard's research; it's not supposed to be a common occurance. Infusions are already very flexible, and the artificer already has the advantage of being able to cast any infusion on the list at any time. The artificer can always create a magic item that reproduces a new spell;
Again, if they can create them themselves, they loose flavor and the desire to adventure, yet it shouldn't be impossible. Just extremly difficult. What limits would you suggest?
I'd make it a matter of months of research, Spellcraft checks, and possibly just raw Intelligence checks; we're talking about strokes of insight and genius as opposed to something every artificer expects to accomplish. Making a handful of new infusions would be the work of a lifetime. But that's just my opinion – you can always do things differently, and WotC may make it easier. Again, though, remember that an artificer is a spontaneous caster with access to his entire infusion list – letting him add additional infusions is a powerful effect.
Now, a side issue is whether the artificer could create new arcane *spells* that he cannot cast, but can place within magic items. Can he create an evocation spell and then make a wand that produces it? I'd be more inclined to allow this, and have it follow the same rules as wizards making new spells.
6. Building on that, for flavor reasons, Artificers should not gain access to certain (probably combat) type spells. What schools/types/specific spells would you suggest should NEVER be Infusions?
There aren't a lot of spells that do make sense as infusions, frankly. Infusions either deal directly with items (rusting grasp), existing spell effects (globe of invulnerability) or enhance the power of a character wearing an item (primarily mimicking transmutation effects). knock would make a good infusion, as it deals with objects and spell effects – but adding knock to an artificer's infusion list is a powerful thing, since he doesn't have to devote a permanent spell slot (as a sorcerer) or daily slot (as a wizard) to a spell that is only useful under certain circumstances. Given the flexibility of Spell Storing Item, I'd be more inclined to say let the artificer use SSI if you want to duplicate existing spell effects; if you want to add new infusions, come up with entirely new ideas that follow the pattern of existing infusions.
7. When an item (still need details on what counts as an item - is there a minimum cost perhaps) is 'Infused' must it be used immediately, or can it hold a charge for a time (like a battery)? Future rules perhaps?
Immediately. When you cast bull's strength on a belt, the belt simply becomes a temporary belt of giant strength. You don't have to activate it, and you can't save the charge. The exception to this is spell storing item, which holds the charge until you release it or until its duration expires.
[b]8. Can an item hold more than one Infusion at a tme? If so, how many? One per level perhaps?[/b]
At the moment, there are no restrictions, just as you could cast bull's strength and cat's grace on the same person. However, an object can only hold one charge of spell storing item
[b]9. Maybe Artificers can craft items specifically to hold specific infusions - that might allow them to hold a charge for a time. Perhaps multiple charges (like a wand). Any thoughts?[/b]
Sounds like spell storing item to me. If you want to make a new infusion, perhaps you should consider a higher-level version of SSI that holds multiple charges – but I'd be very careful with such a thing for balance purposes, since each charge would be the equivalent of another character using a spell slot.
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SPOILER ALERT: If you are a player and aren't reading Chapter 7 of the sourcebook, you should skip this post.
Q Originally posted by Kryptonian Scion Is Kaius of Karrnath a normal vampire, or does he benefit from greater abilities (perhaps the WotC website "Master Vampire" template)? I am curious how his kingdom reacts, if they even notice, to him only making appearances at night.
A As noted on page 178, Kaius makes use of various magic items and enhancements to conceal his true nature. He has received some aid in this from his new Queen; while the Aereni despise negative undead, they were masters of necromancy long before human culture was born, and oils and charms from the Madwood help him control his thirst. While he avoids direct sunlight, he can remain active during the day, and has a charm that provides him with an illusory shadow. This is a start, but it gives you an idea of the forces at his disposal.
[b]For that matter, does he feed on his citizens?[/b]
He has a "harem" of people who willingly give blood so that he can survive. This is a common tradition within the Blood of Vol; remember that the average member of the Blood of Vol is loyal to the ideas of the sect, and knows nothing of Vol herself. Kaius' donors see him as a champion of life, and know nothing of the conflict between Kaius and Vol.
[b]Originally posted by Pseudopod
what is the likelihood that there will be some sort of official resolution to the Blood of Vol/King Kaius dispute?[/b]
Very little, as this would involve major changes in Karrnath. If you want to explore this, there's a lot of intriguing adventure to be had. And I could see official material that plays on the tension. But I would be very surprised if WotC simply resolved it one way or the other, at least for years to come.
[b]And why is Kaius lawful evil anyway? He doesn't seem very evil, and his wife is chaotic good, so... [/b]
Alignment isn't black and white. An evil person and a good person can find common ground. Kaius' wife is going against the traditions of her people (showing her chaotic nature), and she believes that her actions will be for the greater good; she believes in Kaius, and she wants to help him with her struggle. At the same time, as a person of good alignment, there are limits to what she is comfortable with. She would avoid torture, murder, things like that. Kaius is devoted to his nation and is determined to rebuild Karrnath and drive out the influence of Vol, which can be seen as a noble goal: but he is utterly ruthless and will do absolutely anything to accomplish his goals. After all, don't forget that Kaius III was his own grandson – and where is young Kaius now? Kaius I was probably good once, and he may return to being good again – but at the moment, he is a driven man who will sacrifice anything for Karrnath.
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Q Originally posted by araelethe I'd like to know if my concept of the lightning rail seems appropriate for the setting.
A Nice write up! In my mind's eye, LR coaches are a little less chromed, but that doesn't stop Slinger from being an especially stylized carriage.
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Q Originally posted by Ezekiel Keith: If elementals couldn't breed, how would Genasi exist?
A Didn't mom ever tell you about the birds and the genies? ;)
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Q Originally posted by Drss People of the Silver Flames hunts evil. Would Tieflings be considered monsters thus hunted, or are they treated more like the shifters? How "open" are people in Eberron towards tieflings and elemental genasi?
A Evil is judged by its actions and consequences, not by "does it register on detect evil". And most people are used to unusual creatures; there are harpy messengers and ogre laborers in Sharn. A tiefling would receive an Unfriendly attitude in Thrane, and a templar might keep an extra close watch on the character, looking for an excuse to call down the wrath of the Flame; but the tiefling would not be attacked by mere virtue of its existence.
The point with the lycanthropes is that the Church declared lycanthropy itself to be an evil that needed to be excised. Evil outsiders are always on the hit list. But at the moment, tieflings are simply oddities. If a group of tieflings started causing serious trouble, it's quite possible the Church would declare war on all tieflings: they're always willing to sacrifice a few innocents in the cause of the greater good. But at the moment, they just aren't that common. To the degree that they're found on Eberron, they'd most likely appear in the Demon Wastes.
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Q Originally posted by Bocklin 1) If a Warforged took the Adamantine Body Feat, is it ok to treat its Slam attack as adamantine for purpose of overcoming damage reduction?
A I wouldn't, personally. The Adamantine Body is very deceptive in its current name & description. Really, it implies a more heavily armored construction with some elements of adamantine-infused material, but I have never seen it as plates of solid adamantine attached to the exterior of the body. So I don't feel that it would be significant enough to add this – get an adamantine battlefist.
[b]2) If a Warforged let his body be enchanted to improve its AC (as per the corresponding paragraph on the warforged in the "Races" chapter), does the enchantment extends to its slam attack?[/b]
Nope.
3) If not, is it possible to enchant the slam attack separately? (I know it is a natural attack, but I am not sure how this works...)
I'd allow it; I'd allow this same enchantment to apply to a monk's unarmed attacks. But that's my off-the-top-of-my-head ruling, not an official WotC statement. I suspect this will be addressed officially at some point when we delve into more detail about the warforged.
4) Can the damage roll from its Slam Attack be improved with the "Improved Natural Attack" Feat? (I guess it is a yes, but I want to make sure)
I don't see why not.
[b]Originally posted by Scaryfroman
what type are warforged?[/b]
Construct (living construct).
[b]If that is the case, then for the purposes of favored enemy, and bane/slaying weapons, would a subtype have to be chosen for construct (as it would were it humanoid)[/b]
No, construct will suffice.
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Q Originally posted by Takasi Keith, can you give us some details on dragonmarks that appear on mountains and caves as indicated on page 130 (The Draconic Prophecy)?
A Hmm. This is a complicated subject that I really don't have the time to address right now. I'll try to do a Dragonshards article on the Prophecy in the future. To answer briefly, the terrestrial marks are not the same as the thirteen marks that have appeared on living creatures, but they are similar in design; the marks may hold magical power, and may simply provide information to those who have been watching and collating the Prophecy.
[b]I don't understand the link between the cosmology and dragonmarks. Can you expand on this? When you say cosmology do you mean the moons or the metaverse or the stars? What is the relationship between the dragonmarks and the planes? Is there a direct mark per plane connection? If so which dragonmarks correspond with which planes?[/b]
When I say cosmology, I mean the moons, the planes, the dragons, the legends. Many of the scholars of the Twelve have posited a link between the moons, the planes, and the 13 dragonmarks. It is commonly accepted that as there are 13 planes and 13 moons, there will only be 13 pure dragonmarks. One odd question is whether, if Vol was destroyed – finally removing the last bearer of the Mark of Death from existence – a new mark would appear to take its place. The ties between the moons and marks are provided on page 130, though this is a matter of continual debate. .
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Q Originally posted by LordofIllusions I would like to know if it is possible to use the 3.0 Psionics Handbook with the EBCS rather than the Expanded Psionics Handbook ? As of right now my player that is interested in Psionics HAS the 3.0 version(Of the Psionics handbook.) and will not be getting the v.3.5 version anytime soon.
A It sounds like the thing to do is to download the new psionics SRD. However, I imagine that you could use 3.0 psionics if you wanted.
[b]Do Kalashtar characters use the Eberron character sheets that are on the Eberron homepage or the Psionics v.3.5 sheets ?[/b]
Whichever works best for you!
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Q Originally posted by St23aM somone spoke of meta plot earlier, does liquids RTS game reveal any of this meta plot? The following link seems to give some of this away. http://pc.ign.com/articles/511/511293p2.html
A Not really. The RTS is set in Xen'drik, and thus out of the way of your main adventure. If you want to pull the ideas presented in the RTS into your game, you could certainly do some interesting things with it -- but it's not going to force dramatic changes across Eberron itself.