D&D 5E Running Eberron in 5E

[Astrosicebear]

I wasn't satisfied with that initial pass at Warforged, and in addition at that time dwarves also had a +1 to AC that has since been removed, raising the question of balance. It's a viable placeholder, but I'm still considering other possibilities.

I'm voting for +1 Con and +1 to any other ability score. Feat at first. Base AC 13 (modifiable through feat based upgrades). No need to eat/sleep/breathe. 1/2 healing from cure spells.

 

[Wrathamon]

I agree that backgrounds aren't really the way to go for Dragonmarks. My preferred way to handle them mechanically is actually with sub races or racial variants. Both the Drow and the Tiefling provide solid mechanical examples of racial features that involve magical abilities that grow with level. Reskinning the Magic Initiate feat works reasonably well (and is how I would probably handle Aberrant Dragonmarks), but variant racial features is definitely how I would handle True Dragonmarks.

DING DING DING DING

we have a winner!

 

[Wrathamon]

I'm voting for +1 Con and +1 to any other ability score. Feat at first. Base AC 13 (modifiable through feat based upgrades). No need to eat/sleep/breathe. 1/2 healing from cure spells.

Why a feat?


I think the Base AC 13 is interesting and probably the way to go. AC bonus is problematic and this fits the theme and their is precedence for this with other mechanics not being bonuses but changing the AC (like mage armor or the monks unarmored mechanic). Great suggestion.

Not a fan of the 1/2 healing from cure. I didnt care for it during 3rd. If they are alive why wouldnt they benefit? They would need significant benefit to offset that for balance if the Theme is they are hard to heal with traditional magic and they need a repair spell.

They dont make Death saves might be enough

+2 Con +1 to any other ability ( I like this as they could be built for different purposes)
Base AC is increased to 13 (then have feats to augment this or magic items they can attune with to increase this)
Docent slot: A Warforged can have one more attuned magical item then normal, as long as that item is a docent.

living construct traits
trance from elves
immunity to disease
do not need to eat or drink and a war forged gets advantage on the Constitution Saving throw to avoid exhaustion.
Warforged are immune to Suffocating, but are still affected by gases or other effects transmitted through the air or breathing.
They do not make a death save when reduced below 1 hp. They are automatically stabilized.
They receive only half the normal hps from healing magic, but spells that can mend or repair can be used to heal as if they were a cure wounds spell for full healing.

 

[MarkB]

Not a fan of the 1/2 healing from cure. I didnt care for it during 3rd. If they are alive why wouldnt they benefit? They would need significant benefit to offset that for balance if the Theme is they are hard to heal with traditional magic and they need a repair spell.

Maybe something could be done with Hit Dice to represent some degree of self-repair ability. Just as a for-instance, a warforged can recover one expended hit die during a short rest, to a maximum of one-quarter of his total hit dice per day (this stacks with normal hit die recovery).

 

[Mercule]

A simpler alternative might be to grant all PCs in the campaign a bonus feat at 1st level. I'm not sure how much that would mess with the balance of the game.

I would like to see the Dragonmarks being less class-specific in their utility than they were in 4e.

I think the bonus 1st level feat is the way to go. 3E Eberron had action points, so there's a history of a unique perk for Eberron games. As far as what to do if the group isn't playing with feats... handle it as per standard: Don't say it's a feat, state that all PCs get an additional +2 stat advancement at first level that can be swapped for a lesser Dragonmark or any other equivalent. Include the Dragonmark progression as feats, but state that those specific feats aren't optional in Eberron, but the others are. Done.

If you don't like the free-wheeling stat advancement at 1st level, then port-forward action points. A 1st level PC gets either a Dragonmark or an action point pool. The pool contains one point (feats or level advancement could optionally modify) that is replenished every long rest. Action points work pretty much like Inspiration, except they aren't under the DM's control. There's probably some balance to be done there: refill per short rest, 2-3 points per long, etc. but the idea is simple enough. If you don't mind feats, the make Heroic Actor a feat that grants the above.

With skills and tools being much less class-specific in 5e than previous editions, I actually think that the 4e "I'm just better at stuff" mechanic (which I disliked for 4e) finally shows some real promise. You could even do stuff like Lesser Dragonmark of Healing "Treat Cure Wounds as though it appears on your class spell list. If Cure Wounds already appears on your class list or you cannot cast spells, you gain the ability to cast Cure Wounds once per long rest without using a spell slot. Cast this way, Cure Wounds is considered as the highest level slot available to a multi-class caster of your level." I'd prefer more "double your proficiency bonus" type things, when possible, but that would certainly work (and feels balanced).

I don't like the idea of using backgrounds. Doing that means that you can't be a Cannith scholar (or criminal, for that matter). It's no longer a background -- it's a subrace. There could be house-specific backgrounds, though.

Actually, I don't really like any option that locks you into the Dragonmarked or not at first level. Most of the Marked IMC have been late-bloomers. Even if that's not the standard, it should be handled by the mechanics. That pretty much leaves feats or "prestige" classes, which I'm not real excited to introduce into 5e.

 

[Astrosicebear]

Why a feat?

I think a feat granted at first level reflects the inherent programming, or design purpose of the creature. They were built for a reason.. not just to be the same as every other warforged... so this should be reflected in something they can innately do out of the gate. I think a feat accomplishes this.

Not a fan of the 1/2 healing from cure. I didnt care for it during 3rd. If they are alive why wouldnt they benefit? They would need significant benefit to offset that for balance if the Theme is they are hard to heal with traditional magic and they need a repair spell.

I didnt like it either, but I thought it was good balance for a pretty strong race. I think it also differentiates them enough to be different. The Warforged own Hit Dice would still heal them normally, as would class abilities that heal (that arent spell effects).

They dont make Death saves might be enough

I like this, but also dont... robots/living constructs can bleed out and die just as easily... but it is a common concept for them to auto-stabilize... instead of automatic stabilization, what about they require 5 failed saves to die?

+2 Con +1 to any other ability ( I like this as they could be built for different purposes)

I've always liked the different depictions of stealthy warforged and caster style warforged... reminds me alot of their uniqueness.

Docent slot: A Warforged can have one more attuned magical item then normal, as long as that item is a docent.

Neat idea.

 

[Andor]

I don't like the idea of using backgrounds. Doing that means that you can't be a Cannith scholar (or criminal, for that matter). It's no longer a background -- it's a subrace. There could be house-specific backgrounds, though.

Backgrounds are inherently flexible though. If you want a Cannith criminal swap the skills and proficiencies for the criminals skills and proficiencies.

The idea of a sub-race seems bizzare to me. How is a House Tharashk Half-orc different from any other half orc? Does he lose his savagry? His darkvision? What does he trade for his mark? What about his human half-brother? Does he trade in stat points? By default that's the only thing he has to give up. For humans having the mark makes you weaker/clumsier/frailer/stupider/dimmer/softer than other humans? Do elves give up their keen eyesight or do they start needing to sleep?

Stripping away a tool proficiency or two, or a background perk seems much less intrusive than robbing mark bearers of racial traits as a way to pay for either the Mark or House membership (not the same thing afterall.)

Of course whatever works at your table is fine for you, but I'm curious to see how that could be implemented smoothly.

 

[Wrathamon]

I think Hit dice and the Death save are good places to expand on

Warforged from 3e basically didnt bleed out (that system you lost 1 hp every round till you hit -10 and warforged didnt. they just stayed - basically auto stabilized) but I think giving them the chance to is interesting and makes sense, They do have "blood-like" fluid.
Instead of having more death save slots maybe they stabilize on 1 success instead of 3 or they have advantage on death saves.

as for the healing 1/2 thing.

I can see a warforged feat (or racial feature that they get at higher levels like drow) were they get self repair and get extra Hit dice for "repairs" to help offset the 1/2 healing on cure magic.

Actually, that is a good question. How much lore wise is the 1/2 healing important to defining a warforged in the world? I know in the novels this was mentioned, but was that mentioned because of the mechanic. Basically, in developing warforged was the the limited healing first an idea from the story of the warforged or did it come from the play balance side? If it is that integral to the race then we can figure out a way to keep it and limit its negative impact, if its not that important (4e got rid of it) then I dont see why to keep it. I rather just give them another way to "repair" heal themselves to represent their construct nature.

 

[Astrosicebear]

I think Hit dice and the Death save are good places to expand on


I can see a warforged feat (or racial feature that they get at higher levels like drow) were they get self repair and get extra Hit dice for "repairs" to help offset the 1/2 healing on cure magic.

Actually, that is a good question. How much lore wise is the 1/2 healing important to defining a warforged in the world? I know in the novels this was mentioned, but was that mentioned because of the mechanic. Basically, in developing warforged was the the limited healing first an idea from the story of the warforged or did it come from the play balance side? If it is that integral to the race then we can figure out a way to keep it and limit its negative impact, if its not that important (4e got rid of it) then I dont see why to keep it. I rather just give them another way to "repair" heal themselves to represent their construct nature.

I think I remember there being a feat in 3.5 where Warforged could receive full healing, but had to give up their natural armor bonus.

I think the 1/2 healing reinforces the construct part of their heritage. Without it, they're just humans in armor suits.

 

[Astrosicebear]

The idea of a sub-race seems bizzare to me. How is a House Tharashk Half-orc different from any other half orc?

This.

Especially when subraces are involved... so you cant be a mountain dwarf if you are a Cannith? Backgrounds are the logical and mechanical option for House membership in addition to a normal background. So in Eberron House Membership Background should be a bonus background anyone can take. Just like joining the Harpers or Lord's Alliance.