Renfield!! Get me my soapbox!

[Robbert Raets]

I'm sorry if this comes off as an unnecessary rant, but all the 'let's jump on the bash Eberron bandwagon' posts I've been seeing in the past hour are getting to me.
The Eberron Campaign setting is one of the best and well-balanced books Wizards has brought in years.

In my opinion, the three core rulebooks are not unlike a toolkit. Screwdrivers, electric drill, number of hammers, the works (what you build your imaginary world with).
Continuing with that analogy, I must then deem the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer a extra set of screwdrivers of irregular sizes (to fine-tune your view of the 'default' campaign world).
In comparison, the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and it's supplements are a number of tools with the instruction 'use this, that & that from your regular toolkit, but substitute these new & better tools, which have prettier colours, too (new/expanded rules (aka 'crunch') and flavour/fluff, respectively).
The Expanded Psionics Handbook, then, is a set of extra batteries & wierd-shaped power drill components, along with some nonstandard screwdrivers (alternate 'magic' rules & ideas).
The point I am now coming to, is thus that Eberron is a sentient toolbox with a really cool custom paint job that helps you pick out the right tool for the job. It gives you options, more than it gives you rules (more screwdrivers/components) or statistics ('a size 4 wrench is recommended/used by experts').

I hope that wasn't too confusing....

 

[TracerBullet42]

I'm sorry if this comes off as an unnecessary rant, but all the 'let's jump on the bash Eberron bandwagon' posts I've been seeing in the past hour are getting to me.
The Eberron Campaign setting is one of the best and well-balanced books Wizards has brought in years.

In my opinion, the three core rulebooks are not unlike a toolkit. Screwdrivers, electric drill, number of hammers, the works (what you build your imaginary world with).
Continuing with that analogy, I must then deem the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer a extra set of screwdrivers of irregular sizes (to fine-tune your view of the 'default' campaign world).
In comparison, the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and it's supplements are a number of tools with the instruction 'use this, that & that from your regular toolkit, but substitute these new & better tools, which have prettier colours, too (new/expanded rules (aka 'crunch') and flavour/fluff, respectively).
The Expanded Psionics Handbook, then, is a set of extra batteries & wierd-shaped power drill components, along with some nonstandard screwdrivers (alternate 'magic' rules & ideas).
The point I am now coming to, is thus that Eberron is a sentient toolbox with a really cool custom paint job that helps you pick out the right tool for the job. It gives you options, more than it gives you rules (more screwdrivers/components) or statistics ('a size 4 wrench is recommended/used by experts').

I hope that wasn't too confusing....

You're right...I could use some new tools.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I agree and I was one of those that had concerns (warforged vs rust monster). It is a very good setting and WotC and Keith should be praised for it.

What I find funny is that everything that has been said was the same things said about Forgotten Realms when it first came out.

 

[Knight Otu]

Wow, you really like making home improvents, or am I mistaken?

Even without having the book yet, I know that Eberron won't be something for everybody. I'm sure I'll like it from what I've seen, but to some, a city like Sharn, even though it is unique, will be far too modern. The Lightning Rail has traditionally been the target of much hatred. Dinosaurs being mentioned makes it far too Lost World for some.
Many of these issues I can understand, but I don't share them. What did bug me were posts that had no basis. Dinosaurs are no major focus of Eberron. It did not violate "rules" of the setting search. That sort of thing. Thankfully, these sorts of posts have mostly died down. I don't see a bandwagon of "Let's bash Eberron." I do see several posts of "I don't like Eberron, and here's why." That's a good thing.

To use your analogy, Eberron is a sentient toolbox alright, but it's advise may not sit well with some people. And that cool custom paint job is an eyesore to some people. And the screwdrivers don't fit the screws they want to use.

 

[Robbert Raets]

No, I'm not very good with tools, but it makes for a good comparison

To use your analogy, Eberron is a sentient toolbox alright, but it's advise may not sit well with some people. And that cool custom paint job is an eyesore to some people. And the screwdrivers don't fit the screws they want to use.

I tip my hat to you, sir. You make an excellent point.

Eberron is not for everyone, and certainly it isn't the want-all, end-all campaign setting for D&D (just like D&D isn't the want-all end-all RPG). But that doesn't make it a bad or boring book, like some of the 'bashers' I mentioned say. I don't see why a lack of new arm-twisting rules innovations would make it useless.

 

[tarchon]

What I find funny is that everything that has been said was the same things said about Forgotten Realms when it first came out.

Well, yeah, but I still don't like Forgotten Realms.

 

[Angcuru]

Well, I personally don't like any setting unless absolutely everything is fully explained in terms of:
What is it?
How did it get there?
What got it there?
What does it do/not do?

But then, I'm a detail whore and if there are dinosaurs and humans existing within the same ecology, constructs with souls(?), and suchlike, then I won't give it a second thought. Call it a flaw. But ask yourself this. Were it not for the contest, would this setting have been published?

 

[BryonD]

I'm sorry if this comes off as an unnecessary rant, but all the 'let's jump on the bash Eberron bandwagon' posts I've been seeing in the past hour are getting to me.

Now, I haven't been reading religiously for the specific past hour.
But there must be a lot to be said for the eye of the beholder.
Because to my POV there has been a steady stream of Eberron is the end-all be-all posts.

No big deal because that happens with just about every **NEW THING** and then it dies down.

So I'm not complaining or slamming the praise at all. Just noting suprise that the opposite is being complained about.

Oh, and if expression of dissenting opinions makes you mad, I would recommend quickly cutting off all contact with Homo Sapiens. I find canines to be fairly agreeable.

 

[Greylock]

I hate to be contrary, but I missed the threads you are refering to. What I've seen is pretty darned positive. The book looks cool, the art is interesting, the setting is well-thought out, it's balanced and aren't them WarForged nifty. That's my take over-all. It would be nice if Eberron were of some use to me, I'd really love to buy it, but I'm just a player in a homebrew world. The same could be said of every CS out there. The only one I've invested in yet is FR, but I still after two years haven't had a chance to play it.

Eberron seems all right. I will probably pick it up sometime if the books keep a'coming, if for no other reason than literary value. Just like I did with FR.

 

[Olive]

But then, I'm a detail whore and if there are dinosaurs and humans existing within the same ecology, constructs with souls(?), and suchlike, then I won't give it a second thought. Call it a flaw. But ask yourself this. Were it not for the contest, would this setting have been published?

From what people are saying about it, yes it would have been.

but on a more important note, your objection seems a bit wierd to me. You say you're concerned with details, but then say carte blanche that you don't like dinos and humans together, constructs with souls etc, as if liking dtails, and not liking those things are connected somehow.

Surely you need to know the details before you can judge if those things are justified or not?