D&D 5E Eberron popularity in 5E

doctorhook · Dec 6, 2015

I'm a big fan of Eberron, but I really like 5E. However, I've been running my group in FR for the sake of convenience, though I'd certainly prefer to play in Eberron.

Recently there's been some discussion about what settings people are playing in 5E. WotC indicated that most people are playing FR, which is why their products are being set there. While I'm sure FR is probably the most popular setting overall, I suspect Eberron's popularity is hindered by the fact that some of the most iconic features of Eberron aren't currently possible in 5E.

Some of the iconic mechanical elements of Eberron:

Warforged, kalashtar, shifters, or changelings as PC races;
An artificer class with artificer magic;
Psionics;
Dragonmarks;
Action points.

While I understand some settings can rely on re-skinning existing mechanics, most of the things listed above have nothing similar to be based upon in 5E. In theory, sure, you could set a campaign in Eberron without these elements, but Eberron without warforged, dragonmarks, artificers, nor psionics? It might as well be any generic setting (albeit with a cool history) at this point.

So, to reiterate: Eberron is apparently not very popular in 5E. Is that surprising given that most of Eberron's coolest features don't exist in 5E yet?

jayoungr · Dec 6, 2015

They have done at least preliminary work toward making Eberron possible in 5E, suggesting that it's on the radar even if not at the top of the priority list. I assume you've seen last February's Unearthed Arcana article. I believe the consensus was that it needed more work, though.

Shasarak · Dec 6, 2015

doctorhook said:
So, to reiterate: Eberron is apparently not very popular in 5E. Is that surprising given that most of Eberron's coolest features don't exist in 5E yet?

I think that Eberron is popular but just not popular enough.

doctorhook · Dec 6, 2015

jayoungr said:
They have done at least preliminary work toward making Eberron possible in 5E, suggesting that it's on the radar even if not at the top of the priority list. I assume you've seen last February's Unearthed Arcana article. I believe the consensus was that it needed more work, though.

Yeah, I did read that. It was underwhelming, to be charitable. I even said so when they surveyed about it. Would be nice to know what they've done with that in the time since.

doctorhook · Dec 6, 2015

Shasarak said:
I think that Eberron is popular but just not popular enough.

Not popular enough to justify the limited resources they have that being entirely devoted to FR, sure. My point is that it isn't going to get more popular if it remains unplayable in the current edition.

Shasarak · Dec 6, 2015

doctorhook said:
Not popular enough to justify the limited resources they have that being entirely devoted to FR, sure. My point is that it isn't going to get more popular if it remains unplayable in the current edition.

Some people seem to believe that sitting on your IP increases its popularity or that having a 3e or 4e source book is all that you need to translate your own version of 5e Eberron.

I can not see how it would work myself.

Rabbitbait · Dec 6, 2015

I'm playing an Eberron game at the moment. None of the players had taken on a race or class that were Ebberon, but one has a dragonmark. We worked out a homebrew dragon mark (as the UA version was awful) based on House Deneith and the characters background and motivation.

It works well for our game, but is too specific to that character to be something that could be a dragonmark 'template'.

NPC's and monsters are easier as balance doesn't matter so much with them. Just reskin another creature and give them a special ability.

As for action points, I'm Ok without them. Inspiration works fine for me.

Remathilis · Dec 6, 2015

doctorhook said:
So, to reiterate: Eberron is apparently not very popular in 5E. Is that surprising given that most of Eberron's coolest features don't exist in 5E yet?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Eberron has an odd, polarizing feature to it. You love it or you hate it; depending on your view on the magi-tech concept. If you are able to accept its fantastical, magical nature, its amazing. If you prefer a more grounded; Tolkienesque view of fantasy, its abhorrent. Ergo, I feel it lingers in an odd spot Realms doesn't; the SCAG will be bought by people who who play Realms as well as people wanting options for their homebrews, Greyhawk, Eberron, or Dragonlance games. An Eberron Adv Guide however, will sell to people who play Eberron or want some of the more fantastical elements in their homebrew, but will be ignored by Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, and the vast majority of "traditional fantasy" gamers.

It puts WotC in a catch-22: material that doesn't have cross-world usability will sell less, but many of those worlds with unique features are crippled without them. The things that make Eberron, Ravenloft, Dark Sun, or Dragonlance beloved is their unique elements you can't find in Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms, but right now there is no profitable* way of delivering us that content.

* Well, I still maintain a single tome that covers the "best" of D&D's worlds would sell great. Let it be one part primer, one part crunch conversion of core elements, and a dollop of "where to find more info" with each of the following worlds getting a chapter: Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Ravenloft, Eberron, Planescape, and a small chapter on "other worlds" which touches briefly on Birthright, Mystara, or other "smaller" settings.

doctorhook · Dec 6, 2015

Rabbitbait said:
I'm playing an Eberron game at the moment. None of the players had taken on a race or class that were Ebberon, but one has a dragonmark. We worked out a homebrew dragon mark (as the UA version was awful) based on House Deneith and the characters background and motivation.

It works well for our game, but is too specific to that character to be something that could be a dragonmark 'template'.

You've an interesting perspective on this, because you're one of the ones currently playing Eberron 5E. Seems like we're on the same page though: you're only able to do it by avoiding Eberron-specific mechanics or by homebrewing. Dragonmarks are pretty complex, and I don't blame you at all for only making an "only-what-we-need-now" solution to that problem.

Rabbitbait said:
NPC's and monsters are easier as balance doesn't matter so much with them. Just reskin another creature and give them a special ability.

As for action points, I'm Ok without them. Inspiration works fine for me.

Fair on both counts.

Remathilis said:
Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Eberron has an odd, polarizing feature to it. You love it or you hate it; depending on your view on the magi-tech concept. If you are able to accept its fantastical, magical nature, its amazing. If you prefer a more grounded; Tolkienesque view of fantasy, its abhorrent. Ergo, I feel it lingers in an odd spot Realms doesn't; the SCAG will be bought by people who who play Realms as well as people wanting options for their homebrews, Greyhawk, Eberron, or Dragonlance games. An Eberron Adv Guide however, will sell to people who play Eberron or want some of the more fantastical elements in their homebrew, but will be ignored by Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, and the vast majority of "traditional fantasy" gamers.

It puts WotC in a catch-22: material that doesn't have cross-world usability will sell less, but many of those worlds with unique features are crippled without them. The things that make Eberron, Ravenloft, Dark Sun, or Dragonlance beloved is their unique elements you can't find in Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms, but right now there is no profitable* way of delivering us that content.

* Well, I still maintain a single tome that covers the "best" of D&D's worlds would sell great. Let it be one part primer, one part crunch conversion of core elements, and a dollop of "where to find more info" with each of the following worlds getting a chapter: Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Ravenloft, Eberron, Planescape, and a small chapter on "other worlds" which touches briefly on Birthright, Mystara, or other "smaller" settings.

I think your assessment is pretty reasonable, but it's so pessimistic. I guess I don't want to believe that Eberron is too different to ever see some quality support.

Honestly, I know SCAG isn't very popular (for some good reasons), but I could be satisfied by an Eberron product of that size. I don't need any new Eberron fluff, but I'd still buy it if it had a decent 5E treatment of the Eberron races, the artificer, dragonmarks, and Eberron magic items like bound-elemental and dragonshard stuff. (It doesn't need psionics in it, and psionics deserves it own treatment anyway.) I could even be satisfied with this product if it was digital only. Right now, it definitely feels like Eberron is starving to death...

ad_hoc · Dec 6, 2015

Remathilis said:
* Well, I still maintain a single tome that covers the "best" of D&D's worlds would sell great. Let it be one part primer, one part crunch conversion of core elements, and a dollop of "where to find more info" with each of the following worlds getting a chapter: Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Ravenloft, Eberron, Planescape, and a small chapter on "other worlds" which touches briefly on Birthright, Mystara, or other "smaller" settings.

I would like to see a 256pg book primarily covering Eberron, Planescape, Dark Sun, & Ravenloft with some notes on the others.

The outrage would be there, but then probably mostly from people who are outraged by everything that is released.

It would be great for anyone who likes any of the settings but more importantly for people wanting a bit of the flavour of the different settings in their game who might not buy a book that is just 1 setting.

D&D 5E Eberron popularity in 5E

doctorhook

Legend

jayoungr

Legend

Shasarak

Banned

doctorhook

Legend

doctorhook

Legend

Shasarak

Banned

Rabbitbait

Adventurer

Remathilis

Legend

doctorhook

Legend

ad_hoc

(they/them)

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