D&D Launches New Eberron-Themed Playtest With Dragonmarked Feats

The D&D design team has launched a new Unearthed Arcana playtest focused on the upcoming Eberron: Forge of the Artificer book, featuring Dragonmarked feats and a new Artificer subclass. The new packet contains rules for a Cartographer subclass for the Artificer, along with a handful of new magic item options and over 25 Dragonmarked feats. The Artificer base class rules also received a few tweaks to some of its features, with an eye towards more general versatility.

The other big feature is the new Dragonmarked feats, most of which are considered either Dragonmarked Feats or General Feats. The Dragonmarked Feats are specifically limited to Eberron campaigns and allow only one Dragonmark per character (thus preventing Warlocks from accumulating Dragonmarks). The General Feats are Greater Marks and specifically upgrade existing Dragonmarks as a requirement. It's interesting that D&D is keeping with campaign setting specific feats and feat trees, as both of these design traits were found in the Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen book.

You can check out the full playtest on D&D Beyond.

 

[mellored]

The Cartographer confuses me. I'm not sure what it's supposed to do. It's got mobility, but no additional weapon skills to use with it. Only if it's supposed to be using cantrips, it's got no extra damage bumps like Alchemist and Artillerist. Instead it mostly seems to be about group buffs? Which I suppose is a niche, but it seems an odd fit for the subclass theme.

It is about group buffs. That's what a cartographer does IRL. Makes stuff to help other people.

Cast free Fairy Fire, teleport away from opportunity attacks, and shoot a +1 crossbow with Truestrike and advantage. Healing Word when an ally goes down even in the fog.

 

[Yaarel]

I find the dragonmark flavor consistent and the emphasis more interesting. It isnt that a mark 'belongs' to a particular species, its that it 'belongs' to a particular family. And when it shows up outside the family, it can be an upset for the family or an opportunity.

 

[mellored]

Being well-oriented and aware?

Well, it kind of sort of makes sense with the free Fairy Fire and otherwise being a support caster. If you squint.

Again, not really going to complain too hard about it.

 

[Distracted DM]

Dragonmark feats, this is new: "(Prerequisite: Eberron Campaign)". The options for the Eberron setting are officially locked into the Eberron setting. In other words, as if, one cannot have a dragonmarked character in Forgotten Realms. One typically wouldnt, but it is odd to make a point about it. Meanwhile, the Spelljammer setting would have characters that intermingle various settings.

Possibly the thinking is, the flavor of the feats is highly dependent on the specific cultures in Eberron. Thus to remove the option from the setting would neutralize its intended flavor.

Still, all around odd.

I like it- set everything up separately, if the GM wants to allow multiples or mix things into their own setting cool, but (IMO) the default shouldn't be a smorgasbord kitchen sink like DnDB allows. I'd rather OK things for players, rather than taking things away from them.

 

[Yaarel]

I like it- set everything up separately, if the GM wants to allow multiples or mix things into their own setting cool, but (IMO) the default shouldn't be a smorgasbord kitchen sink like DnDB allows. I'd rather OK things for players, rather than taking things away from them.

Maybe not every option in a setting needs to lock into the setting. But the 'cultural feats' kinda do.

 

[Parmandur]

The dragonmark feats are trash. They need a species prerequisites

They didn't in 4E, probably never will again.

"pay walling" some of the abilities behind taking a spellcasting class is bad design I hate to see carried over.

From what Crawford laid down during the big UAs over the past couple years, bonus Spell lists are pretty minimal boosts and mostly for flavor. Take them away, and these are still complete Origin Feats in power.

 

[mellored]

There is no "4th level" prerequisite for the feats.

So I do expect they are background feats.

 

[Remathilis]

There is no "4th level" prerequisite for the feats.

So I do expect they are background feats.

Exactly.

Dragonmarks. Also included are a collection of feats that provide a new way to join the dragonmarked houses of Eberron. These feats allow characters of any species to take and improve their Dragonmarks. Backgrounds representing a character’s connection will be included with these feats in a future book if they become official, but in the meantime a character who takes the House Agent background can choose a Dragonmarked feat, and any character can choose one of these feats when their class normally allows a feat choice.

 

[mellored]

They said they where background feats in the video.

 

[Parmandur]

I kind of hope there are Construct-specific Origin Feats and some Warforged Backgrounds. Given how unique their story is and the cool Level 1 Feats they had in 3.5...