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.

 

[Yaarel]

House Cannith is the manufacturing dragonmarked house, although they most likely would not actually make firearms that shoot bullets (as others have said.) They made their money during the Last Wars creating cheap wands that standing armies would use instead (considering they had much less change of breaking and much longer ranges.)

If House Cannith was to get into the firearms game, they probably would make a deal with some of the Dhakaani goblinoids to begin working together on it. Although if you read the article Keith Baker posted that I linked to above, the goblinoid Kech Hashraac group of Dhakaani goblins would probably go into business for themselves and keep their secretive ways secret.

From the article, it seems Baker is taking a multi pronged approach to integrating into Eberron the musket and pistol from the Players Handbook.

• Breland crossbow military culture imports Zilargo elemental magic (Fire damage, not Piercing)
• Goblin Kech Hashraac mundane guns (with high tech DMs Guide upgrades)
• Archfey Forge Maiden fashioning unique and magical works of art

The Eberron Goblins dont seem to integrate the Fey descriptor yet. But this comment, "lacked the evocation techniques", suggests the Goblins might be very magical ... but definitely not elemental magic, whence the ancients specialized in strictly mundane firearms.

The magic of the Wandslingers continues to remain technologically competitive with the new "brass dragon" muskets.

Re Breland. I like the idea that the gunpowerder "ash" is produced via elemental magic, in order to be safe and stable, and requires magic to ignite.

 

[Yaarel]

I also find myself amused at the idea that everyone sees Goblins and Hobgoblins woth guns and just assumes they are Fey magic, while the Goblins keep trying to explain scientific principles and being dismissed as inscrutable Fey Folk.

Thats kinda awesome.

 

[mellored]

The valor bard does basically all that on a 9 level caster chassis and hands out bardic inspiration.

Bards are also support, yes.

But they can't teleport every turn. Or use bardic inspiration though walls.

Though you may have missed the fact that the Cartographer can give out maps to the Bard and Rogue, and then the bard can then use Bardic Inspiration though walls, and the rogue still gets +1d4 to initiative while your sleeping.

While also giving the rogue boots of the winding path, a bag of holding, and a Dagger that casts haste 10 times a day.

And if the rogue dies, you teleport them back to the tavern.


.... kinda want to make a Cartographer NPC that just buffs you and stays safe in the tavern.

 

[Gradine]

So, the thing about Goblinoids in Eberron is that they are the original main culture of Khorvaire: they had built an advanced, glorious civilization there before Humans, or Elves, or Dragons had arrived from other continents. The Dhakaani Empire was ripped apart by Aberration incursions from the Far Realm equivalent (can't remember, thinkbit begins with an X), who they managed to heroically defeat and contain in the Underdark so that Mindflayers and Beholders did not take over the world...but then price was social collapse. So "modern" Goblinoids are descendents of this ancient advanced civilization which has left dungeons and tuons...and some are underground groups maintaining advanced Stuff who want to rebuild their Empire.

Yeah, the Plane of Madness (Xoriat) tried to invade Khorvaire, and really did tear the Dhakaani apart. What finally stopped them wasn't even the goblins themselves; a dragon had landed in what is now called the Shadow Marches and taught the orcs there how to be druids and they became the first Gatekeepers.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

One thing I'm curious about with Goblins in Eberron is are they going to attempt to explain the Fey part of the Goblins in core 2024 D&D assumptions? Was the Dhakaani Empire formed by ancient refugees from Thelanis?

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, the Plane of Madness (Xoriat) tried to invade Khorvaire, and really did tear the Dhakaani apart. What finally stopped them wasn't even the goblins themselves; a dragon had landed in what is now called the Shadow Marches and taught the orcs there how to be druids and they became the first Gatekeepers.

Ahhh, gotcha: I thought the Orcs suppressed the Demons?? Honestly get the Demonic and Xoriat incursion stories in Eberron a little mixed up in my head.

 

[Kobold Stew]

The Greater Marks are all underwhelming.

A small issue: In the Greater Mark of Handling, it says: "While mounted, immediately after you hit a target within 5 feet of your mount with a melee attack roll, your mount can take a Reaction to move up to its Speed or take the Attack action to make one attack only (your choice)."

I think this isn't right: as written, the attack is free, but the movement costs a reaction. I think "take the Attack action" should be deleted.

 

[Gradine]

Ahhh, gotcha: I thought the Orcs suppressed the Demons?? Honestly get the Demonic and Xoriat incursion stories in Eberron a little mixed up in my head.

There's other Orcs in the Demon Wastes fighting demons, but as far as I can recall demon overlords (who were all over and not just Khorvaire) were sealed up through all of couatls sacrificing themselves to form the Silver Flame, which went down way before the Dhakaani rose. But the "demons" in this context aren't even technically from another plane (as much as Khyber is, technically, separate from the Prime Material Plane), and the Daelkyr of Xoriat are more aberration than demon and didn't show up until the height of the Dhakaani Empire.

I'll note that neither of these two threats are at all related with the third plane plotting to take over Prime Eberron, from Dal Quor, the Plane of Dreams*. They were stopped the first time on Xen'drik but that ended up with the Giants blowing up a moon which probably destabilized the crap out of Dal Quor's planar orbit. They went more subtle with their second invasion and that one went much better for them.




*and by dreams we mostly mean the worst nightmares you could possibly imagine and much, much worse than that.

 

[Ondath]

Is it me or did they completely change the infusion system with replicate magic item? I couldn't see that feature, but I also didn't see any mention of infusions being removed.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Magic Items

Manifold Tool is way too useful -- it should be at least Uncommon; possibly Rare. Having a screwdriver that can brew beer, blow glass vials, and make a musket is amazingly useful, and society-changing if too easily available.

Mind Sharpener should also be Rare -- it becomes too valuable (a must-have) as an Uncommon item.