Anyone discouraged with D&D/Eberron missing one central theme?

[Charles Dunwoody]

Based on the responses so far I've decided I may be burned out DMing rather than the rules being a problem. Good insights.

 

[Nightfall]

Sounds like it. Just take a break and read "The Black Jewels trilogy" by Anne Bishop.

That helped me out.

 

[Turanil]

Eberron has constructed warriors, dino riding savage halfings, psionics, magical trains, super magic through shards, war, and other stuff I haven't begun to learn about. To me, constructed warriors work or dino riding savage halflings, or psionics but not all together.

I like pizza. I like Chinese food. But I don't want Kung Po chicken and rice on top of my pepperoni and sausage deep dish pizza.

In early versions of D&D you had a quasi-Western European theme with polytheism tossed in. Heavy armor, powerful spells, and dungeons. Small touches from other themes/cultures here and there, but mainly Middle Earth/King Arthur like.

I've tried to create some worlds of my own with just one theme but the rules are too hard to modify easily (which may be why Eberron doesn't try to change the rules). Anyone else feel this way or disagree with me? Any suggestions to get me enthused about D&D again?

I agree with you entirely. Maybe what I don't like in that Eberron, is that it uses the same core races that are so deeply associated with Tolkien.

I mean: i have been doing a D&D campaign that was strongly based on a Middle Earth / David covenant's The Land theme, and in the future I will modify it, in adding some Arthurian and Celtic flavor. I think all of this is coherent with elves, gnomes, halflings.

Now, I am also considering a new campaign with a really exotic feel. I have several books and netbooks (only still buy a last book when it is released) that I think would be cool to associate to create something really different. Namely: Nyambe, Al Qadim and Dark Sun conversions to 3e (free netbooks found on the Internet), plus soon the Mesopotamia handbook that will be released by Necromancers Games. HOWEVER: with elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings, I think this setting would look ridiculous, or at least no better than Eberron. In fact, I thought (if I ever run this campaign) to instead use the classes and races of Arcana Unearthed by Monte Cook. Sibbecai would be great in a land reminding of ancient Egypt, and Lithorians would be great in a land reminding of Africa. The other races would also fit better than elves and the like who for me will always be labbeled "Tolkien".

That western european/Middle earth feel is probably the only thing I miss from 2E. But then there are alot of people that were burnt out on that kind of thing, look how popular Dark Sun and Planescape are. I think there are just trying to be all things to all people for better or worse

Thus maybe Eberron would suddenly become great if using new races with their distinct history clearly linked to this world, and elves, gnomes, etc. NOT belonging to it. Maybe the good answer to this is to buy some d20 book about new PC races and chose some of them to replace gnomes, halflings, etc.

 

[mmadsen]

Campaigns have themes, rules don't.

Except that the rules specify what classes exist and what they're like (e.g., dual-wielding Rangers), what spells exist and what they're like (e.g., bestow curse is a 4th-level Wizard spell, requiring touch, causing –6 to an ability score), and what monsters exist and what they're like (e.g., a Troll regenerates, except when burned).

 

[Michael Tree]

I don't think Eberron lacks a central theme. It's central theme, pulp adventure and intrigue, is just quite expansive. Think Indiana Jones or The Shadow in a magical world. Part of that theme is travelling to exotic locations, a combination of modern culture and savage cultures. Couldn't you see Indiana Jones travelling among the dinosaur riding steppe people one day, then flying off to jungle ruins the next, then travelling to an enormous cosmopolitan city to meet some allies/backers, before travelling into a dangerous former-warzone filled with militant former soldiers in a hazardous land.

There are many strange elements in Eberron, but they're not all in the same place.

As for D&D, I do miss the old medieval fantasy feel, but I'm also glad they're getting away from it. I want my medieval fantasy to be medieval fantasy, knights fighting dragons and hordes of orcs, not exotic weirdness.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Eberron has constructed warriors, dino riding savage halfings, psionics, magical trains, super magic through shards, war, and other stuff I haven't begun to learn about. To me, constructed warriors work or dino riding savage halflings, or psionics but not all together.

Actually the very thing that attracted me towards Eberron was when I learned that unlike the standard greyhawk and FR "throw everything together in a bit pot" Keith has made a real effort to give each element a distinct geographical location and point for their existence. So most/many of the abberations in the world date back to previous times when Xoriat the realm of madness became co-terminous. There are different cultures with different backgrounds which mean something. Psionics are tied in to the plane of dreams (Dal Quor) and there are some particularly nasty dream enemies there who work through possessed people (a bit like Agents in the matrix? Not that I want to put someone off with an oblique reference, but if you kill the host the spirit can come back again in someone else).

Unifying themes? There was a big 'ole war that killed off all the powerful NPCs and adventures take place in the uneasy peace that follows. Powerful organisations fund expeditions to the jungles in the lost continent of Xen'drik, all manner of Indiana Jones type adventures could easily be played just knowing these things.

Anyhow, this is what really attracted me to the setting - flavour, not crunch.

Cheers

 

[Album Cover X]

I've been getting discouraged with D&D 3.5 and the new campaign, Eberron, but couldn't figure out why until now. I think that both D&D and Eberron are both missing a cental theme. Does anyone else find this a problem?

Well it should have theme... as part of the WotC setting search everyone was required to boil down their world into one sentence. At the same time, the Eberron book is meant to sell copies so they do need to attract as large as an audience as possible.

I don't think its a problem tho. Two campaigns set in the same world could have far different "themes". Just find a game that focuses in on what you like. The story and characters should provide all the "themes" you need, IMO.

 

[Umbran]

I think that both D&D and Eberron are both missing a cental theme. Does anyone else find this a problem?

Nope. D&D, as a ruleset, may have some slight theme or flavor, but for the most part, I'd prefer the campaign themes to be mostly the GM's choice.

As for Eberron - well, I'm not big on published settings personally. But let me ask you a question - does the planet Earth have a single theme?

 

[HellHound]

Personally, I'd rather the rules not stick to a theme. Let campaign settings do that. Maybe Eberron lacks a core theme (I haven't been following the Eberron chatter, I'll pick up the book in one year along with the supplements published to that point and decide for myself).

Let settings and supplements give theme, let the core rules provide rules.

 

[(contact)]

I've tried to create some worlds of my own with just one theme but the rules are too hard to modify easily . . . Any suggestions to get me enthused about D&D again?

I think that the easiest way to make a more consistent flavor is to limit the class/feats/PrC options in your game. By subtracting elements that don't fit to you, you can thematize your campaign without having to actually modify any rules.

Essentially, you create an elaborate Rule Zero. Don't like kung fu in your high fantasy? Rule 0: No monks.