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

[res]

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?

For instance, 3.5 now puts out books with a swashbuckler (pirate/Reinaissance theme), samurai (Japanese theme sort of), and a hex blade (more traditional D&D to me). Also a shugenja (Oriental), favored soul (theme on this one escapes me, maybe post modern cheesy?), and shaman (spirit focuses maybe African or Native American).

I think any classes (not PrC's) beyond the PHB aren't all that useful unless they are being tailored to a specific campaign.

If you don't want a Swashbuckler and a Samurai adventuring together, don't let them.

All these extra classes in the Complete series of books are ok, but they are not for every game. I think there there so a DM can taylor their campaign a bit. If you want to have a Pirate game, let the players be Swashbucklers. If you want to play a game in the Orient, bring in the Samuri and Shugenja. If you'd rather not use these classes don't.

I'm not going to try to figure out Eberron, I'm not that interested in it so I probably won't pick it up. I might look at it when I'm at work (work in a game store ) but thats about it.

The Central Theme of D&D is up to each DM to choose for their game. I think these extra classes allow the DM to flavor their campaign a bit to fit the campaign they want. If you don't like these extra classes don't allow them in your game, its as simple as that.

 

[Zappo]

I like D&D not having a central theme. This gives it its "genericness" - being able to specialize into different settings.

I don't like Eberron not having a central theme. A theme is what I look for in a campaign setting, and the lack thereof is ultimately the main reason for which I'm not going to give Eberron a try (not saying that it's bad, but I just won't try it because another generic fantasy is not my cup of tea).

 

[Plane Sailing]

I don't like Eberron not having a central theme. A theme is what I look for in a campaign setting,

What would you say is the central theme for FR/Dragonlance/DarkSun/other campaign settings for D&D?

I can't think of anything for FR, DL seems to have had different themes at different times (e.g. the first DL modules had one clear theme, other themes arose later). DarkSun... basic theme of you've got no stuff & everybody is psionic? Ravenloft basic theme of helpless in the face of horror?

I think that I'd worry if a campaign setting only had one central theme, because it could sorta limit the kind of things you can do... especially if there is only one over-arching metaplot, for instance. I appreciate a setting with a lot of different threats or variables that could be mixed together.