Balance of fluff & crunch: Eberron & FR

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I was reading Sharn: City of Towers today (great book, BTW, though there are so many personalities, wards, organizations, and details it will take a number of readings to get straight), when it occurred to me that there was a big difference in the balance between setting details ("fluff") and game mechanics ("crunch") in this book compared to the last few FR releases. (For those of you who hate the "fluff" and "crunch" labels -- sorry, but it's a convenient shorthand.)

Sharn is about 80% fluff, 20% crunch, and leads with the fluff.

Underdark, Unapproachable East, Serpent Kingdoms, and Shining South have been about 50% fluff, 50% crunch, and have lead with the crunch.

Now, personally, I prefer the Sharn layout. Of the FR supplements, Silver Marches has been my favorite -- and it happens to have a larger balance of fluff, and leads with the fluff. IMO the whole point of buying a setting supplement is to get more detail and background -- with just enough game mechanics to flesh out the detail, and not so much that it's overwhelming. Sharn is a great balance.

The question is, why the difference in approach? I know Eberron is new, but if the FR model has been what's selling, why the change? And while you could argue that there have been so many 1E and 2E FR products that you don't need as much fluff for FR, what about those folks just coming to the setting with 3E, who may not know about (or want) the 2E products?

In the end, I think I'm just jealous that Eberron is getting a larger amount of fluff than FR ... though I hope it is able to sustain it.

 

[BryonD]

I homebrew and mine for stuff that fits my own personal fluff.
Thus, I play in neither FR or Eb, but buy FR and not Eb products.

 

[Testament]

I think much of it has to do with a few things.

1. Eberron is a lower powered setting than FR. Unlike FR, where you can't throw a stone without hitting some epic level uber-NPC of doom, anyone above 10 in Eberron is RARE. Thus, they don't need as many rules to cover how cities and lands deal with these uber-killy people.

2. Sharn is to Eberron as Waterdeep is to elForgettable Realms. Its the default starting point for most things (or is that the Dalelands in FR?), and thus, doesn't have to be super-remarkable and different to the rest of the setting. Much of what makes Sharn Sharn is covered in the fluff and the rules that are already present in the ECS.

I say its brilliant, and I'd like to see more books in this vein.

 

[drnuncheon]

The Eberron hardback also led with the crunch.

As for why the change, Wizards might see Eberron as the logical place to test any new styles of organization and content, simply because it is new, unlike the established FR line.

I've gotten the impression (from SKR, I believe) that a lot of WOTC employees would prefer to have more fluff in the FR books, but those above them have decided that crunch sells. Eberron might be an attempt to prove that fluff, too, can sell.

Or, it could be that unlike FR, there is an enormous amount of Eberron that has not been touched. The FR books have to strike a balance between providing enough information for new FR fans, but also providing value for FR fans from previous editions. Since the latter already have the fluff, the value there is going to be in crunch.

J

 

[Starman]

I have also really enjoyed Sharn. I've got a ton of books with mechanics and, while I enjoy them, I really want more books that focus on the flavor and feel and story of a setting. Of course, I'm running an Eberron game, so that might influence me.

Starman

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Actually ECSB led with crunch, races, feats, PrCs, but the MAJORITY of the book was fluff

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Or, it could be that unlike FR, there is an enormous amount of Eberron that has not been touched. The FR books have to strike a balance between providing enough information for new FR fans, but also providing value for FR fans from previous editions. Since the latter already have the fluff, the value there is going to be in crunch.

J

I honestly think that's really what it boils down to. We already KNOW the Realms, but Eberron is still very new to us.

Actually ECSB led with crunch, races, feats, PrCs, but the MAJORITY of the book was fluff

Just like the FRCS. I always remember that the FRCS was hailed as one of the absolute best campaign setting books out there. Having finally gotten through the ECB, I don't think its at least close, if not a little better. Though I mine both settings for my homebrew.

 

[Turjan]

Sharn is about 80% fluff, 20% crunch, and leads with the fluff.

Underdark, Unapproachable East, Serpent Kingdoms, and Shining South have been about 50% fluff, 50% crunch, and have lead with the crunch.

In the end, I think I'm just jealous that Eberron is getting a larger amount of fluff than FR ... though I hope it is able to sustain it.

Interesting observation. Actually, your verdict about Sharn makes me think about buying it, although I'm not into Eberron, conceptually, and I don't own the CS.

The "Silver Marches" was also my favorite setting book for 3.x FR; it really managed to set the atmosphere for adventuring in that region. The "Unapproachable East" was somewhat less appealing, because it had more stress on crunch. "Shining South" was a complete failure in my book; a case of a missed chance. I never imagined that Halruaa was such a boring place.

I hope this Sharn book is a trend. I'm really fed up with the umpteenth prestige class and the newest race variant from some obscure source (or not so obscure, like Loxo or Thri-kreen).

 

[fanboy2000]

Drnuncheon's definitly on to something. If all you want if fluff for the Realms, there are a number of older products you can buy. All are available for sale legally on the internet as PDFs. (Basicly all of the AD&D 1e and 2e stuff.)

The modle used in both Sharn and the Silver Marches is the best for regional books. Fluff is great, but it needs to be useful fluff. The quasi-novelistic approch simply dosen't do it for me. I prefer something that reads like an almanac entry by Isaac Asimov: to the point, but not dry.

 

[Zweischneid]

never mind