D&D 5E dragonmark-like supernatural gifts

OK. I think I've got it!

Bard: Mark of Finding = permanent eyes of minute seeing effect
Cleric: Mark of Warding = Protection fighting style
Fighter: Mark of the Storm = Wrath of the Storm
Rogue: Mark of Handling = permanent speak with animals effect
Sorcerer: Bonus spells (control flames cantrip, plus fiery rebuke and pyrotechnics)


Done!
 

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Time to revive this thread. We've had some personnel changes over the course of the campaign, so I've got some PCs in need of dragonmarks. I've decided to take the opportunity to just map them all out. I've updated the OP with my current ideas.
 
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Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

I dunno, while I can see what you are trying to do it all seems a bit weaksauce to me. It doesn't seem inspiring, it just seems like trying to find a spell that fits each mark.

I like the idea that someone else had on another thread. No variant humans, but everyone gets a feat at first level. That feat might be a dragonmark, with the opportunity to enhance the dragonmark by spending other feats later. That means that dragonmarks can be quite powerful - the equivalent of a feat.

I still like the idea of a dragonmark being about story rather than powers - something that really makes a difference to a characters ability to drive the story of their house forward, and useful no matter what your class is. I don't like a mark giving you the equivalent to an at-will or limited use spell. It doesn't feel like its own thing. It just feels like a wannabe wizard or cleric. You may as well multiclass. I want dragonmarks to be something unique, driven by story rather than power, and not necessarily combat-useful.

I don't believe that all dragonmarks should be balanced either. If that puts someone off being a member of a particular house then that's all good.

I'm slowly thinking about this, and my campaign still has some months to run so I haven't really thought in detail. I'll put some more work in to it for the next campaign if I stick with Eberron. But I've been considering Birthright and how that would convert to 5e, so it might be a moot point anyway.
 

I dunno, while I can see what you are trying to do it all seems a bit weaksauce to me. It doesn't seem inspiring, it just seems like trying to find a spell that fits each mark.
Firstly, I am not running an Eberron campaign. Scratch all thought of dragonmarked houses and the like. I am attempting to adapt the concept of the dragonmark for my homebrew world, but I am using them as supernatural gifts (blessings from Bahamut) rather than variations on the Magic Initiate feat. You'll see that very few of the ones I've already developed grant spells. Most of them are based on magic item powers or class features. And you'll note that they're not all combat-oriented either.

I am also considering having them grow in power as the campaign progresses, although because I didn't actually give out the first batch until the PCs were 5th level, I decided to delay the progression. I'm not sure exactly when I'll have them improve in power yet.
 

Firstly, I am not running an Eberron campaign. Scratch all thought of dragonmarked houses and the like.

Aha. Then this becomes a totally different story, and what you have come up with seems very cool indeed. It's interesting how campaign specificity makes all the difference to me.
 

Aha. Then this becomes a totally different story, and what you have come up with seems very cool indeed. It's interesting how campaign specificity makes all the difference to me.
Thank you. I am basically just trying to make some blessing-style supernatural gifts themed on the Eberron dragonmarks. Sorry for any confusion. I'll update the OP to make that more clear.

Do you have any suggestions for the marks I'm still working on? (Detection, Hospitality, Making, Passage, Scribing, and Shadow.)
 



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