Eberron: Lord of Blades not that tough?

[JoeGKushner]

As a longtime FR player I call BS on the whole FR starting with low power. Elminster was statted up as a 26th levevl (or was it 19th) mage long before the FR setting ever came out with hints of other characters of vast power there long noted.

 

[Glyfair]

That is probably low if he was constantly fighting during the wars..especially in the mournlands..is he from there? The article is unclear on P.16 DUNGEON 111.

Note that this is just one set of stats for the Lord of Blades. Keith has stated that at least one other, completely different, set of stats is set to appear for the Lord of Blades.

Also note that NPCs aren't assumed to gain levels the same way player characters do. Of course, the Lord of Blades is closer to a PC than most NPC's, so there is a lot of gray area here.

 

[Arnwyn]

As a longtime FR player I call BS on the whole FR starting with low power. Elminster was statted up as a 26th levevl (or was it 19th) mage long before the FR setting ever came out

Oh? Reference?

with hints of other characters of vast power there long noted.

I agree with this. The campaign world was already being wisely prepared to adequately higher-level PCs within the context of the rules in a logical manner.

I'm curious to see what lies in store for Eberron's future products - in my eyes, the reasonableness (word?) for high-level campaigns looks slim so far.

 

[Staffan]

Oh? Reference?

Dunno about before the setting came out, but I'm 98% certain that he was described as a 26th level magic-user in the Grey Box FR set (and Forgotten Realms Adventures), and got bumped up to 29th in the 2nd ed box.

 

[Sejs]

Oh? Reference?

FR Grey Box.

 

[Quasqueton]

Stats: str 18; dex 15; con 16; int 14; wis 11; cha16

Thats 53 points (point buy).

Ha! Take that PCs! You may catch up to him in level, but he's still better than you at his core.

Quasqueton

 

[Allanon]

Oh? Reference?

I agree with this. The campaign world was already being wisely prepared to adequately higher-level PCs within the context of the rules in a logical manner.

I'm curious to see what lies in store for Eberron's future products - in my eyes, the reasonableness (word?) for high-level campaigns looks slim so far.

Why? Between the Lords of Dust, Dreaming Dark, Daelkyr (which scale to 50HD, more than a challenge for 20th level pc's) and Vol the lich I see no shortage of high level opponents and adventures. Eberron like FR has more than enough ways to challenge high level npc's. But without idiotic NPC's like Elminster, Drizz't, etc. which either overshadow the players or are always busy with something else epic and world shattering.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Dunno about before the setting came out, but I'm 98% certain that he was described as a 26th level magic-user in the Grey Box FR set (and Forgotten Realms Adventures), and got bumped up to 29th in the 2nd ed box.

Dragon Magazine.

Ed Greenwood used to write Pages for the Mages and one of the spells was like GemJump and somewhere around there was Elminster. Mention was made I believe of Mirt and some other Waterdeep boys but it's been many a year and yes, it was before the grey boxed FR set that brought the Forgotten Realms to AD&D 1st edition before Forgotten Realms Adventure and the whole Avatar Trilogy or the cool no-crisis update of Forgotten Realms campaign setting. See, Ed used to use this little thing called background back then, now called Fluff, and the guys at TSR were like... "Uh... is there actually a setting for this? We want something new..." and hence, FR came to TSR.

 

[Arnwyn]

FR Grey Box.

Not helpful. The above reference was to "before the FR setting ever came out".

but I'm 98% certain that he was described as a 26th level magic-user in the Grey Box FR set (and Forgotten Realms Adventures), and got bumped up to 29th in the 2nd ed box.

Correct, but again, not helpful. See above.

Dragon Magazine. Ed Greenwood used to write Pages for the Mages and one of the spells was like GemJump and somewhere around there was Elminster.

His level was first quoted in the Dragon magazine where the Gemjump spell was first detailed? Interesting FR tidbit!

 

[Arnwyn]

Why?

What do you mean, "why"? Because people are saying that (to paraphrase) "the point of Eberron is that there's basically no one above 10th level". Not to call any specific poster(s) out onto the carpet, but are people lying or do they simply not know what they're talking about?

So, which is it?

Between the Lords of Dust, Dreaming Dark, Daelkyr (which scale to 50HD, more than a challenge for 20th level pc's) and Vol the lich I see no shortage of high level opponents and adventures. Eberron like FR has more than enough ways to challenge high level npc's. But without idiotic NPC's like Elminster, Drizz't, etc.

I see little difference, nor do I see anything that backs up the term "idiotic". No idea what you're talking about. So: are there or aren't there high level NPCs?

which either overshadow the players

I've seen no evidence of that.