[Eberron] Why do none of the setting-specific races have a dragonmark?

[Graf]

But why construct races that are more powerful than PHB races and then balance the PHB races with a dragonmark? The designers could have just designed races of equal power to the PHB races and then given everyone dragonmarks.

Given that some of the PHB races lack any useful abilities (half-elves) or else are so specialized that they are unattractive outside of certain roles (half-orcs) balancing -everything- down is tricky.
It is possible but Shifters could lose their low light vision and their dex bonus; changleings alter shape form could be limited (1/day or something), Kalashar could lose their psion points, and so forth.
If you want to have races which are different from each other mechanically as well as in terms of roleplaying that can be difficult.

It creates a meta-game clash for me. I understand that there are other humanoid races (most goblinoids) who have prominent roles in the setting and don't have dragonmarks, but they aren't earmarked as regular choices for a PC's race. It just seems arbitrary and unnecessary.

One persons "meta-game clash" is another persons "interesting background for a story".

-If- you assume that the PhB races are a major force in Eberron then the question becomes.... "why them and not Orcs/Goblins/Hobgoblins/Bugbears/Gnolls?" After all the other races are more powerful warriors...
Dragonmarks/Dragonmarked houses provide a story explanation for something that is a general DnD "fact" (i.e. that PhB races are the rulers of most civilized lands).

 

[Stone Dog]

Except for kalashtar, all of the Eberron races are new.

Just as a side note, the kalashtar are new as well. They didn't even show up in Sarlona until -1,800 YK.

Personally I don't think balance has anything to do with it. Having access to dragonmarks is only a side benifit to the PHB races and not something that makes them intrinsically better on an individual level. Sure seems to boost them up as a society though.
I also don't see where any of the new races are more powerful than any of the old. Except half-orcs. Poor, slighted half-orcs. I've seen all the arguments for and against and the numbers just don't add up for me.


The reason mentioned that I like best is this one. PHB races rule most of the world in part because of their ability as a group to manifest and take advantage of dragonmarks. Other races (orcs and goblinoids) may be better at general ass kicking, but they had their time in the sun. They were in perfect place to stop the Daelkyri invasions. That destroyed their nations and empires. Now it is time for the PHB races to grow in might.
For what purpose? Is the Prophecy putting PHB races in place to tackle an even greater menace than the daelkyr? Maybe once Eberron is saved from this new menace thanks to the Races of the Mark the new races will rise up and take their place. Who knows what the Prophecy has in store for them?

 

[Desdichado]

But why construct races that are more powerful than PHB races and then balance the PHB races with a dragonmark? The designers could have just designed races of equal power to the PHB races and then given everyone dragonmarks.

Keep in mind; it's not a truism that the new Eberron races are more powerful. A few squeeky wheels will continue to say that, but my impression is that most players in Eberron don't actually find that to be the case.

Certainly--following our earlier campaign there--I don't believe the new races are more powerful than PHB races.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Keep in mind; it's not a truism that the new Eberron races are more powerful. A few squeeky wheels will continue to say that, but my impression is that most players in Eberron don't actually find that to be the case.

Certainly--following our earlier campaign there--I don't believe the new races are more powerful than PHB races.

Other than warforged, I haven't found the Eberron new races to be overpowered. (I paid a level to be a warforged in a campaign and didn't feel the level loss at all. Those immunities are so useful once bad guys start tossing out level draining attacks!)

 

[Henry]

I'm agreed with the idea that in play, we never found any of the new races (Kalashtar, Changeling, and Warforged) any more powerful than the other PCs. In fact, the only problem I DID have with the warforged was due to my improper reading of the Warforged weight tables. (Warforged do NOT weigh 1,080 lbs each. )

 

[Mercule]

-The Marshal Core class from Miniatures handbook or Complete Warrior (I think it's in there)

Not in CW, but the Swashbuckler is. We've got one in our group and she's very much the face, but respected in combat. She's not as good in combat as the straight fighter one level below her, but she's still not to be trifled with.

 

[Desdichado]

Other than warforged, I haven't found the Eberron new races to be overpowered. (I paid a level to be a warforged in a campaign and didn't feel the level loss at all. Those immunities are so useful once bad guys start tossing out level draining attacks!)

Oddly, in our campaign, we thought the warforged a bit underpowered, and gave them Darkvision, both because it made sense from a background standpoint, and to compensate a bit.

Granted, that was based on a readthrough before we actually played, and in practice, I don't think it was necessary after all, but we still didn't find the warforged to be overpowered.