Keith Baker (creator of Eberron) Q & A thread

[Saeviomagy]

If my reading is accurate, the lightning rail travels above the "tracks" (stones), not on them. So my guess would be, pretty much nothing at all happens.

The train canes on the str check and moves the rod? They only need a DC 30 after all - my guess is a fast-moving train has at least a +20 modifier on checks like that...

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

I'll ask again: what did the Mark of Death do? I'll understand (and be delightfully intrigued) if an answer would tread on NDA territory though.

 

[johnsemlak]

full color map

I'm sorry if this info has been posted elsewhere, but I wanted to ask why a color pull-out map wasn't included, and if there will be one with another product.

 

[I'm A Banana]

/me seconds the Metaplot question.

I would hope no, but y'never know. If Forbeck's novel takes wing, it may be inevitable...

 

[Brekki]

2. The bonuses listed for alternate forms is the exact same table from page 178 of the MM 3.5. Do I think that they are balanced? Of course not. The problem is, the lycanthropes aren't balanced either. Yes, that werebear just kicks everyone's butt, and the wererat blows, which is a personal blow to me as I really like wererats.

The difference is that the werebear has an ECL of +8 (9 for natural lycanthropes) and the wererat has an ECL of +2 (3 for natural lycanthropes). So the difference in stats in normal lycanthropes is reflected (somewhat) in the difference in animal HD, and thus in ECL.

 

[Ruland]

Concerning XPH-Races: as much as I like them, I won't use them in my Eberron games, because I feel that Eberron ist the Kalashtars' and the Inspireds' playground as far as psionics go.
Just my two cents ...

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Elan are living among humans. They are kind of a "secret cabal" of immortals. Some know of them, but they are rare and pursue their own goals.
Ozmar the GM

There was some discussion of the psionic races over on the WOTC boards.

I'll talk about the Elan here though, since I was a big part of the WOTC discussion:

In my campaign, the elan are living prisons for quori spirits captured by the kalashtar. To make a long story short, a few hundred years ago the kalashtar learned of a psionic ritual capable of fusing a quori spirit into the flesh of a human. This is done with humans who willingly agree to go through the process.

Unlike the Inspired, who is also a human/quori spirit hybrid entity, the human is dominant. The quori spirit is used as a source of psionic power by the human but is otherwise helpless and innert. The quori suffers for the rest of the elan's life (remember, they are immortal!), unable to escape, use its powers, or even affect its human host in any way. The bonding even makes telepathic communication with the spirit impossible, even for the host.

The human gains power and immortality, but in return, they must swear to stand with the kalashtar against the Inspired. Though the spirit is helpless, it is still aware of everything the host senses. That's its punishment. The trapped quori spirit must sit back and watch as the elan uses its own power against his fellows.

 

[poilbrun]

The big point to make here is that the creation of the CSB was a group/brainstorming process. After Eberron was selected, we had a lot of meetings, conference calls, and emails to discuss various ideas.

Any chance you could post the one page you submitted for the setting search? Don't know if you'd be allowed to do it, but it would be fun to see where it all started.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Any chance you could post the one page you submitted for the setting search? Don't know if you'd be allowed to do it, but it would be fun to see where it all started.

I'll answer this one since I've probably seen it posted a dozen times in other threads.

Short Answer: No
Long Answer: Kieth has said he isn't sure if Wizards ever plans to make it public, but if they do, it will be a while. Eberron is still really new and Wizards doesn't want people to confuse what Eberron is with what it was.

Correct me if I'm wrong Keith.

 

[Cam Banks]

The human gains power and immortality, but in return, they must swear to stand with the kalashtar against the Inspired. Though the spirit is helpless, it is still aware of everything the host senses. That's its punishment. The trapped quori spirit must sit back and watch as the elan uses its own power against his fellows.

That's an excellent use of the race in the context of the setting. Very cool! I'll have to borrow that if I run Eberron. I'm already surprised that I'm thinking of actually using my Expanded PsiHB, given that I've never had any real interest in doing so before.

Cheers,
Cam