Keith Baker (creator of Eberron) Q & A thread

[nonamazing]

I greatly enjoy your setting, Mr. Baker, and I am preparing to run an Eberron campaign shortly (currently in phase 0.5: searching for more players). I understand that you are quite busy, but I do have a couple more questions to throw at you. I won't be offended if you are unable to respond (or even if you just don't want to--that's okay, man).

#1 -- {SPOILER} Is the real King Kaius III being held in Dreadhold, a la The Man in the Iron Mask? Do I win brownie points for being super cool and spotting that? Any other references to classic swashbuckling novels in there (the Breland King's Blades remind me of the Musketeers somewhat; was that intentional?)?

#2 -- I noticed that you are located in Boulder. I work at a bookstore in Denver. I don't know if you ever happen to come down our way, but if you ever do, would you consider dropping by and signing our stock of the Eberron book? I've sort of unoffically adopted the role-playing section in my store and I'm always looking for ways to attract attention to the books there. Some bright new 'autographed copy' stickers might just do the trick. Of course, I apologize if I've overstepped my bounds and am asking too much here--it was just an idea that popped into my head.

#3 -- The setting has a lot of interesting mystery elements to it (like the secret history of the ancient warforged, or the unknown catastropher that destroyed the Mournland). Do you think that further books in the Eberron setting will adress these mysteries, or will they be left largely for indivdual groups to make their own answers to?

That's about all. Really do enjoy the setting. Hope you meet your deadline--don't work yourself too hard!

 

[MrFilthyIke]

#2 -- I noticed that you are located in Boulder. I work at a bookstore in Denver. I don't know if you ever happen to come down our way, but if you ever do, would you consider dropping by and signing our stock of the Eberron book? I've sort of unoffically adopted the role-playing section in my store and I'm always looking for ways to attract attention to the books there. Some bright new 'autographed copy' stickers might just do the trick. Of course, I apologize if I've overstepped my bounds and am asking too much here--it was just an idea that popped into my head.

Maybe you could organize a "Meet the author" event and autograph session, sounds like you work at a bookstore that'd love the attention, even the old Waldenbooks that used to be near my house did this.

 

[beepeearr]

Undead Warforged

{Originally Posted by Hand of Evil
Can a Warforged become undead?

Warforged are constructs, not humanoids. As a result, by the rules, they cannot become vampires or liches. I'd rule out skeletons because the effects of the skeleton template don't make sense with the non-decaying warforged body (even if a warforged has something mimicking a skeletal system, it would never rot away until only its skeleton was showing). Given this, my inclination would also be to leave out warforged zombies -- while they may be "living creatures with a skeletal system" on some level, I think the intention of the restrictions is "flesh and blood". I'd be more inclined to create an entirely new template for an undead warforged. }

You could always just use the rules for animated objects, and say there powered by negative energy.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

You know, if you survey every living person you'll find that very few of them have ever died. From there it's not too much of a stretch to say that "statistically speaking" it is unlikely that I will ever die. Most people alive now haven't.

Really hate to throw a stone when I love the comment, but technically, the statistics only show that it is likely you "haven't died" not that you "won't" die. Most of those people polled said they "hadn't died" which places it in the past which means the only conclusion that can be reached is concerning the past. Nice try though

 

[Pseudonym]

A few questions, in no particular order:

For those of us with no interest in psionics, would changing the Kalashtar's favorite class to sorcerer keep the feel of the race, or should we relegate them to NPC status?

Did you give any thought to renaming the "name" spells after Eberron specific wizards as Kalamar has done? Was there a Rary or Leomund or Mordenkainen in Eberron's past?

 

[Kichwas]

Drow are culturally significantly different from their counterparts in other settings. A few quick notes:
* The Drow remained on Xen'drik when the ancestors of the Aereni and Valenar left.
* When the civilization of the giants was destroyed, the majority of the Drow retreated underground to escape the devastation. Today they live both above and below ground, and continue to prey on the surviving giants.
* While somewhat nomadic, they do possess mystical secrets from the Age of Giants.
* They are not "just plain evil" as a race, but have little warmth for explorers and looters. Many Drow families revere Khyber or the Shadow, and these are certainly dangerous groups to cross.
* There's no Lolth in Eberron. If you want driders, they would presumably be the result of magical experimentation or some sort of disaster.

Thing is...

If they're not evil per se, and if they have a more varied culture and no Lolth BS, then that might be the first time I've seen Drow in DnD that caught my interest.


I did find it interesting that this is the only WotC setting without subraces. So far at least. If there's got to be a question in this, I suppose it would be, will it stay that way?

 

[Kichwas]

One thing I did notice is a lack of "movers and shakers" in the world. I'm assuming this was a design choice, ala "No Elminsters!". I like it, actually. How will Eberron grow as a world. If the PCs are the movers and shakers, will we see as much advancing the plot of the campaign setting as we saw in the Realms, or Dark Sun? Or will Eberron products assume everything can take place in 998YK?

Let's hope it stays that way...

The last thing I want to see is the iconics in the book turn into 57th level kung-fu psionic ninja bunnies after the novel line comes out...

And you know it will...


I would love to see WotC/TSR do a fixed timeline campaign setting, but I suspect that the attempt would cause a few heads to explode over among the design editors (insert visual of bad 80s sci fi in the movie scanners)...

 

[Nightingale 7]

Hello.Up-and-coming Eberron addict here(and that is saying something,given what a FR fanatic I am!).I have not yet purchased the ECS yet(I am going to buy it very soon,I promise!),but browsing through the book at my FLGS I had a couple of questions.Is there anyway for a Warforged wizard to chuck that annoying 5% ASF?I've seen the feat for "tank" warforged (Adamantine Body),and the feat for the "sneaky" Warforged (Mithral Body),but is there any for the arcane casting one?Also,by skimming through the Artificer,I noticed that he has up to Medium Armor Proficiency,but his Infusions are said to work like spells,that seems to imply ASF too.It seems pretty antithetical to me.
My questions are most likely a matter of my brief skimming of the book,but they've been nagging me to much to wait for me to buy it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Vocenoctum]

Is there anyway for a Warforged wizard to chuck that annoying 5% ASF?

There's PrC's that do it, Spellsword at least.

Also,by skimming through the Artificer,I noticed that he has up to Medium Armor Proficiency,but his Infusions are said to work like spells,that seems to imply ASF too.It seems pretty antithetical to me.

They're not arcane or divine spells, so it should be stated, but it's not.
Given that they don't say they have spell failure, but do have armor prof's, I'd say no spell failure for them. (Like clerics)

 

[Nightingale 7]

Thanks for the reply Vocenoctum.Yes,I am aware of the PrC that limit ASF.I was thinking more like a feat.Perhaps by losing the natural armor bonus,it would also remove the ASF?As to the Artificer,I thought as much,but it's nice to have another opinion.That raises another question.Are the Dragonmarks subject to ASF?It would explain why the iconic Heir of Siberys has Bracers of Armor.