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<blockquote data-quote="Gradine" data-source="post: 7167756" data-attributes="member: 57112"><p>Here's my issue with that, and it's one of Eberron's fundamental contradictions. One of the key aspects of Eberron, one of the things that sets it apart from, say, especially FR, is that PCs (or characters with levels in PC classes) are exceptionally rare. Oftentimes PCs are the only ones capable of standing up to whatever menace threatens wherever. So why then am I expected to believe that 4e-style magic-item emporiums that cater exclusively to adventurers are somehow part-and-parcel with the setting?</p><p></p><p>For me, Eberron's wide-magic aspect is all about introducing magic as a <em>consumer</em> commodity. Eberron isn't about +2 axes and wands of lightning bolt; it's about magically-propelled plows and stones that instantly clean laundry. And while I can easily hand-wave magical weapon emporiums if I were playing the setting in 4e, because that system is <em>built</em> around (any honestly necessitates) such easy access to magical equipment, it's always felt like a hand-wave.</p><p></p><p>That's not to say that Eberron doesn't have a market for magical swords, and canonically they were mass-produced by House Cannith during the Last War and I'm sure they have a lot of leftover stock to unload still since the treaty. But while it makes sense for those stores to stock +1 swords in 3.5 or 4e, in 5e that doesn't make nearly as much sense. So what is a mass-produced "magical" sword in 5e's Eberron? Is it a sword that always stays sharp, never rusts, never needs cleaning? Maybe that magic isn't in the sword but in the scabbard (which I'd imagine would be easier and cheaper to produce, but I'm sure someone with a better grounding in medieval historical accuracy will come in to correct me). Maybe that "magic" bow has a string that never snaps, that "magic" mace feels much lighter to wield (without actually being any lighter) and is thus more accessible to raw conscripts without much upper body strength.</p><p></p><p>It's these kinds of details, not "a thousand +1 swords", that have always defined the magical economy of Eberron to me. And it's the leaning on these kinds of details that would help bring the setting to life in 5e without screwing up the game balance or having to make many adjustments to the DMG's magic item lists (there'd need to be some, of course, like restricting certain items to Dragonmarked users).</p><p></p><p>Your interpretation of Eberron is as valid as any other; telling someone not to buy the product because their interpretation doesn't line up to yours <em>is</em> gatekeeping and frankly <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> behavior.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Gradine, post: 7167756, member: 57112"] Here's my issue with that, and it's one of Eberron's fundamental contradictions. One of the key aspects of Eberron, one of the things that sets it apart from, say, especially FR, is that PCs (or characters with levels in PC classes) are exceptionally rare. Oftentimes PCs are the only ones capable of standing up to whatever menace threatens wherever. So why then am I expected to believe that 4e-style magic-item emporiums that cater exclusively to adventurers are somehow part-and-parcel with the setting? For me, Eberron's wide-magic aspect is all about introducing magic as a [I]consumer[/I] commodity. Eberron isn't about +2 axes and wands of lightning bolt; it's about magically-propelled plows and stones that instantly clean laundry. And while I can easily hand-wave magical weapon emporiums if I were playing the setting in 4e, because that system is [I]built[/I] around (any honestly necessitates) such easy access to magical equipment, it's always felt like a hand-wave. That's not to say that Eberron doesn't have a market for magical swords, and canonically they were mass-produced by House Cannith during the Last War and I'm sure they have a lot of leftover stock to unload still since the treaty. But while it makes sense for those stores to stock +1 swords in 3.5 or 4e, in 5e that doesn't make nearly as much sense. So what is a mass-produced "magical" sword in 5e's Eberron? Is it a sword that always stays sharp, never rusts, never needs cleaning? Maybe that magic isn't in the sword but in the scabbard (which I'd imagine would be easier and cheaper to produce, but I'm sure someone with a better grounding in medieval historical accuracy will come in to correct me). Maybe that "magic" bow has a string that never snaps, that "magic" mace feels much lighter to wield (without actually being any lighter) and is thus more accessible to raw conscripts without much upper body strength. It's these kinds of details, not "a thousand +1 swords", that have always defined the magical economy of Eberron to me. And it's the leaning on these kinds of details that would help bring the setting to life in 5e without screwing up the game balance or having to make many adjustments to the DMG's magic item lists (there'd need to be some, of course, like restricting certain items to Dragonmarked users). Your interpretation of Eberron is as valid as any other; telling someone not to buy the product because their interpretation doesn't line up to yours [I]is[/I] gatekeeping and frankly :):):):):):) behavior. [/QUOTE]
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