new poll so everyone will be happy!!!!!!

[Flyspeck23]

Dithered between 8 and 9, finally went with 9. I find Eberron to be one of the best campaign settings published--and that coming from someone who usually prefers more "traditional" fantasy, and was convinced (from advanced material) that I would hate the setting.

I love the fact that it fits together. Historically, culturally, magically/technologically, it actually reads like a world. They took all the standard D&D-isms, and took them into account in development. They worked a pulp/adventure feel, and designed the setting to accomodate. (As I've posted in the past, the world is almost a perfect metaphor for Europe between World War I and II. Indiana Jones as a half-elf fits here perfectly.)

I can't wait to see what else the line brings, and as long as the quality stay anywhere near where it's been, I'll continue buying every one of them.

My sentiments exactly (although I'm not sure about Indy being a half-elf ).
Nevertheless, I'll elaborate...

- While I see some problems rule-wise, I instantly fell in love with the warforged. The idea of artifical life at the threshold of citizenship is intriguing, and the Lord of Blades gives them the contrast they need.
These aren't just "steampunk golems". Oh no, they have so much more roleplaying potential.

- It's a pure joy writing handouts for my players. Really, it's fun (and my players are drowning in handouts now...), and I found some of the finer facts of national connections and story potential only after writing these handouts.
To put it more bluntly: Eberron made it fun to DM again.

- Sharn... well, what can I say... While at first I thought this city was too far out there, after reading the Sharn book I really like that place. And best of all, it's still fantasy (which at first I thought it wasn't). (Btw, that book is great - not the insane amount of "crunch" WotC tends to put into their books nowadays, and IMHO that's a good thing.)

I could go on, but I won't... All in all my expectations had been low, to say the least, and in no way am I biased toward WotC products - to the contrary (lately), really. Still, Eberron clicked.

Ok, I'll stop now

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I quite like it. It's by no means my favorite, but it has interesting ideas and some sundry coolnesses. I gave it a 7. There should have been quori in the MMIII, I think.

Mystery Man: I don't think that was an attack, just an expression of amusement that you condemn a setting for a crime the Realms is undoubtedly guilty of. It is, of course, your prerogative to apply your standards inconsistently.

 

[Mystery Man]

Mystery Man: I don't think that was an attack, just an expression of amusement that you condemn a setting for a crime the Realms is undoubtedly guilty of. It is, of course, your prerogative to apply your standards inconsistently.

Ah but see I condemned nothing, all I did was give a reason why the setting didn't do it for me. I didnt use hash words like it sucked, I didn't corrupt its name into something silly. I never said that FR was better, I didn't even bring it into the discussion but someone else always inevitable does. I've been critical of the setting since its release and every single time I am someone comes back with a slam. Doesnt anger me really, more disappoints and amuses at the same time. Granted, I do make myself a target probably with my outward appearance of being a Realms fan. That's never going to change.

I was honest with my rating and stated so. I didn't have to be, I could have just as easily rated it a one and never said a word.

Redeeming qualities:

1. Keith Baker support - admirable, phenomenal, frankly all the profits should go to him.

2. Halflings on dinos - the one thing about the setting that gets slammed so much I find to be one of the very coolest things about it.

3. Modules - I like the way the modules are presented, granted they have their railroading problems but that is easily circumvented. They're are well written, creative and they are a boon to new DM's.

Problems that I have with the setting are Warforged. I can't stand them, the second I read them I thought here is the drow of the next generation of DnD. Can't stand drow either.
The name, I'm not crazy about the name and the names of the regions. Techno magic (just grates on my nerves) combining with low level npc's. It just makes no sense and explaining it away with "the war" is just not good enough for me. The regions have such a "been there, done that" feel for me. These were the top killers for me personally. I'll play in it, one of my players has expressed an interest in DMing it when my campaign is done. I'll be in sore need of a break by then. But, I'll never run it.

At the end of the day, its all subjective anyway. And at the very end of the day Eberron is still I think one of the top 5 produced for DnD.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I'm sorry then, I honestly thought that you were calling the kettle black. As you say, it's subjective. However, when you give a product a 3 and say that its unoriginal areas killed it for you...how is that not condemning it? And when you wear your like of the Realms (which aren't for me, but I have no problems with it) on your sleeve, and say that what is probably the most common complaint about them "killed" another setting for you...It's really easy to get the wrong impression.

EDIT: Amusingly enough, low-level NPCs were one of my favorite things about the setting. I hate having to go through published settings and making everyone lower-level like I usually have to do.

 

[MDSnowman]

This is the setting that ripped off Alphatia from "Dawn of Empires" and added 'halflings-in-Dinotopia' right?

Yuck. :\

Okay I dont want to start a flame war here, but have you even read Eberron?

I only ask because I havn't heard that particular argument against the setting since before it came out. I suggest you actually read the setting book, it's got far more in common with post World War I Europe than any fantasy series.