Turning Eberron into a Barsoom-like world?

[Turanil]

I am currently a player in an Eberron campaign (although infrequently). I could like the setting, but I don't like it to be D&D. In fact, I don't like paladins, clerics, druids, etc. plus Tolkien's races (even if tweaked) in a world with magical trains.

But I do like magical trains and strange skyscrapers, and most of the stuff in Eberron. And thus I came to think: Why not turn the setting into a Barsoom like world?

Houserules & Rules Used: I would remove the elves, dwarves, halflings and gnomes and just keep the races that were specifically created for Eberron (warforged, etc.). Then, I would discard the traditional D&D classes, replacing them with either Grim Tales or d20 Modern + Iron Lords of Jupiter (a pulp mini-campaign that appeared in Dungeon magazine #101). Artificers would be turned into a new set of talents (for Smart and Dedicated heroes), or maybe an advanced class. Mages and priests would be restricted to the FX classes found in d20 Modern, but I would allow more psionic-users (maybe allowing all the classes from Xpsi as advanced classes). Lastly, there would be firearms (probably primitive ones using gunpowder) and more advanced techno-magical "ray guns" (done the same way magical trains are created).

Campaign Flavor: Modern adventurers from Earth would crash on a strange planet or alternate dimension with different physical laws and a strange science producing almost magical effects, powered by special crystals (merging Eberron's techno-magic with the strange techno described in Iron Lords of Jupiter).


Would you be interested in such a setting? If you like Eberron as is, what do you think of this tweaking? If you don't like Eberron as is, would you like it with this modification?

 

[Turanil]

In fact I would like to see this: WotC producing a d20 Modern supplement (a softcover as for d20 Past) based on Iron Lords of Jupiter, but adapted to Eberron using d20 Modern ruleset.

Anyone from WotC listening?

 

[Turanil]

No comment at all? I guess that people find my suggestion either completely boring or incomprehensible. Or maybe most believe that a setting should not be changed into something else, and if I want a Barsoom-like world I should rather wait for d20 Mars or buy something like GURPS Planet of Adventures...

Because the true thing about it, being that I (vaguely) plan for a pulp campaign mixing science fiction of the fifties with heroic fantasy. I thought that Eberron with all the stuff published for it might have done it...

 

[reveal]

Essentially, you're leaving the world itself as is, complete with Warforged, Shifters, Kalashtar, etc. and simply useing it run a d20 Modern campaign.

Sounds interesting. I don't see why you couldn't. The only drawback is that d20 Modern relies heavily on guns and there are no guns in Eberron, as written. Would you just drop them in there as well?

BTW, I love Eberron and think it's fine on its own.

 

[Desdichado]

BTW, I love Eberron and think it's fine on its own.

Same here. If I wanted a more Barsoom-like world, I'd homebrew up a more Barsoom-like world (in fact, I've done just that in the past.) I think you're idea's fine, but I wouldn't do it.

 

[Turanil]

The only drawback is that d20 Modern relies heavily on guns and there are no guns in Eberron, as written. Would you just drop them in there as well?

Yes, my idea was to include firearms, both gunpowder weapons and ray-guns. Then, with enough fluff, I would make look most of Eberron techno-magic (trains, etc.) as a sort of weird science.

Well, anyway all of this is more for the sake of discussion than anything else.

 

[tetsujin28]

Hmm. I think Dark Sun would make a better Barsoom, but that's just me. I do like your idea of using d20M. You might want to take a look at Iron Heroes, as well, if you'd like to run it as a low-magic game.

 

[derbacher]

Or maybe most believe that a setting should not be changed into something else, and if I want a Barsoom-like world I should rather wait for d20 Mars or buy something like GURPS Planet of Adventures...

Because the true thing about it, being that I (vaguely) plan for a pulp campaign mixing science fiction of the fifties with heroic fantasy. I thought that Eberron with all the stuff published for it might have done it...

I think that as long as what you are doing is making you and your players happy, do whatever you want. You spent the money to buy the books, so no one has a right to tell you what you do is right or wrong.

That being said, I love Eberron as written, it is my favorite setting. I would probably try a couple of games in your tweaked world, but I'm not really a fan of firearms, so it would take some convincing.

 

[scourger]

I like the idea. I haven't been too interested in Eberron, but this is an idea that could work. I've been very disillusioned with d20 lately. It just feels too mechanical. There is too much reliance on hit points and magic (spells & items) to keep it fun for me to prepare and run. I've long felt that magic is the thing that makes D&D compelling yet ultimately unsatisfying (ironically). An application like this one (which is similar to Omega World and Judge Dredd to me--technology is the "magic") could make it fun again.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Hmm, yeah, I just don't find D20 Modern to be very compelling, but that's neither here nor there.

I might agree that Eberron needs a little something, but I can't really tell if your actually planning on adding that little something to Eberron or subtracting out everything but the Lightning Rails and skyscrapers, in which case why bother with Eberron?

Perhaps a bit more info would help, how are you planning on making it Barsoomy exactly?