Warforged: Like them or loathe them?

[Ruin Explorer]

And Eberron's sold pretty well, didn't it? Not exactly killing the brand off...

I don't think any setting has been killed off by having a really stupid race in it, though, neh?

Not that Warforged are, but come on, that's a losing argument... Claiming that they're a source of Eberron's success would be more like it, but tricky to prove, and you need to factor in that now people have "been there and done that", the magic may have worn off.

I like Warforged, but they really don't seem like "core" race material to me. A sentient golem/statue race could be, but just not Warforged specifically, with their little quirks and strange visual design, and so on.

 

[Mallus]

As a monster, not as a standard race.

I'm sure some people find that distinction significant, but I can't quite fathom why. If your experience of a 'fantasy world' is spoiled by inclusion of 'non-fantasy' elements, why does it matter if they're the protagonists or antagonists?

So... half-baked solutions, then?

With regard to RPG's? Always. Consistency is the hobgoblin of little games (that don't have hobgoblins in them).

After all, they're just spelljammers with different names.

I never liked spelljammers. To be honest, I though it was kinda, well, silly. Wait, magical spaceships are okay for D&D?! But magical robots aren't!? You're got some weird taste in weirdness.

 

[frankthedm]

The 4e Warforged could easily be different in many respects---immunities, for example.

A shell of wood, fibrous material and steel should be immune to fatigue, posion, disease and hunger. That also means it should not be a PC race.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I'm sure some people find that distinction significant, but I can't quite fathom why. If your experience of a 'fantasy world' is spoiled by inclusion of 'non-fantasy' elements, why does it matter if they're the protagonists or antagonists?

World of difference. Is it something that's quite rare and confined, or is it all over the place? Do I have to share my XP with it? Will it be on screen all the time.

Wait, magical spaceships are okay for D&D?! But magical robots aren't!? You're got some weird taste in weirdness.

I have no problems with magical robots. They're called Golems. They don't live. They're not in my party.

 

[KarinsDad]

I have no problems with magical robots. They're called Golems. They don't live. They're not in my party.

QFT.

One of the more genre annoying adventures we had about 20 years ago (outside of Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, sheesh) was one where we were fighting some type of golem that as we fought them, rope started coming out of their insides. Turned out they were robots and the rope was wire. Lame.

It's like mixing both cream and lemon in your tea.

 

[Mallus]

Do I have to share my XP with it? Will it be on screen all the time.

So talk your friends out playing Warforged! Easy-peasy...

 

[Wormwood]

A shell of wood, fibrous material and steel should be immune to fatigue, posion, disease and hunger. That also means it should not be a PC race.

Fatigue and hunger don't come up very often in encounters, IME.

In seven years of 3e, I've never seen any disease except Mummy Rot last more than one game hour.

Poison immunity could definitely be problematic---but somewhat offset by the Warforged being vulnerable to effects that are ignored by other PC races (warp wood, stone shape, shatter, heat metal, etc).

 

[Mallus]

A shell of wood, fibrous material and steel should be immune to fatigue, posion, disease and hunger.

A shell of wood, fibrous material, and steel shouldn't wall, talk, and conceivably dance the tango... but I'm sure it's possible to rationalize a few reasons how they could in the context of a fantasy RPG.

 

[Tewligan]

'Forgies are fine in a magitech setting in theme. Forgies make poor PCs IMHO because they have too many immunities.

Ooh! "Forgie" just joined "gish" on "Tewligan's List of Stupid-Ass D&D Slang Words That He Hopes To Never, Ever See Or Hear Again".

 

[KarinsDad]

Poison immunity could definitely be problematic---but somewhat offset by the Warforged being vulnerable to effects that are ignored by other PC races (warp wood, stone shape, shatter, heat metal, etc).

Heat Metal is not ignored by all PCs and sometimes not Warp Wood either.

But, Charm Person and Hold Person and Dominate Person are ignored by Warforged.

There are several immunities that Warforged have that most normal PCs do not.

Warforged do not breathe. The water trap our Eberron party fell into this last week did not faze the Warforged at all.