Warforged: Like them or loathe them?

[breschau]

Other than the fact that no where is it mentioned that Warforged are listed as a PHB1 race, and the playtest articles are for a converted Eberron game, it's fairly obvious that they will exist, but in the Eberron setting, not the default setting.

 

[BryonD]

Other than the fact that no where is it mentioned that Warforged are listed as a PHB1 race, and the playtest articles are for a converted Eberron game, it's fairly obvious that they will exist, but in the Eberron setting, not the default setting.

yep

I'd wager nearly all the "yes" votes are really more a show of support than an expression of a fully developed thought that warforged are somehow a good idea as core.

I absolutely love psionics. I want it supported in 4E as soon as possible.
It would be silly to put it in the core.

 

[Irda Ranger]

The playtest was an Eberron campaign. Only makes sense to have warforged. I don't think they'll be Core. D&D is high "fantasy" - elves, magic, swords, etc. How much fantasy literature do you know that has something like a Warforged? Not much.

I also don't want them in Core. But that's just me. Droids belong in Star Wars.

What? You never noticed that Sharn was a thinly disguised Coruscant / 5th-Element-New-York?

 

[The_Gneech]

I like them but would prefer them not to be a core race. They fit well in certain settings, not so well or not at all in others. I wouldn't mind it terribly, though; I'd just say they were not available in my house rules handout to the players.

Yeah, that. I would apply this paragraph equally to Tieflings, as well, for that matter.

-The Gneech

 

[Zander]

Android doesn't work any better than robot for warforged (but it is closer).

Robot: a machine that resembles a human and does mechanical, routine tasks on command.

Warforged aren't machines.

Android: an automaton in the form of a human being.
Automaton: a mechanical figure or contrivance constructed to act as if by its own motive power; robot.

Again, warforged aren't mechanical.

Golem: a figure artificially constructed in the form of a human being and endowed with life.

This, however, fits.

The original golems of Jewish folklore were mindless constructs made of clay. Warforged are sentient and usually metal. If I had to describe warforged to someone who knew something of SF, fantasy and folklore in general but nothing of D&D specifically, I would say they were magically animated androids similar to the Tin Man from the book The Wizard of Oz, not golems of Jewish folklore.

But whichever warforged are closer to, androids or golems, they seem a pretty strange choice as a PC race in the PHB.

 

[Mallus]

With sincere respect, the use-it-if-you-like-don't-if-you-don't argument is only partly valid.

It's entirely valid from my perspective...

Depending on where you live, that may not be so easy.

Yes, finding a game custom suited to your individual tastes can be difficult. Life ain't easy. I'm not so fond of the most of the current core, but I make do.

In other words, as a warforged-hater, you'll find yourself marginalised in the community of D&D gamers.

My gaming tastes are fairly quirky, I could easily claim to be marginalized by any game than contained elves and dwarves (because mine doesn't) and didn't contain a Devil that drinks gin and lives in a hotel (because mine does). When I play in other games that I don't have any setting authority, I adopt a when-in-Rome, or perhaps Verbobonc, policy and try to go with the flow. It sure beats feeling marginalized.

 

[Mallus]

Construct-but-not is a fully mechanical complaint.

Explain please.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Warforged are ... usually metal.

Actually, that's a misconception (albeit one heavily influenced by much of the artwork). As written, however, warforged are a mixture of materials--metals, yes, but also various types of stone, and even organic materials such as woods and leathers.

Alas, they're not frequently drawn to make that fact obvious. I think they'd be a lot more interesting in appearance if they were.

 

[Nifft]

I use Warforged in my homebrew setting. Thus, I want them in the PHB, because it will make my life slightly more convenient.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Zander]

...it's fairly obvious that they will exist, but in the Eberron setting, not the default setting.

I hope that's true!