What do you think of the Eberron-specific races?

[Mercule]

Not real fond of the Warforged. They're something of the poster children for the part of Eberron I try to ignore (along with Sharn and the lightning rail). Small flaws in an otherwise kick-butt setting. I don't hate them, by any means, but I'd prefer to... de-emphasize them.

Of the other races, I think I like the Kalashtar the best, but the Shifters and Changelings are okay, too. None cry out to me for attension, but I generally like all as additions to the game, though I don't see me using Changelings beyond Eberron. They are still better than gnomes and halflings, though.

 

[Baron Opal]

Changelings: I think they're cool, and present in my homebrew. I have a changeling paladin character and am itching to play him.

Warforged: I like them as well, although the first player to have an interest in such things has a copy of the Book of Iron Might, so he is going to play an Ironborn first.

Shifters: I think their great, particularly since I don't have were-creatures in my homebrew. They can be the origin of the werewolf "myth", as it were. I really don't like that their racial power is so feat intensive. However, I believe that can be rectified by making the improvement of those abilities tied to a 3 level racial class.

Kalashtars: These guys don't really thrill me, but one of the things about my homebrew is that psionics is the domain of the alien and the mad. In a different setting I would probably be more excited about them. I do find the history behind them to be interesting.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I played in an eberron game with a warforged rogue/fighter/assassin type, kalashtar cleric, and a changeling rogue (me). From my experiences in that game:

Shifter: no comment

Warforged: Seem moderately broken for LA + 0. I still remember the time my rogue kept finding poison needle traps, and before my rogue could do his disable thing, he would say, "screw it, I'm immmune!" and just activate the trap. Third time, the DM ruled the spring mechanism was so powerful that he took 30 points of physical damage and was sent flying into the wall (for more damage). He shut up after that. ^_^

Kalashtar: Even as a non-psionic class, we found the ability to communicate telepathically (ie, unnoticed whilst standing near our potential foes) a major boost pre-combat. Also, great backstory.

Changeling: Very fun class. Seemed a little underpowered at times. Keep in mind, the chageling's ability only changes the body, not clothes or possessions. I just kept multiple sets of clothing, disguise kits, and all-purpose hooded cloaks, because I prefered a hat of intellect to hat of disguise. Has a lot of role-playing potential. Mine was deathly afraid of revealing his true identity to anyone and the whole party was in the dark 9/10 of the campaign. The climax (and "coming-out party") occured when he chose to try to run for it (almost guaranteeing death) rather than get caught in the effect of a true seeing cast by a superstitous deep dwarf paranoid our party were mind flayers.

As far as the eberron setting in general, it was by far the most fun game I've played in.

 

[Testament]

I so agree with you on this. In fact, I am trying to adapt the Inspired (Go'oauld) and Kalashtar (Tok'ra) to my world using the Elan as Jaffa.

Why would you need to? The Inspired already have their Jaffa in the form of the Empty Vessels, humans bred to be recipients for the Quori spirits. Kind of Jaffa in reverse, but close enough.

 

[The Human Target]

I like em all. Probably the best races for a specific campaign setting I've run across.



Changelings: I like having a simple shape changing race. And while they may make great stealth characters, I think any class can benefit well from their abilities. Maybe no every character idea.
Daelkyr Half-Bloods: I like them, but they may need a mechanical boost. Maybe. I'm on the fence.
Kalashtar: My favourite original (non real world based)race ever. In any game. Like the mechanics, love the history. A very cool idea. I wish someone would run a game of EB so I could play one.
Shifters: As everyone has said, the feat dependance is weak. But I don't think they're terrible. Especially in the context of Ebberon, where true lyancthropes are so rare. But they are one of the less flexible races.
Warforged: I love the concept, and like the execution. The roleplaying opportunites are brilliant.

They may all be more focused and specific than the core races, but thats why they exist. And really, the core races have plenty of specifc abilities.

 

[Laman Stahros]

Why would you need to? The Inspired already have their Jaffa in the form of the Empty Vessels, humans bred to be recipients for the Quori spirits. Kind of Jaffa in reverse, but close enough.

Jaffa are warriors, not just incubators. I am removing the spirit possesion aspect of the Quori. The Inspired are the leaders and rulers. Empty Vessels are still a question mark for me. I did say that I was trying to adapt them.

 

[Shade]

Well the others aren't true Lycantropes and doplegangers either.....

Well that shuts me up!

 

[lukelightning]

I like 'em all, but I've gotten tired of the warforged fanboys out there, along with the perpetual "can warforged swim, can warforged smell, can warforged wear hats, can I have a female warforged with big boobs, can warforged play cards..?????" questions on the boards.

 

[Klaus]

Changelings haven't grown on me yet.

Warforged I started loathing, but in a purely knee-jerk reaction. Now I love 'em. I'd love to play a warforged monk/tattoed monk with a battlefist, based off Hellboy. "BOOM!", I tell ya!

Kalashtar grew on me after reading Races of Eberron (not surprisingly, Keith Baker wrote that chapter). The Atavist class is mondo-nice.

I love Shifters. I mean, really. The shifter druid levels are very good, and help keep the character simple, without an animal companion or changing stats to keep track of. I once wrote out a shifter druid/weretouched master progression that, at 12th level, had the character shifting 5 times per day, each lasting for 11+Wis mod. rounds, gaining +6 Str, +4 Con, claws for 1d6+2+Str mod. damage, DR 4/silver, pounce, scent and see invisibility (start as Razorclaw, take Dreamsight as additional trait and choose tiger for WTM).

 

[Stone Dog]

Warforged I started loathing, but in a purely knee-jerk reaction. Now I love 'em. I'd love to play a warforged monk/tattoed monk with a battlefist, based off Hellboy. "BOOM!", I tell ya!

A Red Steel battlefist built with the Item Familiar feat?