What the Dorruh are you doing to my Eberron?

[heirodule]

Yeah, I can see that its easier to sell books like that (as an Eberron DM, I found no use for FC 1&2 or Drow of the Underdark) but I'm disliking this turn. Eberron's calling card was it was a very unique take on D&D, its looking more and more like the 4e version is going to be "The D&D setting with warforged & choo-choos".

See, but on this principle, it should also mean that we will be "sold" the next Drow of the Underdark book by making Eberron drow just like default drow, living in caves and worshipping a spider goddess.

Blech.

 

[TarionzCousin]

I trust that people on this board (and elsewhere, maybe) will come up with cool crunch for the 3E Eberron pantheon--if it doesn't exist somewhere already.

And it will be very, very cool.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

See, but on this principle, it should also mean that we will be "sold" the next Drow of the Underdark book by making Eberron drow just like default drow, living in caves and worshipping a spider goddess.

Blech.

Would the existence of previously unknown subterranean drow of (potential) 4E Eberron invalidate or lessen the awesomeness of the beloved jungle drow of 3E Eberron?

If WotC was smart, they could even include the jungle drow as a chapter or more of the Big Book of Drow, spreading a good idea to homebrew campaign settings.

 

[Rechan]

wow, we get cybermen, borg, and death star references. Go sci-fi!

exterminate.

 

[Remathilis]

On the other hand, "everything that exists in D&D exists in Eberron" was something they originally sold Eberron as, back before it was even released in the 3E era. From that perspective, this is a perfectly unsurprising change.

You were always supposed to be able to pick up a non-setting-specific WotC book and be able use it with your Eberron game.

That was always a dicey statement. There were always things that didn't "fit" well; subraces (wild elves or deep gnomes) for example. It was some of those "unique" touches that made Eberron memorable. It wasn't just the planes for example; Eberron's depiction of drow elves made most "classic" drow supplements and adventures (such as Drow of the Underdark) difficult. Will Eberron suddenly discover a group of underground, spider-worshiping drow just to make P2: Demon Queen's Enclave a viable Eberron adventure?

EDIT: Apparently, other's already brought this up...

 

[Glyfair]

That was always a dicey statement.

And usually misstated.

The actual intent was "there is a place for everything in D&D in Eberron." The point being that if you wished to use something in D&D in your Eberron campaign, there was a place you could put it (per Keith). The intent wasn't that everything was all squished into the campaign world.

 

[Rechan]

Well. Eberron does have underground, shadow-worshiping Drow (Umbragaden), and they have Scorpion-worshiping Drow.

 

[jdrakeh]

It seems more than a little premature to start triumphant chants of failure.

Well, in fairness, if you happen to be an asshat, the correct time for passing judgement is always 'right now'

 

[Desdichado]

We'll see what the ECS and EPG have in store, but so far I'm not liking this "Eberron uses the same cosmology as the generic/FR" shick.

Personally, given how hands-off the Eberron cosmology was, I'm not seeing how it makes a whole lot of difference to the setting, frankly.

 

[Hairfoot]

I've been out of the loop since 4E came out, so can someone clarify for me: does this mean that if I run an interplanar campaign I can have my players travel from FR and into Eberron without defying the core cosmological themes of each setting?