D&D 5E What's to Like about Eberron?

[Remathilis]

That last point is major consideration: when you look at non-D&D fantasy on the market these days, anachronism is in: Discworld, Final Fantasy, Full Metal Alchemist, etc.

To a certain extent, nearly ALL D&D has anachronism, but Eberron (as @TiwazTyrsfist said) embraces it.

 

[Ash Mantle]

I heartily agree with everyone's excellent points!

For me also, I really like that Eberron is morally grey and even evil has its place in society, within reason. I really appreciate that in Eberron, nothing is presented as objectively good or evil - each nation, culture, race, religion is presented as having many layered facets. "Evil" nations can pursue goodly objectives to accentuate their evil deeds, and "Goodly" nations can enforce evil actions to maintain altruistic ends.

I really like the fact religions in Eberron, while widespread and monumental pillars of society, are also deeply personal and based in faith and belief rather than any concrete manifestation of a deity. You can't prove the existence of the gods in Eberron and so personal faith is deeply important.

I also really like Eberron's deeply rooted sensibilities in the pulp and noir genre, and its leanings towards the late-19th and early-20th century. This is makes for more a fantasypunk setting rather the traditional high fantasy of the Forgotten Realms, the grim fantasy of Greyhawk, the post-apocalypse of Dark Sun, and the gothic horror of Ravenloft.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The reason I am planning on setting my next campaign in Eberron has more to do with what it isn't than what it is.

It isn't pseudo-medieval.

Quite frankly, I am bored with the same old sub-Tolkien pseudo-medieval tropes of Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Krynn etc.

And, if you strip away the noir style plots, it asks interesting science fiction questions about what effect the existence of D&D style magic would have on society.

 

[Ash Mantle]

And, if you strip away the noir style plots, it asks interesting science fiction questions about what effect the existence of D&D style magic would have on society.

I feel it also asks interesting questions about what it means to have purpose in life, and what it means to be an individual, especially in the cases of the warforged. It asks also interesting questions about identity, whether this is cultural or individualistic or something forged by something else.

It also raises some harsh questions about the aftermath of a world war, and its flow-on effects that ripple throughout the continent and throughout different nations and races.

These are all things I really appreciate and like.

 

[Tony Vargas]

What's to Like about Eberron?

Artificers.
Warforged.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And I wouldn't consider Indy a morally gray character.

Then you need to watch Raiders again, and this time pay attention, and forget about the later films. It's a story about two initially grey characters - Indy and Belloq - one of whom eventually chooses light, and the other dark.

 

[Bitbrain]

I pitched an Eberron campaign to my adopted sister (not my biological sister though, because she HATES D&D) and two family friends after my dad’s game ended as:

Imagine a kind of Star Trek mirror universe, with Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, and Firefly all thrown into the mix of a 19th century where guns never existed.
If you enjoy the world of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, you might enjoy Eberron.
Oh, and one other thing. Eberron is the one official setting where you can fight robot zombies.

 

[Retreater]

Then you need to watch Raiders again, and this time pay attention, and forget about the later films. It's a story about two initially grey characters - Indy and Belloq - one of whom eventually chooses light, and the other dark.

I don't know. In the opening adventure he was taking the idol for a museum to protect it against people like Belloq. Belloq killed the guide who led him to Indy. Indy went out of his way to save his guide. It was pretty clear to me who was the villain and who was the hero.

 

[JeffB]

My top 5 things about Eberron?

1) Xen'Drik
B) Xen'Drik
C) Xen'Drik
5) Post WWI/Lead up to WWII feel (kinda like Phantom Menace without JarJar and Anni).
E) Twists on "classic" (ie. overdone to death) D&D creatures - The Drow, Elves, Giants.
G) Lack of High Level NPCs

 

[Azzy]

One of the things that I like is that Eberron escews the medival European vibe of most fantasy settings for a more post-industrial, quasi-modern vibe.

Also, dinosaur-riding halflings. I never wanted to play a halfling until Eberron.