WotC setting search winner - Eberron
- Thread starter Hecatol
- Start date
drnuncheon
Explorer
Emiricol said:
Can someone please point out this mysterious 'train' caption again? I looked and I can't find it.
J
Ycore Rixle
First Post
I was at the Q&A yesterday but arrived after the slideshow. I did pick up the flyer.
From the flyer and the answers at the Q&A, I have the impression that this could be a very cool world. I plan on looking at the book when it comes out and making my purchase decision then.
Two things that worry me:
1. As already pointed out, the caption doesn't call the train a train. It calls it a Lightning Rail. However, there aren't any rails. This worries me, but it is the kind of oversight that I can easily see corrected in the final version. Also, maybe there are rails that just aren't pictured. There is also the question: mechanical technology developed trains - why would magical technology develop the (almost) exact same solution to the travel and transport problem? In other words, I would like to see a magical travel and transport system that looks different from a train that is floating above a line of pylons.
2. Action points. I like new mechanics when they introduce something new to the game, but to me the Action Points of D20 Modern can easily be duplicated in D&D by spells, feats, or domain powers (eg Luck domain). Now, I didn't see anything myself about Action Points, I only read it on gamingreport.com, so maybe they aren't really in there.
Three things I like:
1. I like magic technology. It makes sense to me, and I am really looking forward to seeing some Raise Dead hospitals (finally).
2. I like the fact that it is different. I like the fact that it is adult and not a toned down Scrappy Doo setting developed in a misguided attempt to recruit more youth. I like the somewhat dark tone, different from other WOTC settings. I like the fact there are ruins, there was a war, there are distinct cultures in different lands, and that the masked female elven ambassador pictured has a 'gruesome entourage' (although we don't get to see them).
3. I like the map. It looks like an interesting continent.
It is far too early to make any conclusions about this setting. It looks interesting and refreshing, and that is a good enough start for me.
I really hope WOTC has great success with this for the same reason I hope every d20 publisher has great success: I love the game, and I love seeing new products for it. The more money consumers spend, the more publishers will publish, and the bigger my book collection gets.
From the flyer and the answers at the Q&A, I have the impression that this could be a very cool world. I plan on looking at the book when it comes out and making my purchase decision then.
Two things that worry me:
1. As already pointed out, the caption doesn't call the train a train. It calls it a Lightning Rail. However, there aren't any rails. This worries me, but it is the kind of oversight that I can easily see corrected in the final version. Also, maybe there are rails that just aren't pictured. There is also the question: mechanical technology developed trains - why would magical technology develop the (almost) exact same solution to the travel and transport problem? In other words, I would like to see a magical travel and transport system that looks different from a train that is floating above a line of pylons.
2. Action points. I like new mechanics when they introduce something new to the game, but to me the Action Points of D20 Modern can easily be duplicated in D&D by spells, feats, or domain powers (eg Luck domain). Now, I didn't see anything myself about Action Points, I only read it on gamingreport.com, so maybe they aren't really in there.
Three things I like:
1. I like magic technology. It makes sense to me, and I am really looking forward to seeing some Raise Dead hospitals (finally).
2. I like the fact that it is different. I like the fact that it is adult and not a toned down Scrappy Doo setting developed in a misguided attempt to recruit more youth. I like the somewhat dark tone, different from other WOTC settings. I like the fact there are ruins, there was a war, there are distinct cultures in different lands, and that the masked female elven ambassador pictured has a 'gruesome entourage' (although we don't get to see them).
3. I like the map. It looks like an interesting continent.
It is far too early to make any conclusions about this setting. It looks interesting and refreshing, and that is a good enough start for me.
I really hope WOTC has great success with this for the same reason I hope every d20 publisher has great success: I love the game, and I love seeing new products for it. The more money consumers spend, the more publishers will publish, and the bigger my book collection gets.
Last edited:
drnuncheon
Explorer
Ycore Rixle said:
Levitate is cheaper to put on an item than fly. If you can make a bunch of things levitate and attach them to one thing that flies, you are making more efficient use of your magical resources (gp and xp) than you are if you make them all fly individually.
Really, trains make a lot of sense - if you have something that is basically capable of pulling multiple wagons. You don't get much advantage at all by hooking up several wagons and putting all the horses to pull them on the front end, but if you had something powerful enough to pull a wagon, and had power left over, you'd get an advantage by hooking another wagon on.
J
Emiricol
Registered User
Frankly, if it is a high-magic setting (and has the middle class to support it yadda yadda), I can't think of a reason why not to come up with covered, armored, linked wagons. A wagon train! But I digress 
However, the fact is that even in our own Real World transporting by ship is the cheapest transit available, and usually most efficient. Just not the fastest. So most merchant activity would be via flying boats, not floating trains (or lighting whatevers).
Who would use the trains? Merchants carrying low volume/high value goods, travellers wealthy enough to take the fast way but not wealthy enough (or not urgent enough) to teleport, and perishable goods, as well as military supply lines.
Too bad that damned article was such a lame duck, and as has been said many times before, too bad WotC has such an inept PR person/department/agency.
So yeah, I can think of a bunch of reasons to have pseudo-industrial age trains in a super-high-magic world. I can also see how the description given is on the surface NOT my cup of tea. I continue to await publication or a lot more information before making my final judgement, but I'm dubious (as if there was any doubt)
However, the fact is that even in our own Real World transporting by ship is the cheapest transit available, and usually most efficient. Just not the fastest. So most merchant activity would be via flying boats, not floating trains (or lighting whatevers).
Who would use the trains? Merchants carrying low volume/high value goods, travellers wealthy enough to take the fast way but not wealthy enough (or not urgent enough) to teleport, and perishable goods, as well as military supply lines.
Too bad that damned article was such a lame duck, and as has been said many times before, too bad WotC has such an inept PR person/department/agency.
So yeah, I can think of a bunch of reasons to have pseudo-industrial age trains in a super-high-magic world. I can also see how the description given is on the surface NOT my cup of tea. I continue to await publication or a lot more information before making my final judgement, but I'm dubious (as if there was any doubt)
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