4th & Dragon : Dungeons and Dragons...and stuff

I will be needing to create the Dragonmark line of feats for my game. For now, it is just limited to the Mark of Shadow (Elf), but I would like to expand to all marks.

Mark of Shadow, Least [Elf]

Gain one of the following powers. The decision is made when this feat is chosen.

Change Shape: Encounter Power (as Doppelganger)
Cloud of Darkness: Daily Power (as Drow)

You also gain a +1 feat bonus to Diplomacy.

I was thinking that the lesser and greater version would function similar to the multiclass power swap feats and be tied to the tiers (least=heroic, lesser=paragon, greater=epic). I have also contemplated making all Dragonmark powers be encounter powers and function like Channel Divinity, in that the character would gain more options with better versions of the feat.

What do you guys think?

Nobody has any suggestions as to the flavor or even the balance of this feat? I posted this over at the Wizards Eberron boards as well and received a few suggestions. They said that balance was an issue when saying: “you get x power from y class or z race.”

Is this better?:

Mark of Shadow, Least [Elf]
Prerequisites:Elf
Benefit:You can swap one utility power you know for one utility power listed below. You also gain a +1 feat bonus to Diplomacy.

Blanket of Shadow
With a subtle thought of the shadows, you fade from sight.
Encounter
Minor Action
Close Burst 1
Effect: All creatures in area grant you combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Disguise of the Shadow
With espionage in mind, you alter your appearance.
At-Will (Keywords: Polymorph)
Minor Action
Tagert: Personal
Effect: You may assume the form of a unique individual that is of the same gender and race.

I think the general idea is quite good. I don’t play Eberron, but I understand the concept of the marks.

I think the tier split is a good idea and the swapping allows you to make the dragonmark powers into something quite powerful and still balanced. I propose trading them for utility powers, since that way it limits the characters’ class abilities less (you only ever get 4 class encounter and daily attack powers max).

Rothe - 03 September 2008 10:14 AM

I think the general idea is quite good. I don’t play Eberron, but I understand the concept of the marks.

I think the tier split is a good idea and the swapping allows you to make the dragonmark powers into something quite powerful and still balanced. I propose trading them for utility powers, since that way it limits the characters’ class abilities less (you only ever get 4 class encounter and daily attack powers max).

Do you think my second attempt is about right then?

Sort of. I actually think the least dragonmark could just be a feat without trading and the rest would be swapping.

I don’t like the idea of feats granting powers outright.  They should enable a swap (like the multiclass feats) or provide more options for an existing power (like the Channel Divinity feats).

Also, I don’t like the idea of dragonmarks, which are a race kind of thing, replacing utility powers, which are a class thing.

As a result, I’d probably have the powers related to a Dragonmark feats either replacing racial powers (a swap, as per the multiclass feats) or adding an alternate way of invoking them (as per the Channel Divinity feats).

For example, the feat you proposed above would probably need to actually be two feats.  The first would replace Elven Accuracy with Blanket of Shadow (replace because one is an encounter while the other is at-will).  The second would allow you to use Disguise of the Shadow instead of Elven Accuracy (both are encounters, so they can occupy the same “slot").

This would mean that what you have here are actually two different Dragonmarks, as the higher level Dragonmarks would then have to also fit the same mold (at-will or encounter) in order to properly enable and balance their use.

Races that don’t have racial powers (dwarves) would need some other mechanic to make them eligible for dragonmarks.  Humans and half-elves, with their special racial powers (a bonus at-will for humans, an at-will from another class as an encounter for half-elves) might need some special consideration to make it work properly.

Wile I agree BP that outright granting feats is broken, I don’t know if the flexibility of the Channel Divinity style powers would be balanced. What do you think about having to decide from a group of powers on a daily basis (like the Wizard class)?

The wizard’s spellbook mechanic for choices seems just a bit cumbersome to me here.  It’s only slightly more powerful to be able to make the choice on the fly rather than at the beginning of the day.  So long as the powers are designed with the understanding that that choice can be made on the fly, I don’t think there’ll be a problem.

Black Plauge - 04 September 2008 07:01 AM

The wizard’s spellbook mechanic for choices seems just a bit cumbersome to me here.  It’s only slightly more powerful to be able to make the choice on the fly rather than at the beginning of the day.  So long as the powers are designed with the understanding that that choice can be made on the fly, I don’t think there’ll be a problem.

The tough part is deciding what powers to swap. Picking the racial power seems like the right choice, but some races don’t have on and others have more than one (drow). Any race has the potential to have an aberrant mark and so any race needs to have the option for swapping. I think that the racial channel divinity route is the closest to balanced so far, but still not quite right.

I think races without a racial power are more of a problem than ones with more than one.  If the dragonmark has a racial prerequisite, then it can specify which racial power it keys off of.  If it doesn’t, then the character probably gets to choose (though there may be some restrictions based on power frequency).

For races without a racial power, I’d probably say that the most balanced solution is for the dragonmarked member of that race to lose some racial benefit (preferably one that is power related).

For instance, of the PHB races, only dwarves don’t have a racial power.  However, they do get to use Second Wind as a minor action instead of a standard.  Perhaps a dragonmarked dwarf doesn’t get this benefit but instead has their dragonmarked powers.

This kind of ruling could be made on a race by race basis, and really only needs to be made when a player wants to play a character of that race with a dragonmark.

I apologize if this is off topic, but what exactly is a dragonmark?  I have absolutely know knowledge about Eberon aside from that it is a setting for D&D games and Talae seems to like it So please explain as if you are talking to a first grader

Ha ha I need to add that on my list of random things to look up just so I can join in some discussions here about the setting

You can go here to read all about Eberron: http://eberron.wikia.com/wiki/Eberron_Wiki

Dragonmarks are based around the concept of a Draconic prophecy (the prophecy is basicaaly left up to the DM). The marks take form as manifestations of specific images that are closely related, but not limited to certain bloodlines of certain races. These marks give basic powers, many of which have lead to the various Houses gaining power and money.

Here is a quick few pictures:

An example of a least dragonmark

Aberrant Dragonmarks can be clearly distinguished from a standard house dragonmark and no two are alike

A wizard uses this dragonmark to its full potential

A dwarf manifests all four dragonmarks

These pictures were found here:
http://eberron.wikia.com/wiki/Dragonmark