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Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Explore the lands of Eberron in this campaign sourcebook for the world's greatest roleplaying game.
This book provides everything players and Dungeon Masters need to play Dungeons & Dragons in Eberron--a war-torn world filled with magic-fueled technology, airships and lightning trains, where noir-inspired mystery meets swashbuckling adventure. Will Eberron enter a prosperous new age or will the shadow of war descend once again?
- Dive straight into your pulp adventures with easy-to-use locations, complete with maps of floating castles, skyscrapers, and more.
- Explore Sharn, a city of skyscrapers, airships, and noirish intrigue and a crossroads for the world's war-ravaged peoples.
- Include a campaign for characters venturing into the Mournland, a mist-cloaked, corpse-littered land twisted by magic.
- Meld magic and invention to craft objects of wonder as an artificer--the first official class to be released for fifth edition D&D since the Player's Handbook.
- Flesh out your characters with a new D&D game element called a group patron--a background for your whole party.
- Explore 16 new race/subrace options including dragonmarks, which magically transform certain members of the races in the Player's Handbook.
- Confront horrific monsters born from the world's devastating wars.
This book provides everything players and Dungeon Masters need to play Dungeons & Dragons in Eberron--a war-torn world filled with magic-fueled technology, airships and lightning trains, where noir-inspired mystery meets swashbuckling adventure. Will Eberron enter a prosperous new age or will the shadow of war descend once again?
- Dive straight into your pulp adventures with easy-to-use locations, complete with maps of floating castles, skyscrapers, and more.
- Explore Sharn, a city of skyscrapers, airships, and noirish intrigue and a crossroads for the world's war-ravaged peoples.
- Include a campaign for characters venturing into the Mournland, a mist-cloaked, corpse-littered land twisted by magic.
- Meld magic and invention to craft objects of wonder as an artificer--the first official class to be released for fifth edition D&D since the Player's Handbook.
- Flesh out your characters with a new D&D game element called a group patron--a background for your whole party.
- Explore 16 new race/subrace options including dragonmarks, which magically transform certain members of the races in the Player's Handbook.
- Confront horrific monsters born from the world's devastating wars.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 19, 2019
73 people are currently reading
723 people want to read
About the author
Wizards of the Coast
429 books429 followersWizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC /ˈwɒtˌsiː/ or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by purchasing the failing company TSR, and experienced tremendous success by publishing the licensed Pokémon Trading Card Game. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Renton, Washington in the United States.[1]
Wizards of the Coast publishes role-playing games, board games, and collectible card games. They have received numerous awards, including several Origins Awards. The company has been a subsidiary of Hasbro since 1999. All Wizards of the Coast stores were closed in 2004.
Wizards of the Coast publishes role-playing games, board games, and collectible card games. They have received numerous awards, including several Origins Awards. The company has been a subsidiary of Hasbro since 1999. All Wizards of the Coast stores were closed in 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 4, 2024
I've been aware of the Eberron setting since it won the create a setting contest WOTC ran close to 20 years ago (that I did not win.) It sounded interesting but I was on my way out of gaming at the time and never played it. I had it on my radar and it dropped down to $25 on Amazon the other day so I grabbed it.
Okay, this is good shit. The core conceits are that magic is part of everyday life, a war spanning the continent ended two years ago and there are still a lot of hard feelings, and things are rarely black and white. The book mentions that it draws on pulp, noir, and hard boiled fiction as influences, which I normally do anyway so those aspects were right up my alley.
There are airships and trains powered by magic and Sharn, the main city in the book, is a city of mile high towers, moving away from the Tolkien mold a lot of Dungeons and Dragons is based on. One quibble right away is that I wish the map was four times as big. I had to put on my reading glasses just to find Sharn.
Eberron also has its own cosmology, another thing separating it from standard D&D worlds, although the deep ethereal plane allows for travel back and forth, with hardships as the DM sees fit. There are also new races like the doppleganger-like changelings, were-creature descedents the Shifters, human-spirit hybrids Kalashtar, three kinds of goblinoids, and the Warforged, golem like soldiers from the last war. The halflings ride domesticated dinosaurs in some parts of Khorvaire, the main continent. Cool stuff. I wonder if elves, dwarves, and gnomes were included to appease the existing fanbase since they don't seem as integrated into the setting as the newer races.
The setting is pretty rich, so much that I'm not sure I'd want to just run a regular dungeon crawl there. It's also such a departure from the typical Tolkien stuff that I don't know that I'd want to run some first time players there either without a lot of introduction to the setting.
Eberron is a well-detailed setting that I'd like to run and/or play in but it's probably not for first timers. Four out of five stars.
Okay, this is good shit. The core conceits are that magic is part of everyday life, a war spanning the continent ended two years ago and there are still a lot of hard feelings, and things are rarely black and white. The book mentions that it draws on pulp, noir, and hard boiled fiction as influences, which I normally do anyway so those aspects were right up my alley.
There are airships and trains powered by magic and Sharn, the main city in the book, is a city of mile high towers, moving away from the Tolkien mold a lot of Dungeons and Dragons is based on. One quibble right away is that I wish the map was four times as big. I had to put on my reading glasses just to find Sharn.
Eberron also has its own cosmology, another thing separating it from standard D&D worlds, although the deep ethereal plane allows for travel back and forth, with hardships as the DM sees fit. There are also new races like the doppleganger-like changelings, were-creature descedents the Shifters, human-spirit hybrids Kalashtar, three kinds of goblinoids, and the Warforged, golem like soldiers from the last war. The halflings ride domesticated dinosaurs in some parts of Khorvaire, the main continent. Cool stuff. I wonder if elves, dwarves, and gnomes were included to appease the existing fanbase since they don't seem as integrated into the setting as the newer races.
The setting is pretty rich, so much that I'm not sure I'd want to just run a regular dungeon crawl there. It's also such a departure from the typical Tolkien stuff that I don't know that I'd want to run some first time players there either without a lot of introduction to the setting.
Eberron is a well-detailed setting that I'd like to run and/or play in but it's probably not for first timers. Four out of five stars.
January 1, 2020
Oh, what a relief to have a supported D&D setting that isn't some pseudo-medieval milieu with magic added haphazardly. Eberron is a dynamic, exciting place, just starting to recover from the century-long Last War and the horror of the Mourning, which destroyed the kingdom of Cyre and left it shrouded in impenetrable mists.
This is a fully-formed world, with deep mythology and history and where the scars of war are fresh. No one really won the Last War, so tensions remain high. New nations run by monsters threaten the old order, and the Dragonmarked houses work to expand their influence at the expense of all others. This is a world of change and intrigue where the characters can end up as the clients of a powerful patron or just follow the path of discovery and adventure. You could spend an entire campaign inside Sharn, the legendary City of Towers if you like. Or take an airship on a perilous quest to the southern continent of Xen’drik - a cursed, warped land home to the shattered remains of the Giants' empire.
Magic is addressed logically and exploited in the same way we exploited the steam engine and electricity. Lightning trains race along magical pathways (and you know I'm going to contrive a desperate fight on top of a train at some point) while airships use bound elementals to sail the skies. Magical cannon and rods exist for warfare, giving a good gunpowder age feeling. Some farmers may own plows that drive themselves or other useful magical implements.
In short, if you're looking for a very different D&D setting, one with a more pulp feel with elements of noir mysteries, Eberron is the perfect fit.
This is a fully-formed world, with deep mythology and history and where the scars of war are fresh. No one really won the Last War, so tensions remain high. New nations run by monsters threaten the old order, and the Dragonmarked houses work to expand their influence at the expense of all others. This is a world of change and intrigue where the characters can end up as the clients of a powerful patron or just follow the path of discovery and adventure. You could spend an entire campaign inside Sharn, the legendary City of Towers if you like. Or take an airship on a perilous quest to the southern continent of Xen’drik - a cursed, warped land home to the shattered remains of the Giants' empire.
Magic is addressed logically and exploited in the same way we exploited the steam engine and electricity. Lightning trains race along magical pathways (and you know I'm going to contrive a desperate fight on top of a train at some point) while airships use bound elementals to sail the skies. Magical cannon and rods exist for warfare, giving a good gunpowder age feeling. Some farmers may own plows that drive themselves or other useful magical implements.
In short, if you're looking for a very different D&D setting, one with a more pulp feel with elements of noir mysteries, Eberron is the perfect fit.
January 5, 2020
Eberon je sada već skoro dve decenije mator proizvod, inače plod velikog konkursa koji su Wizards of the Coast raspisali 2002. kako bi dobili novi originalan CS za tada važeću 3.5 ediciju D&D-a.
Eberon je tada bio pomalo kontroverzan. Tadašnja publika je izmešano reagovala na magitech/psionics orijentisani Eberon, ali tokom godina ovaj CS je stekao brojne poklonike. Premda nikada nisam ni vodio ni igrao u njemu, pratio sam njegov razvoj kroz 3.5 splatbukove i u načelu mi se vrlo dopadalo to što sam čitao.
Potpuno novi svet, nesputan važećom D&D kosmologijom ili stereotipima bio je korak od sedam milja za D&D kao igru ali i za zvaničnu ponudu WotC-a.
Fast forward dve decenije i niz imbecilnih poslovnih odluka velike korporacije i stiže nam Eberron: Rising from the Last War za D&D 5e. Ovaj proizvod je - da odmah razjasnimo - veličanstven, ali upravo u svojoj veličanstvenosti pokazuje maćehinski odnos WotC prema D&D. Za početak, ovo je prvi pravi campaign setting za sve godine postojanja 5e, što je skaredno. Sledeća ogromna zamerka je što je ogromna većina ilustracija u ovoj knjizi reciklirana bilo iz starih RPG proizvoda bilo korišćenjem ilustracija za romane smeštene u Eberon (kojih ima poprilično).
Glavni razlog zašto ovo ne upada u oči baš toliko zapravo je ogromna količina teksta smeštenog u ovih 320 stranica. Bejker (autor sveta) je dao sve od sebe da sažme što više materijala objavljenog u 3.x eri i da igračima i masterima ponudi proizvod koji je u najvećoj mogućoj meri samodovoljan za godine igranja u ovom setingu -valjda svestan činjenica da nema ništa od širenja setinga novim priručnicima.
Eberon u 5. ediciji je isti kakav se pojavio izvorno, odnosno sva dešavanja u setingu tokom 3.x i 4e su rolbekovana i seting ponovo kreće od nulte tačke, odnosno kraja Poslednjeg rata. Razlika u odnosu na izvorni seting je u tome što ovaj tom sadrži i informacije o drugim delovima sveta, odnosno svih sedam kontinenata - ne samo glavnom, Korvaru (vrlo slobodna transliteracija).
Prvo poglavlje je ujedno i najduže u knjizi i na skoro 100 stranica izlaže pravila neophodna za kreiranje likova u ovom setingu. Rečena pravila uključuju informacije o rasama novim i starim, jednu novu klasu kao i sve što igrači treba da znaju o zmajskim belezima (dragonmarks), koji su ključan element setinga.
Drugo poglavlje se bavi glavnim kontinentom setinga, gde će se i odigravati najviše pustolovina i nažalost je najslabije napisano. Tačnije, pisanje je na odličnom nivou, ali su zbog prostora nacije Korvara opisane vrlo šturo, a čak su izbačene i ilustracije njihovih grbova, što mi je potpuno nejasna odluka - jedino ako nisu imali fajlove iz 3.5e.
Treće poglavlje je posvećeno Šarnu, eberonskom ekvivalentu Njujorka, četvrto kreiranju avantura i kampanja u Eberonu, odnosno raznim frakcijama i interesnim grupama koje čine (geo)politički milje sveta, peto poglavlje dotiče magične predmete tipične za Eberon, a šesto i poslednje je u suštini monster's manual.
Knjizi nema šta da se zameri sa strane teksta: fluff je opsežan, ali jezgrovit, tako da daje more bang for the buck od većine sličnih RPG proizvoda, a svakako od celokupne postojeće ponude WotC za 5e. Igrači na raspolaganju imaju obilje mehaničkih opcija, a sama postavka setinga je takva da naglavačke okreće silesiju fantazijskih tropa (pa tako imamo anded elfove, fantazi robote itd.) i masterima otvara pregršt pravaca za istraživanje nekih koncepata kampanja koje jednostavno ne mogu da piju vodu u recimo Forgotten Realms.
Ovo je svakako jedan od najboljih RPG proizvoda objavljenih prošle godine, ako ne i najbolji.
5* i Nightflier's Seal of Approval.
Eberon je tada bio pomalo kontroverzan. Tadašnja publika je izmešano reagovala na magitech/psionics orijentisani Eberon, ali tokom godina ovaj CS je stekao brojne poklonike. Premda nikada nisam ni vodio ni igrao u njemu, pratio sam njegov razvoj kroz 3.5 splatbukove i u načelu mi se vrlo dopadalo to što sam čitao.
Potpuno novi svet, nesputan važećom D&D kosmologijom ili stereotipima bio je korak od sedam milja za D&D kao igru ali i za zvaničnu ponudu WotC-a.
Fast forward dve decenije i niz imbecilnih poslovnih odluka velike korporacije i stiže nam Eberron: Rising from the Last War za D&D 5e. Ovaj proizvod je - da odmah razjasnimo - veličanstven, ali upravo u svojoj veličanstvenosti pokazuje maćehinski odnos WotC prema D&D. Za početak, ovo je prvi pravi campaign setting za sve godine postojanja 5e, što je skaredno. Sledeća ogromna zamerka je što je ogromna većina ilustracija u ovoj knjizi reciklirana bilo iz starih RPG proizvoda bilo korišćenjem ilustracija za romane smeštene u Eberon (kojih ima poprilično).
Glavni razlog zašto ovo ne upada u oči baš toliko zapravo je ogromna količina teksta smeštenog u ovih 320 stranica. Bejker (autor sveta) je dao sve od sebe da sažme što više materijala objavljenog u 3.x eri i da igračima i masterima ponudi proizvod koji je u najvećoj mogućoj meri samodovoljan za godine igranja u ovom setingu -valjda svestan činjenica da nema ništa od širenja setinga novim priručnicima.
Eberon u 5. ediciji je isti kakav se pojavio izvorno, odnosno sva dešavanja u setingu tokom 3.x i 4e su rolbekovana i seting ponovo kreće od nulte tačke, odnosno kraja Poslednjeg rata. Razlika u odnosu na izvorni seting je u tome što ovaj tom sadrži i informacije o drugim delovima sveta, odnosno svih sedam kontinenata - ne samo glavnom, Korvaru (vrlo slobodna transliteracija).
Prvo poglavlje je ujedno i najduže u knjizi i na skoro 100 stranica izlaže pravila neophodna za kreiranje likova u ovom setingu. Rečena pravila uključuju informacije o rasama novim i starim, jednu novu klasu kao i sve što igrači treba da znaju o zmajskim belezima (dragonmarks), koji su ključan element setinga.
Drugo poglavlje se bavi glavnim kontinentom setinga, gde će se i odigravati najviše pustolovina i nažalost je najslabije napisano. Tačnije, pisanje je na odličnom nivou, ali su zbog prostora nacije Korvara opisane vrlo šturo, a čak su izbačene i ilustracije njihovih grbova, što mi je potpuno nejasna odluka - jedino ako nisu imali fajlove iz 3.5e.
Treće poglavlje je posvećeno Šarnu, eberonskom ekvivalentu Njujorka, četvrto kreiranju avantura i kampanja u Eberonu, odnosno raznim frakcijama i interesnim grupama koje čine (geo)politički milje sveta, peto poglavlje dotiče magične predmete tipične za Eberon, a šesto i poslednje je u suštini monster's manual.
Knjizi nema šta da se zameri sa strane teksta: fluff je opsežan, ali jezgrovit, tako da daje more bang for the buck od većine sličnih RPG proizvoda, a svakako od celokupne postojeće ponude WotC za 5e. Igrači na raspolaganju imaju obilje mehaničkih opcija, a sama postavka setinga je takva da naglavačke okreće silesiju fantazijskih tropa (pa tako imamo anded elfove, fantazi robote itd.) i masterima otvara pregršt pravaca za istraživanje nekih koncepata kampanja koje jednostavno ne mogu da piju vodu u recimo Forgotten Realms.
Ovo je svakako jedan od najboljih RPG proizvoda objavljenih prošle godine, ako ne i najbolji.
5* i Nightflier's Seal of Approval.
March 21, 2024
I’m late to the review game here folks, but I’d never forget to do a write up on my favorite Campaign Setting for Dungeons and Dragons. Eberron!
If you want to get my thoughts right out front, Eberron: Rising from the Last War is great. Coming in at 320 pages it is very meaty, and long on assistance for the Dungeon Master. Has some excellent tidbits for players too. It’s pretty much what I expect to see from an Eberron Campaign setting book. We’ve seen this before in two previous editions of D&D. This setting in particular always does a great job of introducing the world, without getting long winded. You get the perfect bare bones rundown, and are then handed the tools necessary to run with it. That’s the book in a nutshell. If you want to run games in this Campaign Setting, grab this book and you’ll have all the setup you will likely ever need.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t start with a toast to the alternate cover art. It is one of my favorites since they started down this road of providing such a thing. If you have a choice between the standard cover and the alternate it is really a no-brainer here. Vance Kelly knocked it out of the park. A perfect companion to this weird little pulpy, noir, high fantasy, steampunk world. Does everything you need to set the tone. As for the standard cover (pictured above) I’m not a huge fan, simply because it highlights an area of the world setting I never really play around in, personally I preferred the working cover art, which does make an appearance in the book at least.
The first part of the book spends some needed time introducing players to the basics of Eberron. The background of the world, and what to expect about play style. Eberron has always been set almost immediately after a shaky peace has been negotiated between countries that have been at war for a generation. This sets up a very conflicted world that really allows a DM to play around. With this many groups vying to find their place in a newfound world you can go in a myriad of directions. The best thing about how this has always been handled, and continues to be handled, is that there is very little hand holding for the DM. You get the info you need to create, but aren’t told specifically which direction to go with it. We don’t even get to know what caused the major cataclysm that instigated the world to sit up and force a peace! That’s on you to explore. It can make for a somewhat advanced treatment for a DM on where to go, some may need a little more help than that, but I have always appreciated the freedom to stretch my imagination some.
Chapter One kicks off some character creation stuff, and this is where player characters will be spending most of their time. This isn’t a tidbit chunk added to appease folks looking for a few new character options, here we get a solid rundown of the changes you’ll find for races of old, and four whole new races to look at.
Changelings – Descended from doppelgangers these individuals can change appearances with ease. Often choosing a static humanoid form to be their day to day appearance because their natural form typically earns them nothing but mistrust. Changeling
Kalashtar – Tough to describe but they are essentially the blending of humans and psychic spirits. Certainly new type of race to play around with. In fact I’m reminded that I’ve never done much with them personally. Maybe that should change. Kalashtar
Shifters – Descended from Lychanthropes, can take on bestial characteristics in order to enhance their natural abilities.Shifter
Warforged – Metallic constructs given sentience for the purposes of war. Where they fit in during a peace time their race has never encountered is up to the player. One of my personal favorite additions.Warforged
We are also given a new class to play with known as the Artificer. This is a classic Eberron class that approaches magic with a mixture of tech, often giving a steampunk feel to the style. The Artificer can currently advance in their roles as Alchemists, who delve into potions and other mixtures, Artillerists, that essentially bring a magical turret to the battlemat, or Battle Smiths who function almost like a combat medic. Overall the Artificer is very setting appropriate, but certainly a class for players who have a bit of experience under their belt. There seems to be a lot going on with this class and you’ll want to be prepped.
Another great element to the character creation chapter is the addition of Dragonmarks, which have always been a staple of Eberron, namely I like how they are implemented in 5e. In fact this is probably my favorite implementation to date. In 5e, choosing to take on a Dragonmark replaces your chosen racial/subracial traits. It basically pot commits you to the choice. Really forces a PC’s hand to make use of the role-play aspects of their chosen Dragonmarked house. Definitely a go-to for someone wanting to try something a little different that is setting unique.
Chapter Two delves into Khorvaire, the core of the Eberron world. Here we are informed on the major countries, organizations, faiths, etc. of the lands where the bulk of the action seems to take place in Eberron. At the center of this land mass lies the ever elusive, and highly dangerous, Mournland. The Mournland used to be the country of Cyre until a magical cataclysm turned it into a wasteland of horrific monstrosities and magical hazards. This destruction helped force the uneasy peace that keeps the other powers at be in check, no one wants such a thing to happen in their own backyard.
Sharn
Chapter Three highlights just one city located on the continent of Khorvaire. What can be so special about the city of Sharn that it gets a chapter all its own? Just to whet your appetite, the city is so massive it must be contained via magic to support it’s growth upwards rather than out. The city of Sharn is aptly referred to as the City of Towers for this reason. If you’re looking for the noir aspects claimed by lovers of this campaign setting here is where you might want to set down some roots. Shadows loom lengthy in a city where those above you get richer as the layers get laid. Mysteries abound around every corner as groups like the Boromar Clan operate like gangsters, or the Tyrants utilize Changelings for information dealing. I’ve personally used Sharn frequently for some excellent adventures. Truly a unique city for tabletop rpgs. The book gives some great detail on districts and organizations. Just enough for you to work with as usual.
Chapter 4 is the Dungeon Master’s toolbox essentially. Lots of great embellishment of villainous groups, and some morally gray ones at that. With the exception of perhaps the Emerald Claw most groups aren’t outright evil, they just find themselves at odds with what many would consider “good” when they start looking out for themselves. You’ll find details of places beyond Khorvaire here, some good maps, travel considerations, and more. Plus, lots and lots of random roll tables to help pad some stuff out. Rounding thing out, we are gifted with a nice little adventure, titled Forgotten Relics, for a DM to either use or peruse in order to get an idea of what an adventure in this setting might look like. Looks to be a one shot that could last two or three sessions.
Chapter 5 focuses on treasure specific to Eberron. Everything here is something you’d find unique to such a world. It isn’t the highlight chapter of the book for me but it is a nice added touch. With over 20 new magic items to dole out it will be easy to nudge one of these items out for the players.
Chapter 6 is a 40 page highlight of some of the NPCs and foes you might run into in this world. I’m always a fan of more baddies to throw at my players, especially ones fresh to a setting so they might not be privy to all the information about the beast. I mean, we need to know what lurks in the Mournland right, or the jungles of Xen’Drik? If the players are foolis…I mean brave enough to try and muck about in such places, I need to be prepared!
My opening remarks stand. Eberron: Rising from the Last War is a gem. One of the best additions to this particular edition’s line of books. If future Campaign Setting source books follow suit we are looking at some great content. It is doubly fun because I could see this book working for the player and the Dungeon Master equally (with a slight edge to the DM, which is to be expected). Quality books or no, the line of large campaign books we’ve seen of late are typically just a DM’s tool with little to offer the players. Here we have some added content that a player character will enjoy. Would have loved to see such a thing for Ravenloft rather than the adventure we received honestly, not that it was a bad adventure just left a lot of opportunity on the table.
I feel like Eberron: Rising from the Last War is a must have.
If you want to get my thoughts right out front, Eberron: Rising from the Last War is great. Coming in at 320 pages it is very meaty, and long on assistance for the Dungeon Master. Has some excellent tidbits for players too. It’s pretty much what I expect to see from an Eberron Campaign setting book. We’ve seen this before in two previous editions of D&D. This setting in particular always does a great job of introducing the world, without getting long winded. You get the perfect bare bones rundown, and are then handed the tools necessary to run with it. That’s the book in a nutshell. If you want to run games in this Campaign Setting, grab this book and you’ll have all the setup you will likely ever need.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t start with a toast to the alternate cover art. It is one of my favorites since they started down this road of providing such a thing. If you have a choice between the standard cover and the alternate it is really a no-brainer here. Vance Kelly knocked it out of the park. A perfect companion to this weird little pulpy, noir, high fantasy, steampunk world. Does everything you need to set the tone. As for the standard cover (pictured above) I’m not a huge fan, simply because it highlights an area of the world setting I never really play around in, personally I preferred the working cover art, which does make an appearance in the book at least.
The first part of the book spends some needed time introducing players to the basics of Eberron. The background of the world, and what to expect about play style. Eberron has always been set almost immediately after a shaky peace has been negotiated between countries that have been at war for a generation. This sets up a very conflicted world that really allows a DM to play around. With this many groups vying to find their place in a newfound world you can go in a myriad of directions. The best thing about how this has always been handled, and continues to be handled, is that there is very little hand holding for the DM. You get the info you need to create, but aren’t told specifically which direction to go with it. We don’t even get to know what caused the major cataclysm that instigated the world to sit up and force a peace! That’s on you to explore. It can make for a somewhat advanced treatment for a DM on where to go, some may need a little more help than that, but I have always appreciated the freedom to stretch my imagination some.
Chapter One kicks off some character creation stuff, and this is where player characters will be spending most of their time. This isn’t a tidbit chunk added to appease folks looking for a few new character options, here we get a solid rundown of the changes you’ll find for races of old, and four whole new races to look at.
Changelings – Descended from doppelgangers these individuals can change appearances with ease. Often choosing a static humanoid form to be their day to day appearance because their natural form typically earns them nothing but mistrust. Changeling
Kalashtar – Tough to describe but they are essentially the blending of humans and psychic spirits. Certainly new type of race to play around with. In fact I’m reminded that I’ve never done much with them personally. Maybe that should change. Kalashtar
Shifters – Descended from Lychanthropes, can take on bestial characteristics in order to enhance their natural abilities.Shifter
Warforged – Metallic constructs given sentience for the purposes of war. Where they fit in during a peace time their race has never encountered is up to the player. One of my personal favorite additions.Warforged
We are also given a new class to play with known as the Artificer. This is a classic Eberron class that approaches magic with a mixture of tech, often giving a steampunk feel to the style. The Artificer can currently advance in their roles as Alchemists, who delve into potions and other mixtures, Artillerists, that essentially bring a magical turret to the battlemat, or Battle Smiths who function almost like a combat medic. Overall the Artificer is very setting appropriate, but certainly a class for players who have a bit of experience under their belt. There seems to be a lot going on with this class and you’ll want to be prepped.
Another great element to the character creation chapter is the addition of Dragonmarks, which have always been a staple of Eberron, namely I like how they are implemented in 5e. In fact this is probably my favorite implementation to date. In 5e, choosing to take on a Dragonmark replaces your chosen racial/subracial traits. It basically pot commits you to the choice. Really forces a PC’s hand to make use of the role-play aspects of their chosen Dragonmarked house. Definitely a go-to for someone wanting to try something a little different that is setting unique.
Chapter Two delves into Khorvaire, the core of the Eberron world. Here we are informed on the major countries, organizations, faiths, etc. of the lands where the bulk of the action seems to take place in Eberron. At the center of this land mass lies the ever elusive, and highly dangerous, Mournland. The Mournland used to be the country of Cyre until a magical cataclysm turned it into a wasteland of horrific monstrosities and magical hazards. This destruction helped force the uneasy peace that keeps the other powers at be in check, no one wants such a thing to happen in their own backyard.
Sharn
Chapter Three highlights just one city located on the continent of Khorvaire. What can be so special about the city of Sharn that it gets a chapter all its own? Just to whet your appetite, the city is so massive it must be contained via magic to support it’s growth upwards rather than out. The city of Sharn is aptly referred to as the City of Towers for this reason. If you’re looking for the noir aspects claimed by lovers of this campaign setting here is where you might want to set down some roots. Shadows loom lengthy in a city where those above you get richer as the layers get laid. Mysteries abound around every corner as groups like the Boromar Clan operate like gangsters, or the Tyrants utilize Changelings for information dealing. I’ve personally used Sharn frequently for some excellent adventures. Truly a unique city for tabletop rpgs. The book gives some great detail on districts and organizations. Just enough for you to work with as usual.
Chapter 4 is the Dungeon Master’s toolbox essentially. Lots of great embellishment of villainous groups, and some morally gray ones at that. With the exception of perhaps the Emerald Claw most groups aren’t outright evil, they just find themselves at odds with what many would consider “good” when they start looking out for themselves. You’ll find details of places beyond Khorvaire here, some good maps, travel considerations, and more. Plus, lots and lots of random roll tables to help pad some stuff out. Rounding thing out, we are gifted with a nice little adventure, titled Forgotten Relics, for a DM to either use or peruse in order to get an idea of what an adventure in this setting might look like. Looks to be a one shot that could last two or three sessions.
Chapter 5 focuses on treasure specific to Eberron. Everything here is something you’d find unique to such a world. It isn’t the highlight chapter of the book for me but it is a nice added touch. With over 20 new magic items to dole out it will be easy to nudge one of these items out for the players.
Chapter 6 is a 40 page highlight of some of the NPCs and foes you might run into in this world. I’m always a fan of more baddies to throw at my players, especially ones fresh to a setting so they might not be privy to all the information about the beast. I mean, we need to know what lurks in the Mournland right, or the jungles of Xen’Drik? If the players are foolis…I mean brave enough to try and muck about in such places, I need to be prepared!
My opening remarks stand. Eberron: Rising from the Last War is a gem. One of the best additions to this particular edition’s line of books. If future Campaign Setting source books follow suit we are looking at some great content. It is doubly fun because I could see this book working for the player and the Dungeon Master equally (with a slight edge to the DM, which is to be expected). Quality books or no, the line of large campaign books we’ve seen of late are typically just a DM’s tool with little to offer the players. Here we have some added content that a player character will enjoy. Would have loved to see such a thing for Ravenloft rather than the adventure we received honestly, not that it was a bad adventure just left a lot of opportunity on the table.
I feel like Eberron: Rising from the Last War is a must have.
May 11, 2020
This is a great campaign setting and a great introduction to Eberron, but this source book really left me wanting more.
Eberron is a probably my favorite DnD setting. Everything that is introduced in a canonical DnD setting is totally remixed in Eberron. It’s just way too much stuff for me to even try to mention, but almost all of it is done in a positive, progressive way. I would say the two distinctive features of Eberron are The Last War and the widespread use of low magic, almost to the point where it is studied scientifically.
The Last War was a 100 year war that broke up the Kingdom of Galifar into five kingdoms. Eberron is set two years after the Treaty of Thronehold ended the Last War. Eberron is currently in this post-WWI state where the war has ended, but international tensions are insanely high. The really cool thing about Eberron is that even though this setting has existed since 2004, every source book is set two years after the end of The Last War. I don’t want to get into the details, but this central point of conflict drives everything in really interesting ways.
The development of widespread magic also heavily influences the Eberron setting. Eberron is far more about ships and trains powered by crystals than it is about getting around everywhere on horseback. This sounds like it’s dipping into steampunk, but the setting is more about noir and pulp than cool steamy guns and gadgets.
I love all the cool, rich ideas in Eberron: Rising from the Last War. This book is overflowing with plot hooks and the sniff of a fantastic adventure. My gripe with this book is that in order to run an Eberron campaign, you pretty much need another supplement to this book. I just wish that this book would serve as a compendium for all things Eberron. Whenever I research Eberron, I have to look through four different books, two blogs and a podcast. That last sentence was not a joke.
Maybe it’s not fair because this book wasn’t meant to be an Eberron encyclopedia. Dear Wizards of the Coast, could you please make one?
Eberron is a probably my favorite DnD setting. Everything that is introduced in a canonical DnD setting is totally remixed in Eberron. It’s just way too much stuff for me to even try to mention, but almost all of it is done in a positive, progressive way. I would say the two distinctive features of Eberron are The Last War and the widespread use of low magic, almost to the point where it is studied scientifically.
The Last War was a 100 year war that broke up the Kingdom of Galifar into five kingdoms. Eberron is set two years after the Treaty of Thronehold ended the Last War. Eberron is currently in this post-WWI state where the war has ended, but international tensions are insanely high. The really cool thing about Eberron is that even though this setting has existed since 2004, every source book is set two years after the end of The Last War. I don’t want to get into the details, but this central point of conflict drives everything in really interesting ways.
The development of widespread magic also heavily influences the Eberron setting. Eberron is far more about ships and trains powered by crystals than it is about getting around everywhere on horseback. This sounds like it’s dipping into steampunk, but the setting is more about noir and pulp than cool steamy guns and gadgets.
I love all the cool, rich ideas in Eberron: Rising from the Last War. This book is overflowing with plot hooks and the sniff of a fantastic adventure. My gripe with this book is that in order to run an Eberron campaign, you pretty much need another supplement to this book. I just wish that this book would serve as a compendium for all things Eberron. Whenever I research Eberron, I have to look through four different books, two blogs and a podcast. That last sentence was not a joke.
Maybe it’s not fair because this book wasn’t meant to be an Eberron encyclopedia. Dear Wizards of the Coast, could you please make one?
January 20, 2020
A great setting book for D&D 5e. I've always been interested in running a campaign set in Eberron, ever since I picked up a used copy of the original setting book a loooong time ago. It feels quite different from traditional fantasy setting, and allows the genre to stretch in different ways.
For those who don't know, Eberron is basically the answer to the question "what if the Industrial Revolution happened, but with magic?" It hangs on to many big D&D staples, such as the core fantasy races and class archetypes, but expands the scope and usefulness of magic items. There are trains and airships powered by magic, and there are strong themes of industrialization and corporate control because many of the magical services are dominated by families born with magical abilities to make these things work. The world is also in a post-war haze, after a continent spanning conflict, the Last War, that had been ongoing for a century. This allows interested groups to explore how societies take care of their veterans, how civilians have been impacted by the war, and how private interests can take advantage of and benefit from international conflict.
I think this book does an amazing job of giving an overview of the continent of Khorvaire, with a lot of time given to helping players and games masters come up with story ideas that they want to draw on for their games.
I am also a fan of the new rules provided in this book, particularly the new race and class options. Warforged, the large sentient constructs built for the Last War, are the most iconic of these options, allowing players to be a big magical robot who is searching for purpose and life after their reason for being made has ended. All warforged are veterans and former slaves, having been considered property until quite recently. Changelings are a fantastic and really fun option that I cannot wait to play around with. They can take any humanoid form, which opens the door to some fun opportunities for characters to shift identities with relative ease. I particularly enjoy the fact that writers chose to recognize how this innate ability would influence how changelings view gender, which is essentially meaningless to them. They are inherently non-binary and can choose to present however masculine, feminine, or androgynous as they want. It is a welcome inclusion, as I am always in favour of giving D&D players more options to be who they want to be and explore their own identity or an identity they do not inhabit day-to-day.
This book has made me so excited to play more D&D, which seems like the best praise I can give it. It has inspired me to start writing my own campaign, and I know that I am going to be going back and pouring over these pages time and again as I work on my own writing and find more threads I want to follow in this world and ideas I want to expand upon.
For those who don't know, Eberron is basically the answer to the question "what if the Industrial Revolution happened, but with magic?" It hangs on to many big D&D staples, such as the core fantasy races and class archetypes, but expands the scope and usefulness of magic items. There are trains and airships powered by magic, and there are strong themes of industrialization and corporate control because many of the magical services are dominated by families born with magical abilities to make these things work. The world is also in a post-war haze, after a continent spanning conflict, the Last War, that had been ongoing for a century. This allows interested groups to explore how societies take care of their veterans, how civilians have been impacted by the war, and how private interests can take advantage of and benefit from international conflict.
I think this book does an amazing job of giving an overview of the continent of Khorvaire, with a lot of time given to helping players and games masters come up with story ideas that they want to draw on for their games.
I am also a fan of the new rules provided in this book, particularly the new race and class options. Warforged, the large sentient constructs built for the Last War, are the most iconic of these options, allowing players to be a big magical robot who is searching for purpose and life after their reason for being made has ended. All warforged are veterans and former slaves, having been considered property until quite recently. Changelings are a fantastic and really fun option that I cannot wait to play around with. They can take any humanoid form, which opens the door to some fun opportunities for characters to shift identities with relative ease. I particularly enjoy the fact that writers chose to recognize how this innate ability would influence how changelings view gender, which is essentially meaningless to them. They are inherently non-binary and can choose to present however masculine, feminine, or androgynous as they want. It is a welcome inclusion, as I am always in favour of giving D&D players more options to be who they want to be and explore their own identity or an identity they do not inhabit day-to-day.
This book has made me so excited to play more D&D, which seems like the best praise I can give it. It has inspired me to start writing my own campaign, and I know that I am going to be going back and pouring over these pages time and again as I work on my own writing and find more threads I want to follow in this world and ideas I want to expand upon.
April 18, 2020
Excellent, rich setting with fascinating magical technology, great amounts of lore, and lots of fun player options. I really want a full-length adventure in this setting!
August 17, 2023
New/updated races with sub-varients. New class. Dragonmarks. Group Patrons. Deep, deep worldbuilding lore. Significant adventure hooks and module/campaign development tools.
This is a very, very good 5e book. Only needs more dragons, really
This is a very, very good 5e book. Only needs more dragons, really
December 13, 2023
A great adventure creation tool. I really like the idea of Dragonmarks. Good world maps.
February 25, 2020
This is the first Game Supplement I have read cover to cover, in order. I learned a lot about Eberron and it has caused me to be excited about running a D&D Campaign. That is something I have never been.
Eberron is a world with tons of Low Level Magic. They have magical trains, air ships, restaurants, healers, etc... most people in their world are Magic Initiates or Mage Writes.
It is kind of like Steam Punk with Magic. Arcanopunk or something like that. (Without the Rebellion)
Pros:
Character Options are awesome!
Playing Monster Races is encouraged.
Each country write up is short and to the point.
The Gods either don't exist or are unable to actively manifest.
Sharn is well developed, with places and things to do all over.
The GM section has so many ideas and plot hooks that my Campaign was created and refined just by reading it. I didn't have to put in much work.
Cons:
No Index!!!
Sharn is the only city described.
I don't understand Manifest Zones or where most of them are.
Many of the houses don't have unique magitech or it doesn't tell you how it functions. Such as house Orien has Magebreed animals, but no explanation of what they are or how to modify existing animals.
I don't recommend reading it in order. You should cross reference words and ideas as they come up. Such as the Religions, Delkyr and Regions.
Overall:
Great Book, that I am excited to Focus on in our next campaign!
Eberron is a world with tons of Low Level Magic. They have magical trains, air ships, restaurants, healers, etc... most people in their world are Magic Initiates or Mage Writes.
It is kind of like Steam Punk with Magic. Arcanopunk or something like that. (Without the Rebellion)
Pros:
Character Options are awesome!
Playing Monster Races is encouraged.
Each country write up is short and to the point.
The Gods either don't exist or are unable to actively manifest.
Sharn is well developed, with places and things to do all over.
The GM section has so many ideas and plot hooks that my Campaign was created and refined just by reading it. I didn't have to put in much work.
Cons:
No Index!!!
Sharn is the only city described.
I don't understand Manifest Zones or where most of them are.
Many of the houses don't have unique magitech or it doesn't tell you how it functions. Such as house Orien has Magebreed animals, but no explanation of what they are or how to modify existing animals.
I don't recommend reading it in order. You should cross reference words and ideas as they come up. Such as the Religions, Delkyr and Regions.
Overall:
Great Book, that I am excited to Focus on in our next campaign!
July 17, 2020
This is one of the best D&D books I've read, and the best D&D world sourcebook.
It not only details a lot of what makes Eberron an interesting world to play in, both in terms of new rules and places, it's also chock-full of adventure ideas, potential conflict points (geographical and motive-based) and enough cool locations and intriguing organizations to support a plethora of campaigns.
It also takes care to stress the to main modes of play in an Eberron campaign - Noir intrigue and Pulp action.
It not only details a lot of what makes Eberron an interesting world to play in, both in terms of new rules and places, it's also chock-full of adventure ideas, potential conflict points (geographical and motive-based) and enough cool locations and intriguing organizations to support a plethora of campaigns.
It also takes care to stress the to main modes of play in an Eberron campaign - Noir intrigue and Pulp action.
March 15, 2023
This took FOREVER to get through, but it was well worth the struggle. At the moment, I've read the 5e versions of Ravenloft, Forgotten Realms (Sword Coast), and Eberron. Eberron has easily been the best of these three.
What I liked most about the book was its attention to providing resources for both players and DMs. Players get the class option Artificer (also available in Tasha's) and the race options Warforged, Changeling, Kalashtar, Shifters, and Goblinoids. On top of this, the book provided information about the role of each non-exotic race in Eberron to give players an idea of how elves, dwarves, etc. differ in this universe. For DMs, there were a ton of maps, campaign ideas, tables for encounters, and explanations for the universe that help immensely. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about Sharn, and was very sad to learn the 3.5e book about Sharn is currently $82.00 on Amazon.
If you're looking to spice up your D&D game, I highly recommend this campaign setting for both players and DMs. I've both played and DMed using elements from these books already, and they've provided a great time at my tables.
What I liked most about the book was its attention to providing resources for both players and DMs. Players get the class option Artificer (also available in Tasha's) and the race options Warforged, Changeling, Kalashtar, Shifters, and Goblinoids. On top of this, the book provided information about the role of each non-exotic race in Eberron to give players an idea of how elves, dwarves, etc. differ in this universe. For DMs, there were a ton of maps, campaign ideas, tables for encounters, and explanations for the universe that help immensely. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about Sharn, and was very sad to learn the 3.5e book about Sharn is currently $82.00 on Amazon.
If you're looking to spice up your D&D game, I highly recommend this campaign setting for both players and DMs. I've both played and DMed using elements from these books already, and they've provided a great time at my tables.
March 25, 2022
As the Forgotten Realms is pretty much my comfort zone, I was unfamiliar with Eberron before browsing through this one. Must say I'm questioning my DM choices.
May 19, 2023
By far the best book put out by Wizards of the Coast. In depth, vivid detail, great start to fleshing out a campaign in Eberron. Can't wait to run mine. Every 5e DM needs this book. 5 stars
April 24, 2020
I fell in love with Eberron as a setting for Dungeons & Dragons ever since I discovered it in 4th edition D&D; I eventually picked up the 3rd edition Eberron Campaign Setting and quickly determined that Eberron was "native" to 3rd edition, such that it works (or worked; see below) most ideally in that edition. However, just as 5th edition D&D—as I've said elsewhere—is, in my estimation, the apotheosis of everything that has come before in the grandpappy of all fantasy RPGs, Eberron: Rising from the Last War, Wizards of the Coast's adaptation of Eberron for 5th edition, is arguably the best distillation of the setting that Wizards of the Coast has published.
For the uninitiated, Eberron is a high-technology, noirish setting for D&D, in which political intrigue, corruption, and a continent-wide cold war pervade the setting, and in which low-level magic provides almost endless examples of substitute for technology, including airships, railways, and the like, almost, if not virtually, akin to steampunk. The "core" D&D setting in 5th edition is Forgotten Realms, which Ed Greenwood fleshed out almost perfectly, but Eberron provides enough framework to make personal, homebrewed worldbuilding relatively easy, but with enough spaces between the set pieces to allow the DM and PCs to breathe; Rising from the Last War does this more than capably, with all the finesse of 5th edition D&D in general. Rising from the Last War isn't perfect, but it more than does the trick for any upcoming campaign I run for the foreseeable future.
For the uninitiated, Eberron is a high-technology, noirish setting for D&D, in which political intrigue, corruption, and a continent-wide cold war pervade the setting, and in which low-level magic provides almost endless examples of substitute for technology, including airships, railways, and the like, almost, if not virtually, akin to steampunk. The "core" D&D setting in 5th edition is Forgotten Realms, which Ed Greenwood fleshed out almost perfectly, but Eberron provides enough framework to make personal, homebrewed worldbuilding relatively easy, but with enough spaces between the set pieces to allow the DM and PCs to breathe; Rising from the Last War does this more than capably, with all the finesse of 5th edition D&D in general. Rising from the Last War isn't perfect, but it more than does the trick for any upcoming campaign I run for the foreseeable future.
January 25, 2020
Eberron is one of the most interesting of the D&D campaign settings. Most fantasy worlds are stalled in a permanent Middle Ages. Eberron is a world that has had a magical industrial revolution. There are magic powered trains and airships. There are big cities with universities, newspapers, hotels and restaurants. The tone is post-WWI Europe meets steampunk, which is a bit unique as steampunk tends to be a bit more Victorian.
As a campaign setting Eberron is very rich in mysteries and potential threats. The authors are going for a Noir feel with lots of criminal organizations and political conspiracies, but retaining the traditional D&D elements such as mad cults and demonic incursions from other dimensions. There is even a slightly woke touch to Eberron in that Orcs and Goblins are not automatically assumed to be evil and Elves and Halflings are not assumed to be good. Overall, a useful supplement if you are looking to launch a new campaign in a fairly unique setting.
As a campaign setting Eberron is very rich in mysteries and potential threats. The authors are going for a Noir feel with lots of criminal organizations and political conspiracies, but retaining the traditional D&D elements such as mad cults and demonic incursions from other dimensions. There is even a slightly woke touch to Eberron in that Orcs and Goblins are not automatically assumed to be evil and Elves and Halflings are not assumed to be good. Overall, a useful supplement if you are looking to launch a new campaign in a fairly unique setting.
December 13, 2019
Best sourcebook addition in 5e that I’ve read. Weird omissions (no airship statblock, for example), but otherwise, very rich content on the whole! New races, new class, and a ton of great sandbox lore. Still revisiting different sections and drawing inspiration from them. Definitely worth picking up, especially if you get the gorgeous variant cover!
January 3, 2020
Eberron stole my heart back in third edition, and this new book brings it blazing into the modern D&D era. One of the few campaign books that I`ve read cover to cover, I`d recommend this to any DM looking for a less Tolkien take on Western fantasy.
January 28, 2020
Some really good ideas - not sure if they are executed as well as they could be (Looking at you, Artificer!).
October 28, 2023
I like the new player character options and the general setting - a world shaken by a mysterious and huge loss in the form of a whole country destroyed with no clear explanation as to how and many possible whys - but I honestly had a hard time getting through the pages and pages of history, geography and politics.
Don't get me wrong, I am usually all for reading a ton of lore about fantasy lands, it's literally what I signed up for when I bought this book, but this wasn't structured in a way that was entertaining to me. It wasn't hard to understand or follow, it was just far too many details in an odd order. The intro and first chapter I breezed through. Then I got to the gazette part and I just kept zoning out.
I'm sure this is the book for plenty of my fellow D&D nerds. It has a ton of details to each nation and plenty of history. It's just introduced in a way that makes you have to skip about a lot. Take the daelkyr for example. On page 5, a sensible three paragraphs summarize the history of Eberron. Great! It mentions that the goblin empire of Dhakaan fell to an invasion of mind flayers, beholders and the foul creatures that created them. Then there is a loooot of text about other things, before the daelkyr start popping up, mentioned here and there, at times with "see chapter 6" in brackets after the word. Turns out, daelkyr made the mind flayers. Would have been nice if villains of such cosmic power had been mentioned by name in the summary. Sure, I can skip around in a book, and I know some people like to learn their world lore like that, but I prefer to get to know a new setting from first page to last, in order. Also, only a few locations stood out to me, like the "former bad guy"-country led by three hags. Over all though a lot of these places blurred together for me.
Worth having for the warforged, changelings and other new options for player characters, and I still think the idea of the setting is cool, but I am never going to be able to cram this much info about so many different nations into my memory in any long term way.
Don't get me wrong, I am usually all for reading a ton of lore about fantasy lands, it's literally what I signed up for when I bought this book, but this wasn't structured in a way that was entertaining to me. It wasn't hard to understand or follow, it was just far too many details in an odd order. The intro and first chapter I breezed through. Then I got to the gazette part and I just kept zoning out.
I'm sure this is the book for plenty of my fellow D&D nerds. It has a ton of details to each nation and plenty of history. It's just introduced in a way that makes you have to skip about a lot. Take the daelkyr for example. On page 5, a sensible three paragraphs summarize the history of Eberron. Great! It mentions that the goblin empire of Dhakaan fell to an invasion of mind flayers, beholders and the foul creatures that created them. Then there is a loooot of text about other things, before the daelkyr start popping up, mentioned here and there, at times with "see chapter 6" in brackets after the word. Turns out, daelkyr made the mind flayers. Would have been nice if villains of such cosmic power had been mentioned by name in the summary. Sure, I can skip around in a book, and I know some people like to learn their world lore like that, but I prefer to get to know a new setting from first page to last, in order. Also, only a few locations stood out to me, like the "former bad guy"-country led by three hags. Over all though a lot of these places blurred together for me.
Worth having for the warforged, changelings and other new options for player characters, and I still think the idea of the setting is cool, but I am never going to be able to cram this much info about so many different nations into my memory in any long term way.
October 28, 2021
A good setting, but not a good setting book. There's lots going on in Eberron that is extremely cool, or else appeals to my personal tastes, which is basically the same thing. Magical tech, resulting in airships and lightning trains and warforged and essentially telephones. A sense that race doesn't determine your morality. Additional magical powers, cities more vertical than horizontal, and halfings riding dinosaurs.
All of which is great, but not a lot of it is useful. An encyclopaedic account of a world, no matter how interesting, does not help me as a DM create adventures. The section here on faction ideas mostly contains factions that aren't even unique to the setting. Oh, an adventuring guild, how thrillingly original (although admittedly working for a newspaper could be good fun). I don't want lists of countries and their histories and interconnected relationships with each other; that's just more stuff for me to keep track of. What I want is plot hooks, and NPCs, and locations. There is some of that here, but the percentage of useful to non-useful isn't in the book's favour, especially when compared to the last setting book I read, Ravnica, which although way less specific, provided way more tools.
But also the 1st level adventure contained here, Forgotten Relics, has a train setpiece finale, which is a sure-fire way to get me, um, on board, so.
All of which is great, but not a lot of it is useful. An encyclopaedic account of a world, no matter how interesting, does not help me as a DM create adventures. The section here on faction ideas mostly contains factions that aren't even unique to the setting. Oh, an adventuring guild, how thrillingly original (although admittedly working for a newspaper could be good fun). I don't want lists of countries and their histories and interconnected relationships with each other; that's just more stuff for me to keep track of. What I want is plot hooks, and NPCs, and locations. There is some of that here, but the percentage of useful to non-useful isn't in the book's favour, especially when compared to the last setting book I read, Ravnica, which although way less specific, provided way more tools.
But also the 1st level adventure contained here, Forgotten Relics, has a train setpiece finale, which is a sure-fire way to get me, um, on board, so.
January 30, 2022
Eberron: Rising from the Last War is an exceptional addition to the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons as it reskins classic high fantasy with a steampunk/industrial landscape filled with deep lore, history, and gives DMs a high level of pre-built tension in a world trying to salvage itself after war divided the various factions. The magic is rooted more in logic and explained through the means of industrialization who prefer to ground their casters in something tangible. However, this setting will not interest everyone, particularly with the addition of guns and other more modern weaponry, especially prevalent in the new Artificer class. Regardless, it is a good read for those wanting to see how worlds can be created and expanded outside of the regular Dungeons & Dragons mythos.
TL;DR: Great expansion to Dungeons & Dragons lore that creates a pseudo-steampunk world for DMs to base their campaigns within.
TL;DR: Great expansion to Dungeons & Dragons lore that creates a pseudo-steampunk world for DMs to base their campaigns within.
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August 19, 2025A satisfying and surprisingly robust setting guide, fifty pages longer than most DnD source books. The character creation options are interesting, though the species will export from the setting better than the dragonmark ~subspecies features will. The long gazetteer and DM guide are very nice, covering one city and one continent in depth while sketching out the rest of the globe and many, many factions and political dynamics of various sorts from both player and DM perspectives. The short level 1 adventure and the magic items section are less exciting than the rest, and surprisingly there are no new spells, but the bestiary is strong and, like the rest of the book, full of helpful lore to get players and DMs’ imaginations going.
April 5, 2025
While not my favorite official setting this book does Eberron justice. From the introduction of new races and slight tweaks on pre-existing ones as well as new monsters as well as the entire new setting to fifth edition this book is a nice pickup. I would not say that it is a must-have for most players but the additional player options are very nice to have. Dragon marks are unique add-ons as well and as of the time of this review are only found in this handbook.
March 30, 2020
Another great addition to the D&D source material! On top of having amazing lore and campaign ideas for Eberron, a lot of the concepts here can easily be translated to other settings, like the patrons and story arcs. My one knock on the book is that the organization of it all sometimes made it feel like you were re-reading sections.
October 16, 2021
Great addition to the D&D world. As someone who one day wants to run a D&D session, to have such a huge and rich world such as Eberron to jump into is amazing. It is such a giant world that it does not feel boring or generic, it creates a template that a DM can use to make an amazing campaign for their players with many moving parts.
May 23, 2022
Another book to add more races, subclasses, items, puzzles, monsters, etc. to the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition world. This book focuses on Eberron, which calls for many futuristic and exotic ideas that seem alien to the basic outline many campaigns follow. This break in the norm causes a new and interesting addition to campaigns!
April 19, 2020
Eberron es uno de los mejores settings de Dungeons&Dragons
Desde el comienzo ha traído cosas nuevas: razas, tecnología, magia, imaginarios raciales renovados, la reflexión sobre las postguerra, en fin, nuevas posibilidades en una versión del juego que ya de por sí era intersante
Desde el comienzo ha traído cosas nuevas: razas, tecnología, magia, imaginarios raciales renovados, la reflexión sobre las postguerra, en fin, nuevas posibilidades en una versión del juego que ya de por sí era intersante
June 2, 2020
It has some interesting new features. And the background of the world is described as a real history book, which makes this a must read for anyone who wants to have a shot at creating their own new world
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August 21, 2020a lot more dynamic than the Forgotten Realms, there's also a lot more to remember. Still, I think players who are tired of medieval will devour this world. I look forward to running a campaign here even though it might actually kill me.
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