Post originally by Conan McKegg at 2004-07-14 21:05:43
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Disagreed, I think missed point is better.

Eberron makes it reasonably clear that monsters are monsters <i>because the people of Khorvaire think they are.</i>

But that doesn't mean you can't play them as PCs - in fact, again, Keith Baker mentions this and the ECS even states that it is a possibility.

The Monsters have gathered in a kingdom because of the foresight (no pun intended) of the three Hags who want to make a place for "monsters" to gather.

The setting goes to great length to explain that many of the monster races are actually attempting to be seen as sentients too and although they are usually evil based - there is just as likely a chance of meeting a Good or Neutral Medusa as anyone else.

I point out again - this is just the first book in the line, and it goes to some pains to explain that races are not as simple as saying "dwarves are X" in fact, the dwarves in Eberron are very magic focused and get involved in complex economics and politics - quite a leap from the traditional tell-it-as-it-is dwarves from old school D&D.

From what I've read so far about Eberron, there has been no evidence of any of this "vanilla D&D" guff that certain people have complained about. Sure, the setting has been left open for that kind of thing if you want it. But NONE of the races have been presented with a preset personality or alignment. There have been cultural notes, but nothing as simplistic as "Dwarves are builders, Halflings are rogues, elves are magic users." None of that has been presented. Yeah, they have kept favoured classes - but they have explained these from a cultural perspective, not a "genetic" perspective.

Conan