Useful Dragonmarks?

[Wasp]

He everyone!

Do you feel any Eberron Dragonmark is worth it? In what kind of build?

Cheers

Wasp

[Exocist]

Mark of Sentinel could be good for a character that's part of a duo (like a Battle Master + Any Rogue), wherein one character is far less durable than another.

That being said, I don't think any of the Dragonmarks are particularly good. I'm not a fan of racial abilities that are easily emulated by feats/classes, so I'd probably just stick with Vuman instead of Dragonmarked (anything).

[Waterdeep Merch]

Mark of Healing is probably the best way to make a life cleric out of a halfling, Mark of Making is probably the best choice for most human wizards, Mark of Passage could be very interesting for a barbarian, fighter, paladin, or ranger that wouldn't rather take GWM, PAM, or SM, Mark of Scribing is easily the best way to make a gnome Charisma caster, Mark of the Sentinel is an excellent idea for any dedicated tank, and Mark of Storm is quite powerful if you're doing a sea campaign.

The rest aren't bad, but are more limited and will require some careful foresight to use effectively. This is NOT taking the greater marks into consideration at all- I'd judge any mark on the merits of its level 1 abilities first and foremost, with the greater abilities being a nice upgrade later. If you're taking a mark, you should almost always take the feat, and likely the first chance you get- it's a half feat with a floating ability score point, intuition dice upgrade, and two new spells. That's extremely good.

[Tetrasodium]

He everyone!

Do you feel any Eberron Dragonmark is worth it? In what kind of build?

Cheers

Wasp

It depends heavily on the dragonmark version you are using. The old UA dragonmarks were god awful. The new (sub)race based ones in wayfinder's guide to eberron (http://www.dmsguild.com/product/247882/Wayfinders-Guide-to-Eberron-5e) are very nice. Also it is important to remember that the mark itself is only part of the total package. Here are a couple examples:

The Mark of Sentinel only manifests on humans. These traits replace the human Ability Score Increase trait given in the Player’s Handbook.
Mark of sentinel(human) +1 str +1 wis +1 stat of choice.
Sentinel’s Intuition. When you roll for initiative or make a Wisdom (Perception) check
to notice a threat, you can roll one Intuition die, a d4,I and add it to the ability check.
Sentinel’s Shield. You know the cantrip blade ward. You can cast shield once with this trait and
regain the ability to do so after you finish a short or long rest.
Vigilant Guardian. As an action, you can designate an ally you can see as your ward. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Wisdom (Perception) checks made to spot threats to your ward. In addition, when you are within 5 feet of your ward, and that creature is the target of an attack that you can see, you can use your reaction to swap places with your ward. When you do, you become the target of the attack.

There are definitely some interesting things there(ie shield & such) & they are probably more useful than +1 in a bunch of stats you likely don't care about, but that is not the end of it. start with this bit from 116 "It’s easier to produce an item that amplifies an existing power than one that generates it on its own, and generally a focus item costs half as much
as the standard version of that item. However, the Siberys shards required to make focus items are rare, and it’s always up to the DM to decide what focus items are available in the world." Now look at this common magic item on 117 & remember that ealrier in the book common items are noted with good selections available in any major city for 50-100 gp & uncommon for 100-500gp in major cities but you might need to look around or place a special order
Being a dragonmark focus halves that.

Ring of shared suffering (uncommon, attunement)
These rings come in linked pairs. It you possess the Mark of Sentinel, you can use a bonus action to form a link to the creature attuned to the other ring; from then on, whenever that creature suffers damage, they only suffer half of that damage and you take the rest. This effect continues until you end it as a bonus action or until you or the other creature removes their ring. This effect isn’t limited by range. A creature cannot be attuned to more than one ring of shared suffering. Someone else attunes to the ring & you can soak up half the damage they take... that radically changes the equation. Similar things hold true with nearly every other dragonmark

It's also possible to get focus items and take a greater dragonmark feat to bump that d4 to d6/d8/d10/etc.

[Tetrasodium]

Mark of Healing is probably the best way to make a life cleric out of a halfling, Mark of Making is probably the best choice for most human wizards, Mark of Passage could be very interesting for a barbarian, fighter, paladin, or ranger that wouldn't rather take GWM, PAM, or SM, Mark of Scribing is easily the best way to make a gnome Charisma caster, Mark of the Sentinel is an excellent idea for any dedicated tank, and Mark of Storm is quite powerful if you're doing a sea campaign.

The rest aren't bad, but are more limited and will require some careful foresight to use effectively. This is NOT taking the greater marks into consideration at all- I'd judge any mark on the merits of its level 1 abilities first and foremost, with the greater abilities being a nice upgrade later. If you're taking a mark, you should almost always take the feat, and likely the first chance you get- it's a half feat with a floating ability score point, intuition dice upgrade, and two new spells. That's extremely good.

Don't forget the huge powert that comes with dragonmark focus items. I mentioned the ring of shared suffering & someone else mentioned it's benefits earlier.

There are only a few dragonmark focus items currently listed, but there are a bunch of examples of existing items made into focuses.

These items harness and expand the powers of a
dragonmark, allowing the dragonmarked houses
to provide a wide range of useful services. You
must possess a particular dragonmark in order to
use or attune to a dragonmark focus item.
Many dragonmark focus items have unique
effects related to their marks, as described in this
section. Alternately, a dragonmark focus item can
duplicate the power of an existing magic item with
a power closely related to the mark. For example:
• A cape of the mountebank or boots of speed tied
to the Mark of Passage, or horseshoes of speed
that only function if the rider has the Mark
of Passage.
• A cloak of elvenkind or deck of illusions tied to
the Mark of Shadows.
• Dimensional shackles that can only be
activated by someone with the Mark of
Warding.
• A gem of seeing that requires the Mark of
Detection.
It’s easier to produce an item that amplifies an
existing power than one that generates it on its
own, and generally a focus item costs half as much
as the standard version of that item. However, the
Siberys shards required to make focus items are
rare, and it’s always up to the DM to decide what
focus items are available in the world.

I expect we will be seeing more dragonmark focus items themselves in moregraves misc or similar in the coming months as well

[8wGremlin]

MARK OF HANDLING TRAITS is an interesting one.

You could Awaken some Monstrous creatures,

Rust Monsters
Owlbear
Bulette
Gorgon
Catoblepas
Chimera
Hydra
Froghemoth


to name but a few.

Also the Greater mark of making, has both Fabricate and Creation

[Imriel]

Tbh, I think most of them have some utility but all of them are such an AMAZING concept RP wise. I love Eberron and if I were you I'd just pick one for the flavor, more than the mechanics.

Pity my DM doesn't allow Eberron native PCs, we're very Faerun based atm.

[TheGrim]

He everyone!

Do you feel any Eberron Dragonmark is worth it? In what kind of build?

Cheers

Wasp

I have just build a Dwarven Wizard (Abjurer) using the Mark of Warding.
The Campaign will take place in Faerun but the DM was kind enough to allow it.

I am really looking forward to this. Armor of Agathys will be sick when combined with the Abjurers Ward and I really like the whole flavor of playing a dwarven abjurer.

[chando]

MARK OF HANDLING TRAITS is an interesting one.

You could Awaken some Monstrous creatures,

Rust Monsters
Owlbear
Bulette
Gorgon
Catoblepas
Chimera
Hydra
Froghemoth


to name but a few.

Also the Greater mark of making, has both Fabricate and Creation

That changes high level (9+) play quite a bit for the mark of handling character. the ultimate beastmaster of monstrositys, flying around on a chimera with 7d8 fire breath, commanding a bunch of gorgons petrifying foes, a bullet or more for burrowspeed and tremorsense and the world smartest hydra, using all its heads for thinking! one could possible encounter and subdue these creatures as early as level 9 have any or all of them. A Shepherd Druid or Bard with this its nuts. even at low level with any class, animal friendship might give you some great companions out a foes!

[stoutstien]

Full cheese curd would be warding dwarf Moon druid. AoA, mage armor, on top of middle stat boost which about the only thing Moon druid needs is brutal.

[jdizzlean]

The Mod Life Crisis: Not even an epic dragonmark can defeat thread necromancy.