(3.5) Dragonshards? Huh?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I've never played a game in Eberron, and I'm only marginally familiar with anything but the big stuff (artificers, warforged, and changelings, mainly), so I'm lacking a lot of details on the setting.

I do know that dragonshards (Eberron, Siberys, and Khyber) are required to craft most (if not all) magic items. Not really sure on the specifics, though, and a cursory Google search hasn't really illuminated me on the subject. I do know that Eberron shards are the most common (and thus least valuable), so I'm assuming they're used as reagents for relatively common spells and stuff. Maybe for magic ink? Khyber and Siberys are far rarer. I'm assuming they work like gemstones, wherein you find an unrefined one and can Craft it into a more valuable one, from what I've read.

What's the most expensive shard of each kind needed for an Eberron crafter-type? What else is there that I need to know in an Eberron campaign, and where would I find more info on all the uses for dragonshards of each type?

[Venger]

They work kind of like gems. When you get them as treasure, they're worth their full value when sold as vendor trash, not like when you sell items.

You can also use them directly when you make certain kinds of items.

Like gems, their worth varies. You can find all the info on them in eberron campaign setting. there are no new mechanics involved with them.

[RedWarlock]

For the most part, they're just tied into the fluff of how magic items work. Wands would probably include a dragonshard tip or the like, scroll ink might be made from powdered shard, etc. It's not even a mechanical upgrade as such, just folded into everything.

There's a few exceptions, but they tend to be special cases (like the spellbook-replacement shard).

[Afgncaap5]

There's also some suggested pricing mechanics that have curious implications. A DM who applies rules loosely can actually give places in Eberron very reasonably priced magical equipment for just a few hundred gold than might cost tens of thousands of gold in another setting. Having said that, the three kinds of shards have some general themes of usage:

Eberron shards: they're a sort of "Spell Imbuing" stone. Pretty much every magic item uses them in some fashion, and some magic items are pretty much just perpetual spell effects from having a given spell imbued into them.

Siberys shards: they tend to relate to the powers of Dragonmarks, which sort of suggests that they're also tied to the draconic prophecy in some way. They also have some affinities for psionic abilities based on the embedded shards that you can get. (On a personal note, in my games I try to give Siberys a sort of "holiness" affinity, and also some connections to dreams and destiny since that kinda helps them to be a "mirror" to the Khyber shards' darker themes.)

Khyber shards: usually related to "binding" things, but also to necromancy and other "dark" arts. So, a cultist's vampiric crystal dagger might be made of a khyber shard, but you could also see it used more positively by binding elementals to air ships or to suits of armor or things like that.

[Venger]

For the most part, they're just tied into the fluff of how magic items work. Wands would probably include a dragonshard tip or the like, scroll ink might be made from powdered shard, etc. It's not even a mechanical upgrade as such, just folded into everything.

There's a few exceptions, but they tend to be special cases (like the spellbook-replacement shard).

aureon's spellshard. never bother with a boccob's blessed book again

[timeeater14]

aureon's spellshard. never bother with a boccob's blessed book again

My only regret is that we can't have them spin around our heads like Ioun Stones.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

My only regret is that we can't have them spin around our heads like Ioun Stones.Why would you want that? It only makes it easy for someone to snatch and/or destroy it.

But feel free to use the MIC rules to apply an ioun effect to it via a 50% cost markup.

[timeeater14]

Why would you want that? It only makes it easy for someone to snatch and/or destroy it.

But feel free to use the MIC rules to apply an ioun effect to it via a 50% cost markup.

Do XPH grey Ioun Stones fly around?

And for the why question: It looks super cool. Take them off when you go do things.

[Nifft]

Why would you want that? It only makes it easy for someone to snatch and/or destroy it.

But feel free to use the MIC rules to apply an ioun effect to it via a 50% cost markup.

How about a dab of Sovereign Glue + a 25 gp burnt-out Grey Ioun Stone?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Do XPH grey Ioun Stones fly around?

And for the why question: It looks super cool. Take them off when you go do things.Yes to the first, and you can always say, "This is my spellbook! I had it converted to an ioun stone!" while having just a regular dull grey ioun stone dolled up with a bit of glitter.


How about a dab of Sovereign Glue + a 25 gp burnt-out Grey Ioun Stone?That's a bit hillbilly, ain't it?

[Nifft]

That's a bit hillbilly, ain't it?

I like that idea.

Continuing over here so as not to derail: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?566326-Hillbilly-Magic-Items-Effects-Templates