Comments on the Mark of Heroes FAQ

In the last few months, I've joined the RPGA and started running various RPGA-sanctioned games (Dungeon Magazine adventures, Living Greyhawk, Legacy of the Green Regent) in addition to my regular campaigning.

The adventures have had problems, but generally we've enjoyed them. It's also brought me new gaming friends in Ballarat, something I'm very grateful for.

Being somewhat interested in Eberron - but being unwilling to discard my current campaign for it - I've been looking forward to the RPGA sanctioned Eberron campaigns. In particular, the Mark of Heroes campaign.

The first FAQ has been posted for the campaign. You can find it here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?.../moh20041018faq

There are some things in it that jump out at me...

Wizards love the Whisper Gnome
While not a core option, it's something allowed by the Campaign Cards. Given how wonderful some people find the race - I'm dubious to its balance, but I still think it's fun - it's amusing to find it available.

There's a Kobold Champion fastplay character
Well, I could be wrong. It might be a Kobold Sorcerer... but I think the champion is far more likely.

Psionics!
Again, it's a campaign card option, but it is another sign that the XPH finally "got it right" and psionics is being more integrated into the core D&D experience.

Design your own adventures
Very, very interesting. Traditionally, RPGA adventures are pre-written for you. Now, with the DM's Mark concept, a DM can create their own adventure for their group within the structure of the campaign. I'll be very interested to see how they approach this. Obviously, it isn't a free-for-all, but it's a positive step IMO.

This may also help mitigate against the "holes" that have appeared in the Legacy of the Green Regent adventure schedule.

Are there likely to be problems with the Eberron Campaign? Yes, I'd say it's quite possible. However, it does open up another way to play D&D for those who can't play in normal campaigns, and I'm very grateful to anything that increases the potential audience of the game.