Skill Aide: Dragonmarks

Your character has just manifested a Dragonmark. In Eberron this is a big deal. Dragonmarks have a huge impact on NPC reactions. Here are some tips on how to get a little extra from your Dragonmark during your next skill challenge.

There are going to be circumstances where having a Dragonmark or being affiliated with a particular Dragonmarked House may provide advantages during a skill challenge. The forthcoming Eberron Campaign Guide will likely cover this to some extent, but until its release here are a few guidelines that you can use.

If a PC decides to take a Dragonmark feat it makes sense that they should get some advantages under the right conditions. This shouldn’t be too overpowering, but should recognize that they’re special. In the examples presented below I’ve limited bonuses to +1 under most circumstances.

This article just focuses on the positive implications of having a Dragonmark. The negatives as well as the implications of possessing an Aberrant Dragonmark are a topic for a different day.

Acrobatics

• Mark of Storm: +1 to maintain balance while on a ship (air or water).

Arcana

• Mark of Detection: +1 when attempting to locate Dragonshards.
• Mark of Making: +1 when dealing with magical devices, including crafting and repairing.
• Mark of Scribing: +1 to discern magical writing.
• Mark of Warding: +1 to locate or disarm magical locks or traps.

Athletics

• Mark of Handling: +1 to keep animals under control.
• Mark of Sentinel: +1 while running through urban areas.

Bluff

• Mark of Shadow: +1 when acting or performing.

Diplomacy

• All Dragonmarks: +1 when dealing with any Dragonmarked House or any merchant or noble who may want to curry favour with your house.
• All Dragonmarks: +2 when interacting with members of your own Dragonmarked House.
• Mark of Hospitality: +1 when negotiating a safe place to rest, sleep or eat.
• Mark of Passage: +1 when trying to negotiate passage.

Dungeoneering

• Mark of Finding: +1 when trying to locate Dragonshards.
• Mark of Warding: +1 when trying to locate gemstones.

Endurance

• Mark of Sentinel: +1 to remain alert while on duty.
• Mark of Warding: +1 to maintain concentration.

Heal

• Mark of Healing: +1 during combat situations.
• Mark of Hospitality: +1 during an extended rest.

History

• All Dragonmarks: +1 regarding the Dragonmarked Houses.
• All Dragonmarks: +2 regarding your own Dragonmarked House.
• Mark of Making: +1 when identifying a magic item’s creator.
• Mark of Passage: +1 regarding transportation.
• Mark of Scribing: +1 when researching in a library.

Insight

• Mark of Detection: +1 during an interrogation.

Intimidate

• All Dragonmarks: +1 when claiming to represent or speak for your Dragonmarked House.
• Mark of Sentinel: +1 when enforcing the laws of Khorvaire.

Nature

• Mark of Finding: +1 to avoid hazards in the wild.
• Mark of Handling: +1 when handling or taming wild animals.
• Mark of Storm: +1 to predict weather.

Perception

• Mark of Detection: +1 to locate clues during an investigation.
• Mark of Finding: +1 to locate clues during an investigation.
• Mark of Finding: +1 when looking for Dragonshards.
• Mark of Scribing: +1 to authenticate documents and identify forgeries.

Religion

• Mark of Healing: +1 to identify religious practices and rituals.

Stealth

• Mark of Shadow: +1 when moving in illumination less than daylight.

Streetwise

• Mark of Detection: +1 when questioning suspects.
• Mark of Finding: +1 when dealing with monstrous races.
• Mark of Hospitality: +1 while in a tavern, inn, restaurant or market.
• Mark of Scribing: +1 among scholars.
• Mark of Shadow: +1 among performs.

Thievery

• Mark of Scribing: +1 to create forged documents.
• Mark of Shadow: +1 to pick pockets.
• Mark of Warding: +1 to open locks.

The above examples are just a few to get you started. I am sure that as our experience playing in 4e Eberron grows we’ll come up with additional circumstances that we feel could offer a +1 bonus. If players can think of a good reason for why their PC should get an additional bonus because of their Dragonmark, the DM should be encouraged to provide it.

House Sivis Dragonmark image by Lee Moyer originally printed in the Eberron Campaign Setting published by Wizards of the Coast.