Dragonlance WotC Officially Confirms Takhisis and Tiamat Are The Same

It's been an issue in dispute for decades, over various editions of D&D, but WotC has officially confirmed that - at least in 5E - Dragonlance's Takhisis is, indeed, currently Tiamat. In previous editions, Tiamat has varied from being a big dragon to a minor goddess, while Takhisis has been a greater god on Krynn. At times they've been the same entity, and at others different entities. Today, WotC is putting its foot down and saying that Takhisis and Tiamat are, indeed, the same being.



Of course, this is not an opinion universally held. Dragonlance co-creator Margaret Weis emphatically stated that "TAKHISIS IS NOT TIAMAT, DAMN IT!"

Fizban's Treasuryof Dragons confirms that the beings echo across various settings.

D&D 5E - Is Paladine Bahamut? Is Takhisis Tiamat? Fizban's Treasury Might Reveal The Answer!

According to WotC's James Wyatt, Fizban's Treasury of Dragons introduces a new cosmology for dragon gods, where the same beings, including Fizban, echo across various D&D campaign settings with alternate versions of themselves (presumably like Paladine/Bahamut, or Takhisis/Tiamat). Also... the...

www.enworld.org

 

[RoughCoronet0]

Because 5E Tiamat is a demon lord, per Descent into Avernus.

Wait, I though Tiamat was considered a Arch-Devil (at least in the past), not a Demon Lord.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

Wait, I though Tiamat was considered a Arch-Devil (at least in the past), not a Demon Lord.

Tiamat was the Lord of the First (i.e. Avernus) in Baator/the Nine Hells early on.

2e Planescape replaced her with Zariel/Bel and did some historical revision to make Tiamat's earlier status a rumor spread by poor scholarship.

 

[dave2008]

Mind you, in 5E, "demon lord" isn't a defined thing - one can probably safely presume that it means one is a lord of demons, but beyond that, it doesn't say much. Being a demon lord does not, so far, preclude also being a deity.

I just checked a bit ago and she is still called a goddess in Descent into Avernus. I am not sure where @Reynard got that idea from.

 

[dave2008]

Wait, I though Tiamat was considered a Arch-Devil (at least in the past), not a Demon Lord.

She is still a goddess in DiA, not sure why Reynard thinks otherwise. I quoted a passage from the adventure upthread that refers to her as a goddess and her divine power.

 

[Hexmage-EN]

From Dragon Magazine #143
View attachment 266948

"Takhisis is Tiamat, but if Tiamat dies it doesn't effect Takhisis in any way."

Is it so hard to just say that one is an independent aspect or they're echoes of one another or something?

 

[RoughCoronet0]

She is still a goddess in DiA, not sure why Reynard thinks otherwise. I quoted a passage from the adventure upthread that refers to her as a goddess and her divine power.

Yes. Sorry I knew she is a goddess in DiA but it was calling her a demon lord that was confusing because she is connected to the Baator.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Interestingly Ares as the god of war did not have to be chaste and he bedded Aphrodite.

That was only for female deities. Male gods were able to do as they pleased.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

That was only for female deities. Male gods were able to do as they pleased.

wow color me shocked at that double standard... no really what a surprise.

 

[Stormonu]

I always considered Takahisis to be Tiamat's sock puppet account for Krynn.

 

[glass]

In my head, they are separate, for the reasons people have already mentioned: The differences in power/significance and the fact that the death of one does not seem to affect the other. It is fairly unlikely that it will ever matter in a campaign I run, but in the event that it does they will be separate there also.

ETA:

I know they've explained their 'no orcs' in DL

Out of curiosity, what is that explanation?