2010: Is it Dragonlance? (hint)

[Dausuul]

Well, remember that DL was a novel first, and then a campaign setting. While having ultra-powerful main characters and annoying races like Kender and Gully dwarves work in novels, where you can use them to further the plot, develop unique worldviews, and such things these plot devices sometimes do not translate well to RPGs.

Heh... see previous discussion on this point. DL was a series of AD&D modules first, and then a series of novels (which totally eclipsed the modules in popularity and became the canonical authority on the world), and finally a campaign setting sourcebook. Kender were introduced in the original modules because the creators of the world didn't feel halflings were appropriate to the setting; but I don't know how many of their more vexing characteristics were introduced there.

Raistlin was also introduced in the modules (as a playable character, in fact), but his ascension to Master of Past and of Present was a novel thing.

 

[Shemeska]

While WotC may do a good job, MWP would be better still (in my opinion). The reason I say this is because MWP and their freelances are vested in the setting. They know the setting inside out, and worked hard to integrate 3.5-isms into the setting. The MWP era of Dragonlance gaming is considered by many fans to be the "golden age of Dragonlance gaming."

Actually, that raises a question in my mind. Do any of the current WotC design team members have any previous experience writing Dragonlance material (of any edition)? I never played prior to 3e, and while I read the DL novels, not so much the RPG itself, so I don't have a clue as to who might have worked on what in the past. I'd be honestly curious to know.

 

[Dausuul]

You're absolutely right, the main focus of Dragonlance has always been the War of the Lance. This begs the question of whether they will go back to this era, or create a new starting point like they did with the Realms. Hard to say, though I'd guess they'd go with the WotL era due to the popularity of Chronicles and Legends.

Another interesting possibility would be to go way back into the Age of Light, with Huma and the original Dragonlance, which hasn't been explored much; or even earlier into the Age of Dreams. That would neatly avoid all the wackiness introduced by the later novels, without directly challenging their canonicity, and would still offer plenty of scope to reinvent the setting for 4E.

I hope none of my comments have been misconstrued as anti-4e or anti-WotC. If so, then I apologize if I have inadvertently given that impression.

I think that particular comment was aimed at Derren.

 

[Dragonhelm]

Kender were introduced in the original modules because the creators of the world didn't feel halflings were appropriate to the setting; but I don't know how many of their more vexing characteristics were introduced there.

Kender were introduced for a few reasons. While the hobbit-like halflings of the time hid in their hobbit-holes and didn't want to adventure, kender were all about exploring the world and discovering adventure.

Their handling aspect came about due to Tracy Hickman's own moral quandaries with the thief class. He wanted to find a way to do thiefly things without robbing people blind. Kender filled this role by being incredibly curious. Then when questioned about their pilfering, they would come back with an excuse - one that they thoroughly believed themselves!

It is unfortunate, then, that they have gained a bad reputation from player abuse. Kender can be a thoroughly enjoyable race.

 

[GAAAHHH]

That goes against 25 years of Dragonlance history. Making some changes or reinterpreting, I can see. So if you want the Wizards of High Sorcery to include wizards, warlocks, and sorcerers, that's fine. If you want those divided by order, it may be a stretch, but I can kind of see it.

But to include a divine class in an arcane organization and totally ignore alignment, which the WoHS are based on? That's a stretch.

How is this against Dragonlance History? The Gods of Magic (who are also the moons) grant access to magic. Technically, Arcane magic in dragonlance comes from a Divine power source.

 

[Dragonhelm]

How is this against Dragonlance History? The Gods of Magic (who are also the moons) grant access to magic. Technically, Arcane magic in dragonlance comes from a Divine power source.

They only grant arcane magic. They don't grant divine magic.

As for the alignment thing, that's the very dividing line of the three orders of magic. White Robes = good, Red Robes = neutral, Black Robes = evil. This is a core assumption of the setting. So to say that suddenly, robes are based on what class you are, well that goes against this very theme.

In a way, having invokers in the WoHS would be like having a fighter in the Circle of Eight.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

They only grant arcane magic. They don't grant divine magic.

another words they are no more divine then warlocks...

As for the alignment thing, that's the very dividing line of the three orders of magic. White Robes = good, Red Robes = neutral, Black Robes = evil. This is a core assumption of the setting. So to say that suddenly, robes are based on what class you are, well that goes against this very theme.

not really. Warlocks are 'dark' theamed, and Wizards can be fluffed to be neutral (red), and they can create a Arcane class that works for white...
remember alingment is no longer needed in the mechanic...evil paladins, chaoictic monks...lawful bards... so unaligned white robes, and evil red robes, and good black robes

 

[Dedekind]

T
You could apply the 3.5 scenario to 4th edition with paragon paths, but that's an awfully long time to wait to be able to play a WoHS. Some games never even reach paragon levels. It would stand to reason, then, that the Test be taken at lower levels, gaining access to the ranks of the WoHS. Then the paragon paths could be reserved for specialty roles, such as renegade hunters or the Kingfishers.

I would speculate that the best way to do handle it would be like the spellscarred in Forgotten Realms. At 4th level, you can take a multiclass feat appropriate to an order. To advance in the order, you take further feats and then paragon tier gets you into High Wizard of <insert color>.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Why do people hate kender?

BAD WORDS AHOY:

Mod edit:
Links removed. If you can't post it here, don't link to it either. Thank you.

 

[ki11erDM]

What irks me is when certain individuals who are openly hostile to 4E make pejorative comments towards either that system or WotC for publishing it.

Find the joy of the ignore feature. Really makes threads like these a lot better.