WotC Dragonlance: Everything You Need For Shadow of the Dragon Queen

WotC has shared a video explaining the Dragonlance setting, and what to expect when it is released in December.

World at War: Introduces war as a genre of play to fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons.

Dragonlance: Introduces the Dragonlance setting with a focus on the War of the Lance and an overview of what players and DMs need to run adventures during this world spanning conflict.

Heroes of War: Provides character creation rules highlighting core elements of the Dragonlance setting, including the kender race and new backgrounds for the Knight of Solamnia and Mage of High Sorcery magic-users. Also introduces the Lunar Sorcery sorcerer subclass with new spells that bind your character to Krynn's three mystical moons and imbues you with lunar magic.

Villains: Pits heroes against the infamous death knight Lord Soth and his army of draconians.

Notes --

• 224 page hardcover adventure
• D&D's setting for war
• Set in eastern Solamnia
• War is represented by context -- it's not goblins attacking the village, but evil forces; refugees, rumours
• You can play anything from D&D - clerics included, although many classic D&D elements have been forgotten
• Introductory scenarios bring you up to speed on the world so no prior research needed

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

What's so important about Orcs being banned in the world that making it up to the DM somehow takes away the setting's uniqueness? This isn't Dark Sun where Orcs are purposefully excluded because of a canonical reason (they all got killed awhile back). So long as they aren't mentioned in the book . . . what's the big deal? Why does the book have to say "Orcs are banned in Dragonlance"?

For anyone wanting to play a [Half]Orc, I would think never existed on this world (Dragonlance) or warcrimed out of existence (Darksun), would be the same difference.

 

[bedir than]

Spellcasters are relatively rare, except in Eberron where they are common and spellcasters are all over.

This is a foundational element and not similar to whether orcs exist. It changes the types of stories able to be told.

That's what makes settings different.

 

[DarkCrisis]

The old setting book mentioned that characters CAN come from other worlds. So you COULD play an Orc or Drow etc who somehow got transported to Krynn (magical teleport gone wrong?) You would be singular/unique more than likely.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

That's... not accurate. Literally every comic book ever in a shared universe deals with this. In a DC game the answer is: it's their book.

I disagree... the fans of every major comic company has (atleast since the 90's) complained "wait were wasXXX" including the point that by the early 200's the two major companies would hang a lampshade on it.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

To me, setting details make the setting interesting and fun. To me, that's important, and taking it away for a supposed broader appeal weakens the story of Dragonlance.

i don't understand why you think adding a tribe of orcs that was off screen of the novels changes any part of DL

 

[Maxperson]

This is a foundational element and not similar to whether orcs exist. It changes the types of stories able to be told.

That's what makes settings different.

No orcs also change the types of stories that can be told. Orcs exist = orc stories can be told. Orcs don't exist = orc stories cannot be told.

 

[Velderan]

I disagree... the fans of every major comic company has (atleast since the 90's) complained "wait were wasXXX" including the point that by the early 200's the two major companies would hang a lampshade on it.

You do make a valid point, I remember when Spiderman's comic had that really weird story arc where he investigated a series of crimes and by the time he got to the source, the Punisher had already taken care of it. It also felt somewhat anti-climatic in the Dark Phoenix saga when the Avengers took care of the whole problem before the X-men could.

Do you see how silly that all sounds or do I need to continue?

 

[Micah Sweet]

The old setting book mentioned that characters CAN come from other worlds. So you COULD play an Orc or Drow etc who somehow got transported to Krynn (magical teleport got wrong?) You would be singular/unique more than likely.

And that would be fine.

 

[Micah Sweet]

i don't understand why you think adding a tribe of orcs that was off screen of the novels changes any part of DL

Because the only reason to do this is because a PC wants to play an orc, which means there are orcs in your world, represented by this PC who will presumably be taking an equal amount of spotlight to the others. What PCs exist determine in large part what players in the setting are important. In this case, orcs are important even if they're far away. You shouldn't have to have that if the official rules, especially if they've explicitly never existed as a culture on Krynn before.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

You do make a valid point, I remember when Spiderman's comic had that really weird story arc where he investigated a series of crimes and by the time he got to the source, the Punisher had already taken care of it. It also felt somewhat anti-climatic in the Dark Phoenix saga when the Avengers took care of the whole problem before the X-men could.

Do you see how silly that all sounds or do I need to continue?

since you mention spiderman do you remember when the FF were off planet and avengers were away for the whole (few days) of Maximum carnage? not a big deal right... what about the months in story that they got mentioned twice like that during the clone saga? that is hanging a lampshade on it.

how about during batman no mans land when superman shows up for an issue and flash for another just to 'prove' they cant help'?

what about (back to spiderman) the time aunt may was shot and spiderman goes to doc strange gets a spell to go to black panther dr doom reed richards and others just to be told no one can save her... (forget that some of these people could let her die and bring her back, and some have nano tech that could save her and 1 of them has BOTH and would NEVER admit he couldn't try (doom).

so let me ask you:

Do you see how silly that all sounds or do I need to continue?