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

 

[Alzrius]

I totally get the "say yes" thing. You dont want someone to not get to play the Catgirl theyve been thinking about BUT it also breeds lack of crerativity IMO.

In my experience, it's less of a lack of creativity than it is a tonal clash.

Quite a few years ago, we had a GM who wanted to run a gothic-style horror setting (not Ravenloft), and most of our group was on board with that. But two players had gotten it into their heads that they really wanted to play characters in the style of a tag-team set of luchador wrestlers, one of whom used a lot of faux-Spanish and the other talked like Hulk Hogan. They were hyped for the idea, and didn't care about how it clashed with the tone of the setting.

Since the GM didn't want to tell anyone no, he tried to work those characters in as best he could, but they ended up being totally immersion-breaking, and the campaign didn't last very long.

 

[Velderan]

I'd argue a good 90% of this thread could be handled with "what are you covering during your session 0"? The entire point of a session 0 is to level set expectations and make sure everyone's on the same page before you start. As the DM, you need to explain what type of campaign you had in mind and make sure the players are bringing characters that fit that campaign or figure out a way to make both ideas compatible if they don't completely align.

 

[Velderan]

Yeah, I'm cool either way. I suppose I just object to the idea that Dragonlance is so easily ruined by adding them in. It's not so fragile a setting. Heck, it didn't implode when Darkness & Light broke canon and showed both a dragon and healing magic. Same goes for Weasel's Luck and clerical magic. But I did put those books down with a sigh.

Given how quickly TSR was churning out novels back then, I wonder what information the authors were given before they began writing. If I recall correctly, "Dragons of Spring Dawning" established Ariakas as a powerful magic-user, but the book covering his backstory "Emperor of Ansalon" depicted him as a skilled warrior who became a cleric in the service of Takhisis (which reflects his in-game stat block).

 

[Maxperson]

I have to admit I'm curious - is there a huge demand from people who actually want to play (for instance) half- or full orcs in Krynn?

If so ... why? When your DM says 'roll up your new PCs, we're playing Dragonlance!' what motivates you to decide to play a half-orc in a world where there's no interesting half-orc history or gods or culture to base your PC on? What sort of story are you intending to tell, what is your PC history? Is it just the attraction of playing The Only Half-Orc In The World, or is the assumption that players like this are mostly going to be new to DL and just roll up a character from PHB options without knowing/caring about the lore from previous editions?

Ansalon was humans, elves, half-elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings. That was it for the PC races there. Taladas added Irda and Minotaurs. Now we're going to see walking turtles, cat people, half-orcs, and elephant men in the party. That's not Krynn.

Edit: I suppose there's a game mechanical niche for 'big bruiser race', and given the unique setting role that draconians/dragonborn play in the setting, that really only leaves half-orcs out of the PC races for people wanting to play that sort of character. But if you're using custom racial ability adjustments (or if you allow minotaur PCs, which would be entirely lore-appropriate) then even that rationale largely evaporates.

Hobgoblins are in Krynn and fit that role.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

With all possible respect, players not wanting to break out of their comfort zone when it comes to the characters they play and/or choosing not to engage with the core themes of the world they are playing in is neither the fault of the setting nor within its power to "fix".

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't think orcs add anything to the setting. I'm not intending on getting this book, but if I did, I would give players a bunch of suggested character options (as I usually do). If they really really want to play something else, they will need to convince me of why it would be a good addition.

 

[Maxperson]

I've always said: "The DM is free to restrict whatever they like for their table as long as their players agree. WotC, however, should make their published settings as open as possible and compatible with the core books."

Eventually people are going to realize that every present(setting) put out by WotC is identical, just wrapped(lore) differently and stop buying the settings. It was the uniqueness. The things not present on Krynn, Athas, etc. that made those settings interesting and worthwhile.

So a DM fully has the right to say "no elves, tieflings and clerics in my game", but an Official Dungeons & Dragons[emoji769] setting should try and incorporate as much of the Player's Handbook it claims it's compatible with. I don't need an official book telling me what isn't allowed in my campaign. I need one that tells me how those things fit in that particular world or genre.

Sure, but you also don't have to buy the setting that they release without something or other in it. There are plenty of kitchen sink settings to pick from.

 

[DarkCrisis]

In my experience, it's less of a lack of creativity than it is a tonal clash.

Quite a few years ago, we had a GM who wanted to run a gothic-style horror setting (not Ravenloft), and most of our group was on board with that. But two players had gotten it into their heads that they really wanted to play characters in the style of a tag-team set of luchador wrestlers, one of whom used a lot of faux-Spanish and the other talked like Hulk Hogan. They were hyped for the idea, and didn't care about how it clashed with the tone of the setting.

Since the GM didn't want to tell anyone no, he tried to work those characters in as best he could, but they ended up being totally immersion-breaking, and the campaign didn't last very long.

I recall back in 3rd ed, my friends wanted to play a Legend of the 5 Rings game (Samuari etc setting for those who dont know) and I had zero desire to do that. And i wailed and complained until the DM finally let me play an Elf Ranger. And it wasn't until later that I realized I was being a huge A-hole and ruining not just for myself but the others as well and I regret every moment of my actions and really wish I could go back and change that, because those friends are/were far more important than what "I" wanted.

We are still friends (though one has died of cancer), but man I am just embarrassed for myself every time I think about what an A-hole I was being to make them let me not play to the themes. Luckily I'm older and wiser now.

 

[Maxperson]

I never took 'not being able to cast fireball' as 3rd level spell but okay

He said he wasn't powerful/strong enough to cast it, so he was saying he wasn't high enough level. I can't remember if the module put him at 3rd or 4th level when the group met back up at the Inn of the Last Home.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Ansalon was humans, elves, half-elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings.

you mean the PHB races?!!?