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

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

It will, because most of the PHB races are significantly different in Krynn. As well as halflings, elves are significantly different in culture, if not mechanics. Dwarves too. So there will need to be an entry for each PHB race explaining how it differs from core rules. In the same way Wildemount does for example.
Our Elves Are Different - TV Tropes

That's because in those settings those races are the same as in the PHB. In settings where they are different: Eberron, Wildemount, Dragonlance; there are entries for each PHB race explaining the differences.

We will have to wait to see who is correct when the book is out. I highly doubt that it will mention them because this book is a 224-page adventure book that probably doesn't need to waste wordcount saying that Orcs don't exist there.

I've played D&D for 78% of mine. I used to think I knew everything too.

Oh, so the condescension wasn't accidental? Good to know, I guess. Still not welcome.

I don't "think I know everything", that personal comment was uncalled for and unnecessary. I'm very aware that I don't know everything. And I wasn't using the portion of my life that I've played D&D as some sort of dick-measuring competition. I was trying to inform you of how I'm more than familiar with what I'm able to do as a DM at my table. But newer players (you know, those thousands of younger people coming into the hobby) aren't. And a book restricting the races isn't going to help them learn Rule 0 any faster.

 

[Velderan]

Exactly. I've referenced those books multiple times in this thread as an example of the type of setting building that I'd prefer to see. But there were setting-purists insisting that it needs to mention that the races aren't native to Krynn, for some reason.

I may be misunderstanding you, but that's exactly how Ravnica and Theros handled player character race selection:

Ravnica

The people of Ravnica include members of many different races. Aside from humans, elves, and a smattering of half-elves, the races from the Player’s Handbook are unknown on Ravnica, unless they’re visiting from other worlds.

Theros

A diverse assortment of peoples dwell among the lands of Theros. Aside from humans, the races in the Player’s Handbook are unknown on Theros, unless they’re visiting from other worlds.

I mean I get the word native and unknown aren't the same, but I like to think we can agree the concept they illustrate is the same.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Do you not think it will look a bit odd when the section on races includes entries for everything in the PHB apart from half orcs?

Not any odder than the section on Races from Spelljammer.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I may be misunderstanding you, but that's exactly how Ravnica and Theros handled player character race selection:

I mean I get the word native and unknown aren't the same, but I like to think we can agree the concept they illustrate is the same.

From my understanding, the setting purists wanted it to be clear that Orcs were banned on Dragonlance. @Micah Sweet did eventually settle for a compromise like Theros, but there were still people saying that Orcs should be banned from the setting.

And Theros and Ravnica both have explanations for how other races could exist in the setting (Planeswalkers, Nyxborn, Anvilwrought). But people have pushed back on the idea that Dragonlance could have an equivalent (the Graygem).

 

[Morrus]

You are young, you will learn.

I've played D&D for 78% of mine. I used to think I knew everything too.

Dial back the condescending tone, please.

 

[Velderan]

From my understanding, the setting purists wanted it to be clear that Orcs were banned on Dragonlance. @Micah Sweet did eventually settle for a compromise like Theros, but there were still people saying that Orcs should be banned from the setting.

And Theros and Ravnica both have explanations for how other races could exist in the setting (Planeswalkers, Nyxborn, Anvilwrought). But people have pushed back on the idea that Dragonlance could have an equivalent (the Graygem).

Gotcha, so we're on the same page then. Thank you for clarifying. Personally I'd like some language saying what's typically found there similar to the MtG settings, with a quick example of an exception (e.g. Spelljamming) to give people an idea of what's normal while providing flexibility for a DM to ultimately make their own decision and not feel like they can't. I think the word banned is pretty stupid for a rulebook of a make-believe game that's all about homebrew, but that may just be me.

That being said, my guess is still they just won't say anything one way or the other. If you know there weren't orcs, your table is fine. If you didn't know, your table is just fine.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

From my understanding, the setting purists wanted it to be clear that Orcs were banned on Dragonlance. @Micah Sweet did eventually settle for a compromise like Theros, but there were still people saying that Orcs should be banned from the setting.

No, I'm pretty sure that was what @Micah Sweet was saying from the start.

They where mostly concerned that the old lore would be ignored completely, such as by the inclusion of orc NPCs in the adventure.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

No, I'm pretty sure that was what @Micah Sweet was saying from the start.

But that wasn't where this tangent actually started. It started on the bottom of page 4.

They where mostly concerned that the old law would be ignored completely, such as by the inclusion of orc NPCs in the adventure.

And my pushback against the assumption that Orcs would be included with no evidence beforehand still stands.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And my pushback against the assumption that Orcs would be included with no evidence beforehand still stands.

I'm on a bit dodgy territory trying to speak for someone else (who I don't always agree with), but I think the "evidence" they were going off was personal experience of the changes to Ravenloft, which they were really unhappy about, to say the least.

 

[Micah Sweet]

That is if it mentions Half-Orcs whatsoever. Which I don't think it will. Strixhaven, Ravenloft, and Spelljammer all did not discuss any of the game's races in those settings beyond the ones introduced in those books.

Whether or not orcs are banned would not significantly alter my opinion of the setting.

This is the first 5e book in awhile that I haven't preordered because of my mixed feelings over Dragonlance. I'm definitely going to wait until the book comes out to see if I'm going to get it.

I already know that. You don't need to condescend, I've been playing 5e for about a quarter of my life. I'm familiar with the game and what I'm free to do at my table. But a lot of other newer players and DMs don't know that or haven't played the game for long enough to learn that.

To be fair, the PH is pretty clear about what you're free to do at the table (whatever the group can agree to). I think it's fair to assume even the newer players have access to that book.