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 various version can merge into one single form.

Takhisis is the five-headed dragon god of evil from the Dragonlance setting. Paladine is the platinum dragon god of good (and also Fizban's alter-ego).

Additionally, the book will contain psychic gem dragons, with stats for all four age categories of the five varieties (traditionally there are Amethyst, Crystal, Emerald, Sapphire, and Topaz), plus Dragonborn characters based on metallic, chromatic, and gem dragons.

D&D 5E - Check out Fizban's Alternate Cover!

WotC's James Wyatt talked to Polygon about Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, which also revealed the alternate cover, which you can only get from hobby stores. https://www.enworld.org/threads/fizbans-treasury-the-dragon-book-now-has-a-description-and-a-feat.681399/

www.enworld.org

D&D 5E - Fizban's Treasury: The Dragon Book Now Has A Description... And A Feat

Courtesy of Amazon, we now have a description for Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, the October D&D hardcover. The book introduces gem dragons, dragon-themed player options, and plenty of draconic lore! This joins September's The Wild Beyond the Witchlight, and November's Strixhaven: Curriculum of...

www.enworld.org

 

[dave2008]

I was not a big Dragonlance fan (got through six paperbacks and I was all good), so I don't remember exactly. I do know it was in the 1980s that I heard about it first, and at that time, my only real contact with fandom was TSR official publications. I would guess it was in Dragon magazine at some point, since I don't think I owned any Dragonlance game books.

I am similar. I read the original trilogy, 2/3 of the 2nd, and a few other books (Kaz the Minotaur, and a collection of short stories) and that was it for me. I did own some of the original DL modules, but nothing after that.

 

[dave2008]

I would love it if the First World was one of the two completely new settings they were planning.

I don't think so, but that would be awesome. I guess it would be on theme to hint at an upcoming book in this obtuse manner. So, maybe your correct.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

I’m a big dragonlance fan (minus anything fifth Avenue and beyond, for the most part). It’s super nostalgia for me, legend of huma was my first fantasy novel read.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I'm really not a fan of mashing together characters from different settings just because they have some similarities. It makes both settings worse IMHO.

 

[dave2008]

I’m a big dragonlance fan (minus anything fifth Avenue and beyond, for the most part). It’s super nostalgia for me, legend of huma was my first fantasy novel read.

I read that one too. It was funny there was a book of short storied published before Legend of Huma, that include a short story about Huma and his battle with Takhisis that is completely different than as presented in Legend of Huma. I read the short story first and it the retelling in Huma always bothered me.

I was a big fan of Kaz the Minotaur back in the day too. That was my favorite after the original trilogy.

 

[dave2008]

I'm really not a fan of mashing together characters from different settings just because they have some similarities. It makes both settings worse IMHO.

And better for others!

I personally see no downsides, but I realize others have a different perspective.

 

[Parmandur]

I'm really not a fan of mashing together characters from different settings just because they have some similarities. It makes both settings worse IMHO.

They are transcendent gods.

 

[darjr]

They are transcendent gods.

Yea I don’t get the upset

 

[Stormonu]

Bahumat is just a Loki variant.

 

[Alzrius]

When and where did they start saying that though? I have seen quotes from 2e, 3e, 4e, and 5e that they are one and the same; but I have never seen anything official that said they are different entities. Not saying it doesn't existing, just no one has ever posted it or pointed me to where I can find in any of the recent threads.

I think that's an issue of the inherent presumptions involved, more than anything else. Despite having similar presentations, the various deities have different names and different histories within the overall D&D continuity (though that latter part was stronger back when the D&D multiverse had more continuity), so the default assumption is that they are distinct entities unless we're told otherwise. That's why you don't have statements that say flat-out "they're not the same."

For instance, in the Planescape sourcebook On Hallowed Ground (affiliate link), the entries for Bahamut and Paladine don't refer to each other, nor do the entries for Tiamat and Takhisis. Likewise, they're said to live on the same planes of existence (Mount Celestia for Bahamut and Paladine, Baator for Tiamat and Takhisis), but each has a different divine realm, and in some cases those realms are on different layers. (EDIT: They also indicate that Bahamut and Tiamat are lesser deities, while Paladine and Takhisis are greater deities, so the different levels of divine power are an implication of them being different entities as well.)

None of that is a definitive statement of "they're not the same," but it seems self-evident that that's presumed.