I am VERY excited for the upcoming Dragonlance campaign setting/adventure. The Weis/Hickman books were my entry into D&D way back when (I've read all of Weis/Hickman's novels, even the non-D&D related ones). And because of them the story didn't end with the initial three books, but it continued on for years--a generation, even--afterward.
I know the "War of the Lance" is a highly-popular storyline, but I am a little curious why D&D isn't moving onward with new stories and an updated setting? Of course, we see this a lot in other circles, revisiting the past because it's already proven. Still, with the Weis/Hickman's work in moving the story past the "War of the Lance," I'd really like to see an updated campaign setting.
Thoughts?
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C. Foster Payne
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
Is it really "going forward?" My impression from the marketing copy on Amazon and elsewhere for Dragons of Deceit senses that the Dragons of Destiny trilogy will be one of those Dragonlance book series relying on time travel (again) to revisit the War of the Lance. Maybe we'll get 5e Time Travel mechanics beyond what we saw in RoFM?
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Dragonlance has had a long history of disputes over the rights to the setting. And while it was the most popular D&D setting in the 80s, it lost a lot of popularity in the 90s and was overtaken by Forgotten Realms. Between these two things, WotC has largely had little interest in the setting since they acquired D&D.
Dragonlance has had a long history of disputes over the rights to the setting. And while it was the most popular D&D setting in the 80s, it lost a lot of popularity in the 90s and was overtaken by Forgotten Realms. Between these two things, WotC has largely had little interest in the setting since they acquired D&D.
I mean, besides dedicating a book to it and piloting war gaming accessory through it. I think it's actually smart to "soft pilot" a potential skirmish game through a relatively neglected setting. Based on player reception, WotC has the luxury to either forget about or double down (like a scenario book that would include ways to resolve the finale of DiA or Tyranny of Dragons through a mass combat system).
That was my point, it's NOT moving forward. I wish it were.
No, my point is that Weisman and Hicks are in fact NOT moving past the War of the Lance in the new books, the protagonist is literally time traveling back to it.
No, my point is that Weisman and Hicks are in fact NOT moving past the War of the Lance in the new books, the protagonist is literally time traveling back to it.
Ah, gotcha. Agreed.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
C. Foster Payne
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
Dragonlance has had a long history of disputes over the rights to the setting. And while it was the most popular D&D setting in the 80s, it lost a lot of popularity in the 90s and was overtaken by Forgotten Realms. Between these two things, WotC has largely had little interest in the setting since they acquired D&D.
I mean, besides dedicating a book to it and piloting war gaming accessory through it.
Which is the most they've done with the setting since they acquired it. Beyond this there was a campaign setting published for 3.5 edition that was licensed to another company (run by Margret Weis). Nothing else that WotC has actually done.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
No, my point is that Weisman and Hicks are in fact NOT moving past the War of the Lance in the new books, the protagonist is literally time traveling back to it.
I kind of feel like this is a Star Wars situation. They created a cool world with a lot of possibilities, but it’s time to let someone else take it on and give us the dragonlance version of Clone Wars and The Mandalorian or even Knights of the Old Republic.
The reality for a lot of 5th players is they never knew this setting at all. This is a first introduction. So while the hardcore forever D&D fans know it, the majority of D&D fans don't.
Well, a lot of that was covered in novels way back when, but their quality was...debatable.
I actually thought post-War of Souls Dragonlance would have made a ton of sense for an updated setting, and a way to include the various new classes into the setting's lore. Fifth Age sorcerers are the exact description of sorcerers from the current edition of the game. Paladins/clerics don't technically need to worship a god to get their powers. Even warlocks and artificers would fit easily into a post-War of Souls setting. But they don't really fit well into existing lore, unless you're willing to just hand-wave details away. Which is fine, but also wasn't necessary.
Then again, Weis/Hickman may have far more planned for these novels they're writing than we think. The first book may end at a spot where it creates more problems than it solves, especially with time travel and Tasslehoff Burrfoot involved. Think about how every jump in the Legends Trilogy just made things more of a mess. We may end up in the setting as we left it in 3rd Edition by the end of the tale.
Setting it during a war means that they could bring out a board game that is introducing rules for large battles. I don't know if they will do it though.
I'm legitimately worried for DL; compared to other D&D setting's it's a lot less cosmopolitan and has a much bigger emphasis on alignment being a thing, both things that the current crop of writers seem to be angling away from.
These worries are of course amplified by the lack luster spelljammer release which was much more in line with the direction they seem to want to take the game.
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I am VERY excited for the upcoming Dragonlance campaign setting/adventure. The Weis/Hickman books were my entry into D&D way back when (I've read all of Weis/Hickman's novels, even the non-D&D related ones). And because of them the story didn't end with the initial three books, but it continued on for years--a generation, even--afterward.
I know the "War of the Lance" is a highly-popular storyline, but I am a little curious why D&D isn't moving onward with new stories and an updated setting? Of course, we see this a lot in other circles, revisiting the past because it's already proven. Still, with the Weis/Hickman's work in moving the story past the "War of the Lance," I'd really like to see an updated campaign setting.
Thoughts?
C. Foster Payne
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
Is it really "going forward?" My impression from the marketing copy on Amazon and elsewhere for Dragons of Deceit senses that the Dragons of Destiny trilogy will be one of those Dragonlance book series relying on time travel (again) to revisit the War of the Lance. Maybe we'll get 5e Time Travel mechanics beyond what we saw in RoFM?
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
That was my point, it's NOT moving forward. I wish it were.
C. Foster Payne
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
Dragonlance has had a long history of disputes over the rights to the setting. And while it was the most popular D&D setting in the 80s, it lost a lot of popularity in the 90s and was overtaken by Forgotten Realms. Between these two things, WotC has largely had little interest in the setting since they acquired D&D.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I mean, besides dedicating a book to it and piloting war gaming accessory through it. I think it's actually smart to "soft pilot" a potential skirmish game through a relatively neglected setting. Based on player reception, WotC has the luxury to either forget about or double down (like a scenario book that would include ways to resolve the finale of DiA or Tyranny of Dragons through a mass combat system).
No, my point is that Weisman and Hicks are in fact NOT moving past the War of the Lance in the new books, the protagonist is literally time traveling back to it.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Ah, gotcha. Agreed.
C. Foster Payne
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
Which is the most they've done with the setting since they acquired it. Beyond this there was a campaign setting published for 3.5 edition that was licensed to another company (run by Margret Weis). Nothing else that WotC has actually done.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I kind of feel like this is a Star Wars situation. They created a cool world with a lot of possibilities, but it’s time to let someone else take it on and give us the dragonlance version of Clone Wars and The Mandalorian or even Knights of the Old Republic.
The reality for a lot of 5th players is they never knew this setting at all. This is a first introduction. So while the hardcore forever D&D fans know it, the majority of D&D fans don't.
Well, a lot of that was covered in novels way back when, but their quality was...debatable.
I actually thought post-War of Souls Dragonlance would have made a ton of sense for an updated setting, and a way to include the various new classes into the setting's lore. Fifth Age sorcerers are the exact description of sorcerers from the current edition of the game. Paladins/clerics don't technically need to worship a god to get their powers. Even warlocks and artificers would fit easily into a post-War of Souls setting. But they don't really fit well into existing lore, unless you're willing to just hand-wave details away. Which is fine, but also wasn't necessary.
Then again, Weis/Hickman may have far more planned for these novels they're writing than we think. The first book may end at a spot where it creates more problems than it solves, especially with time travel and Tasslehoff Burrfoot involved. Think about how every jump in the Legends Trilogy just made things more of a mess. We may end up in the setting as we left it in 3rd Edition by the end of the tale.
Setting it during a war means that they could bring out a board game that is introducing rules for large battles. I don't know if they will do it though.
I'm legitimately worried for DL; compared to other D&D setting's it's a lot less cosmopolitan and has a much bigger emphasis on alignment being a thing, both things that the current crop of writers seem to be angling away from.
These worries are of course amplified by the lack luster spelljammer release which was much more in line with the direction they seem to want to take the game.