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Author Topic: Dragonlance Comes to 5e  (Read 4325 times)

VisionStorm

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #30 on: April 25, 2022, 07:46:13 AM »
The setting has always been some of the most grounded and vanilla D&D standard-fare fantasy in the entire genre...

Except that it isn't. That would be FR and Greyhawk. Dragonlance has always been the most distinctive of D&D's standard fantasy settings, with Kender, Gully Dwarves, Tinker Gnomes and Draconians, color coded wizards that drew power from the world's three moons, dragon riding knights, griffon riding elves and areal combat.

Knights had a very distinctive looking ornate armor, and elves where divided into Kagonesti (Wild Elves) and Silvanesti (High/Gray Elves), which were prominently featured, with their own distinct cultures, as opposed to saying "BTW, this setting technically has wild elves". Draconians are basically Dragonborn, and this setting would be pretty much the only D&D setting where Dragonborn would actually make sense, if they hadn't been shoehorned and plastered all over the place for the past two editions. Yet, for once in D&D's recent history, we didn't see any Dragonborn.

Dragonlance was distinctive more for what was omitted or changed.
The big one being no clerics, But in module 1 there was also
- No gold coin. Every region had its own coinage. (No mention yet of Steel - which comes up in DL2)
- Only one type of elf (qualinesti)
- halflings were replaced with Kender who "look like wizened 14-year olds", had a taunt ability and were immune to fear. (no mention yet of them being kleptos)
- Dragons have not been seen in 1000 years.
- Draconians are the mystery minions of the Dragonlords.
- Hill Dwarves seem to be the only PC dwarven race left and appear to live on the surface. (Gully Dwarves are not yet the comedy relief of the books.)

And alot of little touches.

But in layout initially from just the module Dragonlance was no different from say AD&D Conan which had its own distinctive omissions. You had to dig through the module to glean bits of information. And even that was very little. Based just on the first module Dragonlance is surprisingly generic a setting.

What does stand out from re-reading DL1 is that it lacks all the annoyances of the books and campaign setting book.

I never saw that first module. Plus I lost my old books over the years (might have been some of the stuff I lost to a termite infestation years ago), so I can't go back to reread this stuff.

Omega

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #31 on: April 25, 2022, 08:04:19 AM »
I never saw that first module. Plus I lost my old books over the years (might have been some of the stuff I lost to a termite infestation years ago), so I can't go back to reread this stuff.

I am not saying you are wrong. Just that the modules presented things a little differently than the books initially. DL1 is pretty much the prequel to the first book. And reading through it. Stuff commented on in the first book make more sense in retrospect.

I'd say that Dragonlance cleaves closer to Greyhawk in tone. Its a world thats recovered from world altering disaster. Except on DL, at least initially, there are no clerics. Some races are restricted, and Dragons have been MIA for centuries. Otherwise it is fairly generic. AD&D Conan as noted does similar things. Human PCs only, no demi-human PCs and even demi-human NPCs are vanishingly rare. No clerics or paladins. And magic users are vanishingly rare as PCs.

One thing I note in the modules that saw in Ravenloft too is a certain inconsistency in how some monsters or cultures are presented. Sometimes contradicting eachother.

Omega

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #32 on: April 25, 2022, 08:13:55 AM »
What exactly would help make this trailer SCREAM Dragonlance?

The setting has always been some of the most grounded and vanilla D&D standard-fare fantasy in the entire genre...

It needs elements that actually say "Dragonlance!" Rather than "Agenda!"

I had to go through the thing nearly frame by frame and Im still not sure if theres an actual draconian shown. Same for the supposed kender. Could just as easily be an elf. The enemy shown lacks most of the features common to the armies Takisis and so on.

Its like they took a trailer for the new Neverwinter Dragonbone Vale campaign and slapped Dragonlance on it.

Ghostmaker

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #33 on: April 25, 2022, 08:38:47 AM »
It's shit. No sign of ANY of the original cast, or anything approaching familiarity -- maybe the pointy-eared one is a kender? I dunno, they look too tall. No sign of the characteristic white/red/black robes of the High Sorcery-sanctioned wizards. Armor that shows no heraldry of Solamnia (or anywhere else).

They slapped something together and glued the Dragonlance name on it to lure in the consoomers and nostalgia suckers.

It'll be like the Spelljammer 5E. More garbage to damage the brand. Thanks so much, WotC.

HappyDaze

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #34 on: April 25, 2022, 08:48:22 AM »
Ancelon?

Ansalon?

The continent on which everything happens hasn't been covered? Or are they just using homonyms to confuse everyone? Either way, it makes no sense.

But it's probably the first, because one of the headings in the article is "Dragons of Stomwreck [sic] Isle Starter Set".
It's only one letter away from Incelon...

Armchair Gamer

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #35 on: April 25, 2022, 09:57:16 AM »
Also, Kitiara would've killed every single one of these Diversity Hire standins because she could.  Why couldn't they make HER the BBEG. Why is WOTC so terrifed of making a woman the BBEGal?

  As a side note, if you want a version of the War of the Lance that really makes Kitiara the nemesis of the PCs, look for Dragonlance Classics 15th Anniversary Edition, which spotlights her (and to a lesser extent Verminaard) among the villainous NPCs.

DefNotAnInsiderNopeNoWay

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #36 on: April 25, 2022, 07:26:09 PM »
Well... it would seem the actual authors of all the original (and continuing) DL novels and setting actually stepped forward to explicitly say they have had, and will continue to have, nothing to do with this project at all. The same thing goes with the Spelljammer release too.

They should have never dropped their lawsuit, I just hope the settlement they ended up with was a hefty one in addition to being able to keep writing and releasing books for their setting.

What a damn shame it is too... I'm going to bet we see an MtG set for both of these launched sometime in the next year for additional nostalgia bait cash grabs.


Cat the Bounty Smuggler

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #37 on: April 25, 2022, 08:10:01 PM »
Thankfully, despite common anxieties about the issue, changes to canon can always be reverted. 5e Forgotten Realms is an example an in-universe reversion of a lot of the changes that occurred in 4e, while GURPS: Traveller literally starts from the premise that two entire editions of the game were a bad dream.

Armchair Gamer

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #38 on: April 25, 2022, 08:38:51 PM »
Thankfully, despite common anxieties about the issue, changes to canon can always be reverted. 5e Forgotten Realms is an example an in-universe reversion of a lot of the changes that occurred in 4e, while GURPS: Traveller literally starts from the premise that two entire editions of the game were a bad dream.

  I strongly suspect that the upcoming Weis & Hickman Destinies trilogy is going to alter the timeline to erase Dragons of Summer Flame and what comes after. Although DoSF was their own idea, for a variety of reasons, they've given signs of regretting it for the past twenty years. (As much as I like what the Fifth Age team built on its ashes, I can't disagree with them.)

Shasarak

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #39 on: April 25, 2022, 10:35:46 PM »
Dragonlance has suffered more Times of Troubles then the Forgotten Realms has at this point.

WotC can not really do any worse then the Chaos War and if they do then Tasselhoff can just go back and do another reset.
Who da Drow?  U da drow! - hedgehobbit

There will be poor always,
pathetically struggling,
look at the good things you've got! -  Jesus

S'mon

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #40 on: April 26, 2022, 03:52:29 AM »
I feel that what I'd want for Dragonlance is a 5e campaign hardback version of the original modules, edited down (they are very wordy) but with lots of Elmore & Caldwell art. I guess that would be close to Tyranny of Dragons.

Ghostmaker

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #41 on: April 26, 2022, 08:11:55 AM »
Dragonlance has suffered more Times of Troubles then the Forgotten Realms has at this point.

WotC can not really do any worse then the Chaos War and if they do then Tasselhoff can just go back and do another reset.
At this point, having Tasselhoff as creative director for WotC would be better.

Hey, it'd be interesting.

Pat
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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #42 on: April 26, 2022, 08:32:15 AM »
Dragonlance has suffered more Times of Troubles then the Forgotten Realms has at this point.

WotC can not really do any worse then the Chaos War and if they do then Tasselhoff can just go back and do another reset.
I blame the kender.

For everything.

migo

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Re: Dragonlance Comes to 5e
« Reply #43 on: April 26, 2022, 02:22:06 PM »
Thankfully, despite common anxieties about the issue, changes to canon can always be reverted. 5e Forgotten Realms is an example an in-universe reversion of a lot of the changes that occurred in 4e, while GURPS: Traveller literally starts from the premise that two entire editions of the game were a bad dream.

Or an alternate time stream - which is already canon in Dragonlance.