Dragonlance

jopperm2 · Post by **jopperm2** » Mon May 16, 2005 10:10 am

LOL, there's someone in every group that loves to play a kender.

Luckily they are small and punt easily.

thekyngdoms · Post by **thekyngdoms** » Tue May 17, 2005 1:14 pm

Strangely, I just bought a copy of DL. While I was designing The Kyngdoms, I stayed clear of campaign settings, so in recent weeks I've just bought DL, Iron Kingdoms, Blackmoor and I've also picked up a copy of Conan. Might take me a while to digest them all, however

jopperm2 · Post by **jopperm2** » Tue May 17, 2005 3:11 pm

Yeah, that's a lot of books. Ghostwalk is another you may want to look into. It's mostly an add-on sourcebook, but also can be used as a stand alone campaign.

Math Mannaman · Post by **Math Mannaman** » Tue May 17, 2005 3:47 pm

[QUOTE=Aegis]
As for the Tower of High Socery, it's great, as you join, or you become hunted down, as has been stated, as a renegade. This really regulates magic in a fantastic manner. Also, the bonus's attached to association with the Tower in Wayreth were great as well: Powerful magic item, access to libraries with spells and knowledge, and access to labs. All of which were free to members.[/QUOTE]

Ah yes, I forgot about that. I remember a feoolow PC from our party went to the "trials" at the tower. When he returned he had suffered some sort of fire damage, as he was badly scared with burns. I belive this effected his Chr. He passed his trails however, and i think he also brought back a ring of some sort with him as reward for completing the trails.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Wed May 18, 2005 2:27 pm

[QUOTE=Math Mannaman]Ah yes, I forgot about that. I remember a feoolow PC from our party went to the "trials" at the tower. When he returned he had suffered some sort of fire damage, as he was badly scared with burns. I belive this effected his Chr. He passed his trails however, and i think he also brought back a ring of some sort with him as reward for completing the trails.[/QUOTE]
As I recall, upon passing the trials, the wizard if given a magical item with up to 4th level enchantments on it. It's some fun stuff. If anything, being a wizard in the Dragonlance setting is amazing, as you're given access to all spells upon passing, an item, labs, not to mention a possible +2 to your spells DC's if it's the right time of the month, and the moons are aligned properly.

Rudar Dimble · Post by **Rudar Dimble** » Wed May 18, 2005 2:52 pm

[QUOTE=Aegis]As I recall, upon passing the trials, the wizard if given a magical item with up to 4th level enchantments on it. It's some fun stuff. If anything, being a wizard in the Dragonlance setting is amazing, as you're given access to all spells upon passing, an item, labs, not to mention a possible +2 to your spells DC's if it's the right time of the month, and the moons are aligned properly.[/QUOTE]
Wow, that sounds really cool. Are wizards less over-powered in DL than they are in FR?

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Wed May 18, 2005 3:46 pm

[QUOTE=Rudar Dimble]Wow, that sounds really cool. Are wizards less over-powered in DL than they are in FR?[/QUOTE]
Actually, Wizards are like gods in Dragonlance, but there are a lot of restrictions placed upon them. I'll try to pull up some of the info on them later.

-Edit-

Just caught this in the book: Curse of the Magi. It's the basic rule of casting spells, then needing rest, but has a variant rule, which I actually quite like. Basically, when casting higher level spells (DM's perogative), the castor makes a fort save (DC=10 + spell level). If failed, castor becomes fatigued. If they continue to cast powerful spells, and fail, it progresses to exhausted, and finally falling unconscious.

This is definatly a variant rule I'd use if running a Dragonlance campaign.

Rudar Dimble · Post by **Rudar Dimble** » Wed May 18, 2005 4:04 pm

Sounds like a kind off rule that could be used in ANY D&D game. I might tweak it a bit, but I think I'm going to try this one in my new quest. I was looking for way to nerf the wizards a bit...

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Wed May 18, 2005 4:46 pm

Yeah, the way the game world was written, the wizards were definately the most powerful of the "mortal" races. They also assumed their rules for that reason. When confronted in war they would lock themselves away and defend their towers rather than abuse the powers they had access to and blast away at the hordes surrounding them.

I like the fact that you can as a DM, hand out an item after making the character go through a grueling test and then usher them through a huge library full of spellbooks. It creates an atmosphere that at once embraces the sharing of magical knowledge within the towers, and when leaving you are back into a reality that may lead you to those that hate and fear you for you knowledge all over again.

Their towers, the remaining ones anyway, each have a special defense around them too. I found that interesting. One was cursed and was protected by undead and a grove that inspired terrifying fear. Another is protected by an enchanted forest that moves itself and alters its appearance at the will of the master of the tower.

If your an elf, there are distinct subgroups that are constantly at odds with each other in some way. Not like the elves vs. drow thing in FR, but political and racist tendencies that make them uncooperative and petty towards each other.

Dwarves, there are those who live in a massive underground complex that is the most wonderfully guarded place on the planet. Then those who live above ground, and the hinted at dark dwarves who live on their own underground.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Wed May 18, 2005 4:58 pm

The Shoiken and Wayreth forests

Those are fun.

The Shoiken forest guards the tower in Palanthas, while Wayreth guards the tower in Wayreth. The Shoiken is fun because it essentially scares the hell out of everything, regardless of a creature being fearless. Wayreth, on the other hand, simply causes a person to become lost.

As for the elves, there is, from memory, the Kagonesti, Silvenesti, Qualinesti, Half-Elves and Sea Elves. This lends itself to some nice politics.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Wed May 18, 2005 5:29 pm

That it does, as you have varying degrees of the stereoptypical elven arrogance and isolation with each of them.

Now this is making me want to find a way to play the game.

Rob-hin · Post by **Rob-hin** » Thu May 19, 2005 3:34 am

[QUOTE=Magrus]
Now this is making me want to find a way to play the game.

[/QUOTE]

Couldn't agree more.

I need to make a choise... the new Vampire book or the Dragonlance core book.

Cuchulain82 · Post by **Cuchulain82** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:32 am

[QUOTE=Rob-hin]I need to make a choise... the new Vampire book or the Dragonlance core book.[/QUOTE]
The pessimist in me makes me think that Dragonlance will probably lose much of it's character in 3rd ed. If you do get the DL book, post about what it's like if you have the time...

@Shoikan grove

Kender were immune to fear, right? I thought that Tasslehoff was able to wlak right through the grove (or was the grove the only thing that scared him? It's been a while...)

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:39 am

[QUOTE=Cuchulain82]@Shoikan grove

Kender were immune to fear, right? I thought that Tasslehoff was able to wlak right through the grove (or was the grove the only thing that scared him? It's been a while...)[/QUOTE]

That and Lord Soth were the only things he was truly afraid of in the stories. Well, before the whole Chaos War thing went down anyways. It's supposed to be an overwhelming fear to everyone, dragons, kender, deer, whatever.

Was there something you wanted to know in particular about the 3rd edition DL book, I have it. I won't go typing up everything, I did a general thing up there. But your curious about something in particular I could do that.

Rudar Dimble · Post by **Rudar Dimble** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:47 am

After reading the Dragonlance Chronicles I got curious about the character levels of the main characters...can you give them?

Cuchulain82 · Post by **Cuchulain82** » Thu May 19, 2005 9:48 am

[QUOTE=Magrus]Was there something you wanted to know in particular about the 3rd edition DL book, I have it. I won't go typing up everything, I did a general thing up there. But your curious about something in particular I could do that.[/QUOTE]
More about the flavor of the world in general. It was the standard-bearer of all the worlds, especially for the novels. Greyhawk was first, but then the Weis/Hickman novels came along and everyone (even non-Gamers!

) ate them up. But then DL was eclipsed by FR, time passed, it became less popular, and then they basically threw DL under a bus after Dragons of Summer Flame- the Gods left the world, they released that silly Dragonlance system in the cheesy cardboard boxes... what a mess! Dragons ruled the world, clerical spells had to be redone because there were no Gods... what were they thinking?

Now that it's updated and revived, I'm just curious if it is still as cool as it was? I can imagine that much of the mysery and power that wizards had didn't survive the 3rd ed rules. Likewise, the world was always light on magic items- Raist's infamous dagger was just a Dagger +3 I think.

I was never a DL player, but I just don't want DL= d20 or the FR. What is your opinion, Magrus?

@Rudar

Tanis Half-Elven was an upper-middle level npc (maybe 14th or so). Raistlin, the uber-mage, was 18th I think. And Tas, well, who knows? These are the 2nd ed stats, so by now they have probably been changed.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Thu May 19, 2005 10:43 am

Ok, sad to say, Alahna Starbreeze was the only character from the original DL trilogy that was put into the new DL 3rd edition Campaign Setting book. They have the major characters from the War of Souls books...but the elf princess is the only one surving and statted in the book from the original trilogy. That just blows.

As far as the magic items...yeah, the Dagger of Magius was a dagger +3 with the magical ability to remain undetected. So, if you have it and are searched, you keep it as they can't find it under any means.

The Staff of Magius has unique powers for each and every wielder, along with the basic light, feather fall, and with the ability to Enlarge 3 spells per day that have to do with light, air or mind-affecting spells (as per the Enlarge feat). +2 quarterstaff with a +3 deflection bonus too.

There a rules for clerics switching to mystics, sorcerers to wizards, etc. I'll have to write up a more detailed description later, baby's crying again. Need to read through everything too to get a better summary for you.

jopperm2 · Post by **jopperm2** » Thu May 19, 2005 3:18 pm

[QUOTE=Rob-hin]Couldn't agree more.

I need to make a choise... the new Vampire book or the Dragonlance core book.[/QUOTE]

Go with Dragonlance, I haven't heard the best things about vampire these days.

Rudar Dimble · Post by **Rudar Dimble** » Thu May 19, 2005 3:25 pm

We played the pre-Gehenna Vampire and that was pretty cool. Don't know/heard anything about the latest version though

Cuchulain82 · Post by **Cuchulain82** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:36 am

[QUOTE=Rudar Dimble]We played the pre-Gehenna Vampire and that was pretty cool. Don't know/heard anything about the latest version though[/QUOTE]
I am in the same boat. However, I was never a big fan of Vampire anyway (I thought it was good at best, never great) but with all the recent grumblings here about the new edition, I would be hesitant,

Magrus... what about the flavor of 3rd ed. DL? I don't want a thesis, but I am still curious.