The draconians will probably end up as a reworked dragonborn.
Except for FR the settings published so far are thematically different from the regular fantasy settings and if WotC keeps it that way I have a feeling the next setting would be Ravenloft or Planescape not Dragonlance.
While I think the 4e release of DL is inevitable, I think it is too soon to tell if its going to be the 2011 setting. More likely they settled on including the draconians in the Draconomicon II because of there thematic link to the metallic dragons, because they're a reasonably popular group of monsters, and its a gesture to DL fans (even if their backstory was genericized in this book).
The ones they have previewed don't look like reworked dragonborn.
Didn't know they had a write up, jumped the gun a bit.
There's nothing intrinsic to Dragonlance about draconians.
I don't know about that, though you can certainly use them outside of Krynn, they are the iconic antagonist race in DL.
I believe the following web site
dragonlance nexus
http://www.dlnexus.com
has attempted to convert some of the beginning dragonlance modules to 4E format. I also read up on the previews, and they seem like a pretty straight forward interpretation that meets the essence of each type of draconian (for the ones listed).
I prefer taladas myself, versus ansalon, and will most likely start my next 4E setting.
Are Hickman and Weis going to be involved in any way?
I believe the following web site
dragonlance nexus
http://www.dlnexus.comhas attempted to convert some of the beginning dragonlance modules to 4E format. I also read up on the previews, and they seem like a pretty straight forward interpretation that meets the essence of each type of draconian (for the ones listed).
I prefer taladas myself, versus ansalon, and will most likely start my next 4E setting.
I sure loved me some Taladas. Truely one of the most unique and interesting campaign settings ever created.
Are Hickman and Weis going to be involved in any way?
Dragonlance's future is very uncertain, including Hickman and Weis's involvement. They aren't even set to write more novels.
If they did decide to go ahead with 4e Dragonlance CS, it would be crazy for them to not at least get Hickman and Weis' stamp of approval. Those two names are so closely tied to the setting in conception and branding, I'm not sure the CS books would be as financially successful without them.
The draconians will probably end up as a reworked dragonborn.
Except for FR the settings published so far are thematically different from the regular fantasy settings and if WotC keeps it that way I have a feeling the next setting would be Ravenloft or Planescape not Dragonlance.
Ravenloft most likely will never see a devoted campaign setting, as the domains of dread are now tied into the Shadowfell (I think). That being said, they are making a Shadowfell book so maybe that will have more Raveloft themed stuff in it.
Planescape wasn't really a unique campaign setting was it? I thought it was all about planar characters and playing campaigns NOT on the prime material plane? As far as I can tell you can do that with the books out now (i.e. Manual of the Planes).
Dragonlance is quite similar to Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms thematically, so I'm not sure they'd use this setting in the near future either. Yes it has some unique twists, like kender, gully dwarves, tinker gnomes, and moon magic, but IMO these aren't enough to really justify an entire campaign setting/book.
Birthright on the other hand, has a lot of common elements from many fantasy worlds (knights, wizards, goblins, trolls, giants, etc.) but it has some unique concepts all it's own. Bloodlines for one, would a brand new mechanic they could develop, maybe similar to dragonmarks. The second is of course, the ability to start the game as a king (regent) of your own nation. The third, would be mass combat, i.e. leading your nation's armies against other armies. I'll put the emphasis on lead, as there are some current skill challenges out there for taking part in a mass combat already. So this is what my money is on ;)
I have a feeling WOTC wants to do a spell plague to Dragonlance but doesn't know how yet so they're doing Dark Sun.. wtf.. instead.
I don't really think we'll see anything on the scale of the Spell Plague in 4E again. WotC generated a ton of ill will with the Forgotten Realms 4E and basically no comments or happy squeals with their conversions of Eberron and Dark Sun. I kind of think there is some sort of a lesson there and I suspect WotC read the message loud and clear. I'd expect 4E Dragonlance to remain basically faithful to the original material except where the original material gets in the way of the way things are done in 4E.
Oh and my money is on Dragonlance for the campaign setting released after Dark Sun. Its one of the ones mentioned in the players handbook and it has a huge following. I was surprised when Darksun trumped Dragonlance for this years release - I can't see WotC choosing to continue to ignore the armies of Krynn faithful for yet another year - there are swarms of fans desperate to give WotC their money in order to once again hold a Dragonlance Campaign book in their hands. Its now a matter of how long WotC can resist taking their money off them - I don't think WotCs will power is really that strong in this regards.
Oddly, I just did Dragonlance in my 'Worlds of D&D' feature on my blog, and I think the setting would fit the 4E model quite well.
The setting's strength is its huge, epic story tied to a number of iconic characters and a well-defined backstory. It's also its key weakness.
The Forgotten Realms is one massive continent made up of dozens of nations, hundreds of cities and thousands of villages/ruins etc where there are hundreds of stories on each street corner. You can pretty much do what you like there. It's a place. So is Greyhawk, albeit at a lower level of magic with author-insertion characters who suck less.
Dragonlance's big problem is that it isn't a place (if nothing else, Ansalon is a very small landmass), it's a story, and whenever TSR or WotC did anything with the setting that moved away from the story, it never really seemed to stick. I liked Time of the Dragon and Taladas, but it never really took off. With Dragonlance everything always seems to come back to the War of the Lance, Takhisis, the Cataclysm(s) etc. That's why the setting never really threw up anything that became popular in late 1st and throughout 2nd Edition when they seemed to be trying to make it a more generic world like the Realms and Greyhawk but it wasn't working because, erm, they already had the Realms and Greyhawk for that.
When TSR won Weis and Hickman back to the cause, they could move forward decisively with new Dragonlance material (as a change from the 150-odd books filling in gaps in the backstory), but the new Dragonlance material - the Chaos War, the War of Souls etc - was very much like the old material.
In fact, whilst doing an overall look at the history of Krynn I realised the setting's core concepts bounce back and forth like they're on some kind of crazed yo-yo: the gods are back! No, they're exiled again! No, they're back again! Exiled! Back! Make up your friggin' minds!
And what's up with Raistlin? Is he dead again? Trapped in another dimension? Alive but in hiding? Or dead yet again? And are the Solamnic Knights still kicking ass? Oh, they're not, but there's some Knights of Takhisis instead? Who are actually not that bad once you get to know them? What? And how many Cataclysms are we on now?
Anyway, to summarise, the setting actually has a lot of interesting facets to it that would make it a viable setting for 4E, but I am very sceptical if they can make it a compelling setting when separated from the metaplot.
Now, let's see how WotC are going to royally annoy the fanbase with this one. A Spellplague wouldn't make any difference, as Krynn suffers world-shattering, concept-altering, magic-destroying armageddons every other week and shrugs them off without a care in the world, bare a very minor fuzzing around with the maps. My guess is that WotC will either not involve Weis & Hickman at all, or, if they really want to enrage people, they'll set the new campaign setting just after the War of the Lance and completely retcon everything that happened after it out of existence. I could easily see that happening.
I'd make everything for just before the War of the Lance. That was always the most popular period in any case.
I have a feeling WOTC wants to do a spell plague to Dragonlance but doesn't know how yet so they're doing Dark Sun.. wtf.. instead.
I think there are several dilemmas as to what to do with Dragonlance, not the least of which determining what era to set it in (the current one is not that popular). I think they have their hands full if they want to do a 4e Dragonlance. It feels that they won't do one, as even the number of novels set for the setting is diminishing. I'm surprised by that because I always thought DL novels were their bestsellers. Maybe I'm wrong or maybe they have big plans but further into the future.
Most of the 3.5 products weren't even published by WotC itself, they farmed it out to Weis & Hickman's own publishing company, with the exception of the Campaign Setting itself which came out under the WotC flag so to speak. I don't know if something like this arrangement might not be in the cards again.
Won't happen like this. The only reason the campaign setting was released by WotC was that the licensing for any of WotCs campaign setting required that you write the first campaign book but let them actually be the publisher. Thus no one was interested in a lot of the setting because the first book would be the big seller and you'd have to write it but not get the profit for it except maybe some royalties.
One of the things that made Dragonlance an attractive product was that Wies could write the campaign setting book in the most recent era - which no one cares about and then, after she had the license, write the War of the Lance supplement - which was of course the period that everyone actually cared about.
In any case WotC went through all the trouble of pulling her license for so they could get all their IP under one banner to support the DDI. They are not going to give her the license back - though they might get her and Hickman to actually do some work for them.
In any case WotC went through all the trouble of pulling her license for so they could get all their IP under one banner to support the DDI. They are not going to give her the license back - though they might get her and Hickman to actually do some work for them.
After WotC dicked them around with the new DRAGONLANCE novels, I'm not entirely sure they'd be willing to work for WotC unless they stumped up a huge amount of cash.
For a lot of the Dragonlance hardcore, Weis and Hickman ARE Dragonlance, and won't be particularly interested in anything produced without their approval, which means that WotC would have to sell the setting as a totally new one to all the new players unaware of the heritage, which could be a tall order.
After WotC dicked them around with the new DRAGONLANCE novels, I'm not entirely sure they'd be willing to work for WotC unless they stumped up a huge amount of cash.
Got a link on that? Seems to me that Weis was working over time in the promo of her most recent DL book. Attending conventions - advertising it on her personal web site etc. Not something I'd expect to see from a PO'd author, especially one with her clout.
Got a link on that? Seems to me that Weis was working over time in the promo of her most recent DL book. Attending conventions - advertising it on her personal web site etc. Not something I'd expect to see from a PO'd author, especially one with her clout.
They turned in DRAGONS OF AN HOURGLASS MAGE slightly late, so WotC gave it some 'big man' attitude about not dealing with unprofessional authors and said they wouldn't publish the book. Several thousand very annoyed emails later, they recanted.
Obviously Weis wants people to buy the book, she and Hickman worked hard on it and it fills in some (apparently) interesting gaps in the original DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES trilogy that fans had been asking about for twenty years, so obviously she was going to promote it. It may well be that behind the scents WotC also made a (hopefully appropriately grovelling) apology for cheesing off two of their most successful authors and everyone is now happy smiling friends again.
However, that has to be seen in the light of WotC doing this to some authors as well recently. Paul Kemp just walked from the FORGOTTEN REALMS line as well after some disagreements, so no more Erevis Cale (or at least no more Erevis Cale by his signature author, which roughly translates to the same thing) either. Next week WotC will no doubt complete the shooting of themselves in the foot by firing Salvatore.
Some of my contacts in publishing have reported some odd things going on in the WotC novel department recently, with the Weis/Hickman and Kemp situations only the visible symptoms of it. Not sure of the cause. Maybe the switch to 4E and the attendant requirements for retconning are causing problems for the novel writers?
Got a link on that? Seems to me that Weis was working over time in the promo of her most recent DL book. Attending conventions - advertising it on her personal web site etc. Not something I'd expect to see from a PO'd author, especially one with her clout.
Also, when WotC ended the license for Weis Productions to publish DL gaming materials, there was no explanation given at the time. Although she remained professional, her tone in some of her announcements was clearly annoyance. In a Q&A (I'll try to find a link) that Weis did a few months ago, it's obvious she is being kept in the dark about the future of Dragonlance and she seems put off by questions about its future. She says things like, "I'm not being included in their plans," and, "As for what happens with the DragonLance series in general,I have no idea. You'd have to ask them[WotC]."
Add in a little controversy about Dragons of the Hourglass Mage and you have two authors who probably feel very disenfranchised.
EDIT: Link to Q&A. It's a pdf.
Next week WotC will no doubt complete the shooting of themselves in the foot by firing Salvatore.
I'm assuming this is conjecture. I'm not a big fan of Salvatore, but getting rid of him as an author of D&D novels is about the dumbest thing WotC could do. He's incredibly popular.
I could be completely wrong here, but I've always figured that WotC's novel line was far more profitable than its gaming line. To get rid of popular authors based on the direction of the game seems daft.
I'm assuming this is conjecture. I'm not a big fan of Salvatore, but getting rid of him as an author of D&D novels is about the dumbest thing WotC could do. He's incredibly popular.
Yes, conjecture. But I put nothing past the capabilities of WotC at the moment.
One of the ideas I'd heard was that WotC weren't happy with the STAR WARS line editors poaching their authors (and then paying them a lot more money), like Troy Denning, but how much truth there is to that is not clear. Interestingly the problems between WotC and Kemp flared up just after he'd delivered his first STAR WARS novel to Del Rey.
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One of the ideas I'd heard was that WotC weren't happy with the STAR WARS line editors poaching their authors (and then paying them a lot more money), like Troy Denning, but how much truth there is to that is not clear. Interestingly the problems between WotC and Kemp flared up just after he'd delivered his first STAR WARS novel to Del Rey.
Sounds like Salvatore/TSR all over again. Remember, he wanted to write something else. TSR didn't like it so he left and wrote his own stuff and Drizzt fell 3-5 years behind timeline-wise.
And then there's poor Elaine being out of the Realms too.
The longer 4e goes on, the more I believe WOTC needs to release an "Age of Chosen" line or something, pre-spell plague. I mean, that'd be the solution for Dragonlance right? Release 3 books... War of the Lance, the children age (sorry don't know what it's called), and a Player/Accessory book. They should just release 2 pre-spell plague books for the Realms, a Core and PH book.
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And then there's poor Elaine being out of the Realms too.
Not true. Just because "Reclaimation" got cancelled doesn't mean she will not write any more Realms Novels. Dont believe me go and check out what she said on the Wizard Boards, and at Candlekeep just LAST WEEK...;)
So you don't think I am making this up http://community.wizards.com/go/post/reply/75882/21263021/Cycle_of_Night_Ca nceled_Paul_Kemp_nolonger_writing_FR_Novels"e=377596757
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And then there's poor Elaine being out of the Realms too.Not true. Just because "Reclaimation" got cancelled doesn't mean she will not write any more Realms Novels. Dont believe me go and check out what she said on the Wizard Boards, and at Candlekeep just LAST WEEK...;)
So you don't think I am making this up http://community.wizards.com/go/post/reply/75882/21263021/Cycle_of_Night_Ca nceled_Paul_Kemp_nolonger_writing_FR_Novels"e=377596757
All i seem to be getting is a you cannot post message. Is this one of those things you need a DDI subscription for?
And then there's poor Elaine being out of the Realms too.Not true. Just because "Reclaimation" got cancelled doesn't mean she will not write any more Realms Novels. Dont believe me go and check out what she said on the Wizard Boards, and at Candlekeep just LAST WEEK...;)
So you don't think I am making this up http://community.wizards.com/go/post/reply/75882/21263021/Cycle_of_Night_Ca nceled_Paul_Kemp_nolonger_writing_FR_Novels"e=377596757
All i seem to be getting is a you cannot post message. Is this one of those things you need a DDI subscription for?
No, there cookies are all screwed up right now. You either need to get in through the front page or through your account.
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I think the only feat we ever used at my table from the books was the "Spellcasting Prodigy" but my understand is that it also appeared in a Forgotten Realms release. The races data and monster stats were the most important things I pulled from those books aside from the fluff.Yeap it was a Realms feat and you'll remember Archmage was a Realms prestige class. There was also a two weapon fighting feat that was pretty good.. gave you that dodge bonus equal a buckler if I remember right.
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My understanding is that WotC has pulled back the rights to Dragonlance from Margaret Weis productions (there's always some fiddly legal wrangling when IP is involved) and that there are plans to do a 4E Dragonlance.
I'm actually looking forward to it, even though I don't currently play 4e. Mostly, I'm just hoping they don't jump the shark again and Realms it by rebooting the entire continuity. Again. (For like the... fifth time?) If they do, they lose all interest I may have potentially had.
If I were to prognosticate, I'd say it's probably the 2012 setting.
My understanding is that WotC has pulled back the rights to Dragonlance from Margaret Weis productions (there's always some fiddly legal wrangling when IP is involved) and that there are plans to do a 4E Dragonlance.
I'm actually looking forward to it, even though I don't currently play 4e. Mostly, I'm just hoping they don't jump the shark again and Realms it by rebooting the entire continuity. Again. (For like the... fifth time?) If they do, they lose all interest I may have potentially had.
If I were to prognosticate, I'd say it's probably the 2012 setting.
I don't think we've got a 2011 one yet. Would make sense for them to split up 'traditional' and 'unusual' settings, so maybe the order will be DARK SUN, DRAGONLANCE, 'something original' (SPELLJAMMER? If RAVENLOFT and PLANESCAPE are out), GREYHAWK, 'who knows', and then it'll probably be time for a new edition.
Also, they haven't really rebooted the DRAGONLANCE continuity, they've just pressed on with it by, erm, doing lameass repeat versions of what they've already done before. If they went back to the War of the Lance and said nothing else afterwards that has happened in the books has actually happened, that would be a reboot that would really annoy Weis, Hickman and the hardcore fans.