dragonlance info please

[lyko555]

Hello my group just decided to start playing again and the gm decided that he would run the dragon lance setting. I've never really seen the setting but just looking over the main book for a handful of minutes i noticed some of the class's were altered. My main concern was with the wizard, and apparently being forced to super specialize. Are there any other weird mechanics to this system as compared to a generic 3.5 setting?

[Demon of Death]

There is no need to specialize as a wizard, if you go into the High Tower Wizard, then yes you are pretty limited in what the order let's you do, but you don't need to actually take levels in it, you just need to take the test with the order and basically register so they know a wizard higher than 4th level is walking around Krynn.

[lyko555]

Oh i didn't know that the way the other player said it, it was required to become a high wizard. in order to be a wizard.

[Demon of Death]

Oh i didn't know that the way the other player said it, it was required to become a high wizard. in order to be a wizard.

Well, it may be that they require you to do so in their campaign, and I was thinking of the wording of the section from the book "Towers of High Sorcery"

The main book says this


Once a wizard successfully completes (and survives) the Test of High Sorcery. the choices he
makes during his test determine which color
robes he wears and which deity of magic grants
him power.ln game terms, once a wizard character
completes the test, he automatically gains the
Wizard of High Sorcery prestige class. The character
is no longer simply a wizard.

And the Towers of High Sorcery book says this


When a wizard successfully completes the
Test of High Sorcery, those conducting the Test
determine which color robes he will wear and
which god of magic focuses his power. After the
Test, the character is no longer simply a wizard
and, so long as the other requirements are met,
may begin taking levels in the Wizard of High
Sorcery prestige class.

So, I was using the wrong book to go off of.

[Madara]

It depends on the time period he's having you play in. If its the one the campaign book suggests, than there aren't very many changes to worry about.

[Agent 451]

The main thing that you will want to be aware of is how arcane magic ties into the setting. You have Red, White, and Black mages, each of them draws power from a moon (read: god/dess of magic) of the same colour. As they are moons their power, and yours along with it, waxes and wanes with the progression of the lunar cycle. Here's a link to the lunar calender changes for Krynn. (http://www.dlnexus.com/weather/moons.aspx)

[crazyhedgewizrd]

Also you dont have to take the test of high soucery if you dont want to. You have to talk to the Game Master, how you as a character views the wizards of high soucery in the time period that you are playing in.

[Aneurin]

The Towers of High Sorcery provides a better version of the PRC, I believe, that doesn't force you to specialize. Alternatively, ask the DM to drop the requirements that don't make sense - like specific Spell Focuses and Specialisation. There's no real reason for you to be forced to use certain schools for each order.


The DM may play the variant rule that forces you to make a fort save every time you cast a spell or take a level of fatigue. DC is something like 10+spell level.

[Supermouse]

But the specialization aspect on Dragonlance wizards is very flavourful, and says respect to the world setting, not to balance and power issues, so, if your DM is using the rules on the DL Campaign Setting, I say, abide to them, and have fun, as a Wizard of the Red Robes.

If you really don't want to specialize in DL, you may play a Sorcerer, Palin Majere says you're cool using whatever spell you want (there's even some Sorcerer-specific spells on the book).


Also, you don't need to do the tests of the Towers of High Sorcery when you attain lvl 4, so you don't need to specialize. But you'll be considered a renegade Wizard, and the Wizards of the High Sorcery will probably hunt and kill you, or try to conscript you to their ranks, depends on their mood.

Another option if you don't want to be a Wizard of High Sorcery is becoming a Grey Robe Wizard guy from Neraka (I forgot their names, Knight of the something, Skull, maybe?), but they specialize in Divination :P

[Agent 451]

The grey robes are the Knights of the Thorn. They don't specialize in divination to the exclusion of other schools though. They gain the benefits as if they were a divination specialist (regardless of whether they already have a specialization or not already) without sacrificing access to any other school.

[Hecuba]

This will very greatly based on the time period you are playing in: a campaign set in the Age of Mortals is going to be vastly different than one set in the Age of Dreams or the Age of Might.

Since most of the major novels are set either at the end of the Age of Despair or during the Age of Mortals, I'll assume you're there.

For Arcane Casters in particular, there are some things to look for:

Find out before character creation if the Curse of the Magi variant is in effect.
Find out in advance how renegades are going to be handled. Per the novels and some of the 2nd edition treatments, something as simple as not responding to a summons to the Tower is enough to be labeled a Renegade. I'm fairly certain that this wasn't carried over to 3rd with quite that vigor, but it's a big enough setting issue to check on.
I doubt it's much of an issue, and the related issue has not been formally treated since 1st edition, but unless you're in the Age of Dreams (for Arcane), the Age of Might (divine), or earlier, I would assume Epic casting is out.
If you're in the Age of Despair, then Divine casting is unavailable on Ansolan. This makes certain spells, particularly those dealing with bonus HP, save boosts, or protection against ability damage (unfortunately, this comes in very late) more of a concern fro arcane casters. They're still not your main focus, but they become your problem in the absence of Clerics & Company.
Find out specifically how the moons will be handled-- do you keep a running date, or roll for date when it matters, or what have you. It doesn't particularly matter which one is used, but it helps for everyone to be on the same page for bookkeeping.