Balance for the 'Lance - Advice for Dragonlance DM

[M Placeholder]

So, Im starting a new game, set in the world of Krynn, using the 3.5 rules. I've told my prospective players that they cannot play as Kender or Gully Dwarves, and all characters will start at ECL 3.

So, a few questions -

1 - What is the best time period for a DL campaign?
2 - Best party balance?
3 - anything I should watch out for?
4 - best place in Ansalon for a campaign?
5 - Any words of wisdom from previous DL campaigns using 3.5?

[endur]

So, Im starting a new game, set in the world of Krynn, using the 3.5 rules. I've told my prospective players that they cannot play as Kender or Gully Dwarves, and all characters will start at ECL 3.

So, a few questions -

1 - What is the best time period for a DL campaign?
2 - Best party balance?
3 - anything I should watch out for?
4 - best place in Ansalon for a campaign?
5 - Any words of wisdom from previous DL campaigns using 3.5?

uh, every DL party should have at least one Kender or Gully Dwarf.

[afroakuma]

1 - What is the best time period for a DL campaign?

I've always been enamored of the last Dragon War, the fight to expel Takhisis from the world in the time of Huma Dragonbane. The War of the Lance is, of course, also traditional and there's a lot to do.


3 - anything I should watch out for?

Make sure that DMPCs don't happen. The Heroes of the Lance shouldn't be active if your PCs are running the same events. Don't be afraid to let them go their own way and do their own thing. History is mutable - don't insist the world has to evolve by the book or by the novel if they're trying to do other things. Make the PCs the center of their conflict, whether they're challenging Galan Dracos or bringing the fight to Highlord Ariakas, or even opposing the sinister machinations of Morgion or seeking to restore Shinare's blessing to a broken city.

[Darth Ultron]

1 - What is the best time period for a DL campaign?
2 - Best party balance?
3 - anything I should watch out for?
4 - best place in Ansalon for a campaign?
5 - Any words of wisdom from previous DL campaigns using 3.5?

1.War of the Lance
2.No cleric, one of each other class.
3.Players using book knowledge
4.Solace and area around it
5.Remember the books are 1E/2E and only follow the rule books vaguely. So it might be hard to get the ''Dargonlance book feel'' using 3.5. For example Tas is a very non combatant thief in the books, but a 3.5 Tas will be a super hard core damage doing striker as ''thieves'' have the insane ability to do more damage then a fighter.

And my favorite is the lie of Rastilin and Cameron ''combining magic and steel'' to win a fight. Except, by the book, Rast is under 5th level for most of the stories. And a 5th level wizard does not have that many spells to ''fight all the time with''.

[Blackhawk748]

uh, every DL party should have at least one Kender or Gully Dwarf.

http://thelifestream.net/forums/images/smilies/Implied%20Facepalm.jpg

Id say start sometime in the Age of Despair as there's lots of stuff to do, just start before the book series and you should be fine. Oh and dont play when the Dark Knights own pretty much everything as its very depressing and there isnt a lot that PCs can do that wont get them ganked.

[endur]

Make sure that DMPCs don't happen. The Heroes of the Lance shouldn't be active if your PCs are running the same events. Don't be afraid to let them go their own way and do their own thing. History is mutable - don't insist the world has to evolve by the book or by the novel if they're trying to do other things.

Really good point here.