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Fifth Age Magic

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Chirp
Apr 20, 2009 15:46:10 First off, let me make it known that I my knowledge of the Dragonlance setting is severly limited. I have only skimmed the Dragonlance Chronicles (volume 1-3) and read a few books from the Bridges of Time series. I do not own any campagnie setting information other than a single adventure called Rise of the Titans which takes place dureing the Fifth Age.

Now, regardless of my lack of setting knowledge, I've been thinking of running the Rise of the Titans game in 4th edition. Now as I understand it, magic in the Dragonlance setting is somewhat different from regular D&D, esspecialy in the Fifth Age. So I was wondering what some of you who know more about the setting would say about 4th edition magic in a Fifth Age Draonlance game. Does it mesh well? Should changes be made?

Just looking for opinions and suggestions.
#2
borris
Apr 20, 2009 23:46:23 It depends on wether you're plaing at the very start of the Fifth Age (also known as the Age of Mortals), or past the first 40 years of this age.

At the start of the Fifth Age, just after the Chaos War (which some call the second cataclysm), the gods have departed once again, taking along with them not only clerical magic, but also the three moons of high sorcery and the magic of wizards. But hints have been left that other types of magic can be mastered, and it doesn't take long for ressourceful characters like Goldmoon or Palin Majere to discover them.

On the arcane side, there's wild sorcery (D&D class sorcerer) using the raw magic of the world and the elements, which had been used by mortals thousands of years ago, before the creation of the Orders of High Sorcery, and wich has been recently "recharged" by the passage of Chaos.

On the divine side, there's mysticism: a magic very similar to that granted to clerics, and which includes true healing, but that comes from a very profound understanding of oneself rather than from faith in an almighty outside power.

Eventually, the gods and the moons do return to Krynn, but the newly discovered types of magic don't disappear for all that. In a world set 40 or more years after the Chaos War, people have access to High Sorcery (wizards), Wild Sorcery (sorcerers), divine magic (clerics), and mysticism (mystics), all on a single Ansalon.
#3
Chirp
Apr 21, 2009 6:38:52 So in short, so long as the game is set at least 40 years after the second cataclysm, I shouldn't have to make any adjustments to the 4th edition magic?
#4
borris
Apr 21, 2009 20:42:16 Exactly. You may have to decide how each class gets its powers, especially for divine and primal power sources. For example, you could say that divine heroes get their powers from the deities while druids and shaman are using the power of mysticism. Or you could state that druids are special clerics of the deities of nature. Or you could decide that both clerics and mystics should use the stats for the PHB cleric.

But there's no reason for any basic class to be excluded from the game past the first 40 years of the fifth age. Even the artificier could fit for a gnomish wizard.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Chirp Apr 20, 2009 15:46:10	First off, let me make it known that I my knowledge of the Dragonlance setting is severly limited. I have only skimmed the Dragonlance Chronicles (volume 1-3) and read a few books from the Bridges of Time series. I do not own any campagnie setting information other than a single adventure called Rise of the Titans which takes place dureing the Fifth Age. Now, regardless of my lack of setting knowledge, I've been thinking of running the Rise of the Titans game in 4th edition. Now as I understand it, magic in the Dragonlance setting is somewhat different from regular D&D, esspecialy in the Fifth Age. So I was wondering what some of you who know more about the setting would say about 4th edition magic in a Fifth Age Draonlance game. Does it mesh well? Should changes be made? Just looking for opinions and suggestions.
#2 borris Apr 20, 2009 23:46:23	It depends on wether you're plaing at the very start of the Fifth Age (also known as the Age of Mortals), or past the first 40 years of this age. At the start of the Fifth Age, just after the Chaos War (which some call the second cataclysm), the gods have departed once again, taking along with them not only clerical magic, but also the three moons of high sorcery and the magic of wizards. But hints have been left that other types of magic can be mastered, and it doesn't take long for ressourceful characters like Goldmoon or Palin Majere to discover them. On the arcane side, there's wild sorcery (D&D class sorcerer) using the raw magic of the world and the elements, which had been used by mortals thousands of years ago, before the creation of the Orders of High Sorcery, and wich has been recently "recharged" by the passage of Chaos. On the divine side, there's mysticism: a magic very similar to that granted to clerics, and which includes true healing, but that comes from a very profound understanding of oneself rather than from faith in an almighty outside power. Eventually, the gods and the moons do return to Krynn, but the newly discovered types of magic don't disappear for all that. In a world set 40 or more years after the Chaos War, people have access to High Sorcery (wizards), Wild Sorcery (sorcerers), divine magic (clerics), and mysticism (mystics), all on a single Ansalon.
#3 Chirp Apr 21, 2009 6:38:52	So in short, so long as the game is set at least 40 years after the second cataclysm, I shouldn't have to make any adjustments to the 4th edition magic?
#4 borris Apr 21, 2009 20:42:16	Exactly. You may have to decide how each class gets its powers, especially for divine and primal power sources. For example, you could say that divine heroes get their powers from the deities while druids and shaman are using the power of mysticism. Or you could state that druids are special clerics of the deities of nature. Or you could decide that both clerics and mystics should use the stats for the PHB cleric. But there's no reason for any basic class to be excluded from the game past the first 40 years of the fifth age. Even the artificier could fit for a gnomish wizard.