Teaching the Lance - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Teaching the Lance

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
calabozo
May 04, 2004 4:51:09 Heres a big question, how do you teach your player about dragonlance?

My players and I have being playing generic D&D or FR for some time, then dragonlance hit 3rd edition, in that time the only thing I knew abot dragonlnce was some tales of Rastling, one of my frinds had read some novels and had played DL 2nd ed, that player doesnt play anymore because he doesnt have the time to play anymore, but after that I bought some novels and the playing books and talked to my players about DL, all went well untill the limitations of the campaig (KoS, KoN, WoH and the like) some of my players feel traped in the social structure of DL, I try to guide them to the feel of the campaign but Im having dificulties.

So, what have you done to teach new player into the Lance, and have you run with this problems?

THanks.
#2
maladaar
May 04, 2004 4:53:57 Give them the Chronicles and Legends trilogies. Best way to learn about it is to read it.
#3
zombiegleemax
May 04, 2004 7:07:33
Originally posted by Calabozo
all went well untill the limitations of the campaig (KoS, KoN, WoH and the like) some of my players feel traped in the social structure of DL, I try to guide them to the feel of the campaign but Im having dificulties.

First thing to do is to stop thinking of these things as limitations. In the cases you are mentioning, they are organizations that make for interesting roleplay...especially the WoHS. They give arcane magic a flavor and a government...that which really isnt there in other worlds in this way. The players though don't have to join any of these organizations at all. especially the knights...A wizard might run into problems if he isnt a member of the WoHS later on, but the character would end up a more skilled wizard for joining anyway.

Im interested in hearing more about your game....I think some of the best DL games are played with new players to the setting.
#4
brimstone
May 04, 2004 8:43:52 Well...I'm working on starting a game. I currently have two players...trying to find two more, and we're going to play Key of Destiny. It will be a group of complete neophytes in both D&D and Dragonlance.

My thinking was to give them a quick creation myth to each player depending on their race. Depending on intelligence and race they will get a better history lesson than other players. But everyone will know about the Third Dragon War, the Cataclysm, the War of the Lance, the Chaos War, and the War of Souls (although only the priests and wizards will truly know the implication of the latter). For the first two wars...I will be reading them the Canticle of the Dragon and several other Michael Williams poems about the War of the Lance...because that's how they would know about it...or maybe a little more info again depending on race...and maybe some "grandfatherly" stories about the war. The Chaos War I will tell them like a parent would tell their children about a war they went through...those kinds of stories.

I don't know...it's an interesting concept (I think), and I'm looking forward to being able to impliment it and see how well it really works.
#5
talinthas
May 04, 2004 11:25:40 you have to be real careful, though. a lengthy intro can quickly turn dragonlance into boringlance. After teaching a ton of folks to play DL, i figure the best thing to do is decide what year they were born in, and give them the events since then. Or even just a bare bones descriptor of important things, like the three moons and the gods. They'll learn the rest through the course of gaming.
#6
zombiegleemax
May 04, 2004 12:34:46
First thing to do is to stop thinking of these things as limitations.

I agree. This seems to happen alot with FR lovers.

They always seem to have problems with low-magic settings where one cannot meet a star NPC every five minutes, and one cannot buy powerful magic items in a corner store.

~~~
#7
brimstone
May 04, 2004 13:27:33
Originally posted by talinthas
you have to be real careful, though. a lengthy intro can quickly turn dragonlance into boringlance.

True. The whole thing is going to be overwhelming enough as it is.

Perhaps I'll just stick with the Canticle of the Dragon and the Nine Heroes or whatever the WotL one was called and a quick summary of the last 10 years or so.
#8
Nived
May 04, 2004 13:54:16 I agree that Chronicles is traditionally the best way for someone to understand Krynn, I would interject that it may be easier to get someone to sit down with the new Legend of Huma comics. I mean sure they're only up to issue 3 right now, but its beautiful I tell you.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 calabozo May 04, 2004 4:51:09	Heres a big question, how do you teach your player about dragonlance? My players and I have being playing generic D&D or FR for some time, then dragonlance hit 3rd edition, in that time the only thing I knew abot dragonlnce was some tales of Rastling, one of my frinds had read some novels and had played DL 2nd ed, that player doesnt play anymore because he doesnt have the time to play anymore, but after that I bought some novels and the playing books and talked to my players about DL, all went well untill the limitations of the campaig (KoS, KoN, WoH and the like) some of my players feel traped in the social structure of DL, I try to guide them to the feel of the campaign but Im having dificulties. So, what have you done to teach new player into the Lance, and have you run with this problems? THanks.
#2 maladaar May 04, 2004 4:53:57	Give them the Chronicles and Legends trilogies. Best way to learn about it is to read it.
#3 zombiegleemax May 04, 2004 7:07:33	Originally posted by Calabozo all went well untill the limitations of the campaig (KoS, KoN, WoH and the like) some of my players feel traped in the social structure of DL, I try to guide them to the feel of the campaign but Im having dificulties. First thing to do is to stop thinking of these things as limitations. In the cases you are mentioning, they are organizations that make for interesting roleplay...especially the WoHS. They give arcane magic a flavor and a government...that which really isnt there in other worlds in this way. The players though don't have to join any of these organizations at all. especially the knights...A wizard might run into problems if he isnt a member of the WoHS later on, but the character would end up a more skilled wizard for joining anyway. Im interested in hearing more about your game....I think some of the best DL games are played with new players to the setting.
#4 brimstone May 04, 2004 8:43:52	Well...I'm working on starting a game. I currently have two players...trying to find two more, and we're going to play Key of Destiny. It will be a group of complete neophytes in both D&D and Dragonlance. My thinking was to give them a quick creation myth to each player depending on their race. Depending on intelligence and race they will get a better history lesson than other players. But everyone will know about the Third Dragon War, the Cataclysm, the War of the Lance, the Chaos War, and the War of Souls (although only the priests and wizards will truly know the implication of the latter). For the first two wars...I will be reading them the Canticle of the Dragon and several other Michael Williams poems about the War of the Lance...because that's how they would know about it...or maybe a little more info again depending on race...and maybe some "grandfatherly" stories about the war. The Chaos War I will tell them like a parent would tell their children about a war they went through...those kinds of stories. I don't know...it's an interesting concept (I think), and I'm looking forward to being able to impliment it and see how well it really works.
#5 talinthas May 04, 2004 11:25:40	you have to be real careful, though. a lengthy intro can quickly turn dragonlance into boringlance. After teaching a ton of folks to play DL, i figure the best thing to do is decide what year they were born in, and give them the events since then. Or even just a bare bones descriptor of important things, like the three moons and the gods. They'll learn the rest through the course of gaming.
#6 zombiegleemax May 04, 2004 12:34:46	First thing to do is to stop thinking of these things as limitations. I agree. This seems to happen alot with FR lovers. They always seem to have problems with low-magic settings where one cannot meet a star NPC every five minutes, and one cannot buy powerful magic items in a corner store. ~~~
#7 brimstone May 04, 2004 13:27:33	Originally posted by talinthas you have to be real careful, though. a lengthy intro can quickly turn dragonlance into boringlance. True. The whole thing is going to be overwhelming enough as it is. Perhaps I'll just stick with the Canticle of the Dragon and the Nine Heroes or whatever the WotL one was called and a quick summary of the last 10 years or so.
#8 Nived May 04, 2004 13:54:16	I agree that Chronicles is traditionally the best way for someone to understand Krynn, I would interject that it may be easier to get someone to sit down with the new Legend of Huma comics. I mean sure they're only up to issue 3 right now, but its beautiful I tell you.