Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen Review
Table of Contents
- Overview
- Who is this book for?
- What are the different versions?
- Where does the book fit into Dragonlance lore?
- What new races & classes are included?
- What new character features are included?
- What’s in the adventure? (Contains Spoilers!)
- What new equipment and magic items are included?
- What new monsters are included?
- What new NPCs are included?
- Does the book include maps?
- What’s the design like?
- Should you buy this book?
Overview
When it comes to Dungeons & Dragons there are few campaign settings more beloved than the world of Krynn, spawning hundreds of Dragonlance books, game supplements, video games, comic books and board games. In fact, with perhaps the exception of R.A Salvatore’s Forgotten Realms novels featuring the legendary dark elf warrior Drizzt, there are few D&D works more iconic than Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman’s Dragonlance Chronicles.
After almost a decade in which Dragonlance has been largely absent (thanks to some real world legal battles between Wizards of the Coast and the estate of Weis and Hickman) the world of Krynn is back with a vengeance, with the launch of the new novel Dragons of Deceit as well as Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, a new D&D 5th game book that offers a complete campaign as well as plenty of new world building materials for DM’s who want to strike out on their own.
Who is this book for?
While there’s a ton of content that Dungeons & Dragons players will likely love, as with other D&D 5th Edition campaign books, Shadow of the Dragon Queen is designed exclusively for Dungeon Masters. That being said, there’s plenty of background that DM’s can share with their players, include world history and new character options. There’s also a timeline of events and tables for languages, calendars and gods – all of which players are likely to eat up.
One important thing to note, however, is that Shadow of the Dragon Queen is very much different than a lot of typical D&D adventurers in that it’s really more of a war story. Characters will find themselves in combat zones where huge armies clash and the tide of battle rages. So if you’re hoping for a more traditional D&D experience, you might want to look elsewhere.
That being said, there’s still plenty of familiar D&D elements to be had, with monsters to fight, new areas to explore and even a few dungeons to delve.
What are the different versions of the book?
As with past D&D 5th edition game books, Shadow of the Dragon Queen comes in a few different editions.
- Standard Edition: A standard hardcover print format.
- Deluxe Edition: Includes an alternate foil cover of the book, a DM screen, battlefield counters and the Warriors of Krynn board game (which can be integrated into the campaign).
- Alternate Cover: A standalone version of foil cover book (as featured in the Deluxe Edition).
Where does the book fit into existing Dragonlance lore?
While there’s a massive amount of existing materials that cover the history of Krynn, you really don’t need to know anything about Dragonlance to enjoy Shadow of the Dragon Queen. That being said, if you are already familiar with the setting you’ll find a ton of new information that does a great job of expanding the mythos.
The action takes place during the early days of the War of the Lance (as detailed in the Dragonlance Chronicles novels). This period occurs several centuries after the continent of Ansalon has been devastated by an event known as “the Cataclysm,” in which the Gods destroyed much of the world after a group of sorcerers from the nation of Istar raised their ire.
After the Cataclysm, the gods went away, essentially leaving the inhabitants of Krynn to their own devices. Unfortunately for the survivors, the banished dragon goddess Takhisis (also known as Tiamat) has secretly returned, unleashing an army of loyal human followers and Draconians (a kind of evil version of Dragonborn) onto the unsuspecting kingdoms of Krynn.
Much of the action takes place in Solamnia, the legendary kingdom in the northwestern corner of the continent which is renowned for its noble warrior knights. It’s a part of Dragonlance lore that’s been touched upon in a number of novels and game supplements, but has never really been explored until now.
What new races and classes are included?
The book features one new race and a new subclass. And while both are specific to the Dragonlance setting, if you’re a DM pretty much either of these could easily be tweaked to fit into an existing campaign world.
New Race: The Kender
One of the most iconic races in Dragonlance (thanks in part to the popular character Tasslehoff Burrfoot,) Kender are a somewhat taller version of halflings and are known for their cheeky demeanor and adventurous spirit. Within Shadow of the Dragon Queen they’ve been tweaked a bit and now have the following traits.
- Fearless: Receive an advantage on saving throws against the Frightened condition.
- Kender Aptitude: Allows them to choose from several additional skills.
- Taunt: Allows the player to fluster other creatures, causing a disadvantage on attacks to targets other than them.
New Subclass: Lunar Sorcerer
Lunar sorcerers allow PCs to tap into the power of the moon. Krynn actually has three moons, each of which is related to a specific god of magic, offering some additional unique options for the subclass. Lunar Sorcerer’s can also access a number of new spells lists and features. While exclusive to the Dragonlance setting, DMs could easily port this subclass over to just about any setting.
What new character features are included?
Within the book, players and DMs also get access to a number of number of new character backgrounds and feats.
New Backgrounds
The book includes some pretty cool options for users who want to enter the noble order of the Knights of Solamnia or attempt to gain a position within the Mages of High Sorcery. Both organizations also have a fair bit of detail on them which offers some additional campaign context, even if players forego either of these backgrounds.
New Feats
This book provides numerous Feats that are specific to the Dragonlance setting, each focused on supporting Knights of Solamnia, Mages of High Sorcery, or divinely favored PCs (despite the absence of gods). In addition, all PCs get bonus feats at 1st and 4th level, which are available from a specific list.
What’s in the adventure?
– SPOILERS BELOW –
The campaign adventures make up the vast majority of the content in Shadow of the Dragon Queen, starting off slowly in Solamnia and balancing both the personal objectives of the characters along with the larger military battles taking place throughout the world.
Prelude to War (Level 1)
This first adventure provides a number of playable “preludes,” which are essentially short encounters designed for a number of different classes, as well as bringing the party together as a whole. These three different encounters are:
- Broken Silence: The characters build a better understanding of their relationship with the Gods (designed for Clerics, Druids and Paladins).
- Eye in the Sky: The characters decide to seek membership in the Mages of High Sorcery (designed for Sorcerers, Warlocks and Wizards)
- Scales of War: The draconians reveal themselves to the characters (designed to bring the entire party together)
From there, the characters head to the Solamnic village of Vogler for a funeral.
When Home Burns (Levels 2-3)
The characters arrive in Vogler and can explore the town. After attending the funeral, they can then attend the Kingfisher festival, in which they quickly find themselves facing an invasion by the dreaded Dragon Army. The PCs are tasked with helping the people of Vogler escape from the approaching forces. Along the way they’re introduced to a number of important NPCs, all while keeping one step ahead of the draconian horde.
Shadow of War (Levels 4-5)
On the run from the Dragon Army, the PCs arrive in the walled city of Kalaman. The PCs must then ally with the local forces to defend the city and the refugees who escaped the invasion of Vogler. During this adventure they fend off an attack by the Dragon Army that is led by none other than the legendary death knight Lord Soth.
The Northern Wastes (Levels 6-7)
After the battle at Kalaman, the PCs head into the wasteland to locate a lost ruin that might be the key to defeating the Dragon Queen. Unfortunately, the Dragon Army is also looking for the ruins. This section offers a bit more open world exploration of the Northern Wastes themselves, with a number of creature encounters and pitched battles with the forces of the Dragon Army.
City of Lost Mines (Levels 8-9)
The PCs search through the Wastes eventually leads them to a vast ruin called the City of Lost Names. The PCs will then explore this unique area while battling a number of monsters and enemy forces. During this adventure, players also have the option to find and restore one of the legendary Dragonlances, which has been cursed due to the actions of its previous owner.
Siege of Kalaman (Levels 10+)
Now possessing a massive flying citadel, the Dragon Army once again lays siege to Kalaman. The PCs must protect the city and destroy the Dragon Army’s magical weapon, culminating in a brutal face-to-face encounter with both Lord Soth and the dreaded Dragon Army commander.
– END OF SPOILERS –
What new equipment and magic items are included?
There are a number of new items included in the book, again many of which could be repurposed for just about any 5th edition D&D setting.
New Equipment & Weapons
- Fargab: Two-way communication device using radio waves.
- Hoopak: The iconic kender martial weapon that has a sling on one end and a pointed tip on the other.
- Narycrash: A gnomish backpack device with parachute balloons.
- Boiler Drak: A gnomish invention that shoots a blast of deadly flames.
- Gnomeflinger: A catapult designed to transport creatures by flinging them into the air.
New Magic Items
Shadow of the Dragon Queen also introduces a number of powerful new magical items, including:
- Dragonlance
- Flying Citadel Helm
- Kagonesti Forest Shroud
- Mirror of Reflected Pasts
What new monsters are included?
The book also introduces a number of new creatures that haven’t previously appeared in D&D 5th edition materials. Including:
- Anhkolox
- Caradoc
- Greater Death Dragon
- Lesser Death Dragon
- Draconians: Aurak, Baaz, Bozak, Kapak, Sivak
- Dragon Army Warriors: Officer and Soldier
- Dragonnel
- Istarian Drone
- Kalaman Soldier
- Skeletal Knights
What new NPCs are included?
A ton of new NPCs are also featured in the book, including several characters using the “sidekick” rules we’ve seen in other D&D supplements. These sidekicks start out at level 1 and go up to level 11. They include:
- Andir Valmakos: A Chaotic Good Human Mage
- Ayik Ur: A Neutral Good Human Fighter
- Hrigg Roundrook: A Lawful Good Dwarven Wizard.
- Levna Drakehorn: A Lawful Good Human Fighter
- Tem Temble: A Chaotic Good Kender Sorcerer
Does the book include maps?
While some D&D supplements have been guilty of not including any separate poster maps (I’m looking at you Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide) Shadow of the Dragon Queen includes both a map of the Kalaman Region and Northern Wasters, as well as a single-sided pull out poster map of the Continent of Ansalon.
What’s the design like?
Like all D&D 5th edition books over the past few years, Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen is beautifully illustrated with a ton of original new art. It’s honestly almost worth having just for some of the paintings included on virtually every page. If you do manage to pick up the Deluxe Edition (which I did), the cover art featuring Lord Soth is absolutely stunning and worth having for any D&D collector.
It’s also worth noting that the book is incredibly well written and has a much more mature and dark overtone to it than a lot of other recent books (particularly Strixhaven and Spelljammer). In fact, the story is easily one of the best written 5e adventurers in recent years.
Should you buy this book?
There’s a lot to love with Shadow of the Dragon Queen, and it’s easily one of the best new adventure books to come out from Wizards of the Coast in recent years. Fans of the original Dragonlance books and D&D materials will find plenty of nostalgia to be had. While new players and DMs will likely enjoy the solid military-style adventures, game features and addition of a slew of new NPCs, monsters and magic items.
You’ll Like This Book If…
- You’re a DM new to Dragonlance and want to try out an adventure in this world.
- You’re looking to run a campaign that’s heavy on military action.
- You’re a Dragonlance fan looking for new rules for 5th edition.
You Won’t Like This Book If…
- You’re a player looking for an extensive collection of character options (ala supplements like Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything)
- You’re looking for a complete campaign setting about Krynn (while there are plenty of world building, this is really more of an adventure)
You can order Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen from your local game store, book store or directly from Amazon.
Final Rating
18 out of 20.
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Ollie Delano is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 10 years, first learning 4th edition in High School. He’s too terrible at voices to be a Dungeon Master but has been playing in a weekly game group where he rolls way too many natural 1s and chugs way too much Mountain Dew. His favorite D&D campaign setting is Eberron and his favorite character to play was a Tiefling rogue named Draxiss who enjoys both literal and figurative backstabbing.
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