As part of their very first DnD Direct, Wizards of the Coast announced a new adventure in the setting of Dragonlance. The world was created by fantasy authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman with officially published adventure modules as well as a series of novels. For a certain generation of Dungeons and Dragons players, the setting is beloved, held in high esteem alongside Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms. Before this announcement, however, Wizards of the Coast released Heroes of Krynn, a set of playtest materials to give players a sneak peek at what was in the works. Now, after some considerable feedback, they have released an updated version of this material: Heroes of Krynn Revisited.
Wizards of the Coast released Heroes of Krynn Revisited on their official website as part of Dungeons and Dragons Unearthed Arcana. For those unaware, Unearthed Arcana is the official term for playtest material for Dungeons and Dragons, and mostly includes new player options like backgrounds, subclasses, or unique feats. The material released as Unearthed Arcana is often either heavily revised and released in official material down the line or isn't seen again. It is why when the original Heroes of Krynn was released back in March that players were anticipating the announcement of something about Dragonlance returning to the game.
As for what exactly has changed in Heroes of Krynn Revisited, Dungeons and Dragons' Game Design Architect, Jeremy Crawford was happy to explain. In a video interview with Todd Kenreck on the Dungeons and Dragons YouTube channel, Crawford went into detail about the revisions. First and foremost, the Lunar Magic Sorceror which appeared in the original Heroes of Krynn is not in the revised material. This is because it was received so positively that it is now in development for an official publication down the line.
The second major change in Heroes of Krynn Revisited is the revised Kender race. In the original Dragonlance lore, Kender were a type of halfling characterized by childlike curiosity, their ability to taunt foes with cutting words, and a sense of wanderlust. While there are notable Kender heroes such as Hero of the Lance Tasselhoff Burrfoot, the race also has a negative association at gaming tables as cheery, reckless thieves, and kleptomaniacs. The original playtest material attempted to revise this race as being more magical in nature with the ability to tap into dimensional pockets while exploring new areas. Now, in this revised playtest material, they are closer to their original depiction, although none of the rules strictly encourage thievery. Given how Kender have changed in the story over time (many were mentally scarred by the burning of their homeland), and the less focus on them as just randomly stealing things, it is to be hoped that the return of Kender doesn't create as much friction in gameplay.
Are Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman Involved in Heroes of Krynn Revisited or the new Dragonlance Dungeons and Dragons material?
In light of these announcements, the original authors of Dragonlance had some thoughts on Heroes of Krynn Revisited. While both Weis and Hickman are working on a new trilogy of novels after an extended legal battle with Wizards of the Coast, they have mentioned that they were not invited at all to any meetings or consultation regarding the new Dragonlance material being made for Dungeons and Dragons. Weis has mentioned multiple times on her Twitter account that the new novel trilogy will be "Classic Dragonlance" and not connected to the new adventure in any way.
When asked about the creative split, Weis speculated that Wizards of the Coast wanted to go in a different creative direction. However, upon hearing the news about the revised Kender, that they were no longer magical, Weis' reply was a succinct "I saw that! Yay!!!".
