Close
Close
Advanced Search

The Test of High SorceryClick to magnify
Quick Preview
/gs_flipbook/flip.php?xml=/demo_xml/418263.xml&w=500&h=324
Full‑size Preview
https://watermark.dmsguild.com/pdf_previews/418263-sample.pdf

The Test of High Sorcery

ADD TO WISHLIST >

As part of our Black Friday sale this digital title has been marked down by 30%. For more values visit the Black Friday sale page.

The Test of High Sorcery

A 4th level adventure to play alone or with friends!


So you want to be a Mage of High Sorcery? To join the esteemed organization, you must travel to the Tower of Wayreth and undertake the most important event in your life—the harrowing Test of High Sorcery! If you can survive where so many aspiring mages have failed, you will forever bind your soul to the Gods of Magic and gain access to untold arcane secrets.

 

The Test of High Sorcery is the perfect adventure for new and veteran players looking to experience Dungeons & Dragons in a new way! It is a solo adventure, where your choices have meaningful consequences, but it also provides balanced rules to play with a group or a Dungeon Master. This 154-page tome features:

  • A sprawling adventure that fits perfectly as an expansion to any Dragonlance campaign, Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, or as a stand-alone replayable experience

  • A tale full of sorcerous intrigue, featuring many new characters alongside iconic favorites like Fistandantilus, Takhisis, Fizban the Fabulous, and the Gods of Magic

  • Innovative Destiny and Trait mechanics make your choices really matter—and ensure every mage’s Test of High Sorcery is a unique experience

  • Over 60 possible outcomes to determine which Order of High Sorcery you join and provide compelling new plot hooks for your character during future adventures

  • Dozens of unique locations with rich stories and sorcerous challenges that Dungeon Masters can use to create their own version of the Test of High Sorcery

  • New magic items and stat blocks, with mechanics that support clever use of enemies’ weaknesses and the environment against them

  • Four gorgeous sample characters, with interactive character sheets designed to be new-player friendly so that you can jump right into the story

  • A detailed primer on the history of Krynn and how it relates to the Mages of High Sorcery

  • A community survey when you finish to let you see how you compare to other mages taking their Tests of High Sorcery

This adventure is a huge project of the heart by veteran D&D writers and longtime Dragonlance fans Donathin Frye and Kienna Shaw! You can check out their previous solo adventure To Hell & Back Again—the Platinum best-selling and best-reviewed adventure in the Descent Into Avernus storyline!
 
 
book sample
 The Test of High Sorcery provides a comprehensive introduction on how to play this unique adventure,
including the unique Destiny and Trait mechanics, a brief history of Krynn,
and balanced rules for inviting others to play along with you.
 
 
 
book sample 2
 Meet dangerous and intriguing NPCs who will present trials that require you to
find clever solutions and make high-risk decisions to determine your fate!
 
 
 
book sample 3
 Thrilling and streamlined combat rules allow you to encounter new takes on classic creatures and monsters,
where each battle is a test of your problem-solving, magical prowess, and resilience!
 
 
 
book sample 4
Replay over and over again with more than 60 unique outcomes and hooks for future stories!
 
 
Thanks to Adam from Dragonlance Saga for having Donathin and Kienna on his show to talk about The Test of High Sorcery! Check out Dragonlance Saga on YouTube for an amazing resource celebrating the wonderful world of Dragonlance.

pixel_trans.gif
 
 More from this Title's Contributors
pixel_trans.gif
 
 Customers Who Bought this Title also Purchased
pixel_trans.gif
pixel_trans.gif
Reviews (15)
Discussions (30)
Customer avatar
Lawrence J C November 05, 2024 12:53 am UTC
PURCHASER
Thank you, Donathan! I finally was able to get a copy of one of the forms, by capturing the screenshot. From there, it was easy to edit using the old Paint program that comes with Windows. I very much want to send you Alurian as another sample character, but I don't have your email address. (You never gave the standard robed wizard as a sample character to run--and a 4th Level Wizard, built from a human variant, would have two Feats that really help: Spellsniper and Initiate of High Sorcery. The first is from the Player's Handbook, while the second is from Shadow of the Dragon Queen.) I also count the Staff as a +1 melee weapon, because to be used as an arcane focus, it must of necessity be highly enchanted. With the PC wizard being physically weak, small and skinny ( 9 Strength) the +1 on the staff helps! ( Str 9, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 10.) With those ability scores, some of the numbers were off (and I only know this for certain because I use More Purple More Better's Character Sheet, which...See more
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F November 13, 2024 12:29 am UTC
CREATOR
I appreciate your offer and enthusiasm, but we don't intend to update the book with new material, items, art, or character sheets (except for releasing a Print-on-Demand version one day with minor typo fixes.) Some communities on Discord or Reddit might enjoy seeing your creation, though! Other answers:

Legally, as third-party creators, we can only include limited Feats in our book. But you're free to do whatever you'd like to with your characters! The sample characters aren't wearing the classic robes yet because they get them at the adventure's conclusion when they pass the test. Finally, regarding stats, I'm unsure how the character sheet you used did its math, but the proficiency bonus for 4th-level characters is +2 (not +3.) That might be throwing the numbers you're getting off.

Anyhow, have fun, and best of luck in the adventure!
Customer avatar
Daniel S November 03, 2024 12:28 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Is it possible to run the test with two mages at once?
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F November 03, 2024 6:16 pm UTC
CREATOR
The first chapter has rules to balance and support running the adventure for groups! However, the rules suggest that the test-taking character makes the choices, and the other characters are simply there to help them. Canonically, each mage is meant to pass a test that is unique to them. So, this adventure adjusts its trials and scenarios based on the choices of the test-taker. In the end, it evaluates those choices and overall performance to determine the mage's standing in the Conclave of High Sorcery and which Order they join.

If you run this for two mages at once, they'd need to agree on certain choices to proceed, and you might have to make some judgment calls on how to proceed at times. I'd recommend splitting up the mages once they reach the Tower and going through the adventure individually with each of them! It'll make the test more memorable for each of them when they come back together afterward—and the adventure will also feel more dangerous.
Customer avatar
Lawrence J C November 03, 2024 12:23 am UTC
PURCHASER
Don, every single time I try to copy and paste the completed form you have for the sample character, so I can edit it for my character, it comes out as BLACK! Can you please provide a BLANK FORM that I can fill in?
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F November 03, 2024 12:46 am UTC
CREATOR
I totally recommend the free downloadable sheet from Wizards of the Coast: https://media.wizards.com/2022/dnd/downloads/DnD_5E_CharacterSheet_FormFillable.pdf
Customer avatar
Lawrence J C November 02, 2024 11:58 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Can you PLEASE include this with the next version of the Dragonlance Companion book??? I ordered one and got it hardcover! Everything I was looking for is in THIS PDF! Oh, and the Test of High Sorcery is supposed to grant a Item of Power when--if--the PC wizard actually passes the Test! Could you please include a table for randomly granting an Item of Power, with columns for the Risk taken? Thanks!
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F November 03, 2024 12:45 am UTC
CREATOR
Kienna and I aren't the authors of the Dragonlance Companion book! That would be the good folks at Splinterverse Media, I believe :)

In the final chapter, we include recommendations for appropriate item rarity depending on the test result. We didn't include a list of Items of Power because we recommend a conversation between GMs and players before deciding whether or not a character brings magic items gained from a solo adventure into an ongoing campaign. I recommend choosing an item that has personal meaning and best fits the character rather than making a random selection!
Reply
Customer avatar
Lawrence J C November 12, 2024 10:18 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Sorry, I thought you worked closely with them! At any rate, please include my PC robed Wizard character with your next edition. I noticed you had published unique sample characters, but not a sample traditional robed wizard. My PC is from Kalaman, son of a Solamnic Knight, and grandson on his mother's side of the famous Red Robe Cilvar Silverwand, who owns Cilvar's Mageware Shop. The boy is only 16 when he casts the spell Fly, and soars over the city's marketplace. Wyhan snitches on him, and Cilvar is forced to bring his rash and spoiled rotten grandson to Wayreth for his Test of High Sorcery, years before he should be taking it! Alurian is 4th level, with a Scroll of Fly, as well as the Feats Spell Sniper and Initiate of High Sorcery (Human Variant gives him 2 Feats.) Str 9, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 12, Chr 10, 32 HP, Chaotic Good. The poor kid is small for his age, a weakling, and grew up constantly bullied by his elder brother and the rest of his noble father's squires. During his Test, his brother...See more
Customer avatar
Lawrence J C November 02, 2024 11:53 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hi! Where's the BLANK FORM for the new character?! There's supposed to be a blank form at the appendix, but there's nothing but filled-out forms for the sample characters!
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F November 03, 2024 12:36 am UTC
CREATOR
Our book only provides sample characters for folks who want to play one of them instead of rolling up a unique character :) If you need a fillable blank sheet in PDF form, I recommend downloading Wizard of the Coast's free sheet: https://media.wizards.com/2022/dnd/downloads/DnD_5E_CharacterSheet_FormFillable.pdf

I hope that helps!
Customer avatar
Jos V October 19, 2024 9:06 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Is there any news concerning the POD version?
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F October 22, 2024 2:32 am UTC
CREATOR
None yet, but we've got our fingers crossed. We'd love to see our book in print, too :)
Customer avatar
Daniel L August 17, 2024 4:13 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hi Don,
I've found a very small errata: under the swimming eyes statblock they have STR 6(-1). It should be STR 8(-1) o STR 6(-2). I see their attacks are calculated with the -1, so I assume that the correct one is STR 8(-1). It's that assumption right?
Reply
Customer avatar
Daniel L August 17, 2024 4:54 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Spotted another errata on the same statblock. The eyebite damage is wrong, it says:
Hit: 14 (2d6) necrotic damage, or 7 (2d6) necrotic damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

When at full hp it should be 14 (4d6), could it be?

Sorry if I'm being fussy, I'm translating the adventure to spanish so I can have my wife play through it, and I'm trying to be the most accurate.
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F August 17, 2024 6:14 pm UTC
CREATOR
Hi Daniel! You're right on! I'm surprised we haven't caught those typos previously.

1. The Swarm of Swimming Eyes should have 8(-1) STR.
2. Its Eyebites should deal 14 (4d6) necrotic damage, or 7 (2d6) necrotic damage if the swarm has half its hit points or fewer.

I hope that clarifies—and that you and your wife have a great time playing :)
Customer avatar
Roland S July 04, 2024 4:46 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Is there any chance for Fantasy Grounds Unity conversion to be made for this module? It looks wonderful!
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F July 11, 2024 8:22 pm UTC
CREATOR
We hope to expand the book's platform offerings in the future if we are able! Right now, there are no definitive plans or release dates. The hyperlinked PDF should still be easy to run alongside a VTT, even without a conversion.
Reply
Customer avatar
Roland S July 11, 2024 11:41 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I was hoping to play it in FGU but it looks so exciting that I'll buy it in a month or two. Thanks for the reply and good luck on keeping up the good work :)
Customer avatar
Lewis C February 14, 2024 4:05 pm UTC
Any chance you will be doing a POD version of this?
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F February 18, 2024 5:46 pm UTC
CREATOR
I'd love to bring the book to POD! I hope we're able to—but that decision will be up to the team at DM's Guild. If given the opportunity, I think the book would be awesome in print!
Reply
Customer avatar
Lewis C February 19, 2024 10:28 am UTC
I forgot that you need their permission to get a POD. Have you submitted to them for it?
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F February 19, 2024 7:03 pm UTC
CREATOR
We have! We will do it again when the book reaches the Platinum bestseller level. I'm hoping that's when we'll see it in print.
Reply
Customer avatar
Chris J October 21, 2024 7:56 pm UTC
You're at Platinum bestseller level on this one now! Hopefully there's a POD option soon. I really want this in print!
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F October 22, 2024 2:13 am UTC
CREATOR
We're hoping so! We'll post an update as soon as we have news regarding POD. We really want it in print too :)
Reply
Customer avatar
Lawrence J C November 02, 2024 11:54 pm UTC
PURCHASER
What's a "pod"?
Reply
Customer avatar
Lewis C November 02, 2024 11:57 pm UTC
Print On Demand. A way to get the book in physical form.
Customer avatar
Tarik Z February 10, 2024 1:09 am UTC
Hi, can this be played by a 3rd level character? what should be changed?
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F February 10, 2024 10:08 pm UTC
CREATOR
A third-level character should be able to take the Test of High Sorcery with little adjustment! For balance, I'd recommend:

- Reduce the DC of ability checks by 1
- Reduce enemy Armor Class and saving throws by 1
- Increase your number of Destiny Points by 1

Good luck!
Customer avatar
Foo F February 03, 2024 9:40 pm UTC
PURCHASER
This is an impressive effort. Thank you for making multiple decision trees and filling in all the details, making it easy to run an adventure with zero prep time.
This is a rarity. It reminded me of the original AD&D modules with all the blocks that were to be read out to the adventuring players. I hope you can make more content like this!
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F February 05, 2024 7:22 pm UTC
CREATOR
I'm so glad that you enjoyed the adventure so much! Thank you for sharing. And for the kind words :)
Customer avatar
Christopher J January 24, 2024 6:38 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Does anyone have a flowchart for the traits and storylines? It would be a really helpful guide to work through the story and not have to be flipping around so much - some of the traits have direct impact to the order, some are just focused on helping you through the storyline. I love it, but a flowchart would be really helpful...and before I create one, I thought I'd ask if someone else had one!
Reply
Customer avatar
Matthew H January 24, 2024 6:47 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I don't, but please make a new discussion comment here if you create one!
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F February 05, 2024 7:23 pm UTC
CREATOR
This is a very cool idea! If you put one together, I'd love to see it.
Customer avatar
Matt J November 04, 2023 8:15 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hi Don and Kienna, you did a great job with this! I had a blast running one of my player's kender bard, lol, through the test. Another one of my players (wizard) is up next to take the test. I love defined traits at most decision points are noted and used throughout. Really fun design! In the event you are not aware, I think under A47 there is reference to Nuitari as the red moon, when I assume you meant to say Lunitari? In any case, nice work!!!
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F November 16, 2023 6:06 pm UTC
CREATOR
Thank you for catching that, Matt! I'll add that to our list of updates for a future version. I'm very happy to hear you and your player enjoyed the adventure, and hope the next test goes just as well. You can't keep a good(?) kender down :)
Customer avatar
Burt A September 06, 2023 1:21 am UTC
PURCHASER
On page 17, please fix the story of Silvanoshei. He was not an elvish queen. Also, he didn’t sacrifice his life. He didn’t want Mina to be killed by Takhisis.
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F September 06, 2023 4:28 pm UTC
CREATOR
Thank you for reaching out about this. It's on our short list of things to edit when we release an update for the book!
Customer avatar
Jeanette B July 30, 2023 3:48 am UTC
PURCHASER
My friend who plays our group's mage is a long time Dragonlance fan. He was so excited to play in the Dragonlance setting and we ran his test this past week. He had so much fun and couldn't wait to tell the rest of the party about it during our regular session.
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F July 30, 2023 7:24 pm UTC
CREATOR
That's awesome! I'm really glad he had a great time and hope the others enjoyed his wild story of the Test :)
Customer avatar
Richard B July 18, 2023 3:02 am UTC
PURCHASER
I really enjoyed this adventure. I, in fact, ran through it twice with two different characters and found the story different in many ways both times.

I would love to see solo's from the same authors in Dragonlance for characters from level 1 to 20. Two story streams especially: one for Knights of Solamnia and the other for a Wizard of High Sorcery.
Reply
Customer avatar
Don F July 22, 2023 11:00 pm UTC
CREATOR
I love hearing you've played through it multiple times and had varied and great experiences! Thank you for sharing that. Kienna and I always look for the right time and project to work together again. A level 1 to 20 solo campaign would be a massive undertaking, and we both keep busy with other projects. But, personally, I'd totally play a great solo adventure following a Knight of Solamnia if someone released one!
See 16 more
Narrow Results
$ to $
 Follow Your Favorites!
NotificationsSign in to get custom notifications of new products!
 Recent History















Product Information
Platinum seller
Community Content
Rules Edition(s)
Pages
154
Format
Original electronic Click for more information
Scanned image
These products were created by scanning an original printed edition. Most older books are in scanned image format because original digital layout files never existed or were no longer available from the publisher.

For PDF download editions, each page has been run through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software to attempt to decipher the printed text. The result of this OCR process is placed invisibly behind the picture of each scanned page, to allow for text searching. However, any text in a given book set on a graphical background or in handwritten fonts would most likely not be picked up by the OCR software, and is therefore not searchable. Also, a few larger books may be resampled to fit into the system, and may not have this searchable text background.

For printed books, we have performed high-resolution scans of an original hardcopy of the book. We essentially digitally re-master the book. Unfortunately, the resulting quality of these books is not as high. It's the problem of making a copy of a copy. The text is fine for reading, but illustration work starts to run dark, pixellating and/or losing shades of grey. Moiré patterns may develop in photos. We mark clearly which print titles come from scanned image books so that you can make an informed purchase decision about the quality of what you will receive.
pixel_trans.gif
Original electronic format
These ebooks were created from the original electronic layout files, and therefore are fully text searchable. Also, their file size tends to be smaller than scanned image books. Most newer books are in the original electronic format. Both download and print editions of such books should be high quality.
File Last Updated:
December 15, 2022
This title was added to our catalog on December 06, 2022.