I love to read Dragon, but I don't use it.

[Quasqueton]

I love to read Dragon magazine. I love reading all the editorials, letters, comics, articles, and new rules. But I haven't used anything from any issue.

I love to read Dungeon magazine. I love reading all the editorials, letters, comics, articles, and adventures. But I have never used a single adventure out of any issue.

This is not to say that Dragon and/or Dungeon are useless. I just haven't read anything in them that I just really wanted to incorporate into my game. Even the advice articles haven't been needed by me. I've been DMing for over 20 years, and though I'm not perfect, I don't have most of the problems covered by the various articles. And any problems I do have, I can get addressed here, immediately and thoroughly.

How is it I can enjoy reading these books so much, but just can't get any game use out of them? Am I the only one? What do I want from these magazines? I just don't know.

Quasqueton

 

[the Jester]

How is it I can enjoy reading these books so much, but just can't get any game use out of them? Am I the only one?

Nope.

What do I want from these magazines? I just don't know.

Quasqueton

A good read? That's the major reason I pick them up- once in a great while I use something, but not often, no sir. A good year ago we used a prestige class from Dragon for a brief cohort, but that's about it.

 

[Crothian]

Ya, I was like that too until I just stopped getting it. I think it made a good read but I perfer to buy game books I don't read over magazines I don't read.

 

[Wombat]

I sort of enjoyed Dragon (never seriously got into Dungeon, since I don't tend to use pre-made adventures for a variety of reasons). I, too, found that I was reading Dragon and not using it; moreover, I found I was enjoying it less and less.

Then came the money crunch -- Dragon or National Geographic had to go.

I kept National Geographic, which has inspired more game sessions for me than any official game magazine of any sort!

 

[Ranger REG]

How is it I can enjoy reading these books so much, but just can't get any game use out of them? Am I the only one? What do I want from these magazines? I just don't know.

Sometimes, an article provide me with template or inspiration. I once did a Samurai class as a fighter variant inspired by a magazine article.

 

[Cymex666]

Come to think of it, I don't believe that I've used much material out of Dragon Magazine either. I love the magazine and have purchased it for quite some time, but I actually get more use out of Dungeon Magazine.

 

[Jupp]

I think even if you dont think you will ever use something that you did read in Dungeon or Dragon...you will use some of this stuff later on even if you dont think about the fact that you read it back then. I think if you especially like an article or a certain adventure it will stick in yer brain and just wait for the moment to come forth when you need an idea for something in your game session. If you remember that this idea originally stems from Dungeon or Dragon is another question

 

[Fester]

Yep, I used to pick them up quite regularly, but found that I didn't really use them very much and I began to wonder if I couldn't better spend my money elsewhere. I haven't bought one now in 6 months plus, maybe even a year. And my money gets spent of other products I actually use

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

I like Dungeon better. Dragon is certainly good but the various ecologies, new feats and all that really boggs down what I try to do in D&D. I think in the past few years I have only used one adventure from Dungeon but have gathered lots of inspiration - which makes it worth it.

I would love to use the Caldron stuff. I am considering just stealing the idea of a city made around a long dormant volcano.

 

[Meadred]

Well, this far (I've been reading The Dragon on-and-off since about issue # 95 or so) I've used one (1) idea I got from Dragon Magazine, and that didn't work out as well as I thought it would. Dragon Magazine is generally a good read, but as have been said before in this thread, my money can be used in a far more effective way, i.e. by paying for RPG books. Dungeon can be rather good also, but I would never subscribe - I don't need that many adventures! If they had stayed with the d20 mini-games of Polyhedron, it would have had more appeal, but not anymore.

Interestingly enough, these days the articles that I really enjoy and that'll get me to purchase an issue of either Dragon Magazine or Dungeon are the ones that have content that stir some nostalgic strings. I loved the return to Isle of Dread in Dungeon # 114, and I bought an issue of Dragon Magazine recently solely because it had an article on Dark Sun. Is this a sign that I'm getting too old?

Cheers,
Meadred