Pathfinder 1E Paizo improved? probably a myth

[lior_shapira]

Warning: Kind of a rant

Back in December Erik Mona started a thread here about dragon and dungeon magazines, and why people don't subscribe to them... it was an interesting read and in the end I was convinced. I've bought several issues while abroad and really enjoyed the new format of Dragon, and decided the prices for international subscriptions were fair.

So I bought a 2 year subscription to Israel of Dragon magazine (that was on the 3rd of December 2004). On January 4th 2005 I've seen in the Paizo website that my first issue was shipped. Today is March 4th and guess what? I haven't yet gotten the January issue.

Let me point out that I buy rpg books all the time from the united states, mostly from Amazon, and I always use the slowest shipping method. And yet, I've received 3 packages from Amazon in the last 2 months while waiting for my flimsy Dragon magazine.

So I sent them an email today asking to cancel my subscription, it doesn't seem rational to me that in these modern days shipping a magazine takes over 2 months. Its not like they're sending it by steamboat (or are they?). Israel is far away from the united states, but even if I strapped a letter to the back of a sea turtle it would have gotten here faster.

So... that's it, I'm out of wind, sorry to have taken all this frustration out on you, forum readers

hoping for better lior

 

[DragonSword]

That's really bad, even for international shippiong. I'm not surprised that you've cancelled your subscription. International shipping is a nightmare for most companies, though, and Paizo's main customer base is definitely in the US, so they're probably not that committed to international subscribers. I'm not saying that's a good thing, but that's probably how it is.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

As a slight derailment from your original point, is Dragon/Dungeon and other RPG material difficult to get in stores in Israel?

 

[diaglo]

since november of 2003 i have received 2 copies of Dungeon Magazine on time.

and i live in the US.

in a major city.

and have the entire Dungeon collection.

i was hoping their shipping would improve also. as last month was 1 of the 2 times they delivered on time. i was hoping for 2 in a row.

didn't happen.

 

[DragonSword]

Ouch. There goes my idea. I live in the UK, and have never subscribed to either Dragon or Dungeon. I thought about subscribing to Dragon after 3E came out, but other people's criticisms put me off that idea. I've grabbed about ten-odd copies of both Dungeon and Dragon that I've seen in gaming stores around me, but can't find a store that gets them in regularly. The issues I've bought have always been about a month late.

 

[Ambrus]

I had a subscription to Dragon a few years ago but I gladly let it lapse after a year of late or non-existant deliveries of the magazine to my Canadian address. I simply got tired of seeing the magazine on store shelves for the one to three weeks it usually took for the magazine to arrive. Once I even received an issue AFTER I received the following issue. One issue simply never arrived at all(still waiting on that one)

I liked Dragon but the money I saved off of the cover price simply wasn't worth the delays, the uncertainty and the cost of the two issues I ended up buying from the FLGS.

 

[diaglo]

prior to Nov 2003. the only other time i had a problem with delivery was when they had a halt on production.

but that was back when T$R almost went bellyup.

 

[Echohawk]

So I bought a 2 year subscription to Israel of Dragon magazine (that was on the 3rd of December 2004). On January 4th 2005 I've seen in the Paizo website that my first issue was shipped. Today is March 4th and guess what? I haven't yet gotten the January issue.

I bought international subscriptions to both Dragon and Dungeon on October 24th 2004. I received my first magazine (Dungeon #118) on January 5th. Dragon #327 arrived on January 15th, and Dungeon #119 on February 2nd. And that's it so far. Just three magazines in more than four months.

This doesn't bother me enough to want to cancel my subscriptions. I'm sure I'll eventually get the magazines I've paid for. But if my experience is anything to go buy, anyone wanting to get Dragon or Dungeon in a hurry should stay well clear of an international subscription.

 

[schporto]

I have to chime in on the opposite side. Until a few months ago I'd see someone (I think it was Henry?) post the contents here. Then in 3 days I'd have my issue. Now I get it before that post goes up or on the same day. I have been very happy with my subscription and the delivery. And with the magazine content too. I think Erik (or whoever is responsible for delivery) has taken some of the heat and has done something about it.
As for location, I live in Newark, Delaware, USA, and admitedly I get my mail pretty darn fast here (like 2 days from Boston, MA to my mailbox). Maybe part of the problems are with local mail services? A part, not all.
-cpd

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I can't tell you about shipping, but I peeked in a Dragon Magazine recently (I think it was the February edition) and saw four prestige classes.

From my PoV this is strike one.

They were designed for dwarves and other earthbound races, and all were cleric/rogue PrCs. Nice to see a suboptimal combo get help. Unfortunately, only one was worth taking. One had all ten caster levels, which, if it requires actual rogue levels, is probably balanced. The other three gave up five caster levels! Sheesh.

From my PoV this is strike two.

Strangely enough, the January magazine looked a hell of a lot better. I didn't buy any of them, however, so I can't really review the changes.