Recent content by Starmaster

For simplicity, brevity, and clarity, I would have preferred if the following terminology had been adopted. I guess it's just the engineer in me speaking: 5.0e --- 2014 rules 5.5e --- 2024 rules 5e --- Any and all of 5th Edition, including 5.0e and 5.5e

It wasn't until internet forums became widespread many years later that I heard about #114's cover supposedly stirring up some folks with it's revealing artwork. I bought the issue when it came out and, at the time, it just seemed like another typical Dragon cover to me. Even now, I don't see...

As the old adage says, people often fear what they don't understand. And one certainly had to dedicate a bit of time to be able to understand D&D.

I gamed through this period. It seems a lot of people either weren't interested in listening to reason or just didn't want to take the time to understand such a complex and revolutionary game. A simple, negative emotional response to an obscure hobby was easier for them.

I don't think that's a patch of red jewels. I've always thought it was supposed to be drops of blood. The faerie is armed and I figure he's tracking a person or animal that he has wounded.

Doesn't look at all like Mordenkainen. My first guess was either the 1e/2e version of Elminster or, more likely, just a stereotypical wizard. But, upon closer inspection, it looks like he's carrying a crystal ball (Palantir), so maybe it is indeed supposed to be Gandalf?

Same here! But the stores I frequented would only get one or two copies and they used them to plan out their orders, so I'd my photocopy copy would have to do until the end of the year. Then, at year's end, when they didn't need the catalog any more, they would give me one of their copies.

TSR used to produce what were called "Master Catalogs" that were only available to shop owners (although they published a hardcover edition that consumers could buy for the 1993 year). These would contain all products for the entire year with descriptions, order numbers, prices, pre-production...

I guess I'm a little spoiled in that I look forward to having the full D&D release schedule by the start of the year. On the plus side, we do know about the four Greenwood-authored Forgotten Realms books coming out, for those who are interested in that sort of thing. Although they aren't...

As much as I like seeing completely new adventures, I also like it when they revise the best classic adventure modules for 5e, as was done with "Quests from the Infinite Staircase", "Tales from the Yawning Portal", and "Ghosts of Saltmarsh" (which also included some nice modules from "Dungeon"...

I ran my players through both Assassin's Knot and Saltmarsh and consider them two of the best modules ever. Because the player's choice of actions is so open (especially in Assassin's Knot), I can see how the adventures could fail to be much fun for some groups, however. Spoilers for L2, U1...

Yeah, I know what you mean about the "Trouble at Embertrees" teeny tiny print. It was that way with some of the modules in other issues of White Dwarf as well. Even back when the magazines came out, I found some of those modules a bit challenging to read, but it was worth the effort since they...

Nothing related to the contents. It's just a fancy dragon to celebrate the 100th issue of "Dragon". A faerie dragon was chosen because the faerie dragon first appeared in the magazine (issue 62) before becoming part of the official AD&D rules in MMII and purple because it's the oldest, most...

One interesting note about the cover that doesn't show up in the photo is that the purple areas (the faerie dragon and the word "Dragon") were embossed. I remember how pretty this cover was when I picked up the issue at my local game store back in '85. TSR also used to occasionally emboss some...

Great! I'm glad to see the new print run came out okay and it's on schedule this time. The new D&D books generally aren't delivered to any of the FLGSs in my area until right on the day of early release or a couple of days after. I always figured the very close timing is to try to keep them...