The big news is that for this issue White Dwarf expands to add an extra four pages, although there is a price increase to a whopping 75p per issue. Fingers crossed the market can stand it. It also appears back issues of White Dwarf are already becoming collector’s editions. This is no surprise given the shoestring budget I imagine there was for a print run for the early issues. So Ian Livingstone has also announced there will be a ‘Best of White Dwarf’ articles and scenarios in the future so people can get hold of those old articles and adventures. Although I remember getting those myself several years later, so it’ll be a wait.
On the Cover
A demonic ghoul creature climbs up menacingly from a shaft in an Egyptian vault, possibly as the protector of an ancient sarcophagus in the colonnade behind it. The art (titled “The Ghoul”) is by Les Edwards who I believe we will see more of, on and off the covers of White Dwarf. He remains a visual artist today and has created posters for horror films such as John Carpenter’s The Thing and Clive Barker’s Nightbreed.Features
- Criminals (Trevor Graver): If you need more careers for Traveller that don’t involve the armed forces this is a great new career expansion, covering five unpleasant low life options for player characters. While it might be covered in later supplements, this would be an essential addition to any early Traveller games I might have run.
- Jorthan’s Rescue (Steve Marsh & John Sapienza Jr): This one is pitched as a mini adventure, and it very much is, being basically nine rooms and a few stats. But nice to see Runequest getting some love again.
- Ogre Hunt (Tom Keenes): This Chivalry and Sorcery adventure is also quite small but well worth converting to other systems. It’s a simple plot (the clue is in the title) but it isn’t the usual ‘fight through this many encounters to find treasure’ that many adventures seems to be at this time. It is full of mainly role play encounters to gain clues to the whereabouts of the ogre in question, making it much more interesting.
- Starweb… The Final Frontier (Chris Harvey): This is more of a review for a PBM game (that’s ‘play by mail’ for anyone under thirty). It is interesting that Star Web and Pellic Quest were very popular but sadly did not seem to cope with the internet rather pulling the rug out from under them. It does make me wonder if turn based games like this might work well using email etc. Perhaps they still are, share them in the comments if you know!
- Wards (Lew Pulsipher): This article is a long detail on some special magic items that can be used to create wards of different shapes and sizes. I’m not too sure of its utility but it does make the subject more interesting and detailed if warding is a feature in your game.
Regulars
- Character Conjuring: This new regular column sets off with an old favourite in the form of a Barbarian variant called the Berzerker (by Roger E. Moore). It is easy to see why Barbarians will become a full class in 3rd edition as this is already the third version/adaptation we’ve seen in White Dwarf alone. It’s a pretty solid class but not really much more than an alternate Barbarian version.
- Letters: The letters are back and quite a mixed bag. There is praise for the excellent Magic Brush articles, and the Chronicle Monsters from Lew Pulsipher. Marc Gascoigne adds to the mystery of the changing Monster Manuals (and wonders about the new DM’s Guide) by talking about two additional appendices in later editions. I’d be very interested to know if anyone has any more detail about how many versions of the First Edition Monster Manual there are! Finally we have a letter refuting the criticism of Roger Musson’s hit point article. If nothing else, Roger’s articles seem to provoke comment, and then comment on that comment, and then comment to that comment etc.
- Molten Magic: Its back, with a quick half page featuring new figure releases from: Ral Partha, Asgard Miniatures, Superior Models and Citadel Miniatures. I also have to note that the Superior models spacecraft figure called simple ‘The Invincible’ is rather a dead ringer for a Star Destroyer. Let’s hope George Lucas doesn’t read White Dwarf, although I suspect you can’t copyright a triangle!
- News: A lot of things on the way from the usual suspects: TSR, Judges Guild and The Chaosium. One is notably the ‘blank D&D character sheet pack’ for the days where we didn’t have home printers or always ready use of a photocopier. Of interest to me is that Doctor Who has been licenced for a new board game (which will be around for a while). They also make mention of the release of The Empire Strikes Back and that Lucas is planning to make the series into a triple trilogy. I don’t need to explain to any of you how that all worked out…
- Treasure Chest: This issue is a collection of NPCs for your game. Some are more interesting than others, which is to be expected. Many will make entertaining hirelings, especially the good swordsman who is a secret pyromaniac! Sad to note that all of them are male, but it is still 1980 I suppose.
Fiend Factory
A collection of new monsters created by readers, and now edited by Albie Fiore who takes over from Don Turnbull:- Darkhawk (James Meek): A rather tattered undead falcon that is a lot more dangerous than it looks.
- Empath (Andy Wouldham): A small froglike creature who makes you feel more of what you are feeling to feed on the energy. Luckily all player characters are such calm and measured people they shouldn’t have a problem here…
- Storm Biter (Simon Eaton): A pretty dangerous desert storm elemental, sort of a thinking tornado.
- Undead Horses (John Webster): A nice idea to put some stats to these creatures as they are a standard creature in many fantasy novels.
- Werefox (John R White & Robert Watson): A low level lycanthrope based on the legendary Japanese folk creatures.
Open Box
This month’s reviews are:- High Fantasy & Fortress Elledar, RPG corebook and Adventure Module (Fantasy Productions): The Judges Guild move into a game of their own, although it seems to be received as one of the first fantasy heartbreakers to be produced. However, the module is considered one of the better Judges Guild offerings.
- Magic Realm, Adventure Board Game (Avalon Hill): This is one of the granddaddies of gaming that I never got to play. A precursor to Talisman, or perhaps more similar to Descent.
- Starfire, Board/War Game (Task Force Games): This is another space combat game, and there seem to be a lot of these, especially two player ones.
- The Kinunir, Adventure 1 for Traveller (GDW): The first adventure book for Traveller which is maintaining a great release schedule of small books in a good order of adventures, supplements and new rules.
