Anyone have the April Dragon yet?

[Mad Mac]

So, being someone who only reads dragon occasionaly, it has come to my attention that the April (330) issue has an article on the Umbragen by Keith Baker. Anyone have this, and wouldn't mind giving me a preview of the article?

In addition to curiosity, I also help with a fansite for the upcoming RTS game http://www.rpgplanet.com/dragonshard/ If it's useful enough, I might have to pick the magazine up when it hits the newstands.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'm waiting on the article of the FarRealm and hoping it sparks an interest in other 'strange' things so we can get the same author to redo the Sheen for 3.5 edition!

 

[Ranger Rick]

Not yet.

 

[philreed]

Have they stopped the April theme issues? I always hated those.

 

[eris404]

Have they stopped the April theme issues? I always hated those.

I think so. Last year they put in a few extra comics, but I don't think the articles were humorous (or, depending on one's opinion of the writing, not intentionally so).

 

[diaglo]

i don't even have the March issue of Dungeon yet.

 

[atom crash]

i don't even have the March issue of Dungeon yet.

Ditto here. I started my subsrciption just after the March issue shipped to subscribers so I missed out, and I haven't seen it at my local bookstore yet.

 

[TDRandall]

Mine came today. I always read them cover to cover - at the moment I behind, working through February issues of both Dragon and Dungeon so the later ones just sit around until I can get to them.

However, for the original requester, here's a very brief skim through the Umbragen article:
- not too long, runs from pages 43 - 48
- less than a page of history
- just over a page of racial description and racial traits: no dragonmarks, society split into two parts, religion focused on the "umbra"
- a small sidebar labeled "a secret race" that boils down to "the normal world knows pretty much nothing about them, and vice versa"
- about a page of "Touched by Darkness" which mentions umbral warlocks (warlocks are umbragen's favored class) and shadow soulknife (soulknife with racial substitutions at 1st, 6th, and 9th levels)
- a page of racial feats: cloak of shadows, dark blood, dread shadow, indistinct, one with the darkness, shadow shift, strength of the shadows, sustaining darkness, voices of the void, wings of the wraith

That good enough?

 

[Glyfair]

Have they stopped the April theme issues? I always hated those.

I got mine today. The editorial is actually about this issue. Some readers love those issues, some hate them.

I remember the early ones and loved them. However, some of the later ones seemed really to e reaching for the humor. I think Eric has the right idea, dip into the well a bit, but don't overwhelm with it. I'm not sure if the balance is quite right in this particular issue.

Personally, one of my favorite sections were the take-offs on the old "Giants in the Earth" column, where they did stats for Bugs Bunny, Marvin the Martian, etc. Unfortunately, the current atmosphere has stopped this column completely (non-April Fools versions included). I'm not sure what the change was, but obviously everyone is concerned about possible litigation.

 

[Razz]

Woah, this has to be bumped.

Dude, come on tell us some more. Especially the previews for Dragon #331 please!