Alzrius
The EN World kitten
The latest issue of Dragon arrived in my mailbox today. Here's the breakdown:
Editorial: Selling Itself, by Erik Mona - Erik recounts how, back in the days of Kim Mohan, the magazines sold themselves, whereas nowadays they have to do more to survive in a more competitive market.
Scale Mail - Letters this month include bemoaning the lack of hilarity in the April issue, Desires for Warmage material in Class Acts, and a new picture of a beholder in a bikini.
Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Kostchtchie, by James Jacobs - Kostchtchie, the Demon Prince of Wrath, is covered here. The article covers his history, stats (CR 28), aspect, goals, cult, the Thrall of Kostchtchie prestige class, his minions (the Hounds of Kostchtchie; fiendish advanced legendary leucrottas), his realm, and a new kind of tanar'ri, the mavawhan. Sidebars cover the stats in relation to the Fiendish Codex, a new magic weapon quality: truebane, the Thrall to Demon feat, and Kostchtchie in the real world.
Simply put, this article was awesome! James Jacobs has done it again, taking a minor demon lord and making him extremely interesting. Kostchtchie was a hideous mortal man, a barbarian, who was taught by Baba Yaga how to put his soul in a container (in a container, in a container, etc.) so that he couldn't be killed. Eventually, Gwynharwyf smashed the container and slew him, sending him to the Abyss.
Recently, Graz'zt undertook a plan. Disguising himself as Malcanthet, Queen of Succubi, Graz'zt slowly, over the course of hundreds of meetings, seduced Kostchtchie, hoping that this'd let him ruin Malcanthet's reputation and let Graz'zt access the portal to Ysgard at the heart of Kostchtchie's realm. Malcanthet uncovered the ruse (though her reputation was still hurt), and Kostchtchie now has a new goal...to commit genocide against the tanar'ri! He's trying to form an alliance with Obox-ob, the obyrith Prince of Vermin (and former Prince of Demons before the tanar'ri arose) to meet just that goal.
The Giants of Xen'drik, by Jason Bulmahn and Amber Scott - This article supplements Secrets of Xen'drik. It discusses the Tol Gorum tribe of stone giants in Xen'drik, the last remnants of the giant empire on that continent, and the drow who oppose them. The Tol Grim tribe is covered, along with their leaders, their people, a map of their canyon, and adventure seeds. The same information is then given for the drow of the Sacred Vale. Sidebars cover using this article in your campaign, the magic weapon shatterspike, the magic weapons giant-tooth arrows, the new feat Sting Strike, and putting it all together.
Excursion: Four Ways to Travel the World, by Martin Ralya - Four specific vehicles are described here, the Silver Trident (a ship), the Kraken's Bane (a submersile), Serella's Caravan (a caravan of wagons), and the Steambolt (an airship/blimp). Each is covered for the vehicle itself, its crew, its captain, and has a sidebar on adventure hooks.
Sea Serpents: Dragons of the Briny Depths, by Morgan Peer and Tracey Peer - This article presents three aquatic true dragons ("sea serpents"): the crested sea serpent, the lantern sea serpent, and the spiked sea serpent. Each has a sidebar with two adventure hooks.
Ecology of the Annis, by F. Wesley Schneider - The second part of a series examining hags (the first part was in Dragon #331), this article covers the history, physiology, psychology, and covey powers of the annis hag, as well as a new magic item, the brew of black eyes. Sidebars cover Knowledge (nature) checks on annis hags, their goddes Cegilune, how hags substitute their own children for those of humans, and an advanced annis hag.
Bazaar of the Bizarre: For and Against the Giants, by William L. Christensen - This article gives us five new magic items either used by giants, or used against them. Each of the items uses the new magic item format, listing their description, activation, effect, aura/caster level, construction, variants, weight, and price.
Spellcraft: Artifact Spells, by Jason Bulmahn - This article supplements the artifact spells from Secrets of Xen'drik. Artifact spells are powerful spells that can only be cast once per year by a caster. Five new artifact spells are presented here.
Sage Advice, by Andy Collins - The Sage covers some druid powers, if you can use natural weapons with a flurry of blows, and if using poison is an evil act, among others.
Class Acts
Adventurer: Equipment Arrays, by Christopher Wissel - Several equipment arrays are given; equipment arrays are sets of equipment for a specific purpose (equipment here is from the PHB, Complete Adventurer, and the Arms and Equipment Guide). The arrays here are healing, infiltration, merchant, mountaineering, riding, spelunking, and wilderness.
Divine: Underdark Animals, by Ryan Nock - Four new animals specific to the Underdark are given here: the dekayi, the elgonn, the jagendar, and the taga'rivvin. A table collects their CR, animal equivalent, and light, medium, and heavy loads.
Psionic: Psicrystal Substitutions, by Bruce R. Cordell - Psicrystal substitutions are rituals, costing go and XP, that a character can perform to unlock a lesser, and a greater, power for his psicrystal. Powers are listed for each personality of psicrystal.
Warrior: Combat Strikes, by Mark A. Hart - Three new tactical feats are given: Blinding Strike, Deafening Blow, and Exhausting Defense.
Comics - Nodwick, by Aaron Williams; Dork Tower, by John Kovalic; Zogonia, by Tony Moseley; and The Order of the Stick, by Rich Burlew.
Editorial: Selling Itself, by Erik Mona - Erik recounts how, back in the days of Kim Mohan, the magazines sold themselves, whereas nowadays they have to do more to survive in a more competitive market.
Scale Mail - Letters this month include bemoaning the lack of hilarity in the April issue, Desires for Warmage material in Class Acts, and a new picture of a beholder in a bikini.
Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Kostchtchie, by James Jacobs - Kostchtchie, the Demon Prince of Wrath, is covered here. The article covers his history, stats (CR 28), aspect, goals, cult, the Thrall of Kostchtchie prestige class, his minions (the Hounds of Kostchtchie; fiendish advanced legendary leucrottas), his realm, and a new kind of tanar'ri, the mavawhan. Sidebars cover the stats in relation to the Fiendish Codex, a new magic weapon quality: truebane, the Thrall to Demon feat, and Kostchtchie in the real world.
Simply put, this article was awesome! James Jacobs has done it again, taking a minor demon lord and making him extremely interesting. Kostchtchie was a hideous mortal man, a barbarian, who was taught by Baba Yaga how to put his soul in a container (in a container, in a container, etc.) so that he couldn't be killed. Eventually, Gwynharwyf smashed the container and slew him, sending him to the Abyss.
Recently, Graz'zt undertook a plan. Disguising himself as Malcanthet, Queen of Succubi, Graz'zt slowly, over the course of hundreds of meetings, seduced Kostchtchie, hoping that this'd let him ruin Malcanthet's reputation and let Graz'zt access the portal to Ysgard at the heart of Kostchtchie's realm. Malcanthet uncovered the ruse (though her reputation was still hurt), and Kostchtchie now has a new goal...to commit genocide against the tanar'ri! He's trying to form an alliance with Obox-ob, the obyrith Prince of Vermin (and former Prince of Demons before the tanar'ri arose) to meet just that goal.
The Giants of Xen'drik, by Jason Bulmahn and Amber Scott - This article supplements Secrets of Xen'drik. It discusses the Tol Gorum tribe of stone giants in Xen'drik, the last remnants of the giant empire on that continent, and the drow who oppose them. The Tol Grim tribe is covered, along with their leaders, their people, a map of their canyon, and adventure seeds. The same information is then given for the drow of the Sacred Vale. Sidebars cover using this article in your campaign, the magic weapon shatterspike, the magic weapons giant-tooth arrows, the new feat Sting Strike, and putting it all together.
Excursion: Four Ways to Travel the World, by Martin Ralya - Four specific vehicles are described here, the Silver Trident (a ship), the Kraken's Bane (a submersile), Serella's Caravan (a caravan of wagons), and the Steambolt (an airship/blimp). Each is covered for the vehicle itself, its crew, its captain, and has a sidebar on adventure hooks.
Sea Serpents: Dragons of the Briny Depths, by Morgan Peer and Tracey Peer - This article presents three aquatic true dragons ("sea serpents"): the crested sea serpent, the lantern sea serpent, and the spiked sea serpent. Each has a sidebar with two adventure hooks.
Ecology of the Annis, by F. Wesley Schneider - The second part of a series examining hags (the first part was in Dragon #331), this article covers the history, physiology, psychology, and covey powers of the annis hag, as well as a new magic item, the brew of black eyes. Sidebars cover Knowledge (nature) checks on annis hags, their goddes Cegilune, how hags substitute their own children for those of humans, and an advanced annis hag.
Bazaar of the Bizarre: For and Against the Giants, by William L. Christensen - This article gives us five new magic items either used by giants, or used against them. Each of the items uses the new magic item format, listing their description, activation, effect, aura/caster level, construction, variants, weight, and price.
Spellcraft: Artifact Spells, by Jason Bulmahn - This article supplements the artifact spells from Secrets of Xen'drik. Artifact spells are powerful spells that can only be cast once per year by a caster. Five new artifact spells are presented here.
Sage Advice, by Andy Collins - The Sage covers some druid powers, if you can use natural weapons with a flurry of blows, and if using poison is an evil act, among others.
Class Acts
Adventurer: Equipment Arrays, by Christopher Wissel - Several equipment arrays are given; equipment arrays are sets of equipment for a specific purpose (equipment here is from the PHB, Complete Adventurer, and the Arms and Equipment Guide). The arrays here are healing, infiltration, merchant, mountaineering, riding, spelunking, and wilderness.
Divine: Underdark Animals, by Ryan Nock - Four new animals specific to the Underdark are given here: the dekayi, the elgonn, the jagendar, and the taga'rivvin. A table collects their CR, animal equivalent, and light, medium, and heavy loads.
Psionic: Psicrystal Substitutions, by Bruce R. Cordell - Psicrystal substitutions are rituals, costing go and XP, that a character can perform to unlock a lesser, and a greater, power for his psicrystal. Powers are listed for each personality of psicrystal.
Warrior: Combat Strikes, by Mark A. Hart - Three new tactical feats are given: Blinding Strike, Deafening Blow, and Exhausting Defense.
Comics - Nodwick, by Aaron Williams; Dork Tower, by John Kovalic; Zogonia, by Tony Moseley; and The Order of the Stick, by Rich Burlew.
