Alzrius
The EN World kitten
I got the latest Dragon yesterday, but didn't have a chance to report on it until now. Here's the scoop:
Editorial: Monster Mash, by F. Wesley Schneider - Wes notes the release of Dragon Presents: Monster Ecologies, and talks about people's favorite monsters.
Scale Mail - Letters this month ask for more modrons, and for stats for alu-demons (which are then printed in reply), and praise for "Core Beliefs: Wee Jas" in issue #350.
iDragon: Modern Music in D&D, by Jose Montero, playlists by James Jacobs and F. Wesley Schneider - This article discusses how to best bring your mood music to the gaming table, talking about various kinds of portable digital media players, what kinds of themes work best, and cinematic suggestions. It also lists several example playlists, including the "soundtrack" for the Savage Tide, and where you can find these playlists on iTunes.
Seven Saintly Domains, by Hal Maclean - This article presents the clerical domains of charity, chastity, generosity, humility, patience, temperence, and zeal. Each discusses the benefits of such virtues, as well as how they can become vices if taken too far, before presenting the granted power and domain spell list. Sidebars present these domains for Core, Forgotten Realms, and Eberron deities, each virtue's opposing sin, and examples for how a cleric with one of these domains should act.
Creature Catalog VI, by Thomas M. Costa, Kevin Baase and Eric Jansing, Nick Herold, Jason Bulmahn, C. Wesley Clough, and John Flemming - Twelve new monsters (some updated from older editions of the game) are presented here (the first page presents who is responsible for what monsters): the black beast of bedlam (CR 14), cave fisher (CR 3), giant dragonfly (CR 2), dungeon phantom (CR 6), rot giant (CR 8), cannon golem (CR 14), maedar (CR 4), obliviax (CR 1), scarecrow (CR 3), seedroach (CR 1; the seedroach swarm is CR 7), giant slug (CR 7), an springheel (CR 8). The obliviax has a sidebar presenting it as a hazard as well. It's also worth noting that a few minor variants of scarecrows are also given in its entry.
The Ecology of the Devourer, by Owen K. C. Stephens - The devourer is covered in all of its hideous detail! The article goes over its history, physiology, psychology and sociology, allies, alternative origins, and presents an advanced devourer. Sidebars cover what you know about them with Knowledge (religion) (or Knowledge (the planes)) checks, and sample devourer plots.
Savage Tidings: The Market is Bad, by James Jacobs and Richard Pett - This companion to the Savage Tide covers Scuttlecove, noting some of the more prominent shops and what they deal in. Several new magic items and poisons are presented as the wares you can buy from these nefarious stores.
Volo's Guide: Demon Cults of the Realms, by Eric L. Boyd, with special introduction by Ed Greenwood - Volo notes the recent activities of the cults of Baphomet, Dagon, and Graz'zt, with the latter having a heresy (as presented in Power of Faerun) for Waukeen's church detailed. One sidebar notes the other demons in the Demonomicon in the Realms, while another covers the machinations of Eltab.
Dragonmarks: Way of the Shackled Beast, by Nicolas Logue - This article presents a shifter-exclusive monastic order, talking about its history and doctrine. Five new feats are presented, as well as a new fighting style, a new artifact, and a new weapon material.
Sage Advice, by Andy Collins - The Sage answers a variety of questions regarding armor and shields.
Class Acts
Adventurer: Strangulation, by Shane O'Connor - This updates the strangulation rules from Song & Silence to 3.5, along with presenting rules for garrotes and garrote-armor, as well as sidebar for strangling for hit point damage. On a personal note, this is my first article in Dragon!
Arcane: Arcane Laboratories, by Tim Hitchcock - Three specialized types of arcane laboratories are discussed: arcane distillery, astrological observatory, and construct lab. Each is described in intricate detail, along with noting what mechanical bonuses they give.
Divine: Druid Guide, by Amber E. Scott - This article is a reference work covering the druid's abilities and powers. Tables cover wild shape, animal companion advancement, and influencing animal attitudes.
Psionic: Power by Discipline, by Scott L. Gable - This article breaks down all of the psion/wilder powers in the XPH and Complete Psionic into discipline lists. Each discipline has all of its powers from 1st to 9th level noted.
Warrior: Eldritch Warriors, by Scott Noel - This article covers nine alternate class abilities that fighters can take to gain greater arcane spellcasting powers. Many of these are only useful if multiclassed into an arcane spellcasting class.
Comics - Nodwick, by Aaron Williams; Dork Tower, by John Kovalic; and The Order of the Stick, by Rich Burlew.
Editorial: Monster Mash, by F. Wesley Schneider - Wes notes the release of Dragon Presents: Monster Ecologies, and talks about people's favorite monsters.
Scale Mail - Letters this month ask for more modrons, and for stats for alu-demons (which are then printed in reply), and praise for "Core Beliefs: Wee Jas" in issue #350.
iDragon: Modern Music in D&D, by Jose Montero, playlists by James Jacobs and F. Wesley Schneider - This article discusses how to best bring your mood music to the gaming table, talking about various kinds of portable digital media players, what kinds of themes work best, and cinematic suggestions. It also lists several example playlists, including the "soundtrack" for the Savage Tide, and where you can find these playlists on iTunes.
Seven Saintly Domains, by Hal Maclean - This article presents the clerical domains of charity, chastity, generosity, humility, patience, temperence, and zeal. Each discusses the benefits of such virtues, as well as how they can become vices if taken too far, before presenting the granted power and domain spell list. Sidebars present these domains for Core, Forgotten Realms, and Eberron deities, each virtue's opposing sin, and examples for how a cleric with one of these domains should act.
Creature Catalog VI, by Thomas M. Costa, Kevin Baase and Eric Jansing, Nick Herold, Jason Bulmahn, C. Wesley Clough, and John Flemming - Twelve new monsters (some updated from older editions of the game) are presented here (the first page presents who is responsible for what monsters): the black beast of bedlam (CR 14), cave fisher (CR 3), giant dragonfly (CR 2), dungeon phantom (CR 6), rot giant (CR 8), cannon golem (CR 14), maedar (CR 4), obliviax (CR 1), scarecrow (CR 3), seedroach (CR 1; the seedroach swarm is CR 7), giant slug (CR 7), an springheel (CR 8). The obliviax has a sidebar presenting it as a hazard as well. It's also worth noting that a few minor variants of scarecrows are also given in its entry.
The Ecology of the Devourer, by Owen K. C. Stephens - The devourer is covered in all of its hideous detail! The article goes over its history, physiology, psychology and sociology, allies, alternative origins, and presents an advanced devourer. Sidebars cover what you know about them with Knowledge (religion) (or Knowledge (the planes)) checks, and sample devourer plots.
Savage Tidings: The Market is Bad, by James Jacobs and Richard Pett - This companion to the Savage Tide covers Scuttlecove, noting some of the more prominent shops and what they deal in. Several new magic items and poisons are presented as the wares you can buy from these nefarious stores.
Volo's Guide: Demon Cults of the Realms, by Eric L. Boyd, with special introduction by Ed Greenwood - Volo notes the recent activities of the cults of Baphomet, Dagon, and Graz'zt, with the latter having a heresy (as presented in Power of Faerun) for Waukeen's church detailed. One sidebar notes the other demons in the Demonomicon in the Realms, while another covers the machinations of Eltab.
Dragonmarks: Way of the Shackled Beast, by Nicolas Logue - This article presents a shifter-exclusive monastic order, talking about its history and doctrine. Five new feats are presented, as well as a new fighting style, a new artifact, and a new weapon material.
Sage Advice, by Andy Collins - The Sage answers a variety of questions regarding armor and shields.
Class Acts
Adventurer: Strangulation, by Shane O'Connor - This updates the strangulation rules from Song & Silence to 3.5, along with presenting rules for garrotes and garrote-armor, as well as sidebar for strangling for hit point damage. On a personal note, this is my first article in Dragon!
Arcane: Arcane Laboratories, by Tim Hitchcock - Three specialized types of arcane laboratories are discussed: arcane distillery, astrological observatory, and construct lab. Each is described in intricate detail, along with noting what mechanical bonuses they give.
Divine: Druid Guide, by Amber E. Scott - This article is a reference work covering the druid's abilities and powers. Tables cover wild shape, animal companion advancement, and influencing animal attitudes.
Psionic: Power by Discipline, by Scott L. Gable - This article breaks down all of the psion/wilder powers in the XPH and Complete Psionic into discipline lists. Each discipline has all of its powers from 1st to 9th level noted.
Warrior: Eldritch Warriors, by Scott Noel - This article covers nine alternate class abilities that fighters can take to gain greater arcane spellcasting powers. Many of these are only useful if multiclassed into an arcane spellcasting class.
Comics - Nodwick, by Aaron Williams; Dork Tower, by John Kovalic; and The Order of the Stick, by Rich Burlew.
