Dragon magazine is considered official!

[Arnwyn]

arnwyn: it could also be that greymarch isn't getting an answer because he didn't actually ask a question. He made a statement -- some guy at Wizards (Hi, Darrin) said that Dragon was official, and he wants to spread the word. greymarch made the erroneous assumption that we cared about that. The questions have been after his initial post, from folks who've essentially said "so what?" and "who cares?" I guess greymarch isn't really obligated to answer that if he doesn't want to.

Agreed. I was just responding to ryard's post - specifically his last sentence that goes: "... and that's not what he's asking."

Uh... what was he asking again?

 

[Desdichado]

Which leads me to wonder (perhaps somewhat cynically) if this whole thing isn't just some stunt to develop a case for greymarch to get his way with his gaming group. In general asking here for ratification of something you want to do in your gaming group seems a bad policy all around. Either do something or don't; don't air your dirty laundry on the message boards in the hope of some kind of affirmation. And once the group makes a decision about something, it's even worse to come and gripe about it here; just accept it and move on.

Of course, I could be reading way too much into this...

 

[Zerakon]

Which leads me to wonder (perhaps somewhat cynically) if this whole thing isn't just some stunt to develop a case for greymarch to get his way with his gaming group... Of course, I could be reading way too much into this...

Don't feel so bad, when I read his post, this was the uber-cynical thought that passed through my head: "Wow, WotC is trying to drum up more Dragon subscriptions by trolling on message boards proclaiming their magazine 100% official."

 

[Aeolius]

...if I want to make an item, creature, or class that's not in print I do so...

Hear Hear!

I posted a longer response to the clone of this thread over at wizards.com. Feel free to take a gander, if you are so inclined.

If a player came to me and said I HAD to accept a certain class, race, PrC, or rule as "official", simply because it was in the DMG, PH, an issue of DRAGON, or on a WotC message-board, I would inform them that they picked the wrong DM.

 

[ryard]

Surely you wouldn't object to a DM who brought in some weird concept that she thought was balanced?

Out of the blue? Yup. Would your DM object if you suddenly said, "Oh, the Feat I just took makes me immune to magic."

IMO a game with a DM that plays strictly by the rules is boring game. I want a creative DM who makes up (or brings in from 3rd party sources) exotic new creatures, weird new spells, strange new magic items.

Then I guess we have different opinions on what a game is. I prefer it have specific rules equal to all participants. If not, you risk turning into the NBA.

BTW is WotC selling official toilet paper off their website? I'm running low and I'd prefer to use only official wipes.

I also don't consider the bathroom as game territory, and if you do, you take your DM WAY too seriously.

 

[Arnwyn]

In general asking here for ratification of something you want to do in your gaming group seems a bad policy all around. Either do something or don't; don't air your dirty laundry on the message boards in the hope of some kind of affirmation. And once the group makes a decision about something, it's even worse to come and gripe about it here; just accept it and move on.

Yep, definitely bad policy... but man, I love those threads! It gives me a chance, from the comfort of my office, to point and laugh at the different groups out there and exclaim that I'm glad it's not me. (And also to be amused at the shock of some posters as they suddenly realize that there aren't as "many" like them as they seem to think there are.)

I'm a sick puppy.

On a positive note, it helps open my eyes to the many different playing styles and group dynamics out there. Very interesting, in a strange academic sort of way.

 

[ryard]

As many have stated, the point is that the "Dragon stamp of approval" is no guarantee at all that a race or class will be better than one from a third party source. In fact, it has seemed to me for the last year or so, the content of the Dragon has been in large part less-well-done versions of third party d20 products (the current issue comes to mind. The variant blackguards got nothin of Green Ronin's Unholy Warrior Handbook in terms of flavor and flexibility.)

No, but it does show a degree of consistency (and please be aware of a difference between consistency and DEGREE of consistency) that is conceivably lacking in cherry-picked third-party sources.

 

[ryard]

I don't have the foggiest idea what my DM is using in terms of feats, prestige classes, monsters, etc. My DM (and me, when I DM) don't make a habit of showing the players all my notes, character sheets and monster books. This concept of "it's not fair for the DM to use a feat I can't use" strikes me as incredibly odd. Does the DM use the Scent feat on his monsters? You can't use that either.

You misunderstand. It's not that a character can't USE, but something a DM uses as a GOTCHA because no one else has ever heard of it.

 

[Aeolius]

You misunderstand. It's not that a character can't USE, but something a DM uses as a GOTCHA because no one else has ever heard of it.

But that's half the fun! I throw new critters at my PCs all the time. It's fun to see how they handle something they have never encountered before; something they have to investigate, as all those hours they spent memorizing the MM have just proven futile.

My players encountered a bonehag (new beastie of my own design) Body Snatcher (new PrC of my own design) once. Now THAT was fun!

 

[Desdichado]

You misunderstand. It's not that a character can't USE, but something a DM uses as a GOTCHA because no one else has ever heard of it.

In that case, yes, I did misunderstand. However, if this is your problem (as a group, not you personally) I fail to see how this line of "official vs not official" has any bearing on the issue. To me, that's a case of a bad DM, not bad rules. Assuming I'm understanding your point, that is. You mean a chip-on-his-shoulder, competitive, "me against the PCs" type of DM, I suppose?