Dragon Publishing released Dragon #79 in November 1983. It is 84 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. This issue features holy saints, adventuring tips, and a new Top Secret module!
The issue's special attraction is "Wacko World" by Al Taylor. The adventure won the recent Module Design Contest in category T-3 (an investigative mission for 4-8 Top Secret characters). Hydra has infiltrated an amusement park in Florida and is using it to front various criminal enterprises. Players must uncover Hydra's activities and prevent the assassination of a visiting VIP. The adventure gates important clues behind Perception and Observation roles, and I wonder how it played at the table. Taylor published no other RPG material.
The feature articles include "The Fights of Fantasy" by Lew Pulsipher, which examines how large-scale battles in a fantasy world differ from medieval warfare and provides guidelines for DMs to run these encounters. The article is particularly concerned with the impact of magic on battles but also covers matters such as fortresses, intelligence gathering, and aerial warfare.
Pulsipher's other piece, "Be Aware and Take Care," offers strategic advice for successful adventuring in fantasy roleplaying games. This lengthy and thorough article emphasizes the importance of preparation, adaptability, and cooperation within the party. Pulsipher published several articles like this in Dragon, reflecting his deep engagement with the gaming aspect of Dungeons & Dragons.
Scott Bennie's "Setting Saintly Standards" notes that AD&D mentions saints but gives no further information. Bennie defines them as "the most powerful servants of a deity on earth, the absolute embodiment of their religion." He explains the requirements of sainthood and the powers saints possess, and he also provides several examples, such as St. Eleador the Survivor. It's a well-crafted article and is the sort of thing I can imagine Gygax writing. Bennie was a prolific RPG freelancer and was one of the original writers on Fallout, amongst other credits. He passed away in 2022.
"Magic Resistance" is an uncredited piece that explores this aspect of AD&D gameplay in depth. It defines magic resistance, explains the mechanics, and then explores certain edge cases, such as scope, voluntary nullification, and the impact on worn magic items. It's a solid article and full of practical advice.
In this issue's "Ecology" article, Susan Lawson delves into the lore of the treant, offering insight into these enigmatic and ancient creatures. Much of the information clearly derives from Tolkien, but there are a couple of nice details, such as the idea that treants make potions from their living sap. Lawson wrote several more articles for Dragon and also wrote an Endless Quest book called Riddle of the Griffon for TSR.
For aspiring game designers, "Page Advice II: Getting Started" provides advice for getting published by TSR. It makes the critical point that "you need the desire to write—not just the desire to see your work in print." It then mentions the importance of knowing the game system, having a reference shelf, editing your work, etc. The article was uncredited but was most likely written by Kim Mohan.
"Blame it on the Gremlins," by Gregg Chamberlain, introduces these notorious troublemakers into the AD&D universe, drawing inspiration from their roots in military folklore. These creatures briefly reappear in 4E but (contrary to my recollection) were never officially published in 5E. Chamberlain had several credits in Dragon.
"The Ordeal" by Atanielle Annyn Noel is a short story about a group of D&D players who devise a creative solution to deal with a troublesome member. Noel, who previously contributed "Be Quest" to Dragon #69, later published several novels. Her brother, Jefferson P. Swycaffer, was also a writer and published several Traveller-related books.
"Off the Shelf" returns and covers an eclectic collection of books:
And that's a wrap! There was a lot of good material in this issue, with my favorite being Bennie's "Setting Saintly Standards." In the next issue, we have castle inhabitants, rare treasures, and the keys to DM success!
The issue's special attraction is "Wacko World" by Al Taylor. The adventure won the recent Module Design Contest in category T-3 (an investigative mission for 4-8 Top Secret characters). Hydra has infiltrated an amusement park in Florida and is using it to front various criminal enterprises. Players must uncover Hydra's activities and prevent the assassination of a visiting VIP. The adventure gates important clues behind Perception and Observation roles, and I wonder how it played at the table. Taylor published no other RPG material.
The feature articles include "The Fights of Fantasy" by Lew Pulsipher, which examines how large-scale battles in a fantasy world differ from medieval warfare and provides guidelines for DMs to run these encounters. The article is particularly concerned with the impact of magic on battles but also covers matters such as fortresses, intelligence gathering, and aerial warfare.
Pulsipher's other piece, "Be Aware and Take Care," offers strategic advice for successful adventuring in fantasy roleplaying games. This lengthy and thorough article emphasizes the importance of preparation, adaptability, and cooperation within the party. Pulsipher published several articles like this in Dragon, reflecting his deep engagement with the gaming aspect of Dungeons & Dragons.
Scott Bennie's "Setting Saintly Standards" notes that AD&D mentions saints but gives no further information. Bennie defines them as "the most powerful servants of a deity on earth, the absolute embodiment of their religion." He explains the requirements of sainthood and the powers saints possess, and he also provides several examples, such as St. Eleador the Survivor. It's a well-crafted article and is the sort of thing I can imagine Gygax writing. Bennie was a prolific RPG freelancer and was one of the original writers on Fallout, amongst other credits. He passed away in 2022.
"Magic Resistance" is an uncredited piece that explores this aspect of AD&D gameplay in depth. It defines magic resistance, explains the mechanics, and then explores certain edge cases, such as scope, voluntary nullification, and the impact on worn magic items. It's a solid article and full of practical advice.
In this issue's "Ecology" article, Susan Lawson delves into the lore of the treant, offering insight into these enigmatic and ancient creatures. Much of the information clearly derives from Tolkien, but there are a couple of nice details, such as the idea that treants make potions from their living sap. Lawson wrote several more articles for Dragon and also wrote an Endless Quest book called Riddle of the Griffon for TSR.
For aspiring game designers, "Page Advice II: Getting Started" provides advice for getting published by TSR. It makes the critical point that "you need the desire to write—not just the desire to see your work in print." It then mentions the importance of knowing the game system, having a reference shelf, editing your work, etc. The article was uncredited but was most likely written by Kim Mohan.
"Blame it on the Gremlins," by Gregg Chamberlain, introduces these notorious troublemakers into the AD&D universe, drawing inspiration from their roots in military folklore. These creatures briefly reappear in 4E but (contrary to my recollection) were never officially published in 5E. Chamberlain had several credits in Dragon.
"The Ordeal" by Atanielle Annyn Noel is a short story about a group of D&D players who devise a creative solution to deal with a troublesome member. Noel, who previously contributed "Be Quest" to Dragon #69, later published several novels. Her brother, Jefferson P. Swycaffer, was also a writer and published several Traveller-related books.
"Off the Shelf" returns and covers an eclectic collection of books:
- The Art of Al Williamson by James Van Hise is a rich tribute to "one of the grand masters of comic art" and blends interviews, essays, and artwork.
- Code of the Life Maker by James P. Hogan is a standout science fiction novel about robots on Titan and is "the best book to date this year."
- The Unteleported Man by Philip K. Dick is a complicated yet compelling novel and "not to be missed."
- Dinosaur Tales by Ray Bradbury is a beautifully illustrated collection of Bradbury's dinosaur stories and "a solid tribute to a well-respected master."
- The General's Wife by Peter Straub is a chilling novella about identity and the supernatural and "a fine example of Straub's talent."
- The Worthing Chronicle by Orson Scott Card is a complex, compelling tale of telepathy and "is the kind of book Card should have been writing from the start."
And that's a wrap! There was a lot of good material in this issue, with my favorite being Bennie's "Setting Saintly Standards." In the next issue, we have castle inhabitants, rare treasures, and the keys to DM success!
