Dragon Publishing released Dragon #89 in September 1984. It is 112 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. This issue features the Creature Catalog, special shields, and medieval war!
The cover is called "Check" by Denis Beauvais and shows a brain-in-a-jar robot playing chess with living fantasy figures. It is a spectacular concept and beautifully executed. Interior artists include Keith Parkinson, Roger Raupp, Larry Elmore, Bob Maurus, Bob Lilly, David Sutherland, Kurt Erichsen, Marsha Kauth, E. G. Walters, Dave LaForce, Craig Smith, Jim Holloway, and Dave Trampier.
This month's special attraction is the "Creature Catalog," a collection of 29 new monsters submitted by readers. Dragon abandoned the regular "Dragon's Bestiary" column in issue #61, but reader demand for new creatures remained strong, and this collection is a direct response. Unfortunately, my digital copy of the magazine omits this lift-out section! From other sources, I can see that several of these creatures made it into official publications, including the Peltast, Fachan, and Dark Naga.
"Survival is a Group Effort" by Stephen Inniss explores how populations replenish themselves in the AD&D world, examining the birth and mortality rates of humanoids and monstrous creatures. The article provides a mathematical approach to population growth and decay, complete with a formula. Inniss claims this information "can go a long way toward providing a more detailed and plausible campaign background," but I am doubtful. Inniss contributed many articles to Dragon and wrote two adventures for WG8: Fate of Istus.
Regular columnist Ed Greenwood returns with "Six Very Special Shields," a selection of unique magic shields that offer more than just a defensive bonus. For example, Reptar's Wall grants the power of invisibility and flight, Hawkstone's Bulwark can turn into an enormous magical bridge, and Dzance's Guardian can deflect certain spells. The article is prefaced with an imaginary discussion between Ed Greenwood and the mage Elminister, a literary device that Greenwood used frequently.
"The Many Types of Magic" by Charles Olsen is an attempt to better define the different schools of magic in AD&D. Olsen describes each school, using various spells to enrich the explanation. He also examines multiple oddities, such as comprehend languages being listed as an alteration rather than a divination spell. In such cases, he suggests a rationale (e.g. "Perhaps this spell functions by altering the spell caster's intellect, rather than merely providing the spell caster with information.") The discussion is interesting enough but is probably most useful to those designing new spells. Olsen contributed a small number of articles to Dragon.
"Halt! Who Goes There?" by Andy Pierce introduces the Sentinel, a new NPC class focused on security and defence. The Sentinel has several handy abilities, such as hearing noises, finding traps, detecting lies, and parrying. There's probably not enough to make you want to play one as a PC class, but it would undoubtedly be a good henchman. This article was Pierce's only published RPG credit.
"Beefing Up the Bureaus" by Mike Beeman proposes specialized skills for Top Secret agents per their selected bureau, ensuring that Investigators, Confiscators, and Assassins excel in their respective roles. For example, Assassins can now execute instant kills on a successful Sneak Attack, are more proficient with disguises, and gain a bonus when using explosives. It's almost a class system. Beeman published a small number of articles for Dragon.
Craig Barrett's "Learn Magic by the Month" addresses a particular problem in DragonQuest. When a non-spellcaster elects to become a spellcaster, they must spend six to twelve months of uninterrupted in-game time studying, effectively removing them from play. To solve this, Barrett proposes that magical education can be completed in non-consecutive monthly increments, allowing characters to continue adventuring while gradually progressing in their studies. Barrett was a freelance writer from Colorado who published several pieces with Dragon and its sister magazine, Dungeon.
"What is a Monster Worth?" by Roger Moore is a full-throated critique of the AD&D experience point (XP) system, which he finds imprecise, inconsistent, and inflexible. He suggests that most problems come from vagueness around what differentiates "special abilities" from "exceptional abilities," which has a major impact on XP values. Moore addresses this by comprehensively listing appropriate monster abilities for each category. For example, special abilities include poison immunity, regeneration, and an AC under 0. Exceptional abilities include magic resistance, paralysis, and major spell use. Moore completes the article by classifying the abilities of all creatures in the "Creature Catalog."
"Dunkle Zee" is a short nautical story by Troy Denning. Elizabeth, a tenacious sailor in a high-stakes race, finds her ship transported to a ghostly dimension. It's an atmospheric story told in an evocative and engaging manner, and the plot takes a few interesting turns. The characters are a little flat, and the dialogue is a little stilted, but this is fun, pulpy fiction very suitable for Dragon. Denning worked in the TSR book department and went on to publish many bestselling novels. He is still active in gaming circles.
On to the regular offerings! Lewis Pulsipher presents "The Role of Books" this month and reviews several volumes related to medieval warfare.
Finally, the ARES section delivers 16 pages of science-fiction and superhero content:
The cover is called "Check" by Denis Beauvais and shows a brain-in-a-jar robot playing chess with living fantasy figures. It is a spectacular concept and beautifully executed. Interior artists include Keith Parkinson, Roger Raupp, Larry Elmore, Bob Maurus, Bob Lilly, David Sutherland, Kurt Erichsen, Marsha Kauth, E. G. Walters, Dave LaForce, Craig Smith, Jim Holloway, and Dave Trampier.
This month's special attraction is the "Creature Catalog," a collection of 29 new monsters submitted by readers. Dragon abandoned the regular "Dragon's Bestiary" column in issue #61, but reader demand for new creatures remained strong, and this collection is a direct response. Unfortunately, my digital copy of the magazine omits this lift-out section! From other sources, I can see that several of these creatures made it into official publications, including the Peltast, Fachan, and Dark Naga.
"Survival is a Group Effort" by Stephen Inniss explores how populations replenish themselves in the AD&D world, examining the birth and mortality rates of humanoids and monstrous creatures. The article provides a mathematical approach to population growth and decay, complete with a formula. Inniss claims this information "can go a long way toward providing a more detailed and plausible campaign background," but I am doubtful. Inniss contributed many articles to Dragon and wrote two adventures for WG8: Fate of Istus.
Regular columnist Ed Greenwood returns with "Six Very Special Shields," a selection of unique magic shields that offer more than just a defensive bonus. For example, Reptar's Wall grants the power of invisibility and flight, Hawkstone's Bulwark can turn into an enormous magical bridge, and Dzance's Guardian can deflect certain spells. The article is prefaced with an imaginary discussion between Ed Greenwood and the mage Elminister, a literary device that Greenwood used frequently.
"The Many Types of Magic" by Charles Olsen is an attempt to better define the different schools of magic in AD&D. Olsen describes each school, using various spells to enrich the explanation. He also examines multiple oddities, such as comprehend languages being listed as an alteration rather than a divination spell. In such cases, he suggests a rationale (e.g. "Perhaps this spell functions by altering the spell caster's intellect, rather than merely providing the spell caster with information.") The discussion is interesting enough but is probably most useful to those designing new spells. Olsen contributed a small number of articles to Dragon.
"Halt! Who Goes There?" by Andy Pierce introduces the Sentinel, a new NPC class focused on security and defence. The Sentinel has several handy abilities, such as hearing noises, finding traps, detecting lies, and parrying. There's probably not enough to make you want to play one as a PC class, but it would undoubtedly be a good henchman. This article was Pierce's only published RPG credit.
"Beefing Up the Bureaus" by Mike Beeman proposes specialized skills for Top Secret agents per their selected bureau, ensuring that Investigators, Confiscators, and Assassins excel in their respective roles. For example, Assassins can now execute instant kills on a successful Sneak Attack, are more proficient with disguises, and gain a bonus when using explosives. It's almost a class system. Beeman published a small number of articles for Dragon.
Craig Barrett's "Learn Magic by the Month" addresses a particular problem in DragonQuest. When a non-spellcaster elects to become a spellcaster, they must spend six to twelve months of uninterrupted in-game time studying, effectively removing them from play. To solve this, Barrett proposes that magical education can be completed in non-consecutive monthly increments, allowing characters to continue adventuring while gradually progressing in their studies. Barrett was a freelance writer from Colorado who published several pieces with Dragon and its sister magazine, Dungeon.
"What is a Monster Worth?" by Roger Moore is a full-throated critique of the AD&D experience point (XP) system, which he finds imprecise, inconsistent, and inflexible. He suggests that most problems come from vagueness around what differentiates "special abilities" from "exceptional abilities," which has a major impact on XP values. Moore addresses this by comprehensively listing appropriate monster abilities for each category. For example, special abilities include poison immunity, regeneration, and an AC under 0. Exceptional abilities include magic resistance, paralysis, and major spell use. Moore completes the article by classifying the abilities of all creatures in the "Creature Catalog."
"Dunkle Zee" is a short nautical story by Troy Denning. Elizabeth, a tenacious sailor in a high-stakes race, finds her ship transported to a ghostly dimension. It's an atmospheric story told in an evocative and engaging manner, and the plot takes a few interesting turns. The characters are a little flat, and the dialogue is a little stilted, but this is fun, pulpy fiction very suitable for Dragon. Denning worked in the TSR book department and went on to publish many bestselling novels. He is still active in gaming circles.
On to the regular offerings! Lewis Pulsipher presents "The Role of Books" this month and reviews several volumes related to medieval warfare.
- The Art of War in the Middle Ages, 378-1485 by Charles W. C. Oman is an outdated but still valuable study of medieval warfare, offering a wealth of detail for those interested in historical combat.
- Warfare in Feudal Europe, 730-1200 by John Beeler is a well-organized and analytical examination of feudal warfare, presenting a clear and accessible discussion of how medieval armies functioned.
- Medieval Warfare by H. W. Koch is a poorly written and disorganized book with unhelpful illustrations, making it a weak resource compared to other works.
- A History of Fortification from 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1700 by Sidney Toy is a detailed and thorough study of medieval fortifications, featuring excellent diagrams and floor plans.
- The Medieval Castle: Life in a Fortress in Peace and War by Philip Warner is an insightful book on the strategic development of castles and the psychology of those who defended them.
Finally, the ARES section delivers 16 pages of science-fiction and superhero content:
- "The Mighty Mega-Corporations" by Kim Eastland describes various companies in the Star Frontiers universe.
- "Luna, the Empire, and the Stars" by Nial C. Shapero details the Moon in the Other Suns RPG.
- "Of Grizzly Bears and Chimpanzees" by John M. Maxstadt introduces mutant animal characters to Gamma World.
- "The Marvel-Phile" by Jeff Grubb gives Marvel Super Heroes stats for the Sub-Mariner and Tiger Shark.
