Dragon - to renew or not to renew

[Elodan]

I've just received a notice telling me I only have 2 issues left on my subscription and I've been debating whether or not to renew.

I really like the standard Ecology of..., First Watch and Bazaar of the Bizarre articles. I enjoyed the articles New Olamn Bard College and the Interview with Ed Greenwood in #335 as well as Birth of the Dead in #336 but I don't have a lot of use for the fiction or new feats and PrCs. I don't even look at Class Acts.

I guess I'm wondering about how others feel about Dragon, do you think it's worth a subscription or do you just pick it up when that month's articles call to you?

 

[Crothian]

Most will say yes, but I don't get the magazine anymore and I don't miss it. But it just depends how much use the magazine was to you. I found myself never using them even though the articles were good.

 

[Mixmaster]

If you really like the Ecology articles and other miscellaneous articles in each issue, then you should. We're only talking about $3/issue if you subscribe.

 

[GeorgeFields]

My subscription ran out around #300. Like Crothian, I don't miss it at all. IMO, second & third party publishers eliminate the need of the magazine; and they don't carry the necessary advertisments the magazines carry. Also, you don't have any control over the contents of the magazine. When you buy items from 3rd party publishers, you have complete control over what you get. If a Dragon issue comes up that looks appealing, buy it off the shelf. Chances are that only one or two issues / year will really appeal to you anyway.

 

[Alzrius]

I've had a subscription going for over a hundred issues, and I've never once regretted it. Dragon (and Dungeon) are gaming supplements that I don't want to be without. I like how each month is different, and I'm virtually always getting something interesting or that I can use. And in regards to "Class Acts" specifically...I used to hate it, but now I really love it. I've seen some of the most interesting ideas in that column.

 

[Turjan]

I really like the standard Ecology of..., First Watch and Bazaar of the Bizarre articles. I enjoyed the articles New Olamn Bard College and the Interview with Ed Greenwood in #335 as well as Birth of the Dead in #336 but I don't have a lot of use for the fiction or new feats and PrCs. I don't even look at Class Acts.

That's pretty much the same as I use it. I never even glance at the class acts, and most of the fiction doesn't do anything for me. The ads don't disturb me much, as they are in addition to the normal page count, not replacing content. At the moment, the Wormfood articles are not bad, either.

This said, it's not such a big chunk of money per year. I think I wouldn't miss Dragon much if I didn't get it, but at least it's more interesting now than about a year ago .

 

[amethal]

I don't get much use out of Dragon, but occasionally it comes up with an idea that really gets my attention, which makes it worthwhile for me.

I don't subscribe, I buy it each month from my FLGS, but that's only because Paizo could never seem to manage to deliver it on time when I was a subscriber.

And class acts is my favourite part of the magazine. I like the fact that its 9 or 10 pages of brief ideas; there's always something I like, and the things I don't like don't take up much room.

 

[Rasyr]

I've just received a notice telling me I only have 2 issues left on my subscription and I've been debating whether or not to renew.

I would say that the fact that you are even asking this question should tell you something.

Ultimately the decision is yours to make, and asking others how they feel about the magazine is not really going to help you make that decision, as their use for (or lack thereof) it has no impact upon how useful you find it to be.

Since you are asking the question in the first place, it seems like you are trying to find a reason to renew, or get somebody to talk you into it. You just might want to give that a bit of thought.

 

[IronWolf]

I was just facing this question over the past month as my subscription came up for renewal. Unlike when Dungeon came up for renewal (which I renewed without a second thought), I had to think about it for Dragon. In the end I ended up renewing Dragon for another year. There is the occasional article I find interesting (Class Acts being one of them) and it does give me something fresh to read every month showing up in my mailbox which is worth something. If nothing changes though where I suddenly find things more interesting I may not renew again, but I wanted to give it another year.

 

[devilbat]

Just don't be like me.

I'm one of the foolish ones who let his subscription run out, didn't bother to renew, then ends up buying every issue off the rack. I pay almost $12 per issue, and for some idiotic reason, I still haven't renewed.