[Dungeon] Issue 102 - What I like

[Darrin Drader]

I do realize that this is the second thread about Dungeon 102, but I thought it would be good to point out the positive aspects of it now that most people have it in hand.

First of all the cover. I liked it the first time I saw it, although I couldn't immediately put my finger on why I liked it so much. It depicts an umber hulk tearing through a wall, chasing an adequately clad woman. And then after looking the magazine over it dawned on me. Unlike every single cover since the dawn of 3E, this cover is more than a simple character study. It shows a scene. With action! The coolness is in context! Needless to say I really approve of this cover and I hope to see more like it in both Dungeon and Dragon magazines in the future.

The next thing - maps. Lots of them, and I don't mean the ones that are part of the adventures. Before we even get to the first adventure, there's a red dragon's lair, completely with cavernous areas and (one of my favorite dungeon features) magma! This is something that not only can I use, but I probably will use, even if it isn't specifically for the lair of a red dragon. Then on the Poly side there's no less than 3 modern locations mapped out.

The adventures are excellent as usual, and I was particularly happy to see that the most recent adventure path module is a full 30 pages.

Now to the flip side. There's an update to make Pulp heroes compatible with D20 Modern. This is a good thing since one of my concerns with the early mini-games was that the characters were so specific that they couldn't be used for any other game. Now Pulp is fully Modern compatible as the old core classes are now advanced classes. The Star Wars ship is a cool one. Sure, I wouldn't mind seeing a few more pages devoted to Star Wars, but this is a ship that fits the setting and could be easily used. The other articles, again, are well though out and good.

Finally (and this is nether pro nor con, but rather a footnote) Chris Thomasson announces that this is his last issue as editor in-chief. He is sliding over to Dragon to fill the same title while Erik Mona is taking over as Editor in-chief of Dungeon. I would like to offer my congratulations to both.

To be honest, before receiving it, I wasn't expecting to be overly excited about this issue. The Dungeon issues I look forward to the most are the ones with new mini-games and ones with a large selection of adventures. Despite my expectation that this would be an "off issue", the contents of this one were excellent!

 

[Darrin Drader]

Hello [thumps mic a few times] this thing on?

Oh come on, no one else has anything positive to say? Can't there at least be agreement on the cover art?

 

[Eosin the Red]

Sorry, have not seen it yet. I haven't gotten to my FLGS in a few weeks.

I will agree in principle just to make you feel a little better and less lonely

 

[PowerWordDumb]

I bought it, but I haven't even really looked at it yet other than to verify it was #102... sorry, no opinions as yet, though I agree that action art is cool and long-missed. Guess I have a reason to dig it out and have a look now that I've posted about it.

 

[Rune]

Well, I'm enjoying my copy, but then, I always do--both sides--which is why I've got a subscription. Even though I never get a chance to run the mini-games, nor do I run modules (so I don't actually use the Dungeon adventures), I steal from everything. Dungeon/Poly is always one of the best values in gaming and this month it was especially so--the poly side was particularly diverse. Now, to pick up d20 Modern, sometime, since all of the mini-games since it's release have used its rules...

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

The Adventure Path adventure is very good.

SPOILER!




















Anyone else notice that a Drizzt clone met his (un)timely demise in the pit?

 

[WayneLigon]

I thought the issue was very well done, and I'm certainly going to use the Cry Wolf adventure at some point soon. And the maps! Well, I'm a total map geek so.. more maps is always good

 

[Michael Dean]

I'm REALLY happy about this issue. The pulp adventures was one of my favorite issues of Dungeon, even though the tables were all messed up. This is a much cleaner version, and I think it fits D20Modern much better than regular d20. So, of course, I'll have to buy several issues of it like I did the original one.

I must be easy to please, though. Every time I read the letters to the editor, it seems like everyone on the planet is pissed with the changes to Dungeon. I like that it is monthly, and I like the shift in focus every month between Poly and Dungeon. I guess because I realize that not every issue is going to be to my taste or that it might not be to my taste now, but months later I find something in an old issue that I dismissed before but I can use now. I don't expect to be wowed every time out.