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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 4951946" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Magazine Issue 147: July 1989part 4/5TSR Previews: You've got the players, you've got the dungeon master, now, you need monsters for them to face. So welcome to the AD&D second edition monstrous compendium, volume one. The first batch of loose leaf sheets, plus a big binder designed to accomodate stuff from future volumes. How long before they realize this little experiment has serious problems, and go back to regular books? Dragonlance gets DLE2: Dragon magic. Save the celestial dragon of neutrality. You'd think a cosmic force like that could take care of itself, but apparently not. Oh well, it's a chance to become a big hero, and that's what counts. The Forgotten Realms continues it's metaplot madness, with FR2: Tantras. Elminster's dead? Surely not. It's all a big misunderstanding. Oh well, it looks like the trouble you get in fortuitously helps you solve the main problem anyway. If you'd prefer to stay out of the edition change teething troubles you can buy FR8: Cities of mystery. Build an entire city block out of the pieces within. Sounds like it would synergise well with the waterdeep city system, another FR product that can be used genericly fairly easily. D&D goes back to basics for the first time in a few years, with B11: Kings festival. Unsurprisingly, the new, more plot based module style intrudes even here, with plenty of role-playing advice as well. A sequel is coming shortly. Just be glad it's not another trilogy. Marvel Superheroes is still time traveling, in MT2: Weird weird west. Six-guns and the kitchen sink as rifts to the 1870's open up all through history. Guess you'd better close them up, before things lose even more continuity than even a comic book universe can take. Novelwise, we have Monkey Station by Aradath Mayhar and Ron Fortier. Hyperevolved monkeys! Taking over the world! Sounds pulpilicious. And finally, we have a whole host of board games. Europe aflame! High Rise! Web of gold! War, business or exploration, the choice is yours. Good to see that department is still busy buzzing away as well. Role-playing reviews is in theme, as is often the case, examining the spellcasting of several different systems. Everyone thinks they can improve upon D&D's old method of throwing cool stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks. In many cases, they can, even if the resulting games haven't managed the same kind of commercial success. GURPS magic gets a very context heavy review indeed. Ken's initial skepticism with the line has faded as the supplement mill has kicked up, filling all kinds of odd niches with well written books. Now they're revisiting their fantasy gaming roots, with typical attention to detail and modularity. Course, as usual, this genericness is a flaw as well as a benefit, and you'll have to create your own world. He reserves final judgement until he's seen the rules in action. I do hope we'll see a follow up on that statement. ARS Magica contrasts sharply with this, creating a game with a very distinctive setting, and a system focussed around playing not just wizards, but a very specific variety of wizards. The similarities to Pendragon are spotted immediately, as are many of the other system and style elements that would be crucial in the success of the storyteller system games later. He's also pleased with the strong emphasis on troupe play, making sure the players work together, treating the group as more important than any one character. The envelope is being pushed here, and people are definitely noticing already. The magister is a AD&D forgotten realms supplement. D&D's magic system may be a messy business, but he loves it anyway. Elminster narrates, and his tone is as fun to read as ever. Lots of new spells and items, some amusing lampshading, it adds both usable material and colour to the game. Sounds like the kind of thing the magazine has been doing for ages. Talislanta sorcerers guide gets a rather more mixed review. While there are some cool features, they aren't as well presented as the previous books, and you'll have to fill them out yourself. So it goes. The spell book sees Ken's enthusiasm fizzle out. He hasn't really had the time to properly digest the HERO system, and lots of dry discussion on how to properly balance a magic system doesn't hold his interest. One primarily for system tinkerers and heavy crunch lovers.</blockquote>

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