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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5149418" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Magazine Issue 179: March 1992part 2/6Magic by candlelight: Another themed collection of magic items here. Looks like this issue is a bit more focussed than the contents page indicated. And since these are generally limited-use devices, you can be relatively generous with them as treasure. With 22 items in 3 pages, this is a dense little entry that I don't feel like individually listing everything in. Few are hugely powerful, but most are useful, with quite a few which can be hazardous to an incautious user, just like fireworks. As with potions, a good identification spell will come in handy. They also give you some guidance in what materials are needed to make them, which can be applied easily to potions, perfumes, oils, and other topically applied limited use items. Scavenger hunts eat up a good amount of time, and making magical items like this is a nice starter for them at mid levels. Plenty of good material to draw upon here then. This issue is looking up. Mutants in orbit! A crossover supplement for Rifts and After the bomb. Seems a bit weird to have two different post apocalyptic settings mix like this. Something completely different: Looks like it's not just new toys in the special this month, it's advice about properly applying them as well. We have all these weird and wonderful items built up over years of the magazine, and plenty of room for more obscure mundane items to be given their own magical powers. What do you do if you find a magical wardrobe in a villains collection, or a sentient spork? Large items may have cool powers, but transporting them can be a nightmare. And there's plenty of unusual nonmagical valuables you could use as well. Perhaps some customised random generation tables would be good. They often produce more interesting results than personal choice could. Curiously, this also manages to fit in 14 new items, each adding a quirk to an existing item family, although the descriptions are even shorter than in the last article. Another good example of their strong base of submissions around this time. Roger may be looking for more variety in his themes, but when people submit good material for previously covered topics he's hardly going to turn it down because of that. Seven Enlightening lanterns: Once again, the influence of Ed Greenwood on the magazine is felt strongly here. Even when he's not contributing personally, he's done so much, and inspired so many that it's surprising we don't see more blatant copycats like this one. Still, once again you can enjoy a big collection of magical variants for an atmospheric but oft-neglected item. Let's see if we can play pinpoint the source material with this lot. Bashal's Tendrilight sends out black quivering tentacles. Hmm. Have the Lasombra been aded to Vampire: the Masquerade yet? I guess Evard was already leading the way in hentai action. With paralysis and immunity to lots of weapons, these'll be a right bugger to fight. Goldmane's Dazzler provides free light indefinitely, and also has two cool semi-connected tricks that make it seem even more Greenwoodesque. The history stuff is quite good too. So I guess the Realms grows ever more able to surprise it's creator in a good way. Illag's Abominable Beacon is a skull-headed lamp of Eeeevil that projects undead summoning darkness. Better be able to see in that then to direct them properly, and make sure you don't stub your toe on a milling zombie. Krillus's Blazer is electrified, and can unleash that power in a fashion akin to those pretty globes you see at every science fair. That'll do rather more than making your hair stand on end. Malthrox's Shadowcaster also messes with darkness, in this case producing a shadowy clone of a person illuminated. This isn't as perfect a copy as an evil mirror clone, but is controllable at least. Have fun with it while it lasts, and don't hesitate to tease as well as fight. Making out with someone's shadow clone can drive them to rash acts. Messakk's Eye can paralyze people looking into it Once again it looks like they're falling back on obvious ideas to finish the collection off. Still, an encounter-ender is not to be sneezed at, formulaic as it may be. Thessall's Wayguider is incredibly handy for any dungeoneer. Instant illumination of secret doors & traps? Retracing your step effortlessly? True seeing? That'll cut your exploration time massively. No more tedious inching along mapping all the way and testing every flagstone. Now that's convenience for you. Awesome.</blockquote>

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