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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5402115" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Magazine Issue 214: February 1995part 7/8Nasty Tricks: Immediately after the spellfire rules questions comes some more twinkery by the TSR staff. They've figured out ways of exploiting the rules such that they can become almost invulnerable, only very specific methods can counter them. If you don't have those cards, you're screwed. Fortunately, they do point out those solutions with each of the exploits. As we found earlier on in the issue, designer ego does seem to play a big part, with exploits named after the people who first came up with them. Still, at least that means they're actually playing it in the office, which means the rules are getting stress tested, and presumably they're finding the game fun. But that does mean it's taking them away from writing and playing RPG's even more. So once again this is a sign that CCG's are encouraging the designers to be twinky munchkins. Sage advice is all about fixing the game, not exploiting it, and the amount of hard mathematical analysis hasn't been great in recent years. One article could be an exception, but this shows the start of a definite trend. Well, spotting stuff like this is one reason I started this thread. I just wish I felt happier about doing so at this point. The ecology of the owlbear: A second ecology in the same issue? Guess they're really making up for lost time here. Does this mean they'll be back as a regular thing? For a second time, in the story, the narrators get in serious trouble, only narrowly escaping by luck and wits. And for a second time, they give us plenty of new crunch. Arctic Owlbears, even bigger and scarier than the regular ones, plus better camouflage in their native territories. And something I'm sure many people have wondered about. Flying owlbears. Oh yes. Sure it stretches realism a bit. But frankly, if dragons can fly, the amount of physics-bending it takes for a bear sized creature to fly is considerably less. Another strong one that both entertains and  answers questions. Very usable, and indeed, I plan to do so. Fiction: Hunter under the sun by Brent J Giles. Ah yes, the exploration of alien psychology. If you've been reading this regularly, you'll know that's one of my own great loves, if not as much as it used to be. Standards of morality and compassion can vary widely. Could you expect a race that spawned hundreds of children in a go to care about them individually the way humans do? Could you expect one that flies the vastnesses of space to have the same kind of idea about personal property? Even a basic difference like being adapted to a nocturnal lifestyle could change their psychology quite a bit. But when we all live alongside one-another then it can be a very good idea to learn from each other, preferably the good aspects rather than the bad ones. So it goes, as we combine this kind of study with a supernatural murder mystery. I find this rather appealing, as it does work on two levels. The more depth something has, the more you get rewarded by repeat readings.Libram X has more relationship angst. You were a tagalong in the first place. He tried to get you safely home, and then you refused. You shouldn't be surprised he's more interested in the book than you. Dragonmirth has lots of demihuman fun. Even Snow White can be made grimdark. Yamara and Joe really ought to get off hard fun before the world is all gone.</blockquote>

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