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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5589932" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Magazine Annual 1996part 2/8Wyrmsmere: Well, this is nice. I get to see some modules again, as these annuals are outside the regular Dragon/Dungeon continuity divide. It's a reasonably substantial one too, at 10 pages long, which definitely contrasts with the one from issue 200. It's quite an involved one plotwise as well, with some quite interesting NPC's and potential for open-ended interactions between them. While in theory you could ignore that, and run this as merely a straightforward dungeon crawl, you'll get a lot more out of it by playing up the various characters and roleplaying their encounters. Indeed, since they mention some bits that aren't directly statted out, and which would require rather higher level characters than to main part of this adventure, there's a lot of room for follow-ups. That makes it pretty good value for money. Arcane lore: Having given us tons of elemental stuff over recent years, for this special, they decide to get paraelemental on us. Unsurprisingly, it's ice magic that gets first go. Cold magic is already comfortably third place behind fire and electricity in the blasting stakes. This keeps it so, while also adding a few utility bits and pieces that may well actually have it overtake electricity in the overall number of spells stakes. It's not neglected by any stretch of the imagination. Arctic Spray is burning hands with a different energy type. Since more things are immune to fire than cold, this is probably a step up. Take those nasty yugoloths down with a good zap. Icy Missile is a cold based magic missile which is otherwise identical. Since more things are immune to cold than force attacks, this is probably a step down. Funny how that works.  Shiver imposes moderate penalties on the victim. A basic debuff on a similar level to the likes of Bless/Curse. Another good one for ice mages to fill their extra slot with at low level. Deep Freeze encrusts whatever object in magical ice that'll take other magic to melt. This is one that has lots of versatility, as a preservative, as a doorstopper, to break mechanical devices, or even to create firm blocks for you to jump on megaman stylee. You won't regret memorizing this one. Freeze Tag paralyzes whatever part of the enemy's body you touch, also in an unpleasantly chilly way. Good thing this isn't reality, as gangrene would be likely after it melted. Even so, using it on your genitals so as to prolong lovemaking is not recommended. Frozen Ground is an elliptical method of replicating pass without trace under the cold theme. Freeze the ground so no tracks are made. Y'know, this'll be rather a giveaway itself in warmer climes. Perhaps not the most optimal method of doing things. Ice Floe summons a barge made of ice to ferry you around. Obviously this lasts longer in colder climates. Please sit still while the vehicle is in motion. Ice Trap makes a fragile bit of flooring to serve as concealment for whatever nasties lurk beyond. People still fall for this basic stuff, because you can't check every single bit of floor before putting your weight on it. Snow Cone is one that could in theory have become a staple low level blasty spell to rival fireball and lightning bolt. Enjoy your icy AoE blastiness and watch out for your friends, as usual with these things.  Cold Shoulder fails to live up to the punny potential of it's name, merely being another damage and penalty inflicter for your combat oriented characters. Hail fails to scale and so won't be taking fireball's place in my arsenal anytime soon. Yawn. Ice Bolt, on the other hand does scale properly, taking lightning bolt's place quite nicely if you're that way inclined. It even eliminates the bounceback problem, which'll please some people. Snowblind is another one that isn't nearly as useful as it's regular equivalents light or cause blindness. I don't think I want to stick this closely to theme for that. Snowman is another one that has interesting visuals, but is so suboptimal compared to it's corebook equivalent hold person that no-one with basic mathematical skills would touch it with a bargepole. What has happened to basic comparative analysis? All down the toilet. Hypothermia is yet another one that doesn't seem all that optimal when you crunch the math. It tries to do two things, and winds up not being that impressive at either. Northwind is a bit better, being basically gust of wind with added damage. I think the issue here is that it's gust of wind that's not very impressive in the first place, being very context sensitive. In an arctic environment, don't miss the chance to blow your enemy off mountaintops or into freezing water. Blizzard is one of our lower level, less versatile weather controllers. Seen this kind of thing before in the sea magic stuff and it's decent enough powerwise, but still yawn-inducing. Avalanche gives you mass freezing paralysis. No, can't work up any enthusiasm for this either. Icicles is yet another decidedly unimpressive zappy spell. Since you have to make a hit roll with this, and wizards suck at those, this may well wind up being less effective than the 1st level magic missile variant. Lame. Dancing Shards, weirdly, manages to be even less impressive despite being higher level. It's like the power levels were just picked randomly out of a hat. Roll on the next edition please. Winter Flames, on the other hand, does have the potential to cause the devastation an 8th level spell should, but only in very specific circumstances. Not one for casual memorising and unleashing still. I can not say I'm impressed with this collection, with it's serious power level issues. What were the editors thinking, letting it go through like this?</blockquote>

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