My "Best of the Dragon"

[Psion]

It occurred to me that the biggest problem using Dragon as a resource is the fact that it is such a random assortment from month to month, just keeping track of that one article you thought was cool can be a task.

So I created an excel spreadsheet of all the articles since 301 that have appealed to me. This helped me note a few things:

- The 30X's were pretty weak by total number of articles I liked.
- By comparison, the mid-31X's were fairly strong. I especially liked 313, 314, and 317.
- The post 320's have nearly as many articles per issue that I noted as worthy of my attention, but many of them were single page articles, and the total page count of articles I like is somewhat less.
- Mike Mearls figued prominently among authors whose article I liked, as did David Noonan and James Jacobs, which is perhaps not surprising. However, there were some other names that aren't as recognizable to me that also had strong showings, in particular Cliff Horowitz and Dean Poisso.

So, does anyone share these feelings? Or do you see it differently?

 

[Orius]

Can't really comment. My subscription ran out back at issue 283, so I haven't regularly followed the magazine since. I did pick up 315 because of the classic campaign stuff, though, and I liked that issue a lot.

 

[Shade]

I have found very little of use since the recent overhaul. Just a couple of silicon sorceries, a few feats, and the frost monsters in 324.

I get the most use out of Annual 5, 297, 300-306, 309, 315, 319, and 321. Anything with planar information, new uses for skills, and bundles of new monsters is likely to be used.

323 was by far the least useful issue for me since 3E began.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I kind of did a similar sort of thing with the issues of Dragon that I own (roughly issue 270 through to a couple of issues ago when the format changed - my subscription has just run out and I am not renewing it for the time being). I went through all of the issues and picked out all of the articles, tables, etc., I wanted to photocopy for easier usage and reference (I can photocopy all I want at work for free). In doing so I realised what parts of Dragon I found the most interesting and enjoyable. Every article from "The Play's The Thing" by Robin D. Laws was on my list. He just seems to be able to write a lot of extremely useful articles that encouraging roleplaying from your players.

The other types of articles I liked were ones that had components that could be dropped into any campaign setting. The one I remember the most was called "The Ebon Maw" (I think! Obviously I don't remember the title of the article that vividly. ) It was basically a monster similar to the incredible blob that devoured anything in its path and the various sects and cults that worshipped it. It gave stats for the creature but I found all of the fluff much more useful. I could see almost a whole campaign built around such a creature without the players ever having to face it directly in combat. It generated more ideas than yet another prestige class could have (they seem to be a staple for Dragon Magazine lately)

Overall I found that every issue had something that I wanted to copy for future use. A couple of issues had very little in them that I found useful but they were offset by others that had multiple useful articles. I think that is the nature of Dragon Magazine though. It is such a mixed bag from month to month that there will always be some issues that you find more useful than others. On the whole you can almost always find something in every issue to interest you. Whether that is enough to be worth the cost of the magazine each month is somthing each person has to consider.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Ferret]

I can usually find one thing I like in each one, every other one makes me say 'I want to use that article'. Sometimes (not often but it isn't unique) the whole magazine, or near enough is of that level.

 

[Psion]

The other types of articles I liked were ones that had components that could be dropped into any campaign setting. The one I remember the most was called "The Ebon Maw" (I think! Obviously I don't remember the title of the article that vividly. )

Sounds like "The Ebon Maw" alright. Issue 312. By our own Mouseferatu.

Yeah, I like articles that provide opposition with campaign potential attached. A great example is, in issue 313, the article on Mad Dragons by Steven Palmer Peterson.

 

[shady]

Reading the thread, I picked out 3 random issues, 302, 317 and 322. And indeed I would say in terms of usefulness and quality the order would be 317 first, then 322 then 302.

In general:
- none of them are bad as such
- the amount of forgotten realms coverage increases over time, I guess it's fallen back again now
- it would be nice to see a regular article around house rules - unearthed arcana type stuff
- silicon sorcery is consistently weak and in fact in 302 describes the wrong monster from NWN (that isn't a minogon in my copy of the game)

btw - I also think that the stuff currently published as web enhancements and preview material by WotC might be better supplied to Dragon/Dungeon for content.

I've carried on picking up both, despite not intending to do so. I think the new format makes for a better casual read, maybe its the difficulty of using Dragon material that means it can survive in this capacity between all these changes.

 

[Erik Mona]

Just dropping in to let you guys know that I'm monitoring this thread. I've just taken over as Dragon's editor-in-chief, and it's extremely helpful to read your posts about the magazine. Any feedback you have on where the magazine's been or where it seems to be going is most helpful, and very much appreciated.

Thanks.

Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dragon & Dungeon

 

[Algolei]

I dropped my subscription when Dennis Cramer told me to*. Not because he told me to--because it was finally knocked into my head that 3E was here to stay, and Dragon was no longer for me.

(I've gone back to 1E.)



*On the old WotC forums. After I complained about the gruesomeness of his Bloody Halfling illustration.

 

[Algolei]

P.S. I still think "Erik Mona" is a dead sexy name.