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Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Glyfair" data-source="post: 2916434" data-attributes="member: 53">The Dragon #24 April 1979<img src="http://paizo.com/image/product/magazine_issue/dragon/24/cover_120.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />"Dragon Rumbles" tackles complaints about The Dragon and the direction of the magazine.  As a sort of statement of direction, Tim states "First, we want to become THE magazine of gaming, whatever the form."  He also briefly recommends The Deer Hunter as a movie that shows the reality of war, since the readers typically just play at it.  He also mentions that he's a Vietnam veteran."Lost Civilizations" is described as a fantasy supplement to Source of the Nile.  This attempts to add an Allan Quartermain feel to the game.  A Design Forum article, "Keeping the Magic-User in His Place" seems to be an early attempt to bring balance to the game.  It's a bit of that, but also a bit "keeping magic mysterious and rare."  He recommends elminating half damage on save spells (so they do no damage on a save), as well as requiring players to save against all spells (thus saving against Cure Light Wounds means it doesn't take effect).Two suggestions have variations that have slipped into 3rd edtion.  First, he lists the "rule of concentration" that states if a magic-user takes a single point of damage in a round, he can't cast a spell that round.  We don't have anything that limiting, but concentration is a factor.  He also recommends that magic items shouldn't stack their bonuses together (his example are with stacking defensive items).David Sweet writes a classic article introducing us to "Chinese Dragons."  The ones we know and love are introduced here.  He mentions that they are expanded from a brief mention in Gods, Demigods & Heroes."Another Look at Lycanthropy" is a D&D Variant article expanding the rules for lycanthropy.  It starts with a table for determining what sort of lycanthrope you become.  It ranges from the curse of being permanently turned into the animal under cured to becoming one who changes when enranged (ala the Incredible Hulk).Another classic Judges Guild product is announced in their ad this issue, Dark Tower.  One of several adapted under the d20 license, this retails for $5.50 (about $15 in today's dollars).  They also announce some Traveller products, expanding their product lines.Gary Gygax tackles "Roman Military Organization - a Classic Warfare Update" in the Designers forum.  Apparently he was inspired to update a very early game of his, and does so here."A Viking Campaign in the Caspian Sea" is an account of several Viking battles.  Also included are Classic Warfare scenarios to reenact several of them.Our From the Sorcerer's Scroll column is from Gary this issue and tackles "The Melee in D&D."  He tackles the balance between "realism" and game balance.  He points out that it's only a minority of players interested in such things, but even 1%-5% of 100,000 D&D players is too many to completely ignore.  He argues against critical hits saying that there is enough instant death with things like the saving throw tables to have another set of ways to die quickly.  He also argues against giving bonus to hit for "extra skill" with specific weapons.  He also discusses the round and hit points, with the theory behind them.  The round system iimplies that there are many things go on in the 1 minute rounds, and only possible "telling blows" are what are being rolled for.  Hit points represent "a combination of actual physical consititution,skill at the avoidance of taking real physical damage, luck and/or magical or divine factors," to explain why a high level fighter can have more hit points than a rhino.He has a number of interesting quotes giving the state of the game, then:"The game is one of adventure, though, and combats of protected nature (several hours minimum of six or more player characters are considered involved against one or more opponents each) are undesirable, as the majority of participants are most definitely not miniature battle game enthusiasts.""Furthermore, D&D is a role playing campaign game where much of the realenjoyment comes for participants from the gradual development of the game personae, their gradual development, and their continuing exploits (whether successes or failures)."We have the first appearance of "Out on a Limb."  The first letter of this column is from someone saying they agree that letters shouldn't be about "character assassination" but then wonders why Gary is allowed to do so.  He is referring to Gary's trashing of SPI while commenting on a less than flattering review in an SPI magazine.  The response is that Gary is the publisher and can do whatever he wants (I do not exaggerate here, those are the words used).  However, such comments will in the future appear in "From the Sorcerer's Scroll."  Another letter complains about the inclusion of wargaming material in the issue that combined Little Wars with The Dragon.  A couple of letters are chosen complaining about a monster for EPT that appears to make fun of Christians (apparently of several).We have a Variant article giving several variations on Dungeon!.  This takes up a couple of pages and includes lots of various rules and options."Armies of the Renaissance" continues the series with a focus on the Swiss."Narcisstics" is listed as Variant Humor.  These "monsters" are found in male versions (the jocks) and the female versions (groupies).  Also included is an intentionally vague monster, the "infamous miscellaneous monster."Ronald Pehr has a second article this issue, "Psionics Revisited" under the D&D Variant header.  He wants to make psionics more common, but not too common.  He also introduces cognitive and kinetic "schools."We have a charticle "Diseases" with a chart for random diseases.  Also we have a Little Wars style article "Bergenhone ‘77: the CAT’S Test of American Armor!"  We have a historical piece "The Return of Conan Maol."  "Choir Practice at the First Church of Lawful Evil (Orthodox):  The Ramifications of Alignment"  falls under a combination of the Design Forum and Variant headers.  This mostly focuses on the fact that Chaos doesn't necessarily mean evil and Lawful doesn't necessarily mean good and tying that into a pantheon."Naming People, Places and Things In Petal Throne" is an EPT Variant that has a chart for generating random names for the world.We have the winners of the second "Featured Creature" contest.  The pictures are all interesting, with first place taken by Robert Charrette.  An interesting bit is one of the Honorable Mention pieces is from one Erol Otus, from California.Jim Ward has another adventure of Monty and the boys, "Monty Haul and the best of Freddie."  Freddie is a DM who clearly doesn't know the rules (for example, having an evil Bronze Dragon, who ever heard of such a thing?)  Several bits with him are included.The Design Forum covers "In Defense of Extraordinary Characters."  A short piece that says it's only natural to want to play Conan, John Carter or Merlin.Allen Hammick writes an article on the Society for Creative Anachronism.  This has lot of pictures and touches on it's history (such as the group starting it included Poul Anderson).We are starting to get into more meaty material at this time in The Dragon.  Gary has been delving into they whys and wherefores of the rules (paralled today with WotC's focus on explaining some design decisions).  Some names are beginning to appear (Erol Otus, for example).  Wargaming is intruding into the magazine again, and while some articles fit well, others are quite distracting.</blockquote>

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