This Old Dragon

[WebWarlock]

This Old Dragon #138

More Undead than you can shake a broomstick at!
Skeletons, zombies, ghouls and more.
Plagues and the end of the world.

It's October 1988 and this is Issue #138 of This Old Dragon.




http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2017/10/this-old-dragon-issue-138.html

 

[WebWarlock]

What? A post on a Tuesday? Yes!
I had posted some October Dragons earlier in the year before I started to share them here. So I figured I would share them now to keep the festive October mood going.

Up now is a post I made back in April for Issue #150 of This Old Dragon!
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2017/04/this-old-dragon-issue-150.html



This is easily one of my favorite issues of Dragon magazine too.
What does this issue have that makes it so good?
- Elmore cover Art
- The Sunset World, a nice bit of fluff on the world of the Mind Flayers. Something I am STILL using.
- Illithid monsters
- The corrected AD&D 2nd Ed Vampire

Not to mention some great material for the FASA Star Trek game and Call of Cthulhu.

Just a great issue really. Come by, read, and share your thoughts here!

 

[WebWarlock]

Another October issue, but less Halloween content in this one.

Also, could this be the first issue of Dragon with Forgotten Realms content?
I have been spending my 2017 getting introduced to the Forgotten Realms. Yes in nearly 40 years of gaming I had NEVER played in the Realms till this year. This article was a fascinating and enlightening read for me.

Magic items. Monsters and a Compettition Module.
Also, the end of Fineous Fingers and how many What's New Dragons can you find in this issue?
Oh. And don't get me started on those Tree Monsters.

All in This Old Dragon Issue #54!
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2017/10/this-old-dragon-issue-54.html

[13][/13]

 

[WebWarlock]

October 1987.

I am in my freshman year at University and the largest Halloween party in the state of Illinois is about to start.
White Snake is on the radio and to this very day I can't hear it and not think of my then about to be ex-girlfriend.

On the shelves is the Halloween issue of Dragon and it would go on to become one of my top 3 favorite issues.



It's October 1987 and this is Issue #126 of This Old Dragon!
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2017/10/this-old-dragon-issue-126.html

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

An amazing cover, Daniel Horne never disappoints. As for TSR’s disastrous internet shenanigans, I somehow missed the worst of it, and didn’t hear about it until after the fact. I’m glad of that. Sure, piracy still certainly remains a problem, but they clearly didn’t understand the internet’s nature at all when it really exploded back in the 90s.

So, did those Star Frontiers Dracula stats ever get used in play?

 

[WebWarlock]

So, did those Star Frontiers Dracula stats ever get used in play?

Sadly no! I had some great ideas for them too.

 

[WebWarlock]

It is not an exaggeration to say that Dragon #114 was a watershed issue for me.

For a bit I had been working on my own Witch class with varying levels of success. Then October 1986 comes around and everything changed for me.
I will say that this is the best issue of Dragon in my mind. So much great stuff here.

The cover caused so much controversy, but I loved it and to this very day would love to have a copy as an art print in my game room.
I have a lot to say about this one!

It's October 1986 and a special Halloween posting of This Old Dragon #114.
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2017/05/this-old-dragon-issue-114.html

I was already obsessed with witches when this one came out. I always had hoped that some one picked up this issue and had the same feelings for the Elven Cavalier class (later in the issue) that I had for the witch.

BTW. If you want to see where this obsession has taken me check out my just released "Witch for Swords & Wizardry Continual Light".
The witch on the cover and the witch character sheet (from 86) in the post are the same witch.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

[WebWarlock]

Let's go back to my Freshman year in University with an issue I have a spotty memory for. I remembered the Alchemist article quite well but thought there some cardboard ships in this issue too.

This week's issue is all about magic.
We get an alchemist class, some ideas on illusions and magical disguises and career guidance for the wizard/magic-user.

All in This Old Dragon #130 for February 1988.
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2017/11/this-old-dragon-issue-130.html

Let's take a moment and really enjoy this Linda Medley cover. One of my favorites.

 

[WebWarlock]

Let's go all the way back to the winter of 1983. I was in 8th grade and getting excited about the new Return of the Jedi movie coming up. Toto had knocked out Men At Work for a week with "Africa". In the theatres we cult classics like "The House on Sorority Hill", "The Entity" and "Videodrome". Though I would not see any of them myself till they came to videotape. At this point my gaming life was dedicated to the B/X rules but I was also moving over to AD&D.

It was a great time for gaming.

It's February 1983 and this is issue #70 of This Old Dragon!

http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2017/11/this-old-dragon-issue-70.html

It might be the 80s, but there are no stranger things here.
Just some Smiths, Giants in the Earth, Gary's favorite gods and Werejaguars.

 

[WebWarlock]

Bit of a cheat today. I went out to my FLGS and picked this one up just so I could review it today! I wanted to have a look at the Alchemist class. I was having a conversation online with a former co-worker and former White Wolf designer about the Alchemist. I thought it might be fun to go back to the source. Glad I did!

Alchemists, Fantasy Art, and that new guy Kim Mohan. Plus a really awesome ad for the Dungeon Hobby Shop. They just don't write 'em like that anymore in Issue #49 of This Old Dragon!

http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2017/11/this-old-dragon-issue-49.html