Whatever happened to Dragon?

[nikolai]

I bought the 30th anniversary issue of Dragon recently, mostly because of nostalgia. The history of D&D article was nice; but I was shocked that there was almost nothing worth using in my game in the rest of the magazine. What happened?

There seemed like an awful lot of padding, and even when there was a good idea behind the article, the excecution seemed pretty poor. I realise that a big chunk of the magazine was taken up with the 30th anniversary stuff, but there seemed to be very little to the rest of the magazine. Is this issue representative of the current quality of Dragon? Maybe they should try to break away from the "themed issue" idea, so they don't have to focus on a narrow topic in each issue.

 

[BlackMoria]

Well, it is only one issue. My experience with Dragon is that some issues are good, some bad and the majority lie somewhere between. Until you have had a number of Dragon magazines to base a opinion on -- to state the Dragon quality has suffered based on the examination of *one* recent issue is doing yourself and the magazine a disservice.

Also, you stated there was nothing for your game. What is your game? Without knowing that, noone can offer you any opinion of whether or not Dragon routinely has articles or material which would fit into *your* game.

 

[Henry]

Here's what I found interesting and Potentially Useful in the Dragon 30th aniversary issue:

Dragon Player Characters: I NOW have the rudimentary rules needed if I ever decide to run a 3E version of the "Council of Wyrms" game setting. Very difficult to do without cobbling my own together AND needing to buy Savage Species to do so! Now, I photocopy those little pages, stick them in my boxed set, and one day... ONE DAY...

Fostered Dragons - just gave me a really nasty idea that I NEVER even considered before... The whole rest of the article could be cookie recipes, for all I care, the simple fact is I now have one of the coolest quest ideas ever to put in my DM's quiver.

Dragon Kingdoms - how many of us run games with Dragons as the rulers, alongside other races? Demigods, yes, horrific demipowers of evil in misty domains, yes, but an actual Dragon? Never seen one in a published setting, and never experienced one personally in someone's homebrew, so - yet another useful idea to add when World-building.

Dungeoncraft article on memorable NPCs - not as useful to me, but there are a few tips worth incorporating in my bag of tricks.

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Now, I must ask: what kinds of articles are useful to you in Dragon? New Prestige Classes? Articles that get as far away from PrC's as possible? New goodies to spring on your players? New roleplaying scenarios? I'm earnestly curious to what kind of articles from past dragons really excites you into picking up a magazine.

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

Dragon Kingdoms - how many of us run games with Dragons as the rulers, alongside other races? Demigods, yes, horrific demipowers of evil in misty domains, yes, but an actual Dragon? Never seen one in a published setting, and never experienced one personally in someone's homebrew, so - yet another useful idea to add when World-building.

Umm, Kyrnn? Dragonlance has dragon overlords. Actually Kyrnn has a lot of dragons. Also Council of Wyrms IS a D&D setting with Dragons living as kings with demi-humans living alongside. It was only 1 box-set, but it IS an offical campaign world (I too picked it up, never have been able to use it).

As for Dragon. I keep buying each issue, bu t I rarely have used anything out of it. Partly because I can't game at home, thus I have to remember to bring that issue with me before I leave for the game. And part because I can't remember where everything is at.

Is there an index for dragon anywhere that breaks it down by PRC, Feat, Spell, Magic Items, etc. That would increase the amount I use Dragon by several hundred percent.

Vraille Darkfang

 

[Menexenus]

Personally, I am opposed to the fixation on "crunchy bits" that a lot of people seem to have. (Nikolai doesn't use that term, but he seems upset that there is "nothing he can use" in Dragon, and that's what I'm responding to here.) For example, I'm sure I'm in the minority when I admit that one of my favorite parts of Dragon are the short stories that are only occasionally included. I, for one, don't have time to read fantasy novels any more. So it's nice to have a short piece of fantasy fiction that can be read and enjoyed in one sitting. In fact, I wish Dragon published short stories *more* frequently. (One per issue would be ideal as far as I'm concerned.)

Let's face it: there are enough "crunchy bits" out there to fill life-times of campaigns. That's not what I buy Dragon for. What I need from a magazine like Dragon is *inspiration* - something to get my creative juices flowing. I certainly don't need more statblocks, monsters, prestige classes, magic items, rulesets, etc, etc, etc. I've got enough of those.

Just my opinion, though...

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

*Shrug*

Some are good reading, some not. I rarely use Dragon material -- I get much more mileage out of Dungeon, myself. YMMV

I'm not of the opinion Dragon needs more fiction, though ...

 

[Wormwood]

Some are good reading, some not. I rarely use Dragon material -- I get much more mileage out of Dungeon, myself. YMMV

Dungeon Magazine is essentially my virtual Core Rulebook 4.

That said, there is *always* something I can use in each issue of Dragon. Even if it's a single magic item or PrC class ability, I find a use for it in my campaign.

Ad for some reason, Dragon has a high re-readability factor. I can pick up a issue 6 months old and discover some new tidbit that would fit my campaign perfectly.

I'm not of the opinion Dragon needs more fiction, though ...

Honestly, I'd prefer never to see another line of fiction in Dragon.

Give me more stat blocks, please.

Crunch makes me tingle.

 

[Henry]

Umm, Kyrnn? Dragonlance has dragon overlords. Actually Kyrnn has a lot of dragons.

If it happened during the SAGA period, I know nothing about it. It doesn't exist to me. If it's something new under the Sovereign Press imprint, I have not yet seen it. All I know is that it IS a rarity among campaign settings, and among the settings I've played in in local games, it has NEVER come up.

Also Council of Wyrms IS a D&D setting with Dragons living as kings with demi-humans living alongside. It was only 1 box-set, but it IS an offical campaign world (I too picked it up, never have been able to use it).

Oh, I know, but I don't count that in quite the same light, as it was more like a "commune" than a kingdom. Everyone was ruled by the Dragon Council, and there were no "Dominions" per se, just the Io's Blood Isles -- and wherever those bloody DragonSlayers came from.

 

[JeffB]

Let's face it: there are enough "crunchy bits" out there to fill life-times of campaigns. That's not what I buy Dragon for. What I need from a magazine like Dragon is *inspiration* - something to get my creative juices flowing. I certainly don't need more statblocks, monsters, prestige classes, magic items, rulesets, etc, etc, etc. I've got enough of those.

Can I get a HALLELUJAH?

Exactly why I dropped my sub the first time. Then I recieved a gift sub, which I never re-upped.

Hopefully Paizo can turn the magazines back into what they once were with their new strategy. It sounds promising, and I always like to give Erik Mona the benefit of the doubt, so I'll be checking them out more throughly in the future.

 

[Treebore]

As someone mentioned earlier, I have no idea how many times I read a Dragon issue and put it aside thinking what a load of junk. Then months or years later I browse through it again and come across a piece of junk that I now think is a jewel.