Why Dragon Magazine?

[pogre]

Greetings,

I have an honest question: Why do you buy Dragon magazine?

I get Dungeon - E. Mona and crew have transformed that magazine into an awesome resource. I know and understand why folks buy Dungeon.

What does Dragon offer? If Dragon is the players' magazine, what does it offer to players that they want/need? Yet more PrCs, feats, core classes, spells, or something else?

This is a genuine question from a guy with an obvious DM-bias here, but I would like to hear your responses.

 

[smootrk]

OotS, and other great pictures.

 

[Glyfair]

If Dragon is the players' magazine, what does it offer to players that they want/need?

I don't think it's the "players' magazine" in the sense that it's not for DMs. It's just that much of the DM specific content has been moved to Dungeon magazine. So Dragon is now the magazine for D&D players (i.e. players & DMs).

Look at the various threads discussing the latest Dragon magazine to see what people like. Some like it for the new feats, magic items, classes, etc. Some like it for the articles such as the Core Beliefs and Demonomicon series. Some like the ties into the Age of Worms series in Dungeon. Some like the comics. Most like some combination of these and the other things it brings.

Me, it varies from issue to issue. I like a little bit of everything.

 

[Hussar]

I don't buy a lot of books. I don't. Dragon supplies me with a stead stream of new goodies every month so I don't HAVE to buy books. I'd rather get the magazine and use 10% of it than get a book and use maybe 5%. If this month isn't good, I'm pretty sure next month will be.

I find, as a DM, that Dragon has tons to offer me. It's a pretty rare month that at least ONE article doesn't see almost immediete use in my game.

 

[Crust]

I'm a Dungeon subscriber. It's an amazing magazine. I have no use for Dragon. Sometimes I'll find an article that I can use in my campaign, and I'll pick up an issue, but most of the time the majority of the magazine is useless to me. There's so much junk in the issues... Silly lists, fiction I'm not interested in, answers to questions that any DM can answer by simply making a decision on his/her own... I find that only 15-20% of the magazine is useful to me, and that's not useful enough.

 

[pogre]

It seems I'm operating under a false assumption that Dragon is the players' magazine.

I went back and looked at one of Gly's Dragon threads. Is it fair to say Dragon is emphasizing more fluff these days? I see background material about upcoming books and published campaign materials are some of folks favorite topics.

 

[Ranger REG]

This is a genuine question from a guy with an obvious DM-bias here, but I would like to hear your responses.

Meh. Even when I'm DMing a game, I have no use for Dung. The only time it was worth picking up is when they briefly hosted Polyhedron d20 magazine issues.

Dragon have good material I wanted for a time. From #315 "Campaing Classics" theme issue, which includes how to use OA for a Kara-Tur setting to #318 "Pirates, Ninja, & Dinosaur" issue that have an 3.5e update article for OA.

 

[Baron Opal]

Because there are articles that appeal to me.

I subscribe to Dungeon because there will be things I can use and I might be able to use everything, in some manner, from a given issue. I occasionally buy Dragon because there is an article that strikes my fancy, but I would rarely be interested in the whole thing. The Demononomicon is one of the main attractions, but the astrology issue, the Far Realm themed issue (with the mind flayer on the cover), and others have things that I could use or at least interest my. I buy about two issues of Dragon a year.

Although, I might buy up to 8 issues in this next year at this rate. I'm seeing a lot of articles that I'm interested in.

 

[Hussar]

Silly lists, fiction I'm not interested in, answers to questions that any DM can answer by simply making a decision on his/her own... I find that only 15-20% of the magazine is useful to me, and that's not useful enough.

A question.

How much of a given Dungeon magazine do you use? And do you play in the Adventure Path modules?

 

[delericho]

Honestly?

I buy Dragon magazine as a light and interesting read. None of it ever sees use at my game table (although the Demonomicon articles serve as adventure-generators, and the Core Beliefs articles will influence my next character if I ever play again in a 'standard' D&D game).

Mostly, though, I read Dragon through because it's an enjoyable way to spend a few hours, and because at the moment it's the closest I get to a gaming fix. (No gaming group, and no internet at home )

By contrast, I buy Dungeon to use - I don't enjoy reading it as much, but I have used the Shackled City adventure path and several other adventures, I fully intend to run Age of Worms if and when I put together a new group, and the rest of the magazine influences my thinking on how campaigns, adventures and encounters should be constructed. (And then there's Dungeoncraft, which seems to be heading somewhat towards more advanced topics now, which is definately a good thing for me.)