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Gladiators, Enter the Arena!

Players Take on Paizo in Gladiatorial Challenge

DUNGEON^® and DRAGON^® Magazines unveil new tools for gladiatorial campaigns and scenarios when the two publications go on sale in mid-December of this year. DRAGON #303 will introduce intriguing new rules for gladiatorial combat, and DUNGEON #96 will feature a fascinating adventure built around the mysterious events that take place in a major combat arena.

Exciting news to be sure, but the biggest news for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS^® players is that they will be able to enter the arena themselves and challenge the staff of Paizo Publishing™ to gladiatorial combat.

Starting in early January, Paizo will publish the statistics of gladiators competing in their in-house campaign at paizo.com along with rules for posting custom characters to the site. These posted characters will be assigned to a team of gladiators, who will challenge Paizo’s staff team in the weekly lunchtime campaign run by DRAGON Magazine Editor Jesse Decker.

“Although the gladiator archetype has been part of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS for years, there’s never been an easier way to bring the action of the arena to your campaign,” said Decker. “Plus, it’s never been easier to kick the tar out of the editors’ characters.”

When readers’ characters do well, they and their creators will be recognized in DRAGON and DUNGEON Magazines. Entrants could be eligible to win miniatures, d20 products, or magazine subscriptions for demonstrating their prowess.

“The latest rules provide a fantastic framework for new and existing campaigns alike. Plus, the adventure in DUNGEON #96, ‘Pandemonium in the Veins,’ gives would-be gladiators a real run for their money,” said DUNGEON Editor Chris Thomasson. “And no one’s kicking the tar out my character.”

DRAGON and DUNGEON staff members will also run live tournaments at the Paizo Publishing booths at Origins™ and GEN CON^® game conventions in 2003. Players who run their gladiator characters live against Paizo’s editors and staffers could win prizes, and maybe even better, recognition.

“We want every issue of the magazines to be an event, but we love this arena concept,” said Johnny Wilson, President of Paizo Publishing. “The event will continue throughout 2003. The combination of crossover material in DRAGON and DUNGEON, combined with online and convention participation will be a challenge, and great fun for everyone.”

Paizo Publishing™ LLC is the publisher of DRAGON^®, DUNGEON^®, and POLYHEDRON^® magazines under license from Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Paizo directs the Official Star Wars Fan Club™ and publishes Star Wars Insider™ magazine under license from Lucasfilm, Ltd. Headed by fans for fans, Paizo looks to add new aspects of fun and innovation to the industry, while maintaining and improving on their high quality standards of excellence in content.
Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), is the worldwide market share leader in the trading card game and tabletop roleplaying game categories. A leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products, the company holds an exclusive patent on the method of playing trading card games (TCGs) and produces the world’s best-selling Pokémon^® and Magic: The Gathering^® TCGs. Wizards of the Coasts also one of the world’s premier book publishers of fantasy series fiction. Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo.
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