Note: This review covers only 3.5, Pf, and pan-system material.

If you haven't treated yourself to the newest issue of the ENnie award-winning Kobold Quarterly (or better, yet, a subscription to the small magazine that has only gotten fiercer), now is a good time to do so. There's lots awaiting the fan of 3.5 and Pathfinder gaming in this issue. It's especially apropos for its October release: from the glowing orange charge of death knights that threaten from the cover to the lycanthrope and vampire articles.

There's an interesting new take on dwarves that continues the Wick-ed reexamination of the core fantasy races. Wick takes seriously the development of a real coherence of racial culture that will stoke the imagination of those who value verisimilitude in world-building. The real problems of satisfactorily integrating lycanthrope PCs into the game are tackled with sensitivity by John Ling. The family Connors sinks their teeth into vampires in the ecology article, juicy with research into the historical mythos. The GM roundtable is cluttered with bits of wisdom, and when these fall from the lips of luminaries such as Monte Cook, Bulmahn, and Chief Jacobs, one will want to return to scuttle across the table more than once to search for precious crumbs. Cook returns with a further, empowering meditation on GMing that draws on his rich history with the game. A team of Paizo regulars put together a selection of weapons for monsters that add the kind of distinctiveness I value for making monsters stand out from a blur of abstract opponents. Further articles offer unusual treasure items, a demented city that would offer an unnerving urban setting for a non-drow Underdark adventure, and further fleshing out of the award-winning Zobeck setting. (Blast you Baur! I don't need another great setting. Well...maybe just one more.)

So what was my favorite? It's really hard to choose between Hank Woon's torture article and Marc Radle's spell-less revision of the ranger, and I still don't think I can choose between these two gems. These were the two articles that made me want to play right away. If the ranger is one of your favorite classes, but like me, you've always wanted to tinker with it, and were never completely happy with the place of magic in the class, then this strong re-imagination of the Pathfinder class will call to you with a siren's power—hopefully you will have chosen your favored enemies and terrains wisely. (PDF Only Bonus: contains two addenda pages for your ranger character sheet.) And what GM hasn't experienced the frustration of no crunchy mechanical crackers to support the delicious flavor of PC torture that needs to be spread onto the game on special occasions? This is a case were flavor has been calling out for supporting crunch and Woon gives you what you need to make your players swoon. It's enough to make me forgive him for finding a paying job. These two articles really make #11 stand out as a special issue.

Now to the small stuff: I find the ads and reviews great for keeping me informed about things I would otherwise miss, but the “small” thing that is fiercest for me is Baur's ongoing production of a publication that pulls together such a diverse visual style into a unique, attractive, somehow coherent, look. I love that he continues to bring in new art and old art, color and black-and-white art that feeds the eye, complements the text, and somehow feels right in spite of great diversity among the individual works. How does he bring such heterogeneity together in a way that doesn't disintegrate into hodge-podge? There's got to be a devious kobold secret here that should keep us all checking over our shoulders. I hope that this aspect is always a part of KQ.

Happy gorging on this gaming treat-bag! Tuck in before the hungry ghosts!

Good issue. Best part was the article by Monte Cooke about the Spirit of the rules versus the Letter of the rules... regardless of system. I'd go so far as to say this is required reading for ALL RPG players and GMs. Now add all the OTHER greatness from Pathfinder to 4e and the only thing missing is Savage Worlds content. :)