It's been a while since I let my subscription to Dragon lapse as the only thing I was finding interesting month after month was the class acts section and Wormfood but I picked up a copy at Barn's and Nobles today and was impressed.
So, I am curious how common some of these things are...
Core Beliefs, is this a regular column? I was very impressed with it.
Forgotten Realms Kingdoms / City write ups.
Ecology of X articles
Class acts - these seemed to have been reduced... I am sure they are supposed to say SOMETHING in grey on the sides of the pages, but I often can't tell what... I can make out Arcane on one and Warrior on another, but I can't tell what the others are... what's up here?
The addition of Order of the Stick marks the first time I have thought a cartoon page worth it in the magazine.
Anyway, let me know. I am interested in perhaps subscribing again but was curious about the above.
Sean Mahoney
In my opinion, Dragon is as good as I've ever seen it (I've been a reader on and off since about #150).
Core Beliefs is one of three semi-regular features that Dragon runs. There have been three so far, and they seem to appear every 4 months or so.
The other two semi-regular features are the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv" (which does extensive write-ups of demon lords, are about the same length as the Core Beliefs articles, and are generally excellent - oh, and they're written by James Jacobs), and the Creature Collection (I think that's its name, anyway. It's a bestiary of about a dozen creatures. I'm less keen on these, since I have enough monsters now, but it also seems to appear less often than the other articles).
There has recently been an extensive article detailing an entire Forgotten Realms kingdom... if something like this were to become a semi-regular feature I would certainly not complain. (Though, so far, there has only been the one.)
There is an Ecology article in every issue. They tend to be excellent.
The Class Acts has been changed from 1 page on each of the 11 core classes to 2 pages on each of the four class groups (Warrior, Arcane, Divine, Adventurer), with occasional support for the non-core classes (Scout, Favoured Soul, etc), and occasional support for Psionics (and, with luck, Incarnum).
As I said, I really like where Dragon is right now, and I've just added 3 years to my subscription. So, yes, I recommend subscribing.
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An addendum to your class act question:
The number of class pages was reduced due to the "complete series" of WotC and the increasing number of base classes. The four parts are labeled according to the complete books (and hopefully won't increase in number with each new complete book...).
According to a different thread on this message board non-core classes will stay part of the class acts. For more details have a look here:
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/dragon/articleRequests/classActsTheNew WorldOrder
Greetings,
Günther
P.S.
Lately I was leaning more heavily towards Dungeon, too. After all the interesting DM part of Dragon had been moved there. Lately I felt more and more intrigued by the way Dragon is taking: more depth instead of more width. A very enjoyable approach, especially in comparision to WotC's latest product policy which causes an ever increasing burden of supplement rules to hang over every DM (who tolerates them, see according threads).
P.P.S.
Funny thing with american subscriptions: in Europe subscription prolongs automatically until you cancel subscription. I am aware of the fact that this "american way of subscribing" puts more stress on Paizo. But the result surely is worth the effort.
Lately I was leaning more heavily towards Dungeon, too.
Dungeon is excellent too, of course. In fact, if I absolutely had to choose between the magazines, I would go with Dungeon (can't beat those Adventure Paths). But it's nice to not have to choose :-)
Agreed. Dungeon has remained exceptional, though I find that I am surprisingly not as excited about it when there is not an AP running. That is not to harp on the quality of the other adventures, but a single adventure just compare with the depth of an AP... just like a single page adventure couldn't compare with a normal adventure.
Is there going to be a new series in Dragon, similar to Wormfood, support Savage Tide?
Sean Mahoney
The four parts are labeled according to the complete books (and hopefully won't increase in number with each new complete book...).
Well, I've seen at least one "Psionic" Class Act, so I think we're actually up to five categories.
I'm hoping that we won't see "Mage", "Champion", and "Scoundrel" (the next three "Complete" books), since those are going further into territory covered by "Arcane", "Divine" and "Adventurer"...
Contributor
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Well, I've seen at least one "Psionic" Class Act, so I think we're actually up to five categories.
Five archetypes, five categories. Since psionics is an irregular archetype that isn't used in most campaigns, the Psionic Class Act is an irregular article that isn't run in most issues. But oh how I'd love the page count to get to run it as a true fifth Class Act once in a while, rather than trading it out for Arcane.
I'm hoping that we won't see "Mage", "Champion", and "Scoundrel" (the next three "Complete" books), since those are going further into territory covered by "Arcane", "Divine" and "Adventurer"...
Oh my no! Not as long as I'm with the magazine! There are four classic archetypes in fantasy adventure gaming, and those four are covered succinctly with Adventurer, Arcane, Divine, and Warrior. All other Complete books merely support those four archetypes.
The problem is what category would Tome of Battle fall under?
I guess Warrior. BTW, Tome of Battle is truly awesome, I just feel there was a lack of material. I have been rough drafting a design on about over 20 new martial maneuvers.
Ohh...sounds like a good Dragon Magazine query I can send in...hmmm.... :D
In my opinion, Dragon is as good as I've ever seen it (I've been a reader on and off since about #150).
Agreed. I subscribed for the first time ever, back in January.
Core Beliefs is one of three semi-regular features that Dragon runs. There have been three so far, and they seem to appear every 4 months or so.
Might I just say that I love Core Beliefs? Maybe it's just because I don't get to play D&D as often as I'd like, but I've always wanted to see more exploration of the relationship between deities and their followers, plus all the good fluffy stuff (holy days, aphorisms, relics, etc.) If Faiths of Eberron is anywhere as good as the Core Beliefs articles, I'll be a happy man.
There is an Ecology article in every issue. They tend to be excellent.
I appreciate the sidebar with the various DCs for Knowledge checks. I think it helps set a good guideline for similar Knowledge checks.
The Class Acts has been changed from 1 page on each of the 11 core classes to 2 pages on each of the four class groups (Warrior, Arcane, Divine, Adventurer), with occasional support for the non-core classes (Scout, Favoured Soul, etc), and occasional support for Psionics (and, with luck, Incarnum).
Well, except for Mike's comment that he'd like to see the page count grow to where he can have more 2-page Class Acts, I would be slightly disappointed to see an Incarnum CA only because it would mean skipping one of the core CAs.
For a time, Dragon did too much Prestige Classes and other rule additions for my taste. But now, the Core Beliefs and the Demonomicon articles just hit the right chord with me - they are useful to the game without requiring a whole bunch of new crunch. The ecology articles are similar in that they add depth to the game instead of breadth.
I´d rather have Dragon cover the known but to date cursory explored details of the game in depth than broadening the game further and further, and at the moment, the Dragon staff is doing a very good job.
So, I happily resubscribed just a few days ago and can from my point of view only recommend it.
Stefan
Since psionics is an irregular archetype that isn't used in most campaigns...
WHA! ::froth, gurgle, gurgle, sputter, faint, come to, stand back up:: But... that's unpossible. I want to know where these campaigns are right now so I can straighten them out -- to help them open their third eye. I just refuse to believe that hte numbers are as high as "most" Mike. ^_^
But oh how I'd love the page count to get to run it as a true fifth Class Act...
And what a glorius day it shall be. As we flitter around in our hover-cars we'll wonder how we could have ever been so blind. The world will be happy again! ^_^
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Since psionics is an irregular archetype that isn't used in most campaigns...
WHA! ::froth, gurgle, gurgle, sputter, faint, come to, stand back up:: But... that's unpossible. I want to know where these campaigns are right now so I can straighten them out -- to help them open their third eye. I just refuse to believe that hte numbers are as high as "most" Mike. ^_^
But oh how I'd love the page count to get to run it as a true fifth Class Act...And what a glorius day it shall be. As we flitter around in our hover-cars we'll wonder how we could have ever been so blind. The world will be happy again! ^_^
Sorry deClench, but I'm afraid he's right. More often than not psionics gets treated like the bastard step-child of D&D. I'm with you in wishing it otherwise. Personally, I think its essential if you ever want a campaign that features Mind Flayers, Githyanki, and Githzerai.
Well, except for Mike's comment that he'd like to see the page count grow to where he can have more 2-page Class Acts, I would be slightly disappointed to see an Incarnum CA only because it would mean skipping one of the core CAs.
I don't think an incarnum flavored CA would mean one of the CAs gets skipped; more likely, it means Mike received an awesome article about incarnum from somebody and ran it in one of the existing slots. So rather than swapping out "Complete Arcane" for "Complete Incarnum," you'd have an Incarnum themed Complete Arcane (or whatever) article.
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Contributor
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I don't think an incarnum flavored CA would mean one of the CAs gets skipped; more likely, it means Mike received an awesome article about incarnum from somebody and ran it in one of the existing slots. So rather than swapping out "Complete Arcane" for "Complete Incarnum," you'd have an Incarnum themed Complete Arcane (or whatever) article.
That's right. :)
I never get tired of hearing that. :D
Sorry deClench, but I'm afraid he's right. More often than not psionics gets treated like the bastard step-child of D&D. I'm with you in wishing it otherwise. Personally, I think its essential if you ever want a campaign that features Mind Flayers, Githyanki, and Githzerai.
Sadly, you're right. Further, I think psionics will always be a poor cousin to magic as long as it's relegated to a supplement, and not present in the core rulebooks. It just doesn't feel properly integrated into the whole at the moment (and, crucially for me, isn't part of Dungeon's Adventure Paths), so will never be as recognised.
And I don't expect to see Psionics being rolled into the core any time in the next few editions. Although I might be wrong.
Sorry deClench, but I'm afraid he's right. More often than not psionics gets treated like the bastard step-child of D&D. I'm with you in wishing it otherwise. Personally, I think its essential if you ever want a campaign that features Mind Flayers, Githyanki, and Githzerai.Sadly, you're right. Further, I think psionics will always be a poor cousin to magic as long as it's relegated to a supplement, and not present in the core rulebooks. It just doesn't feel properly integrated into the whole at the moment (and, crucially for me, isn't part of Dungeon's Adventure Paths), so will never be as recognised.
And I don't expect to see Psionics being rolled into the core any time in the next few editions. Although I might be wrong.
La la la la, I'm not listening. I can't HEAR you guys.