Dragon Magazine #225
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Finally (Whew!) ell, it was a long time in the making, but you Rogue’s Gallery” on the envelope.) are holding in your hands the new DRAGON® If you look at DragonMirth, you will notice that we have Magazine. ended “Yamara” and will be ending “Libram X” (next month we We have listened to your suggestions. Some of them were will run the final installment), and we started “Floyd” a bit early insightful, some were downright brilliant. And others were, to give you a taste. We’re also pleased to announce that DRAGON well... just imaginative. We made a mockup of the perfect Magazine now has Jolly Blackburn’s gamer comic “Knights of the DRAGON Magazine, incorporating every change and proposal. Dinner Table,” which originally ran in Shadis. “Knights” will begin No one could lift it. running in February with all new material. New comic features After more trial and error, we came up with what you hold may appear over time, as well. now. It will be a couple of months before our miniatures depart- The cosmetic change you will notice right away. The cover ment reappears. We’re trying to broaden the way we look at probably surprised you. Since we’ve gone to polybagging our miniatures and are still fine-tuning that section. magazine to help keep it pristine, we need cover blurbs to tell Readers tell us they enjoy our reviews, so book and game you what’s inside; but opposite this editorial, for your pleasure, reviews will have a home here every month. We will place a is the original Jeff Easley painting that graces our cover. moratorium on computer reviews per se, however. There are The internal changes you will notice, but it may take a few other magazines out there that can focus on computer games months for the real flavor to sink in, as not all of the changes we better than we can. Have no fear, however, that we will fail to are making will be visible right away. For starters, we have tell you about interesting developments with computer role- added several new departments and done away with a few. playing games and computer gaming aids. One of the new departments we’ve added is Campaign The focus of the magazine itself is tighter, too. Expect more Classics. In this department, we will present material for one or articles to tie more closely to the theme of each individual another of TSR’s various discontinued worlds. We want those of issues. On the other hand, we will have other material off the you who have bought our products to know that we appreciate theme topic for those who want more; we want everyone to be and haven’t abandoned you. This month concerns magical tomes able to appreciate each issue. from the WORLD OF GREYHAWK®. Next month it is about Zakhara, We are returning DRAGON Magazine to its roots as not only the from AL-QADIM®. We may go SpellJamming; we may have some premier magazine in the gaming industry but the most impor- Oriental Adventures; we may even travel in time to yesterday’s Wild tant magazine for gamers. DRAGON Magazine remains the source West (BOOT HILL®), the Cold War’s KGB headquarters in Moscow for players of the AD&D® game, the most popular role-playing (TOP SECRET®), or a post-apocalyptic Philadelphia (GAMMA WORLD®). It system ever. Every issue will have articles or features you can all depends on what you want to see. take right to your gaming table and use. We intend DRAGON We have also added a new Rogue’s Gallery. Each month we Magazine to be the single most indespensible aid for gamers will present one gaming character for use in your campaigns as after the basic books themselves. a nonplayer character. Do you have a favorite you’ve been Are we dropping articles on other game companies’ prod- working with for a while? Send it in with a character sketch, ucts? No; we’ll still present something if it has a gaming slant we TSR’s standard disclosure, form and who knows? Your favorite think our readers want. There aren’t that many real role-playing elven mage may just end up in the gaming magazines out there, after all. ‘Gallery. (Remember to put “attention: Continued on page 7 Publisher Associate Publisher Editor-in-Chief Editor Art Director TSR, Inc. Brian Thomsen Pierce Watters Anthony J Bryant Larry W. Smith Associate Editor Associate Editor Subscriptions U.S. Advertising U.K.Correspondent/Advertising Dave Gross Michelle Vuckovich Janet L. Winters Cindy Rick Carolyn Wildman Printed in the USA DRAGON #225 3 January 1996 Volume XX, No. 8 Issue #225 Skills & Powers in Eight Easy Steps John D. Rateliff and Skip Williams Following this simple step-by-step how-to, you can design unique player characters using the new PLAYERS OPTION: Skills & Powers book. Page 11 Secret Origins and Motivations of Player Characters Fraser Sherman A little skeleton in the closet never hurt anyone. Sometimes it gives a whole new spin to the way your PC views the world, and the way the world views your PC. Page 18 Caste of Characters Michael A. Selinker The Indian subcontinent comes alive with new PC and NPC kits;from paladin-like Kshatrias to ascetic Yogis, it’s a// here. Page 22 I’m Okay, You’re One-Dimensional David Clarke Having trouble coming up with a clear personality for your PCs? Look no further than the nearest TV screen. Page 36 Back in the Saddle (Again) Clayton R. Beal Why is mining a Wisdom-based skill? Time for a fresh look at how we handle nonweapon proficiencies. Page 44 4 JANUARY 1996 Columns 3 ...................... The Wyrm’s Turn Introducing the new improved DRAGON® Campaign Classics: Magazine: gets your teeth whiter and brighter and leaves your breath smelling Three Greyhawk Grimoires minty fresh. Robert S. Mullin 6 Learn about the spellbooks of the most feared mages of Oerth: . D-Mail Vecna, Iggwilv, and Acererak. Readers’ letters on writing for TSR, the Page 49 value of o/d DRAGONS, auto trade-ins, etc. 42 . RPGA® Network News Rogue’s Gallery: D’Naleri Network coordinator Scott Douglas Robert Martin explains the LIVING CITY™ Campaign. Meet D’Naleri, a 9th-level elven fighter/mage. Behave well; 57 for even though he is in self-imposed exile, the blood of . .. Cons & Pros elven kings flows in his veins. We let you know where the conventions Page 69 are and who’s going to be there. 73 . Forum Dungeon Mastety: What To Do Letters this month include discussions on dual-classed characters and advice for When Your Party Wants To Split Up harried DMs. Paul Culotta Next time your pluyers want to go off in different directions, 81 . Sage Advice try this little trick to keep things interesting. Skip Williams answers questions on AD&D® game spell powers and their limi- Page 84 tations. 89 . Role-playing Reviews Rick Swan plays some simple games. 110 . Role of Books 76 DRAGON DICE John C. Bunnell reads the newest novels. Tournament Rules 120 . The Current Clack Here they are: the official Floor Rules for A//en Varney looks at the gaming industry DRAGON DICE tournaments. Complete and tells you what he sees. with record sheets! 104 Other Material The Changing® Faces Of DRAGON Magazine A retrospective of the past designs of 100 . DragonMirth ® DRAGON Magazine. 102 . Gamer’s Guide 115 . Floyd Kindling ® (DRAGONLANCE : Tales of the Fifth Age) Jean Rabe It has been two years since Krynn felt the Dragons of Summer Flame. Things were just starting to return to normal, when Ansalon’s newest and most terrifying foe appeared. Page 60 DRAGON #225 5 played in games with similar numbers; For the record, no, we won’t print “I want you’re right, it can get hectic. to sell my DRAGONS ads. This is a one-time Are you playing with 11 people or are public service, to let you know that there are some of you doing two characters each? dealers who will zap you given a chance. You (That’s the way we do it in my campaigns; have to shop around. that way, if someone’s PC dies, they’re still able to play out the game.) There are plenty of possibilities, but you have to recognize that even the best DM can Writing for TSR get a brain lockup trying to keep track of 11 PCs. You didn’t mention NPCs or henchmen; Dear Dragon, we ignore them in my campaigns, too. I want to write a novel for TSR, Inc. If you like serious dungeon-type adven- What should I do to get it published? And tures, I’d recommend our newly released why is the letters’ mailing address the Night Below. It could keep you busy for a same as for R.A. Salvatore’s fan mail? We Want Drizzt! long time. I’m planning on using it. Good Nathan Lind luck! Arkansas City, Kansas I’d recommend that you not take the dog Dear Dragon, in the dungeon with you; barks can echo in We were wondering if you know if Actually, R.A. Salvatore’s fan mail is sent ways you don’t want. I don’t know what to R.A. Salvatore intends to write another to us at TSR and we forward it on to him. tell you about the raccoon, though... Drizzt Do’Urden novel. We are avid read- This helps protect his privacy. ers of this series, and it would kill us to As for writing a novel for TSR, I wish I think that there won’t be another one, could say its easy, but it’s not.