ISSUE 373 | MARCH 2009 A Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Game Supplement TM Contents FEATURES 5 ART OF THE KILL By Robert J. Schwalb 24 Assassins lurk around every corner in some games. Now learn how your character can master the art of the silent kill himself. 24 PARTY BUILDING 101 By Robert J. Schwalb With Player’s Handbook 2 on shelves this month, it’s time to re- examine party composition, and see what your group really needs. 35 35 CODEX OF BETRAYAL: THE BUTCHER OF NESSUS By Ari Marmell This article details the archdevil Alloces, creator of some of the Nine Hells most hideous—and useful—monstrous creations. 45 BESTIARY: MONSTERS OF ALLOCES By Ari Marmell 45 The companion to this issue’s Codex of Betrayal features new monsters created by the archdevil Alloces to supplement the armies of the Nine Hells. 53 COLUMNS 4 EDITORIAL 53 EcOLOGY OF THE SHARN By Brian R. James 62 DESIGN & DEVELOpmENT: RACES This classic monster of the Realms gets new treatment By James Wyatt as a monster for any D&D campaign, as well as D&D’s newest race from Player’s Handbook 2, is unveiled updates on the activities of sharn in the Forgotten and discussed in detail. Realms. 66 DESIGN & DEVELOpmENT: PRIMAL POWER By Mike Mearls and James Wyatt Mike, James and other members of RPG R&D discuss the primal power source. 70 CONFESSIONS OF A FULL-TIME WIZARD By Shelly Mazzanoble Shelly continues her quest to become D&D’s first player representative 75 D&D ALUMNI ON THE COVER By Bart Carroll and Steve Winter Illustration by Jason A. Engle A look back at D&D through past editions. 78 RPGA REPORT By Chris Tulach The Living FR campaign is in full swing. Learn more about how to get involved! 81 AmpERSAND By Bill Slavicsek Bill previews another upcoming release, and discusses more of the changes in store for D&D in 2009. 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For more Dungeons & Dragons articles, adventures, and information, visit www.wizards. com/dnd TM editorial 373 DRAGON March 2009 March of the Editor-in-Chief Chris Youngs Senior Art Director Jon Schindehette Monsters Web Specialist Chris Sims 18 Fortitude save or take 2d8 points of Strength damage. The save Web Production Bart Carroll, Steve Winter For her latest Confessions of a Full-Time Wizard DC is Constitution-based. column, Shelly Mazzanoble interviewed several mem- They are hideous creatures that lurk in the deep caverns of the Graphic Design Bob Jordan, Breanne Miller bers of R&D. Her takeaway, in part, was a realization world. Again, once hit, players were forced to recalculate their Contributing Authors Bart Carroll, Ed Greenwood, of just how long folks in R&D have been playing Dun- Strength scores and all dice modifiers dependent on Ari Marmell, Shelly Mazzanoble, geons & Dragons. In many cases, it’s been decades. These cigar-shaped monsters can stand upright in order to Strength—on the fly. In my opinion, that’s the true damage Robert J. Schwalb, Matthew I share that longevity, extending back to 2nd grade. resemble a pillar or stalagmite or flatten themselves at full caused by a 3rd Edition roper: frustration around the table. Sernett, Chris Sims,Bill For me, few things are as satisfying s flipping through length upon the floor so as to look like nothing more than a And heaven help you if, after re-calculating your Strength Slavicsek, Chris Tulach, Steve the pages of a 1st Edition Monster Manual. Of course, hump. once, the roper then hits you with a second strand. The Winter, James Wyatt nostalgia reigns supreme. This is the edition I started last thing any DM wants is for the table to grind to a halt playing, so the illustrations have always resonated How long did it take you to guess that these descrip- as rules need to be arbitrated and recalculations made. Developers Stephen Radney-MacFarland, with me, long after the mechanics themselves are a tions were referencing a roper? Correction: The last thing any DM wants is for the table Peter Schaefer, Stephen Schubert, distant memory. Back in 1st Edition, here’s how the mechanics of to grind to a halt for any reason. Left with this, it may have Rodney Thompson A few years back, a few of us started a 0-edition the roper played out: been easier to simply not use ropers in an encounter in lieu Editors Miranda Horner campaign to break out the original pamphlet rule- of other monsters. Cover Artist Jason A. Engle books and see how the game first played… with no The roper has six strands of strong, sticky rope-like excretion So, how did the roper play out in our recent 4th Edition small measure of difficulty and confusion, I recall. which it can shoot from 2”-5”. A hit causes weakness (50% session? It beat the stuffing out of our party, actually. It Contributing Artists John Christopher, Howard Lyon, Despite setbacks, a few (including Steve Winter) have from strength in 1-3 melee rounds), and the roper then draws grabbed us, weakened us, drew us closer and bit us. It did James Zhang, Ryan Barger, continued the campaign. I participated in a recent 1st its prey into its toothy maw where it is quickly devoured. The everything a roper was always designed to do, and it did Eva Widermann Edition campaign, run by folks who share fond memo- chance for breaking a strand is the same for opening a door, so without grinding down the game. I hadn’t faced a roper Web Development Mark A. Jindra ries of those immortal black-and-white rulebooks. But but every round the roper will drag the victim 10’ closer. They since my earliest days of 1st Edition, and I loved it. while it’s always fun to get together with friends and are unaffected by lightning, take half damage at most from My sincere belief is that 4th Edition allows monsters to D&D Creative Manager Christopher Perkins roll some dice, playing earlier editions of the game cold, but are very susceptible to fire (-4 on saving throw). be played more easily than ever before—without sacrific- Executive Producer, also brought back memories of their rules issues. ing their core concepts. I’ve experienced this in multiple D&D Insider Ken Troop Of course, I now also play and DM 4th Edition cam- Good lord. Strength damage occurring over time? 4th Edition games, as “classic” monsters hit the table and Director of RPG R&D Bill Slavicsek paigns. In one recent session, we faced a creature Then it drags its prey? And you can break a strand, but played true to their concept: ropers, stirges, bulletes. Even, going back to the game’s earliest days. Let’s see if you it still drags you closer? The roper is certainly a classic or perhaps especially, dragons. I’ve never had the privilege can guess what it is from its description through the monster, but mechanically… what exactly is happening of facing the tactical nightmare that is the beholder, but I Special Thanks editions: here, and when? can’t help but believe they too play better than ever at the table. Richard Baker, Greg Bilsland, Logan Bonner, Michele Carter, Jennifer These yellowish-gray monsters appear to be a mass of foul In 3rd Edition, the roper’s strands were codified as I think we always knew these classic monsters would Clarke Wilkes, Andy Collins, Bruce R. Cordell, Jeremy Crawford, Rob Heinsoo, Peter Lee, Julia Martin, Mike Mearls, Kim Mohan, David corruption. follows: remain in the game, appearing in 4th Edition’s Monster Noonan, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Peter Schaefer, Stephen Manuals. To no small extent, they had to remain. It’s just Schubert, Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson, Rob Watkins, James Wyatt They are altogether evil and far more intelligent than most Weakness (Ex): A roper’s strands can sap an opponent’s especially satisfying to see them back at the table as well. people would judge by their appearance. strength. Anyone grabbed by a strand must succeed on a DC So what are your favorite monsters from past editions that Art of the Kill By Robert J. Schwalb illustrations by Jason A. Engle, John Tyler Christopher Oblivious to the fact he was dead, the noble sucked grapes from the stem and rested his feet on the back of a slave. His killer, Rook, stood unseen in shadows cast by an overhanging balcony. The bolt that would soon nest in the noble’s neck sat in the hand crossbow held in Rook’s firm grip, its black shaft green with venom. Rook didn’t move, and his target remained blissfully un- Oaware that in a moment Rook would quench his life’s flame with all the concern of a lamplighter snuffing a streetlight at dawn.