Favourite Stuff from Dragon Magazine?

[Tibbaerrohwen]

I've been a longtime fan of Dragon Magazine and always thought that a good deal of their content was fun to play and helpful in developing characters and worlds to play in. Back when I first started playing D&D a friend of mine gave be a binder with some photocopied pages from issue with content I loved. I'm interested in hearing from the playground. What were your favourite things from Dragon Magazine.

Personally, I loved the Tainted PrCs (#302) and the Paragensi (#297). When it came to building characters, I found the variant Fighters (#310) very useful and fun, though I never had the chance to read the issue. Recently I've fallen in love with the Totem Druid (#335) and that secret order of druid that I can't remember what their called from #332.

What were/are some of your favourite things from Dragon Magazine?

[Coidzor]

Mystic Ranger is pretty nifty. Can never remember the Dragon Magazine for it though. Give it a casting progression at least slightly more similar to Bard or Adept and it's basically how I feel Paladin/Ranger/Hexblade's spellcasting should've been in the first place.

The Chicken Infested Commoner Flaw is just great, because of the lulz it has produced over the years. Mission Accomplished, April Fools Joke Writer.

[Yael]

Faerie Mysteries Initiate. Just... Wow.

Tibbit race, pls... Love cats, gotta love these.

[cosmonuts]

This one's really well-known at this point, but eidetic spellcaster is the best.

I vaguely remember a flying vehicle called the dragonfly longship. It sounded pretty cool. Never got to play around with one. It flew pretty fast.

[WhamBamSam]

There are a bunch of cool dragon types in the various magazines. There's also the Ravening Dragon Psychosis in Dragon 313. I don't really like most of the Psychoses (they're either banworthy or just uninteresting), but breathing for three straight rounds with all the metabreath you want is pretty cool so long as you houserule around the fact that it allows as many Quickened Breaths per round as you have free actions.

Some of the Fighter variants (targeteer, exorcist) are kinda cool.

Martial Monk feels like going over to the dark side, but its a very tempting siren song when engaging in melee optimization.

Fairy Mysteries Initiate is indeed pretty great. Keen Intellect is also not bad.

Dragon Compendium has some good stuff too. Kung Fu Genius and Serenity are godsends for Monks and Paladins, and Lupins and Tibbits are nifty races.

[Gildedragon]

The mundane weapon modifications are really cool. I love the idea of upgrading one's gear mundanely, not only through magic.

[Coidzor]

The mundane weapon modifications are really cool. I love the idea of upgrading one's gear mundanely, not only through magic.

They are pretty nifty as a foundation, but when I looked at them I was left wanting more. Which I guess in a way shows their goodness as far as inspiration for further materials. Or something.

[AuraTwilight]

A player of mind is really in love with the Harbinger from 337. It's exactly like a bard except all the bardic songs are inverted into being penalties on the opponents instead of bonuses on their allies.

[Ruethgar]

Top four are 302 Cantrips and Side Effects, 305 Mini Cleric feats, 357 Plant Companion, and the Purple Dragon, but the magical side effects take the cake.

[Phelix-Mu]

A quick list:

- Kung-Fu Genius: For all of your non-Carmendine Monk, Int-based monk needs.

- Extra Familiar/[that one that lets you share spells up to one mile]: For a more familiar-based arcane caster concept, which is always an archetype that I thought was a bit glossed over.

- Imbue Staff: A nice, non-Christmas Tree Effect way to have your wizard have a pretty cool staff. Also had some interesting feats in a tree beyond Imbue Staff.

- Master of the X Wind: A set of proper monk-based, caster-progressing classes.

- Heartfire Fanner: Something I never really got a chance to try, but if I can get a game where this stuff is allowed (and in which I am actually a player), then this will probably be my next support-character experiment.

- Deadeye Shot: The real question is why wasn't this available in core....

- Dragon Compendium Classes & PrCs: A bunch of these have some really interesting concepts (Savant, Mountebanke, Cerebremancer, that Flux thing) with some interesting fluff, but rather fail to deliver a suitable mechanic. One day, I am going to take a hatchet to Mountebank, cause there is definitely an interesting concept buried in all that twaddle. ( The Word of the Day, class, is "TWADDLE".)

- Some pretty interesting templates (several of which were reproduced for Dragon Compendium), which are great for npcs and adding some variety to the world (even if I don't much care for the heavy use of the +0 ones as an optimization tool...few too many unseelie fey things out there, lol).

[Alleran]

I'm a fan of Eidetic Spellcaster.

[Seer_of_Heart]

The theurgic spellcasting feats from dragon 325. Combined with knight of the weave CL can be cranked up super easily.

[Darrin]

Here's my list from an older thread of Essential Issues of Dragon Magazine (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12640978).

Dragon #289: Playful Phoenix Fist (Random Name Generator for Martial Arts Moves)
Dragon #291: Arcane Gnomes (UMD always a class skill), Fox familiar, Bracers of Wands
Dragon #294: Ready-Drink Helm
Dragon #302: A Clutch of Cantrips
Dragon #304: Unseelie Fey template, Awaken Ooze spell
Dragon #305: God-Touched + Divine Channeler feats = Turn Undead 1/day.
Dragon #306: Magic-Blooded/Arctic templates, Talisman of Adaptation
Dragon #310: Variant Fighters, Variant Monks (Martial/Holy), Variant Paladins
Dragon #311: Variant Clerics, Variant Druids, Green Whisperer, Battle Howler of Gruumsh
Dragon #312: Variant Antipaladins, Variant Necromancers
Dragon #313: Half-Minotaur/Half-Ogre templates, Dragon Psychoses templates (Riddles/Spellhoarding)
Dragon #314: Masters of the Four Winds, Heartfire Fanner, Fire-Souled template (LA is +3, not +1)
Dragon #315: Tortle race
Dragon #318: Oriental Adventures 3.5 update, dinosaur familiars/animal companions
Dragon #319: Troll-Blooded feat, various Animal Shen, Kung Fu Genius
Dragon #320: Metallic Dragon PC races, Warcraft III races (Techno Gnomes, Complacent Humans)
Dragon #321: Glimmerfolk
Dragon #323: Chocobo animal companions/mounts, Specialist familiars (Hummingbird)
Dragon #324: Grippli race, Wild Defender variant Ranger (Paladin/Ranger mashup starts with 1st level spells), Wild Monk variant
Dragon #325: Easy Metamagic feat, Theurgic Bond
Dragon #326: Monstrous Animal Companion/Savage Empathy, Cantrips/Orisons, Flexible Mind feat, Optional Ranger Combat Styles
Dragon #327: Sorcerer Flaws (Loner)
Dragon #328: Saurian Shifter race, Paladin domains
Dragon #329: Swarm familiars
Dragon #330: Flaws for Commoners (Chicken-Infested)
Dragon #332: Chromatic Dragon PC races, Dderwydd Chmdeithas Initiate feat
Dragon #333: Elusive Dance feat, Knowstones, Forlorn flaw
Dragon #335: Chaos Monk, Aquatic Fey bloodline
Dragon #336: Mystic Ranger
Dragon #349: City Brawler Barbarian variant
Dragon #350: Totemist soulmelds, Ranged Threat feat
Dragon #355: Garrot/Strangulation rules, Armored Savant Fighter ACF
Dragon #358: Master's Forge (new qualities for weapons/armor), Eldritch Claws

[Tibbaerrohwen]

A player of mind is really in love with the Harbinger from 337. It's exactly like a bard except all the bardic songs are inverted into being penalties on the opponents instead of bonuses on their allies.

I loved this idea, but I believe they all over saves, which annoyed me, because it nerfs the bard...more.



The mundane weapon modifications are really cool. I love the idea of upgrading one's gear mundanely, not only through magic.

I've never heard of this before. Any chance you recall which issue this is from? I may to searching to see if I can find it.


Here's my list from an older thread of Essential Issues of Dragon Magazine (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12640978).

Dragon #289: Playful Phoenix Fist (Random Name Generator for Martial Arts Moves)
Dragon #291: Arcane Gnomes (UMD always a class skill), Fox familiar, Bracers of Wands
Dragon #294: Ready-Drink Helm
Dragon #302: A Clutch of Cantrips
Dragon #304: Unseelie Fey template, Awaken Ooze spell
Dragon #305: God-Touched + Divine Channeler feats = Turn Undead 1/day.
Dragon #306: Magic-Blooded/Arctic templates, Talisman of Adaptation
Dragon #310: Variant Fighters, Variant Monks (Martial/Holy), Variant Paladins
Dragon #311: Variant Clerics, Variant Druids, Green Whisperer, Battle Howler of Gruumsh
Dragon #312: Variant Antipaladins, Variant Necromancers
Dragon #313: Half-Minotaur/Half-Ogre templates, Dragon Psychoses templates (Riddles/Spellhoarding)
Dragon #314: Masters of the Four Winds, Heartfire Fanner, Fire-Souled template (LA is +3, not +1)
Dragon #315: Tortle race
Dragon #318: Oriental Adventures 3.5 update, dinosaur familiars/animal companions
Dragon #319: Troll-Blooded feat, various Animal Shen, Kung Fu Genius
Dragon #320: Metallic Dragon PC races, Warcraft III races (Techno Gnomes, Complacent Humans)
Dragon #321: Glimmerfolk
Dragon #323: Chocobo animal companions/mounts, Specialist familiars (Hummingbird)
Dragon #324: Grippli race, Wild Defender variant Ranger (Paladin/Ranger mashup starts with 1st level spells), Wild Monk variant
Dragon #325: Easy Metamagic feat, Theurgic Bond
Dragon #326: Monstrous Animal Companion/Savage Empathy, Cantrips/Orisons, Flexible Mind feat, Optional Ranger Combat Styles
Dragon #327: Sorcerer Flaws (Loner)
Dragon #328: Saurian Shifter race, Paladin domains
Dragon #329: Swarm familiars
Dragon #330: Flaws for Commoners (Chicken-Infested)
Dragon #332: Chromatic Dragon PC races, Dderwydd Chmdeithas Initiate feat
Dragon #333: Elusive Dance feat, Knowstones, Forlorn flaw
Dragon #335: Chaos Monk, Aquatic Fey bloodline
Dragon #336: Mystic Ranger
Dragon #349: City Brawler Barbarian variant
Dragon #350: Totemist soulmelds, Ranged Threat feat
Dragon #355: Garrot/Strangulation rules, Armored Savant Fighter ACF
Dragon #358: Master's Forge (new qualities for weapons/armor), Eldritch Claws


This is...umm..beautiful. Thank you. I was wondering what issues a few of these things were from and didn't know where to find out. I definitely don't have some of these, which is too bad. Still, it's nice to know what's out there.

I have to add the commoner flaws to my list as well, they were so much fun. I never really implemented them, but thy were fun to read.

[RedMage125]

Huge List

Darrin, because of this list you have posted, I am subscribing to this thread so I can find this stuff easier without having to dig. I have a bunch of Dragon Magazine on PDF, and I hate digging through them all.

But my favorite thing actually comes from a combination of DRAGON and DUNGEON, if that's okay...

The Age of Worms.

[Larkas]

I really like Force Missile Mage! It's not strictly optimization, but optimization of Magic Missile, which can be lots of fun! Better yet if you can get the class' goodies to apply to Chain Missile and Force Missile!

[Jeff the Green]

Spell Sovereign from 357 is pretty cool. Only 7/10 casting, but you get a living spell as a familiar (best for one of the few buffs available, actually) and can make temporary ones. I like combining it with the changeling Wizard 5 ability so your familiar can change to whatever spell you need at the time, or even back to a normal or improved familiar with a full-round action.

[Pokonic]

I'm fond of the Ferrous dragons myself.

[Werephilosopher]

Some of my favorites.

Mind mage- basically, the cerebremancer as it should have been. Issue 313

Psiotheurgist- feat that pairs up each magic school with a psionic discipline. Pick one pair, and the caster/manifester level of every spell/power you use from that school/discipline is stacked with your manifester/caster level. Works WONDERFULLY with the mind mage, above. Issue 349

Rope dart/meteor hammer- piercing/bludgeoning variants of the same weapon, which has every weapon quality you could ask for. 15' reach AND threatens all of it, two-handed AND finessable, and bonuses to trip and disarm as well. Plus you only need to take exotic weapon proficiency once to be proficient with both versions. I think a monk can treat it as a special monk weapon as well. Issue 319

Aligned spellcaster and eidetic spellcaster- give up your familiar to give all your spells an [alignment] tag. Be evil, and let Malign Spell Focus and Spell Focus (Evil) apply to every spell you cast. Or give up Scribe Scroll as well as your familiar, and instead have no need for a spellbook. Issue 357

Variant monks and specialist fighters- customize the feats, skills, and abilities monks and fighters gain. I personally like the sleeping tiger and martial monks, and the exoticist, kensai, and targetteer fighters. Issue 310

[Werephilosopher]

Spell Sovereign from 357 is pretty cool. Only 7/10 casting, but you get a living spell as a familiar (best for one of the few buffs available, actually) and can make temporary ones. I like combining it with the changeling Wizard 5 ability so your familiar can change to whatever spell you need at the time, or even back to a normal or improved familiar with a full-round action.

Holy crap, that's an awesome combo! I never thought much of either the spell sovereign or the changeling wizard sub levels, but put together that sounds pretty cool. :smallbiggrin:

[Bloodgruve]

Eldritch Claws for my Clawlock

Dvati as a race is really interesting.

Bloodline feats that add extra spells to a spell list.

Lastly Montebank class for the 'you become an npc' capstone...

Blood~

[Gemini476]

Dragon Magazine #330 is pretty cool - lots of material on the Far Realm and the incursions that happen in the Material because of it.
Issue #336 has the Implore spell, which is Planar Binding for things with up to 24HD. It's pretty darn awesome, and is explicitly able to call unique beings - the inventor was one of Grazzt's ex-lovers.
#340 has some articles on astrology, which is pretty neat. Also the Master Astrologer prestige class, which has 9/10 spellcasting, 1d6 free levels of metamagic/day, and a one-round-setup "The Stars Are Right" capstone that Empowers spells. No wait, sorry. I mean that it increases absolutely all numeric effects by +50% - damage, range, radius, duration, everything. Oh, and it's cast at +4CL and has +4 DC, not to mention that it stacks with metamagic. It's great.

[8wGremlin]

Sha'ir, love the flavor, the mechanics are a bit wonky, but love how it acts...

[LordErebus12]

Dragon 351
http://i.imgur.com/yGXksIH.png

Dragon #356 has the Ferrous Dragons, perhaps my favorite true dragons out there.

[Forrestfire]

Number one on my list is probably the Force Missile Mage. I love dakka casters, and I love magic missile, and I don't want to play a mailman. Force Missile Mage is a bundle of awesomeness.

Other stuff I like is the Spell Sovereign (because living spells are cool as hell), the Master Astrologer (they get an ability that rewrites the stars to send a message! How cool is that?), the Mystic Ranger, for nice early game and balanced lategame spells, Eidetic Spellcaster, for playing a non-book wizard...

Uh... God, there's so much to remember. The Ecology articles are amazing bits of fluff, but probably not really for this topic... Hrm.

The dragonfly longship, dragonwing boat, and hollowed-out Beholder vehicle are pretty awesome as well.

[torrasque666]

- Some pretty interesting templates (several of which were reproduced for Dragon Compendium), which are great for npcs and adding some variety to the world (even if I don't much care for the heavy use of the +0 ones as an optimization tool...few too many unseelie fey things out there, lol).

I'm still convinced that the lack of an LA is a typo... No way that really should be LA+0.

[Gemini476]

I'm still convinced that the lack of an LA is a typo... No way that really should be LA+0.

IIRC it went untouched in Paizo's errata for the book as well, so yeah. Or maybe they added the LA+0 to the template proper, I don't remember.
It's still LA+0, anyway.

[Dr. Azkur]

Melee Warlocks owe their souls to Dragon #358, therefore I do too. The Chaturani chess monsters, from the same issue, are pretty awesome.

[Curmudgeon]

Dragon # 297 has other Planetouched races. I'm a big fan of the Dust Para-Genasi.

The Stonebone Template (Dragon # 350, page 36) is expensive, but is a way to acquire Powerful Build.

Dragon # 357 has some additional multiclassing feats. I like Sacred Outlaw (Rogue+Cleric) quite a bit.

Dragon # 340 has some feats that greatly aid an AoO-focused build.

Issues in the 320s have additional flaws.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

The Chaturani chess monsters, from the same issue, are pretty awesome.

I love these constructs. I'm currently trying to find cheap ways for a PC to turn into them.

[Phelix-Mu]

Dragon # 297 has other Planetouched races. I'm a big fan of the Dust Para-Genasi.

The Stonebone Template (Dragon # 350, page 36) is expensive, but is a way to acquire Powerful Build.

Dragon # 357 has some additional multiclassing feats. I like Sacred Outlaw (Rogue+Cleric) quite a bit.

Dragon # 340 has some feats that greatly aid an AoO-focused build.

Issues in the 320s have additional flaws.

Ah, zomg, I forgot the Sacred Outlaw. Singlehandedly fixed a 2e conversion kender cleric/rogue that I had (and that really sucked with the new way multiclassing worked).

Also, that stoneborn sounds pretty cool. And more planetouched is always cool. I found some site that has a guidebook to planetouched, but it's always nice to have the name of the source.

[Gavinfoxx]

They are pretty nifty as a foundation, but when I looked at them I was left wanting more. Which I guess in a way shows their goodness as far as inspiration for further materials. Or something.

You just have to combine as many useful ones as possible, and end up with a 20k mundane weapon!

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17225326&postcount=13

[MikeG951]

Dragon Magazine #330 is pretty cool - lots of material on the Far Realm and the incursions that happen in the Material because of it.


#330 is one of my favorites too. I am trying to work up an adventure that will ultimately discover a cerebrotic blot. I was wondering if anyone has ever found a way to shut down or destroy a focus in a periphery?

[Sir Chuckles]

Ahc, this just makes me want to own the actual magazine.

From what little I've been able to find, I'd have to say that I love the Fighter variants and multitude of Flaws. Nothin' like a bonus feat for being incredibly honorable.