Dragon Magazine #10 captures the golden age of tabletop role-playing with a mixture of wit, innovation, and deep dives into the mechanics of fantasy gaming. This issue, marking an evolution in the magazine’s layout and organization, packs in a wealth of content for gamers, from thought-provoking design discussions to offbeat humor and game variants.
The cover story, Orgies, Inc., immediately sets the tone for this issue’s unconventional approach. Tackling the ever-present problem of excess wealth in campaigns, the article suggests an ingenious way to balance treasure accumulation and character progression. Instead of gaining experience from hoarding gold, players must spend it—and not just on castles and magical weapons. Whether it’s ritual sacrifices, philanthropy, research, or revelry, this system forces adventurers to engage with the world beyond looting dungeons. The most memorable and controversial suggestion? Warriors, bards, and thieves gaining experience from extravagant orgies, enforcing a sword-and-sorcery ethos straight out of pulp fantasy. It’s a bold rule variant that injects both strategy and hilarity into treasure management.
A highlight of the issue is the GenCon X Report, a post-mortem of the largest wargaming convention in history. With over 6,000 attendees and major industry players in attendance, the convention cemented itself as the hub of tabletop innovation. Awards were handed out for the best games and game designers, with Kingmaker and Terrible Swift Sword taking top honors. The report details the staggering growth of the convention, with financial success stories from vendors and increasing media coverage. This retrospective offers a fascinating look at the growing legitimacy of gaming as a hobby and business.
On the more mechanical side, Random Monsters by Paul Montgomery Crabaugh presents a system to keep even the most well-read players on their toes. DMs can roll up truly unique creatures that have never appeared in a rulebook, ensuring that adventurers can no longer rely on encyclopedic knowledge of monster manuals. With traits ranging from three-segmented bodies to gaze attacks that turn foes to stone, this article turns the act of monster creation into a game of its own, one that thrives on unpredictability.
For those seeking to build better worlds, Rational Dungeon Design offers an essential read. Richard Gilbert lays out a structured approach to designing dungeons with internal logic, challenging the trope of arbitrary room placement and nonsensical trap layouts. The piece argues that every dungeon should have a purpose, history, and coherence—whether it was built as a fortress, a laboratory, or a tomb. A meticulously designed dungeon rewards player immersion, turning exploration into a journey through a world that makes sense.
For wargaming enthusiasts, Final Exam: Wargame Design 202 is a crash course in the brutal reality of game balancing. This segment dives into the philosophy of game mechanics, ensuring that designers consider more than just rules and probabilities. A game must be engaging, fair, and immersive, and this article provides insight into what makes a wargame truly compelling.
Elsewhere in the issue, Snit Smashing brings pure chaos with a bizarre board game involving Bolotomi and their unrelenting quest to crush the scurrying Snits. A game of absurd humor, it’s a refreshing counterbalance to the more serious content in the magazine. It’s a reminder that gaming, at its heart, is about fun and the unexpected.
The issue also explores the implications of encumbrance and realism in character creation with Weights, Measures, and Why Males are Stronger than Females in D&D. This article introduces an alternate method of handling physical stats, addressing the balance between realism and playability in character design. It’s a fascinating piece, as it reflects the evolving discussion around mechanics and representation in role-playing games.
