User:Squeamish Ossifrage/D&D Sourcing

Checked works

• Adventures Unlimited [full run]
• Ares [full run]
• Backstab 0, 1–6 (French)
• d6 Magazine [full run]
• The General (Avalon Hill) [vol. 1–20, per index; not bothering after that]
• Guild Adventurer [full run]
• Heroes (Avalon Hill) [full run]
• Shadis 1–9, 14, 19.5, 22, 24–29

Missing works

• Fenix (Askfageln) (Swedish)
• GameMaster Publications 4 [DL12, B/X1, N3, I8, M2], 5 [Dungeoneer's Survival, Wilderness Survival, Immortals Rules]
• Shadis 10–13, 15–18, 18.5, 19, 20, 20.5, 21, 23, 30–52

Books

Birthright

[review is mostly of the product line in general] Campaign setting based on politics and land holding. Bloodlines are heirs to divine essence distributed across the land when most of the gods sacrificed themselves in a cataclysmic war Realm-building allows tracking of morale, economics, the status of various temples and guilds System is too complex and time consuming, "the rules invoke images of players sitting around a table with accounting forms and copies of the Fiscal Year '95 tax codes." Ruins of Empire: setting background, "tough reading"; system for army-scale combat is adequate Blood Enemies: most important monsters; serves to provide additional world background but not realistic opponents for most games Sword and Crown: Adventure, in theme for the setting Winter, J. (1996). "Birthright Product Line". Reviews. Shadis. No. 24. p. 87.

The Complete Book of Humanoids

Layout like other Complete books Presents rules for 25 humanoid races, including centaurs, goblins, kobolds, lizardmen, minotaur, orcs, satyrs... Includes kits Roleplaying tips Generally positive review, useful to some players and most GM but lack of any aquatic races is a shortcoming Lampman, Mike (September 1993). "Title: The Complete Book of Humanoids". Game Reviews. Shadis. No. 9. p. 35.

The Complete Druid's Handbook

artwork is mediocre many of the optional rules are unnecessary 7/10 Croitoriu, Michaël (November–December 1997). "Le Manuel Complet du Druide". Les Jeux du Bimestre. Backstab (in French). No. 6. p. 44.

The Complete Fighter's Handbook

Book contains options for specialization, new combat rules, guides for role-playing the class Mostly useful for dedicated fans of the class Reviewer would have preferred the expanded rules to work like the Mostrous Compendium in binder form Blackburn, Jolly R. (August 1990). "Title: Complete Fighter's Handbook / Complete Thief's Handbook". Game Reviews. Shadis. No. 4. p. 28.

The Complete Psionics Handbook

Generally positive review Book describes the psionicist class and the roles of psionics in 2nd edition D&D Psionic combat rules are "a confused hodgepodge" but better than 1st edition Chapter describing how to integrate these rules into existing settings seemed rushed and incomplete Lampman, Michael (June 1993). "Title: The Psionic Handbook: An Overview". Game Reviews. Shadis. No. 8. pp. 43–44.

The Complete Thief's Handbook

[See Blackburn in Shadis 4 under Complete Fighter]

Dark Sun Campaign Setting

(as in, the 2E box set, but probably campaign setting article too) Rereleased as a box set with a GM screen, a cloth map, a starting adventure ("Mystery of the Ancients"), "The Way of the Psionicist", "The Age of Heroes" (rules adjustments), and "The Wanderer's Chronicle" (worldbook) Higher ability scores, widespread psionics, changes to available races; divine magic is elemental, arcane magic damages the land (notes the Preserver/Defiler option) Reviewed as a good alternative to normal settings, but essentially functions as a stand-alone game. Way lacks descriptions of some powers and so is incomplete Seacat, Doug (1996). "Dark Sun Campaign Setting". Reviews. Shadis. No. 24. p. 86.

Dragonlance: The Fifth Age

NOTE TO SELF: This is the weird SAGA system spinoff thing System is based on an 82 card deck, divided into 9 suits Encourages improvisation, limited by its lack of a skill system Staroscik, Matt (1996). "Dragonlance: The Fifth Age". Reviews. Shadis. No. 27. p. 74.

Dungeons & Dragons Master Rules

Generally positive review map is useless and American-centric (per this British review!) "predictable, but not unuseful" approach to high level play "D&D—Masters Set". Reviews. GameMaster Publications. No. 2. December 1985. p. 58.

Elminster's Ecologies

(released in French as Les Carnets d'Elminster) "halfway between a monster manual and a biology book" [mi-chemin entre un manuel des monstres et un livre de biologie] function for the Realms as the Michelin guide does for food praised the depth of the work and its organization, divided by region to make it easier to use what is needed considered the poor quality of some artwork the only detracting factor 9/10 Lord Winfield [pseud.] (October 1997). "Les Carnets d'Elminster V.F.". Les Jeux du Bimestre. Backstab (in French). No. 5. p. 42.

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting

(2nd edition) French edition by Jeux Descartes praises the richness of the setting and the adaptation to 2nd edition without compromising that 8/10 Lord Winfield [pseud.] (August 1997). "Les Royaumes Oublieés 2ème édition". Les Jeux du Bimestre. Backstab (in French). No. 4. p. 53.

Lankhmar: City of Adventure

"superb product" even if not using the Lankhmar setting because of the detailed city and city generation rules would need some modification to the game itself to fully represent the setting of the books "Lankhmar—City of Adventure". Reviews. GameMaster Publications. No. 2. December 1985. p. 59.

Planescape Campaign Setting

[but probably also useful in the actual campaign setting article] translated to French by Jeux Descartes under license Most innovative and original campaign setting extends the idea (from Ravenloft) that campaign settings can be more than just kingdoms and continents basic description of Sigil here 10/10 review Lord Winfield [pseud.] (October 1997). "Planescape". Les Jeux du Bimestre. Backstab (in French). No. 5. pp. 46–47.

Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix

provides more inspiration than just a collection of monsters praises DiTerlizzi's art 7/10 Collin, Olivier (November–December 1997). "Le Bestiare Monstueux Planescape". Les Jeux du Bimestre. Backstab (in French). No. 6. pp. 36, 40.

Unearthed Arcana

(the AD&D book) provides new options such as spells and races in general represents an increase in power risks becoming as different from base AD&D as AD&D from the original game "AD&D—Unearthed Arcana". Reviews. GameMaster Publications. No. 1. October 1985. p. 54.

Modules

B1: In Search of the Unknown

Lacks a plot, but flexible module that is a "pivotal piece of role-playing history" Groups of humanoid monsters in self-contained sections of a dungeon Vaux, Rob (1996). "B1: In Search of the Unknown". Lost Treasures. Shadis. No. 28. p. 85.

B2: The Keep on the Borderlands

Retrospective review, over fifteen years later. "Designed [for] beginners", "quaint", but among the best Basic modules to revisit for nostalgia. Vaux, Rob (1996). "B2: The Keep on the Borderlands". Lost Treasures. Shadis. No. 29. p. 86.

CA1: Swords of the Undercity

Short length may not be a good value for its cost Poor editing; pregenerated characters aren't the level the module claims to be for Based on one of Lieber's stories [ED: WHICH??] and may be familiar to the people most likely to play it "CA1—Swords of the Undercity". Reviews. GameMaster Publications. No. 3. March 1986. p. 58.

DL10: Dragons of Dreams

part of the Dragonlance "phenomenon" opinions based on previous DL material focus on illusions and dreams has a "strange quality" DL6 split the story into two paths; DL7–9 was one, and this is the start of the other "DL10 Dragons of Dreams". Reviews. GameMaster Publications. No. 3. March 1986. p. 58.

I1: The Dwellers of the Forbidden City

Maps are difficult to use Society of the titular city is unbelievable "ill-conceived" and "disorganized" Klug, Gary (January 1982). "The Dwellers of the Forbidden City". RPGaming. Ares. No. 12. pp. 31–32.

I7 Baltron's Beacon

"lost art of the dungeon adventure" positive review, despite some editing and poor artwork but inferior to I6 (Ravenloft!) "I7 Baltron's Beacon". Reviews. GameMaster Publications. No. 3. March 1986. p. 59.

L1: The Secret of Bone Hill

Valuable as a method of providing a town as a "home base" for low-level adventurers Background material is poorly organized and out of order Introduced as the first of a series (EDIT: continued in The Assassin's Knot) and doesn't appear to stand on its own well. Kern, Robert (January 1982). "The Secret of Bone Hill". RPGaming. Ares. No. 12. p. 32.

T1–4 The Temple of Elemental Evil

mixed review T1 components feel dated, poorly edited remainder of the module is effectively "one huge dungeon", although a very well designed one "T1–4 The Temple of Elemental Evil". Reviews. GameMaster Publications. No. 2. December 1985. p. 59.

X10: Red Arrow, Black Shield

"sprawling romp of an adventure" focuses on tactical mass combat and strategic warfare elements (from Dungeons & Dragons Companion Set and Battlesystem continuation of X4 Master of the Desert Nomads and X5 Temple of Death "X10—Red Arrow, Black Shield". Reviews. GameMaster Publications. No. 3. March 1986. p. 59.

Novels

Elminster: The Making of a Mage

provides some of the history of Elminster without revealing all his secrets 8/10 Sol, Isabelle (August 1997). "Elminster: La jeunesse d'un mage". La Grande Bibliothèque. Backstab (in French). No. 4. pp. 57–58.

I, Strahd

faux autobiography largely avoids kitsch explores "the Romanesque, if not Romantic, side of the vampire" [le cote romanesque, sinon romantique, du vampire] in the tradition of Stoker's Dracula 8/10 Béghin, Thibaud (November–December 1997). "Moi, Strahd: journal d'un vampire". La Grande Bibliothèque. Backstab (in French). No. 6. p. 53.

Other

Champions of Krynn

Similar to Pool of Radiance and Curse of the Azure Bonds Improved graphics, better load times, less onerous copy protection 9/10 VanHoose, Frank (March–April 1990). "Title: Champions of Krynn". Disks of Wondrous Power. Shadis. No. 2. pp. 58–59.

Hillsfar

Review of the Amiga version Play is hampered by loading times associated with frequent disk access, does not use the resources of the Amiga well Replayable with different classes Inferior graphics and gameplay to Heroes of the Lance. 6/10 Herring, Lew (January 1990). "Title: Hillsfar". Disks of Wondrous Power. Shadis. No. 1. p. 59.

Imagine

Launched by Don Turnbull (via TSR UK) over Gary Gygax's objections to a UK based magazine Staff were mostly new, intended to make the title independent in tone Had to compete with White Dwarf as the important UK mag Little support from TSR US including no advance notice of products "Or—How Did We Get into this State in the First Place?". GameMaster News. GameMaster Publications. No. 1. October 1985. p. 51.

Topics

Need to come back to Shadis 7, 8 for a articles on the anti-RPG movement GameMaster Publications 3 has a large religion in D&D article