–in terms of useful content for dollar value, I mean. This question was inspired by the recent announcement that both Dungeon and Dragon magazine are ceasing publication. In a twisted way, this is kind of a load off my mind, as I can now feel free to collect back issues without fear that my excessive interest will immediately kill the magazines. (THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS, so don’t give me that look. Attention from me = magazine death. It’s not much of a superpower, but rest assured: so long as I live, mankind need never fear being conquered and enslaved by extraterrestrial sentient periodicals.)
Anyway. Since I am a third-generation Impoverished-American, I must pick and choose my purchases, so I am curious how others feel the magazines compared with the more conventional game supplements, value-wise. I want to know whether it’s worth it to chase after back issues, or just save my cash for upcoming products.
Recently I picked up the hardback supplement Libris Mortis, which is a nicely packaged collection of various undead-themed prestige classes, game hooks, etc. However it seems strangely incomplete in certain areas, and I suspect that some of this is due to contents being culled from magazine features. The “Necropolitan,” for example, is found solely in the mysterious city of Nocturnus. It must be a mysterious city indeed, because there’s no other mention of it in the book-- this seems like kind of a weird omission. There are moderately detailed maps with no associated information-- Barrowfield? Anonymous Ghoul Colony? These were one-shot adventures from Dungeon, I’m guessing? They’re pretty and all, but they don’t seem to relate to anything else in the hardcover. What the hell is the “Room of the Infernal Stain?!” Don’t just tell me there’s a stain if you’re not prepared to elaborate.
**Heroes of Horror ** is equally shameless at map-dropping, with its unspecified “Shadow House” and “Vampire Lord’s Castle.” Any particular vampire lord? If the vampire lord in question doesn’t even rate a mention in the text, I fail to see how any party of adventurers is going to be properly intimidated by a description of his real estate. Presumably there was an actual adventure at one point to go with this map, in one of the magazine back issues… Or is that not actually the case?
Thoughts? Insights? Observations? Necropolitans, even?