Useful Dragon Magazine Stuff

[SorO_Lost]

For those who might enjoy some Final Fantasy crossover, Dragon 323 has statted chocobos.

but do they have recipes?

Yes!

Work them, breed them, work them some more, breed it with it's own young, work em, breed some more, work em some more. Now by genetic mutation they can fly!

[Endarire]

Did someone say, "Chocobos?"

[nijineko]

dragon magazine 330, class acts article, page 90.

gives three alternate martial art styles which swaps out weapon proficiencies:
all of these options lose the following weapon proficiencies (and the ability to use them as special monk weapons):
*lose - kama, nunchaku, sai, shuriken, siangham.

ghurka:
*gain - kukri, short sword, and short bow.
*special monk weapons - kukri, shortsword, club.

arnis/kali/escrima:
*gain - short sword, longsword, and whip.
*special monk weapons - club, dagger, quarterstaff, short sword.

krabi-krabong:
*gain - short sword, spear, short spear, all shields except tower.
*special monk weapons - short sword, spear, short spear, club, quarterstaff. 

[Garryl]

Krabi-Krabong is a bit meh, since you still lose Monk class features for using the shields you are now proficient with. Ghurka gives you shortbow proficiency, which is nice because you don't have any good ranged weapons other than crossbows. It also lets you flurry with kukris, which is nice for a crit-fisher build.

[nijineko]

Krabi-Krabong is a bit meh, since you still lose Monk class features for using the shields you are now proficient with. Ghurka gives you shortbow proficiency, which is nice because you don't have any good ranged weapons other than crossbows. It also lets you flurry with kukris, which is nice for a crit-fisher build.

i think the intent was for the style to override that aspect of monk, though it did not explicitly state that to my recollection.

[Nytemare3701]

Krabi-Krabong is a bit meh, since you still lose Monk class features for using the shields you are now proficient with. Ghurka gives you shortbow proficiency, which is nice because you don't have any good ranged weapons other than crossbows. It also lets you flurry with kukris, which is nice for a crit-fisher build.

i think the intent was for the style to override that aspect of monk, though it did not explicitly state that to my recollection.

Isn't a "Special Monk" item something that can be used with class features?

[Garryl]

Monk weapons are only of use with Flurry of Blows. None of the other standard class features care about the distinction.

The weapon and armor proficiency section stops you from using the AC Bonus, Flurry of Blows, and Fast Movement abilities in armor, while encumbered, or while using a shield. Interestingly, only AC Bonus specifically calls out not using a shield or armor or being encumbered in its description. Flurry of Blows just asks you to be unarmored (and using monk weapons), and Fast Movement asks you to be unarmored and unencumbered.

[123456789blaaa]

Reposting from the Rule of Cool forums:

 

The Thrall of Fraz-Urb-luu Prc in Dragon 333 allows you to cast Wish 1/day with no XP cost (I think. No one answered my question in the Ask A Simple Question thread). The other abilities are pretty nifty too: You gain two demonic cohorts (who are unfortunately pretty weak. 6 HD and 5 LA is...not so great), the ability to use Con to fuel staffs instead of charges, and an Advanced Learning class feature for illusion spells.

Some of the Dragon mag Thralls are pretty nice actually. Maybe I should create a thread...

EDIT: Actually looking over their entry, the demonic cohorts (skurchur) aren't half bad. They won't be that great in combat but their usefull at will SLA's are nice for out-of-combat stuff. The real beauty here is their Touch of Vacant Beauty ability. How does an untyped 8+ charisma bonus sound like? (If you can get immunity to Wis damage). 

[Endarire]

Knowstones: From what I can tell of the article (Dragon #333, page 93), the total cost is (spell level squared) * 1000G + expensive material components cost + expensive focus cost.  Thus, a Knowstone of clone costs 65,500G.  That's 8*8*1000 + 1000G material component + 500G focus.

Level 0 spells are treated as half level spells and normally cost 500G each.

[SorO_Lost]

It's worth noting Knowstones cost vs Runestaff.

Runestaffs use a more varied formula, level²*400gp as the highest. Like Clone is 8²*400 or 25,600 (42% the cost of a stone). It has a 3/day limit but in the case of Clone you can honestly just drop that to 1/day and pick up Time Stop. Time Stop is 9²*400 but 1/day Clone, as a secondary Spell, is 8²*100 so the total cost of both is still cheaper than a Knowstone at 38,800gp.

There are several limitations on Runestaffs through, you can only be attuned to one at a time making downtime switching a 24 hour layover, no Spells below the 3rd level, a Runestaff can only hold 2~5 Spells, and there is that inherent limit on usage per Spell per day so it's not something you'd put your Magic Missile access through.  So Knowstones are not entirely replaced but a healthy consideration of using both if you're allowed Dragon access would be optimal.

Also remember both Knowstones & Runestaffs are Magical Items, and one of Use Magic Device's directly written purposes is to claim a given Spell is on your possible List(s). So feel free to rob other from other Spell Lists to reduce the costs, and Slot needed to cast, even more and find all kinds of great Spells. Just pretend you used Limited Wish to cast the Spell during creature or know a Child of Eberron^Druid Steel Dragon^Sorcerer Prestige Bard^Bard 1 / Silver Pyromancer^Paladin 1 / Rainbow Servant^Cleric 10 who loves crafting Magic Items for piles of gold.