Dungeon

Greyhawk Source

Dungeon
The cover of Dungeon #1 (1986).
Type:	Magazine
Code/Abbreviation:	DNG#
Edition:	All
Author(s):	Various
Publisher:	TSR (1–62) WotC (63–93, 151–221) Paizo (94–150)
First Published:	1986 (to 2013)
ISBN:	ISSN 0890-7102
Class:	Canon/ Apocrypha

Dungeon Adventures, commonly called simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting people who play roleplaying games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR in 1986, as a bi-monthly magazine. It changed to be published monthly in 2003. The magazine was licensed to Paizo Publishing from 2002, but the licence ceased in September 2007 with issue 150 (which included an index of the various adventures and Campaign Workbooks published in it, by setting and RPG system). Wizards of the Coast continued publishing it until issue 221 in December 2013. Its sister publication was the more widely read Dragon.

Each issue provided self-contained pre-written, playtested game scenarios, often called "modules" in early issues (it is now more common to just call them "adventures" or "scenarios"). Gamemasters could present these adventures to their players as written, or adapt them to their own campaign setting. By providing ideas, plots, villains, maps, monsters, and hooks, it sought to save gamemasters a great deal of time preparing a game for their players. As a magazine containing several modules per issue, it was also significantly cheaper than stand-alone modules, which perhaps explained its enduring popularity.

The Paizo/Polyhedron era

In late 2002, Paizo Publishing acquired publishing rights to both Dungeon and Dragon, as part of a move by Wizards of the Coast to divest business ventures not related to its core business.

Starting with Issue 90 in 2002, Dungeon was combined with Polyhedron magazine into a single magazine. Many of the Polyhedron sections presented complete mini-games for the d20 system, starting with "Pulp Heroes" in issue 90.

On April 18, 2007, Wizards of the Coast announced that Paizo would cease publication of Dungeon in September of that year. Scott Rouse, Senior Brand Manager of Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast stated, "Today the internet is where people go to get this kind of information. By moving to an online model we are using a delivery system that broadens our reach to fans around the world." That mode continued until December 2013 with the final issue 221.

The return to Dungeons & Dragons

The cover of Dungeon #140.

In August 2004, starting with issue #114, editor Erik Mona changed the format, focusing solely on Dungeons & Dragons and discontinuing the Polyhedron section. The new format included three adventures per issue, one each for low, medium, and high levels. A few issues each year contained another substantial article, which typically provided further details on the setting of one of the adventures in that issue (Previously, Dungeon almost never had articles other than adventures). Following the adventures and articles, many issues contained the three-page Dungeoncraft column, at the time written by Monte Cook, as well as a few two-page articles on various subjects collectively called the Campaign Workbook.

Wil Wheaton had a regular column called Wil Save, but Wheaton chose to discontinue it as he had been extremely busy, has had health problems and was somewhat dispirited by the mixed reception the column received.

Dungeon under Mona's editorship, and that of successor James Jacobs, was notable for the copious amount of Greyhawk content. Every issue of Dungeon under Mona's and Jacobs's leadership contained at least one adventure set in the World of Greyhawk.

Adventure Paths

A notable feature of Dungeon's history under Paizo was the use of connected series of adventures; these long series weee referred to as "Adventure Paths" and took characters from the very beginning of their adventuring careers (1st level) up through Epic levels (20+). Three lengthy series, the Shackled City (11 parts) and Age of Worms (12 parts) and Savage Tide (11 parts, finishing with issue 150). In addition, several shorter series (typically three parts) and a sporadic, open-ended series of Maure Castle adventures featured. The Shackled City series was reprinted as a hardcover book, with various revisions and corrections, new background information, and an additional adventure added to fill a gap near the beginning of the series. With the cancellation of Dungeon and its sister publication, Dragon, Paizo Publishing announced a new monthly publication titled Pathfinder, to combine the concept of the Adventure Path with the support articles which appeared in Dragon.

Awards

• 1991: Origins Award for Best Professional Adventure Gaming Magazine of 1990
• 2002: ENnie Award for Best Aid or Accessory

Nominations

• 2006: Origins Awards for Best Nonfiction Publication (Dungeon magazine itself) and Best Roleplaying Game Supplement (Shackled City hardcover). Did not win in either category.

See also

• List of Greyhawk adventures in Dungeon Magazine (partial)

External links

Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.

• Dungeon homepage.
• Paizo Publishing, publisher of Dungeon.
• Index - partial index of Dungeon magazine articles.
• Wizards of the Coast: Dungeons & Dragons History.
• Dungeon on Wikipedia.

References

Bibliography

• Mona, Erik. "Dragon and Dungeon Transition." Paizo Publishing. [1]
• Wheaton, Wil. "Driver 8." Wil Wheaton dot Net. [2]
• Wizards of the Coast. "Paizo Publishing to Cease Publication of Dragon and Dungeon." Wizards of the Coast.[3]

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