Dragon (magazine)

Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Forgotten Realms, first published in 1976.

History
In 1975, TSR. began publishing The Strategic Review. In short order, however, the popularity and growth of Dungeons & Dragons made it clear that the game had not only separated itself from its wargaming origins, but had launched an entirely new industry unto itself. The following year, after only seven issues, TSR cancelled The Strategic Review and replaced it with The Dragon which later became Dragon Magazine and finally Dragon.

A compilation of the first 250 issues was released; also included were the 7 issues of The Strategic Review. This compilation is known as the software title Dragon Magazine Archive.

The final printed issue was #359 in September 2007. Shortly after the last print issue shipped in mid-August, 2007, Wizards of the Coast re-launched Dragon as an online Magazine, continuing on the numbering of the print edition.

Content
Although Dragon was originally designed to support the roleplaying industry in general, it has always been primarily a house organ for role-playing games with a particular focus on D&D.

Most of the magazine's articles provide supplementary material for the game including new prestige classes, races, monsters and many other subjects that can be used to enhance a Dungeons & Dragons game. Other articles will provide tips and suggestions for players and DMs.

In the early 1980s, almost every issue of Dragon would contain a role playing adventure, a simple board game, or some kind of special game supplement (such as a cardboard cut-out castle). These bonus features become infrequent after the 1986 launch of Dungeon magazine, which published several new Dungeons & Dragons adventures in each issue.

At the end of its print run, the magazine also featured four comics; Nodwick, Dork Tower, Zogonia and a specialized version of the webcomic The Order of the Stick. Previous popular gamer-oriented comic strips include Knights of the Dinner Table, Finieous Fingers, What's New with Phil & Dixie, Wormy, Yamara and SnarfQuest.

Ecology Series
A regular feature of Dragon for many years was its "Ecology of ..." articles as sometimes discussed by the fictional sage Elminster, in which a particular D&D monster received an in-depth review, explaining how it found food, reproduced, and so forth. Under Paizo's tenure such ecology articles became heavier in "crunch" (game mechanics) as opposed to "fluff" (narrative and description) than previously.

Special issues
In the magazine's early years Dragon published five "Best of" issues, reprinting highly regarded articles from The Strategic Review and The Dragon. From 1996 to 2001, Dragon Magazine published the "Dragon Annual," a thirteenth issue of all new content.

Editors

 * Timothy J. Kask  - Editor of issues #1 - #34
 * Jake Jaquet      - Editor of issues #35 - #48
 * Kim Mohan        - Editor-in-Chief of issues #49 - #114; #199 - #217
 * Roger E. Moore   - Editor of issues #115 - #198
 * Wolfgang Baur    - Editor of issues #218 - #221
 * Pierce B. Watters - Editor-in-Chief of issues #222 - #238
 * Anthony J. Bryant - Editor of issues #222 - #229
 * Dave Gross       - Editor of issues #230 - #273; Editor-in-Chief of issues #274 - #287
 * Jesse Decker     - Editor-in-Chief of issues #288 - #311
 * Chris Thomasson  - Editor-in-Chief of issues #312 - #315
 * Matthew Sernett  - Editor-in-Chief of issues #316 - #326
 * Erik Mona        - Editor-in-Chief of issues #327 - #359
 * Chris Youngs     - Editor-in-Chief of issues - #360 – 388
 * Steve Winter     - Editor-in-Chief of issues - #389 – 430
 * Matt Chapman     - Present Dragon+ Editor-in-Chief

Awards

 * 1986: Origins Award for Best Professional Roleplaying Magazine of 1985
 * 1990: Origins Award for Best Professional Adventure Gaming Magazine of 1989
 * 1994: Origins Award for Best Professional Gaming Magazine of 1993
 * 1995: Origins Award for Best Professional Gaming Magazine of 1994, Origins Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame
 * 2004: Origins Award for Best Game Related Periodical 2003
 * 2007: Origins Award for Best Non-Fiction Publication of the Year 2006

In the Realms
Though Ed Greenwood had his first published article in issue #30 and his first Forgotten Realms article in issue #39, most fans agree that work found in this magazine before the release of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set was part of his home game and therefore potentially conflicts with later canon. The first Dragon published after the release of the Campaign Set was issue #123 and all content produced from thereon is 100% Dungeons and Dragons canon.

Issue Index
An index of all the Dragon magazines published, sorted by year. Includes special editions.

Published in 1976

 * 1) Dragon #1
 * 2) Dragon #2
 * 3) Dragon #3
 * 4) Dragon #4

Published in 1977

 * 1) Dragon #5
 * 2) Dragon #6
 * 3) Dragon #7
 * 4) Dragon #8
 * 5) Dragon #9
 * 6) Dragon #10
 * 7) Dragon #11

Published in 1978

 * 1) Dragon #12
 * 2) Dragon #13
 * 3) Dragon #14
 * 4) Dragon #15
 * 5) Dragon #16
 * 6) Dragon #17
 * 7) Dragon #18
 * 8) Dragon #19
 * 9) Dragon #20
 * 10) Dragon #21

Published in 1979

 * 1) Dragon #22
 * 2) Dragon #23
 * 3) Dragon #24
 * 4) Dragon #25
 * 5) Dragon #26
 * 6) Dragon #27
 * 7) Dragon #28
 * 8) Dragon #29
 * 9) Dragon #30
 * 10) Dragon #31
 * 11) Dragon #32

Published in 1980

 * 1) Dragon #33
 * 2) Dragon #34
 * 3) Dragon #35
 * 4) Dragon #36
 * 5) Dragon #37
 * 6) Dragon #38
 * 7) Dragon #39
 * 8) Dragon #40
 * 9) Dragon #41
 * 10) Dragon #42
 * 11) Dragon #43
 * 12) Dragon #44

Published in 1981

 * 1) Dragon #45
 * 2) Dragon #46
 * 3) Dragon #47
 * 4) Dragon #48
 * 5) Dragon #49
 * 6) Dragon #50
 * 7) Dragon #51
 * 8) Dragon #52
 * 9) Dragon #53
 * 10) Dragon #54
 * 11) Dragon #55
 * 12) Dragon #56

Published in 1982

 * 1) Dragon #57
 * 2) Dragon #58
 * 3) Dragon #59
 * 4) Dragon #60
 * 5) Dragon #61
 * 6) Dragon #62
 * 7) Dragon #63
 * 8) Dragon #64
 * 9) Dragon #65
 * 10) Dragon #66
 * 11) Dragon #67
 * 12) Dragon #68

Published in 1983

 * 1) Dragon #69
 * 2) Dragon #70
 * 3) Dragon #71
 * 4) Dragon #72
 * 5) Dragon #73
 * 6) Dragon #74
 * 7) Dragon #75
 * 8) Dragon #76
 * 9) Dragon #77
 * 10) Dragon #78
 * 11) Dragon #79
 * 12) Dragon #80

Published in 1984

 * 1) Dragon #81
 * 2) Dragon #82
 * 3) Dragon #83
 * 4) Dragon #84
 * 5) Dragon #85
 * 6) Dragon #86
 * 7) Dragon #87
 * 8) Dragon #88
 * 9) Dragon #89
 * 10) Dragon #90
 * 11) Dragon #91
 * 12) Dragon #92

Published in 1985

 * 1) Dragon #93
 * 2) Dragon #94
 * 3) Dragon #95
 * 4) Dragon #96
 * 5) Dragon #97
 * 6) Dragon #98
 * 7) Dragon #99
 * 8) Dragon #100
 * 9) Dragon #101
 * 10) Dragon #102
 * 11) Dragon #103
 * 12) Dragon #104

Published in 1986

 * 1) Dragon #105
 * 2) Dragon #106
 * 3) Dragon #107
 * 4) Dragon #108
 * 5) Dragon #109
 * 6) Dragon #110
 * 7) Dragon #111
 * 8) Dragon #112
 * 9) Dragon #113
 * 10) Dragon #114
 * 11) Dragon #115
 * 12) Dragon #116

Published in 1987

 * 1) Dragon #117
 * 2) Dragon #118
 * 3) Dragon #119
 * 4) Dragon #120
 * 5) Dragon #121
 * 6) Dragon #122
 * 7) Dragon #123
 * 8) Dragon #124
 * 9) Dragon #125
 * 10) Dragon #126
 * 11) Dragon #127
 * 12) Dragon #128

Published in 1988

 * 1) Dragon #129
 * 2) Dragon #130
 * 3) Dragon #131
 * 4) Dragon #132
 * 5) Dragon #133
 * 6) Dragon #134
 * 7) Dragon #135
 * 8) Dragon #136
 * 9) Dragon #137
 * 10) Dragon #138
 * 11) Dragon #139
 * 12) Dragon #140

Published in 1989

 * 1) Dragon #141
 * 2) Dragon #142
 * 3) Dragon #143
 * 4) Dragon #144
 * 5) Dragon #145
 * 6) Dragon #146
 * 7) Dragon #147
 * 8) Dragon #148
 * 9) Dragon #149
 * 10) Dragon #150
 * 11) Dragon #151
 * 12) Dragon #152

Published in 1990

 * 1) Dragon #153
 * 2) Dragon #154
 * 3) Dragon #155
 * 4) Dragon #156
 * 5) Dragon #157
 * 6) Dragon #158
 * 7) Dragon #159
 * 8) Dragon #160
 * 9) Dragon #161
 * 10) Dragon #162
 * 11) Dragon #163
 * 12) Dragon #164

Published in 1991

 * 1) Dragon #165
 * 2) Dragon #166
 * 3) Dragon #167
 * 4) Dragon #168
 * 5) Dragon #169
 * 6) Dragon #170
 * 7) Dragon #171
 * 8) Dragon #172
 * 9) Dragon #173
 * 10) Dragon #174
 * 11) Dragon #175
 * 12) Dragon #176

Published in 1992

 * 1) Dragon #177
 * 2) Dragon #178
 * 3) Dragon #179
 * 4) Dragon #180
 * 5) Dragon #181
 * 6) Dragon #182
 * 7) Dragon #183
 * 8) Dragon #184
 * 9) Dragon #185
 * 10) Dragon #186
 * 11) Dragon #187
 * 12) Dragon #188

Published in 1993

 * 1) Dragon #189
 * 2) Dragon #190
 * 3) Dragon #191
 * 4) Dragon #192
 * 5) Dragon #193
 * 6) Dragon #194
 * 7) Dragon #195
 * 8) Dragon #196
 * 9) Dragon #197
 * 10) Dragon #198
 * 11) Dragon #199
 * 12) Dragon #200

Published in 1994

 * 1) Dragon #201
 * 2) Dragon #202
 * 3) Dragon #203
 * 4) Dragon #204
 * 5) Dragon #205
 * 6) Dragon #206
 * 7) Dragon #207
 * 8) Dragon #208
 * 9) Dragon #209
 * 10) Dragon #210
 * 11) Dragon #211
 * 12) Dragon #212

Published in 1995

 * 1) Dragon #213
 * 2) Dragon #214
 * 3) Dragon #215
 * 4) Dragon #216
 * 5) Dragon #217
 * 6) Dragon #218
 * 7) Dragon #219
 * 8) Dragon #220
 * 9) Dragon #221
 * 10) Dragon #222
 * 11) Dragon #223
 * 12) Dragon #224

Published in 1996

 * 1) Dragon #225
 * 2) Dragon #226
 * 3) Dragon #227
 * 4) Dragon #228
 * 5) Dragon #229
 * 6) Dragon #230
 * 7) Dragon #231
 * 8) Dragon #232
 * 9) Dragon #233
 * 10) Dragon #234
 * 11) Dragon #235
 * 12) Dragon #236

Published in 1997

 * 1) Dragon #237
 * 2) Dragon #238
 * 3) Dragon #239
 * 4) Dragon #240
 * 5) Dragon #241
 * 6) Dragon #242

Published in 1998

 * 1) Dragon #243
 * 2) Dragon #244
 * 3) Dragon #245
 * 4) Dragon #246
 * 5) Dragon #247
 * 6) Dragon #248
 * 7) Dragon #249
 * 8) Dragon #250
 * 9) Dragon #251
 * 10) Dragon #252
 * 11) Dragon #253
 * 12) Dragon #254

Published in 1999

 * 1) Dragon #255
 * 2) Dragon #256
 * 3) Dragon #257
 * 4) Dragon #258
 * 5) Dragon #259
 * 6) Dragon #260
 * 7) Dragon #261
 * 8) Dragon #262
 * 9) Dragon #263
 * 10) Dragon #264
 * 11) Dragon #265
 * 12) Dragon #266

Published in 2000

 * 1) Dragon #267
 * 2) Dragon #268
 * 3) Dragon #269
 * 4) Dragon #270
 * 5) Dragon #271
 * 6) Dragon #272
 * 7) Dragon #273
 * 8) Dragon #274
 * 9) Dragon #275
 * 10) Dragon #276
 * 11) Dragon #277
 * 12) Dragon #278

Published in 2001

 * 1) Dragon #279
 * 2) Dragon #280
 * 3) Dragon #281
 * 4) Dragon #282
 * 5) Dragon #283
 * 6) Dragon #284
 * 7) Dragon #285
 * 8) Dragon #286
 * 9) Dragon #287
 * 10) Dragon #288
 * 11) Dragon #289
 * 12) Dragon #290

Published in 2002

 * 1) Dragon #291
 * 2) Dragon #292
 * 3) Dragon #293
 * 4) Dragon #294
 * 5) Dragon #295
 * 6) Dragon #296
 * 7) Dragon #297
 * 8) Dragon #298
 * 9) Dragon #299
 * 10) Dragon #300
 * 11) Dragon #301
 * 12) Dragon #302

Published in 2003

 * 1) Dragon #303
 * 2) Dragon #304
 * 3) Dragon #305
 * 4) Dragon #306
 * 5) Dragon #307
 * 6) Dragon #308
 * 7) Dragon #309
 * 8) Dragon #310
 * 9) Dragon #311
 * 10) Dragon #312
 * 11) Dragon #313
 * 12) Dragon #314

Published in 2004

 * 1) Dragon #315
 * 2) Dragon #316
 * 3) Dragon #317
 * 4) Dragon #318
 * 5) Dragon #319
 * 6) Dragon #320
 * 7) Dragon #321
 * 8) Dragon #322
 * 9) Dragon #323
 * 10) Dragon #324
 * 11) Dragon #325
 * 12) Dragon #326

Published in 2005

 * 1) Dragon #327
 * 2) Dragon #328
 * 3) Dragon #329
 * 4) Dragon #330
 * 5) Dragon #331
 * 6) Dragon #332
 * 7) Dragon #333
 * 8) Dragon #334
 * 9) Dragon #335
 * 10) Dragon #336
 * 11) Dragon #337
 * 12) Dragon #338

Published in 2006

 * 1) Dragon #339
 * 2) Dragon #340
 * 3) Dragon #341
 * 4) Dragon #342
 * 5) Dragon #343
 * 6) Dragon #344
 * 7) Dragon #345
 * 8) Dragon #346
 * 9) Dragon #347
 * 10) Dragon #348
 * 11) Dragon #349
 * 12) Dragon #350

Published in 2007

 * 1) Dragon #351
 * 2) Dragon #352
 * 3) Dragon #353
 * 4) Dragon #354
 * 5) Dragon #355
 * 6) Dragon #356
 * 7) Dragon #357
 * 8) Dragon #358
 * 9) Dragon #359
 * 10) Dragon #360
 * 11) Dragon #361

Published in 2008

 * 1) Dragon #362
 * 2) Dragon #363
 * 3) Dragon #364
 * 4) Dragon #365
 * 5) Dragon #366
 * 6) Dragon #367
 * 7) Dragon #368
 * 8) Dragon #369
 * 9) Dragon #370

Published in 2009

 * 1) Dragon #371
 * 2) Dragon #372
 * 3) Dragon #373
 * 4) Dragon #374
 * 5) Dragon #375
 * 6) Dragon #376
 * 7) Dragon #377
 * 8) Dragon #378
 * 9) Dragon #379
 * 10) Dragon #380
 * 11) Dragon #381
 * 12) Dragon #382

Published in 2010

 * 1) Dragon #383
 * 2) Dragon #384
 * 3) Dragon #385
 * 4) Dragon #386
 * 5) Dragon #387
 * 6) Dragon #388
 * 7) Dragon #389
 * 8) Dragon #390
 * 9) Dragon #391
 * 10) Dragon #392
 * 11) Dragon #393
 * 12) Dragon #394

Published in 2011

 * 1) Dragon #395
 * 2) Dragon #396
 * 3) Dragon #398
 * 4) Dragon #399
 * 5) Dragon #400
 * 6) Dragon #401
 * 7) Dragon #402
 * 8) Dragon #403
 * 9) Dragon #404
 * 10) Dragon #405
 * 11) Dragon #406

Published in 2012

 * 1) Dragon #407
 * 2) Dragon #408
 * 3) Dragon #409
 * 4) Dragon #410
 * 5) Dragon #411
 * 6) Dragon #412
 * 7) Dragon #413
 * 8) Dragon #414
 * 9) Dragon #415
 * 10) Dragon #416
 * 11) Dragon #417
 * 12) Dragon #418

Published in 2013

 * 1) Dragon #419
 * 2) Dragon #420
 * 3) Dragon #421
 * 4) Dragon #422
 * 5) Dragon #423
 * 6) Dragon #424
 * 7) Dragon #425
 * 8) Dragon #426
 * 9) Dragon #427
 * 10) Dragon #428
 * 11) Dragon #429
 * 12) Dragon #430

Best of The Dragon

 * 1) Best of The Dragon 1 (1980)
 * 2) Best of The Dragon 2 (1981)
 * 3) Best of The Dragon 3 (1983)
 * 4) Best of The Dragon 4 (1985)
 * 5) Best of The Dragon 5 (1986)

Dragon Annual

 * 1) Dragon Annual 1 (1996)
 * 2) Dragon Annual 2 (1997)
 * 3) Dragon Annual 3 (1998)
 * 4) Dragon Annual 4 (1999)
 * 5) Dragon Annual 5 (2000)
 * 6) Dragon Annual 6 (2001)