Issue #4 of The Strategic Review was cover-dated Winter 1975. It's noted in the TSR News article that this issue was late, as is Supplement II: Blackmoor and a number of other design projects. In order to bring some organisation to the company, a few hires have been made: Tim Kask as periodicals editor, Terry Kuntz as service manager, and Dave Arneson as part of the regular design staff. Arneson only lasted about a year with TSR. Kask lasted until 1980, editing their various magazines. As for Terry Kuntz, it's not as easy to find out how long he stayed, so it's going to remain a mystery to me unless someone pipes up in the comments.
It's also noted that Origins I has happened before this issue came out (meaning that an early version of Tomb of Horrors has debuted, as shown in my last post), and that TSR is considering a D&D supplement authored by "Dungeons & Dragons Enthusiasts Everywhere", which I don't think ever eventuated.
Also: THE DRAGON IS COMING.
As for non-D&D articles, there's one listing new troop types for Panzer Warfare, and another with some suggested rules changes for Tractics,
The D&D related-articles, and their relevance to my campaign, are very briefly covered
A Few More Words on Medieval Polearms (by Gary Gygax, who else): The following polearms are introduced:
- Couteaux de Breches (treated as a Glaive)
- Scorpion (treated as a Bill Guisarme)
- Bohemian Ear-Spoon (treated as a Partisan)
- Korseke (treated as a Spetum)
- Chauves Souris (treated as a Ranseur)
- Bec-de-Corbin (treated as a Lucern Hammer with respect to its effect on plate mail; disregarded as an unlikely weapon, except when knights fight afoot on the field of honour)
- Military Fork (discussed, but not equated with any other pole arm)
- Holy Water Sprinklers (treated as Morning Stars, although longer Japanese forms are mentioned)
Chainmail Weapon Additions: The following weapons are introduced to Chainmail:
- Jo Stick
- Bo Stick
- Quarterstaff
I'll throw them into the mix around this time, perhaps due to some growing foreign influence, or the impending growth in influence of Oerth's various orders of monks.
Illusionists (by Peter Aronson): The Illusionist class is added to D&D. It comes with a number of brand new spells:
Level 1
- Wall of Fog
- Change Self
- Gaze Reflection
- Hypnotism
Level 2
- Improved Phantasmal Forces
- Fog
- Blindness
- Misdetection
- Hypnotic Pattern
- Deafness
Level 3
- Fear
- Spectral Forces
- Paralyzation
- Nondetection
Level 4
- Improved Invisibility
- Shadow Monsters
- Shadow Magic
- Minor Creation
- Emotions
- 1st Level Magic-User Spells
Level 5
- Summon Shadow
- Major Creation
- Chaos
- 2nd Level Magic-User Spells
- Demi-Shadow Monsters
- Demi-Shadow Magic
- Create Spectres
I'll probably introduce this class via some NPCs before making it available as a PC class.
Tsolyani Names Without Tears (by M.A.R. Barker): This is a guide to the naming conventions in Barker's Tekumel, the setting for the Empire of the Petal Throne RPG. Articles about this game are all over the early TSR magazines, and I'm probably going to include it as a world that the PCs can travel to.
Creature Feature: The Clay Golem is introduced.
Mighty Magic Miscellany: This introduces a new type of magic item, cribbed from Jack Vance: Ioun Stones. The following colours are used: incandescent blue; scarlet and blue; deep red; pink; pink and green; pale green; pale lavender; pearly white; clear
Gallery of Gunfighters: Doc Holliday is detailed. The Old West will be another possible destination.
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