This is the multi-year Q&A sessions held by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax here at EN World, beginning in 2002 and running up until his sad pasing in 2008. Gary's username in the thread below is Col_Pladoh, and his first post in this long thread is Post #39.
TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax
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This is the multi-year Q&A sessions held by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax here at EN World, beginning in 2002 and running up until his sad pasing in 2008. Gary's username in the thread below is Col_Pladoh, and his first post in this long thread is Post #39.
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
Piratecat said:
Howdy Piratecat
The rules determine what can and can not be done, how things operate when an the characters interact with the environment. Thus while some rules are necessary to give form to the material being written, the fewer the better as far as I am concerned. Having few rules means more creative freedom, the ability to be inventive in devising new and interesting places, persons, creatures, and things. It's a matter of being free to think and design outside the box, if you will. Where rules are extensive, creating new material for an adventure becomes more burdensome too, of course.
This is why I have come to regard less as more, and prefer a rules-light system
Cheers,
Gary
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
Gray Mouser said:Gary,
I know that Bigby the Mage started out as an apprentice to Mordenkainen (after, I have heard, being captured by Mordy!). I was wondering, were there ever any other PC mages that had dealing either with their former masters or who acquired any apprentices of their own and did these interactions ever have repercussions in your campaign? I'd be interested to know if Tenser, Otto or Drawmij (aka Bombadil) ever undertook any quests for their former mentors, or sent their apprentices on any such quests.
Thanks! (And I cannot wait for Zagyg's Castle, btw!),
Gray Mouser
(Frustrated Mage but adept thief and swordsman
Hi Mauser,
To the best of my recollection, Mordenkainen was the only PC that made a habit of capturing and enlisting NPCs in my campaign. Tenser, Otto, et al. were PCs created by their respective players. I must say that Mordie was most assiduous in his fair treatment of Bigby, supplying him with much in the way of magical rewards, treating him as an equal, and sharing fairly with him, thus winning his loyalty--helped by Mordenkainen's high Charisma score certainly.
As an aside, when Jim Ward was playing his elf PC, that worthy read a curse scroll, and as luck would have it the destination for his transferrence was the Starship Warden. The Vigilists discovered the "mutant" newcomer, enlisted him in their ranks, and requisitioned his Fireball Wand. that device became the most potent weapon in the group's arsenal. Meantime, the elf gardened, raising herbs, sought means to return tohis own universe. Jim was not happy at all, but the rest of us playing in his MA campaign were most pleased.
Gary
Noskov
Explorer
Col_Pladoh said:
First, I must say that I am truly honored.
This brings a question to mind that I've been dealing with lately.
What was the original intention of Charisma and how was it meant to be implemented in a campaign? My experience of playing has been that almost no DM uses Charisma. Most often, it's where the lowest score goes when players are creating their PCs (unless it is an requirement of their chosen class). The way my DM structured his game was to have a broad idea in mind and the rest was just based off of what the characters did and basically played on the fly. My campaigns were always the same. Only lately have I begun to actuallly plan out things before hand....Only because plots and storylines are now built around the characters and thier personalities to encourage more roll playing and make the players more interested in their characters and thier characters futures. It seems that when playing on the fly, Charisma becomes almost worthless. You have said that you prefer the more open types of campaigns (I think) similar to what I am accustomed to playing. When you play those types of campaigns, how do you use Charisma?
Thanks
Gary,
Let me add one more voice to the chorus thanking you for your seminal work upon which so much of our hobby is built. After managing to work my way through all five parts of this Q&A, I still managed to think of a question or two I didn't see answered.
(1) Regarding OAD&D (or, I suppose, OD&D + the Greyhawk supplement, though I never played that): Why exceptional strength? Aren't 18s uncommon enough? Why did Fighters need to subdivide the prime requisite thus, but other classes didn't? Why not continue to scores 19+ instead of subdividing 18?
(2) Any idea what Tom Moldvay is doing these days?
(3) I currently count myself among those who favor the Basic Set edited by Moldvay and the Expert Set edited by Cook (both released in 1981) over most other editions of D&D. Any recollections/opinions you may have about the development of those sets would be welcome.
I look forward to getting my group to try out the Lejendary Adventures Quickstart when the next chance between campaigns occurs. It looks like good fun. (Though, I think I differ with you decision to eschew standard RPG jargon. Having played & read numerous systems besides D&D, I personally find it more of an obstacle to comprehension than an aid to break from a D&D mindset.)
TIA
Let me add one more voice to the chorus thanking you for your seminal work upon which so much of our hobby is built. After managing to work my way through all five parts of this Q&A, I still managed to think of a question or two I didn't see answered.
(1) Regarding OAD&D (or, I suppose, OD&D + the Greyhawk supplement, though I never played that): Why exceptional strength? Aren't 18s uncommon enough? Why did Fighters need to subdivide the prime requisite thus, but other classes didn't? Why not continue to scores 19+ instead of subdividing 18?
(2) Any idea what Tom Moldvay is doing these days?
(3) I currently count myself among those who favor the Basic Set edited by Moldvay and the Expert Set edited by Cook (both released in 1981) over most other editions of D&D. Any recollections/opinions you may have about the development of those sets would be welcome.
I look forward to getting my group to try out the Lejendary Adventures Quickstart when the next chance between campaigns occurs. It looks like good fun. (Though, I think I differ with you decision to eschew standard RPG jargon. Having played & read numerous systems besides D&D, I personally find it more of an obstacle to comprehension than an aid to break from a D&D mindset.)
TIA
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
Piratecat said:Heh - I think Jim mentioned this in a recent editorial he wrote. He's still pissed.
Heh, and well the PCs that form the Vigilists know the evil elf's desire to recover his wand and leave them, so a close watch is kept on him at all times. For once Jim is getting the shaft in his own game, where characters work miracles to gain a tech item only to discover its damage seems to work mainly against PCs and not his monsters. That wand of fireballs is a treasure for sure
I love playing MA, and Jim is an excellent GM, but one must take all measures to assure one's PC in his campaign survives...
Cheers,
Gary
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
Noskov said:
Salut Noskov,
My pleasure to be of service
As stated in the rules, Charisma is meant to affect the reactions of characters--whether newly met NPCs or familiar ones such as associates and followers. Charisma score dictated the number of loyal followers a PC might have, henchmen if you will. When adventuring with only one or two players' characters, having a body of loyal henchmen along meant a lot in regards successfully surviving difficult encounters.
In roleplaying, the Chrisma score of the PC should affect reactions of those to whom he speaks, is dealing with. Force of personality can be a very potent tool in gaining what one desires, lack of it causing adverse reactions. PCs with low Charisma will be typically be treated derisively and shabbily by NPCs encountered.
In real life think of the popular and charming individual, someone who is the life of the party, a smooth talker, able to sell ice to Esquimos, both a man's man and a lady's man. Contrast that model to the loser who is laughed at, shunned, held in contempt, disliked...one with low Charisma, in fact.
I think that should cover it
Cheers,
Gary
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
RFisher said:
Thanks for the kind words.
Actually, an 18 score is one in 216, so not particularly rare in any large population. to make truly heroic strength more rare, I limited the percentage chance to fighters only, then stepped the linear curve so as to make the really great human strength rare.
As for 19s, they are beyond the normal range of human potential, Of course magic can enable such a score, but massive strength of human sort was, I felt, better reflected by the added d% roll.
Not a clue.
Frank Mentzer was the advocate I appointed for the D&D game product line. He was in creative charge of it, and the selection of designers to develop new editions of the game was in Frank's hands. If you wish more details, then he's the chap to ask.
Well i hope you have some fun playing the LA game adventure provided in the Quickstart file. After you have played come on back and tell me if the jargon change was helpful or not. Some considerable number of persons have told me that having to use those terms actually facilitated their grasp of the functional differences between the LA system and D&D/clone games. Of course once one has mastered the differences, reversion to old terminology is natural, and I find muyself using D&D patois quite often when Lejend Mastering; my players understanding what I say in LA game terms
Cheers,
Gary
Power_Word_Wedgie
First Post
Gary,
I sorry if this question has already been asked, but I was wondering if you have been contacted for input into the 30th anniversay of D&D book planned in fall 2004. If so, do you know much you will be featured in the book. Just curious. Thanks.
P_W_W
I sorry if this question has already been asked, but I was wondering if you have been contacted for input into the 30th anniversay of D&D book planned in fall 2004. If so, do you know much you will be featured in the book. Just curious. Thanks.
P_W_W
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
Power_Word_Wedgie said:
Howdy Power_Word_Wedgie
I was contacted about contributing to the book, but I passed. As it stands my writing schedule is booked through 2005. Besides, I've said about all I need to say in regards to the D&D game over the last 30 years...
Cheers,
Gary
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