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
- Category Features
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.
Yep. Wand of Force it was.
IIRC, it was a +5 bastard sword usable by fighters and magic-users. Eep.
(Was it in Tharizdun or Barrier Peaks? I forget).
Hmm - you've just jogged my memory. During play of Dungeonland a couple of years ago, my trusty players stumbled upon Murlynd's house. Within its walls, they found a copy of the D&D rulebooks!
Their quest was set: to find the mystical "d20" that could slay dragons!
Cheers!
IIRC, it was a +5 bastard sword usable by fighters and magic-users. Eep.
(Was it in Tharizdun or Barrier Peaks? I forget).
Hmm - you've just jogged my memory. During play of Dungeonland a couple of years ago, my trusty players stumbled upon Murlynd's house. Within its walls, they found a copy of the D&D rulebooks!
Their quest was set: to find the mystical "d20" that could slay dragons!
Cheers!
Edena_of_Neith
First Post
(humor)
That's ok.
My character Edena (this SN derived from that) has visited Terra many times.
He has a complete library of D&D products, among his spellbooks.
He thinks the Terrans are very arrogant and prideful, to so describe Oerth, Toril, and Krynn, when in truth they don't know what they are talking about.
Edena wonders if Volo has anything to do with these leaks of information to the Terrans, and he is quick to warn Terrans that anything they receive from Volothamp Geddarm is, at best, questionable source material.
Edena also believes the Terrans should be leave certain subjects alone (such as Vecna, Acererak, Larloch, Raistlin, Fistandantilus, Rajak, etc.) if they wish to keep their precious little world from being (quickly and totally) crushed and subjugated by those Powers Best Left Alone.
But, as usual, the Terrans do not listen.
That's ok.
My character Edena (this SN derived from that) has visited Terra many times.
He has a complete library of D&D products, among his spellbooks.
He thinks the Terrans are very arrogant and prideful, to so describe Oerth, Toril, and Krynn, when in truth they don't know what they are talking about.
Edena wonders if Volo has anything to do with these leaks of information to the Terrans, and he is quick to warn Terrans that anything they receive from Volothamp Geddarm is, at best, questionable source material.
Edena also believes the Terrans should be leave certain subjects alone (such as Vecna, Acererak, Larloch, Raistlin, Fistandantilus, Rajak, etc.) if they wish to keep their precious little world from being (quickly and totally) crushed and subjugated by those Powers Best Left Alone.
But, as usual, the Terrans do not listen.
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
A suitable weapon for munchkin power gamers everywhereEdena_of_Neith said:Yeah. It was sorta the AD&D lightsabre, as it were. The ultimate weapon.
It was in Dragon #241.
Thanks again!
Edena_of_Neith
Cheers,
Gary
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
In all the intriduction of higher level m-u spells requires the same for all other spell-casters, and commensurate magic items and monsters of considerably greater power as well.Anson Caralya said:
As the system isn't mine to alter, I have no plans to undertake the task, or to comment on how I would manage it.
I can say that a wish spell is hardly "all-powerful." Rather it is a likely disaster when employed by an over-weening PC. When I DMed I loved to have a wish used by the PCs,, and any error in its phrasing, including trying two wishes in one, made its intent go awry. All able DMs saw to that. Mordenkainen used wishes only in extremis to bring back associates that had met their end.
Cheers,
Gary
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
Bah!ScottyG said:
The Wand of Force is not all that deadly, and there is no "Holy Vorpal Sword," except in your mind, perhaps
Cheers,
Gary
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
Well...
I tried to have my players take their PCs into a "strange articficial tunnel floored with a trio of steel ribbons," whilst chasing an Evil Wizard that dabbled in technology. They heard strange rumblings and wailing sounds--all muffled. Then they found a place where they could ascend a to ledge about three feet above the tunnel floor, and on it they were assialed by a band of club- and knife-armed youths whom they defeated rather handily. After that they retreated the way they had come, passing back through the portal of glowing energy that had taken them into the tunnel.
It didn't take them long to realize that they were in the NYC subway during the infamous blackout--that caused by the Evil wizard escaping them, and that once above-ground their odd appearance would have brought down the local constabulary, of course. I had such plans for mayhem too... :\
Cheers,
Gary
I tried to have my players take their PCs into a "strange articficial tunnel floored with a trio of steel ribbons," whilst chasing an Evil Wizard that dabbled in technology. They heard strange rumblings and wailing sounds--all muffled. Then they found a place where they could ascend a to ledge about three feet above the tunnel floor, and on it they were assialed by a band of club- and knife-armed youths whom they defeated rather handily. After that they retreated the way they had come, passing back through the portal of glowing energy that had taken them into the tunnel.
It didn't take them long to realize that they were in the NYC subway during the infamous blackout--that caused by the Evil wizard escaping them, and that once above-ground their odd appearance would have brought down the local constabulary, of course. I had such plans for mayhem too... :\
Cheers,
Gary
JoeGKushner
First Post
If this has been covered before, can someone point me to it?
Gary, what are your feelings on "classic" settings being shaped to the 3.5 crowd like the boxed set of the Wilderlands or Blackmoor? Do you think newer players get it or will the main crowd be those who cut their teeth on older books, both fiction and gaming?
Gary, what are your feelings on "classic" settings being shaped to the 3.5 crowd like the boxed set of the Wilderlands or Blackmoor? Do you think newer players get it or will the main crowd be those who cut their teeth on older books, both fiction and gaming?
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
This must be tough question dayJoeGKushner said:
Frankly, my exposure to newer players of the D&D game is quite limited, for mostly it is the old hands, the grognards if you will, that are in touch with me.
The initial buyers of "classic" settings will in the main surely be the veterans, recognizing the name, recalling past adventures, or talk of same, and picking up the work as much for nostalgia as any other reason. If many of those purchasers are DMs with younger groups, they wlll then have the opportunity of converting the newer players to the "old school" material of the setting, likely do a good job of it, being veteran DMs. So the overall acceptance probably hinges on that.
In short, your latter suggestion that the "main crowd be those who cut their teeth on older books, both fiction and gaming," is correct for the first purchasers, and if their enthusiasm is considerable, then the newer players will be attracted to such products.
Cheers,
Gary
Edena_of_Neith
First Post
Well now ... here is the real purpose of Rock to Mud.
Super Mage! (c) : I activate my Prismatic Sword. I get 5 attacks per round. Prepare to die, elven wench!
Player of 9th level cute elven magistress: I cast my Rock to Mud, with you centered in it.
Super Mage! (c) : I step out.
DM: You can't. You're more than 10 feet from the edge, so you cannot step out. No saving throw is allowed, either. Can you fly?
Super Mage! (c) : I am a Wizard Jedi, with my Jedi Prismatic Sword. I don't need to fly!
DM: You keep sinking. You better do something quickly.
Super Mage! (c) : I use my Invinco Magic Resistance 250% to counter it.
DM: Mud is not magical. Magic resistance doesn't stop spells not aimed at you. You sink in over your head, and start to suffocate.
Super Mage! (c) : But wait. I'm Super Mage! (c) I can't be downed by a mere 5th level spell.
DM: Yes, you can be. Give me your character sheet.
Acererak, off-stage: Foolish, is he. Reckless, is he. Drowned, is he!
Ok, got a question.
Can you tell me more about Acererak?
What was he like, in life? (besides just being nasty and evil)
What did he do in life? (besides nasty and evil stuff)
If you could sit and have a conversation with Acererak, what would Acererak enjoy talking about? (besides endless magical research and evil stuff, obviously)
I mean, Acererak IS a legend. Many, many, many characters have died at his hands. Others (including Edena, my own PC) have survived. But most PCs of higher level have heard of the infamous demi-lich who resides somewhere in a Tomb, in a remote and desolate place out there in the wild blue yonder.
It would be pleasant to hear more about this famous NPC. Acererak, in all honesty, deserves a fleshing out. He's earned it!
'Go back to the tormentor or through the arch,
and the second great hall you'll discover.
Shun green if you can, but night's good color
is for those of great valor.
If shades of red stand for blood the wise
will not need sacrifice aught but a loop of
magical metal - you're well along your march.
Two pits along the wall will be found to lead
to a fortuitous fall, so check the wall.
These keys and those are most important of all,
and beware of trembling hands and what will maul.
If you find the false you find the true
and into the columned hall you'll come
and there the throne that's key and keyed.
The iron men of visage grim do more than
meet the viewers eye.
You've left and left and found my Tomb
and now your soul will die.'
Super Mage! (c) : I activate my Prismatic Sword. I get 5 attacks per round. Prepare to die, elven wench!
Player of 9th level cute elven magistress: I cast my Rock to Mud, with you centered in it.
Super Mage! (c) : I step out.
DM: You can't. You're more than 10 feet from the edge, so you cannot step out. No saving throw is allowed, either. Can you fly?
Super Mage! (c) : I am a Wizard Jedi, with my Jedi Prismatic Sword. I don't need to fly!
DM: You keep sinking. You better do something quickly.
Super Mage! (c) : I use my Invinco Magic Resistance 250% to counter it.
DM: Mud is not magical. Magic resistance doesn't stop spells not aimed at you. You sink in over your head, and start to suffocate.
Super Mage! (c) : But wait. I'm Super Mage! (c) I can't be downed by a mere 5th level spell.
DM: Yes, you can be. Give me your character sheet.
Acererak, off-stage: Foolish, is he. Reckless, is he. Drowned, is he!
Ok, got a question.
Can you tell me more about Acererak?
What was he like, in life? (besides just being nasty and evil)
What did he do in life? (besides nasty and evil stuff)
If you could sit and have a conversation with Acererak, what would Acererak enjoy talking about? (besides endless magical research and evil stuff, obviously)
I mean, Acererak IS a legend. Many, many, many characters have died at his hands. Others (including Edena, my own PC) have survived. But most PCs of higher level have heard of the infamous demi-lich who resides somewhere in a Tomb, in a remote and desolate place out there in the wild blue yonder.
It would be pleasant to hear more about this famous NPC. Acererak, in all honesty, deserves a fleshing out. He's earned it!
'Go back to the tormentor or through the arch,
and the second great hall you'll discover.
Shun green if you can, but night's good color
is for those of great valor.
If shades of red stand for blood the wise
will not need sacrifice aught but a loop of
magical metal - you're well along your march.
Two pits along the wall will be found to lead
to a fortuitous fall, so check the wall.
These keys and those are most important of all,
and beware of trembling hands and what will maul.
If you find the false you find the true
and into the columned hall you'll come
and there the throne that's key and keyed.
The iron men of visage grim do more than
meet the viewers eye.
You've left and left and found my Tomb
and now your soul will die.'
Last edited:
Col_Pladoh
Gary Gygax
Hail Edena_of_Neith!
Good stuff in that post, and amusing to read
As for the backfill regarding Acererak, there isn't any...at least none that I care to share. The whole setting, Acererak included, belongs to WotC, so they can provide details.
As a matter of fact I didn't actually do much in the way of background, leaving that open so that when I brought Acererak into some yarn before he became a lich, ater a demi-lich, I would have more creative freedom. When that opportunity went away back c. 1987, I smply shelved all such projects, forgot about the matter, as pursuit of it would be otious.
Cheers,
Gary
Good stuff in that post, and amusing to read
As for the backfill regarding Acererak, there isn't any...at least none that I care to share. The whole setting, Acererak included, belongs to WotC, so they can provide details.
As a matter of fact I didn't actually do much in the way of background, leaving that open so that when I brought Acererak into some yarn before he became a lich, ater a demi-lich, I would have more creative freedom. When that opportunity went away back c. 1987, I smply shelved all such projects, forgot about the matter, as pursuit of it would be otious.
Cheers,
Gary
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